20 replies to this topic

[Philip Whiteman]

I presented my twelve-year-old son with this pair of slot cars this Christmas. In removing the 'traction magnets' I noticed that these models even include (just visible) frame tubes in the cockpit. For my money, they are very good replicas indeed. In the days I was building my own slot cars, I would have been hard pushed to get such an immaculate paint finish.

Two pretty trivial points: the 250F's screen seems to come to an over accentuated 'point' and, although the flank air intakes are portrayed, the tool maker seems to have fitted the Vanwall with outboard rear brake calipers (but no disks, which are - quite correctly – present on the front wheels).

As ever, the models make you look at and think about the real thing again. We've all seen those pictures of Moss, Brooks and Lewis-Evans with black faces at the end of races. The inboard brakes used to vent into the cockpit: just imagine what the drivers were breathing...

[Barry Boor]

Philip, do you think the tyres are the correct size? I haven't measured, and I won't be buying either of the cars as I make my own, but when I look at them, they seem too small.

[T54]

Hi Barry,
I DID measure them and indeed they are very close to correct. The wire wheels are a bit too shiny for painted Dunlops which detracts a bit from the full effect, but you know perfectly well that our canadian friend, Al Penrose (Mr. BWA, the BWAmi himself), sells the most gorgeous wire wheels for slot cars.

The Scalextric new Vanwall and Maserati 250F are winners. The proof: one of our customers returned his 250F because "it was missing a rear-view mirror". Ignoramus raging rampant...
The true enthusiast will appreciate.
Regards,

T54

[Bumblyari]

The next two cars in the series are apparently a 'Jack Brabham' T53 Cooper and a 'Phill Hill' Ferrari 156.

Interesting choice but I can't find anywhere where they may have raced together with those particular pairings.

But I may be wrong.

[Barry Boor]

Just a slip of the Scalextric finger, I feel. T.53 - T.55, very little difference apart from under the skin.

[MarkWill]

I just received the list of Scalextric releases for next year. They have regained the Ferrari license, and there will be a decidedly Ferrari/Maserati flavour in 2005, as you can see:

SPORT SETS
C1156 Powerslide Drift D 1 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C1157 Batman Begins NEW - 2nd Qtr
C1159 Classic, 1950's Grand Prix NEW - 2nd Qtr
C5005 MOTO GP 2005 Circuit 1 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C5006 MOTO GP 2005 Circuit 3 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C5007 British Super Bikes Circuit 2 NEW - 3rd Qtr

WORLD SPORT CHAMPIONSHIP / ENDURANCE
C2630 Maserati MC12 No.33 NEW - 1st Qtr
C2630A Maserati MC12 No.33 Ltd Ed NEW - 1st Qtr 3 C2637 Nissan Tuner 1 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2637A NissanTuner 1 Ltd Ed NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2638 NissanTuner 2 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2641 Ferrari 330 P3 Red NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2641A Ferrari 330 P3 Red Ltd Ed NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2642 Ferrari 330 P3 Yellow NEW - 2nd Qtr C2645 Skoda WRC No.3 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2657 TVR Tuscan 2004 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2658 Lister Storm LMP 2004 Red NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2660 MG Lola LMP 2004 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2664 Porsche 911 GT3R Gruppe M NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2665 Porsche 911 GT3R The Racer Group NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2670 Nissan 350Z Drift Orange NEW- 2nd Qtr
C2671 Nissan 350Z Drift Purple NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2678 Maserati MC12 Street NEW - 2nd Qtr

TOURING CARS
C2592 Opel Vectra DTM Reuter NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2592A Opel Vectra DTM Ltd Ed NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2593 Opel Vectra DTM Frentzen NEW - 3rd Qtr

FORMULA ONE
C2639 Cooper Climax T53 Jack Brabham NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2639A Cooper Climax T53 Jack Brabham Ltd Ed NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2640 Ferrari 156 Phil Hill NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2640A Ferrari 156 Phil Hill Ltd Ed NEW - 3rd Qtr C2646 Williams F1 No.1 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2647 Williams F1 No.2 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2648 Renault F1 No.1 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2649 Renault F1 No.2 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2662 Maserati 250F Jean Behra NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2663 Vanwall 1958 No.4 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2667 McLaren F1 No.1 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2668 McLaren F1 No.2 NEW - 3rd Qtr
C2676 Ferrari F1 Michael Schumacher NEW - 4th Qtr
C2676A Ferrari F1 Michael Schumacher Ltd Ed NEW - 4th Qtr
C2677 Ferrari F1 Rubens Barrichello NEW - 4th Qtr
C2677A Ferrari F1 Rubens Barrichello Ltd Ed NEW - 4th Qtr ROAD AND RALLY
C2504 Maserati Cambiocorsa No.42 NEW - 1st Qtr
C2504A Maserati Cambiocorsa No.42 Ltd Ed NEW - 1st Qtr
C2505 Maserati Cambiocorsa No.41 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2505A Maserati Cambiocorsa No.41 Ltd Ed NEW - 1st Qtr
C2560 Peugeot 307 No.5 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2560A Peugeot 307 No.5 Ltd Ed NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2561 Peugeot 307 (weathered) No.16 NEW - 2nd Qtr
C2561A Peugeot 307 (weathered) No.16 Ltd Ed NEW - 2nd Qtr

[T54]

For 1961 the T53 is a correct pairing as a 1.5-liter, no?

