Flemke - Is this your McLaren? (Vol 5)

Flemke - Is this your McLaren? (Vol 5)

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flemke

22,864 posts

236 months

Friday 11th October 2019
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cc8s said:
It seems that some F1s are still seen relatively frequently but a number have not been seen for years.

Are there any F1s which have not been identified? Which ones?
Which F1s have not been seen for years?
The one that stands out for its conspicuous absence is chassis #039, which was brown. About 15 years ago that car was supposedly sold to a person with a dubious reputation, was spotted in Mexico shortly after that, but has not been seen or heard of since (as far as I know). There were lurid rumours of what happened to the car (and to the owner yikes), but nothing more than that, and the factory have no idea of its whereabouts or status.

cc8s

4,209 posts

202 months

Friday 11th October 2019
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flemke said:
The one that stands out for its conspicuous absence is chassis #039, which was brown. About 15 years ago that car was supposedly sold to a person with a dubious reputation, was spotted in Mexico shortly after that, but has not been seen or heard of since (as far as I know). There were lurid rumours of what happened to the car (and to the owner yikes), but nothing more than that, and the factory have no idea of its whereabouts or status.
That will be the one that the F1 GTR took the plate from! It will be interesting to find out if it resurfaces any time. I spoke to someone from MSO a few years ago who said they had seen the car recently, but I am not confident if that was just said for other reasons.

AMVSVNick

6,990 posts

161 months

Friday 11th October 2019
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flemke said:
The one that stands out for its conspicuous absence is chassis #039, which was brown. About 15 years ago that car was supposedly sold to a person with a dubious reputation, was spotted in Mexico shortly after that, but has not been seen or heard of since (as far as I know). There were lurid rumours of what happened to the car (and to the owner yikes), but nothing more than that, and the factory have no idea of its whereabouts or status.
I always thought the factory was constantly in touch with the cars via satellite etc?

Sway

26,070 posts

193 months

Friday 11th October 2019
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AMVSVNick said:
flemke said:
The one that stands out for its conspicuous absence is chassis #039, which was brown. About 15 years ago that car was supposedly sold to a person with a dubious reputation, was spotted in Mexico shortly after that, but has not been seen or heard of since (as far as I know). There were lurid rumours of what happened to the car (and to the owner yikes), but nothing more than that, and the factory have no idea of its whereabouts or status.
I always thought the factory was constantly in touch with the cars via satellite etc?
No, it had a 56k modem fitted - but that required a cable to be plugged in, and iirc prior arrangement with the factory for them to dial into it...

Far from satellite telemetry, etc.

AMVSVNick

6,990 posts

161 months

Friday 11th October 2019
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Sway said:
AMVSVNick said:
flemke said:
The one that stands out for its conspicuous absence is chassis #039, which was brown. About 15 years ago that car was supposedly sold to a person with a dubious reputation, was spotted in Mexico shortly after that, but has not been seen or heard of since (as far as I know). There were lurid rumours of what happened to the car (and to the owner yikes), but nothing more than that, and the factory have no idea of its whereabouts or status.
I always thought the factory was constantly in touch with the cars via satellite etc?
No, it had a 56k modem fitted - but that required a cable to be plugged in, and iirc prior arrangement with the factory for them to dial into it...

Far from satellite telemetry, etc.
Thank you.

S1KRR

12,548 posts

211 months

Friday 11th October 2019
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If you Google Mclaren f1 mexico Culiacan / Sinaloa


You might find the pics and a brief vid of some young kids sitting in the car.


Thing is, even if the car resurfaced tomorrow. I'm not sure you'd get many people volunteering to get involved in the sale. And that's before the fact it's probably not been looked after so well.

The Sultan of Brunei has been involved in various controversies over the years. And has some laws in his country which are not universally popular. But I'd rather buy from him than a cartel! biggrin

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

195 months

Friday 11th October 2019
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Wasn't there some story in the brown F1, wasn't it spec'd by Ron or something?

flemke

22,864 posts

236 months

Saturday 12th October 2019
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LaurasOtherHalf said:
Wasn't there some story in the brown F1, wasn't it spec'd by Ron or something?
Originally there were two brown cars. I believe this one was spec'd by Ron.

Davey S2

13,075 posts

253 months

Tuesday 15th October 2019
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flemke said:
robinessex said:
BMW, with the help of its engineer Paul Rosche, made 350 of the 6.1-liter powerhouses for the British automaker, though only 106 examples of the F1 were ever produced.

So where are the unused engines then?
dom9 said:
From Chris Harris' podcast with David Clark - it sounds like he might have 'a few', at least a couple of complete ones and a lot of parts. Sounds like BMW sold a lot of the engines/parts off wholesale, effectively.
I am pretty sure that BMW did not make all those engines. Over the years I have had many conversations with McLaren about BMW Motorsport, the situation with the engines and the spare parts, and nothing I ever heard suggested that BMW had anything like such a trove - quite the contrary, in fact.
I was told at the time that McLaren were negotiating with BMW to buy the remaining spare parts (this was late '16/early '17) that there weren't actually that many spare parts to be had; in the case of certain parts, not even single example. They may have had a complete engine, but it was only one.
As for what David Clark said in that podcast, he's a car dealer - if you catch my drift. wink
Well David Clarke has one on display in his office




He mentions in the podcast that he has 'a couple' and also some blocks and a host of other parts.

