6 replies to this topic

[TerryS]

A for sale ad for the earliest known Mclaren in existence.. 

 

Racecarsdirect.com - McLaren BMMR 2-64

 

The price of USD 1,400,000 seems a little steep

[Doug Nye]

I have little doubt this is indeed the Dan Gurney 1965 car (restored into extremely odd hybrid configuration and livery) which only 'arguably' re-used a frame originally constructed by the embryo Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Team late in 1964.  

 

Having spent a lot of time studying this individual machine and the claims made for it - not so much by its long-time owner but very much so by the person acting as his agent - it seems to me that such claims are based at best upon merely circumstantial evidence and some rather dubious interpretation of long-since amputated or amended frame features.  

 

The fate of the long-time missing end of season 'works' McLaren M1 (no 'A" suffix) - as used by Bruce at Nassau '64 - remains unconfirmed, though we have located another possible candidate for it, surviving after decades of storage.

 

DCN

[Seppi_0_917PA]

I have little doubt this is indeed the Dan Gurney 1965 car (restored into extremely odd hybrid configuration and livery) ...

Unlike Dan's Pacesetter Lotus 19 or Bardahl Lola T-70, this one didn't readily come to mind. Here's what photos Revs Institute has:
 
https://library.revs...side^all^and!/1

[sabrejet]

And covered here:

 

https://forums.autos...chassis-plates/

[teegeefla]

Curious question for the experts;

 

in the image of Doug Nye's posted by sabrejet showing the dash and chassis plate for BMMR/64/2 circa 1964, the dash panel is full width across the top.  But in this image from Revs showing the car from the 1965 Guards Trophy the dash panel is tapered down to the driver's left.  Was that common for the M1As that followed from Elva or Trojan or was it an AAR inspired modification?

 

https://forums.autos...chassis-plates/

 

https://library.revs...ds-hatch/267606

[Seppi_0_917PA]

...But in this image from Revs showing the car from the 1965 Guards Trophy the dash panel is tapered down to the driver's left...

I found another photo showing the dashboard shape on Flickr (The Henry Ford/Dave Friedman collection), top row center on this proof-sheet:
 
https://www.flickr.c...304782/sizes/k/

[Doug Nye]

I believe the asymmetric dashboard shape on the Gurney car was tailor-made simply to clear Dan's long legs.  The car first emerged - at least as an AAR entry - at the August 30, 1965, Guards Trophy meeting, Brands Hatch.  It differed distinctively from 'production spec' M1As - quite apart from being Ford as opposed to standard Oldsmobile V8-engined - in its body form in addition to its cockpit configuration, very much reflecting 'Fiddly Dan's reputation for individual and alternative development. The car generally "proved disappointing".

 

DCN