Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom

Juan Manuel Fangio Mercedes 300 SLR: Mille Miglia 1955 / Targa Florio 1955 / 24h Le Mans 1955

Mercedes 300 SLR Mille Miglia 1955, Targa Florio 1955, 24h Le Mans 1955

The project started some time ago with a Tri-ang Minic Motorways Mercedes 300. The 300 SLR had been on my list of cars I wanted to customize for a while. The Minic body fitted the AFY Magnatraction chassis wheelbase. The rest should have been easy to achieve. You know you would not start a project if you could foresee all the problems to occur along the way.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom Targa Florio 1955 #658 Juan Manuel Fangio

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom 24h Le Mans 1955 #19 J. Fangio

There were so many details to add to the body. The whole front and hood changed. The sides received the vents and exhaust. The rear had to be altered and the significant aerodynamic roll bar added. You might have seen images with the rear tilted up. Mercedes had invented a parachute kind of aero brake by flapping the rear open. Not sure how it was shut again.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 - Aerodynamic Brakes

The body was painted for a smooth finish before it was casted in resin. I have to admit I not casted any resin bodies to this point myself. Even though I produced an array of custom slot car bodies. I imagine I will not be able to produce decent results. But that would be a different story.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom at Forest Hill

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom Juan Manuel Fangio

I choose to make variation of the car with one roll bar. Fangio’s #658 finishing second place at the Mille Miglia, #104 also finishing second at the Targa Florio 1955 and the car #104 from the race at Le Mans 1955. Mercedes decided to retire the two cars remaining in the race after the tragic accident.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom Juan Manuel Fangio #104 24 Le Mans 1955

The drivers head were purchased from RRR. I believe those are TYCO reproductions. The wheel remined an unloved detail. There are no wire wheels available for the larger ho slot cars. RRR procures them for T-Jets. Therefore, all three cars display different solutions. I would like to find wire wheels or make some for future projects.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR 1955 ho Slot Car Custom

Decals are custom designs for the bodies and were professionally printed by Decal Print. Finishing all cars with a clear coat to protect the body. You might have detected that the wind screen is still missing. This is the second detail I have found a pleasing solution jet. I still think the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR make a nice trio.

Hope you enjoy!

>More information on the 24h Le Mans1955

1955 24 Hours of Le Mans

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