1968 McLaren M6B CanAm Sports-Racing Spider

The McLaren M6A, an open-top sports racer, had an aluminum monocoque chassis designed by Robin Herd, Gordon Coppuck, Tyler Alexander, and Don Beresford. Produced for just a single year, the M6A would be the start of a five-year McLaren dominance in Can-Am competition. Bruce and new hire Denny Hulme drove the two M6As, with Hulme earning the vehicle its inaugural victory at its first race at Road America. Hulme took the next two rounds, at Bridgehampton and Mosport, and McLaren won at Laguna Seca and Riverside. John Surtees' Lola won in round six, preventing the McLaren from sweeping the season. Bruce McLaren took the season crown, and Hulme was in second.

For the 1968 season, McLaren built a virtually identical version for privateers called the M6B. The manufacturing was contracted to UK-based Trojan, guided by British entrepreneur Peter Agg. A total of fifteen M6B examples were completed of seventeen assigned chassis numbers.

The McLaren M6B's first race was in 1968 in Mexico City, where Moises Salana took 50-04 to victory. Lothar Motschenbacher, in 50-03, finished sixth. The M6B achieved few additional wins as the Can-Am grids were now dominated by McLaren's works M8As.

This particular example originated as a spare tub first owned by Michigan privateer Dick Brown, who had purchased it along with McLaren M6B-50-07 from the factory. During a practice at Mosport in 1970, Brown was killed in M6B-50-07. The totaled car was later acquired by Gordon Barrett along with the spare tub and other assorted original parts. The collective parts were then sold, eventually ending up in the care of Bill Kasmer, who constructed the M6B for competition, though at the time, it was fitted with a coupe body. It was then acquired by Rex Ramsey who was the car's only owner to race it as a coupe, including at Sebring in 1980.

The next owner, a Canadian restoration expert, rebuilt the engine and re-bodied the car as a roadster. Specialized Mouldings was commissioned to build the new fiberglass body. In 1990, the McLaren was treated to an extensive, professional restoration using period-correct components. Upon completion, it was vintage raced for seven years until the current owner bought it in 1997. The car continued to race for the next two decades.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2020

Denis Hulme signed the driver's door in 1992, just three months before his death.

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.