[Closed] The Exoto 43 Collection

I have ordered the 1966 Exoto Bartoletti Type II transporter .....

in Alan Mann livery already but thanks for the information.

Cheers Chris

Re: last pic what is the history behind the number 2 .....

GT40?

I have found loads of info on numbers 7 & 8.

According to my research number 2 finished first at Le Mans in '66. But it
wasn't an Alan Mann entry this one was entered by Shelby -American.

Cheers Chris

Chris, the #2 you mention was also black ...

The white #2 shown in our photo was only a Le Mans test car. It never raced.

Alan Mann Racing transporter for Le Mans 1966

Alan Mann used the 1964 Cobra liveried transporter to take his two Ford GT40 Mk II's to Le Mans in 1966. A third white GT40 MkII was also seen on the transporter, but it had no race numbers on it at any point during the Le Mans week end and it was not a Mann car, as he only built the two that he raced.

The #2 GT40 MkII for Le Mans 1966 was always the McLaren Amon winning car, from practice through to winning.

I have little time for Exoto's representative making history up, either wittingly or unwittingly. Companies like Exoto, who reproduce motor racing history in model form, have both a duty and a responsibility to get it right - it is a fundamental necessity.

I'm not allowed to post here but had to say great info Paul, you da man!

Thanks Paul for your confirmation. I spent a happy ....

hour (or two) finding out about the 1966 Le Mans and then another
frustrating hour (or two) trying to find out about the Alan Mann GT40 with
the racing number 2! Then finally realising that it did not exist!

Cheers Chris

Paul Normand ...

I know your time is valuable, I will try to be brief. Alan Mann used the 1965 Cobra liveried transporter (not 1964 as you say because in 1964, the color of the transporter was Viking Blue metallic, and not Guardsman Blue metallic -- both are the official Shelby American colors of 1964 and 1965) --but-- he also added to the livery: like his address in England (seen on the transporter in 1966) ... The white car was on the transporter: wether this car was later raced by Joe or Moe does not matter here: it was there (as you say). It is true that on the ONLY HISTORICAL PHOTO we found which (by the way) is posted on the Exoto website, the white car had no number (so you're not telling us anything we don't know) --but-- #2 was assigned to it during testing at Le Mans. There are also historical photos which clearly show that the Le Mans winning car was shipped in the black color from the USA. What is a white MKII doing in England, assembled by Alan Mann Racing, only to be raced by Shelby American later? I don't think ... Perhaps matching serial chassis numbers will enlighten this question. Something I will check on and post here.

One more thing, the 1:43 cars on the Exoto43 transporter are produced by IXO, not Exoto. We show our transporters with their historical partners in order to help the collector. Had IXO produce the white #2 car without the number, we would have picked that one!

Exoto - is this really the way you treat potential .....

customers?

I am happy to discuss this issue further off this forum. Please e-mail me on:

christophersweetman1'at'tiscali.co.uk

Thanks

Kevin, why are you not allowed to post here?

The White #2 GT40 MKII / Le Mans 1966 ...

Chris, I am sorry you feel a response to a historical challenge has something to do with Customer Service at Exoto. We are talking, in an open forum, about some historical facts here, no more no less. You asked the question or there was doubt in your mind, and here I am to helping shed some light on your question ... Honestly, I call that excellent Customer Service!

The White #2 MKII at Le Mans 1966 -- CHASSIS 1012:

- This was only used as a TEST car at Le Mans 1966.

- Chassis 1012 racing history: Raced by Shelby American at Daytona on 5/2/66 taking 5th place ... Raced by Alan Mann Racing at Spa 22/5/66 finishing second ... Raced by Shelby American at Daytona 4/2/67 (crashed during testing) ... Information can be verified on page 419 of The Ford That Beat Ferrari book by John Allen & Gordon Jones.

- On page 110 of the same book, there is a nice color photo showing the unnumbered BLACK, RED, WHITE, SILVER, and YELLOW MKII awaiting shipment to France.

- The Alan Mann cars were prepared by Shelby American in the USA utilizing some guidance, instructions, special parts directly from Alan Mann Racing.

- The SILVER, YELLOW, and WHITE MKII's were handed over to Alan Mann Racing to be transported, further modified, and prepared for race day.

- The WHITE car (chassis 1012) remained a TEST CAR. Never raced at le Mans 1966.

I hope this clarifies and helps the discussion we have had. Thank you.

Thanks Exoto I also got this info from ...............

http://90plan.ovh.net/~emotiona/gt40/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=30

Your comments and references match the one above. However, the white
GT40 loaded onto the Alan Mann transporter never had the number 2! IXO
have got it right because they have modelled the car that featured in the
preliminary practice race at Le Mans on the 2rd/3rd April 1966. As you
well know competition cars can change appearance, colour, sponsor details
etc... and the information supplied with products needs to be accurate.

Chassis 1012 went though many changes throughout its career. One of
the most famous was the livery during it's role as a promotional - white
with blue stripes - the colour scheme selected by Matchbox for their 1-75
series Ford GT40 issued in the late 1960's.

Cheers Chris

Just what I was thinking Dick.

I have to thank you and smile :))

How do we know that the #2 TEST car, after the first TEST day, was not placed back on the transporter and hauled back to the Peugeot Garage that was rented to Ford during Le Mans 1966? ... 1 Historic photo gives us an idea of a single frozen moment in time but does not tell us the whole story ... Unfortunately, there are very few photos of Race Car Transporters that were archived through the years. Therefore, the "statement" about the white GT40 MKII being on the transporter exclusively without numbers MAY (a big may) be true but is not certain. With or without number 2, the Exoto43 set looks very nostalgic and real!

Nice transporter but 3X ixo models not worth $600.