Bill Fraley
I purchased this car from Brett Lunger & George Alderman in 1969. I am the third owner from new. This was the feature car, July, 1966, R&T, "Nickey Chevrolet"/Charlie Hayes car. I sent the car to Bill Moir in Salinas, Calif., several years ago, & it has been partially completed. I also went to Traco Engineering & had Jim Jones build an original new 369cu.in. chevy (cast iron) w/the 58DCO3 sidedraft webers, planning to restore it exactly as it was when Charlie Hayes campaigned it. Traco built the motors for Charlie & Jim even had the old dyno sheets to go by!!! Final restoration will be in the original white livery, complete with all original graphics, as I was fortunate enough to find & purchase the negatives from the original R&T article, in full color!!! Arora also did a slot car model of the Nickey Chevy, which I have also located. I've owned this car for over 30 yrs. & hope to finish it & compete in SVRA, & other events, as VIR (Virginia International Raceway) is 45min. from home, as well as Road Atlanta, etc. I'm an old FF SCCA racer, 30yr. SCCA member, & as soon as my 2 children reach Grad. school, I'm go' in racing!! (in 2-3yrs.) Any old photos, etc. of my car would be sincerely appreciated.
Believe it or not, this is my first visit to your website...I had thought the McLaren Trust might be out there. Awesome job!!!! Very impressive. Now I have a way to shop for the bits I need to finish!! Thanks for all your hard work!!
Phil Henny
Portland Oregon July 26,2007.
Dear McLaren Trust,
I was a mechanic at Scuderia Filipinetti in Switzerland and came to America in 1967, to work for Shelby American. I was one of the mechanics assigned to the MKIV of Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt that won Le Mans in 1967. Of course Bruce was driving J5, co-driving with Mark Donohue. We all at Shelby, had the greatest respect for Bruce, no other drivers had the knowledge and the finesse that Bruce had.
In 1969, I was a mechanic at Al Bartz Engines in Van Nuys, where the McLaren Team had their engine shop, Tyler was there, Gary Knudsen and Edy Wyss, another Swiss who were building those famous 7-litre engines.
I purchased in 1968 a McLaren MK2 without engine and trans. It was Chassis # MKII 3003. It was a team car sold to Lothar Motschenbacker and then to Ron Herrera, I bought it from Ron for $1000.00. I totally rebuilt the car with a Bartz engine and a ZF transmission. I raced it at Orange County Intl. Raceway in 1969, finishing second to a Lola T70 and ahead of Milt Minter Porsche. I did a couple National races with it and sold it in 1971 to Chuck McConnell. In the 2 years I owned that car I did a lot of movie commercial also. It was a very pretty car.
I don't know where the car is now, but I am sure it is still racing somewhere. I later drove F5000 cars and IMSA, but I never forgot the first races with the McLaren.
I am sending you some pictures of the car, I hope the new owner will follow up. I really enjoy your new Website.
Thank you, best regards Phil Henny
More Images:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
