|
Post by 105epaul on Feb 18, 2023 8:00:29 GMT -5
I was at the 1986 LM24H and can remember the announcement over the loudspeakers that Jo Gartner had been killed. Very sad indeed and sobering to say the least. But back to the model, it's very nice and of course a standout livery. Back in the day I used to buy the Vitesse range of 956/962s and I think they did the Leyton House version. Naturally it won't be anywhere as nice as this one.
|
|
LM24HRS
Member
Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".
Posts: 454
Member is Online
|
Post by LM24HRS on Mar 1, 2023 16:35:49 GMT -5
LH livery is always a winner for me. Fab model. Thanks Tom. Great colour! Agree with you Julio, certainly pops. Very eye-catching. You miss this one in the cabinet. Against a black back ground it certainly shines out at you. Always been a fan of the Leyton House livery. That is a cracking model. Spark? Hi Paul, yep a recent release by Spark. Very nice indeed. For true authenticity, does the model come with a 1:43 bankruptcy petition Paul . Now there's a selling point.....or not as the case may be!
|
|
LM24HRS
Member
Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".
Posts: 454
Member is Online
|
Post by LM24HRS on Mar 1, 2023 16:39:47 GMT -5
I was at the 1986 LM24H and can remember the announcement over the loudspeakers that Jo Gartner had been killed. Very sad indeed and sobering to say the least. But back to the model, it's very nice and of course a standout livery. Back in the day I used to buy the Vitesse range of 956/962s and I think they did the Leyton House version. Naturally it won't be anywhere as nice as this one. Hi Paul. That must of been a horrendous atmosphere after the announcement. Spark have produced this one. Don't think you can have too many 956/962's in your collection.
|
|
LM24HRS
Member
Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".
Posts: 454
Member is Online
|
Post by LM24HRS on Mar 1, 2023 16:47:05 GMT -5
And now time for a sports car with no numbers on the doors. Quite a rare occasion within these pages. LIGIER JS2 – The road-going version. I haven’t been to a toy and collectors fair for several years until just recently. Now living in Wales my options are a little limited due to longer distances but that aside I came across 2023 dates for the Malvern collectors’ fairs at the Three Counties Show ground. The last Sunday in February was their first of the year. It was a beautiful clear blue-sky day but very crisp. The backdrop of the Malvern Hills put me in good spirits with anticipation for great collection expectations. After wandering up and down the aisles in Hall Seven it didn’t take me too long to re-adjust my focus in trying to find any Le Mans models, there were none. Never mind I thought, let’s have an alternative approach and search something out for my select road car collection. Just as I was about to take my leave, deciding I had had a good as any rummage, something in orange caught my eye. I very rarely purchase Part Work series but this one I couldn’t resist. It isn’t mainstream, (a very important factor), it’s curiously French, it’s mid-engined, and it’s a Ligier which happens to have a Maserati power plant. All scarce properties, the sort of thing I take a liking to. In 1968 Guy Ligier retired from racing following the death of his close friend, former teammate and business partner Jo Schlesser. Previously they had discussed plans and shared a dream to build a “good car”. Ligier went ahead and established his company Ligier Cars shortly after Schlesser's death. Ligier cars would receive type designators beginning with "JS" as a tribute to Schlesser. This tradition is being continued by Onroak, the current owner of Ligier. The JS2 was built between the years of 1971 and 1975, road going versions together with competition versions were built. The first public showing was at the 1970 Salon de l'Auto in Paris be it with a 2.6 litre Ford V6 power plant. The supply of Ford engines was very short lived as they soon declined to supply engines to Ligier for the JS2, primarily as they were developing the engine for their GT70. Ligier therefore turned to Citroen who in 1968 had purchased Maserati giving access to the 2675cc, all-alloy Maserati-sourced V6, an engine usually seen in its SM grand tourer. In the event the GT70 would never see the light of day, but Ligier came out of it with a better package, because the SM’s engine was much more sophisticated and lighter too, which helped to lower the centre of gravity. The revised JS2, now with Citroën-Maserati power, was unveiled at the autumn 1971 Paris Salon, but it would be another year before the first customer cars were delivered. Just a handful were made before Citroën increased the V6’s displacement to 2965cc, with power jumping from 168bhp to 192bhp in the process. The JS2 was reviewed very favourably by the European press, and production ticked over throughout 1973, then in 1974 Ligier signed a deal with Citroën for its dealers to sell and service the JS2. By the end of that year Ligier was building the SM for Citroën, but the oil crisis was in full swing and sales of large-engined sports cars were hard to come by. A JS2 Series 2 was unveiled in 1975, with pop-up headlights in place of the previous faired-in items, but things soon took a turn for the worse. Citroën was in dire straits and in 1975 it went bust, as a result of which it was forced to merge with Peugeot, which promptly axed the SM. Maserati was sold to de Tomaso which ended production of the V6 engine that powered the JS2, leaving Ligier high and dry. Some sources estimate JS2 production figures to be as many as 350, but it’s reckoned fewer than 100 were actually built. The JS2 was Guy Ligier’s one and only road-going sports car due to his disillusionment with big car makers to produce further sports cars. He turned his attention instead to microcars before handing the reins to his son Phillippe in 2008. Guy Ligier died in 2015 having sold the racing division in 2013. Quite apprehending in orange for a French car, I think. Apparently for those patriotic type there is also a Part Works version in French blue. Something to look for at my next collectors fair…..possibly.
