Page 1 of 2 Next >> In an attempt to harness the power of the new generation, three-litre engines, several leading Formula 1 teams, including Lotus and Matra, built four-wheel drive cars for the 1969 season. McLaren also followed suit with designer Jo Marquart focusing all of his attention on the new and experimental M9A, while his colleague Gordon Coppuck concentrated on the team's conventional Grand Prix cars.
The M9A featured an aluminium monocoque, which used the Cosworth DFV V8 as a fully stressed unit. It was mounted front to back with a proprietary gearbox protruding into the chassis. This allowed for a central four-wheel drive unit that took drive from the left of the gearbox. This gearbox was designed specifically for this purpose by McLaren and used Hewland sourced gears. In its configuration, it was very similar to the Ferguson system that was used in Ferguson's own P1 Grand Prix car built in 1961 and also in the 4WD BRM of 1964.
The front suspension consisted of a lower link with a trailing arm and a top wishbone, which also actuated the in-board coil spring and damper through a rocker. Whereas the McLaren's conventional F1 used the mounting points on the gearbox, the M9A required a separate tubular steel subframe, bolted to the engine, to support the double wishbones. Both the coil springs and dampers, and the Lockheed disc brakes were mounted in-board. In its original guise, the M9A sported small wings on either side of the nose only. Page 1 of 2 Next >>