The Race Replica Debate

[Murray Maunder]

Roger, thanks for posting the Jenks guide to historic categories. Amazing that it reads so well today with the recent proliferation of cars across the little guy's classes! Thanks to Jenks of course for everything!

The NZ saloon class has dominated this thread as one would expect, from those early monsters of ingenuity which way predated the Custaxie, to the HMCs being fettled for next January and beyond. May I just introduce another example of interest to some of us kids of the 60s/70s - the 1968 McLaren M8A "restoration?" project, near completed in the hands of Duncan Fox on behalf of the Bruce McLaren Trust.

I have traced much of it's history (with Duncan and others) and documented on video major stages of it's rebuild, with comments recorded from Duncan and others who were there in '68. That's as close to building racecars as I have ever been - just a dyed-in-the-wool enthusiast! I am passionate that what we, as enthusiasts, see at historic/vintage race meetings is categorised and classified accurately. I feel a need to know whether this is a faithful reproduction, a rebuild, or that rare "original".

Back to M8A/1. A small piece of original fibreglass was put into the bodywork (or moulds) of the new incarnation as I understand it. One of the bulkheads (rear?) is repaired but most of the chassis and all the alloy skins are new. A number of mechanical components have been saved or found from the original. The chassis number tag defines it's pedigree. It's history after it's glorious winning of the CanAm series of 1968 with Denny at the wheel is - errr.... chequered. Excuse the pun! Motschenbacher raced it, crashed it, modified it, and eventually via GoodYear it came back to NZ via Denny, Motat, Northern Sports Car Club, to the BMT.

My point is that the Jenks rule seems to place considerable worth on this type of reincarnation (or what ever term you care for). I do too, for no other reasons than;

It represents a glorious piece of NZ's international motor racing heritage
It's one of only 3 McLaren M8A's built and will always be the only one in existence from this point on
Many of us 60s/70s kids only ever saw these amazing cars in photos.

I am interested to hear other people's reflections and opinions on how something like this car sits in the world of historic racing, especially in terms of validity. Does it's historical importance and rarity make any difference to it's modern day existence? What are informed fans of international historics likely to say for example if/when M8A/1 turns up at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Revival meetings?

We all come from different sectors of the historics wheel. Constructor types may consider anything that has required much "interpretation" to build back to it's present state, as less than totally valid. Or is that more arbitrary in line with how well researched and executed the rebuild was? I certainly was blown away by this research aspect to the 21st century M8A with the huge photo archive, old plans and conversations from Bruce McLaren Motor Racing personnel.

A grid full of genuine CanAm cars of the era is not just a possibility but a reality, I must get to Elkhart Lake one day! Without good discernment of "values", grids like this would either not exist or would have no value to the "true" enthusiast.

(Steve, I don't know whether this belongs with the context of this thread so feel free if you think it could form a new thread to do so.)

These comments just represent my own opinions and concerns and a precis of what I have gleaned from Duncan Fox about his project. I am prepared to be corrected on matters of detail wrongly reported. I'm really interested to hear what others think on some of these issues. Good health to you all and keep the wheels turning!

Muz