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Post by charleselan on May 10, 2019 14:51:01 GMT
Last evening I had an email come through from a Slot Car retailer with news of latest and forthcoming model releases. I was absolutely amazed to see that one of the small artisan manufacturers of resin body kits in the UK are about to release a model of a 1970 Formula Two Tecno initially as driven by François Çevert in works team colours. Absolutely fantastic news and i hope it is the first of many as these F2 cars are absolutely glorious little machines, I might even be persuaded to start model making again and have a go at one myself  . This is the very car.  |
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Post by René on May 10, 2019 16:03:41 GMT
Yes that is great news. I read it yesterday (probably the same mail from MRE ?) and it looks great. It's a Pre-Wing body like the Ferrari 312B I did a while back. This is from MRE slotcars: PRE-WING will be releasing a Tecno F2 car shortly, in a small departure from their range of (mostly) classic Grand Prix cars. Having delved into a few touring cars already, plus a sports car, and currently working on a race transporter, an experiment with the slot racing desert of F2 could prove fruitful as it is new ground that could have some followers. If they look like this picture I am sure they will be welcomed by many of you. |
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Post by charleselan on May 10, 2019 19:15:38 GMT
Yes! That is the one René.
Incidentally when looking for reference to that very Tecno F2 car I came across an image of a Minichamps 1/43rd scale March 76B driven by James Hunt at the Trio Rivieres Atlantic race in 1976. I therefore thought that no way could Minichamps make that and not one for Gilles. They have made the green version which apparently is now sold out, BUT, the Direct Film version and another will be released in July of this year, got to get one of those as i have wanted one ever since I first saw it, and Gilles.
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Post by charleselan on May 11, 2019 16:31:41 GMT
Just to whet your appetite René .  |
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Post by René on May 11, 2019 18:13:56 GMT
Oh yeah, that looks cool. Certainly one of my dream projects to build this car as a slotcar. The idea is to use a March 761 body as base and transform it into Gilles's Formula Atlantic car with Direct Film livery.  |
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Post by charleselan on Jul 11, 2019 18:09:04 GMT
About a month ago I managed to purchase the green Ecurie Canada March 76B that Gilles drove in 1976 to victory at Mount Tremblant mentioned above. A lovely 1/43rd scale model by Minichamps but these models are now not cheap with a best price of UK £70.00. Today however is a special day as the beautiful white "Direct Film" sponsored car that Gilles drove into 1st place at Trois Rivieres also in 1976 arrived in the post from Germany. Similarly priced but already the models with a limited production run are fetching much more in value, and will continue to rise. As i have mentioned previously i have always wanted a model of this car, and to have two different versions is a bonus, I am a happy man . Below a quick few snaps of the car taken in haste.   |
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Post by mikael on Jul 12, 2019 8:05:12 GMT
Beautifully detailed model cars, those Villeneuve-versions. Scale 1:43 is really a nice size - it's big enough for inclusion of small detail; yet it doesn't take up too much space on the bookshelf. I must admit that I have never been a collector as such; yet there have been quite a few times where I have succumbed to temptation and bought a 1:43 model car. The "reason" (to make an excuse ...) is that some Japanese producers (such as one called "De Agostini") have a very clever marketing strategy, namely to sell their models in bookstores, packed in book-like cassettes, and placed next to the motor-magazines. In this way they can "trick" people like me - who normally buy motor magazines but not model cars - to ... succumb to the temptation. I found a photo of one of the very model cars I ended up bringing with me home (the Stratos, below). It's very nice boxes/sets, actually, including a booklet about the car, in addition to the actual model car.  |
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Post by charleselan on Jul 12, 2019 11:52:41 GMT
I had no idea that De Agostini were Japanese Mikael. They have been around quite some time in the UK and it is indeed a clever way to market a product. The Lancia Stratos model you have illustrated is a very good model of a wonderful rally car, in fact one of the greatest sounding rally cars of all time.
As you mention the 1/43rd scale is ideal for collecting as many can be stored a display cabinet and excellent detail can still be available on that size of model.
As an aside I began to think when I looked at the model of Gilles "Direct Film" sponsored March 76B that Minichamps had modelled the incorrect nose section on the car, having seen the photo René posted above. However all is fine as his photo is of the 1977 Formula Atlantic car and not the 1976 car as modelled by Minichamps.
