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SPECIFICATIONS
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Make:
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McLaren |
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Model:
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M14A |
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Year:
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1970 |
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Color:
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Orange |
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Engine:
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Cosworth
V8 DFV |
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CC:
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3000 |
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Power:
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440
bhp |
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Transmission:
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Hewland
DG 300 |
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Brakes:
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Lockheed |
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Length:
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156" |
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Width:
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77" |
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Height:
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38" |
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Weight:
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1220
lbs |
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Chassis
no:
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A3 |
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The
last of the orange McLarens.
The
M14A was the Formula 1 car for 1970. Only three original team M14As
were built. The M14A was designed for Bruce McLaren, Gordon Coppuck
and Jo Marquart and was essentially, a derivative of the M7 series
with several important innovations. The most noticeable change was
to mount the rear brakes inboard in an effort to save unsprung weight.
Fuel tank size was increased and anti roll bars were tubular to
save on weight. The chassis is a full monocoque with aluminum and
magnesium paneling bonded to fabricated steel bulkheads, ending
behind the rear cockpit bulkhead. The engine was used as a fully
stressed chassis member. The M14A ran on 15 inch McLaren cast magnesium
wheels.
The
M14A's first race was the South African GP at Kyalami, March 7,
1970. Bruce and Hulme were both driving, with Bruce not finishing,
having crashed his car, while Hulme finished an impressive second.
The season carried on in this uneven fashion until Bruce's death
just before the Belgium GP. The whole team withdrew from the race
at Spa, as not only had they lost Bruce, but Hulme badly burnt his
hands in an accident in Indianapolis. The team was back for the
next race, the Dutch GP at Zandvoort on June 21, with Dan Gurney
taking over for Bruce and Peter Gethin replacing Hulme. Gethin drove
his loaned M14/A2 into a bank, badly crumpling the car. To simplify
customs paperwork the team swapped the chassis plates of the A2
and A3, meaning that in the German GP on August 2, Hulme was not
actually driving the original A2. In Germany Hulme drove the new
A2 to a third place. He also drove it at the Austrian, Canadian
and United States GPs, retiring in the first two races due to engine
failure and managing a seventh in Watkins Glen. 1970 was not a good
year for McLaren in Formula 1, not only had they lost Bruce, but
they did not pick up a single championship point. Peter Gethin continued
to race the new A2 into the start of the 1971 season. He drove to
an eighth position in the Spanish GP, and crashed in Monaco.
The
car previously in the Mathews Collection was the M14/A3, although
it has no chassis tag due to carrying the tag M14/A2 when it was
raced. The car is identifiable as the A3 through modifications carried
out on its front suspension during the winter period.
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