Jim Clark

Nice add Stewart! Looks like the SMTS model is the 1960/61 Le Mans car Stewart with the revised rear end. Not 100% correct, but not many would probably notice. On a side note, Clark drove for John Ogier's Essex Racing Stable with the DB4 Zagato as well. Going from memory, Clark was to drive in F1 for Aston in 1959 but they did not get the car ready for that season. When Aston gave up sports car racing at the end of 1959 to focus on F1, Ogier took over the cars and started a semi-works team in 1960, Essex. Ogier was also close with David Murray of Ecurie Ecosse, so maybe some additional influence on the wee Scot there as well.

Following on from Jerry’s post Ron and I have got to research the provenance of this model as highlighted by the image below. 



Obviously it can’t represent the Essex Racing #11 car from the 1961 Nurburgring 1000km race as we had hoped, since the back end is totally different. 
Incidentally the Starter model on the left was my original attempt at that car which was on hold because I melted the windscreen with a hairdryer whilst applying new decals! I was also a bit daunted by the need to remove the wheel spats. It looks like I’ll have to rekindle that project. 
Undaunted we are looking into wether we can re create it as an early 1960 season Border Reivers car that was campaigned in Aston Martin green as evidenced by Racing Sports Cars below. 



This DBR1 chassis #3 was purchased by Jock McBain after it was rebuilt following the pit fire at Goodwood in 1959.



The question is as to how it was rebuilt, was it with the sloping back end without the prominent wheel arches? Certainly that’s how it appeared at the Nurburgring in the race before Le Mans that year





I can’t find any photos yet of the car at the earlier English meetings at Oulton Goodwood nor Silverstone. 
Ian Scot-Watson in his memoir mentions the fact they had to alter the back end to accommodate the addition of a “lunchbox” to satisfy the obstructive requirements at Le Mans regarding the spare wheel etc. I take that to entail the ugly rectangular protrusion at the rear.
My intention then is to remove said protrusion and re number the car accordingly to suit those early outings. 
Any input would be appreciated. Jerry might have some ideas. I should also see what Graham Gauld can reveal on this topic.

Yet another White Metal packaging mishap!





So far so good. 



Oops!
I offered to send the eBay seller all the SMTS bits and pieces for it to be shipped as per the factory. Box, base, screws and spacers, but they declined. They tried their best but not quite good enough.
At least the especially vulnerable bits, screen, exhausts, and mirrors are ok and the wonky upright and the wheels are easily sorted.
The annoying thing is I sold the exact same model a few years ago whilst dismantling my Lotus/Scottish collections.

That's a shame, hope you can fix it. Vectis managed to inflict more damage on a Lotus 25 when they sent it, I knew the front wheels were off of it but when it arrived other damage had been incurred. It is an older model that was packed securely in a foam insert in the box so I can only surmise that some of their staff are careless especially as other models had damage or were in the wrong box.

I remember reading about Clark trying the ERA (built not too far from where I now live) and immediately going faster than the owner. Sheer class. Great that Valentine Lindsay gave you the answer of its colour and so on.

I don't have a great deal to add other than the car an ERA R5B, was driven by one of my favorite drivers of the era, Prince Bira of Siam. It was restored to the Racing colors of Siam. B.Bira as he was also known, drove this car, Remus, in British events and its sister Romulus in international races for his cousin Prince Chula's White Mouse Racing. It will make a great addition to your collection Stewart. I like the opposite camber of the right rear and front wheel in that one photo. Are you going to replicate that? 😁