F1 Owner on board

I have been watching the conversations on this board for some time now, it has made for some very interesting reading. Thank you all for showing so much enthusiasm and passion for the indisputably best road car of all time. I feel the same way. I am trully fortunate to have been afforded the opportunity to own and drive this car. I am not worthy.

Even though there are numerous cars coming out that appear to close the gap, rest assured that a thorough comparison would only confirm the F1's place at the top. Without driving/owning a car for an extended period of time, it is impossible for anyone to understand the true magnificence of the car. I wish everyone could experience what I have for the past 3 years, so they would understand. I no longer try to explain what I mean, I just smile and let the doubters believe what they want.

As part of my responsibility as owner, I feel I need to share this wonderful car with as many people as possible. I love giving rides, rewarding those with the gumption to ask. If I can conveniently do it, I'll take anyone and everyone. It's fun watching the reaction as people climb out of the car. Noone can prepare themselves properly for a quick run in an F1. On more than one occaission I've had to stop to let people out (grown men) who couldn't handle it.

For this same reason, I am making myself available to this forum so that you can get the perspective of an experienced owner. I would love to continue to share this incredible car with those who appreciate it, like me.

Frank Selldorff
(007, 068 and LM03)

Hey frank, Its mike my dad(marvin) and i came up and drove the car with you. Really cool to see you on the board. Just wanted to give you a hello.

Frank, welcome to the forums!
I thank you for offering your insight to us here at AF.

No way! A real F1 owner on the forums!

Please, please post pics and make some videos if you can!

Please!

I can understand owning 2 of them (ie) the standard car and a LM but why 3?

I wish everyone could experience what I have for the past 3 years, so they would understand. I no longer try to explain what I mean, I just smile and let the doubters believe what they want.I can't even imagine what it's like to ride in one, or drive one.

I was fortunate enough to drive next to one for all of 30 seconds during the summer, and it made my night: I said "holy ****" at least 30 times a minute for the rest of the way home. I didn't even care about the fact that I had almost gotten hit by other drivers on three separate occasions on my way home.

Hey buddy,
Good to see you on here! Thanks for sharing your cars/experiences.
Best,
Faisal.

Pringles - Photos of two of his cars are quite common - proof positive that his cars don't sit in an air conditioned garage all the time. :cool:

You can find many of them by simply searching this forum with Frank's last name.

Also, there are photos available of two of them on the Turner Motorsports website:

#007 -
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/project_mclaren.shtml

LM03 -
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/f1_lm_.htm
This link includes some .MOV video files which are quite impressive.

What would be nice to see are some good photos of those two cars together and also more photos of #068. I believe there is only one photo in circulation which can be identified as that particular F1. I realize to many, it's "just another silver F1", but I happen to find that particular shade to be quite striking.

>8^)
ER

I can understand owning 2 of them (ie) the standard car and a LM but why 3?

This article in the BMW magazine 'Roundel' explains the reasons why he owns the two F1 road cars.

http://64.70.201.88/Roundel/2002/11/Article_1.shtml

I'm sure you can imagine why he added the LM. :evillol:

Frank - is there any chance that #068 will be approved for Show & Display? Also, if you care to share the details, I'd be interested in hearing how you were able to certify the LM for road use? If those are things you don't want to talk about, I understand. :)

>8^)
ER

definitly the best sounding car ever

bastard!

sorry...slight bit of jealousy

Welcome aboard!
Thanks for sharing your experiences with us! Can you tell us some stories about driving an F1?

Thanks

Everyone, thanks for your welcome. I'l try to answer all the reasonable questions as timely as possible. Be as specific as you can, it'll make my job easier.

When you drive one, do you constantly feel like racing it & everyone or can you cruise in one?

When you drive one, do you constantly feel like racing it & everyone or can you cruise in one?

I love racing people, but it's not fair. Unless I see an exotic, I usually keep it tame (unless they show me some attitude). Plus, you really have to be careful keeping it under the speed limit. Without breaking the law (which i would never do) it's boring when a race ends at 55 mph.

