1959scudetto

If I could choose just ONE model, then it would be this: my favourite of the "classic" Ferraris:

Thanks, David - very much appreciated.

As they were also available as wheel & tire sets back then, I ordered myself some more sets, but that must have been about 10 years ago, don't know if they are still available: (Fujimi misspelled the name - licensing?) Anyway, they come with excellently detailed, period-correct Michelin XWX rubber: The Daytona (right) has them, whereas the California Spider (left) has the Monogram plastic tires mounted on the Fujimi Borranis.

Thanks, Tim - I used the Borrani 15" wire wheels from Fujimi's Daytona kits (they all came with the option of the wires or 5-star alloys. (I have 4 in my stash):

You delivered again, Mario ! Nice color-combination and fine finish. But keep attention - there seem to be some bad guys around that parking lot trying to demolish your rear bumper :-(

Very nice build - especially the outstanding underhood detailing!

Very nice SSK, Matt - especially for this scale ! (I had the Aston Martin Ulster, the Jaguar SS100 and the Porsche 917-10 back in the 70's but lost them all over the years - I remember they were highly detailed, but a little tricky to build)

Wonderful collection of racers on trailers, Gary. I like them all, but am most impressed by the Cobra transporter with the GT40's, the King Cobra behind the Ford P/U and the Filipinetti 904 with the VW van.

Great Opel body, Bill - combined with the die-cast Kadett Coupé of the German Hachette Opel series (1/24) which has been reissued under the white box name also in silver and blue metallic, there would be almost endless possibilities...

I got a bunch of 12 built Ferraris on ebay Germany today - some unpainted, mostly complete - will keep 3 or 4 and probably sell off the rest (or use them for parts)

If ever, then go for the Hachette model, Gary (Jumajo has it on ebay) and avoid the old Bburago toy.

FIAT 124 Abarth spider, winner of the 1974 Portugal Rally, driven by Raffaele Pinto to his only win on World championship level. A modified version of this car won the same rally again in the following year with Markku Alén – these 2 wins were the only top results of this car. A great model from Ixo - highly recommended, even they unfortunately goofed with the color: the yellow should have a slightly greenish tint (which looks different in all the pics, so this won’t be a big deal), but: the whole car was painted in a matt (and not gloss) red! So I will have to mask carefully my model and then overspray with some clear blue (the yellow parts) and clear matte (the whole body). Anyway, this should not turn you off – if you like ‘70s rally cars, this is as good as it gets ! Fiat should have taken the manufacturers championship in 1974, but the first events were cancelled due to the oil crisis, and when the year went on, the Stratos arrived on the scene and Lancia took the laurels. For 1975, the company decided that Lancia should go for the world championship and Fiat for the European and Italian championships (these goals were all finally achieved). I have 2 models (the 2nd will be modified into the ’75 version with additional light pods on the hood, additional ducts and flares which let it look even more aggressive):

Thank you, Tim.

Superb, fantastic model, Pascal ! I incidentially came across your WIP just now, looks better than the real thing. Mauro Forghieri would be pleased if he could see this model - a fifting tribute to the great Chris Amon, the best of all drivers who did not succeed in winning a Grand Prix.

Excellent weathering on this rusty old workhorse, Mario - is this cigarette tobacco in the PU bed (I heard this could be used to simulate autumn leaves)?

Nice find, Bill - I have this one also, and its weakest points are the plastic wheels and the huge gap around the hood. PMA/Minichamps' different 300 SLR versions would have the correct wheels:

You can't go wrong with that price, Gary - a real steal!

Nice build of a challenging kit, Bruce - if Penske had entered the sportscar world championship a year earlier with a 512 S, it probably would have looked similar to this.

Rich, you delivered again - a fabulous model of one of the greatest racecars ever. It is certainly the nicest version of their first LeMans winner. (I have already the Fujimi in my stash but I'm thinking of the Revell reissue now...)

Thanks, Gary.

I do have the Gunze 1000 TCR also - very disappointing (interior bone-stock, wider door-sills missing, wrong wheels: it doesn't even come close to the awesome box-art!)

Keyser, the mags are from Tamiya Honda S800 racing version, the others com from Ixo's Seat 850 Coupé, which was nothing else than the rebadged Spain-built Fiat 850 Coupé (by the way, these 2 wil also be turned into Abarths):

Thanks, Bill and Gary - as you may have noticed, I have a soft spot for almost everything Italian (especially sporty cars of the past).

Very informative story and a nice bunch of utes, Alan - looks great!

Carlo Abarth established his own company in 1949 in Torino ( Italy), producing exhaust systems and tuning cars – mainly Fiat, Simca and even a few Porsche models. His Fiat derivates are the best-known, their souped-up small engines delivered sometimes 2 or 3 times the power of its origin. Here are 2 early to mid-60’s little street racers – the base were two 1/24 Leo model die-casts from the Italian newsstand series (made by Ixo) – with a few modifications, steel exhaust pipes, wheel swapping and a few decals these cute small cars (the Fiat 600 and its successor, the 850) were capable to leave some bigger family sedans in the dust – BEFORE: and AFTER: