1970 McLaren M8C #70-03.

History

This is one of the very few truly original McLaren Can Am cars in existence. It was selected for the McLaren heritage racing car display at the Velocity Invitational event November 2023, at Sonoma Raceway. It is a rare find and a genuine opportunity to acquire an investment grade, fully documented, iconic Mclaren Can Am car – from its original owner – at a below market price. 

Chassis number 70-03. was ordered directly from the McLaren factory by race mechanic Paul Cooke for Canadian racers Roger and Maurice McCaig. This M8C was raced by Roger McCaig in Can Am in 1970. RacingSportsCars – Roger McCaig. Roger recorded multiple top 5 finishes, a huge accomplishment up against the factory run team cars.

At the end of 1970, Chassis 70-03 was purchased from the McCaig brothers by William “Bill” Wonder to race during the 1971 season. Wonder raced the McLaren in the Can Am from 1971 through 1973. We have Wonder’s original Can Am log books for the car during this period, as well as his SCCA log book for SCCA National and Regional events. Samples of some of the log books pages are included in the photo section.

The McLaren was then sold to Joel Finn. Finn. Finn raced the car in SCCA regional events through 1978. He then sold it to Ted Gildred in 1978.

Gildred only ran the McLaren a few times during the next 11 years that he owned it. In 1989 he sold the car through California Sports Cars to Chris MacAllister. MacAllister only owned 70-03 for approximately 6 months during which time he had the car on display at Watkins Glen. Both Wonder and Finn attended that event and each recognized the car from features distinct to their time with the car in period.

The McLaren then went from MacAllister to David Livingston. Livingston removed the cast iron block and Lucas fuel injection then in the car and installed a Chevy ZL1 aluminum big block engine with Kinsler fuel injection. He also replaced the painted windscreen with a clear windscreen, removed the splitters, and replaced the original Koni shocks (dated “1970”) with new ones.

Mac Archer then purchased the McLaren from Livingston at the end of 1992. In early 1993, Archer obtained a McLaren by Trojan Manfacturer’s Register Verification for the car. Archer would go on to race the McLaren in vintage events until selling it back to its original owner Maurice McCaig in 1993. The sale included a considerable range of spares, including many original pieces still with the car. McCaig ran the car in some vintage races as well.

The car will come with period documentation, correspondence from prior owners, and a complete chain of ownership history from new. The car still runs on its original chassis with its original aluminum foil chassis tag still affixed to its tub.

Description

The McLaren has just been through a tub-up refresh. Work included disassembly, inspection, refurbishment and reassembly of the chassis by John Anderson Racing at Sonoma Raceway. Work included, but was not limited to, the following:

Front uprights disassembled, crack checked, and rebuilt. Brake and clutch master cylinders rebuilt. New clutch slave cylinder installed. New Odyssey PC950 battery installed. New U-joints installed in rear axles. New fuel cell foam installed. All visible steel parts on the chassis were zinc chromated, including the original bulkheads. A new fire system was installed. The entire tub was also polished.

The Hewland gearbox was fully disassembled and stripped for rechromating. The gearbox was then inspected, discovered to be in very good condition, and reassembled.

The big block injected aluminum Chevy engine was rebuilt by Huffaker Motorsports. New bits included a  Crower crankshaft, Carillo rods, a Cloyes timing chain, Manley valves, ARP rocker studs, Isky valve springs and retainers, etc.  Huffaker dyno sheets show 688 h.p. at 6000 rpm. The dyno sheets, and other receipts totalling over $50,000 are available upon request.

This is a highly original car. As mentioned above it still has its original aluminum foil chassis tag on it showing chassis #03. Another chassis plate comes with the car and is believed to also be an original with glue remnants still on the back of it.

The McLaren is back in the hands of its original owner, Maurice McCaig. The car has been authenticated by him, and is also authenticated through the car’s ownership history and records. The McLaren also comes with its original Can Am and SCCA log books as well as some setup notes. Samples of pages from the log books are included in the photo section.

If you are looking for a no-stories, original McLaren Can Am car in genuine racing condition, this is it. How many such cars exist anymore?

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