Cruising is one of the other engineering achievements. The car is as easy to drive (even easier) as most road cars. The car is so powerful and well balanced you can go through all six gears without touching the accelerator. Try that in any other supercar or your M3.

Welcome to the board. Great to have an actual F1 owner around.

Simply incredible...

Simply incredible...
i'll 2nd that

:eek2: I can't even believe this! An actual F1 owner on AF! :eek: (You can tell this is causing quite a stir on the boards, look how much posts have come up in such a short time)

Im definitly predicting this thread to be the biggest on the whole site.

Mr. Selldorff, i have a question if you don't mind. Since you own an LM you may know a bit more about this. Are there any Black LMs? There have been huge discussions on this topic in the past and it would be nice to get it cleared up.

Thanks in advance

Mr. Selldorff, i have a question if you don't mind. Since you own an LM you may know a bit more about this. Are there any Black LMs? There have been huge discussions on this topic in the past and it would be nice to get it cleared up.

Thanks in advance

To my knowledge there are only 5 original LM's and all were painted McLaren Orange. There are other cars that have been upgraded to LM spec, however there are only 5 originals.

From the official McLaren website:

"As a tribute to the memory of Bruce McLaren, all the F1 LM's were painted in the same Papaya Orange that was used on his contemporary Formula One and Can Am cars."

Pringles - Photos of two of his cars are quite common - proof positive that his cars don't sit in an air conditioned garage all the time. :cool:

You can find many of them by simply searching this forum with Frank's last name.

Also, there are photos available of two of them on the Turner Motorsports website:

#007 -
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/html/project_mclaren.shtml

LM03 -
http://www.turnermotorsport.com/f1_lm_.htm
This link includes some .MOV video files which are quite impressive.

What would be nice to see are some good photos of those two cars together and also more photos of #068. I believe there is only one photo in circulation which can be identified as that particular F1. I realize to many, it's "just another silver F1", but I happen to find that particular shade to be quite striking.

>8^)
ER

i'll post some pictures when I can. Pictures of all three won't be available until next spring when I break them out for the season. For now, 068 and LM03 are under wraps for the winter.

thanks a lot for the quick reply. Also, whats it like driving the 325i for turner? does the excitement of racing ever wear off?

Thanks

thanks a lot for the quick reply. Also, whats it like driving the 325i for turner? does the excitement of racing ever wear off?

Thanks

Driving for Will is a privelege. The team and cars are world-class. I only wish I'd started driving younger so I were more competitive. The excitement never wears off, I would drive race cars every day If I could.

BTW, in case someone asks, the LM makes a regular F1 seem like a Yugo. It's indescribable. The sound sends shivers down your spine (like it does when a Fighter Jet flies overhead). The engine snarls and rev's dangerously fast. It feels like it weighs nothing, steering and handling are effortless. The LM is the perfect marriage of race car and road car. It has the best of both.

so Frank, have you buried the needle on the LM yet?

Right here's a question!

People constantly debate what these machines are worth but lets have cold figures..how much did you pay for the privilege?

Too personal a question? then tell me to get lost :)

Im just curious.

WOW......You're very lucky Frank, you have 3 McLarens. I love the cars so much....but the saddest part is that I have never seen one in real life. I've only seen pictures and videos of it. My only wish is to see one...I can't afford it, so just looking, if i'm lucky, sitting inside one will do.

Oh yah btw, I think pelaton should remeber....couple of weeks back I mistook somebody as a Mclaren owner...and was told that there was no one on the board who has one....but now there is thanx to Frank....YAY!!!!!! :evillol:

u've never seen a mclaren? TRY!!! i've seen 5 (7 different times, and you remember EVERY experience. i sat in the blue one @ christies btw :) )

I haven't seen one....It sucks!!!

I would love to go hunting for one...but i'm just so busy...college and work....its 6:35pm here and I'm going to work....I work 7 days a week...like 6 hours a day....but still....i work everyday.

If I find the location of one...I will definately go, I promise that.

Right here's a question!

People constantly debate what these machines are worth but lets have cold figures..how much did you pay for the privilege?

Too personal a question? then tell me to get lost :)

Im just curious.

