1967 McLaren M4A Formula 2/Formula B

History

McLaren M4 A 200-11F

Update: The McLaren was part of the  McLaren heritage racing cars display at the Velocity Invitational event at Sonoma Raceway in 2023, along with some of the most iconic McLarens ever assembled. 

The M4A was designed by Robin Herd to compete in the 1967 European F2 Championship. The F2 version of the cars were powered by 1600 c.c. Cosworth FVA engines. According to several sources, the M5A McLaren F1 cars were later based on the M4A Formula 2 chassis.

OldRacingCars.com reports that chassis M4A 200-11F began its racing career at Brands Hatch with Frank Lythgoe Racing (“FLR”). FLR bought the McLaren for Alan Rollinson to race in Formula 2 for 1967.

Formula 2 was stacked with talent in 1967, including some of the greatest drivers in the world at that time. Rollinson and the McLaren raced with Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, John Surtees, Jochen Rindt, Jackie Stewart, Bruce McLaren (driving a McLaren M4A himself), Denny Hulme, Francois Cevert, Piers Courage, Henri Pescarolo, Jo Siffert, Jackie Oliver, Frank Gardner, Peter Gethin, Pedro Rodriguez, Brian Redman,  and many others. Unfortunately for Rollinson, his results for 1967 were not remarkable and the McLaren was sold to Robs Lamplough.

Lamplough raced the McLaren in the 1968 European F2 Championship for Frank Manning Racing, but only in three races. His best result was 8th at the 1968 Eifelrennen F2 race held at the Nurburgring. His next best result was 12th at the B.A.R.C. 200 at Thruxton. The other race was a mechanical DNF. According to OldRacingCars, there were a total of only 11 recorded races for chassis M4 A 200-11F.

In 1969 the McLaren was sold, minus its Cosworth FVA 1600 c.c. F2 engine, to International Automotive, an Alfa dealer in San Diego, California. At this point a Shankle Automotive Engineering fuel injected 1600 c.c. Formula B Alfa engine was installed. 

The McLaren was run as part of a four car team of McLaren M4A Formula B cars by Dick Barbour’s Automotion operation in San Diego. Skeeter Mckitterick drove this car, the Alfa powered car. 

McKitterick drove an abbreviated season, focusing mainly on SCCA Southern Pacific Division races at venues such as Riverside, Holtville, Vacaville, Phoenix International, Willow Springs, Bonneville Raceway Park, and others. He finished 8th in the Division out of 18 cars. His best pro series finish was 8th at the SCCA Continental Championship Race at Road America on July 20, 1969. Skeeter concluded the 1969 pro season on December 28th at Sebring where he DNF’d due to a recurring engine problem with the fuel injected Alfa. 

According to OldRacingCars.com, the next owner of the McLaren was Phil Lester in 1970. What Lester did/did not do with the McLaren from 1970 to 1972 is unknown at this time. However, at some point in 1972/73 the McLaren was purchased by Bruce McCaw of Seattle, Washington. McCaw only drove the car a couple of times with the Alfa engine and then parked it due to leaking fuel bags. 

The McLaren was then stored at McCaw’s Vintage Racing Motors (“VRM”) until 1993. Tony Garmey, then working for VRM, was tasked with repairing and reassembling the M4A. Garmey worked on the McLaren on and off through 1998. The car was then sold to Pat Hart in 1998 as a rolling chassis. When Hart passed away, the McLaren was sold to Tony Garmey in 2012 along with a Ford twin cam and Hewland Mk.5 gearbox that had been acquired for the car during Hart’s ownership. Over the next several years Garmey completed the full restoration of the McLaren.

Most recently the McLaren was raced in November 2022, as part of the Historic Formula B Continental Championship. The McLaren won. 

Description

The McLaren’s tub was re-skinned in 1992 during McCaw’s ownership. Garmey later completed the restoration after acquiring the car in 2012. He restored the McLaren M4A to McLaren M4B specs (using a Hewland Mk.5 gearbox instead of the M4A Hewland FT200 gearbox). 

The McLaren weighs 940 lbs. and runs on 10 and 12 inch wheels. New fuel bladders were installed in 2022, along with new Willans belts. New valves and valve springs were also installed in 2022, and now have one race weekend on them. 

The McLaren is already a fresh and proven race winner in the U.S. Continental Grand Prix Reunion Series. It can be raced across the U.S. with various other groups including CSRG, VARA, CVAR, SVRA, and others. The McLaren can also be raced as a Formula B in the HSCC Jim Clark Trophy Series throughout Europe. You could also install a Cosworth FVA engine and race it in Historic Formula 2 if you wanted to. 

The value of this rare, fast, restored, early monocoque McLaren Formula Car has nowhere to go but up. Buy it now, race it now, and enjoy it now. Also enjoy the appreciation of this asset class McLaren over time. 

All vehicle descriptions are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Corrections, and supplemental information, are always welcome. Buyers are responsible for confirming vehicle histories, condition, and authenticity to their own satisfaction prior to purchase. Motorsports Market is not the owner of the vehicle and assumes no liability for errors and omissions.

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