New at Old Irish Racing

Thanks Tom and I hope one turns up for you.  

Thanks Julio!

I figured you like this one better than some of my recent posts Martin.     I agree, the Bee Bop models have that nice combination of modern resin and of hand made models made in an earlier time.  Though not white metal, it has that overall appeal to me.

Thanks Paul, great minds.... 

Thanks Ian!  As was pointed out, it is on the radar of Kess at least.  It will always be unique, only 100 handmade models were produced.

Thanks for bringing that to our attention.  I think it will be great that more collectors will be able to get one or both versions of the car.  I do like it in silver!  While is wont probably be as "crisp" as the more mass produced Kess versions, I was glad to see that what I paid is less than what the new models are selling for.  

BB glad you liked it!  I will always love Ferrari race cars and are my preference.  

GPM says Kess will be out 4th quarter.  Like you, I think the third seat makes it look too wide.  They made it work better with the McLaren F1.  If not for the relevance to Ferrari evolution, I don't know if I would have purchased it.  

What a beautiful racer!

Rob Walker’sdistinctive cars always stood out and that usually translates into wonderful models. This one is no exception, and Moss’ last win makes it even more collectable.

Not the biggest fan of the "Cigar" era but this car is a very big exception to that.

Not Your Grandad’s Nash - Not a new issue by any stretch, but one I sold off and later regretted. I have been commissioned to do a couple of dioramas for a friend’s upcoming book on Nash-Healey and found one at auction that wasn’t too dear. This only leaves a couple of gaps in my Healey, Nash-Healey, Austin Healey Le Mans collection. One of Bizarre’s nicer efforts IMHO, just watch, it will probably be reissued shortly.  

Nash-Healey Sport Coupe - Le Mans 1951 - Bizarre



Healey designed an all-new car for Le Mans in 1951 using aluminum body panels to reduce weight. Utilizing the Nash 3.9L six-cylinder engine, Healey coaxed 127 bhp from the mostly stock production engine and even with its 40 imperial gallon fuel tank full, it was capable of 130 mph on the Mulsanne Straight. Tony Rolt and Duncan Hamilton were back in 1951 to drive for Healey, to see if they could better their 4th place finish in 1950.





While they were able to bring the car up to fourth place during a trouble-free run, faster cars from Cunningham and Aston Martin dropped them down to 6th place at the end. They had covered 2,142 miles at an average speed of 89.3 mph. The car next saw competition with Donald and Geoffrey Healey at the Mille Miglia in 1952. Donald at the wheel, a tire burst, and the car slid into a bridge parapet taking out most of the left side. Neither were hurt but they never raced together again. It was sold off but came back to Healey in 1962 for a full restoration.

Its a popular misconception that the car was rebodied after the 1952 Mille Miglia with an open body in time for Le Mans.  While the shape and livery of the two cars are very similar, the 1952 Le Mans car was a new car assembled in two weeks by Healey ace mechanic Roger Menadue.  Roger rebodied one of the experimental Nash-Healey chassis himself and tuned a 4.1L Nash engine.  While some of the special components may have found their way onto the 1952 car from the 1951 car, due to the short period between races, work had already started on the new car before the wrecked car arrived from Italy on a flatbed.  The fact that the car was hastily assembled and finished Le Mans in 3rd place was a testament to Roger and the strong Nash components.  In 1962 when the 1951 was car restored at Healey, Roger oversaw the rebody work and found many Nash-Healey competition pieces needed left over in the company stores.  The restored car as of 1962 is still in the UK.  I have always found that to be an interesting story.

Fasinating story Jerry and one that I'm sure was the way things were done in many a motorsport team not long after the end of WII. The emphasis very much on taking part then making it look purposeful. Pioneering days.

Like that a lot and one i wasn't particulalry aware of