500SLC CanAm Race Car

[Oversize]

Thanks to Geoff for finding this unusual one-of-a-kind race car. Seems like it started life as a CanAm car which morphed into a wanna be LeMans prototype. Reported to have 600hp making it the most powerful NA M117! AMG obviously helped develop it at one stage judging by their logo on the high rise manifold. Check out the later stacks!!

https://autopassion.net/forums/604887-le-topic-du-drm-groupe-5/

 

[c107]

Bit of a difference from the north american version of the 5.0 that could only crack 184hp

 

[Styria]

I got to take my hat off to you Oversize. I never cease to be amazed at the quality of your detective work. How very interesting. Regards Styria

 

[Oversize]

Thanks Styria!! Seems like the car was originally a CanAm car bought by AMG & May have been fitted with different drivetrains before being sold to Heyer & having the ‘SLC’ body fitted over the top. In fact on having a closer look at it when it had the red CanAm body I’m wondering if the engine wasn’t a highly modified M100 6.3?? Seems the CanAm series was all about big engines & very few regulations resulting is some rather extreme machines!

 

[Oversize]

Geoff found it initially & I just dug a bit deeper to find some more info about the engines since I’m fascinated by the AMG premerger days & SOHC engine development. I’ve yet to view the link on a laptop so I can hopefully translate at least some of the text...

 

[Oversize]

I find it very interesting that AMG dipped their toes in CanAm. Sounds odd there were complaints about the early (presumably M100) that was apparently too heavy & underpowered, since many of the CamAm cars would’ve used Chev big blocks, which were far from lightweight! And turbos were allowed.... I wouldn’t think they’d use all alloy units in those early days. Interesting the cars were mid mount trans axle configuration, which also featured in the BB CW311 & Isdera Imperator.

Maybe due to cost, AMG pulled out and moved to touring cars with the 190E 2.5. Or maybe they ran out of ideas to get more out of the SOHC engines & thought DOHC was the only way to get more power? Obviously they built their own DOHC heads for the M117 before Mercedes introduced the M119.

 

[Oversize]

Or perhaps AMG deemed the series too unsafe with catastrophe just around the corner? Thus is would be short lived & not justified to make the investment?

Pity because the 6.9 would’ve been the perfect candidate for a power plant. I’d say AMG pulled the pin before they heard about the release of the 6.9?

 

[Oversize]

Comparing pix of the standard engines the red bodied CanAm car DOES appear to be fitted with a highly modified 6.3. Note the offset oil cap and vent on the RH rocker cover...

 

[Oversize]

Apparently it wasn’t built for CanAm at all, but it did start life as a CanAm McLaren M8F (chassis #4).

Word is when they imposed the capacity limit on Touring Cars (thereby killing the Red Pig), AMG turned to other categories...

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Int...e0o4RQYlBOgUQ6Wbw2r-pW91ibDH-aEM6ksp_92bk_z0E

https://forums.autosport.com/topic/56321-missing-1972-mclaren-mercedes-m8fp72-04/

 

[Oversize]

A link to another forum with some more info but sadly no pictures... Currently trying to track down some early magazines!

https://forums.autosport.com/topic/56321-missing-1972-mclaren-mercedes-m8fp72-04/

 

[Oversize]

Interserie Series at the Imola Circuit 01/05/1972:

 

[Oversize]

Number 19 in all it’s AMG glory on the grid!

 

[Oversize]

 

[Oversize]

Can anyone ID the name of the track in this pic?

 

[Oversize]

A couple of other pix found on the net, after searching vigorously!

No video yet unfortunately. Seems like most of the vids on YouTube of that era are poor quality anyway and sadly only follow the lead cars in circulation on the track.

 

[Oversize]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this picture before, but I didn’t understand the significance until just now! Seen post Red Pig racing car days, outside AMG HQ....

It doesn’t seem right that Hans Heyer’s Wiki page says nothing about him racing the Red Pig, or him effectively being AMG’s prototype driver for the Interserie Series (McLaren M8F, eventually becoming a mockup 500SLC) and the 500SEC. I’m getting the impression that he was a bit of a cowboy however and didn’t care if he broke the cars....

 

[Oversize]

Hans also drove the AMG 450SLC touring car.... I may or may not have just been in contact with someone in Argentina who can reveal lots more info on Hans & the cars he drove for AMG!!

 

[Oversize]

Can anyone ID the name of the track in this pic?

I have it on good authority this was taken at Lausitzring, probably during testing since there’s no livery yet. It’s apparently the only venue for European 'NASCAR' to run on.

Now I just have to find video of the car...

 

[Oversize]

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this picture before, but I didn’t understand the significance until just now! Seen post Red Pig racing car days, outside AMG HQ....

It doesn’t seem right that Hans Heyer’s Wiki page says nothing about him racing the Red Pig, or him effectively being AMG’s prototype driver for the Interserie Series (McLaren M8F, eventually becoming a mockup 500SLC) and the 500SEC. I’m getting the impression that he was a bit of a cowboy however and didn’t care if he broke the cars....

This may actually be the first workshop for MKB and not AMG at all. MKB did most of the R&D for AMG.

 

[Oversize]

Well I dug some more and discovered that the Lausitzring race track nominated as the test track was incorrect, since it seems it wasn't built until 2000.

Stranger still that the car was entered in the first 3 races of the 1972 season (Nurburgring 03/04/1972, Imola 01/05/1972 & Silverstone 21/05/1972) but only competed at Imola and withdrew from that race after 7 laps, citing engine trouble. Up until now the pictures I've seen are from the Imola race day and prior testing. The car wasn't ready for Nurburgring and it didn't start at Silverstone due to TURBO issues..... At first I thought the info about turbo/s was incorrect, since the pictures clearly show it was NA. However today I found what looks like proof. It seems like AMG set aside left very little time (just 20 days) to put such a complex system together, test it thoroughly and have it race ready! Perhaps it was a last-minute decision to add the turbos? Sadly it seems they were far too quick to dismiss the concept and move onto other projects.