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Donnerstag, 24. März 2022

ACAR Slot Car Custom Tomy AFX Ford GT40

ACAR Custom Slot Car im Maßstab 1:64 - FORD GT40 Le Mans

Selection of Ford GT40s 24h Le Mans and 12h Sebring

A group of Ford GT40 Mk II slot cars on a racetrack passing

A rare gathering of FORD GT40s at Forest Hill

The FORD GT40 is not only a racing legend. If there is a form follows design paradigma the FORD GT40 would be one. It would be a dream come true to drive or at least sit in one of these cars once. From my childhood, reading car magazines, absorbing images of Lamborghinis, Jaguars, Porsche, Panthera, the GT40 stood out to me. Years later even more.
Picture shows several FORD GT40 slot cars on a straight thru the woods approaching a corner

One of the Best h0 Slot Cars by Tomy AFX the FORD GT40 Mkii

Slot Cars provides the grounds to explore the fascination for many things, for example the GT40. Many examples of race cars in the late 60s and 70s display striking liveries. I am intrigued by the idee of replicating the looks in a smaller scale. Many aspects are compelling. It starts with the bold graphics of the time and continues to the colors chosen. Compared to contemporary liveries on racecars, with an endless number of details, it is the simplicity and the personal touch, that make the example look interesting and underline the cars design.
Several FORD GT40s on a realistically designed h0 slot car racetrack

The FORD GT40 looks good in many Colors

Tomy AFX made a beautiful version of the FORD GT40 MkII and offered clear and white bodies to customize. Because the cars were easily accessible for a reasonable price, no one thought about stacking up bodies for future projects. Some came my way and spent some time stored in cases. Until the GT40 caught my interest again and started exploring the web for inspiration.
A group off red Ford GT40 in the foreground chasing three cars ahead

Giving it a personal touch – Customizing Slot Cars

Customizing slot cars consists of many steps. Fitting the body to chassis, deciding on rims and tires, making decals for the particular body, painting, detailing, decaling, clear coating. Usually, summer is the time for me to get into customizing. Setting up the air brush for more than one car and painting several bodies at once seems to be more efficient than painting one at the time. It was not different with the FORD GT40s.
Birdseye view on a wide radius corner with six FORD GT40 passing

A moment in Time, recreated on a Slottrack

FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1968 Claude Dubois #8

Custom h0 Slot Car FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1968 Strahaven Limited #12

FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1968 Claude Dubois #8
Driven by: Willy Mairesse (B)/Jean Beurlys (B)

FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1968 Strahaven Limited #12

Custom h0 Slot Car FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1968 Strahaven Limited #12

FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1968 Strahaven Limited #12
Driven by: Mike Salmon (GB)/Eric Liddell (GB)

FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1966 Scuderia Filipinetti #14

FORD GT40 24h Le Mans 1966 Scuderia Filipinetti #14
Driven by: Peter Sutcliffe (GB)/Dieter Spoerry (CH)

FORD GT40 Le Mans 1967 Scuderia Filipinetti #18

Custom h0 Slöot Car FORD GT40 Le Mans 1967 Scuderia Filipinetti #18

FORD GT40 Le Mans 1967 Scuderia Filipinetti #18
Driven by: Umberto Maglioli (I)/Mario Casoni (I)

FORD-GT40 12h Sebring 1966 3rd Essex Wire Corporation #19

Custom h0 Slot Car FORD-GT40 12h Sebring 1966 3rd Essex Wire Corporation #19

FORD-GT40 12h Sebring 1966 3rd Essex Wire Corporation #19
Driven by: Skip Scott (USA)/Peter Revson (USA)

Ford GT40 12h Sebring 1966 Alan Mann Racing #24

Custom h0 Slot Car Ford GT40 12h Sebring 1966 Alan Mann Racing #24

Ford GT40 12h Sebring 1966 Alan Mann Racing #24
Driven by: Graham Hill (GB)/Jackie Stewart (GB)


Montag, 7. März 2022

Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 24 Hours Le Mans 1970 Resin Slot Car Customs

ACAR Custom Slot Car im Maßstab 1:64 - Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 24 Hours Le Mans 1970

ACAR Custom Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 24h Le Mans 1970

Vier Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 auf der Rennstreck

Vier Modelle des Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 vom 24h Rennen in Le Mans 1970

The attraction of racecars you have never seen in person. Modelling is an interesting way to gap that lack of experience. With the help of the internet, we can retrieve the needed information. With some paint and decals slot car bodies can be transformed into the image of the real car. It is always good to add some imagination.

Model eines Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 mit der Startnummer 35 auf der Rennstrecke

Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 1:64 scale model for AFX and Faller AMS slot car racetracks

If you are into h0 slot cars, you will know how limited the choice of models is. Many times was I attempt to start modelling in larger scales because of the unlimited choice of cars from all periods. The myth of the 24 hours of Le Mans 1970 still holds some attraction for many slot car enthusiast. Ryotaro Endo was amongst those and made nice resin of the starting grit. 

Vier Modelrennautos Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 Le Mans 1970 aus der Vogelperspektive fotografiert

All four Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 made into Slot Car models scale 1:64

C&R Bob Raymond sold the bodies. With little experience in customizing, I was hesitant and did not buy all the bodies. It would take many years and attempts to contact Ryotaro Endo. Some of is castings were still available. Amongst those three more of the Alfa Tipo 33/3.

Vier Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 auf einer Modellrennbahn dicht aufeinander folgend
Four Slot Cars Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 for h0 Racetracks

Now all four Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 that entered the race, were customized, and added to my collent. All in significant Alfa red with distinct fronts make it easy to identify the teams.

Yellow #35 Nanni Galli (I)/ Rolf Stommelen (G)

White #36 Andrea de Adamich (I)/Piers Courage (GB)

Light Blue #37 Toine Hezemans (NL)/Masten Gregory (USA), and 

all red #38 Teodoro Zeccoli (I)/Carlo Facetti (I).

The Alfa looks good from almost every angle. Even though they were not successful at the event they should have won “best of show”, at least in my opinion. You do not need to win a race to be a winner. I wish we would have other manufactures making more exotic cars in h0. On the other hand, there is only so much one can do. Still to many projects stored in boxes, waiting for the right treatment.

Tech Infos
 BODY  + R Model Ryotaro Endo, Japan
 PAINT  Zero Paint: Alfa Rosso ZP-1098, Clear 2K
 DECALS + R Model Ryotaro Endo, Japan
 CHASSIS  Tomy SG+, Tomy Mega G
 RIMS  RRR Road Race Replica

Alfa Romeo 33/3 Le Mans
 ENGINE  V8 Otto cycle, central/posterior longitudinal 2998 cc
 POWER  400 HP @ 9000 rpm
 SPEED  310 km/h
 WEIGHT  700 kg
 DESIGN  Autodelta
 TYPE OF BODY  Spider (sports car for the World Sportscars Championship)

Reference Images