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1971 McLaren M12B Navigation
The Canadian-American Challenge Cup was the ultimate sports-racing series of its time, and McLaren cars were the ultimate Can-Am competitors, winning 39 of 43 Can-Am races from 1967 through 1971.
By the mid-1960s, English and European race-car manufacturers were sending their factory teams to compete in U.S. road racing against home-grown specials that mated American V8 power with imported racing chassis. In 1966, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the Canadian Automobile Sports Clubs jointly announced a championship series for just such cars.
After establishing himself as a Grand Prix driving prodigy, young New Zealander Bruce McLaren began building his own sports-racing and formula cars in Slough, England, in 1964. His 1967 McLaren M6 featured a monocoque chassis, fiberglass bodywork and a 500 horsepower, small-block Chevrolet V8; a factory team consisting of McLaren himself and fellow Kiwi Dennis Hulme drove it to the first of five Can-Am championships. The M6 was succeeded for 1968 by the M8, which used its aluminum 7-liter Chevrolet big-block as a stressed chassis member.
McLaren crashed and died while testing an M8D at Goodwood in June 1970, but widow Pat McLaren took control, recruiting first Dan Gurney, then Peter Gethin, and in 1971 Peter Revson to join Hulme behind the wheel.
By 1972, however, the car to beat had become the Porsche 917-10K, with 900 horsepower from its turbo 5-liter flat-12. The high cost of the Porsche drove all but the wealthiest teams from the series and, concerned about this as well as safety, SCCA discontinued the Can-Am in November 1974.
The M12 was the 'production' version of the M8 sold to customers outside of the McLaren team; this one, sponsored by the Glen Motor Inn, was campaigned privately in the Can-Am during 1972-1974, and then in other events in the Midwest through 1976. Current owner David Lavertue purchased it and began its restoration in 2005.Source - AACA Museum
By the mid-1960s, English and European race-car manufacturers were sending their factory teams to compete in U.S. road racing against home-grown specials that mated American V8 power with imported racing chassis. In 1966, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and the Canadian Automobile Sports Clubs jointly announced a championship series for just such cars.
After establishing himself as a Grand Prix driving prodigy, young New Zealander Bruce McLaren began building his own sports-racing and formula cars in Slough, England, in 1964. His 1967 McLaren M6 featured a monocoque chassis, fiberglass bodywork and a 500 horsepower, small-block Chevrolet V8; a factory team consisting of McLaren himself and fellow Kiwi Dennis Hulme drove it to the first of five Can-Am championships. The M6 was succeeded for 1968 by the M8, which used its aluminum 7-liter Chevrolet big-block as a stressed chassis member.
McLaren crashed and died while testing an M8D at Goodwood in June 1970, but widow Pat McLaren took control, recruiting first Dan Gurney, then Peter Gethin, and in 1971 Peter Revson to join Hulme behind the wheel.
By 1972, however, the car to beat had become the Porsche 917-10K, with 900 horsepower from its turbo 5-liter flat-12. The high cost of the Porsche drove all but the wealthiest teams from the series and, concerned about this as well as safety, SCCA discontinued the Can-Am in November 1974.
The M12 was the 'production' version of the M8 sold to customers outside of the McLaren team; this one, sponsored by the Glen Motor Inn, was campaigned privately in the Can-Am during 1972-1974, and then in other events in the Midwest through 1976. Current owner David Lavertue purchased it and began its restoration in 2005.Source - AACA Museum
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