I was privileged to be invited to McLaren’s 2013 event, held yesterday in order to add a little extra variety to their many superb exhibits; some were set-up by team members and interactive but mostly to give opportunity to employees to showcase their automotive ‘pride and joy’ (often a motorcycle or classic car). Seeing my Formula One engineering in miniature was new to the many attendees and their family/friends and being well received with a constant stream of interested folk, I was busy all day answering questions and giving opportunity to look closely at Grand Prix cars other than McLarens. Thank you for all the very interesting conversations I had with many knowledgable folk and for the kind reception my work was given. I was also very pleased to meet Jonathan Neale and Leo Wybrott over from Australia, Sarah and Adrian too. Leo, a former McLaren man was instrumental in the build programs for the M19 and M23 cars in particular and was a key contact for me whose help with these cars is described in pages 12-13 and 32 of my photobook. I was additionally surprised and delighted to meet one of my clients at the Motor Show, whose dog Charlie has been doing really well following recent treatment for a heart condition.
I wish to extend grateful thanks to Neil Trundle in particular who promotes all that he sees as good and positive around him and also Simon Waite the Motor Show organiser. My wife Ros and our two 18 year old twin boys Philip and Thomas also shared in the day, each having a fantastic time, being super-impressed with the McLaren environment, especially Philip who helps me on such occasions and is thoroughly immersed in current (and historic) Formula One. The Motor Show was organised by McLaren Activities & Charities Group, supporting Help for Heroes/Tedworth House and London Youth. More pictures from Twitter @McLarenF1 and Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Facebook pages. My son Thomas took many more pictures than my limited few I posted on Twitter earlier (@mrof1models) and I may later tweet some of the best from his selection.
My Photobook was on offer for for viewing and for sale; I am very grateful for purchases so far. Any copies requested by McLaren employees as a result of Saturday’s Motor Show can be distributed via Neil Trundle, please contact me via website, @mrof1models or email. I hope to get discounted copies out amongst interested folk who can then have a book providing an overview, from which to view or purchase any of the future individual volumes relating to the specific cars. Volume 4 relating to the 1972 M19C has been completed ten days ago, the first copy for inspection should be with me this week and this can then be viewed via Photobox as soon as I have made it ‘shared’.
Back at work this week, I will be especially busy as colleagues are away on their holidays, however my main spare-time project over the coming few weeks is to restore a Protar model of the 1986 McLaren MP4/2C in time for a mid September event celebrating McLaren’s 50th Anniversary. Therefore, the on-going ‘work in progress’ (1967 Honda RA300) is still on hold for at least another month. Additionally within the next month, I am very keen to find time to see the Rush film due out in September, as I’m sure we all are.