McRae GM1 (Leda LT27)
In
1972, Graham McRae, the dominant F5000 driver of the day, joined forces
with Malcolm Bridgeland of Malaya Garage and famed designer Len Terry to
build a new F5000. The car was initially designated Leda LT27, following
Terry's designs, but in mid-1972 McRae and London insurance broker John
Heynes bought out Bridgeland and set up McRae Cars Ltd. at Poole, Dorset.
As from 1 July 1972 the Leda LT27 became the McRae GM1.
The beautifully-engineered McRae, especially Graham's prototype 001, was the top car of 1972 and one of the best of 1973, but the GM2 design lost the momentum and the McRae marque soon faded away.
These are among the most sought after F5000 cars and it has now been possible to trace the fate of all 14 GM1s built. The histories of 008 and 011 may be wrong as both cars show evidence have having been Gordon Smiley's #21 car. There is also an extra McRae GM1 in the US and OldRacingCars.com is actively trying to work out how it fits in to the histories. It may be an extra car built in period but previously unknown, it could have been built up since from a spare tub and parts, or it could be that one of the histories below is incorrect.
This research has been conducted mainly by Wolfgang Klopfer with Tony Nicholson filling in many of the gaps. The chassis number identities came chiefly from an article in New Zealand Motorman (Sept 1973 pp37-39) - thanks to Milan Fistonic for tracking that down for us. Thanks also to Dale Campfield, Shayne Windelburn, David McKinney, Roger Cowman, Marcus Pye, Ian Stronach, Todd Peterson, Alistair Hey, Paul Hoey, Jay Esterer and Michael Clark for their additions and clarifications.
All and any further help would be gratefully received. Please e-mail Allen if you can add anything.
| Car | History | Current owner |
|---|---|---|
| McRae GM1 001 |
Built for 1972 season. Graham McRae: raced in Tasman 1972 (won championship), UK 1972 and US 1972 (won championship) - Dexter Dunlop: raced in NZ Gold Star 1972/73, Tasman 1973, NZ Gold Star 1973/74, Tasman 1974. Subsequently burnt out in a trailer fire and, after an insurance claim, the remains of the car were scrapped. | Scrapped. |
| McRae GM1 002 |
Evan Noyes in his GM1 at Michigan in 1973. Copyright Mark Windecker 2005. Used with permission. 
Jim Sechser's McRae GM1 after its crash at Brainerd in 1977. Copyright Todd Peterson 2005. Used with permission. |
Alistair Russell (NZ) 2009 |
| McRae GM1 003 |
 Built for 1972 season. Leda
Cars for Trevor Taylor: raced in UK 1972 - Jock
Russell July 1972: raced in UK 1972 (also for
Brett Lunger 2 races), UK 1973; retained until
1999 - Noel Butler 1999 - Roy Lane
2000: restored in Lane's orange colours.
To Peter and Aaron Burson (New Zealand) Oct 2006. |
Peter and Aaron Burson (NZ) 2006 |
| McRae GM1 004 |
Built for 1972 season. Evan Noyes as spare tub for 002 (see Motoring News 11 Jan 1973). Then with 002 through Roy Campbell, "Race Car Drivers Institute" and Jim Sechser. With US owner still incomplete 2001. | Anonymous owner (US) 2001 |
| McRae GM1 005 |
Graham McRae in his McRae GM1 005 early in his 1973 US campaign. This photograph was bought on eBay having been originally released copyright free in a press pack. This image is Copyright Allen Brown 2007. 
