Neat? YES. Badass? YES First Mid Engine Hot Rod? . . . No. the 1960's were wild, but hotrodders had sailed that ship long before that. And long before Don claimed to have "figured out" mid engine dragsters, THIS thing cleaned up on track, eating dragsters for breakfast. But you knew that, cause you wrote that article....
Where are the cam covers on a small block Chevy. The McLaren guy is obviously a marketing hack not a car guy. Joe Huffaker was already building his Genie Sports Racers with Traco aluminum V8 Buicks when the McLaren came on the scene. The McLaren at the time was pretty much a copy of all the other sports racers of the day.
Gorgeous machine, incredible history, definitely a hot rod. Though I did cringe just a little when I saw those few bits of vinyl stick-on lettering. Jay and the owner even looked like they might have been brothers or cousins. They're both obviously cut from the same cloth.
I just happened to see that video last night. What a beautiful car! Maybe he’ll have it at Goodwood again this year? A feller can dream can’t he?
Fun cars but don't try to get into one of his Coupes if you're over 5'8" 140lbs. A friend had an interesting piece. It was the Dan Blocker - Nicky Chevrolet Vinagaroon chassis stretched with Shelby's McLaren MK8 body on it. Today both cars have been "restored" from using his car. It's amazing what the $$$ of vintage racing has resurrected. A friends dad drove for Shelby in the 60s. He bought one of the Monaco King Cobras from Shelby - less engine - to build his own design car. After robbing the parts they needed the rest went to the landfill in San Fernando where it lies today covered by tons of garbage. Imagine my friends surprise when he saw it at a vintage race looking just like new.
I don't know much, I'm a goober. However, the color rules. There's something about metallic brown badass cars that I admire. The most violent car I've ever been in (an OT Pike's Peak record holder from long ago) was a metallic brown and it contradicted the sound and terror it evoked. This McLaren reminds me of that.
Me too, here is a video featuring the Speed Sport and my brother's Pickup Truck: https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_co...com/&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjY&feature=emb_logot 2i =i3
I’m not an expert on this topic (or any other topic for that matter) but I don’t accept that anything built to go faster is a hot rod. There are “hot rods” and then there are “race cars) there is some overlap of course, particularly back in the day when the dry lakes speed runs were a big part of the hot rod world. In my opinion, if it’s not street legal, it’s not a hot rod it’s a race car. If it had to be towed or trailered, it’s not a hot rod, it’s a race car. There is no question in my mind that a belly tanker is a race car. Many of the comments here would indicate that John Force drives a hot rod 1/4 mile at a time. Just because it was done 50 plus years ago doesn’t mean that the same definitions don’t apply.
A lot of street driven hot rods eventually turned into race cars...I'm gonna let them continue to be hot rods....
It makes me so happy that so many of you brought up the Speed Sport Special... One of my favorite race cars ever.
That's a cool car. I especially like that the roll bar looks like it was designed more to protect the Weber carburetors than the driver's head. The sixties were awesome.
Cool post. Loved the video. Cranked up the sound during the driving segment at the end and I think the windows in my house were rattling.....! And in the discussion of earlier mid-engine machines, where does the Jado Special fit in?
First? Ak Miller set records in one and Fred Larsen wrecked it before this was even on the radar. Internet journalism...
When the yellow McLaren came into our shop I took the opportunity to sit in it. I'm only about 6' tall and just under 200lbs. I got in, but needed help to get back out, I was wedged in so tightly! There's not a lot of leg room, my shins were up against the dash, and the tub is so narrow that even without upholstery my butt was in there like a cork in a wine bottle! No way I could have driven that car, but at least I was able to sit in it and make vroom-vroom noises for a little while! The guy in the photos is a buddy of mine. He fits nicely in the car but he's only about 5'6" and probably only 140lbs soaking wet.
At 91 yrs. old, I can't remember which year it was at the NSRA Nats, but there was a guy that had a mid engine in his roadster, it brought in quite a crowd over his inovation.
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