The Orange Times

Bruce McLaren Trust October / November 2014, Issue #4

Trustee Update Having completed the sale of the M8A, and with the shipment to America this past week, the Trust is now restructuring to refine its operational activities and plan for the future. The five Trustees, Duncan Fox, Jan McLaren, Tony Roberts, Paul Hunter and Max Colman now share the day to day management of the Trust. The CEO role, as you have all known it for the last 18 years, is deemed no longer necessary. We look forward to updating you on these plans as they proceed.

Celebrating 50 Years of Exciting times are ahead of us all and especially for Amanda McLaren Racing McLaren – Amanda and her husband Stephen Donnell are moving to the UK. Stephen is working with McLaren Automotive and Amanda will be with McLaren Group. We wish them well for these Oct - Nov 1964 wonderful new roles.

And as new doors open, old doors close so were saddened to hear Bruce raced four times in October – all in North America. The US GP at Watkins Glen in of the passing of Eoin Young. His career and connection with

the Cooper was a DNF due to failure. McLaren and the McLaren family has been a long one. It was back

Then at Riverside in the McLaren M1 the in the late 50’s that Bruce first met Eoin and as Eoin himself said, his life in the motorsport arena sure beat working. We will miss his cooling system failed. Back in the Cooper F1 tales and hilarious stories and his presence at the motorsport car for the last race of the season at Mexico th events will surely be missed by all. and the result was 7 . Then the following weekend the M1 at Laguna Seca had a repeat The Trustees of the Riverside cooling system failure - so a disappointing month.

November was more of the same but this time racing for the Ford Motor Co. in a Ford GT40 at the Nassau Speed Week, held over two consecutive weekends. The suspension let

Bruce down in the first race and it was unable

to be fixed in time for the Nassau Tourist Trophy that afternoon. They hoped for more success the following weekend in early December, when Bruce would be running in other cars.

While all this was going on the construction of two Cooper cars for the 1965

was well under way, and so were the

negotiations for the number two driver….. Eoin Young - Levin ‘69

In this Issue…

Celebrating 50 Years – 1964 – 2014 P1 Trustee Update P1 A tribute to Eoin S Young (ESY) P2 Coast to Coast Run P3 at Monterey P4 McLarens at Monterey, Years Gone By P5 Trust Register Update P6 Silverstone Classic P7 General News, Current Calendar P8

Bruce McLaren Trust

A tribute to Eoin S Young - aka ‘ESY’ Styling his name after his hero in Road & Track, Henry N Eoin first met with Bruce McLaren back in 1958 during the Manney III, Eoin started writing for South Island Newspapers in Teretonga meeting in New Zealand. By 1962 Bruce had the 1950’s. In his own autobiography he recounts his School decided he needed a secretary as a lot of the other teams had Certificate results ‘scraped through with 51% and topped the one. The following excerpt from Eoin’s own biography “It Beats class in English, failed miserably in maths, history, and Working” outlines how things developed – geography’. He learnt early on that ‘I have never been able to “The upshot of our conversation was that the idea of spending learn anything in which I have no interest’. While he started his the rest of my life in Tasmania was cancelled and I would go working career as a bank teller he found that boring and one back to as Bruce’s secretary. (Diary: “he’s not sure Christmas Eve when balancing and going home was on the what a secretary does, but the other drivers have one, so I can minds of the entire branch Eoin was ₤100 up, the following be his.’) He told me that he wouldn’t have enough work for a week – New Years Eve - ₤100 down – and not the most popular full week, so he suggested a 20 hour week for the first year person in the branch. and he would pay me ₤600. This would allow time for freelance writing and I would also be ghost writing his columns, which at The writing came about after attending a race with a friend and the time ran in several NZ newspapers and later in Autosport, then reading the story in the Timaru Herald - the friend, who for which he would pay me 25% of the column fee on top of won the race, did not get the recognition Eoin felt he deserved. my salary. With Bruce’s name on the columns they fetched a So an indignant Eoin stomped into the editorial office and minimum of ₤20, a great rate for the time. This also meant demanded the matter be put to rights – only to be told ‘if you’re that I would go to most of the races with Bruce, and he agreed so clever, why don’t you write it?’ to pay 75% of my hotel and travel costs. But he wasn’t going totally overboard with the largesse. I was in Australia and the Which resulted in a 200 word race report tapped out on the job was in England. Bruce advanced me a cheque for ₤300 for bank’s typewriter. The sub-editor re-wrote it, but it was a start. an air ticket, which would come out of my salary, so I was Eoin sailed to Europe in 1961, off on the big OE. embarking on the best job in the world for probably the was already there and asked Eoin if he wanted to join him on smallest salary - ₤6 a week plus percentages!” the European series. He jumped at the chance. When Bruce formed his Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team in Denny had a Ford Zodiac with the race car on a trailer and the 1963 ESY was one of the early directors whilst continuing to back seat full of tools, spares and fuel cans. It was during these attend motor race events and write about them. travels that Denny came to realise that ESY was neither a mechanic nor was he very good at navigation. The gearbox Many of the stories that were told across a table about a funny ratios needed changing so Denny told him how to take the box event at a race (or more likely during the after match event) off and what he wanted done and left him to it. However, when have been gathered and written. Several books written by Eoin presented with a few surplus parts, Denny was furious and have been published (now even more collectable), and called into question his mechanical abilities, to which ESY probably thousands of articles written for magazines. pointed out that he had never done any mechanical work in his life. Denny had to set to and re-do the gearbox. As a Kiwi and close associate and friend of Bruce, Denny and Chris, Eoin had ‘inside’ access to a very special era of While Denny slept ESY was driving, albeit on unfamiliar roads motorsport and this inside association to the many other great and with road signs in a foreign language, but that did not drivers, team owners, and motorsport characters lasted right please Denny when he was woken to find that they were lost. through until his recent passing. There was no place to turn a car and trailer on the tight and His Autobiographies “It Beats Working” and “It Still Beats twisty road and he could not back a trailer, but Denny could and Working” sum upKevin his own & Jackie story best. did for 2 miles. Moral of the story never assume that someone is a mechanic; and ask first! ESY however, did want to see the Eoin Spence (Buster) Young 9.6.1939 – 5.9.2014 racing and wrote in his diary each day of the people and events, RIP our old friend and Denny got on with sorting the gearbox.

