Unbelievable Craftmanship

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 4:31 am

At first it doesn't seem so impressive, but if you get bored by the background at least skip down to the model description. There are some other really good detailed reviews and pics out there just google Exoto and Oldfield 999.

http://www.diecast.org/diecast98/html/a ... iewpix.htm

hue35 · Post by **hue35** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 11:35 am

That's an incredible model... I like the dude's story, too.

Just in case any of y'all haven't seen it, Superfly posted this up back in 2004, but the link is dead... anyway, this is the most incredible model I've ever seen, and it's fully functional. The video is a must watch.

link

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 12:55 pm

Yeah I saw the Ferrari vid a while ago, amazing! I wonder if he's working on the next one yet?

The B. Oldfield model is available through the Danbury mint as well as Exoto for five easy payments of $49.95. I can't think of any good reason to spend that much on a model...so why do I keep going to the site clicking "add to cart" and then changing my mind? Damn it...I think it may just be a matter of time.

hue35 · Post by **hue35** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 7:23 pm

For what it is, it's not that bad... if it were only three easy payments of $49.95, I'd probably consider it. I think it's one of those things that if you had the perfect place to display it, it'd be worth it.

I think I saw where Pierre Scerri had 3 more Ferraris in the works... on his website, I think.

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:55 pm

I grew up around (and involved in racing), my uncle used to take me to Nelsons Ledges on his club racing days. When I was sixteen I was racing his 73 911. My grandfather raced board tracks in the midwest when he was young but it skipped a generation with my father absolutly hating anything racing related.
I got my first dirt track car (a 70 Camaro) in '79 when I was fifteen...I had to lie about my age and also use a fake name so it wouldn't get back to my parents. But my grandfather knew, he died a year latter but even at 90 he loved racing. I wasn't supposed to know it but I saw him sitting in the stands on more than one occasion...he never told my parents. So, I suppose growing up, hearing his stories about the board tracks and count fair ground races deeply infulenced me. I guess I'm kind of unique in my love of these early race cars. I remeber my grandfather talking about racing aganst Oldfield...but like all racing stories, it may or may not be completely true.

That's it, I just talked myself into buying the damned thing. Truthfully they probably could have doubled the price and I still would have talked myself into this car.

SuperFly · Post by **SuperFly** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:38 am

Man, going 90mph on a wooden chassis with a metal pole between your legs and no windshield or body is just insane.

sidewinder · Post by **sidewinder** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:19 am

SuperFly wrote:Man, going 90mph on a wooden chassis with a metal pole between your legs and no windshield or body is just insane.

Aint it though?

I've been trying to convince enough guys to cut the cages off of some sprint cars, swicth back to the skinny tires, and lose the wings...then we could start a series to race em' like our fathers did (well grandfather for me). I've only got two people to agree so far (in ten years) one local and Jack Hadneschild. I'm not sure about the one, but I know Jack would do it. If we put the risk back in it would take the money out and racing would be what it was ment to be...a question of balls.

Oh well, I can dream.

Oh yeah, not only did Oldfield and the others of his era not have windshields, they also didn't have helmets--just leather caps--or seat belts, wooden wheels that could break without warning, no real brakes--just a metal strap that rubbed the axel. And to top it off, the board track guys were running on up to 60 degree banking letting them go around 120mph! The boards would break up and a kid would run around under the track putting flags were the missing boards were. The promoters had to chase locals from under the track because they liked to stick their heads through the breaks and see how close they could let the cars get before ducking. Needless to say some were killed when they stuck their heads through at the wrong time. I can't even imagine what it would be like to see a human head pop out of the track surface! And according to my grandfather they wraped their faces in bandanas to help cut down on the big woood splinters that would fly up and stick in their faces...I know he had some wicked scars from splinters.

But those days are gone now. Those early racers will always seem bigger than life to me.

hue35 · Post by **hue35** » Fri Nov 16, 2007 2:41 am

Thanks for sharin' all the cool stories, man... and good call on buying that model. It really is beautiful.