Visit to the Bruce Mclaren Trust and Museum

On the 2 April 2017 we visited the Bruce McLaren Trust museum above Remuera Upland Motors 590 Remuera Rd where Bruce and sister Jan lived.

Jan McLaren talked about the remarkable racing career of her brother who became a world class international motor racing driver, engineer and designer whose name is still used in Formula 1 motor racing today.

The 1920s building has been bought by Charles Richards who plans to carry out seismic strengthening of the building, add another storey of flats on top and turn the garage into a café. The museum has to move out for 12 months but hopes to be back in 2018.

Read more: nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11865432    

June 2018 update: the building at 586-592 Remuera Rd has been sold and development plans are on hold. A retail tenant is being sought for the 2500 sq ft of the old garage workshop on the ground floor. The Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre is now based at the Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre, Hampton Downs, 20 Hampton Downs Road 3782.

3 November 2018
Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre
Hampton Downs

Remuera Heritage is looking at a visit to the new Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre at Hampton Downs, 60 kms south of Auckland. The Bruce McLaren Heritage Centre was formally opened on the 30th August 2017. The centre has on display trophies, picture, memorabilia that celebrate the life of Bruce McLaren and heritage of New Zealand motorsport.

The heritage centre is run by the Bruce McLaren Trust, formerly of 586-592 Remuera Road where Bruce and sister Jan grew up in the Upland Motors garage, before moving to Upland Road, Remuera. The overall purpose of the Bruce McLaren Trust is to be a living working memorial to Bruce McLaren and the McLaren Team heritage.

Bruce McLaren was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1937 and was killed tragically whilst testing one of his cars at Goodwood circuit, England in June 1970. He was a world class international motor racing driver, engineer and designer whose name is still used in Formula 1 motor racing today – a remarkable achievement. With fellow New Zealanders, Denny Hulme and Chris Amon, Bruce took on the might of the international motor racing world and triumphed with enormous success.

A proposed date is Saturday 3rd November 2018 in the afternoon, with lunch in the Hampton Downs’ café beforehand. We would look at coordinating transport for this event. Please rsvp to contact events@remueraheritage.org.nz and mention if you require transport.

Check out the new website for the Bruce McLaren Trust – bruce-mclaren.com/bruce-mclaren-heritage-centre/