Early Ferrari Models 1949-1967

[Gramps46]

I was rummaging around through my files and found this decades old note I sent to Gregg about old Ferrari model kits.  I thought some might find it interesting though don't hold me to the accuracy or omissions. 

Gary

Old Ferrari Models revived.doc

[afx]

For ease I copied and past Gary's text:

Gregg, 

I am no expert on Ferrari models so I just wrote down some kind of chronological remembrances from the “olde days”.  There is no doubt that I have missed something(s). 

Old Ferrari’s (1949 to 1967)

In the beginning (early ‘60s) there were no Ferrari kits in 1/25^th or 1/24^{th scale}.  There was a 1/20^th scale IDEAL Ferrari 166 and there were kits in 1/32^nd scale but that was it.  Then around 1964 Aurora released its Ferrari GTO kit (with beautiful box art of the Bob Grossman Bridgehampton entry) and we were on our way.  The kit had full detail with engine, opening doors and trunk in 1/25^th scale.  The bad news was the shape, sort of ok but not great, and the vinyl tires, overtime, would consume the plastic wire wheels.  Revell had a hard plastic GTO slot body in 1/24^th scale that was pretty good but just a little bit flat in side elevation.  About this time Tamiya released a pontoon fendered Testa Rossa, but only the most dedicated modelers ever saw one outside of Japan.

The next ratchet up came with the release of the Monogram 275P.  This was a hard plastic slot car body with a simple chassis pan and no engine, what we would call curbside today.  A pretty good representation of the car that won Le Mans in 1963 if the decals had been one digit different.  The slot car craze also produced a number of injection molded Ferrari bodies like the K&B P2 and GTO64 along with the Strombecker P2.  A Japanese company by the name of IPC produced a very simple kit of the GTO64 that was almost identical to the K&B offering.

Then the industry went silent until Heller in France released their wonderful series of sports cars including the beautifully styled 1967 Ferrari P4.  This kit included a hinged tail section with the famous Ferrari V-12 engine reproduced in scale.  The instructions said this was the car that placed second to the Ford MKIV at LeMans in 1967, but there were some detail differences like the mirrors that needed to be modified.  AMT even repackaged the Heller kits in 2 car combos with the Ferrari sharing a box with a Porsche 907.  Then there was quiet in the market again until the era of the GTO began.

All of a sudden it seemed the model makers worldwide fell in love with the Ferrari GTO.  Gunzye Sangyo, Italeri, and Protar released GTOs in rapid succession.  The G-S lacked an engine in the multimedia kit but made up for it with the all time best body casting of the GTO.  The Italeri kit was good and later released by Testors, and the Protar had the best chassis with real coil springs.  Not to be left out Bburago added a GTO to their diecast line.  The GTO craze also lead to SWB spin-offs by Gunze, ESCI/ERTL, and Italeri and a California Sypder by Italeri, latter Testors.  MiniExotics molded a transkit of the special bodied Breadvan for the GTO chassis.  Happy days were here again.

Then a surprise appeared from Japan and distributed by Academy, a lovely 1965 250LM.  It was a curbside, but a beautiful molding with accurate Dunlops to boot.  Bburago and Revell must have been impressed because they both brought out diecast versions of the 250LM also.

Ferrari modelers were pretty happy at this point with lots to work with but the expanding cottage industry resin casters recognized the longing for more.  One of the first to act was Q Models of Japan who released a drop dead gorgeous 1960 Testa Rossa with lots of detail and a price tag equaling the cost of my first car.  Later releases included the TRI61 and TRI62.  Climax from Japan did a detailed 250LM and a GTO.  Western Models did a white metal GTO that was superb.  Not to be outdone, John Johnson of Teapot Graphics released an affordable TRI 62, the winner of the 1962 LeMans and a 246SP Dino in resin.  Even Danbury Mint did a pontoon fendered Testa Rossa as did Bburago, though a bit large in scale.