What they're worth is what someone is willing to pay. For example, I bought the LM because it was available and I wanted it, thinking it might be the only opportunity I would ever have to own an original LM. I paid a HUGE premium over my other F1's. Since I will NEVER sell it, what is it worth? No way to answer that question. Although there are more F1 road cars around, there are still too few that come up for sale to establish a reliable market price.

Watch what happens. You might be surprised. Some cars may go for much more than you'd guess and then a few months later the reverse could be true. or vice/versa. Since there's several "on the market" right now, this will be an interesting test.

i'll try and average all the latest sales out later

Have you ever considered buying a GTR and racing it? not necessarily competively, but for use exclusively on the track. And if you had to sell either 007 or 068 to pay for it which one would you put on the market (i.e. out of the two standard road cars which one do you like best?)

BTW: thanks for the oppurtunity to ask these questions!! :smile:

well from what people (ahem, Jomo) have said, 007 IS for sale.

mini, do you think the signature on 007 makes it any more valueable?

no. you can send off any part of any f1 and get Mr. Murray or whoever to sign it. Btw, my name is Chris, its in my sign, feel free to call me that.

Hello Mr Seldorf, Before I start, I would just like to complement you on your generosity in displaying and letting people go for rides in your f1s.

Since this is the only time I probably will ever talk to an owner, may I ask these questions:

2) Have you bin to any McLaren functions or meetings hosted by McLaren Cars?
3) I heard from other owner comments, you should only consider buying a McLaren if you are commited and really willing to 'fit the bill', he discribes Insurance and Check Ups as rediculously extortionate. Was this the case for you? On the Jerermy Clarkson video, he discribes a check up or the like as 25000 dollars.
4) Have any of your friends or associated own(ed) an F1. Were they as passionate about the F1 as you are, or as rumours has it, it is just an expression of their wealth (eg Sultan of Brunai).
5) If you could own any chassis, what would it be? Would you ever consider an F1GT.

If you would not like to answer any of these questions, feel free.
Any replys would be greatly appreciated

regards

-Mike :smokin:

Thank you for giving me a chance to ask you these questions.

Well Mr. Selldorff, my question is since your cars were brought to america as Show vehicles...allowing you to put 2500mi every year. Do those miles only count for the open road (highways, city streets) or do they also count the time on track (if any is spent on track, I don't know).

My other question is how do they keep track of the miles you've driven...is there some sort of a yearly checkup??

If you don't want to answer these questions feel free, but if you do then that would be great.

Just a quick question for Mr. Selldorff:

What's your SECOND favourite road car to drive?

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

Mr. Selldorff,

I hate to add to the piling list of questions, but an opportunity like this dosen't often come along.

Do other motorists make daily driving difficult? I mean, if I saw a Mclaren on the road, I'm sure their would be a large part of me that would want to follow it, and seeing as the car isn't exactly inconspicuous I think other motorists may feel the same way. I suppose what I'm really asking is, do people get so drawn to the car on the road that it causes traffic problems/accidents?

have you ever driven your cars on the limit on a track for a fast time? and if so, how much fuster was it then other established supercars?

Have you ever considered buying a GTR and racing it? not necessarily competively, but for use exclusively on the track. And if you had to sell either 007 or 068 to pay for it which one would you put on the market (i.e. out of the two standard road cars which one do you like best?)

BTW: thanks for the oppurtunity to ask these questions!! :smile:

Yes, i considered buying a GTR to have something to drive on the track, but I probably wouldn't race it. 007 is my "driver", 068 has never been on the road. I'm not sure which one i'd sell (it'd be tough to break 068's cherry if I sold 007), it'd be tough to sell 068.

but jomo said that 007 was for sale and on the market. someone has some explaining to do (ahem ahem jomo..)

Hello Mr Seldorf, Before I start, I would just like to complement you on your generosity in displaying and letting people go for rides in your f1s.

