Collecting Model Cars.

[charleselan]

Thanks to the model manufacture Spark I have had to succumb to one of their latest 1/43rd scale built model cars. I am always on the look out for models of cars raced by Jim Clark, for obvious reasons, and I just could not let this limited edition pass by without purchasing it. It looks stunning in the photographs, the only downside is the fact that no driver figure is fitted into this model, rare for one of Sparks models.

The car in question is the Border Reivers Aston Martin DBR1 300 that Jim shared with Roy Salvadori in which they brilliantly finished in third place. By then the Aston was outgunned by the more powerful and more modern Ferrari cars so the third place finish was an outstanding performance by both drivers. Jim as his want was across the track like a jack rabbit at the start and lead the first lap, a trait he shared with Stirling Moss.

So I await the delivery from Germany later this month.



The big problem for me is that the same company have also released some other models i desperately want in my collection and all at the same time, good grief!

[chrisb]

and I note he was quicker than Stirling at the sprint to the cars, I saw this as well John and am sorely tempted - it was a great drive as well,

[René]

Brilliant JC! An absolutely stunning model!

They always do that, don't they, releasing several great models at the same time!

[robmarsh]

What a beautiful model and such a stunning subject. Spark do excellent stuff but I must stay away.

[charleselan]

Thanks guys .

It really is a stunning looking model from the photos I have seen and something that translates from 1/43rd scale into being enlarged so much on a computer screen really must be good.

At one time my aim was to have models of every significant car raced by Jim and Ronnie, all of which would have been kits built by my own fair hand but as I don't build kits these days mainly due to eyesight issues at close range, I have begun to collect built up models to compensate. So hence the acquisition of this brilliant model to add to the Jim Clark Collection.

The problem now is the fact that this darned company Spark have just released, or are about to do so, at least four other models that i am desperate to obtain.

Ronnie's March 721X (two versions available but I want the Race of Champions version which is by far the better looking car).

Geoff Lees F2 Ralt Honda Pau GP version.

Ronnie's 1969 Albi F2 one off drive in Ron Harris Team Lotus Lotus 59. The time he put the frighteners on team mate Graham Hill in practice as he shadowed him lap after lap and poor Graham could not work out who it was that was so quick; Graham of course still then a mighty driver.

There is also a lovely model of Mike Spences 1969 BRM P126 also Race of Champions where he finished second to Bruce McLaren. They also do a Pedro Rodriguez version from the Belgian GP of that year.

So as you see it could be quite expensive .

[robmarsh]

Some lovely subjects Charles especially the March which though a failure I loved it's looks. I have at least three or four Ronnie cars to build in 1/120. The March 711, a 1976 March. Lotus 74 SAGP version and 72E.

I am thinking about a 1/12 scale 79 but will have to see how many books I can sell first.

[mikael]

1:43 is a good size in that it's compact, yet sufficiently large for a good level of detail. (Personally I only have three pieces, so a very tiny collection ...) But the level of detail of that beautiful Aston Martin DBR1 appears to be very high indeed.

I wonder if the dark blue / purple body colour of that car provided the inspiration for Jim Clark's choice of helmet colour - the famous dark-blue one... ?

I had a look at the homepage of Spark model cars. Their collection is amazingly wide-ranging. They even have a model of Danish driver Jac Nellemann's Brabham BT44 as it appeared at the Swedish GP 1976, even though he just appeared in practice and qualification, but failed to qualify for the GP.

www.sparkmodel.com/en/products/12786

That's impressive indeed!

Jac Nellemann at Anderstorp 1976.

The Spark model (1:43).

[charleselan]

Rob,

I agree the March 721X was a good looking car especially the very early version that ran in the ROC at Brands Hatch which had a nicely integrated airbox unlike the Belgian GP version which had a smaller and uglier type. Shame it was an unsuccessful race car as the concept of low polar inertia was good and it worked very well with the Ferrari 312T.

Those look like some excellent subjects in 1/20th Scale, and a Lotus 79 in 1/12 would be amazing.

Mikael,

Spark have an incredible range of models in 1/43rd scale and they do some pretty obscure driver versions as you point out. They have I believe got some Tom Belso models in the range, but they do such short runs that they sell out very quickly.

The Aston Martin DBR1 was run by the Scottish team Border Reivers who Jim Clark raced for quite a bit in his early career. Their cars were mostly painted in dark blue, like the Aston, as it was the Scottish national colour, so undoubtedly that was why Jim' helmet was also the same colour. It is an outstanding looking model and I have to say one of Sparks very best so far.

JC

[charleselan]

It arrived this lunchtime, all the way from Germany.

The 1960 Aston Martin DBR1 300 in Border Reveirs colours looks even better in the flesh, it is a stunning little model.

I am soooo happy .

[chrisb]

good on you John, I am sorely tempted, 

some time ago there was a wonderful demonstration of car size differences, with the Ferrari's, from the 70's to today's. I have just watched a new clip on utub from 1935 and I don't know if anyone has any pre-war models of the Mercs and AU's but I was wondering how they literally measure up against todays cars?

[Carl]

Jul 23, 2020 6:31:24 GMT chrisb said:

good on you John, I am sorely tempted, 

some time ago there was a wonderful demonstration of car size differences, with the Ferrari's, from the 70's to today's. I have just watched a new clip on utub from 1935 and I don't know if anyone has any pre-war models of the Mercs and AU's but I was wondering how they literally measure up against todays cars?

I don't recall all of his revelations, but Mikael once posted a very detailed comparison of Grand Prix cars from that era compared to later eras and today.  According to their specifications, the Mercedes-Benz W165 had a wheelbase of 2450 mm (96.5 inches) compared to this year's W10 at 3726 mm (146.7 inches), more than half again longer, from reasonable to colossal.

[René]

Jul 21, 2020 16:38:23 GMT charleselan said:

It arrived this lunchtime, all the way from Germany.

The 1960 Aston Martin DBR1 300 in Border Reveirs colours looks even better in the flesh, it is a stunning little model.

I am soooo happy .

I know what that feels like...

[charleselan]

Jul 23, 2020 15:09:52 GMT René said:

Jul 21, 2020 16:38:23 GMT charleselan said:

It arrived this lunchtime, all the way from Germany.

The 1960 Aston Martin DBR1 300 in Border Reveirs colours looks even better in the flesh, it is a stunning little model.

I am soooo happy .

I know what that feels like...

Just like small boys Eh! .

It really is a stunning looking model, one of the best models of this type in 1/43rd scale I have ever seen, and i have seen a few in my time.

[charleselan]

I am on a roll chaps, just ordered the Ronnie March 721X Race of Champions version and the Geoff Lees F2 Championship winning Ralt-Honda RT6 from 1981. Just had to have both models, Ronnie obviously. The Geoff Lees car as I always rated him highly and saw it race a few times. Bet they do a Mike Thackwell version too which will be hard to resist, even though he was only in it for a short while before his terrible leg breaking testing accident in it.

[René]

Jul 31, 2020 11:16:22 GMT charleselan said:

I am on a roll chaps, just ordered the Ronnie March 721X Race of Champions version and the Geoff Lees F2 Championship winning Ralt-Honda RT6 from 1981. Just had to have both models, Ronnie obviously. The Geoff Lees car as I always rated him highly and saw it race a few times. Bet they do a Mike Thackwell version too which will be hard to resist, even though he was only in it for a short while before his terrible leg breaking testing accident in it.

Haha, way to go JC! Keep on buying those model cars and don't forget to show them here!