[beardy56]

Another year and it all starts again

First arrival of the new year

An Airfix Clubman Special Ferrari 250LM

This is a non runner as the motor brushes aren't installed and been fitted with what I think are Scalextric plastic rear wheels.

Bought this mainly to get the motor as it was cheaper than most chassis / motors seem to be going for at the moment.

 

[tifosi]

Well I lasted 12 days without buying something new in 2021!

These just in from Phil Smith's emprium and destined for the Bordeaux vintage meeting if it happens at the end of May.

Anyone had success in making the guide flag deeper on the MRRC Novi?

 

[dgersh]

You're probably wondering why I bought this... me too!

Found on ebay Italy, it looked like a 1/32 version of the Cox Cheetaracha, so for €15 or so, took the plunge. It's a real Cox Cheetah body, mounted very low on what I think is a modified Polistil/Policar chassis, so does really give the effect of a Cheetaracha in the smaller scale. Still to be determined what I'm going to do with it...

Don

 

[dgersh]

Nice pair Peter!

Which version of the Novi is that? We counted 5 or 6 different versions by Airfix/MRRC... fraid I can't help you with lowering the guide flag, but I'll be interested in any replies!

Don

 

[Mark50]

Hi Peter,

I have extended MRRC steering guides several times just using a strip of plasticard or similar. Smooth off the guide surface well, ensure the two surfaces mate well, clean both surfaces with lighter fluid and then super glue in place. I normally find my finger stuck as well whilst holding in straight whilst it sets, but a small price to pay! Then smooth and shape to the desired depth.

Example below.

Mark

 

[tifosi]

Thanks Mark, that is what I was going to do if nobody had a better idea

I also have a MRRC BRM same spec, same problem. Mind those motors have grunt

Hi Don, MRRC slim line, MRRC 6 pole ball race 2WD, MRRC 6 pole ball race 4WD, 'Hi Speed' Mabuchi FT16, 'Hi Speed' Mabuchi 13UO, did I get it right, huh?

This one is MRRC 6 Pole, Ball race, 2WD and goes well when it is in the slot (!), I plan to repaint in full Novi/STP Studebaker war paint.

 

[dgersh]

Hi Peter,

Are the "Hi Speed" ones those with the clip-in motors? I'll have to check again, since it was a French buddy who said there were 6 - I had originally identified only 4.

Don

 

[beardy56]

Indi-Novi_Ferguson models that I can find listed

726 ready to race with 3 pole motor, this is from the earliest publication I have listing the model

From the 1969 catalogue

726 ready to race with ball race motor

727 4WD kit car

8009 Standard Clubman Special kit

681 body kit, this I believe is the Clubman Special body

From the last catalogue to feature Airfix from the late 1970s.

5300 Hi-Speed MRRC, this will be with clip in motor and plastic rear axle holder

The next catalogue I have is from 2000 and all the cars had gone.

Aren't the MRRC motors either 3 pole or 5 pole?

 

[dgersh]

The earlier ones are Keith, either 3 or 5 pole, but the ball race motors used in the 4WD and other kits is a "split 6 pole", meaning it has 6 poles, but only 3 commutator segments.

Don

 

[Houses]

Got this 1/24 vac-bodied Revell Cobra a couple of weeks ago



It has the well known Cobra 427 body, sold by Revell in their line of 1/24 clear bodies, paired to a chassis



that seems a modification of the Lotus 23 Delrin chassis, with added mounting posts and for second series FT16D (can driven, big bearing) motor.

Besides having already seen some other example of this car, I know very little about it, so I will appreciate very much any information.

The car seems to me a late RTR model, made after the much more sophisticated asymmetric cars: may it be the last 1/24 car by Revell?. The chassis has "copyright 1966" engraved, but this may come from the original mould of the Lotus chassis. The car looks completely original to me. The decals are those coming with the clear bodies; there are no signs of a front decal on my car, and I remember seeing at least other two examples with the same strange placement of the three roundels. Does someone know if these cars came with the decals already applied? In the affirmative case did they come with a fourth roundel at the front? The original decal sheet had four roundels and I have a spare at hand, so I should be able to add a fourth roundel if this is correct thing. Also, were these cars sold in boxes or -more likely- in clear blisters as some late Lotus 23?

