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Topic starter
21/10/2023 1:21 pm
Back in 1930, it was much easier to have your own special body made as when you bought a quality car, you were in fact just buying a rolling chassis and engine. With the coachbuilding workshops of E. Bertelli conveniently situated next door to the Aston Martin factory, most cars went straight there to receive a standard body. But as if to prove that E. Bertelli weren't just knocking out multiple copies of the same body, they constructed this achingly beautiful fixed head coupe on a short chassis for the wealthy Whitby ship owner, W.S.Headlam.
International 1930 Aston Martin link:
to https://astonmartins.com/car/international-fixed-head-coupe-headlam/
SMTS
SMTS, or Scale Model Technical Services, is British manufacturer of models in 1:43 kits from white metal and in built form. The company was founded in 1983 by Keith Williams and John Allen. Handmade models are manufactured by small team of craftsmen in Hastings, East Sussex on the south coast of England.
Frank Reed
Chesapeake, VA
21/10/2023 2:22 pm
Oh boy, that one looks sensational, both as a 1:1 and as a 1/43 replica. Beautiful !
21/10/2023 3:16 pm
That is a beautiful model. It's on my wish list.
John Merritt
South Lyon, Michigan - USA
21/10/2023 3:30 pm
Frank, what a great model and fascinating history. SMTS make wonderful models and this will fit right at home in your collection.
John Kuvakas and Frank Reed reacted
21/10/2023 3:48 pm
What a beauty Frank. How many more SMTS do you have to show us?
This a real candy factory.
John Kuvakas and Frank Reed reacted
Topic starter
21/10/2023 4:09 pm
The only other I have is a U. S Model Mint by SMTS
Frank Reed
Chesapeake, VA
21/10/2023 4:20 pm
@frank I'm pretty sure Brooklin made US Model Mint. They always had a section in the Brooklin catalogues alongside Rob Eddy (Swedish models) and Landsdown (British models). That said, their range was generally lorries, panel vans and the present Plymouth GTX. I don't remember ever seeing your Chevrolet in their range. Maybe it is simply SMTS?
SMTS produced Western Models / Small Wheels / and a number of British smaller producers, I believe.
David Green and John Kuvakas reacted
21/10/2023 5:10 pm
In October 2022 there were three SMTS Aston Martin models on display at the Chicago/Countryside. They were the 1930 model discussed above, a DB5, and a DB4. See below picture. What impressed me most about the 1930 model were the wire wheels. They looked great. I did not buy the 1930 model, but later bought the metallic blue DB5. The DB5 is also a beautiful model. If you would like to add an Aston Martin to your collection, I would recommend any or all of them.
Ed Davis
Inverness, Illinois, USA
21/10/2023 6:01 pm
@frank Frank, if in fact your model is Motor City USA MC-32 Chevrolet Bel Air or a related Design Studios version - I do know they issue these in same colours but with certain differences in trim - then it's much, much nicer than US Model Mint!
21/10/2023 7:28 pm
SMTS produced Western Models / Small Wheels / and a number of British smaller producers, I believe.
Hi Charles
The original Western Models were produced by Western Models. The company was started by Mike Stephens, Bryan Garfield-Jones and Ken Wooton in January 1974 and the first model was a Mercedes Benz 540K. This model is possibly the most produced white metal handbuilt ever with around 10,000 models built by the factory until closure in 2007. Mike took full control in 1975 and even issued 1:4th scale models e.g. an Essex Lotus.
Small Wheels was started by Dave Evans and Sue Pinnington in 1983. They concentrated on 1:24th scale with parts produced by Western Models. In 1986 Western Models purchased Small Wheels and released 1:43rd scale models under what became a Western Models sub brand.
The models made by SMTS are called Western Models Collector's Editions and production started in 2008.
An interesting article about Mike and Western Models was published in the 'Automobile Year Book of Models 1 1982'.
Hope this helps
Chris
Autominologist residing in the Robin Hood County
Nottinghamshire England UK
21/10/2023 7:35 pm
@chris-sweetman This is very helpful, thanks so much for taking the trouble. I shall copy and paste your history - if that's ok - so I won't loose it.
John Kuvakas and David Green reacted
21/10/2023 10:00 pm
I was really struck by your description of the model as “achingly beautiful.” To the rest of you, what model(s) in your collection would you describe as achingly beautiful?
John Kuvakas reacted
Topic starter
21/10/2023 10:04 pm
@randyrusk I’d like to take credit for the description but I need to point out that I cut and pasted it from the attached link. 🥹
Frank Reed
Chesapeake, VA
John Kuvakas and Randy Rusk reacted
22/10/2023 6:04 am
@frank I'm pretty sure Brooklin made US Model Mint.
From hobbyDB:
US Model Mint was a line of 1/43 US white metal models that was first an independent brand based in Granger, Indiana that outsourced its production runs from SMTS and later from Brooklin Models. In 1995 Brooklin brought the brand and made it one of its series.
- US Mint from 1 to 14, made by SMTS for Brasilia Press.
- US Mint from 15 to 38 made by Brooklin still for Brasilia Press but sold also by Brooklin.
- Not all reference numbers were made
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