ASTON MARTIN DB MkII LML
Matrix, 1:18, £294.99
Dutch firm Matrix has done designer Frank Feeley proud with this superb 1:18 miniature of the prototype Aston Martin DB2. Like many post-war stylists, Feeley was influenced by Pinin Farina’s innovative Cisitalia to create a beautiful and very English-looking two-door coupé around Claude Hill’s new six-cylinder engine. With its shorter wheelbase, lower roof and tall 18in wheels, the 1949 design looked sleeker than the production DB2. The model of LML49/4 is available in maroon or dark green, as later raced by Lance Macklin. The miniature is a solid resin casting with no opening features to spoil the shape, but with excellent interior detailing.
1:18
1 Spark’s Carlos Pace 1975 Brazilian Grand Prix Brabham BT44B, £149.99 2 Spark’s Sandro Munari 1977 Rallye Monte-Carlo Lancia Stratos HF, £149.99 3 AUTOart’s 1993 Lamborghini Diablo SE30, £308.99 4 Technomodel’s 1956 Ferrari 860 Monza, £259.99
1:43
5 Autocult’s 1978 Cadillac Eldorado Sbarro TAG Function Car, €109.95 (carmodel.com) 6 Spark’s Jochen Rindt 1967 F2 Pau Grand Prix Brabham BT23, £69.99 7 Automodello’s 1940 City of Chicago Checker Model A, $119.99 (automodello.com) 8 Autocult’s 1952 Frazer Nash Targa Florio, €99.95 (carmodel.com) 9 Autocult’s 1937 Lancia Aprilia Sport Zagato, €99.95 (carmodel.com) 10 Spark’s Jim Clark 1965 Tasman Series Lotus 32B, £64.99 11 Matrix’s 1960 Ferrari 250GTE, £127.99 12 IXO’s 1977 Volvo 66, £29.99 13 Avenue 43’s 1970 Volvo GTZ 3000, €99.95 (carmodel.com)
Edited by Mick Walsh. Unless stated, all items are available from Diecast Legends (01483 407555; diecastlegends.com); 10% discount for orders from C&SC readers quoting ‘CS0123’
KEEPING REIMS TIME
Motorsport-themed watchmaker Omologato has plenty of timepieces named after race tracks, but the Reims is a bit more special. Each purchase of the Reims includes a donation to the not-for-profit organisation that preserves the remaining buildings at the Circuit de Reims-Gueux, and so far the watch has raised nearly £10k for the historic site. Taking inspiration from the Champagne region in which Reims is located, the watch has a Rose Champagne face, while French Blue numbering and hands recall the traditional racing colours of the nation’s marques. A French Navy leather strap completes the chronometer for a total cost of £395, or an alligator-finish leather strap with contrasting stitching can be had for an extra £30.
omologatowatches.com
Getting in a spin
This kit from Clocks4Classics replaces the internals of Smiths tachometers with modern circuit boards. RV- and RVI-type Smiths tachos can become inaccurate with age, and are incompat
