Historically important, this car is widely considered the first “McLaren” as it is the very first car designed, built, raced and financed by Bruce McLaren. The T70 was built using a semi-monocoque chassis design, which involved a stressed-skin steel panelling being brazed on to the four tubes of the centre cockpit surround, thus enabling extra rigidity and strength.
To assist, Cooper components were provided to McLaren and in recognition, the cars were designated as Cooper Climax T70s.
The cars were equipped with 2.5 Litre Coventry Climax FPF engines with Weber 58mm carburettors. The 2.5 litre engine produced 243 bhp at 6800 rpm. Overall weight was 955lbs (434kg).
This was Bruce’s car for the 1964 Tasman Championship. He won the New Zealand Grand Prix at Pukekohe and the Lady Wigram Trophy at Wigram. He came second at Warwick Farm and Longford in Australia and had accumulated enough points to be 1964 Tasman Champion.
In 1965, this car returned for the 1965 Tasman Championship, driven by F1 Champion Phil Hill. He achieved 3rd in the Australian GP and later proclaimed this as one of his finest open wheeler drives.
In 1974 this car was purchased by Richard Berryman. In 2010, a full restoration was completed by Adam Berryman and the car returned to it’s 1964 Tasman specification. The car is regularly campaigned in historic racing throughout Australia and overseas.
