The Canadian American Challenge Cup was co-sanctioned by the SCCA and CASC; it was a series nicknamed the “unlimited” series. Although there was a basic set of rules, the cars had to be two-seaters with bodywork covering the wheels, have doors, a windscreen, brake lights and various safety requirements, there was no regulation on the cars dimensions, minimum weight, materials used or size of the tires. This was all open to the creativity of the designer.

The nickname “unlimited” came from the regulations allowing engines of unlimited displacement and number of cylinders, i.e. horsepower. Essentially this was the open sports racing car series and it became a hotbed of new technology and racing car design.

It took place from 1966 until 1974 with races in Canada and America. At its peak it was a 10-race series, and cars from BRM, Chaparral, Ferrari, Lola, March, McLaren, Porsche and Shadow were driven by drivers such as Amon, Donohue, Follmer, Gurney, Hill, Hulme, McLaren, Oliver, Revson, Scheckter, Siffert, Stewart, and Surtees.

Although, it was partly known as the Bruce and Denny show because of their five straight years of winning championships racing McLaren’s. It started with a Lola championship and ended with complete domination by Porsche with the 917/10, and 917/30.

Today there is a historic Can-Am group, which organizes races across the country, including some very popular Can-Am reunion events.

The value of these cars today is determined largely by their provenance, whether a team car or a private car, the race history and the condition. Surviving as an original car and having that original car professionally restored.

 McLaren “Team Cars”

McLaren Cars, which was formed in 1964, was the brain child of one talented New Zealander Bruce McLaren. The company became well known for building sturdy fast sports racing cars and later Formula One cars. Most remember the “Bruce and Denny show” in the good old days of the Can-Am series from 1966 to 1972 when Team McLaren dominated the series. This when virtually unlimited big block 8-cylinder and 12-cylinder big horsepower cars built by the likes of Lola, March, McKee, Shadow and even Ferrari and later Porsche thundered around the best race tracks in the USA and Canada driven by the world’s best drivers. These stunning cars painted in McLaren orange were being constructed at a time when the direction of the company was the true passion of its founder, Bruce McLaren. These Bruce McLaren and Robin Herd (later Gordon Coppuck and Tyler Alexander) designed cars dominated the Can-Am series. In this article rather than focus on just one model we want to explain the sudden increase in sale prices and popularity of some of the special McLaren Can-Am “team” cars.

To do this we should first differentiate between team cars built by Team McLaren and the customer cars built by the customer arm of McLaren, Trojan.  Trojan had purchased the remains of the Elva car company in order to be able to produce enough customer cars for McLaren.  The factory would build the “team” McLarens for Bruce McLaren and other team drivers to race. Value is affected by production numbers, whether it’s a factory car or a customer car, race wins and championships, technology and, of course, present condition today.

As with most small constructors they were not consistent or in sequence with their numbering system, but the time line.  Other cars in the numbering system were Formula One cars or other projects. Therefore, the price guide shows the value of “team” cars and “customer” cars separately. In terms of technology, 1967 was the cross over year to aluminum monocoques (Tub) for the team, whereas customer cars were still tube framed.  This affects value.  All in all, a total of 19 “Team” cars were built, while 77 McLaren Elvas were built and 66 McLaren Trojans were built. When one takes into account that some of the cars were destroyed and do not exist any longer it explains the rarity and appeal and difference in value further.

1964

M1A-64-1 thru -3 (McLaren
)

1965

M1B-1-65 (McLaren)

M1A-20-1 thru -24 (Elva)

1966

M1B-1-66 and -2-66 (McLaren)

M1B-30-1 thru -28 (Elva)

1967

M6A-1 thru -3 (McLaren)

M1C-40-1 thru -25 (Elva)

1968

M8A-1 and -2 (McLaren)

M6B-50-1 thru -17 (Trojan)

1969

M8B-1 and -2 (McLaren)

M12- 60-1 thru -15 (Trojan)

1970

M8D-1 thru -4 (McLaren)

M8C-70-1 thru-10 (Trojan)

1971

M8F-1 and -2 (McLaren)

M8E-80-1 thru -10 (Trojan)

1972

M20-1 thru -3 (McLaren)

M8FP-1-72 thru -9-72 (Trojan)

Recently, a “Team” McLaren M8A team car was sold by the Bruce McLaren trust, while one of the three M20s was sold at auction and privately, a play was made for a great M8B championship-winning car.  These values have brought the prices for thee team cars to the $2 million dollar mark. The customer cars have been influenced by this to a lesser degree, but are just not the same. Further details are in the price guide. It is a statement from buyers that a championship-winning car is an important part of history and the most valuable of the cars.  They had been undervalued for a long time but no longer. The market has recognized this great time in motorsports.

Criteria Used For Assessing Valuations for this Guide:

• Degree of Originality
• Overall Condition, Restoration
• Technology, Design, Coachbuilder
• Production Numbers/Rarity
• Competition History
• Ownership History, Documentation
• Modern Event Eligibility

Regional Variances

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT. Most of the time, we are able to document known sales or closed escrows, as they say in real estate. When this is not possible, a logical estimate of the car’s value is given, based on its sales history and relationship to cars of its type.

The prices stated in this guide are based on U.S. values. The values of historic racing cars can vary as much as 25%-35% in other countries, depending on local market appeal, currency rates, import duties, and VAT.