Lot 337: 1969 McLaren (M12) M6GT

The Can-Am Championship gave rise to some of the most exciting and powerful competition cars ever produced. Every year, it seemed, horsepower increased, often by huge increments. In 1969, for example, the fastest lap in the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen was set by Jochen Rindt's Lotus at 128.69mph, but in winning the CanAm round at the same circuit that year, Denny Hulme's McLaren lapped at 132.27mph, nearly four mph faster. The fastest time set by Hulme at Goodwood during testing in 1970 has never been beaten, yet the English circuit was used for testing by leading Formula One teams into the 1980s. Even in 1980 Nelson Piquet in a Brabham BT49 was two seconds off Hulme's time. Works McLarens dominated the CanAm series for years and in 1969 won all eleven rounds. Their secret was continuous development of a chassis first laid down by Robin Herd, continuous development of their Chevrolet engines and, of course, the talent of the drivers who were usually Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme. Despite the apparent bulk of the McLarens, they were actually light (a little under 630kg) and very agile. Denny Hulme said that they were exceptionally good on variable radius corners and were very easy to drive in traffic, just like a little single seater. Each year the works McLaren team would scoop the lion's share of the large prize fund, but it would also sell customers cars, for which there was no shortage of buyers. A customer McLaren was reckoned to be better than anything else on offer and fifteen M12s were sold in 1969. The chassis of the M12 was virtually identical to the McLaren M6 with an aluminium monocoque and Formula One style suspension, but the bodywork was similar to the M8A, the car used by the works the previous year. Good aerodynamics made a considerable contribution to the car's sweet handling and this was probably the single most important reason why McLarens dominated. It is little wonder then that these magnificent machines are so eagerly sought after today. There is, after all, nothing to touch a top rate CanAm car for sheer speed and exhilaration. Apart from the two original M6GT cars produced by the factory - one an M12 chassis and the other an M6 chassis, both carrying a closed version of the M6's narrower body - there are also believed to have been five M12s converted into M6GTs, two of which have since been returned to their original open roadster configuration. Notably, a conversion kit for transforming an M6 or M12 into an M6GT was available from McLaren/Trojan in order to meet the required production of 25 cars under the homologation rules then in force for international sportscar racing. Chassis M12-60-14 was professionally converted by Lawrence Crossen to carry M6GT coupe bodywork and it is powered by a Holman and Moody, NASCAR specification, seven litre V8 engine. Prior to this, the M12, which was imported from England when new to America, was campaigned in CanAm by Pete Sherman with sponsorship from Great Western Champagne; running the number 51, it was raced at Elkhart Lake and Donnybroke in 1972 and at Mosport, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen and Mid-Ohio in 1973. Finished in McLaren orange with black interior, and with all European taxes paid, this stunning and extremely fast McLaren comes with full road equipment and in excellent all round condition. A rare opportunity for the brave!Chassis-No. M12-60-14 wurde von Lawrence Crossen zu einem M6 GT Coupé umgebaut und wird von einem Holman and Moody V8-Motor mit 7 Liter Hubraum und NASCAR-Spezifikation angetrieben. Vor diesem Umbau wurde dieser M12, der neu nach Amerika exportiert wurde, in der CanAm Serie von Pete Sherman eingesetzt und Great Western Champagne gesponsort. Mit der Rennummer 51 trat dieser Mclaren bei den Rennen in Elkhart Lake und Donnybroke im Jahr 1972 an und im Jahr 1973 in Mosport, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen und Mid-Ohio. Stra?enzugelassen wird dieser dramatisch gutaussehende Sportwagen nach Angaben des Besitzer in exzellentem Zustand beschrieben. Eine sehr seltene Gelegenheit fr die ganz mutigen!