Diving Ambition Owners copy on Ebay

There is a a Driving Ambition Book, Owners edition on Ebay UK starting price £4,999,sounds a litte steep to me? Item number:110429075544
Item number:110429075544
OWNERS EDITION
(Chassis number lower than 107!)
A Limited Owners Only Edition of Driving Ambition was made for each McLaren F1 made and only offered to the owners of a McLaren F1. I had to order this book and buy it as a separate purchase.
Using a generous 33cm by 33cm page size and quality art paper allows superb reproduction of photographs. The finished book is hand bound in Connolly hide (not Nubuck leather like editions 107 to 1000) which is embossed with an image of the F1 steering wheel, complete with a genuine McLaren badge and is offered in an elegant presentation case which reflects the Connolly leather used in the F1.
The Limited Edition serial number (of the 106 owners books commissioned) is carried on an F1 chassis plate inside the front cover of the book.
The Limited Edition of Driving Ambition is now sold out.

F1 Driving Ambition - Limited Owners edition in original black packing box.
Very unique item.
Has a chassis number less than 107.
If I recall it has a duplicate chassis plate in the book.
Leather bound.
With extra pages not seen in the standard version.
With all original documentation from McLaren.
Has a detailed vehicle specification of the actual car included, drafted by McLaren Cars Limited.
The book is assigned to an original car and this particular book is assigned to a road car not a race car.
Only on eBay once before this item goes to a Coys of Kensington automobilia auction

Yes, a little steep is an understatement (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110429075544&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT), especially when the seller isn't specific as to what number it could be, and it is only really worth that much to the current owner of that car, and you can buy essentially the same book [Le Mans edition] for a lot less, like I did. The pictures aren't really that good either. But despite all that, he apparently is a good eBayer and has a nice collection of F1 memorobilia

"If I recall it has a duplicate chassis plate in the book."

Someone being a bit speculative about this?

Does the guy actually have the book in hos possession?

This is what I posted when a question about this item came up on TS.com:

I can vouch for the seller, although I do not know him personally. He had this particular book as far back as 2004 based on some emails we exchanged. His McLaren F1 collection is extremely extensive in both parts and literature, and I do not believe that he would misrepresent the item he is selling.

>8^)
ER

I don't doubt his honesty it just seems very expensive.

Hello everyone, I have been reading your info about the F1 for over three years now. I want to thank everyone for all of your valuable info about the F1 and the literature. I just wanted to ask if anyone here would consider buying this book being that it's the owners edition? By the way, like some of you I happen to have the LeMans ED. Also, has anyone asked this seller a question about the book? I have three times since the very first auction for it and I still have not heard from him. He simply will not answer my questions. This is the first time this has happended to me on ebay.

I would only pay a premium for the Owner's Edition if I had the car the chassis number matched up with. Otherwise I could be perfectly happy with any of the other expanded versions of the book.

Sorry to hear the seller has been non-responsive to your requests for info. That doesn't seem like him, nor does it seem like a successful way to move an item like this. :dunno:

>8^)
ER

As he may sell it at auction perhaps he was gauging response to the item / putting feelers out so people know about it before it goes to auction? It may sell for more on eBay / at Coys of Kensington

Thanks Peloton.

What does everyone think about the book being numbered as less than 107. Do you think it's possible that the prototypes were included? It almost seems like it because he has papers that come with the book so those papers should match the book number. However, articles I have found going way back have stated the owners edition only consists of 100 copies. I'm not sure what to think because articles get the numbers wrong all the time anyway.

It's now down to £4000.00 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/McLaren-F1-Driving-Ambition-Limited-OWNERS-Edition-book_W0QQitemZ110434266491QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Ca rParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET?hash=item19 b6652d7b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14) and now it's numbered less than 101

Hmmmm interesting it's dated 1992 is that not before actual production started?

Speaking of books with chassis numbers, does anyone here have any pictures of a chassis numbered owners manual, particulary a picture of the chassis number itself? If not does anyone have any info on how it was placed in the manual and where? The possibilities include a chassis plate, actual printed text by the printing company, or it would be hand written in by the owner of the car. Someone named john100 on this forum mentioned he had a manual with chassis number 017, this was back in 2005, perhaps someone picked up some info from him. Thanks all!!

Speaking of books with chassis numbers, does anyone here have any pictures of a chassis numbered owners manual, particulary a picture of the chassis number itself? If not does anyone have any info on how it was placed in the manual and where? The possibilities include a chassis plate, actual printed text by the printing company, or it would be hand written in by the owner of the car. Someone named john100 on this forum mentioned he had a manual with chassis number 017, this was back in 2005, perhaps someone picked up some info from him. Thanks all!!
In each Owner's Manual are a few things, specific to the car, written by hand in a semi-calligraphic style. The chassis number is one of them. There is no chassis plate in the OM.

Thanks, the reason I was asking is because if I ever found one I would hope it would have been printed in by the printers. I don't feel comfortable taking a chance with one that someone simply had written in, it could be made up info just to attempt to add value to it. You would think it would have been printed in by the printing company the same way everything else had the chassis number embossed or engraved.

Thanks, the reason I was asking is because if I ever found one I would hope it would have been printed in by the printers. I don't feel comfortable taking a chance with one that someone simply had written in, it could be made up info just to attempt to add value to it. You would think it would have been printed in by the printing company the same way everything else had the chassis number embossed or engraved.
If you saw a book, it would be pretty clear whether it was genuine. The part that was written by hand is not just casually scribbled in. It's carefully written in a semi-calligraphic hand, as I said, in order to personalise the book. IIRC they also wrote the production date, and maybe a couple of other items. In the same ink, Dennis, Murray and Creighton Brown signed each book.
If you were concerned about a possible fake, I'd expect the factory to be willing to look at an image of one of the handwritten entries and offer an opinion.

The one I found was chassis number 003 everything was hand written in bold black ink I was skeptical because that car was supposed to belong to Ron Dennis, what are the chances of it having been his manual. The guy selling it had a great rep and maybe he had nothing to do with what was written in it, it may have been that way when he found it. I'm not sure McLaren would bother with me if I asked that question, I'm not sure how people friendly they are. By the way I'd love to know how you acquired your info?

I have no doubt they would be more than willing to prove or disprove it's authenticity.

Hey carbuilder, I'll give them a try, can't hurt. I have been reading your posts over the years, thanks for the past info.

Well I would assume they would be more than happy to weed out any forgeries that are out there being touted as real but from what I have been reading it sounds pretty genuine to me

You could also inquire with Bill Noon at Symbolic as to whether chassis #003 had it's original owner's manual with the car when it passed through his hands early last year. There's always the possibility he keeps record of those sorts of things.

>8^)
ER

It does seem odd that an owner would let it be parted from the car

Thanks everyone for the tips, I will give McLaren and Symbolic Motors a try.

It's listed again, same price (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/McLaren-F1-Driving-Ambition-Limited-OWNERS-Edition-book_W0QQitemZ110457814992QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Ca rParts_Vehicles_Manuals_Litterature_ET?hash=item19 b7cc7fd0)

Thanks, I had a look. the listing is still the same as before, no changes.