Then the holy grail of Ferrari modelers, the 166MM appeared.  It was the winner of the 1949 Le Mans, the car that got Ferrari recognized around the world as a builder of sports cars, the seriously pretty Barchetta.  Informed collectors knew of a resin kit of this car in Japan but when Mike Quarterman, head honcho at Umi and Motor Racing Replica News, announced his intention of molding it here in the States, the line formed.  It is a gem complete with full engine detail, rumored to have been molded by Paul Fisher of Fisher Models fame.  Unfortunately Mike Q quit the resin business to focus on his decal making.  The molds survive in Canada with Perry’s Resin we are told.  Scale Kraft now has the 212 version available in resin.  Fujimi recognized this interest in Ferraris and released their injection molded Ferrari P4.  This lacked the engine but was more prototypically correct for the Le Mans runner up than the Heller.  The P4 was the last of the sexy curvaceous Ferrari sports prototypes with the subsequent 512 series paying more attention to aerodynamics than sculpting.

After this flurry of Ferrari modeling activity, the English, French, Italian, and
South African resin casters stared filling in the holes.  K&R Models produced the brutal 375 Plus, winner of LeMans in 1954, and Renaissance brought out Testa Rossa’s in 1958 (pontoon fendered), 1959, and 1960 vintages.  MG models in Italy started making Berlinettas of various years as did Scale Kraft in South Africa.

There was one other Ferrari modeling gem that needs mentioning.  Master craftsman Norm Veber of Replicas and Miniatures of Maryland produced resin versions of the Ferrari 250 GTO and 250 SWB engines.  These were almost too good to be hidden inside a model.

 

[89AKurt]

I have never seen one, but Airtrax is a brand that is rare.  I want their 330GTC.

I got the Model Factory Hiro Lusso.

I also got a body of the 122 Berlinetta from a Shapeways vendor.

Got the Hasegawa 250 TR Testarossa last year, have not opened that one.

Can attest to Norm's V-12 engine being a model unto itself.

I'm a nut. 

[Gramps46]

Thank you Kurt for your input.  I do not have the AirTrax 330GTC nor the MFH Lusso as they came later after my notes above.  I have seen photos of the Shapeways Barchetta but not the Berlinetta though I do have the MG Model 166 Berlinetta.  One of the rarities is the ACME 330 LMB which I was fortunate to get back in the day.  I fully support your assessment of Norm's V-12, and Brads too.

ACME 330 LMB

Replica and Miniatures of Maryland V12 SWB build by William Depooter.

 

MG Models 166 Berlinetta and UMI 166 Barchetta

 

UMI 166 Barchetta kit

Edited March 7, 2019 by Gramps46

[afx]

Norm offers (2) Ferrari engine kits:

RM-1A 250 GTO

RM-1B 250 GTO SWB

Both excellent.

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by afx

[Richard Bartrop]

Whether or not it counts as the first Ferrari depends on who you ask, but FPP Modelos Made a resin kit of the Auto Avio Costuzioni Tipo 815 

Edited March 7, 2019 by Richard Bartrop

[89AKurt]

1 hour ago, Gramps46 said:

Thank you Kurt for your input.  I do not have the AirTrax 330GTC nor the MFH Lusso as they came later after my notes above.  I have seen photos of the Shapeways Barchetta but not the Berlinetta though I do have the MG Model 166 Berlinetta.  One of the rarities is the ACME 330 LMB which I was fortunate to get back in the day.  I fully support your assessment of Norm's V-12, and Brads too.

ACME 330 LMB

[...]

MG Models 166 Berlinetta and UMI 166 Barchetta

 

UMI 166 Barchetta kit

Nice..... more lust worthy models!

Here is that Shapeways body, after I sanded it to see how that goes.

Just some parts that Norm makes, the seats are awesome.  Comparing to Shapeways sourced seats, no comparison.

If anyone has questions about the four kits of the GTO....

The MFH Lusso, this is my holy grail (so far).

 I have an incomplete kit of the Italeri 250 SWB, thinking of a resto rod idea for it.  I did the AMT years ago, horrid kit.

Thanks for letting me onto your lawn.

[89AKurt]

I'm dropping this here, I got the Auto Union Vanderbuilt Cup from him, he has some interesting Ferraris to lust after.

https://www.facebook.com/fernandopintomodels/

[afx]

FYI: "Resin Casting Specialties" was the name of Harold Bradford's first company.  He quit because the early resins made him ill and he passed along his molds to Norm.  When more benign resin products became available he started a new company calling it Historic Racing Miniatures.

