McLaren M8A
 |
|
| Category | Group 7 sports prototype |
|---|---|
| Constructor | McLaren |
| Technical specifications | |
| Chassis | Aluminium monocoque |
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbone |
| Suspension (rear) | Double wishbone |
| Engine | Chevrolet 7 l (430 cu in) V8. Naturally aspirated, mid-mounted. |
| Transmission | Hewland LG600 4-speed manual transmission |
| Competition history | |
| Notable entrants |
 Bruce McLaren Motor Racing
|
| Notable drivers |
 Bruce McLaren Denny Hulme
|
| Debut | 1968 Road America Can-Am |
The McLaren M8A was a race car developed by driver Bruce McLaren and his Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team for their entry in 1968 Can-Am season. The M8A and its successors dominated Can-Am racing until the arrival of the Porsche 917.
The M8A was an evolution of the previous M6A design, and featured an all-aluminum 7 liter Chevrolet big-block V8 as a semi-stressed chassis member. The engines were built by Gary Knutson and initially developed 620bhp. Two complete M8A race cars and one spare tub were built.
The M8B was developed for the 1969 Can-Am season. The most noticeable difference was that the rear wing was now mounted high on pylons, like the Chaparral 2E. The wing mounting pylons passed through the bodywork to attach directly to the suspension uprights. This arrangement allowed McLaren to run softer springs than would have been required had the massive rear wing been attached to the bodywork. The body was also widened in order to fit one inch wider wheels, now 15 x 11 front and 15 x 16 rear. The 1969 engine was a shorter stroke, larger bore version of the 1968 engine. It was built by George Bolthoff and developed 630bhp from 7,046 cc (430.0 cu in). Two complete M8B race cars and one spare tub were built using parts from the three M8A's.
The M8C was developed as a customer version of the M8A. Fifteen M8C's were built by Trojan. They featured a more conventional chassis that did not use the engine as a stressed member, giving the customers more freedom in choosing an engine.
The M8D was developed for the 1970 Can-Am season. The high strut-mounted rear wing of the M8B had been banned by Can-Am, so the M8D's rear wing was mounted low on fins, earning the car the nickname "Batmobile". The Chevrolet V8 was again built by George Bolthoff, who enlarged the engine to 7,620 cc (465 cu in). It now developed 670bhp at 6800rpm and 600 lb·ft (810 N·m) of torque.
The M8E was a customer car based on the M8B and built by Trojan. The high pylon-mounted rear wings of the M8B were replaced with a lower wing to comply with the ban on high-mounted wings.
The M8F was developed for the 1971 Can-Am season and featured an 8-liter Chevrolet V8.
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