Louis Rosier Talbot Lago Complete!
May 10, 2017 18:28:55 GMT -5
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Post by 1961redlegs on May 10, 2017 18:28:55 GMT -5
Last night I finished my build of Louis Rosier's 1949 Belgian Grand Prix-winning Talbot Lago.
Louis Rosier came to auto racing relatively late in life, beginning his career at age 33 when he entered the 1938 24 Hours of LeMans. The Second World War interrupted his budding race career, as he spent the war years as an active member of the French resistance. When the war ended, he picked up the wheel once again.
He raced extensively in the postwar years, with his biggest victories being in the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix and partnering with his son John Louis to win the 1950 24 Hours of LeMans (driving all but a couple laps!). He mostly ran Talbot Lagos and other French marques, but he also drove Maseratis and Ferraris on occasion.
He wasn't always the fastest driver, but he was a brilliant tactician as typified by his win in the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix. The Ferraris of Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari easily set the pace, but Rosier's Talbot Lago had better gas mileage and he got through the race without a pit stop, finishing 49 seconds ahead of Villoresi.
He created his own racing team, Ecurie Rosier and helped found the race course at Clermont-Ferrand. He never got to race there, as he died in a crash at the Montlhéry course in 1956.
The car is the old Merit/SMER kit with Michael's wonderful update as well as decals along with wheels and tires by Fernando Pinto. I made homemade brakes out of sheet plastic and added padding to both sides of the driver's seat. I painted the car Tamiya French Blue and clearcoated it with Future floor wax.
I started this build back in January, but halted after having problems mating Herb Deeks' wheels to the kit tires. Once I put some money together I ordered a set of Fernando Pinto's wheels and resumed the build with a vengeance. The car went together pretty well and I have no complaints about the finished product. Thank you for looking.
Louis Rosier came to auto racing relatively late in life, beginning his career at age 33 when he entered the 1938 24 Hours of LeMans. The Second World War interrupted his budding race career, as he spent the war years as an active member of the French resistance. When the war ended, he picked up the wheel once again.
He raced extensively in the postwar years, with his biggest victories being in the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix and partnering with his son John Louis to win the 1950 24 Hours of LeMans (driving all but a couple laps!). He mostly ran Talbot Lagos and other French marques, but he also drove Maseratis and Ferraris on occasion.
He wasn't always the fastest driver, but he was a brilliant tactician as typified by his win in the 1949 Belgian Grand Prix. The Ferraris of Luigi Villoresi and Alberto Ascari easily set the pace, but Rosier's Talbot Lago had better gas mileage and he got through the race without a pit stop, finishing 49 seconds ahead of Villoresi.
He created his own racing team, Ecurie Rosier and helped found the race course at Clermont-Ferrand. He never got to race there, as he died in a crash at the Montlhéry course in 1956.
The car is the old Merit/SMER kit with Michael's wonderful update as well as decals along with wheels and tires by Fernando Pinto. I made homemade brakes out of sheet plastic and added padding to both sides of the driver's seat. I painted the car Tamiya French Blue and clearcoated it with Future floor wax.
I started this build back in January, but halted after having problems mating Herb Deeks' wheels to the kit tires. Once I put some money together I ordered a set of Fernando Pinto's wheels and resumed the build with a vengeance. The car went together pretty well and I have no complaints about the finished product. Thank you for looking.
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