McLaren M8A-2: 1968 Can-Am Car

Background

The M8A-2 McLaren Can-Am sports car was first built in 1968 at the McLaren Factory in England and was the official team car for Denny Hulme to race during the 1968 Can-Am Championship series.  At the end of the 1968 season this car was altered and rebuilt using the original tub and upgraded to the high wing M8B car and became the team’s spare car for the 1969 Can-Am series.  During the 1969 season, Jack Brabham, Chris Amon and the American driver, Dan Gurney, also raced it for the McLaren team.  At the end of the season because of problems with his own car, Bruce McLaren drove this actual car in the final race of the 1969 series and thereby won the coveted Can-Am Championship.The car was then on sold to an American by the name of Lothar Motschenbacher.

Lothar raced the vehicle but shortly thereafter badly crashed it whilst racing. In conjunction with Denny Hulme and Goodyear, Lothar was approached to make up a “Display Car”. Research, photographic evidence and discussion with Lothar confirmed that this was done from a combination of McLaren parts, utilising the tub BM8A/2 and using the body from an M8D car. This vehicle was used as a display extensively in the USA and eventually came to New Zealand and was handed to MOTAT in 1978.

At sometime over the ensuing years, MOTAT “misplaced” the vehicle and it was found on a farm by members of the Northern Sports Car Club in an extremely rough state and ready to be buried by the owner of the property. The Car Club members duly “rescued” the car and became its guardian. Sixteen odd years of ownership dispute then started between MOTAT and the Northern Sports Car Club. In 1995 with the start of the formation of the new Trust, Jan McLaren decided to try and resolve this situation and with the help of others and the official formation of the Trust, after 18 months negotiation, all parties agreed to hand ownership to the new Bruce McLaren Trust. Ownership of the M8A by the Bruce McLaren Trust is now covered by a legal contract dated 18 December 1997.

Significance of M8A-2

The series of McLaren M8 Can-Am vehicles are world renowned and were the vehicles that triumphed and dominated the Canadian American Sports Car Series.  This series in those days had a prize purse higher that the World Formula 1 Driving Championship. A small New Zealand team took on the might of the wealthy Americans, and won with resounding success. They were so successful that the McLaren Team won the Can-Am Championship five years in a row, a feat unequalled in motor racing even today. In current achievements, it had been likened to Sir Peter Blake and Team Black Magic winning the Americas Cup.

In the world today there are only a few genuine McLaren team cars left and these are highly sought after. Of the eight M8s of varying models remaining, the car belonging to the Trust is the only M8A that exists, so it is extremely significant that this car belongs to the Bruce McLaren Trust and the people of New Zealand. It will be a magnificent example of the abilities and genius of an extremely talented young New Zealand engineer, designer and driver and the team that he gathered around him.