I don’t think you need to be a Cobra fanatic to find this item intoxicating. Many totalkitcar readers share my passion for sixties race transporters; however, with Christmas (OK, I’m sorry!) just nineteen weeks away perhaps this new 1:43 scale model of the Shelby Team Transporter from IXO may just be placed on various Christmas present lists!
Not only is it a stunning item in its own right, but if you have models of an AC Cobra or Cobra Daytona (to be completely period accurate) in your collection in the same scale, they will enhance an already superb item.
The model itself replicates (funny that, eh?) a 1956 Fiat 306/2 3-ASSI bodied by Bartoletti, originally built in period to transport Scarab Grand Prix cars, before being sold by Lance Reventlow to Carroll Shelby, whose team then proceeded to re-paint the transporter in Ford’s Princess Blue colour.
Between 1964 and 1965 it was a regular sight in race paddocks around Europe looked after by Alan Mann Racing on behalf of Shelby American, until Ford got the hump about its GT40 paint colour on an Italian transporter!
It was then sold to David Piper and re-painted in his well-known shade of green, seen on his collection of racing cars over the years. It is so synonymous with David that it is sold as ‘David Piper Green’ by Zero Paints (ZP-1008/30)! It is actually the oil company BP’s green that Piper ‘borrowed’.
The level of detail on the 1:43 model is outstanding and even comes with a full set of ramps and a complete, period decal set. Oh … and the registration plate ‘HMF 107B’ is correct, too.
It will look great on display as is, or with Shelby-spec Cobra and/or Daytona Coupe or how about as part of a diorama of a paddock scene?
Available now with an RRP of £80.99, visit www.ixomodels.com or specialist outlets in the UK such as Grand Prix Models or Mint Models ENDS.