McLaren's Can-Am cars: Time for Tea
Half a century after McLaren dominated North America, the brand's Can-Am cars are out to celebrate
Is there a better way to celebrate 50 years since McLaren dominated the Can-Am Cup than racing your vintage competition car, complete with a Chevvy 700hp V8, at Laguna Seca? No, there is not. Just ask the eight drivers who demonstrated these monstrous McLarens from yesteryear on the famous Californian circuit.
As three of these drivers explain in the manufacturer's latest video, hustling one of these classic beasts around the Corkscrew is no easy feat - "all balls and skill" is how one chap memorably puts it. Although advanced for their time, back in the late 60s cars had far more power than grip and humble steel brakes to slow them down. Drivers like Bruce McLaren had to be extremely brave.
Kudos to the present owners of McLaren's old Can-Am cars then who continue to use them in the same vein. While we don't doubt the pace is a little slower now, hearing their big block V8s thunder along the pit straight at full chat is something we all need to experience. Get the kettle on...
"...the monocoque used the engine as a partially stressed structural member."
https://bruce-mclaren.com/can-am-cars/
I submitted an entry into a competition for my girlfriend to win a passenger ride during the winners parade on the Sunday, we won and she found herself getting strapped into the ex Amon McLaren M1B which has subsequently become a revival winner. An absolute monster of a car, I don't know if she realises how lucky she was to have the opportunity!
Just to give you an idea how stupidly fast these things are, when Chris Harris tested the new 720 against the P1 at Portimao on Top Gear his lap times were 2 seconds slower than our qualifier there. Remember that this is a 50 year old car on historic type treaded tyres and no aero, the FIA people made us take the Gurney Flap off.
Here it is with the car people most associate with us.
I submitted an entry into a competition for my girlfriend to win a passenger ride during the winners parade on the Sunday, we won and she found herself getting strapped into the ex Amon McLaren M1B which has subsequently become a revival winner. An absolute monster of a car, I don't know if she realises how lucky she was to have the opportunity!
The Banks boys in the Bonnier car were on tremendous form at the Classic. I was stood at the turn-in point of Copse and they were both balancing it beautifully, right on the ragged edge. They’d have walked that race had they finished.
the following is wicked -- visually, aurally
what, at first, seems to be the engine is not (wait for it)
video here
https://youtu.be/FKOki34YkK4
At a motorsport event a couple of years ago I was reading a magazine in the corner of our garage, the cover feature was Can Am cars. I was approached by an old Aussie motorsport engineer who remembered the cars from back in the day, and he spent a good few minutes regaling me with eye opening tales!
In the name of saving weight (there being no minimum weight rules) the chassis were so flimsy that they flexed and often cracked during races
M6B with an Eagle engine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnl_KVf9fbw
This is a great couple of clips, flying laps of Road America
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DBqJLUPkf4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBOA1Jqf63Y
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