Since this is the only time I probably will ever talk to an owner, may I ask these questions:
1) Do you know of any, any owners in Australia? It only occurs to me that Dean Wills, owner of Coke Amatil and others etc. And Isuzu owner Lindsay Fox and LinFox (major trucking industry).
2) Have you bin to any McLaren functions or meetings hosted by McLaren Cars?
3) I heard from other owner comments, you should only consider buying a McLaren if you are commited and really willing to 'fit the bill', he discribes Insurance and Check Ups as rediculously extortionate. Was this the case for you? On the Jerermy Clarkson video, he discribes a check up or the like as 25000 dollars.
4) Have any of your friends or associated own(ed) an F1. Were they as passionate about the F1 as you are, or as rumours has it, it is just an expression of their wealth (eg Sultan of Brunai).
5) If you could own any chassis, what would it be? Would you ever consider an F1GT.

If you would not like to answer any of these questions, feel free.
Any replys would be greatly appreciated

regards

-Mike :smokin:


1) No, sorry.
2) I've been to the factory where I was given a complete tour of both facilities, but no I have not been to any McLaren F1 races.
3) Noone should buy an F1 who can't afford a proportionate amount allocated to maintenance and repairs. $1Million+ cars don't get tue-ups for $19.95 at Jiffy-Lube.
4) None of my close friends own an F1. I am familiar with other owners, and they run the gammit from enthusiastic driver (like me) to image-only buyers.
5) I'd like to get a race car sometime.

Thank you for giving me a chance to ask you these questions.

Well Mr. Selldorff, my question is since your cars were brought to america as Show vehicles...allowing you to put 2500mi every year. Do those miles only count for the open road (highways, city streets) or do they also count the time on track (if any is spent on track, I don't know).

My other question is how do they keep track of the miles you've driven...is there some sort of a yearly checkup??

If you don't want to answer these questions feel free, but if you do then that would be great.

I assume the law covers all miles, road and track. I'm not aware what they do to verify mileage. I just make sure i don't exceed the mileage so if they "spot check" me i will be in compliance.

Just a quick question for Mr. Selldorff:

What's your SECOND favourite road car to drive?

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

The TMS E46 race car.

You should consider the BMW M3 CSL (if it's legal in the states). It is supposed to be one heck of a car, with a cracking engines. It would be like having your E46 race car on the road. Quick question if i may, do you have any other classics other than the McLarens, something like a mint E30 M3 evo? (3 F1s and an E30 evo, my idea of heaven :iceslolan )

Mr. Selldorff,

I hate to add to the piling list of questions, but an opportunity like this dosen't often come along.

Do other motorists make daily driving difficult? I mean, if I saw a Mclaren on the road, I'm sure their would be a large part of me that would want to follow it, and seeing as the car isn't exactly inconspicuous I think other motorists may feel the same way. I suppose what I'm really asking is, do people get so drawn to the car on the road that it causes traffic problems/accidents?

There are three groups of drivers on the road: 1) those that don't know what it is and don't care; 2) those that think it's a ferrari or lamborghini or other exotic; 3) those that recognize it for what it is. Group 1 don't create any problems. Group 2 are a nuisance and disrespectful. Group 3 are generally a pleasure to deal with. They are polite, considerate and genuinely appreciate the opportunity to see a "real" one.

Regularly, when driving around town, someone going the other way sees me go by, puts on the brakes and makes a U-turn. They follow me all the way to my destination and then politely apologize for their intrusion and request the opportunity to look at the car more closely. I love talking to people who feel this passionate, often giving them a ride if i can spare the time.

When driving around, I'm not aware of any traffic problems or accidents that I've caused.

have you ever driven your cars on the limit on a track for a fast time? and if so, how much fuster was it then other established supercars?

a couple of years ago i put 007 on the track at NHIS for a few laps, but not at full speed. to track this car properly, you'd need slicks and ground effects at a minimum. remember, this was built as the perfect road car, it is not perfect for the track in road trim. i have not put the LM on the track, and won't. it's too valuable.

the GTR's would be fun to take around the track i'm sure. never done that.

You should consider the BMW M3 CSL (if it's legal in the states). It is supposed to be one heck of a car, with a cracking engines. It would be like having your E46 race car on the road. Quick question if i may, do you have any other classics other than the McLarens, something like a mint E30 M3 evo? (3 F1s and an E30 evo, my idea of heaven :iceslolan )

not really. it's been hard to get excited about any other car(s), already owning the best car ever built.