Ken Petrie's GM1 (005 or maybe 014) at Miller Motorsport Park on 30 June 2007. Copyright John Barrett 2007. Used with permission. |
Ken Petrie (US) 2008 |
| McRae GM1 006 |
Built for 1973 season. Gordon Meffert: raced in US 1973 (3 races: Road America R6 29 Jul 1973, Road Atlanta and Pocono). Advertised in Autoweek in late 1973/early 1974: "McRae ... 3 races old ... Fresh Kinsler Lucas F.I."). Subsequent history unknown but possibly the car advertised by Gregg Peterson in Autoweek 14 Dec 1974 ('3 races old ... not used in 1974'). Raced by D. David France (San Francisco) under Hat Racing banner at Laguna Seca Sprints 28/29 June 1975 (Formula Aug 1975 p32 and Sports Car Sep 1975 p34). Also second at 'Portland Rose Cup' National 15 Jun 1975 (Sports Car Sep 1975 p29) and later second in class at Sears Point National 24 Feb 1977 (Formula Jul 1977 p30). From France to "Bushell's Furniture" (Olympia, WA): driven by Sam Darnell. Entered by Dale "Campfire" for Sam Darnell at 1984 Run-Offs. To Dale Campfield (Apalachin, NY) mid-1980's: retained 2002. | Dale Campfield (US) 2002 |
| McRae GM1 007 |
 Built for 1973 season. McKechnie
Racing Organisation for Alan Rollinson: raced
in Tasman 1973, UK 1973 ... Rebuilt for Rollinson as the "Contender
F5000" and run by Derek Robinson (Frome,
Somerset) for him at Thruxton 26 May 1975; advertised by Robinson August
1976 and March 1977
... Alex Seldon (Farnham, UK) raced in libre
races; advertised by Seldon March & April 1979
...bought from Robinson by Brian Redman February
1982: raced once by Redman and once by his mechanic, John Bright (a win
at Watkins Glen 7 Sep 1986) - Richard Schoenfeld (Muttontown, NY) May 1988
... owned
by Jim Swartzbaugh and raced at VARA Willow Springs March 1991
... in southern California 1994 ... advertised in Victory Lane
October 1995 ... reported to be owned by "J Maroney"
of California 2001. |
"J Maroney" (US) 2001 |
| McRae GM1 008 |
This car sold to Jay Esterer (Canada) July 2008 and raced in January 2009 Tasman Cup Revival Series in New Zealand. Sold February 2009 to Peter Burson (NZ), also the owner of 003, and believed to be the car Burson is running in practice for the Tasman Cup Revival race at the Australian Grand Prix meeting 26-29 March 2009. |
Peter Burson (NZ) 2009 |
| McRae GM1 009 |
 Built for 1973 season. Quicksilver
Racing for Jim and Chuck Sarich: raced in US
1973 (debut Watkins Glen R5 17 Jun 1973), US 1974 (1 race: Laguna Seca);
advertised Autoweek 26 Apr 1975 - Ted Wenz and
Peter Marcovicci (of Marcovicci-Wenz Engineering)
(US) 1986: raced by Wenz in US vintage racing 1986-1998
- Stan Redmond
(Christchurch, NZ) 2003. Retained 2004 and used in Tasman Cup Revival series 2004 and 2006. To Alistair Hey (NZ) 2007. Raced by Chris Hyde to win the 2007/08 Tasman Cup Revival Series. To Steve Ross (NZ) 2009. |
Steve Ross (NZ) 2009 |
| McRae GM1 010 |
Quicksilver Racing ordered two cars (Autoweek 17 Feb 1973) but only used one. Probably the car advertised in Autosport (21 Jun 1973): "Quicksilver Racing ... offers ... McRae ... Kinsler fuel injected ... fully sorted but not raced". Subsequent history unknown but possibly the car advertised in Autoweek by Bill Kontes 10 Aug 1974. Believed to be the car practiced at Laguna Seca October 1975 by Rodney Green. Green (Colorado) took the 1975 Midwest Division FA title with 9pts, equivalent to one win (Sports Car Dec 1975 p37). Retired from Pueblo, Colorado National 15 May 1977 (Formula Aug 1977 p41). Retained by Green until 2006 when sold to Paul Hoey (Olympia, WA), also the owner of 008. Sold to James Stengel (NY, NY) February 2008 and raced in US vintage racing throughout 2008. | James Stengel (US) 2008 |
| McRae GM1 011 |
 Built for 1973 season. Josef
Scott for Gordon Smiley:
raced in US 1973 (debut Michigan R3 20 May; 2 races); for Vern Schuppan
(2 races: R6 Elkhart Lake and R7 Road Atlanta); for Scott: raced in US
1974 (1 race - crashed at R5 Ontario 2 Sep 1974); advertised Autoweek
1 Feb 1975
- Rick Habersin 1970's: retained 2003. See also 008. |
Rick Habersin (US) 2003 |
| McRae GM1 012 |
Roy Lane at Loton Park in April 1976 in the all-conquering McRae. Copyright Alan Cox 2006. Used with permission. 
