GTD M8f Mcleran

My name is Mark Morrison.Im helping a friend rebuild his mcleran for the track. When taking it apart we noticed that the frame was stamped GTD M8F 0001.We knew that the car was a replica,I was just wondering if any one ot there has any info on these cars. Were interested in upgrading the spindles to maybe some steel units. It looks like it has the same type of front end setup as the GT 40s.It also appears to have a Renault transaxle in it. any iformation on any parts we could use to upgrade or information on the car would be greatly appreciated.We know that the car was raced in Europe for a while then brought to the states.Also I was wondering if any more of these chassis are out there for purchase. Thanks again Mark

Mark,
GTD has a web site. www.gtdsupercars.com
Judging from the serial number, it looks like you have the first one.
Good luck.
How about some pictures of the beast???
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Wow you ended up with that car. It is a cracker. I have only sat in it when GTD of Poole owned it and campaigned by Simon Osbourne. I have also chased it around Goodwood in the past and it is a car I would like to own as it is brilliant without the cost of a full blown M8. There was one day when there were 3 GTD40s and the M8 lapping at high speed in convoy at Goodwood. Soemone somewhere does have a video of this but I don't as I was the thrid GTD just ahead of the McLaren which was right on my heels all the time but whilst it could corner much faster than me, the engine spec at that time was not enough to out drag me on the straight. A wheel on the grass and it was past in an instant. A great memory.
The spindles etc are very likely to be GTD items as it was developed alongside the GTD40 and engineered a lot by Andy Bennett who did a lot of development on our 40s. I would suggest you contact Ray Christopher at GTD Racing as he does some uprated spindles and uprights which should be one for one replacements.
They always seemed to have trouble with the gear shift especially 2nd gear selection and were one of the first to try and develop a solid change which is now common on GTDs as opposed to cable. Somewhere I have video of Simon at the Brighton Speed trials really bitching about it much to everyones amusement.
As to other chassis... you have a unique car as there is no other by GTD. The body is meant to be an original body shell with Ray designing the tub and suspension etc. He did it on the floor with chalk as a draft for the first layout I beleive. It worked quite well!
Another story I remember Simon telling me was an off he had at a hill climb (can't remember which) but he went sideways across the finishing line and into a crop field of wheat. Filled his pants with all this crop being harvested at extreme high speed which then took an awful long time to remove from the car.
You have a seriously sexy car there.
Malcolm M
Ps try our club for problem solving as the problem may be on a GTD40 communal part.

My knowledge of the car only revolves around the time when the Factory ran it driven by Simon Osbourne who was then I beleive MD of GTD. It was sold (I won't say for how much!) and it went to mainland Europe and anything it did there is unknown by me, although I am sure I was once told it raced as an original M8, which is a bit naughty! I do know that Robin Batt drove it once or twice but not regularly. Robin's car graces the cover of Trevor Legates new book on GT40s. Not bad for a GTD! Sorry I can't be of more help.
Malcolm

WIKDFST
thanks for the heads up on the site.I don,t have any way of posting pictures on the web or the knowlege to do so sorry to say.You are right about one thing though it is a beast

Molcolm
Thanks for the stories and info on the car.Would great to know what tracks and drivers raced the car and how it ended up in the US.I help out at a race car shop here in Bend, Oregon. We restore and race vintage Trans-Am cars, Corvettes,BMW,s along with some hot rods.Im 3/4 through a Mid-States cobra build and looking for another project was prehaps going to build a 40. Maybe I will buy a body from T V Mouldings and try something different. thanks again

As one of the drivers of the three mentioned GT40's on track at the same time as the Maclaren, my recollection is that the M8F was considerably faster than the 40's, passing all three of us in one move on Lavant Straight.

Roy Smart

Roy

I am sure we shall be discussing this tomorrow at lunch!

But wasn't that a great session. Only wish we had the video. My on board camera failed on that run.

However one moment I had which you may not know about was after about three laps and we were braking for Woodcote (the Shell Building corner). My car then had standard brakes and suspension. By standard brakes I mean solid rear discs and only the granada front brakes, no four pot calipers.

I think I got to within two feet off the back of your car as the brake fade started to kick in. I was just starting to think about what was going to happen next when you came off your brakes and gave me some more room! Next upgrade was new brakes!

Malcolm