Diecast/Models 1:18 Group A Touring Car Diecasts

**chunterer** · 26 Oct 2008, 12:06 (Ref:2321075)

Ok, I have been patiently trying to build my collection recently, but thanks to the 'crunch' may have to leave off for a while!

I've got a Schnitzer and JPS 635's, Zakspeed and Bastos M3's, a '87 Bathurst Eggenberger and '88 Dick Johnson RS500's and Les Smal FAI Commodore.

I'm interested in discussing:

1/ What else is out there at the moment
2/ favourite models in collections
3/ ones that aren't so popular
4/ and also why there aren't more of them considering there's so many 1:43's on the market.

I'd also like to know if Autoart, Minichamps or anyone is planning on releasing further livery variants of:

The BMW 635 - There's '85 and '86 ETC spec cars due but other than Schnitzer, JPS, Jagermeister versions currently available that's it?

Sierra RS500 - There's already a lot of ETC and ATCC examples but what about an Andy Rouse version?!!!

There's a few pre '90 VK and VL Commodore's but surely that list must grow to include Brock Mobil cars, Perkins and maybe even the Rothmans ETC car Moffatt ran?

When is that rumoured TWR Jag XJS coming out?

What about 1:18 Rover Vitesse, Volvo 240T, Alfa GTV6 and MK 3 Capris? There aren't currently any in production?

Surely there's plenty of collectable scope for these because of the success and multitude of liveries each of them had?

**chunterer** · 5 Nov 2008, 12:04 (Ref:2328644)

Boring thread then??

Slartibartfast · 5 Nov 2008, 18:32 (Ref:2328928)

No it's not..... :>) For myself, I find trying to find all of the threads that I am interested in difficult. There are just so many here. As regards new models, go to the Minichamps site and look under 'new'. They have just released the 1989 Spa 24 hours winning Bastos Sierra RS500, and have Bernd Schneiders DTM 1989 Sonax version due out soon. Also on the way (but it pays not to put too much store by the release dates shown) are their new Zakspeed Escort MKII models - Europa Mobel and Castrol before Christmas. All are 1/18th scale, and should easily be produced in yet more schemes.....

**BertMk2** · 6 Nov 2008, 09:24 (Ref:2329309)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slartibartfast

Zakspeed Escort MKII models - Europa Mobel and Castrol before Christmas.

Oh dear. I wasn't going to buy any more diecast for a while - that theory didn't last long

**chunterer** · 6 Nov 2008, 09:42 (Ref:2329317)

Ah ha, there is life!!

Yeah i've seen the Bastos Sierra's out at last along with a Sonax DTM one. These have been due for quite a while. Minichamps, it seems, put out release dates well in advance maybe to well up as much interest as possible.

Problem i'm having is I've been kind of hoping that a different, more famous Group A race car that was in Bastos colours would be launched but there doesn't seem to be any likelihood anytime soon?

Minichamps have a 1:43 DTM Rover due but no 1:18!!!!!

I'm waiting...............

Slartibartfast · 6 Nov 2008, 13:18 (Ref:2329461)

You might have a long wait. The Sierra is available in many non ciggie colour schemes, the Rover less so. I am aware that they do exist, but you have to admit they are sort of obscure - unless you consider Tony Pond's rally cars.
The cars did run in a very nice Mobil 1 scheme at Bathurst in 1984, but I think you would be looking at importing one from OZ in this case. Biante I think specialise in this sort of thing. Anyone out there aware of a UK source for such models? Postage to Ireland would be far less expensive as a result.

Slartibartfast · 19 Nov 2008, 20:07 (Ref:2337890)

Guess what? You will need to spend yet more money:
http://tiny.cc/h5rtj :>) I will certainly be getting one......

**chunterer** · 20 Nov 2008, 08:51 (Ref:2338204)

Interesting? A one off uncompetitive 'special' is launched before multi title winning Rovers, Volvos etc...?

I wonder what the decision making policy is at Minichamps or Autoart?

How is it decided what models are considered more appealing or collectable than others? I know both these firms are based in Germany I think but the coverage needs to be made wider.

Maybe the car manufacturers or license holders haven't allowed these model firms to make them yet?

I suppose in Biante's case there is an agreement for Autoart to build and supply the ATCC cars under license?

Maybe we need someone in the UK to do the same, like Corgi/Vanguards then we might get some more 1:18 classic BTCC cars made?

Even then, i'm sure touring car fans around the world would love to have a Bastos or Sanyo Rover, Rouse Kaliber Sierra, TWR Win Percy RX7, James Weaver 635 or a Gordon Spice Capri. (in the Sierra and 635 case, the base models are already available, it would simply be a case of making new liveries!)

Surely the market for such releases wouldn't be limited to UK only and make commercial sense so to speak?

