Is this True

[jayfive]

Heard a story from a friend of mine that all mclaren owners where given a model of there car in the colour that there car was to be delivered in before the car was delivered.

Anyone know anything about this ?

[carbuilder2002]

It is reputedly correct and has been stated in several magazine articles over the years. Saying that I have never heard of any comming on the market or even seen one. Am sure if it is right then some one on this site will no doubt confirm it.
I do however believe that it was a model moulded from the final wind tunnel model and as such has no intrernal detail or even windows but was pureley an external moulded shape with wheels. It's primary purpose was I understand to make sure the customer was happy with the colour choice before painting the actual customers car.
Saying that i know some customers had their paint schemes tested full size on the clinic model or a prototype.
Am sure again further information, probably correcting me will be posted.

[Samurai75007]

wow, never herd of that though im not as much of a McLaren freek that some of you are. I to would like to know.

[Peloton25]

Here's an example of one such model:


Pic courtesy Le Man

I don't believe these were given to the owners permanently. I think the idea was to use it for color verification before the paint hit the actual car. A model like this could be shipped around the world, and easily exposed to different lighting conditions to allow someone to be sure they were getting what they wanted. At some point they must have stopped doing this though.

There's also this story about a customer who couldn't decide between yellow and silver for his F1. He wasn't satisfied with the yellow 1/10th scale mockup that McLaren Cars had already painted for him, so he requested Ron Dennis have a full size car painted that color. Regrettably, as the story goes, Dennis had the Clinic Model painted in the customer's bright yellow choice and he quickly settled on the silver.

>8^)
ER

[Peloton25]

Here's another image of the color models that I enhanced from a magazine scan.



Here's the sidebar that mentions them from the magazine.

<-- Click to read

It doesn't really mention one way or the other on whether the owners kept these. Along with carbuilder, I have never heard of any coming on the market or seen one myself, so I suspect they went back to McLaren. Maybe someone who was directly involved will provide us a more detailed answer.

>8^)
ER

[Le Man]

I have seen the red model, front left in Peloton,s pic. It was only a basic form model with no shut lines or other detailing. paint colour was similar to Ford radiant red.
The model was on display at an IMechE tech evening in Basildon, back in 1993!. The speaker for the evening was Steve Randle, suspension engineer from McLaren cars limited.
Mr Randle very eloquently explained the concept and design of the McLaren F1 suspension systems. He also wrote a 12 page IMechE/SAE papers on the subject. (of which I have several copies, if anybody is interested) They also include exploded diagrams of the front and rear suspension systems. (will share some pics soon!)

As for owners keeping the models? the only two I know of, are the two GTR models owned by Ray Belmn and Dr Thomas Bscher.

[carbuilder2002]

Put me down for a copy of the IMechE paper please. Or why not scan as pdf and you can do whatever you want with them.

[carbuilder2002]

Put me down for a copy of the IMechE paper please. Or why not scan as pdf and you can do whatever you want with them.

[Le Man]

Here,s a pic, showing just some of the content!!



All copies were snapped up quickly, no doubt you will see some on Ebay soon!!

[hurstg01]

^^ no doubt, however I doubt we'll ever see one of the 1/5 models on Ebay

[carbuilder2002]

Only chance the 1/5th Mac I'm building will ever be sold is when i pop my clogs. Assuming I get it built before then lol.