You should consider the BMW M3 CSL (if it's legal in the states). It is supposed to be one heck of a car, with a cracking engines. It would be like having your E46 race car on the road.

its not legal over here

do you have any other classics other than the McLarens, something like a mint E30 M3 evo?

there is only 1 e30 m3 evo in the us

(3 F1s and an E30 evo, my idea of heaven :iceslolan )

YOU AND ME BOTH PAL!! :grinno:

Unlucky! The CSL is a cracker. Clarkson took it to the isle of man (where there are no speed limits) on sunday's top gear. It looked and sounded sensational and he loved it.

Only one E30 evo in the states? you guys are missing out. I love that car and i'm going to be find me a good 'un once i get sorted out.

Anyway, this is a McLaren F1 thread, so enough of that.

i hope to find an e30 m3 evo for sale in the UK when i go so i can see it. it is my obcession. i have over 3000 e30 m3 pix

Mini magic,
there's numerous E30 M3 EVOs in the US. At least 15.

chrisl, i recommend using www.autotrader.co.uk to search for an e30 m3 when your over in the UK.

The TMS E46 race car.

Sorry, my fault, I was looking for a normal production car, street legal in the U.S.

Here's another question, if you have the time: "What don't you like about the F1 (there must be something) and what would you suggest as a remedy?"

Thanks again..

Mr Selldorf, I read you were a keen sailor, to how much extent?
Close friend of ours is Neville Crighton, he is also in the automotive industry (and owns the largest maxi-yaght in the world, Alfa Romeo)

And here is yet again, another question.
Did you have to partake in the McLaren test drive before ownership? If so, how did it go? Who was the instuctor?
Has anyone tried to steel or damage your car? If so result?

-How did you come across these forums?

Plus please post some more pics of your f1s, can you post a pic with all the compartments and doors open from a front on angle? (worth a try).

-Thanks again

-Mike :smokin:

I have another question Mr. Selldorff if you don't mind. It might seem childish but i'm pretty serious.

If I go to NY and decide to drive to Mass. Is there any way that you would allow me to look at your cars if I contacted you way before....It's a pretty dumb question...not like i'm going to come to NY anytime soon...but just wanted to ask since you're never going to sell the cars...may be next year.

Mr. Selldorff even if you decide to say no...please respond to this message...or pm me if you want.

Thanks again...

Raman B.

Mr Selldorf, welcome to the board. It's great to see someone like yourself contributing.

I would be interested to know something of the history of your LM. There was a LM that did the UK Gumball Rally a few years ago. It was owned by an economist called David Morrison. There are some photos and info at http://www.racecar.co.uk/gumballrally/index.htm One theory that I've heard on here is that your LM is the same one that did the Gumball Rally. Do you know if that is true?

Thanks for any information.

Here's another question, if you have the time: "What don't you like about the F1 (there must be something) and what would you suggest as a remedy?"

Thanks again..

wow, that's a hard question.

-one obvious drawback is the price, I wish it were cheaper so more people could enjoy one.
-it takes a little practice getting in and out easily. as a result of sliding over the passenger seat, things get easily snagged and scratched.
-believe it or not, but the right side exterior mirror does not adjust far enough back to get a good view. I thought mine was broken and spoke to McLaren about it, but was told that it was working properly and was unfortunately not able to be fixed. a design flaw! i still can't believe that they would have produced it that way, but that's the story i got.
-my radar detector (V1) is useless from inside the car, too much carbon fibre is my guess. i've never been happy with externally mounted solutions because they are too low to the ground, so i have no protection.
-there is a steady drain on the battery(the security system checking to see if the doors are open i think), so if i don't keep it plugged into a trickle charger (which they have a special plug to make it easy to do), it dies within 2 weeks. I have had to replace the battery at least 6 times.
-i've been told that passengers' backs get pretty warm on extended trips, their seats are closer to the engine bay than the drivers'

that's it off the top of my head. good question.

Frank