|
|
|
Post by Alfaholic on Mar 1, 2023 21:54:38 GMT -5
On face value this does look like a strange choice Paul, but your words have convinced me that this one will sit well in your collection - the Maserati power-plant is reason enough! If you don't already have one, you do need a numbered version to go with it
|
|
|
Post by Tom on Mar 1, 2023 23:52:20 GMT -5
Excellent choice, which reminds me that I really should put this on my list. Nice model too.
|
|
|
Post by reeft1 on Mar 2, 2023 2:34:47 GMT -5
Nice addition
|
|
|
Post by JSB33 on Mar 4, 2023 8:43:53 GMT -5
2 thumbs up for this one.
|
|
|
Post by jager on Mar 4, 2023 22:03:21 GMT -5
While its not a Le Mans car Paul, its a great model and I'm sure you know these raced at La Sarthe in a variety of liveries over several years. It would be interesting to get a LM version if you don't have one already to pair up with the road car.
|
|
LM24HRS
Member
Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".
Posts: 454
Member is Online
|
Post by LM24HRS on Mar 22, 2023 10:44:12 GMT -5
On face value this does look like a strange choice Paul, but your words have convinced me that this one will sit well in your collection - the Maserati power-plant is reason enough! If you don't already have one, you do need a numbered version to go with it Correct Martin, I do indeed need a numbered version to go with it. Sort of been looking but never got around to hitting the "buy" button. Perhaps the time is to now focus a little harder on the task to hand Excellent choice, which reminds me that I really should put this on my list. Nice model too. I recommend the model Tom, well worth the effort to find one. Nice addition Thanks Paul, certainly gets attention. 2 thumbs up for this one. Thanks Jeff, glad it hits the mark with you also. While its not a Le Mans car Paul, its a great model and I'm sure you know these raced at La Sarthe in a variety of liveries over several years. It would be interesting to get a LM version if you don't have one already to pair up with the road car. As I said to Martin, time to focus more on obtaining more Ligier's now I think. I have made a start with what is coming next........
|
|
LM24HRS
Member
Paul - "Collecting Motorsport in Miniature; for the passion and its history".
Posts: 454
Member is Online
|
Post by LM24HRS on Mar 22, 2023 10:59:34 GMT -5
It now makes perfect sense to move onto the JS3 Ligier....... plus something extra. LIGIER JS3 & TRANSPORTER – Le Mans 1971
The satisfaction of when a long-term plan comes together is palpable. This story starts over ten years ago (so not entirely correct for "What have you bought today, however.....") when I was in preparation for one of our February Race Retro club displays held at Stoneleigh near Coventry. My decision was to display “The 80th Running of the Le Mans 24 hours” by representing each year with one model, plus one winner from each decade. This was very much a joint venture primarily between myself and an other club member who loaned me some of his models of the years I didn’t have at the time. I can’t believe that we displayed 80 models in my black “coffin” display cabinet in the end. A great achievement. In amongst all those 80 models was one Bizarre yellow and green Ligier JS3 from 1971. Now at the time, I had no particular attachment to this model. If fact, not long after the show I sold it at the Autumn Beaulieu autojumble. On exchanging cash for model, at the back of my mind I could hear a voice saying, “you are going to regret that mate.” For why I had absolutely no idea. That was until Spark released their Saviem S45 Ligier transporter some years later. If only I had kept that Bizarre model, I could have produced a small diorama together with the transporter. Should I buy the transporter anyway I considered, thinking I might be able to buy another Bizarre model at a later date. I went for it and stashed the transporter away as a long-time plan. As luck would have it and not long after, Spark earlier last year announced the release of the Ligier JS3. Result: quick order went in, the product of which has just arrived. At last, I have a marriage of transporter and prototype endurance racer, both in yellow and green. All I need to do now is order some Denizen mechanic figures and paint in light yellow ready for a small diorama. Below is my old Bizzare Model Ligier, which I sold not long after the display. Bizzare Model JS3 is just in bottom left of the display.
|
|
|
Post by Tom on Mar 22, 2023 11:26:31 GMT -5
Great to have everything fall into place again. Love the combination of the two cars.
|
|
|
Post by reeft1 on Mar 22, 2023 13:23:57 GMT -5
Super pairing
|
|
|
Post by oldirish33 on Mar 22, 2023 18:16:38 GMT -5
Like you, I waited a long time to add the car to pair with the transporter. I think many of us had the old Solido version of the JS3 at one time or another, but that never seemed adequate in light of more modern production. I didn't know Bizarre had made a version. It was nice Spark made the model and a group of mechanics would make a nice group! Great add!
|
|
|
Post by Alfaholic on Mar 22, 2023 21:30:27 GMT -5
If this collecting lark was too easy it would be boring - great story and it's good when things come together.
|
|