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The McLaren M7A and its B, C and D variants are Formula One racing cars, designed by Robin Herd and Gordon Coppuck, and built by McLaren. After limited success with the Formula Two-based M4A, and unreliability of the BRM-powered M5A, the McLaren team introduced the all-new M7A at the beginning of the European rounds of the 1968 Formula One season. With this car Bruce McLaren's Grand Prix team was finally a consistent front-runner, recording the team's first victory, and making Bruce McLaren only the the second-ever Grand Prix driver to win a race in a car of his own construction, at the 1968 Belgian Grand Prix.
[edit] Design
The M7's chassis was a full aluminum-sheet monocoque, with a Ford-Cosworth DFV engine and Hewland DG300 gearbox.1 The M7D version also used Alfa Romeo's naturally-aspirated 3 litre V8 engine in 1970.[1] The DFV was a stressed chassis member, with suspension components mounted directly to the engine block. The front suspension consisted of lower wishbones, upper rocking arms, and outboard-mounted coil spring and damper units. The rear suspension was handled by double wishbones and coil springs. Wheelbase measured 7 feet 11 inches, with front track 4 feet 9 inches, and rear track at 4 feet 5.4 inches.1
The works cars were painted a distinctive papaya-hue; it was not a national racing color, however, the color would continue to be used on works McLaren cars until Yardley sponsorship was obtained in 1972. In the late 1990s, McLaren International adopted the papaya color for McLaren racing cars seen during pre-season testing, before official sponsor layouts and designs are publicly announced. Aside from many privateer teams to equip themselves with M7 McLarens, the cars were also run by Dan Gurney's Anglo American Racers, as a reserve chassis to their own Eagle-Weslake cars.
[edit] Major Race Wins
[edit] PC Simulation
In 2005, a driveable, detailed replica of the McLaren M7B was released as part of the free '69 Mod' for the pc-based racing simulation Grand Prix Legends.
[edit] Sources
- Directory of Formula One Cars 1966-1986, pages 153-154. Anthony Pritchard, Aston Publications, 1986.
Bruce McLaren
Dan Gurney
