1/43rd F2s F3s FPs and FAs

[quattro]

Hey chaps

Hope everyone is well. Still extraordinary times.

Everyone affected in one way or another but sure you are all staying strong.

Well Gents. I am gong to declare squatters rights in this quiet little corner of the forum!

Got a job list as long as my arm to get thru of a bundle of seventies lower formula stuff.

Gonna take a bit of doing but I have made a start.

A March 742 that was raced by Gunnar Nilsson. I will be a bit more detailed about it when I am finished.

One thing that has created a headache for me over time is sizing anything not F1 or Indy just right.

I look at all the stuff I have built and collected over the years and it is amazing how many different sizes of

car and particularly tires have manifested themselves in the F1 category alone from all the various manufacturers at 1/43rd.

Trying to balance tire sizes in particular for F2 and F3 models proves difficult.

To be honest I would say that the old X Tenariv and current Villa Models stuff is more like 1/40th.

But then I always appreciated that someone has put these out there.

[quattro]

Gunnar Nilsson Brian Lewis Racing March 742 Hockenheim version. Autumn 1974. 4th in heat 2.

I have wanted to do this one since I first started collecting these.

That was after reading about Nilsson's F2 jaunts in 73 and 74 in 'The Viking Drivers' by Fredrik af Petersons.

Back then I knew all about his F3 racing but not this.

He ran at Karlskoga in a number 36 version before (inset lower pic).

The kit is a bit 'recast' but I have waited for something this close to get going.

Waited and waited with an F1 741 sat here thinking I would have to rework that.

Re did the nose now I know what I am doing with styrene.

And the front suspension is very clunky. Should have done my own really but plenty to get on with.

The Vastkust Stugan stickers were darker than the blue on 'rental' March Lewis fielded

so had to find a blue that was a shade lighter. That seems OK.

The 36 had a more colourful scheme on it but I cannot find color ref for Dorno decals so skipped that.

Brian Lewis went on to enter his Boxer Hart F2 cars in 1977 which Danny Sullivan drove. One day.....

Moving on to a Sullivan F Pacific from 1978 and a Nilsson 743.

P.S. I have since dug deeper into my spare decals bag and found better sized Goodyear logos for the tires.

       The ones in the shot just looked way too big.

[jimhamill]

Nice work

I enjoy seeing something different - keep it up!

Jim

[quattro]

Cracking on. Try not to ramble on this one. Hope it is of interest.

1978 March 77B Danny Sullivan Formula Pacific Championship.

Sullivan went from Europe and racing the F2 Boxer to Japan at the end of the year

to take part in the Japanese JAF GP  for F2000 cars (in essence Formula 2 but with slightly different regs) at Suzuka.

He raced a Ralt RT1 for the Lemans Racing team. The race was won by Ricardo Patrese.

I mention this to follow on from the last post and maybe ask a favour later in the post.

He then went on to take part in the 1978 Pacific series racing against the likes of Steve Millen, Keke rosberg and Bobby Rahal.

This was from January through to March in Australia and New Zealand. I do not think it was reffered to as the Tasman series anymore.

Didn't take a win but did score good points and a few podiums.

He then went back to the USA to race the March 78b in the Bluebonnet Foods colours.

This is an FC models kit available on eBay and usually sold as an Atlantic March 76b in Villeneuve colours from that year.

It is a quality product. Really clean casting and nice decals. You can also get the Rahal Trois Rivieres version.

Just a small amount of pheripherals added takes it on to a 77A or B.

I know Minichamps have done Villeneuve and Hunt 76Bs but so many guys ran this car there is scope for anyone interested.

I am seriously thinking about adding the Rahal March from 1977 and the March and Ralt from 1978 to my build list.

Even toying with doing the Rahal's Walter Wolf Racing Dallara F3 from 78. But that is way off.

Size matters. I did wonder about the model's relative size compared to say an Indycar and think the maker got it about right.

Next to a standard mid 80s march 85 C it looks fine to me (apart from the front wheels having splayed out for some reason!)

Sorted!

Bin sitting in my to do box for ages and glad I finally got round to it.

The favour I mentioned. I have a Ralt RT1 kit but can never find a pic of the JAF race from 1977,

never mind the car raced by Sullivan.

Think the issue is threefold.

Long ago. Pre digital photography. Language barrier.

A few years ago a contact in Japan got me some great info on a Tambay Chevron B40 run at Fuji in the summer of 1977.

Can't get hold of him now.

Long shot but if anyone has a contact in Japan who might have some old Auto Sport mags or similar that might have a pic

of that Sullivan car that admittedly wasn't all that competitive then I would love to hear from them.

Sullivan also ran a JAF F2000 race early in 1976 in a March 742 Mitsubishi for Astron racing but that really is a stretch.

I have waited this long.

Got some iracing skins to do for a mate for now but will be back with more to stake my claim to the deeds on this section

of the forum!

Keep well chaps.