Phil Prince in the McRae GM1 at Barbon in 1981. Copyright Steve Wilkinson 2006. Used with permission. |
Ray Boissoneau (US) 2008 |
| McRae GM1 014 |
 Built
for 1973 season. Graham McRae: raced in
US 1973 (5 races - from R3 Michigan 20 May 1973 to R7 Road Atlanta 19
Aug 1973)
... Derek Robinson (Frome, Somerset) and
sold, dismantled and less engine via Alan Rollinson to Ian Stronach
(UK): raced widely in libre racing during 1976 and 1977 (for example
at Oulton
Park 1 May 1976, Aintree club meeting in August
1976, Oulton
Oct 1976 and and Aintree again in May
1977)
- Larry Bradley 1978 - Ian Higgins
late 1980s or early 1990s (chassis number spotted by Jeremy Jackson
in 1984) - sold to the US ... Owned by Ken Petrie
(US) 2001 and present at Pueblo F5000 reunion May 2001. Sold by Petrie to Jay Esterer (Canada) March 2008 and restored to its 1973 Graham McRae specification. Retained March 2009. |
Jay Esterer (Canada) 2009 |
| McRae GM1 015 |
 Built for 1973 season with a longer wheelbase.
Graham McRae: raced in UK
1973 (practiced at Misano
10 Jun and raced from R10 Mallory Park 8 Jul 1973 onwards)
-
Ian Ward Racing early 1974 and modified as "Ward KS1" but not
raced - Chris Featherstone: raced in UK 1974,
1975, 1976,
1977 (also raced by Keith Holland UK 1977), Australian series 1978 - Gary
Dumbrell (Aus) Feb 1978 - Bob Tomlinson
Oct 1978 - Salt Walther Feb 1979: raced in Australian
series 1979 - Ray Gibbs (NZ) Sep 1979 - Stewart
Lush (NZ) 2000: appeared in practice at the
TACCOC Autumn Classic 2002 12 May 2002. Raced in the 2004 Tasman
Cup Revival series, appeared in UK 2005, Tasman Cup Revival
series 2006. This car wears a massively overstamped plate ending '005'. Raced by Lush in the 2009 Tasman Cup Revival Series. |
Stewart Lush (NZ) 2009 |
Built for 1973 season. Cuddy Racing for Jon The mystery cars
The following McRaes are not yet fully explained.
| Car | History | Current owner |
|---|---|---|
| McRae GM? 'the Sorbello car' |
First raced by John Sorbello at Mid-Ohio Can-Am June 1979. Bill Hough built the Can-Am body for Sorbello's car and he recalls that it was bought from Sue Diamond, implying it was 005. Sorbello raced the car until 1981. Nothing more known. | Unknown but see 005 |
| McRae GM1 'the 1981 car' |
Advertised by Graham McRae in On Track 28 May 1981. McRae's own cars were 001, 005, 014 and 015, all of which have well-documented sales or later histories. Dan Furey (see 008) bought his car from McRae at the end of 1981 so it's quite likely this is the same car. How it got from Cuddy Racing back to McRae isn't clear. | Unknown but see 008 |
| McRae GM1 'the 2008 car' |
Graham McRae is said to be "building up a GM1 to race. It’s based around an existing tub owned by Alistair Hey". This was reported in New Zealand Auto Trader in July 2008. | Graham McRae (NZ) 2008 |
Another car is known to exist in the US, having been built up around a spare monocoque. It carries a chassis plate but the number on that plate clashs with one of the cars listed above. More wil be published on this car as the facts emerge.
There are a few other references to McRaes in contemporary magazines that are now thought to be errors in the reports:
- Formula Dec 1976 p43 reports that Donald De Maagd raced a "McRae" at the Hoosier National 18/19 Sep 1976. Like the Midgley car immediately below, this is believed to be a McKee, in this car DeMaagd's ex-Reinold Mk 12.
- Formula Aug 1977 p41 reports that Ed Midgley won his class at Wentzville, Missouri, 8 May 1977 in his "McRae FA" and later did not start at the 1977 June Sprints. This is bellieved be Midgley's McKee Mk 18.
Also, Phil Henny (Van Nuys, CA) advertised a "new Leda LT27" in Autoweek on 22 Jul 1972. Phil advises that he placed the ad because Len Terry asked him to try to sell a LT27.
These histories last updated on 14 February, 2010 .