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McLaren M8D - CanAm series winner from 1970

Name: McLaren M8D 1970
Brand: McLaren

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Created on June 1, 2020

Text:

Daniel Reinhard

Photos:

Daniel Reinhard

Balz Schreier

Bruno von Rotz

Jochen Frozenspeed

Archiv

Daniel Reinhard

Balz Schreier

Bruno von Rotz

Jochen Frozenspeed

Archiv

McLaren M8D (1970) - Aerodynamic concepts of the sixties

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McLaren M8D (1970) - the driver sits almost in the middle

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McLaren M8D (1970) - inconspicuous sponsor

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McLaren M8D (1970) - Wood for the gear stick

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McLaren M8D (1970) - economical instrumentation

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McLaren M8D (1970) - the driver sits in the aluminum monocoque

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McLaren M8D (1970) - 7.6 liter displacement for 760 hp

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McLaren M8D (1970) - a tight turning circle was not the aim

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McLaren M8D (1970) - adjustable rear wing

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McLaren M8D (1970) - in the Richard Mille Mclaren special show - Rétromobile Paris 2018

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McLaren M8A (1968) - CanAm race at Riverside 1968, Denny Hulme

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McLaren M6B (1968) - McLaren M6B 1968 - Bruce McLaren Tribute - Goodwood Revival 2015

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McLaren M6b (1968) - Bosch Hockenheim Historic 2013 - SuperSports

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McLaren M6B (1968) - participant in the "Total Oil International Sports Car Challenge" in the supporting program of the 2013 Australian GP

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McLaren M8B (1969) - Denny Hulme ahead of Bruce McLaren, Parsons and Amon at Elkhart Lake 1969

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McLaren M8C (1970) - CanAm at the 2012 ADAC Eifelrennen

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McLaren M8C (1970) - Spa Six Hours 2013 "CanAm Interserie Challenge"

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McLaren M8C (1970) - "CanAm" at the Spa Six Hours 2013

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McLaren M8C (1970) at the Norisring Race Classics 2014

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McLaren M8D (1970) - Denny Hulme leads ahead of Jackie Oliver (Norris Industries Ti 22), Chris Amon is lapped - Laguna Seca 1980

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McLaren M8D (1970) - in the Super Sports and Can Am Challenge race - Hockenheim Historics 2014

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Summary

The CanAm sports car championship is legendary. For just nine years, this racing series showed how technology develops when there are hardly any regulatory restrictions. Engine power increased from 500 to 1200+ hp, and the aerodynamics would theoretically have allowed the sports cars to drive on the ceiling in tunnels. McLaren won the series five times, in 1970 with the M8D, in which company boss Bruce McLaren died during test drives. This report tells the story of a special racing series and the winning car from 1970, illustrated with current and historical images.

This article contains the following chapters

Legendary
Almost everything allowed
"Batmobile"
The technology
Bruce McLaren's last outing
The year of the M8D
Technical data of the McLaren M8D from 1970

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The CanAm was a championship in a class of its own. Without any major technical restrictions on the regulations, cars could be rolled onto the grid that were actually almost impossible to drive. Unfortunately, this series was short-lived. Born in 1966, it died at the end of its ninth season in 1974. There were just 71 races during this period. Seven drivers became champions and five brands won at least one race. And that was it. So why do we still have so many memories of the CanAm (which stands for Canada-America) today? It was because of the almost limitless power and incredible speed. And the engine sound that made the earth tremble under your feet. Without regulation books as thick as a telephone book, there were free technical innovations on all fronts.

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