1966 McKee Olds Mk6 Can Am
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Serial Number: Mk6B6
Logbooks: SVRA
Condition: very good
Price: $70,000 $60,000 U.S.
Location: MidWestern U.S.
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Description
This is the 6th sports racer and 1st CAN-AM car designed and built by (Bob) McKee Engineering Corp.
of Palatine, Illinois. The car possesses the original tube frame and fiberglass body as built by Bob
McKee Engineering in 1965/66. It is fitted with a full race prepared Olds big block (455 c.i.) as
originally fitted to the car. It is an authentic and very original McKee Mk VI. It is one of
only three produced and is the only one of the three which has never been crashed.
The car is described in ROAD & TRACK's series on America's Race Car Builders - Feb 1967 issue.
The car has been professionally prepared and maintained since returning to competition. The company
which constructed the car, McKee Engineering, is still in operation in Lake Zurich, Illinois and can
supply components to order. Included with the car are the original blueprints, spares, and a Haulmark
enclosed trailer.
The car is available for viewing at the R.E. Olds Museum, Lansing Michigan, as the road racing Can-Am
representative for their "Olds Goes Racing" special exhibition until June 1998.
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History
Bob Mckee began his career as one of Chicago's better known speed shops, catering to the
dragster and stock car market. He had built a Chevy and a Pontiac for Tiny Lund and then joined the
Pontiac stock car team. He then became interested in Indy cars and was Dick Rathman's crew chief
for two seasons. Roger Ward decided to go road racing, purchased a Cooper chassis and Bob Mckee was
given the job of building the car. Installing an aluminum block Buick, McKee determined that existing
transaxles weren't man enough for the job and designed the McKee transaxle. He continued to provide
race preparation and fabrication for customers like Augie Pabst and Charlie Hayes while also working
on Indy cars.
As his reputation developed he was commissioned to build specials to order and by late 1965
had produced 5 such cars, all different, including the Chevettes of Dick Doane and Jerry Hansen featuring Chevy power.
He also produced the LMD, powered by a Ford 427 stock car engine, and a Plymouth hemi special. All of
the cars featured tube frames and aluminum bodies.
Beginning with the sixth car McKee switched to fibreglass bodywork and series production, embarking
on a run of three cars, of which this car is the first.
The McKee Mk VI was introduced at the 1966 SCCA National Convention. This car is the show car.
The car was originally owned and raced by Budd Clusserath on the Cro-Sal Racing team w/Gene Crowe
as mechanic. It competed in SCCA events in the Midwest from 1966 through 1968, driven by Budd Clusserath
and Dr. DeJarld. The car appeared in CAN-AM competition in 1969 (as #64) and 1970 (as #33) driven by
Chuck Frederick, at venues including Edmonton, Elkhart Lake, Laguna Seca, Riverside (Texas), and
Donnybrook. In 1970 the car had a distinctive red, white and blue livery not pictured in the photos.
The cars were known in their time for a very high quality of craftsmanship and extensive use of
domestically sourced parts, to minimize the problem of foreign parts replacement. The only non-U.S.
source parts on the car are the steering rack, dampers, and hydraulic master cylinders.
There were only four marques which won points in the 1966 USRRC series, two British; McLaren and Lola, and
two American, Genie and McKee.
Recent Competition History
The car currently competes in SVRA vintage, USRRC Seniors Tour, and Road America Can-Am Thunders, including
the 30th reunion event.
Engine
- Full-race 455 c.i. Olds engine
- Designed by Mondello (Olds Racing) Performance Products
- Using AVIAID competition road racing pan on wet sump system
- Built and dyno'd by Fonse Enterprises at 500 hp, 585 ft-lbs torque
- New/Original 48 IDA Weber carburetors
- New/original Mickey Thompson Olds 455 intake manifold
- Set up, linkage and tuning by Inglese Induction Systems
- RAM clutch
- Isky roller cam
- JET-HOT coated headers
- Kephos coated valve covers
- approximately 10-12 hours on current build, leakdown figures not available
- The next development would be to dry sump engine but this will require careful engineering as the space
around the engine is very tight.
Fuel System
- Fuel Cell inside original RHS tank
Oil/Water System
Electrical System
- MSD ignition system
- Tilton super starter
Gearbox
- 4-Speed BMC-Huffaker transaxle w/reverse and a complete set of quick-change gears.
- Chevrolet Corvette T-10 internals
- The gearbox was completely rebuilt last winter due to a problem with popping out of
second gear. The problem continued however, so may be linkage related. The engine has
such a broad torque band the the owner simply did not use second with virtually no
effect on lap times.
Final Drive
- Huffaker in unit with gearbox
Body
- fibreglass front, center, and rear sections with aluminum sills
Chassis
- spaceframe of primarily round tubing, 1.0" and 1.375" x .065" mild steel
- front bulkhead 1" x 2" rectangular tube braced with .025" magnesium plate, rear 1.5" x 2"
- chassis weight 112 lb.
- wheelbase: 93", front track 56", rear track 56.5"
- Dampers:Koni shocks/springs
- Front Suspension:a-arms and MkKee upright and spindle, anti-dive
- Rear Suspension:a-arms, aluminum uprights, anti-squat
- Steering: Modified, Triumph rack, Borgeson steering u-joint
- Brakes: Girling brake master cylinders
- Wheels: Compomotive modular wheels (15x8/15x12) and Goodyear racing tires (slicks and treads).
Interior
- safety harness
- fire bottle
Spares
- rear upright
- front a-arm
- modular wheel components
- Haulmark 20' enclosed trailer
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