Rod Coppins, Puke ’63 Levin ’64 Bruce & Jack, Wigram ’64 Tony Maggs, Puke ‘63

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Coast to Coast Run 2014 The Coast to Coast run is an annual event held by the Trust in Auckland on the weekend closest to Bruce’s th birthday (August 30 1937) with the intention to see both the east and west coasts somewhere along the run. A social run and really a good opportunity for people to get out their classic, historic or even modern car and have a run, charge the battery and be guided by some Mick & Jody si mple instructions (so you don’t get lost). For those that are more competitive, we have some questions to answer and the overall winner is presented with a trophy which they hold until the following year.

Each year we feature a marque - this year was Morgan. I was keen to see if a three wheeler might come along, and sure enough Allan Duffy, President of the Morgan Club, arrived in his silver 1933 model. The driver and passenger were well rugged up!

The weather on the day looked threatening but with the exception of an occasional shower and a damp start, it was not an issue. Some friendly rivalry came into play between Morgan and MG with bragging rights for who had the most cars – with a repeat challenge on the cards Morgan President Allan Duffy and Co-Driver for next year!

For the record we had 50 entries and 43 cars on the day (the iffy weather did discourage some). The start was at the Panmure Basin and then out through Maraetai (and a coffee stop by the sea), along the beautiful Maraetai coast road and then on via Clevedon and Kawakawa Bay for a scenic run down the Hauraki Gulf’s ‘Seabird Coast’. The finish was at the old Red Fox Tavern at Maramarua.

They put on a buffet lunch which for $20 was very good value (if anyone left hungry it must have been because A Trio of Morgans they were talking too much).

The run again was organised by TACCOC members, Geoff Sarney with John and Janice Holmes who, as always, did a magnificent job. There were less questions this year so marking and entering results was quick and painless. As usual, some of the hilarious answers were well worth a prize.

The Coast to Coast winners were:  Historic - Terry Sawyer, 1957 Karmann Ghia  Classic - Grant McKenzie, 1962 Austin-Healey 3000  Modern - John & Kate Welch, 2014 Morgan Plus 8

Overall Winners – John & Kate Welch. A fitting result, considering Morgan was the featured marque.

Thank you to all those that took part and I hope to see you all again next year.

David Rhodes

Overall Winners - John & Kate Welch

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McLarens at Monterey The 2014 Rolex Monterey Classic was an amazing event and with around 16 McLaren cars entered. We were delighted to see so many competing, and also to catch up with many other McLaren owners who were driving their alternate cars for this particular event. I say we, as Trustee Duncan Fox had travelled up to work the two race weekends with Tony Nicholson of Robin Automotive. Tony is based at Sears Point and looks after many wonderful historic McLarens for their owners. And I took a much needed personal holiday. My partner, Mark Donaldson, has been attending the historics at Laguna Seca for over 30 years so we could not resist including the Monterey event Richard Griot’s mechanic warming up the M6A as part of our holiday schedule.