Slartibartfast · 20 Nov 2008, 15:55 (Ref:2338392)

There appears to be only you and me here..... :>)
As you say, Minichamps and AutoArt are German owned (they shared tooling at one time I am led to believe). It does seem a strange choice, along with the 1971 Mercedes 300 SEL Spa 24hours car, and variations. The Konig Mercedes is in the AMG museum (can be seen on youtube), so getting the prototype to measure is easy. It looks as though it is pretty original, so accuracy should not be a problem. Have you looked at what Revell are producing? Talk about obscure...... I agree about the Rouse Kaliber Sierra, and would prefer the 1988 TT winning version, and also Robb Gravett's 1990 BTCC champion. However, Japanese diecast companies also normally produce cars of local interest - which is understandable. I think we will need a UK based or owned firm to see some of the models you mention, and I for one would be interested in some of what you listed. Minichamps are to produce a MKII RS2000, so who knows?

**BertMk2** · 21 Nov 2008, 10:20 (Ref:2338769)

Is the market as big for the 1:18's as it is for the 1:43's? I'd have thought the market was smaller and therefore the range of models available will be comparably smaller (not that it makes the decision making process any more logical!). I've got purely 1:43's and struggle to find space for all of those, I can only imagine it'd be an absolute nightmare with 1:18's

**chunterer** · 21 Nov 2008, 11:20 (Ref:2338793)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BertMk2

Is the market as big for the 1:18's as it is for the 1:43's?

I've got purely 1:43's and struggle to find space for all of those, I can only imagine it'd be an absolute nightmare with 1:18's

Yeah 1:43 has traditionally been the modellers favourite I believe, but 1:18 scale is rapidly growing - the vast array of manufacturers releasing the bigger scale cars is testement to that. Most do both, but not all though.

Re the 2nd point, yes it certainly is!!!

Slartibartfast · 22 Nov 2008, 17:39 (Ref:2339664)

I get around that by being fussier than if I was collecting 1/43rd. And with the vast selection, I would be broke by now, and have no room to live. My collection will be increasing soon though, with Minichamps releasing a nice DTM Europa Mobel Zakspeed Escort and the 1971 Spa 24 hours winning Capri RS2600. I am also adding to my range of rally cars for Christmas - with the SunStar Lancia Stratos 1979 SanRemo winner.

racer69 · 23 Nov 2008, 04:53 (Ref:2339947)

I was at a model car expo/swap meet and came across a Corgi made 1:43 BSCC Ford Capri.

The car was #6, with Juicy Fruit sponsorship on it. It had no drivers name, but did feature the Tricentral signage above the number. For interests sake who drove this car, and did Corgi make anymore of them from this period?

PS... i didn't buy it, as with most items at these places, they were hideously over-priced

**chunterer** · 23 Nov 2008, 18:13 (Ref:2340334)

Quote:

Originally Posted by racer69

I was at a model car expo/swap meet and came across a Corgi made 1:43 BSCC Ford Capri.

The car was #6, with Juicy Fruit sponsorship on it. It had no drivers name, but did feature the Tricentral signage above the number. For interests sake who drove this car, and did Corgi make anymore of them from this period?

PS... i didn't buy it, as with most items at these places, they were hideously over-priced

I've got one somewhere from when I was little!

You'll probably find a few of them on ebay periodically and yes they do seem a bit pricey.

The livery is from the 1981 Tricentrol BSCC. There was a 2 car team for Andy Rouse and Charles Sawyer-Hoare entered under the 'CS-H Racing with Daily Mirror' banner.

I believe the the cars might have been prepared by Ralph Broad but with Andy (having used to work for Broadspeed) also heavily involved on the engineering/prep front.

As you probably know r69, Andy had driven for Gordon Spice in '80 but had decided to break from this suuccesful partnership (I suspect with the lure of Sawyer-Hoares's decent budget as on the Cordi car!)) However, the venture wasn't a succesful one, with the cars not really working like the well sorted CC examples, of Spice and Vince Woodman so Rouse returned to Spice's CC prep'd outfit for the final year of Group 1 in Britain.

Unfortunately I dodn;t think Corgi did any other liveries, there was just this one; 'The Professionals' TV silver version and later on an Only Fools and Horses luried green one.

Shame really as it would've been mega to be able to have bought Spice and Woodman examples!

**chunterer** · 23 Nov 2008, 18:28 (Ref:2340339)

Ah yes, the team also had backing from Juicy Jeans, which you probably thought was Juicy Fruit?

I also ended up with a team sticker several years later. It came from West Surrey Racing, which I thought odd, as Dick Bennetts outfit wasn't involved with this team as far as I am aware! Maybe someone worked for CS-H/Rouse/Broad and later worked at WSR?.