[David McKinney]

The T53 was the customer car; the factory team used T55s which, as has already been suggested, were almost identical to a T53. The V8, when it appeared later in 1961, was the T58.

[T54]

But the pairing IS correct, no? It does not matter if it is a T55 or a T53, visually they are identical...
So why is the pairing by Scalextric "not correct" ?
THAT is my question...

[David McKinney]

They're being picky, T
If Scalextric had produced the identical model, but called it a T55, I suppose everyone would be happy

[T54]

But if they would have called it a "T55", they would have confused everyone...

[David McKinney]

...except the early posters in this thread, and people with the relevant Black Book

[T54]

All in all, instead of repeating the 1960's Airfix production of the 250F, Cooper, Shark-Nose and Vanwall, I wish that they would have a bit more imagination and do the 1958 Ferrari Dino and the BRM P25. But I am not complaining and will take anything they throw at us from the deep belly of China.

T54

[Bumblyari]

I don't think anyone has actually said that the pairings were not correct.

I was just being pedantic in pointing out that I couldn't find an instance of where Jack Brabham in a T53 had driven in the same race as Phil Hill in a 156. (They might have done at Solitude had the Ferraris turned up, but they didn't).

It was meant as a comment not as a criticism. As far as I am concerned, Scalextric can produce as many of these sort of cars as they want, I think they're wonderful - although I would have liked a 246 Dino.

[T54]

I was just being pedantic in pointing out that I couldn't find an instance of where Jack Brabham in a T53 had driven in the same race as Phil Hill in a 156. (They might have done at Solitude had the Ferraris turned up, but they didn't).

Hi,
This is why posed the question:

Interesting choice but I can't find anywhere where they may have raced together with those particular pairings.

Of course Brabham drove the 1.5-liter works Coop T53 or 55 (take your pick) all year long behind the dominant works Ferraris. All he could get was a 6th and a 4th for all his efforts.
So the pairing is indeed correct even if Black Jack's Climax FPF-powered mount was less than fast enough and even reliable enough to compete against the Italian V6s, being short of roughly 20 horses.
The new FWMV was still a few months away and was unproven, but Jack had hardly any hopes of retaining his title by the time the new engine was installed in the back of a modified Coop.

T54

[Roger Clark]

I thought the Cooper 55 was distinguishable from the 53 by the shape of the windscreen and by its being slightly slimmer. It also had a 6-speed gearbox, but I'd forgive Scalextric if their's didn't.

[Bumblyari]

You obviously know your T53s from your T55s T54.

However, contemporary reports (Autocourse) suggest the T55 was "slightly narrower and lower" and maybe a different windscreen as Roger points out. Pretty similar I'll grant you, but identical - no.

But, who cares ? Scalextric are perfectly at liberty to produce what they want.

On the other hand, if we're getting the micrometers out to measure the tyres and the magnifying glasses to count the rivets then I'll stick by my original comment that I don't think that the pairing of Brabham & T53 ever raced against the pairing of Hill & 156 (but I shan't be losing any sleep over it).

[T54]

Indeed you are correct to point out the differences in the cars. The T54 was the first Cooper single-seater to have a dual-curve windshield, and the T55 followed suit. They were so unconsequential in 1961 that I forgot about that...

So we will mix the 1960 and 1961 cars on the track. Oh well...

[Barry Boor]

Scalextric did ask for suggestions from the public about future cars in this historic series.

I suggested the Lancia D.50 and the B-type Connaught....

[MarkWill]

I must have missed their request. I fully endorse the Lancia D50 call (Barry will know why - I`ve been trying unsuccessfully to manufacture one myself but the result is never satisfactory). Being a fan of the older saloons, I would have gone for the Escort RS2000 and the Jaguar XJC, but its procbably too late now. I rather like the MGB`s as well - I don`t know why they were never made (evn airfix made a Vauxhall Viva!).

Mark

[T54]

Well, for the ones bored with the same old thing, I am offering you these 1/32 scale alternatives soon available from the wonderful Daniele and Gabriella Ostorero:






T54