New additions at my collection HQ

That looks great

BRABHAM BT30 – F2 European Trophy 1970

This next model is rather an unexpected addition to my Derek Bell collection for reasons I shall explain. Every Thursday afternoon I receive a weekly newsletter in an email format from Grand Prix Models. I’m sure other members who need to be updated with new releases do also.

A few months ago, I was scrolling through the content of one such newsletter to be surprised by the announcement of future releases of some F2 Brabham BT30 built kits. My interested was focused, I’m fully aware of the need to add a BT30 to my DB collection. Three versions are available, one of them being a Derek Bell version. Without delay a pre-order was placed. That pre-order has now turned into reality, the built kit has arrived.

The three versions are shown below, #1 Jackie Stewart, #6 Derek Bell and #34 Henri Pescarolo. All three are from the 1970 F2 European Championship and produced by a French company called MEA Kit43.






Acquiring this model has at last filled a gap in my DB collection that has laid open for far to long. The trouble is, as a renowned sportscar driver of high distinction there are very few kits, built kits or manufactured scale models of his earlier single seater career. Slowly but sure though, one or two are beginning to come to fruition, this one long awaited.

By the end of 1969 Derek’s racing career was faltering. Ferrari decided his services were no longer required so he went searching for other opportunities. With confidence slightly dented but still very much of the thinking of a career in single seaters, he approached Tom Wheatcroft to discuss the purchase of a Brabham BT30 formula 2 car. In this day and age that sounded like a backwards step. As may be but it was the right thing to do as the results during 1970 championship testified. Coming third at Thruxton, Wills Trophy behind Jackie Stewart and Jochen Rindt, then 4th at Pau, 3rd at Hockenheim and then what to this day he says is one of the best races of his life, 1st at Montjuich Park, Barcelona. By the end of the year even with the team running the car on a very modest budget in comparison, he finished runner up in the Championship to Clay Regazzoni.


1st at Barcelona




“We only had one engine while Clay seemed to have as many engines as he wanted in the works Tecno,” says Bell. “It was an epic battle that lasted all year long, our little team up against the Tecnos, and Clay was a very, very tough rival.

This model I believe, marks a significance in illustrating his ability to turn around his career and show the racing fraternity his capabilities. The positive results were certainly more consistent, which started to open more opportunities that lead to another F1 driver this time in a Surtees TS7.

The F2 championship calendar in 1970 was quite extensive and after the round at Rouen in June, Derek’s crew took the Brabham to Le Mans. Derek was one of the many professional drivers involved with Steve McQueen and his Solar Productions team filming the iconic film Le Mans. On the car’s arrival Derek took it around the Bugatti Circuit. “I was there from the week after Le Mans until October,” says Bell. “I’d dive off at weekends to race. On the way to the European championship races, we’d bring my F2 car down and I’d do a couple of laps of the Bugatti Circuit. That’s when Steve had a go in it. There were great pictures of him, which were all over the press. Can you imagine it today? He did 10 laps and really loved it.”





It is well documented that McQueen was a racer and within his 10 laps he had managed to get within 3 seconds of Derek’s fastest lap of 1m 43 seconds impressing Derek and several members of the press who to hand.

This little snippet only adds to this model’s desirability. Here is one model that can bring together the personalities, place and film of great interest to me. Le Mans, Derek Bell, Steve McQueen and his film Le Mans.

An amazing back story and a lovely little model!

I can remember going to the old Crystal Palace track in South London to watch the F2 meeting so would have probably seen all the drivers mentioned then. It was a great meeting on a very tight and demanding track and was very easy for me to travel to on the 122 bus that terminated at Crystal Palace, the circuit was about all of five minutes walk and entrance cost me two shillings. These MEA models are very nice but I must resist, I daren't start collecting them.

Ok, so if a book is not forthcoming from you Paul, I think you should at least get a gig as DB’s full time researcher.  I continue to be amazed at your tenacity in tracking these cars down.

Moving away from my DB collection and onto my Le Mans collection I offer this next example....


PORSCHE 914/6 – Le Mans 1971

For some unexplained reason for which I have no answer the Porsche 914 has this compelling allure on me. It’s all very strange really, as by sheer coincidence I’ve started buying Marmite in my monthly shop. Never had a great desire for it as a kid but just recently my taste buds cannot get enough of the stuff. I’m not quite there with the 914 but if I had the available space and the cash, I would buy one, and it would have to be in orange.

Personally, I think it is a car that personifies the seventies when I look back. During my teens I didn’t even know what a 914 was let alone a Porsche. Life at that time was a mixed-up struggle what with trying to pass exams, leave school and get a job. You must understand, my petrolhead gens were in their infancy of development. Anyway, I didn’t like Marmite then!

This 914 ended up in my shopping basket during a visit “up north” and is the third model of four I purchased at the beginning of December. Like a moth I was blinded by the light. Well, colour actually, added to that my deep seated 914 need, it came home with me.

My de facto Le Mans collection criteria these days tends to be purchases of models of cars that either finished or have had a great influence on the event. This 914 has neither. Thumb through the results for 1971 and you will see a DNF posted against #46 having only completed 61 laps. When it was racing, it didn’t raise any media eyebrows either so had no influence on the great race. This model bucked a trend and I’m very pleased it did.

With such a humdrum race what narrative is left to write about I asked myself. Turning to the drivers as a substitute for my curiosity, I soon discovered some interesting dialogue. One of the many reasons for enjoying our hobby, you never know what you will learn next.



Driven by Frenchman Jean Sage and Swiss driver Paul Keller under the entrant of Ecurie Porsche Club Romand of Lausanne I found myself intrigued to discover a multitude of notable historical motor racing facts.

Jean Sage, I’ve now discovered (all because of this model) was involved at a very high level with both the Renault sports car team and the Turbo F1 Team in the late 70’s. He was responsible for logistics within the sportscar team and team manger in the F1 team, simultaneously! Because of the team’s desire to win Le Mans with the prototypes, tests were carried out on airfields, on motorways, and more often at Paul Ricard circuit. They literally ate, slept, and drank to the sound of the sportcar engines. With feet not touching the ground he was also responsible as F1 team manger orchestrating the testing of the F1 effort.

Unfortunately, I cannot find as much information about Paul Keller. That said he did win the GT 3 litre class at Le Mans in 1973 in a Porsche 911 Carrera RSR. He did campaign many endurance sportscar events in the 70’s with a modicum of success.

Now I will freely admit I’m no aficionado when it comes to Porsche. However, those of more authority them myself, I understand the 914 tends to be a bit of an outcast from the rest of the Porsche family stable. Bit like a jar of Marmite, you either love it or hate it.

Launched in 1969 at the Frankfurt Motor show customers were supposedly enticed by a “cheaper” Porsche sportscar by opting for the VW powered flat 4, 1679cc version. For those wishing to stay on the correct side of the fence, could opt for the Porsche powered flat 6 1991cc version. It was an exercise designed by Porsche in a joint venture with VW to go back to their origins. Regrettably, it didn’t really work out because of the car’s lowly origins meant it was never accepted as a “true” Porsche.

Along with my jar of Marmite I personally admire it for what it is. A 1970’s icon in orange.

Beautiful, little beast! What's not to love from that bygone era?