McLaren M30

Dunzer · 25 Jun 2003, 23:02 (Ref:2099822)

Hi All,new to the forum.Just wondering if anybody out there has any pictures or other info relating to this car...here is the tricky bit...not while it was a works car,but when Alo Lawler campaigned it in British Formula Libre.Alo first ran it in 1984 (I think) and was in his possession up to 1989 or thereabouts.I believe it was sold to a collector in the USA shortly after.Its livery was red,white and black and sponsored by a freighting company called LEP.Many thanks.

Jeremy Jackson · 25 Jun 2003, 23:07 (Ref:2099823)

Yes, I took quite a few pictures of Lawler in the M30. I'll dig them out and scan them. let me know your e-mail address (Here or by PM) and I'll send them to you.

Cheers

Andrew Kitson · 25 Jun 2003, 23:27 (Ref:2099824)

I remember the fantastic Libre battles Alo had in the M30 with Tony Trimmer's F5000 Lola. I dont think I have any photos though. LEP was a very loyal backer to Alo I recall. They also sponsored his Formula Atlantic cars.

Dunzer · 26 Jun 2003, 00:45 (Ref:2099826)

Andrew, unfortunately for me I was just out of nappies when he raced in Atlantics but I vaguely remember him winning the 1980 Marlboro Grand Prix in Dublin's Phoenix Park.I particularly remember him having a great battle with Geoff Farmer at Kirkistown in 1989 in the M30.Farmer was driving an F3000 of some sort...great moments.

Redlake27 · 26 Jun 2003, 07:13 (Ref:2099827)

The M30 is one of those obsure McLarens (like an Mp4/18......) It appeared mid 1980 in Prosts hands, but John Watson never got his hands on it. Then for some reason the M29, which had been a dud since it was introduced mid 79 to replace the awful M28 tank, suddendly started going quicker than the M30.

When Ron dennis took over the team he carried on with the venerable M29 into 1981, and the M30 was never seen again. One can only assume it was a not a well loved car!

macoran · 3 Nov 2007, 23:55 (Ref:2099832)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy Jackson

Yes, I took quite a few pictures of Lawler in the M30. I'll dig them out and scan them. let me know your e-mail address (Here or by PM) and I'll send them to you.

Cheers

What a pity you haven't posted some of them !

Graz · 4 Nov 2007, 19:34 (Ref:2099833)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dunzer

Andrew, unfortunately for me I was just out of nappies when he raced in Atlantics but I vaguely remember him winning the 1980 Marlboro Grand Prix in Dublin's Phoenix Park.I particularly remember him having a great battle with Geoff Farmer at Kirkistown in 1989 in the M30.Farmer was driving an F3000 of some sort...great moments.

Dunzer, don't know your 'vintage' but Alo Lawlor in the M30 had a great battle with Tony Trimmer in the F5000 Lola in Mondello in 1985. I'm sure Con Connolly has some pics of this. Also, re the Kirkistown race above, I have some footage of this on a tape somewhere.

davyboy · 4 Nov 2007, 21:16 (Ref:2099834)

They had a few battles in Mondello alright. Was that the day the T332 got stuck in 4th gear ?

Here are a few shots from Con of the Lola and the McLaren. I've got a few myself as well, some I've already sent to Paul (Dunzer), who by the way is related to Alo, and I need to dig out some more and scan them.

davyboy · 5 Nov 2007, 08:04 (Ref:2099836)

Here are a few I took with a very bad camera, I'm not sure what year it was... thought it was 1984 myself... but Graz you may know for sure. Alo was there, along with John Brindley in the Newsweek March, Trevor Templeton in the RT3 Atlantic and of course Tom O'Leary in the fabulous ex-Guerrero Theodore F1 car. Once again, sorry for the quality of the pictures... it was a 110 camera.

Graz · 5 Nov 2007, 09:07 (Ref:2099838)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

Here are a few I took with a very bad camera, I'm not sure what year it was... thought it was 1984 myself... but Graz you may know for sure. Alo was there, along with John Brindley in the Newsweek March, Trevor Templeton in the RT3 Atlantic and of course Tom O'Leary in the fabulous ex-Guerrero Theodore F1 car. Once again, sorry for the quality of the pictures... it was a 110 camera.

These are superb. It was defo 1985 and showing the anorak in me I think it was August the 18th 1985. I am an Alain Prost fan and the opportunity to see an ex-Prost McLaren was just magic. I had only seen an F1 car for the first time in the Park in 83 (Tom O'Leary in the Theodore) so this was only the second time for me to see F1's and also the likes of Trimmers F5000. Trimmer beat Lawlor that day and I remember afterwards in the paddock Lawlor was signing posters of the car and he was sooo disappointed not to have won. One of his crew was trying to tell him to cheer up, he can't win everytime!

