World’s Most Expensive Bumper? McLaren Ameritech F1 Kit

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Good news: for just $149,400, you can buy a slice of McLaren F1 ownership. Now, don’t get too excited – it’s not the kind that lets you drive a McLaren once a month, or even breathe on one, really. But it does allow you to safely register an F1 in accordance with all DOT requirements, as this auction here on eBay is for the adapter kit to bring the F1’s bumpers up to code with federal requirements. In other words, it’s a great way to make your supercar seriously ugly and heavier at the same time.

Now, look: I have, for years, thrown what I believe to be rare parts on eBay, oftentimes with the price artificially high in the hopes of someone clicking the best offer option. Sometimes, those parts only appeal to a very limited audience, and I know I’m going to own them for a while. This bumper reinforcement kit (for lack of a better name) is in a super weird space as owners of McLaren’s first-generation supercar tend to be fanatical, but I don’t see any of them racing out to by this.

And let’s face it, the federal government’s efforts to tamper with beautiful supercars that were never meant to have offensive adornments strapped to their front or rear ends has effectively neutered numerous models (I think of 1970s-era Mercedes, BMWs, and Toyotas, for one – achingly pretty cars when their original design is preserved; awkward and misaligned when safety bumpers enter into the picture.) It’s like buying something that brings back bad memories or gives you nightmares, just so you can claim to own some obscure piece of F1 history.

Now, obviously, no one who can afford to own an F1 is going to retrofit their car with this kit just to say they did. This wooden crate will simply move to another warehouse or garage to sit on the shelf as someone badge of honor that they could throw away $150K on a part they will never use. While I’d love to have a bank account like that, I can’t claim to be jealous of the way it tends to warp egos into buying junk in a battle of net worth domination. All that aside, can you see a universe where a part like this will ever be sought after?

Auctions Ending Soon

Comments

  1. Doc

    Not worth 1 cent for any Mclaren owner

    Like 5
  2. Roger Hackney

    Throw that in a car at the nearest
    crusher , collect your $ 2.69 and
    head to Micky D’s for a burger and fries , you’ll never regret it.

    Like 4
  3. Haig Haleblian

    Dumbest auction ever

    Like 10
    • bobk

      There’s lots of competition for that title, but yeah, dumbest auction that I can remember seeing.

      Like 1
    • Don S.

      Right up there with the ghost in a jar……..lol

      Like 0
  4. John

    There’s 69 watchers – probably all Barn Find members! LOL

    Like 3
  5. BR

    But I’m curious as to why they thought there would be a market for this.

    Like 2
  6. John

    Freaking absurd.

    Like 1
  7. JoeNYWF64

    Larger rectangular headlites might look better, with the turn signals moved down below the bumper.
    Wiper arm looks strange & ungainly.
    Openable side window could be bigger. Does passenger have one?

    Like 0

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