The Diecast Zone · Model Car Club Since 1994
Diecast Collector Forums
Eight forums, every scale, and thirty years of shop talk — new arrivals, restorations, reviews, and the finds you won’t see posted anywhere else, with the full archive back to 2002 restored and searchable. Free to Register.
8Forums
195,000+Topics
1,276,000+Posts
10,000+Members
Notifications
Clear all
21/08/2019 12:02 am
Well now ... That's .... Interesting ... What is it ?
21/08/2019 3:59 am
Dennis, that's the Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage"...
driven by Bill Krause who won the 1960 Los Angeles Times Grand Prix in that car. I believe it is the 1/18 Minichamps release. They did at least two other Maserati Birdcage models in 1/18.
Topic starter
21/08/2019 5:33 am
That's exactly right, David...it is the Minichamps release. CMC did the white/blue versions (which Minichamps also did), but price wise they're way out of my comfort zone. I think this is one of Minichamps best models.
more pics...
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
in action...
photo no longer available
21/08/2019 7:43 am
Those are fantastic detailed pics of this model....
Thanks for showing them. I remember that the CMC model, although as beautiful and well detailed as it is, was criticized for it being more of a model of the restored car rather than the original.
The Minichamps Birdcages are all extremely well done, just as your photos of the #53 show.
Topic starter
21/08/2019 8:36 am
Thanks again, David.
That's what I remember reading about the CMC as well.
22/08/2019 3:58 am
Minichamps did the body better than CMC!
22/08/2019 9:42 am
Hey Josh, I don’t have the Minichamps. What did CMC do wrong? I have the CMC, and love it.
Topic starter
23/08/2019 5:17 am
from what I remember, the shape of the rear wheel well/arch is squared off on the original cars, versus rounded off on the restored car that CMC used for their model.
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
that being said, it is nitpicking for sure. As the Revs Institute says, "No two Birdcages were precisely alike. Variations depended on the whim of the welder and the preference of the customer." The CMC is a fantastic model with even more details.
Good read here on their site: Revs Institute
23/08/2019 5:25 am
Two major miss cues on the CMC version are the ride height of the front end, easily adjusted but still. They missed the rear wheel well shape, should be more flat at the top. Fantastic details though. Here is mine with the front end lowered.
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
23/08/2019 5:28 am
Good info, most race cars from this era were different from car to car, hand built and sometimes the driver got to have input too.