Le Mans

Le Mans cars (race or practice) is pretty much all I collect. There's some interesting stuff out there. Apart from the big makes, MMK have to be an obvious make to keep tabs on as they seem to focus on LM (www.mmkproduction.com). I've also got a set of the three Mercedes 300SL team cars from the 1952 race with the correct numbers and the blue, green and red grille markings - all from Slot Classic. The Ford Mk IV is available in RTR form from Le Mans Miniatures and is apparently going to be available (at least in kit form) to make up the other team cars. Proto Slot Kits make a very nice Porsche 908LH and a Ferrari 250LM (in red or yellow). Anni Mini (Any Slot) make a nice long tail Birdcage Maserati and two of the 1972 Matra 670s. I take it you've seen the Ferrari P3/4s from Racer (totally superb) - the Le Mans works cars haven't been announced to my knowledge but you could buy a plain red 'street' version and add the decals yourself. Dapretto make a few of themore unusual Le Mans Ferraris (I've got a 312P Coupe). MRRC are bringing out the Chaparral 2F at some point but have made some perfectly acceptable Porsche 904 kits in the recent past. There's a Spanish make that's made RTR Gulf Porsche 917LH (1971) and Ferrari 'Breadvans' - can't recall their name.

If you're a confident/competent scratch builder there are all manner of 1/32 plastic kits still available from auctions such as the Aston DB5, Triumph TR3, Lotus Elan, MGA, Rover-BRM (from Aurora, albeit it is really the practice car not the race car), 62 Corvette.

There a plenty to chose from (and plenty of others) so happy hunting!

Hi Richard

Only just gone back to this thread hence the slow response. The Gulf Porsche 917LH I referred to was the Siffert/Bell #17 car which had a large teardrop area of orange across the top of the cockpit rather than the Rodriguez/Oliver #18 car (made by Top Slot) which had a longitudinal orange stripe. And 'yes' the 917LH and the Breadvan are from Slot Real - I may be wrong, but I think they were planning a 1/32 scale 917/20 'Plastic Pig'. I thought it might be possible to scratch build one from a 917LH kit but the nose is noticably shorter and the car is a lot wider overall.

Slot Real also announced a 1978 Renault Alpine 442B but I've never seen so much as a prototype.

I've not got the Anni Mini #14 Matra yet but I'm certain it was announced last year. The third 1972 670 was #12 I think but it failed to finish. All three had slightly different bodywork so it's not a straightforward repaint to make up all three 670 team cars.

I received the #28 and #29 Pegaso Spyders from the 1952 race (Slot Classic) a few weeks ago and they are superb resin models. However, they are something of a Le Mans curiosity as neither of them actually started the race due to practice problems. A bit like Maximodel's Ford J-Car.