 1967 M6B |
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1968 McLaren M6B news, pictures, and information | ||
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 |  |  | CanAm Sports-Racing Spider Chassis Num: 50.30 |
McLaren had done extremely well during the 1967 CanAm season with their M6A Works Team cars. They had secured a championship victory with their three cars. For 1968, McLaren put this design into production as a customer car and dubbed them the M6B.
The McLaren Oldsmobile V8 engines had been lightweight and lacking in power, in comparison to other team cars. A change was made to Chevrolet engines that offered large displacement sizes. The chassis of the M6A was brought to life in just eleven weeks. The design had been made by Robin Herd. Bruce McLaren and teammate Denny Hulme fine-tuned the design through rigorous testing session. The chassis was aluminum monocoque which was both lightweight and strong. During the 1967, McLaren and Hulme dominated. McLaren earned 30 points and Hulme was close behind with 27. The McLarens and their Gulf-sponsored cars had won five of the six qualifying races and easily outclassed the competition.
This example was campaigned in European SuperSports Championship events during the 1990s by Wolfgang Momberger. With this racing heritage, it should be eligible for FIA Historic racing. It is a tribute tot he Penske Racing cars and to Mark Donohue. It was offered for sale at the 2006 Bonhams & Butterfields auction held at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California where it was estimated to sell between $240,000 - $280,000. At the conclusion of the auction, the car had been left unsold.
By Daniel Vaughan | May 2007
 |  |  | CanAm Sports-Racing Spider Chassis Num: 50-12 |
In 2000, the car was purchased by Joseph DiLoreto who, along with the expert craftsmanship of Bob Habermehl finally restored the McLaren with the proper all-aluminum Ford 427 engine. As far as we know, this is the only big block Ford Can-Am car actually campaigned in vintage racing. The car took over two years to restore to its original condition.
 |  |  | CanAm Sports-Racing Spider |
At Road Atlanta in 1970, driver Tom Dutton was hit from behind by another McLaren M6, bringing this car's involvement in Can-Am to an end.
 |  |  | CanAm Sports-Racing Spider Chassis Num: 50-15 |
Mickey Thompson side draft manifold adapted to Fuel injection.
 |  |  | CanAm Sports-Racing Spider Chassis Num: 50-21 |
Designed by Robin Herd and Gordon Coppuck and build by McLaren, the McLaren M7A and its B, C and D variants are Formula One racing vehicles.
The M6B weighed in around 1,700 lbs and had in the neighborhood of 600hp. An aluminum monocoque, the M6B was quite different from modern racecars, basically as sheet aluminum origami secured with rivets. Secured with removable pins, the only ‘safety cage' to mention is a not very confidence inspiring main hoop, braced only with a stringer from the center top of the hood back to the head of the engine.
An excellent design, the M6B was the first monocoque chassis McLaren. Strong, simple and an aerodynamically efficient package, the factory attempted to sell a number of replicas to eager customers hoping to duplicate its success. This of course never happened as the customers were always based on last year's model, while the factory team raced the latest and newest improved hardware.
Can-Am vehicles clearly occupy the ground where adrenaline and testosterone are at the maximum. At the same time these vehicles are both absolutely terrifying yet wildly exciting.
In 1966 the basic concept of Can-Am's debut was 'professional, minimum rules, closed wheel sports cars, who can go fastest'. A quantum leap in tire technology soon made it a contest of getting the most horsepower to the ground and horsepower quickly became the mantra of the series.
McLaren's M6B was designed to take the GM small-block V8 and mate it to a Hewland LG five-speed transaxle.
Only 28 models of the M6B were ever produced in 1968. They were sold for approximately $14,000.By Jessica Donaldson
For more information and related vehicles, click hereThe M6B weighed in around 1,700 lbs and had in the neighborhood of 600hp. An aluminum monocoque, the M6B was quite different from modern racecars, basically as sheet aluminum origami secured with rivets. Secured with removable pins, the only ‘safety cage' to mention is a not very confidence inspiring main hoop, braced only with a stringer from the center top of the hood back to the head of the engine.
An excellent design, the M6B was the first monocoque chassis McLaren. Strong, simple and an aerodynamically efficient package, the factory attempted to sell a number of replicas to eager customers hoping to duplicate its success. This of course never happened as the customers were always based on last year's model, while the factory team raced the latest and newest improved hardware.
Can-Am vehicles clearly occupy the ground where adrenaline and testosterone are at the maximum. At the same time these vehicles are both absolutely terrifying yet wildly exciting.
In 1966 the basic concept of Can-Am's debut was 'professional, minimum rules, closed wheel sports cars, who can go fastest'. A quantum leap in tire technology soon made it a contest of getting the most horsepower to the ground and horsepower quickly became the mantra of the series.
McLaren's M6B was designed to take the GM small-block V8 and mate it to a Hewland LG five-speed transaxle.
Only 28 models of the M6B were ever produced in 1968. They were sold for approximately $14,000.By Jessica Donaldson
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| KARL LUDVIGSEN SPEAKING IN WATKINS GLEN ON APRIL 13 | |
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| 1968 Belgian Grand Prix: A First for McLaren | |
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| 1962 Monaco Grand Prix: McLaren Carries the Cooper Flag back to the Top | |
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