McLaren F1 Owners Manual

I had the opportunity to buy one of these recently. I wasn't sure what to expect to be honest with you nor any clue if there was any collector interest for this kind of thing. It didn't matter to me because I've had a lust to own this car ever since it was introduced. However, I will say that there are some things I'm not so curious about like where the cap for the windscreen fluid reservoir is. Well, now I know. LOL

To describe this as a manual is an understatement. I am glad I bought it because this is a cool little book and it is beautifully produced. It is has a linen hardcover with a nice red enamel F1 badge on the front. As you can see, the page layout is very similar to Driving Ambition but with all hand drawn illustrations. There are no photographs in this book.

In case you are curious about what the owners manual for a McLaren F1 looks like, I've posted a few pictures of the book and some of the contents. A couple pics are on the request of Peloton25. Apologies in advance for the pics. The print is small and very fine on the pages but still legible.

Enjoy!

Pic 1 - The front cover
Pic 2 - Table of contents
Pic 3 - Right hand side console controls
Pic 4 - The factory's recommended way to get into a McLaren F1
Pic 5 - The engine starting procedure
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wow that is one amazing owners manual, may i ask how much it was?

 

...and thank you very much for that!

>8^)
ER

 

i would also like to know how much one of these would go for im interested if its not very expensive

 

Very cool! I hope to see it some day

 

483hp asked me about current value via PM a while back. Here's a segment of my response:

That is a pretty unique item in the world of F1 memorabilia that doesn't change hands all that often. I think a fair estimate is probably in the neighborhood of $1,500 for them, or more perhaps.

What I should have added to my reply was that the economy of the world was a little different the last time I saw an F1 Owner's Manual sell through Ebay. Additionally, the ones with a chassis number in them have seemed to bring a higher price than those without as there are some extra ones floating around in the world.

>8^)
ER

 

Never seen a manual with a chapter "getting in".....

 

Never seen a manual where the pictures are hand drawn.

 

Not to mention the fact that this manual is clearly intended for (crash) dummies!

 

All of the engineering drawings for the F1 were done by hand as well. It's probably one of the last cars produced that was done this way and not predominantly on computers.

Here's an example of the shifter mechanism drawing that was produced as an overlay in the F1 Launch Brochure.

>8^)
ER
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It was probably $20 in the Transportation Section, at Half Price Books!!!

So many things of this nature are "lost' or misplaced as Owners pass on, or divorce, or the car is sold and this is forgotten in a personal library.

The next person to hold it will have No Idea what it is........

 

Don't misunderstand, I'm not discounting its value...it is what it is.....marvelous drawings!!

Thanks for posting that.

My engineering career also bridges the days when skill at the drafting table gave way to typing into a computer.....sad really.

 

So each manual has hand drawn pictures or the original was hand drawn with the manuals using a photocopy/litho of it? It would be pretty ridiculous if they were each hand drawn--the high price would then be more justifiable.

Btw, I think there would be an easier way to get into an F1 than that...I know when Fifth Gear test drove 16R, Tiff got in that way...I could think of an easier way, but maybe it would be more difficult do actually do.

Use the centerline panel of the roof when the door is open for your left hand to support yourself as you somewhat stand in the left passenger well and swing yourself over...seems with the book's way, both your legs have difficulty squeezing under the wheel vs. what I suggest where the right leg would already be in position somewhat.

 

I think they mean lithographs of the hand done artwork, surely.......that would be the only way to have more than ONE of them.

 

Unless they had a team of monks laboring by candlelight with eyesight failing. Perhaps there are some extra "illuminated" editions out there with red/gold drawings in the margins?

 

Exactly...which is why I don't understand why people keep referring to them "hand drawn." They're not and that should be pretty obvious as it's a waste of time and money to do it every time like that. The originals are impressive and it is cool to look at the copy, but don't hype it up is what I'm getting at with the copies...

 

Gordon Murray is wierd, but he's not THAT wierd!

That's actually a very nice rendering style....I think photoshop can emulate it!!

 

Hey guys, I'm new here, but do belong to another forum. One thing about the manual is that it's expected to be a copy from original drawing's, who makes each owner's manual with original drawing's. So it's not supposed to have original drawings period. Now let's look at all the Ferrari owners's manual's from back in the day that sell for thousands of dollars, they are not original drawings. So when a manual is made, of course it is based off of an original, but the original is irrelevant which means the only thing available is the copy, however those copies are original in and of themselves, first edition, first printing. So the value of owning the McLaren F1 manual should not be diminished.

As for those that have a chassis number, I have learned the real skinny on this over the years. They never made separate manual's with the chassis number. All the manual's are from the same original batch. They are all the original first printing. What happened was McLaren randomly grabbed the closest manual and assigned it to a car. When they did this the chassis number was hand written in as well as other technical info and then signed by Gordon Murray. Watch the video (McLaren F1 sold) and listen to the conversation about the manual. This was the park lane car chassis #065 that sold for$4mil being collected by the new owner. So the owners manual any of the collector's has could just as well have been used for a car. It just happened to be that your's was not physically picked up and filled in. So the one's without chassis number's are not low end reprints, they are original's and if you have one, as a book collector you should feel pretty proud to own it.

Now Ferrari was different, they made original manual's and later came out with reprints with cover's that were a different color to distinguish from the original. Some of the originals, like some Dino manual's had the chassis number printed in text form incorporated into the manual. So at least you know it's legit. With the McLaren manual, even if you found one with the chassis number and Gordon Murray's signature, how do you know it's was not forged? Anyone can write in the chassis number and forge the signature or meet Gordon Murray at an event and have him sign it. It does not prove it's from a car period. So I would not give too much credit to those that come up with a chassis number. One came around this past summer on ebay, it was supposed to be from chassis number 003, had the technical info filled in, had the chassis number filled in, but no Gordon Murray signature, what's wrong with that picture. Again listen to the video I mentioned above. I hope this helps guy's.

 

Thanks for the info! That was very interesting. Are you referring to this video?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyORC21--Hg

 

Yes that's the one.

 

Very nice and interesting info. Welcome to FChat, too!

 

Thanks, I just thought this might help those that have a McLaren F1 owner's manual. This way it will be known that what they have is the real thing and not some second rate reprint. McLaren did not make a reprint. If they did then it would most likely make some reference to it, just like Ferrari manual's do.

 

It's an awesome manual...I have a few in stock in mint condition. See them here:

http://www.collectorstudio.com/index.cfm/ID/34/SearchResults?criteria=mclaren_f1

 

Is there anything you don't have?!?!? Lol

 

Thanks...I try to have all the really great stuff.