Edited March 8, 2019 by afx

[Gramps46]

Speaking of old Ferrari kits here is a Turbolences Turbo Le Car resin Ferrari 1958 Testa Rossa Le Mans winner.  Not as nice as Renaissance or other later issues but it did have an engine.

And lest we forget, the Revell GTO slot car body.

[afx]

The Revell GTO body is very nice Gary.

Didn't Revell also do the '64 body style?

[Gramps46]

5 minutes ago, afx said:

The Revell GTO body is very nice Gary.

Didn't Revell also do the '64 body style?

No darn it, Revell only did it in 1/32nd for the GTO 64.

I had to use a K&B body on a Protar GTO chassis for the 1/24 GTO64.

 

[Gramps46]

Then there was  also the Monogram Ferrari 275P kit P102 starting in 1964 and reissued at least twice.  One of my favorites and still within our time frame.

 

Edited March 8, 2019 by Gramps46

[afx]

The Academy/Minicraft 250LM you mention in your article. 

[Pico]

Here's a pic of the Airtrax Ferrari 330GTC. I've filled the pinholes and primered it. It's a beautiful car and a good kit. For the Airtrax price list, Mr. Obsessive posted it on another thread, easy to find using the search function.

[Gramps46]

1 hour ago, afx said:

The Academy/Minicraft 250LM you mention in your article. 

Thanks JC.  How I wished Academy had done a long nose like the 1965 NART Le Mans winner.  Back then I had to convert a BBurago 250LM diecast to the long nose using Bondo.

[afx]

Your long nose looks great Gary.  Would be nice to have a long nose trans-kit for the Academy.

[250 Testa Rossa]

1 hour ago, afx said:

Your long nose looks great Gary.  Would be nice to have a long nose trans-kit for the Academy.

I would be interested in one as well. 

[ChrisBcritter]

Anyone have a builtup Italeri 275 GTB they'd like to show us?

Edited March 8, 2019 by ChrisBcritter

[Gramps46]

On ‎3‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 6:40 PM, ChrisBcritter said:

Anyone have a builtup Italeri 275 GTB they'd like to show us?

Chris,

The photos and model are by Scott Kercher.  Maybe I can get him to tell us more about how he built it and post a separate thread.

[Matt Bacon]

This is my version of the 275 GTB:

And this is the NART 275 Spider, built as Steve McQueen's ride:

This is the Gunze 250SWB

best,

M.

[Gramps46]

32 minutes ago, Matt Bacon said:

This is my version of the 275 GTB:

And this is the NART 275 Spider, built as Steve McQueen's ride:

This is the Gunze 250SWB

best,

M.

Beautiful builds Matt.  Very impressive.

[djflyer]

Does anyone know of good replacements for the tires in the Italeri kits?  I have it noted the replace them in both the SWB and NART Spyder kits I have.

[Matt Bacon]

Looking back, I think the 275GTB has Renaissance Campagnolo resin/metal wheels on it. The NART Spider has its bootlid spoiler enhanced, which Tony Nancy did for McQueen at the same time as retrimming the interior, which is why it has the rather plush leather bolsters for seats instead of the proper buckets. If you use the original seats, paint it pale yellow and add the Campagnolo wheels from the one above, you'll get the car that Faye Dunaway drove in The Thomas Crown Affair, but more interestingly also finished 17th overall and 2nd in class at the 1967 12 Hours of Sebring, with Marianne “Pinky” Rollo and Denise McCluggage behind the wheel...

(Ms McCluggage is a bit of a hero of mine...)

The GS 250 SWB looks so much more purposeful than the dire AMT/Esci kit, because it's a lot more like the real thing. If you can't find one, at least try for the Italeri...

best,

M.

[PeeBee]

On ‎3‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 10:25 AM, Richard Bartrop said:

Whether or not it counts as the first Ferrari depends on who you ask, but FPP Modelos Made a resin kit of the Auto Avio Costuzioni Tipo 815 

Fernando is still casting this car.  PB