It was wonderful to see Bruce’s beautiful McLaren M6A again, now owned and driven by Richard Griot. Many of you may remember that this car was in the Harry Mathews collection some years back and it is special to see these great team cars out on the track racing. Chris MacAllister was there with his M8F. Some of you may recall seeing this car on display here in New Zealand around 2006 just before it was shipped back to the US after Duncan completed the restoration work on it. Robert Ryan was there again with his M6, as were Tom Molloy with his M8E, Joseph Diloreto with his M6B, Robert Kauffman with his M8FP and Rick Knoop with his M8F, to mention but a few.

Don Devine with son Eric chatting with Jan by the M20 at the Mecum auction ‘Years Gone By’ October - November

Oct 28, 1956 – Bruce McLaren won the race With both ‘Pop’ McLaren and Bruce racing the Austin-Healey at Western Springs in the Austin-Healey 100. 100 in the early days, I was also delighted to meet up with

many of the Austin-Healey entrants and owners and spent Oct 6, 1974 – last F1 race for Denny at Watkins Glen in some very enjoyable hours in their company. It was a great a McLaren M23 – DNF engine failure on lap 4. opportunity to learn more about this chapter of the McLaren racing era and to meet with legendary Austin-Healey driver Oct 1978 - First Kiwi to win Bathurst, Jim Richards with and BRDC member, John Chatham who was over from the Peter Brook in the Hardie-Ferodo 1000 driving a UK. LX Torana A9X SS (Most successful Kiwi at Bathurst – Jim Richards - won seven times). There are so many other events going on in Monterey around this time that one really needs to spend a good week Nov 12, 1983 – Benson & Hedges 6 Hour at Pukekohe or more in the area to take them all in. With all the various won by Denny Hulme & Ray Smith in a Holden auctions, the Pebble Beach events, and just the huge Commodore (also 1st in B&H Series). number of wonderful cars driving around everywhere, these

November 1995 – Bruce McLaren honoured at the spectacular events can take up all your time, let alone going

Motorshow in Auckland and a Black Tie Dinner was held at to either of the two actual race weekends at Laguna Seca or the Regent Hotel to commemorate his 25th Anniversary. visiting Carmel or Monterey. Whilst missing many of the These two occasions sparked the beginnings of the Bruce above events, we did however manage to attend the Mecum McLaren Trust. Auction on the Saturday and the reason for this was that, for the first time, a McLaren Can-Am car was up for auction Oct 1999 – First (and so far only) all Kiwi pairing to win along with a unique car associated with Bruce McLaren – at Bathurst – and in the FAI both were from Don Devine’s collection. Firstly the McLaren M20 and secondly, the Goodyear turbine car 1000 driving a Holden VT Commodore. that Bruce tested for Goodyear.

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Whilst the turbine car did not reach reserve or sell, the

McLaren M20 set an all-time high price for a Can-Am car.

It was an emotional time for Don who has owned the M20 for many years. His most fervent desire was that it went to a good home. We are delighted to report that the new owner is the same McLaren enthusiastic and owner/driver campaigner who purchased our McLaren M8A. An excellent home for another special McLaren. Around the pits there was also the talk about the 50th Can- Am Reunion meeting to be held at , Elkhart Lake in July 2016. Ten years ago we took one of our first US tour groups up to the 40th Anniversary and many

attendees are still talking about what a great event it was. The entry field for that year was around 60 Can- The Goodyear turbine car Am cars with 29 of them being McLarens. One wonders th what that field will look like for the 50 as so many more cars have been restored and are up and racing. A tour group could be organised to attend this 2016 event. If you are interested please send an email to [email protected] Jan McLaren

Rick Knoop (M8F) catches up with Jan & Duncan

Caption Competition

Tell us what ‘advice’ Duncan is giving to Rick Knoop

Best caption wins a Bruce McL keyring

Submit your entries to: david@bruce-.com

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THE BRUCE McLAREN TRUST REGISTER for McLAREN CARS – October update In the last issue (#3, August 2014) of Orange Times I The M20 became airborne at the front resulting in a briefly covered the evolution of the only M4C to be built. backwards flip crash – at the same spot where Peter Revson I also observed just how careful I have to be with details had stopped with an ignition fault. After assisting Denny and verification before we amend or update content in (who was briefly “knocked out”), Revson returned to his car, the Trust’s car Registers. Alas, there were some detail got it restarted and rejoined the race! As the Hulme M20 errors in my coverage on the M4C, very kindly advised by was severely damaged, the McLaren Team M20 prototype the person who built it – Howden Ganley. Contrary to car was pressed into service and Denny won the next round what I wrote: at Watkins Glen! The original Hulme M20 was sent to the McLaren base at Livonia, Michigan, rebuilt and fitted Howden was no longer employed at BMMR when he with turbocharging for 1973. It was sold to Commander commenced building the M4C in 1969. After leaving Motor Homes to be driven by (for

