24 replies to this topic

[Barry Boor]

My 1959 American Grand Prix slot car race is approaching. As I like to run the exact entry from the real race, I am wondering if anyone knows if a U.S. style sprint car body shell has ever been marketed and if so, who by?

I don't think I really have the time to make one and because the opportunities to run it thereafter are zero I can't really justify the time it would take to carve the wooden buck or use precious and expensive rubber to create the mould.

I am talking 32nd scale here, of course.

Then there's the de Tomaso........

[D-Type]

US Midget - not Sprint car surely?

Why not PM T54 - he will probably know.

[Peter Leversedge]

The car Roger Ward drove in the 1959 US GP was a Kurtis - Offy midget

[Barry Boor]

Yes, that's the one I meant.

[RStock]

I'm afraid the best you'll do for a 1/32 is modify a newer body shell to get as close as you can to Ward's entry. Here are a couple of places I found that have them.

This one looks like you're best bet, a vacu-form plastic body shell on ebay

http://www.ebay.com/...1616#vi-content

There is a place here that sells body shells and even complete cars, but they would take a lot of modification to resemble Ward's car.

http://www.hotlapsra...tcars.htm#bgscl

[T54]

Robby,
That body on eBay is of a modern Midget, and they are the ugliest racing cars on the planet short of the NASCAR "C.O.T." abominations.
I suggested to Barry to find a Strombecker Kurtis Midget or a replica of one, and am trying to help him out but no luck so far.

Edited by T54, 18 July 2012 - 13:32.

[RStock]

Robby,
That body on eBay is of a modern Midget, and they are the ugliest racing cars on the planet short of the NASCAR "C.O.T." abominations.

Yes. Agreed. It's all I could find in 1/32 however, especially on short notice as Barry appeared to be in a bit of a rush.

[T54]

The Strombecker midgets are not that rare but it goes in waves. One week there will be a slew of them for sale, then 3 months pass without one...
There are some low-cost resin repros out there of the Strombecker bodies, but I cannot remember who makes them.
But a real one has the benefit of being stronger and their chassis is real cool and they handle great!

[Barry Boor]

I wouldn't want a complete car, Phillipe. All my cars are basically the same underneath and the midget would be no different (except it would probably handle poorly, being so short.)

There is not actually a huge degree of hurry-up involved as I probably have at least 7 or 8 races before Sebring and I only run one race per week. I doubt I will run the U.S. race before I return to England for the Revival.

[T54]

Barry, I am still looking but no luck so far...

[Barry Boor]

You are very kind, Sir, but I think we must accept that there are none to be found. I have resigned myself to a Ward-less U.S, Grand Prix.

[biercemountain]

What about the new Monogram 1/24 Midget models (Edelbrock V8 or Offy 4cyl)? Too large perhaps?

[Barry Boor]

Yes, I only race 32nd scale.

[T54]

Actually, the Monogram "Midget" is more like in the 1/20 scale...



But have no fear, I just found out that I was the high bidder on an auction that has a resin copy of the Strombecker Midget in the 1/32 scale besides an actual Strombecker car, so Barry will get what he needs as soon as the postman delivers that little nugget.

Edited by T54, 07 August 2012 - 18:07.

[Rob Miller]

What if Roger Ward wins?

[T54]

Poor Roger is pushing daisies now, so the only thing he can still win is our respect for a great career and the fact that he was an A-OK gentleman.

[Barry Boor]

Having built a Tec Mec and given up on the Midget, it's just occurred to me that i don't know what colour George Constantine's Cooper was. (Sebring 1959, I mean)

Does anyone know?

[T54]

Barry,
All I know is that it was a Cooper T51 owned by Brit Michael Taylor and that he DNF'd with overheating. The car was # 16. I will check a few links and ask a few friends to see if they know better.

Edited by T54, 29 October 2012 - 00:36.

[Barry Boor]

Thank you.

Just one point though - it's shown in the record books as a T.45 - F2-2-58, which according to Doug Nye's Cooper book was originally owned by Alan Brown. Doug does not include Constantine's car in his U.S. G.P. Cooper list.

Maybe some investigation is required.

Edited by Barry Boor, 29 October 2012 - 05:42.

[Barry Boor]

I suddenly remembered that I have Simon Arron's wonderful book with pictures of virtually all the cars that ran in Championship races. Looking up Constantine's Cooper I can now say that it was very dark in colour. If it was Mike Taylor's, there is a very good chance that it was green.

There was very little difference between a T.45 and a T.51 but generally, I think if a Cooper has no fin on the tail, the chances are it's a T.45. Constantine's car has no fin.

[raceannouncer2003]

I suddenly remembered that I have Simon Arron's wonderful book with pictures of virtually all the cars that ran in Championship races. Looking up Constantine's Cooper I can now say that it was very dark in colour. If it was Mike Taylor's, there is a very good chance that it was green.

There was very little difference between a T.45 and a T.51 but generally, I think if a Cooper has no fin on the tail, the chances are it's a T.45. Constantine's car has no fin.

There is color video footage of the race at this link:

http://www.myspace.c...mclean/62103087

This was taken by the late Bob McLean. At about the 57 minute mark, a Cooper is identified as Maurice Trintignant's. However, I believe it is Constantine's Cooper. Trintignant's would have had a white stripe around the nose. I think the number was mistakenly read as #6 (Trintignant's), while Constantine's number was #16. I don't know how good the color is.

Vince H.

[Barry Boor]

Yes, Vince, you are absolutely correct. The helmet gives it away as well because in the photo in Simon's book, Constantine's helmet is very distinctive.

However, green, blue, black..... it's hard to tell, isn't it?

[T54]

It is likely dark green...

[raceannouncer2003]

Yes, Vince, you are absolutely correct. The helmet gives it away as well because in the photo in Simon's book, Constantine's helmet is very distinctive.

However, green, blue, black..... it's hard to tell, isn't it?

It looks dark blue to me, but then the film color may be off...and I'm colorblind.

Vince H.

[Barry Boor]

To use what may well be totally flawed logic, being a British-owned car I would have thought the car would be green to start with. I can imagine it being painted white and blue for an American driver in the U.S. Grand Prix but it seems unlikely, to me, that it would have been painted from dark green to dark blue.

I'm going with green.