Eurosport factory visit pics

[Le Man]

These pics are from Eurosport TV during 1996, when they visited McLaren cars at around the time of the Brands Hatch BPR round. I shall let you guys here, identify the chassis no's.







Please enjoy, While I have been converting my vhs tapes to dvd. found some real jems, I thought that had been previously wiped. Also been experiencing some reproduction problems, Once these are sorted, copies of the dvd's will be available to everybody here on this forum.

[amanichen]

Now it makes sense when GM and company say that the muffler is a crumple zone...it's quite large.

[Peloton25]

First of all - AWESOME!!!!

Brands Hatch was held on Sept 8th in 1996. Given that info...

The Yellow chassis must be #060 which is more than likely the one that has been seen in Japan. It was the 47th car completed and the last road car of 1996.

The Silver chassis beside it should be Ralph Lauren's #055 given the build sequence. It's shown as being the 46th car completed.

The dark blue car seen in the build process close to completion is more than likely #052 listed as being painted "Dark Blue Mica". It was the 45th road car completed.

The brighter blue car on what appears to be an alingment machine is most likely #048 listed as having been painted "Brilliant Metallic Blue". It was (you guessed it) the 44th road car completed. I'm betting that's the car we have some photos of in Monaco (I think) seen wearing French plates.

It's really anyone's guess which silver F1 that is sitting behind #048 it in what appears to be completed form. The first silver car ahead of those in the production line would have been #049 (some cars were built out of order of their chassis numbers for those not familiar), but that F1 was painted "Mercedes Brilliant Silver" which IMO this color looks too dull to be. Prior to that #047 was built in "Magnesium Silver" - the 41st road car built. However, both of those silver cars are shown as having been completed at the beginning of 1996 (#047 was the first car completed that year) ahead of all but one of the 1996 GTRs and the 5 customer F1 LMs so I doubt they'd still be hanging around the factory 7-8 months later.

>8^)
ER

[McLaren F1 Guy]

That Dark Blue Mica looks incredible. Shame they didn't make more of those. Thanks for the pics!

[Peloton25]

Yeah - and that's with a thin film of protective plastic covering the paint. Imagine what that car must look like out in the sunlight all waxed up.

Another F1 I would really love to see good photos of is George Harrison's Dark Purple Pearl #025. I recently made contact with a friend of a friend of his son Dhani, and I requested that he try to get me some pictures of the car. I don't have high hopes that anything will materialize from that, but I do have my fingers crossed.

>8^)
ER

[SD F1]

Hey P, So how much money do we need to raise to get you to publish your F1history book! Come on you know you want to do it! I am confident that we could get GM and Ron's permission! Besides, who else besides Mclaren Group has this much information.

WFG

BTW have you heard from that wise old tinkerer lately?

[cabrio92]

Hello,

first, a big "bravo" to LeMan It is very nice to share this with us. I hope to see more soon !

I'm betting that's the car we have some photos of in Monaco (I think) seen wearing French plates.

Ahhhhhh Erik, I can't wait for the pics ! I never seen a french F1 ! Hurry up please

Phil

[Peloton25]

demon348 posted these shots over on Supercarfrance.com, but I believe some or all of the pics were actually taken by Phil75:



I must correct myself though. I mistakenly assumed these were French license plates due to the "FR", but after looking on the web I discovered they are actually Swiss plates. I guess the "FR" stands for "Fribourg" - my apologies for getting your hopes up.

Hopefully you can ask Phil to share the others at a larger size and confirm where he took them. My French is not as good as your English.

>8^)
ER

[cabrio92]

Hello Erik,

you're very quick to answer ! Thank you.
It's ok for the plate, I talk with Phil75 on these shots, I remember it's Cannes or Monaco.

It is very sad Phil75 and you have not msn because we could not arrange a minichat where he shows his pics and we talk about we could progress in the puzzle !
He sent me many pics but it is too long to talk about each on the forum !

Phil

[Le Man]

Hi guys, Glad you all like the factory pics. Found two more TV articles, with factory pics. Will post some pics soon.

That will mean some more chassis no's for Erik to clarify, I do believe one is the George Harrison F1 in biuld.

Blue is my favorite colour, so if anybody can post F1's in any shade of blue they will be greatly appreciated.

[Peloton25]

Yes, blue is a great color for the F1 no doubt.



Thanks to joe911 for the awesome pic of #040.

I should mention that the owner of this car seems fairly intent on another repaint, and this time the color won't be blue. Can't wait to see what he comes up with and also what his final wheel choice is like.

>8^)
ER

[Le Man]

Ace pic Erik, Many thanks to Joe 911 as well, 040 looks perfect as it is, especially with all that other road junk around it.(sheds and clunkers)

Does anyone have some hi res shots of 011 blue HDF, Please post!!

[mini magic]

Interesting that he won the "F1" plate. It was up for auction a few months ago and people were estimating its probably one the most valuable plates ever sold. Here is some info i found on the auction below:

DESPITE rumours that playboy Eddie Irvine was in the buying race, the number plate F1 failed to reach its reserve at auction in London yesterday.It was the first registration plate issued in Essex and belongs to Essex County Council, which had used it on the council chairman's car since 1904.
However, a suitable buyer - such as Mr Irvine or somebody else with Formula One-sized bank balance - couldn't be found and the number plate remains with the council, which was selling it to raise funds.
Although the Co Down man is well known for his champagne lifestyle, even he must have thought that the 101-year-old plate was a little on the pricey side - there was speculation that the reserve could have been as high as £350,000.
The plate went under the hammer at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Chichester along with racing memorabilia.
Jon Baddeley of auctioneers Bonhams had forecast: "As a result of its worldwide appeal, we expect the F1 number plate to fetch a six-figure sum."
Another plate owned by Essex County Council - 1F - did sell, an unnamed telephone buyer forking out £144,500.
Had the F1 plate been snapped up, it was expected to become the world's most expensive. In 1993, a number plate reading K1 NGS was bought for £231,000 by the Sultan of Brunei.
While Eddie Irvine mightn't have his buyer power, the former race ace could still no doubt become the owner of the F1 plate should it make another auction house appearance.

[Peloton25]

Originally Posted by mini magic

Interesting that he won the "F1" plate. It was up for auction a few months ago and people were estimating its probably one the most valuable plates ever sold.

Actually joe911 said he did that in MSpaint.

>8^)
ER

[hurstg01]

Originally Posted by Peloton25

Actually joe911 said he did that in MSpaint.

>8^)
ER

Great plate for the car though, ultimate poseability!!!