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McLaren’s supercars are so good in part because they have good bones. The road-car arm of the reigning F1 constructors’ champion builds all of its cars off carbon-fiber monocoques, to which engines, suspension, and body panels are attached, race-car style. Even by itself, a bare McLaren Monocell chassis is an impressive piece of engineering. One that you can now own for much, much less than the cost of a complete car.
The monocoque from a crashed McLaren GT is being offered for sale by 417 Motoring on eBay with, at the time of writing, a reduced asking price of $2,624.99. That’s down from the original asking price of $3,499.99, although you’ll likely have to pay the $1,200 flat-rate shipping fee to get the bare shell from Missouri to wherever you are. Still, by volume at least, you’re getting a lot of car for a fraction of what it cost new (about $210,000 in its debut model year).
417 Motoring via eBay
The seller notes that there is damage to the rear corner section, and to the front left side of the tub. And while windshield and roof glass are included, both pieces are cracked and may have to be replaced. It’s unclear if this damage is terminal, or if the GT could be resurrected with enough replacement parts. Monocell chassis are pretty tough, which is why crashed limited-edition McLarens like the Elva and Senna can still sell for six or seven figures even with salvage titles.
It may not be financially worthwhile to attempt a GT rebuild, though. Introduced for the 2020 model year, the GT is based on the 720S but with softer styling and tuning, as well as added cargo space under the engine cover, Maserati Bora-style, to fulfill the grand tourer role. But it’s still a two-seat, mid-engine supercar, so practicality increases by only a small degree. McLaren replaced it with the spicier GTS for 2024, but this is still a neither-here-nor-there car that may not have the long-term appeal of a Senna or Long Tail.
417 Motoring via eBay
Besides, there are so many other options. This would make a sick race car bed, although your kids might outgrow it quickly. You could also convert it into a sim racing rig, taking advantage of the supercar cockpit layout in a (somewhat) more modest footprint than a rig made from a complete car.
If I had a porch, I’d hire somebody to build a frame, reinstall the cupholders, and turn this thing into a porch swing for the summer. For the winter, Senior Editor Caleb Jacobs suggested using it as a toboggan. Sounds good to me. After all, it’s been crash-tested.
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Stephen has always been passionate about cars, and managed to turn that passion into a career as a freelance automotive journalist. When he’s not handling weekend coverage for The Drive, you can find him looking for a new book to read.
