History Of The McLaren M1B: The Can Am Icon That Built A Racing Empire

Before McLaren became a Formula One titan and a modern supercar manufacturer, it was a young outfit building customer race cars by hand in Colnbrook. Those early years did not just shape the team. They shaped McLaren’s entire identity. And a big part of that story is the M1B.

While Ferrari carried mystique and drama, McLaren was busy proving that engineering and consistency could win just as many trophies. Twenty Formula One world championships. Three Indy 500 victories. Five straight Can Am titles. A debut win at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans. Those achievements grew from a foundation laid by cars like the M1B, the second McLaren built specifically for customers who wanted to go racing.

From Workshop to Weapon

In 1964 the McLaren Elva M1A hit the track. It was lean, fast, and offered with several engine choices, including a 289 Ford V8 and small block Chevrolet. Drivers like Graham Hill, Chris Amon, Ludwig Heimrath, and Bruce McLaren himself used it to shake up the grids on both sides of the Atlantic.

Two years later, the Mark 2 arrived. Officially the M1B, it kept the tubular frame approach but gained a chassis stiffened by nearly twenty percent. Double wishbone suspension, coil springs, dual circuit Girling brakes, and a four speed Hewland LG400 transaxle made it predictable to drive hard. Wider magnesium wheels stretched its stance an inch. A new body penned by motorsport artist Michael Turner gave it a bluff front, a ready to fight look, and a touch of menace. Only 28 customer cars were built plus three works machines. Bruce McLaren drove one to third place in the opening round of the new Can Am series in 1966. The M1B was no prototype to test ideas. It was already fast and ready to race.

McLaren M1B A Car That Never Sat Still

Like most Can Am cars, each M1B was used exactly as intended. It lived on full throttle, sometimes winning races and sometimes being modified to win more. The example on offer today followed that path. After its early US racing career it was converted into a Formula A single seater with its sidepods removed and a fuel tank placed in the cockpit. It first ran with its original Ford engine before switching to a 302 Chevrolet mid season. Drivers in USRRC, SCCA, and Can Am events kept it busy, including original owner Bud Morley. Continuous history is confirmed from those early years onward.

The European historic racing movement grew quickly in the 1970s and this M1B returned to the UK in 1977. Ian Webb acquired it from Missouri collector Chuck Haines and commissioned a full rebuild back to original specification from future Le Mans winning team principal and Can Am guru Paul Lanzante. That name carries weight in McLaren circles, and his work established the car as one of the sharpest M1Bs in the historic paddock.

Soon it was racing again. John Foulston, a giant in the world of historic motorsport, ran it in HSCC events and captured five wins in 1981 along with the Historic GT Championship thanks to a mighty Chaparral built 5 liter Chevrolet. Webb reacquired the car and sent it back into battle. It finished second in the Marlboro Cup Supersports race at the inaugural Dubai Grand Prix.

From there the car moved to Richard Knight, co founder of the famed Winfield Racing School, who raced it across Europe at Montlhery, Zandvoort, Donington, and at Paul Ricard during the French Grand Prix weekend. Former Brabham and Tyrrell mechanic John Dabbs kept it prepared to top standard.

Scottish racer Jeffray Johnstone carried the torch through 1988 before it passed into Italian and later corporate ownership. Mobil France displayed and demonstrated the car in the late 1990s, including runs by the well known rally ace Bernard Darniche. In the 2000s it returned to private hands and remains today a running example with continuous history and a strong pedigree that stretches from American Can Am grids to European historic championships.

Why the M1B Matters Today

Interest in early Can Am cars has surged in recent years and the M1B sits at the sweet spot between rarity, performance, and realistic running costs. Eligible for events like Goodwood Revival, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Masters Sports Car Legends, and more, it fits a modern appetite for serious track cars with real history. It also avoids the complexity and cost of monocoque machines thanks to its tubular construction. It is one of the rare cars that can be both a jewel in a collection and a regular on the entry list.

This M1B Available Now

The example featured here is a documented 1966 McLaren M1B offered by RM Sotheby’s at €220,000 EUR ($254,500 USD), or roughly the same price as the 2025 McLaren Artura. It is one of just 28 customer chassis and has been raced by names that matter. It was rebuilt by Paul Lanzante to original specification, campaigned across major historic series in the 1980s, and remains a compelling candidate for Goodwood, Monterey, or any grid where cars earn respect on track, not just on display. It currently runs but should receive a full inspection and service ahead of any competitive outing.

If early McLaren history is a thread worth following, the M1B is one of its most important strands. It is the car that helped shape a future champion team, built to be used, raced, and trusted. Today it still carries that same purpose and still looks ready for the next corner.

A rare chance to own one of McLaren’s original customer racers is now on the table. For many collectors, it might feel like the starting line of something exciting.

Photos Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s