BMMR in 1966, Howden needless to say was a regular Commander Motor Homes) and John Cannon (for Slater visitor to Colnbrook and it was during one of those visits Racing). As we have a gap in the history for this car that Bruce offered him the damaged () between then and the Museum in Reno, the Trust would

M4A . Bruce also offered all of the spare appreciate if any readers can assist us with information suspension for his own M4B – they did not salvage any post-1973 until it was donated to the late Bill Harrah. The of the burned items. Howden notes that it was Jimmy rd 3 M20 (with which Denny Hulme finished the 1972 Can-Am Stone, not George Begg, who helped do the rebuild – so, Series) can be viewed at the RofGo Collection in the UK. my apology to both Jimmy and the late George Begg and Since August I have spent many hours on updating the family for that error. For the M4C body, Howden clarifies Trust’s Registers for the M1A, M1B and M1C cars, working that he did not “make it” as such, as Bruce supervised from notes we have accumulated over the past 1 or 2 years, that job at Specialised Mouldings, using the M7 moulds. based on advice which comes to hand from time to time It is also noted by Howden that it was Bruce’s idea to from many sources. To illustrate why this is so time use the M4C designation for this car. consuming, let us look at the M1A (or M1 Mk1 as it was known in the US & Canada): My apology to Howden and also to our readers for my errors, especially after having talked about this car with Firstly, we are interested not just in who currently owns a Howden when he was in NZ earlier this year. particular car (and some ownerships do change quite frequently) or who the first owner was, but also in all the Also in the last issue of Orange Times I concluded with a ownership history in between. Then, for the M1A brief note on the three M20 Can-Am cars. You will read production cars built by Trojan, we are not 100% certain on elsewhere in this edition about the August auction exactly how many complete cars were built. Whilst 24 are outcome for the one which was driven by Peter Revson said to have been built/sold to customers, another in the 1972 Can-Am Series, placing 6th overall for the 9 supposedly reliable source says 16. Interestingly, we have Rounds. Now to the question I raised: Where would you ownership histories (some reasonably complete, others go to find the M20 with which Denny Hulme began the barely so) for most of the chassis #’s 20-01 to 20-15, but 1972 season? have so far been unable to attach owners specifically to #’s 20-16 to 20-24. On the other hand, we do have some The answer is that one can expect to view this car by visiting the often acclaimed National Automobile Museum “definite” ownership details which we cannot yet attach to a particular car. For example: Canadian, Ludwig Heimrath in Reno, Nevada in the US (otherwise referred to as the raced a Ford V8 engined Mk1 (gaining some 1st placings) Harrah Collection, after casino owner, the late Bill st Harrah, who started it). It is important to realise that throughout 1965 in Canada and the US, his 1 event with that car being the Players 200 at Mosport in early June this M20 with which Denny began the 1972 Can-Am is 1965. The catch is that this means that his M1 must have the not the one he drove for most of that Series, ultimately placing 2nd overall – quite a feat against the been an early production build and I have a yet to be verified theory on which one it may have been. The turbocharged 917 brigade. Why? Briefly: Early nd ongoing history for that car is another question. If any during the 2 round at , Denny (having started off pole position) pulled out from behind the readers are able to shed some light on the above observations, we will be delighted to hear from you. driven Porsche to pass over a crest at some 180 mph. Jens Fogelberg

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Silverstone Classic I was lucky enough to be in the UK without any other commitments on the weekend of 25th to 27th July so spent the entire three days at the Silverstone Classic 2014. This is advertised as the largest classic racing festival in the world and Maserati too were featured (100th anniversary and official includes all sorts of other entertainment, including rock bands ‘Celebration Marque’ for the weekend), and both groups had and supporting acts on a huge outdoor stage each evening. track cavalcades each day during the lunch break.

