Post by Mark Huber on Mar 7, 2014 15:12:20 GMT -5
It is NEVER too early for me to start on a Proxy car entry. It shouldn't be hard to guess which event. Hint (No more blue or green cars for me for at least a few months)
The setting: ( From Grandprix.com with edits by MH)
Belgian GP
Spa-Francorchamps
June 12, 1966
28 Laps, 14.1 km
The field for the Belgian GP was much the same as it had been at Monaco a fortnight earlier although Dan Gurney had joined the series with a Climax-engined Eagle, his Weslake V12 engines still not being ready. The first new Lotus-BRM 43 appeared in the hands of Peter Arundell. Jim Clark stayed with a Lotus 33 now powered with a 2.0 L Coventry Climax.*
John Surtees was fastest in qualifying by three seconds in his Ferrari 312. Jochen Rindt was alongside in his Cooper-Maserati while Jackie Stewart finished off the front row in his V8-engined BRM P261.
The weather was treacherous as the cars set off with Surtees taking the lead. At Burnenville the field ran into a heavy rain storm and Bonnier, Spence, Jo Siffert (Rob Walker Cooper) and Denny Hulme (Brabham-Repco) all went off. Rindt had a huge spin in the Masta Kink but emerged without hitting anything. However, Stewart, Hill and Bob Bondurant all lost control at the same place. Bondurant's car overturned but he escaped with only cuts and bruises. Hill's car was undamaged. Hill and Bondurant went to the aid of Stewart, who was trapped in his upturned car, covered with petrol with a broken shoulder, a cracked rib and internal bruising. Fortunately Stewart was rescued before the car caught fire but the Scotsman would be out of action for a couple of months.
By lap two there were only seven cars left running with Surtees leading Brabham, Bandini, Ginther, Rindt, Ligier and Gurney. There was a battle for the lead in the early laps with Rindt gaining the lead followed by Surtees and Bandini in the Ferraris. As the track began to dry Rindt found his Cooper-Maserati to be a bit of a handful and slowed. On lap 24, Surtees went back into the lead to victory. Bandini finished third a lap down, with Brabham fourth and Ginther fifth.
Shortly after the race, Surtees, fed up with the team politics, told Ferrari team manager Dragoni to get stuffed (or something to that effect), and departed. Surtees joined the Cooper team where he finished the 1966 season, winning the Mexican Grand Prix in a Cooper Maserati T81 that October. With two wins and other placings, Surtees finished second in the 1966 Driver's Championship standings with 28 points behind Jack Brabham's 42.
*R11 --I knew Chris would want the chassis identified.
The Car:
A new shell from the folks at Prewing. It arrived on Wednesday, and I set to work. First the initial weigh in:
Lovely detailing and very accurate in size, but I want to remove at least 5 grams of resin here and there.
I was shooting for 7.5 grams, but if I went any further, I'd be punching holes in the sides. I still have to sand and buff this car especially around the the windscreen lip where I got a bit careless with the Dremel.
A test fitting to check stance. This chassis has the correct track and tires (although the final version will have gold CB wheels), but the wheelbase on this chassis is about 5mm short. The final chassis will have the same construct with a 76mm wheelbase.
I was tempted to put a coat or two of Italian Red on the car, but I will wait until after the chassis fitting. By that time, it could be snowing in Montana, which will put off shell painting until next April or May.
Stay tuned.
This is the best of the Prewing shells, in my humble opinion, and I believe I have most if not all of them.
The setting: ( From Grandprix.com with edits by MH)
Belgian GP
Spa-Francorchamps
June 12, 1966
28 Laps, 14.1 km
The field for the Belgian GP was much the same as it had been at Monaco a fortnight earlier although Dan Gurney had joined the series with a Climax-engined Eagle, his Weslake V12 engines still not being ready. The first new Lotus-BRM 43 appeared in the hands of Peter Arundell. Jim Clark stayed with a Lotus 33 now powered with a 2.0 L Coventry Climax.*
John Surtees was fastest in qualifying by three seconds in his Ferrari 312. Jochen Rindt was alongside in his Cooper-Maserati while Jackie Stewart finished off the front row in his V8-engined BRM P261.
The weather was treacherous as the cars set off with Surtees taking the lead. At Burnenville the field ran into a heavy rain storm and Bonnier, Spence, Jo Siffert (Rob Walker Cooper) and Denny Hulme (Brabham-Repco) all went off. Rindt had a huge spin in the Masta Kink but emerged without hitting anything. However, Stewart, Hill and Bob Bondurant all lost control at the same place. Bondurant's car overturned but he escaped with only cuts and bruises. Hill's car was undamaged. Hill and Bondurant went to the aid of Stewart, who was trapped in his upturned car, covered with petrol with a broken shoulder, a cracked rib and internal bruising. Fortunately Stewart was rescued before the car caught fire but the Scotsman would be out of action for a couple of months.
By lap two there were only seven cars left running with Surtees leading Brabham, Bandini, Ginther, Rindt, Ligier and Gurney. There was a battle for the lead in the early laps with Rindt gaining the lead followed by Surtees and Bandini in the Ferraris. As the track began to dry Rindt found his Cooper-Maserati to be a bit of a handful and slowed. On lap 24, Surtees went back into the lead to victory. Bandini finished third a lap down, with Brabham fourth and Ginther fifth.
Shortly after the race, Surtees, fed up with the team politics, told Ferrari team manager Dragoni to get stuffed (or something to that effect), and departed. Surtees joined the Cooper team where he finished the 1966 season, winning the Mexican Grand Prix in a Cooper Maserati T81 that October. With two wins and other placings, Surtees finished second in the 1966 Driver's Championship standings with 28 points behind Jack Brabham's 42.
*R11 --I knew Chris would want the chassis identified.
The Car:
A new shell from the folks at Prewing. It arrived on Wednesday, and I set to work. First the initial weigh in:
Lovely detailing and very accurate in size, but I want to remove at least 5 grams of resin here and there.
I was shooting for 7.5 grams, but if I went any further, I'd be punching holes in the sides. I still have to sand and buff this car especially around the the windscreen lip where I got a bit careless with the Dremel.
A test fitting to check stance. This chassis has the correct track and tires (although the final version will have gold CB wheels), but the wheelbase on this chassis is about 5mm short. The final chassis will have the same construct with a 76mm wheelbase.
I was tempted to put a coat or two of Italian Red on the car, but I will wait until after the chassis fitting. By that time, it could be snowing in Montana, which will put off shell painting until next April or May.
Stay tuned.
This is the best of the Prewing shells, in my humble opinion, and I believe I have most if not all of them.