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Post by mikael on Jul 12, 2019 12:35:49 GMT
JC I had assumed that De Agostini was Japanese based on their large presence here (and the name is not an issue, as it is not unusual for a Japanese company to take a non-Japanese name (e.g., Sharp, Sony, Kenwood, Bridgestone, ... Leyton House, ...)). But now I needed to check it properly. And after looking into it, I must admit that I was mistaken. It appears to be a very large international corporation, founded originally in Italy in 1901 as a publishing house; and it seems that scale models and publishing is just a little part of the many businesses they are involved in. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_AgostiniThis was a surprise for me - but good to have it straightened out. Mikael |
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Post by René on Jul 13, 2019 11:11:34 GMT
GREAT models JC! And very nice to have both liveries. I once decided to only collect Ferraris as diecast models and use the slot car collection for other race cars but these would be very nice to have! There are some differences between the 76 and 77 cars. Some small details on the car and the livery and in 1976 Gilles still had a plain blue helmet and only from 77 onwards the well known helmet design he raced in Formula 1. Great stuff!  |
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Post by charleselan on Jul 13, 2019 12:46:25 GMT
They are really beautiful little models René, and I just had to have them as they had been on my wish list ever since I first saw photos of Gilles in them. It might not always be apparent, probably due to my constant worship of Jim & Ronnie, but believe me Gilles was very much a huge favourite of mine. In a a way he replaced Ronnie in my affections after that terrible accident at Monza in 1978, it was sort of the same with Jochen Rindt and Jim Clark, Jochen becoming my number one favourite after Jim was killed.
You are correct in that there were many subtle differences in the 1976 and 1977 March Formula Atlantic cars. What brought about my initial reaction was the difference in the nose cone profile, as i knew that in 1976 (and 1977) all March single seaters had two different nose cone designs. The rounded or "Bull Nosed" profile was used on the fast circuits and the more wedged design on the tracks requiring more downforce. Often many model producers did not replicate these differences when they produced cars with different liveries.drivers. Fly were one in particular when they modelled the F1 March 761; all of their models of this car featured the flat wedge shaped profile nose section. To my annoyance Ronnie's Italian GP winning 761 was modelled with this nose when in casual fact it should have had the rounded "Bull Nose".
I had noticed the change in helmet styles worn by Gilles also. His earlier helmet was the British Griffin helmet which became quite popular in the early/mid 1970's, it featured quite a large opening in the full face design. Also he was still using the peak (visor to American fans) probably as a result of him being a huge fan of Ronnie Peterson who nearly always had this on his full face helmet.
If you wish to get these models I would suggest you move quickly as they are fast becoming "sold out", and the price is rising.
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Post by René on Jul 15, 2019 22:48:30 GMT
If you wish to get these models I would suggest you move quickly as they are fast becoming "sold out", and the price is rising. I couldn't resist and ordered the Direct Film car.  Just in time as indeed not many available anymore. I got a good price at a Dutch shop for €69,- . A fitting price given the race number on the car!  |
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Post by charleselan on Jul 16, 2019 12:46:36 GMT
If you wish to get these models I would suggest you move quickly as they are fast becoming "sold out", and the price is rising. I couldn't resist and ordered the Direct Film car. Just in time as indeed not many available anymore. I got a good price at a Dutch shop for €69,- . A fitting price given the race number on the car! Really pleased to hear that René. You will not regret the decision as it is an exquisite model and such a fitting additions to any Gilles Collection. The price you paid was also very good, and believe me it will be worth more and more as the years pass. |
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Post by René on Jul 16, 2019 22:32:10 GMT
I couldn't resist and ordered the Direct Film car. Just in time as indeed not many available anymore. I got a good price at a Dutch shop for €69,- . A fitting price given the race number on the car! Really pleased to hear that René. You will not regret the decision as it is an exquisite model and such a fitting additions to any Gilles Collection. The price you paid was also very good, and believe me it will be worth more and more as the years pass. I received my model today and it is indeed very pleasing to the eye. Nicely detailed and to my eye they got the proportions spot on. Will be very helpful for my slot car project of this car. And hey, only 250 made worldwide and two of them are in RRT hands! |
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Post by charleselan on Jul 17, 2019 11:12:07 GMT
Really pleased to hear that René. You will not regret the decision as it is an exquisite model and such a fitting additions to any Gilles Collection. The price you paid was also very good, and believe me it will be worth more and more as the years pass. I received my model today and it is indeed very pleasing to the eye. Nicely detailed and to my eye they got the proportions spot on. Will be very helpful for my slot car project of this car. And hey, only 250 made worldwide and two of them are in RRT hands! Great news; yes only 250 produced of each version and it looks mighty accurate to me. Two indeed owned by RRT members, how fitting . |
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