Leaving the ‘better half’ to spend some bonding time with her Silverstone staged its 50th Grand Prix the previous weekend, in sister in Kent, I travelled alone up to Northamptonshire, and a race won by . To mark that magical milestone camped in the massive Woodlands Camping Ground within the the largest collection of Grand Prix cars ever assembled – 84 in complex. Woodlands even has its own pop- total – took to the famous track. Sir Stirling Moss led the main up pub and various restaurants so you never need to leave the parade in a Maserati 250F, and was joined at the front by David area once you have arrived. The weather was perfect all , son of three-time World Champion, Jack, who was weekend, so no problems surviving in a wee pup tent that sis- also celebrated at this year's Classic. Fittingly David was driving in-law bought for me at a car ‘boot fair’ for £5.00! a Brabham BT24. Sir Stirling also led the Maserati parade in the 250F. It is many years since I had been to Silverstone (like 1971!) and I was amazed at the increased size and quality of all the All in all a wonderful weekend, marred only by the tragic death facilities and the much upgraded and revised track layout. of well-known Austin-Healey driver Denis Welch whilst racing Being home to the British GP, which incidentally had been held his in the pre-1966 Grand Prix on the Sunday the previous weekend, makes Silverstone one of the world’s afternoon. As I had left the circuit just before the accident I did premier motor racing circuits. not learn of the sad news until the following day.

I was on a mission that weekend, being armed with a copy of I would highly recommend the Silverstone Classic to any Trust the BMT McLaren cars register (UK & Europe) as provided by members considering a visit. It cannot be compared with the Jens Fogelberg and with the intent of updating information on incredible Goodwood Revival, as Silverstone is much larger and each race car I came across. The registers are a continual has a totally different atmosphere, but is well worth a couple of work-in-progress as cars move between owners and locations. days, especially in the weather conditions I experienced. With a world-record 24 race grids and over 1100 entries this, as you can imagine, included a good number of McLaren F1 and Allan Horner sports cars. All photos courtesy of Silverstone Classic website I spent two mornings in the International garages, housed in “The Wing” building (completed 2011) and managed to update the register on a number of McLarens which had changed hands or did not appear on the register, talking to the owners wherever possible, but mainly mechanics. One owner I did chat with was Gregor Fisken, who was running two cars; an M1C (40-12) and an M23 (M23-4). Check out “Fiskens of Kensington”, dealing in fine historic and classic sports cars. Gregor was unaware of the BMT and expressed an interest in membership.

The rest of my time was spent watching races, wandering around the large “shopping village”, reviewing the Silverstone Auction (tempted to bid on a Harrier jump jet!!) and looking at the vast displays put on by the UK classic car clubs. Being the th 50 anniversary of the Mustang, they had over 200 cars on display each day. FIA Masters Historic F1 Race

David Brabham & Sir Stirling Moss Mustang parade lap

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General News Bruce McLaren Celebrated as one of NZ’s Engineering pioneers in Britain

In July 2014, the UK Branch of The Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) hosted a function in London, celebrating two of New Zealand’s engineering pioneers in the United Kingdom: Ernest Rutherford and Bruce McLaren.

After a presentation about Bruce, by Peter Stayner (McLaren Partner Ambassador) and Keith Holland (McLaren Automotive Motorsport and Heritage Manager), Patty McLaren, Ray Rowe (longest serving McLaren employee) and Gordon Coppuck provided insight to Bruce’s innovative ideas and tireless work leading up to and during his Bruce McLaren Motor Racing years.

To quote an IPENZ London Branch committee member: “We were very privileged to have McLaren speakers Current Calendar as at October 2014 enlighten us on the life and times of Bruce, the engineering legacy he left and also some of the exploits *Designates probable Trust involvement of his fellow Kiwis at McLaren”. th th Nov 7 – 9 The Trust considers that for the achievements by Bruce Big Boys Toys, ASB Showgrounds, Auckland to be recognised in this way, alongside Ernest Rutherford, by IPENZ in marking its centenary year is a January 16th – 18th & 23rd – 25th 2015 huge testimony to Bruce’s skills as a leader, designer and *NZFMR Ganley Festival, Hampton Downs engineer. Feb 18th -22nd

Art Deco Weekend, Napier An interesting find… March 5th – 8th Whilst at Monterey, Mark Donaldson found this VHRR Classic Racing at Phillip Island, Victoria interesting relic in a box of old decals.

Measuring 140 x 120, he has called it McDNF! March 14th – 15th VCC Roycroft Vintage Festival, Hampton Downs

March 12th -15th F1 Grand Prix, Melbourne

Contact Us 590 Remuera Road, Remuera, Auckland. 1050 PO Box 109 050, Newmarket. 1149 Phone: 09 522 8224 Mobile: 027 289 7850 Email: [email protected] Editor: [email protected] Can anyone shed any light on why this was produced, www.bruce-mclaren.com when, and by whom?

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