**John Turner** · 5 Jan 2008, 10:23 (Ref:2099865)

See here:-

http://www.oldracingcars.com/f1/type.php?TypeID=M30

gnuse · 27 Jul 2009, 04:48 (Ref:2508827)

Not to drag up an old post, but I just found this site.

Great photos of the M30/1

I purchased the car and drove it in the US for a while.

It was an amazing car, but then most F1 cars are probably like that for us mortals.

Graz · 27 Jul 2009, 11:43 (Ref:2509074)

Great to have this thread resurface. When I saw this car in 85, I loved it, how it looked, how it sounded, everything. When a Formula 1 car is deemed to be a dog, it's all relative to the better cars of the time and we're probably only talking a few tenths in lap times. For us mere mortals, these cars are just awesome! An F1 car is an amazing piece of kit, whatever the era and whatever it's relative competitiveness.

Alan Raine · 27 Jul 2009, 12:09 (Ref:2509118)

Ala Lawlor at Oulton Park

Graz · 27 Jul 2009, 12:49 (Ref:2509157)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

Ala Lawlor at Oulton Park

Alan Raine · 27 Jul 2009, 12:57 (Ref:2509176)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graz

Ironically, this subject cropped up elsewhere today

Alo Lawler turned up with the McLaren at an Aintree Test day. He wanted to see if he could beat the outright lap record. I can't remember if he did it, but it was unofficial anyway. He certainly gave it a go and the sight and sound of an F1 at full chat down the long club straight was very impressive!

Alan Raine · 27 Jul 2009, 13:02 (Ref:2509187)

The current owner and car

http://www.historicgrandprix.com/Dri...an%20Allen.htm

Graz · 27 Jul 2009, 13:12 (Ref:2509196)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

The current owner and car

http://www.historicgrandprix.com/Dri...an%20Allen.htm

Oooh yeah!

Alan Raine · 27 Jul 2009, 13:49 (Ref:2509218)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graz

Oooh yeah!

The same Oulton meeting featured:

John Foulston's M23.

Willie Green in Foultons GLTL Lotus 72

and Richard Peacock's Tyrrell which was spannered by my brother in law

Graz · 27 Jul 2009, 14:40 (Ref:2509255)

Stop it Alan, you're killing me man!

Alan Raine · 27 Jul 2009, 14:52 (Ref:2509267)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graz

Stop it Alan, you're killing me man!

I know I shouldn't do this as it's totally off topic, but F1 across the border from Graz's abode

Peacock's Tyrrell testing at Kirkistown

As a reward for his unpaid help, my brother in law had several laps in the car, to run a in a Diff

Graz · 27 Jul 2009, 17:26 (Ref:2509349)

I see George Crozier's marvellous GT Metro in piccie 2. Great little car that. He used to have a Maguire Mini before that. I wonder where these both ended up?

Alan Raine · 27 Jul 2009, 17:36 (Ref:2509357)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graz

I see George Crozier's marvellous GT Metro in piccie 2. Great little car that. He used to have a Maguire Mini before that. I wonder where these both ended up?

And another

Graz · 27 Jul 2009, 20:36 (Ref:2509469)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan Raine

And another

John Keaney's TMC Costin. Him, Crozier, Morgan Dempsey Snr, Maurice Mitton and Peter Faulkner amongst others used to have some great GT battles. Considering those cars only had 1600 cc Ford twin cam engines, they were bloody quick. I wouldn't be surpised if Keaney's actually overtaking the F1 car!!!

Alec Knyvett · 18 Apr 2011, 14:08 (Ref:2865746)

Quote:

Originally Posted by davyboy

Here are a few I took with a very bad camera, I'm not sure what year it was... thought it was 1984 myself... but Graz you may know for sure. Alo was there, along with John Brindley in the Newsweek March, Trevor Templeton in the RT3 Atlantic and of course Tom O'Leary in the fabulous ex-Guerrero Theodore F1 car. Once again, sorry for the quality of the pictures... it was a 110 camera.

Memories are flooding back. I worked on the M30 as part of the LEP team from 85 through to 89. These pics were taken at Mondello in either 85 or 86. I'm the one at the back of the awning scratching my head. After every session we went round the car with 12mm spanners. In those days Mondello was so bumpy the car needed tightening up all over. Two weeks after these pics were taken Alo crashed at Castle Coombe's Old Paddock at about 140mph when the front left rose joint on the suspension broke.

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