BMW definitely didn't make 350 engines as he mentions that they had a lot of negotiations with BMW about getting out of the contract for 350 of them which they did. He doesn't say how many were made though.

There is at least 1 other engine that BMW still has in the 5 series estate test mule that they used at the time. I'd love to see pics and some footage of that.

vincegail

2,456 posts

154 months

Tuesday 15th October 2019
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Didn't the Williams/BMW V12 LM(R) Le Mans cars of the late '90s use the same engine, albeit slighly reduced in cilinder size to comply to prototype rules?

flemke

22,864 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th October 2019
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Davey S2 said:
Well David Clarke has one on display in his office




He mentions in the podcast that he has 'a couple' and also some blocks and a host of other parts.

BMW definitely didn't make 350 engines as he mentions that they had a lot of negotiations with BMW about getting out of the contract for 350 of them which they did. He doesn't say how many were made though.

There is at least 1 other engine that BMW still has in the 5 series estate test mule that they used at the time. I'd love to see pics and some footage of that.
It might be questioned whether that is an actual and complete working engine....

flemke

22,864 posts

236 months

Wednesday 16th October 2019
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vincegail said:
Didn't the Williams/BMW V12 LM(R) Le Mans cars of the late '90s use the same engine, albeit slighly reduced in cilinder size to comply to prototype rules?
You are correct.
From Wikipedia (S70/2 was the F1 engine):



driving

thegreenhell

15,115 posts

218 months

Wednesday 16th October 2019
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flemke said:
You are correct.
From Wikipedia (S70/2 was the F1 engine):



driving
And BMW put one of those in the one-off X5 Le Mans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG1MYieGj60

bolidemichael

13,723 posts

200 months

Wednesday 16th October 2019
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thegreenhell said:
flemke said:
You are correct.
From Wikipedia (S70/2 was the F1 engine):



driving
And BMW put one of those in the one-off X5 Le Mans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG1MYieGj60
That was awesome, here's another

cc8s

4,209 posts

202 months

Wednesday 30th October 2019
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You might find this car interesting! My friend just took delivery of this Manthey-tuned 997.1 GT3 RS. It was owned by an important person connected to the 'Ring. It seems to be a complete weapon!



Flemke, I understand, from your older posts, that you are a big Manthey fan. Do you have one of your own at all (if I can be so crass to ask)? smile

flemke

22,864 posts

236 months

Friday 1st November 2019
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cc8s said:
Flemke, I understand, from your older posts, that you are a big Manthey fan. Do you have one of your own at all (if I can be so crass to ask)? smile
Olaf made one 997 GT3 with a 4.4 L engine and KW suspension. He took out 70kg with such features as a carbon roof, carbon bonnet, carbon door cards, his forged wheels, et al. It was his expression of what the ideal GT3 would be. It drives like a Cup car. A v well-known motoring journalist wrote a piece about it in one of the British car mags several years ago. He texted me privately that it was the best Porsche road car he had ever driven.

Caddyshack

10,605 posts

205 months

Friday 1st November 2019
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I remember your silver Manthey 996, that was a great car. I think the bushes were noisy when I went out on the road in it after you sold it to the next owner.

flemke

22,864 posts

236 months

Friday 1st November 2019
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Caddyshack said:
I remember your silver Manthey 996, that was a great car. I think the bushes were noisy when I went out on the road in it after you sold it to the next owner.
Yes, that car had a very benign chassis. The 997 MM is sharper and more incisive, and of course the engine is quite special, but to be fully enjoyed it needs German roads.

cc8s

4,209 posts

202 months

Monday 4th November 2019
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flemke said:
cc8s said:
Flemke, I understand, from your older posts, that you are a big Manthey fan. Do you have one of your own at all (if I can be so crass to ask)? smile
Olaf made one 997 GT3 with a 4.4 L engine and KW suspension. He took out 70kg with such features as a carbon roof, carbon bonnet, carbon door cards, his forged wheels, et al. It was his expression of what the ideal GT3 would be. It drives like a Cup car. A v well-known motoring journalist wrote a piece about it in one of the British car mags several years ago. He texted me privately that it was the best Porsche road car he had ever driven.
Was it an orange car? I remember seeing a 997 GT3 RS in the workshop when I visited, years ago, in orange and it was referred to as being a very special car, or similar.

flemke

22,864 posts

236 months

Monday 4th November 2019
quotequote all
cc8s said:
flemke said:
cc8s said:
Flemke, I understand, from your older posts, that you are a big Manthey fan. Do you have one of your own at all (if I can be so crass to ask)? smile
Olaf made one 997 GT3 with a 4.4 L engine and KW suspension. He took out 70kg with such features as a carbon roof, carbon bonnet, carbon door cards, his forged wheels, et al. It was his expression of what the ideal GT3 would be. It drives like a Cup car. A v well-known motoring journalist wrote a piece about it in one of the British car mags several years ago. He texted me privately that it was the best Porsche road car he had ever driven.
Was it an orange car? I remember seeing a 997 GT3 RS in the workshop when I visited, years ago, in orange and it was referred to as being a very special car, or similar.
The body is white. Olaf wanted to keep the roof and bonnet in clear-coat carbon-fibre to show them off. I preferred for them to be white but in deference to him kept them black, as they remain.