1965 McLaren M1A

During the early 1960s, racing continued to be a booming business where drivers and teams could make a reasonable living driving in series worldwide. Some races were lucrative enough to entice manufacturers to build specialized vehicles specifically for regional race series.

In 1964, Bruce McLaren had his team at Cooper Cars build and prepare two special cars specifically for the Tasman series. Cooper, however, felt it was too much work. Undeterred, Bruce and the Mayer brothers (Timmy and Teddy) set up Bruce McLaren Motor Racing Ltd. Bruce drove one example to a victory in the New Zealand Grand Prix and the series championship.

The team later acquired Roger Penske's Zerex Special. It was an F1 Cooper that was modified to comply with FIA Appendix C Sports Car racing regulations. It was initially raced with a 2.7-liter Climax four; this was replaced mid-season with a 215 cubic-inch Traco-modified Oldsmobile aluminum block V8. The modified car was called the Cooper-Oldsmobile.

While racing with modified cars, the MK1 was being constructed in the team's new shops in Feltham. This was Bruce McLaren's first racing car of his own design. It was finished in time for the late-season North American races. Power was from a Traco Oldsmobile engine, which now displaced 4.5 liters. Even though the car encountered a throttle linkage problem, it rallied to finish third overall and establish the lap record. The West Coast rounds at Riverside and Laguna Seca were spoiled by cooling hose issues.

Even though the M1 had not earned an outright victory, it had proven to be very competitive. Teddy Mayer recognized the possibility of customer car sales but worried about over-taxing the Feltham McLaren shop with the workload. Instead, a deal was struck with Frank Nichols, who had joined Peter Agg's Trojan Group to re-establish Elva cars. Elva would build customer cars for McLaren, which were designated McLaren-Elvas.

The Elva-built McLarens, called the MK 1A, were campaigned by a variety of teams using a variety of powerplants. The MK 1A had a frame based on three main tubes incorporating a multi-tubular space frame structure with stressed sheet floor and bulkhead panels. An independent suspension setup was located at all four corners with widely spaced pickups for the front upper wishbones. The rear had reversed lower wishbones, single upper links, and parallel radius rods. Springing was by coil springs and tubular shocks.

Tony Hilder designed the body. It was given a pointed nose that directed air to the radiator, which exhausted out the top of the nose directly in front of the curved windscreen. The nose also directed air to the front brakes. Intakes in the front of each rear fender did the same for the rear brakes.

Although several engines were used, the Traco-Oldsmobile was the preferred power source. A Hewland transaxle was used.

It is believed that around 24 examples of the McLaren-Elva MK 1A were built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2017