Many thanks in advance,

Eduardo

P.S. I forgot to say that I like very much that car. The older I get, the more I appreciate the slot cars by their character, general lines and stance. and less by the details, but of course this is personal.

 

[tifosi]

Hi Peter,

Are the "Hi Speed" ones those with the clip-in motors? I'll have to check again, since it was a French buddy who said there were 6 - I had originally identified only 4.

Don

Yes, the 'high speed' cars had the clip in chrome can mabuchis.
And I completely forgot about the MRRC 3 pole 2WD version....

 

[TSRF]

Hello Eduardo,
I am happy to help. Your car is almost all original, except that they never had any decals and the front tires were much smaller. Looks like someone put Eldon front tires on your car, or they could be from a Revell "Plastikar" RTR that they made for home racing in 1968-1969.

Revell released this car as one of their last effort to create revenues at a time when distributors were returning inventory for credit... not a good time.
This Cobra was summarily packed with shrink wrap over a piece of cheap corrugated cardboard base, this after Revell winning awards for the 1967 packaging of the "offset" kits and RTR line.

Revell introduced this plastic chassis in 1966 to create racing-set cars. It was first used for a set containing a Lotus 23 and a Porsche RS61 using the 1/24 scale bodies already existing. There were many different versions of the chassis that had tiny detail changes over a period of 2 years. The last ones were a similar design, but with the motor fitted in sidewinder mode. The same bodies were again used, while a narrower inline version was created for another racing set containing two 1966 Ferrari "Squalo" F1 cars, one red, one silver.

Here are some test shots of the chassis in various configurations:

One of the Lotus 23 in an unusual see through dual sided "card" in which two blister halves retain the car. Revell used this packaging for several 1/24 and 1/32 scale cars in 1968.

I hope that this helps.

 

[Houses]

Yes, indeed, Philippe, it helps a lot; many thanks. Have never seen that packaging before. It seems that I can turn my example into a boxed (well, blistered) one by just using some film from my kitchen! Really, as you say, they got from the very best to the worse in a short while; it's the market I suppose!

Cheers,

Eduardo

 

[dgersh]

Here's mine, the metallic green version, but with plenty of added decals!

Don

 

[beardy56]

This weeks deliveries

An interesting little chassis, but I'm not sure about the guide, bought mainly to get the motor.

And got this without a box but didn't pay a premium for it. Who can guess what I'm going to do with it?

Hopefully sort out a sidewinder chassis so I can keep the full interior.

 

[GRAH1]

The guide is made from plastic curtain rail it was the standard method when this car was built ..

 

[beardy56]

Guessed the guide was homemade, thought it might have been from 'T' section plastistruct but curtain rail makes sense. If I do keep the chassis as is I will be changing the guide as the screw hole is now way over size.

 

[Houses]

Thanks for showing Don. Also your car has the decals of the sheet that came wit the clear bodies, this one:



Since I have seen some other car with the same decals, maybe some of those RTR were sold with a clear body decal sheet.

By the way, does anybody knows the use of the four stripes on the decal sheet? Did some real car have them? Did some search a time ago with no result.

 

[TSRF]

The stripes were placed across the hood of the car for a single race, for location see the yellow Cobra driven by Allen Grant and crewed by George Lucas, yes the guy who gave you "Star Wars", the movie.

Once again, this Revell Cobra was only produced in a single batch (like most toys are and were) and was never supplied with decals. This is the bottom of the crude packaging to prove it (you have seen the top in the picture I previous posted here, # 12), and this is the only form of packing it came in. The Revell decals were available separately at your local raceway's counter in "books", like the Russkit decals, and also of course from the clear-plastic body kit in its FIRST version (over the white and blue card with two drivers molded in white or flesh-color plastic), but NOT in its ultimate version with the yellow tag, no decals, no drivers.

 

[stuckinthe60s]

only trouble is those stripes were black on yellow bodywork.