Gt40 MKIV by Shelby Collectibles

Why is the 1967 GT40 so special for classic racecar collectors? It was the first GT40 to have a NASCAR style steel tube rollcage installed as a result of a bad crash previously. Despite the additional weight, the car was extremely fast thanks to its streamlined shape. It topped out at 212mph long before Jaguar XJ220 became known as the 200mph king. It was 270 kg heavier than the competing Ferrari yet still won the two races it entered.

Shelby Collectibles offers this 1:18 scale model that comes with a strange balance of detail and budget corner cutting. The car is faithfully proportioned and has opening panels to exhibit the brilliant mechanicals. The dash has individual switchgear appropriately coloured but misses finer details like proper cloth seatbelts.

The engine has a lot of detailing but the exhaust tubing needed better sanding to remove the casting marks. All the ducts line up brilliantly, from outside the engine covers to inside the motor. Only thing missing is a few plug wires and tubing to make it stand out more.

It's a hit and miss affair. It looks great but serious collectors will miss the added realism of wiring in an old car engine bay. If you're brave enough, it is easy to add. At this price point it is quite cheap for what you get. They sold for a little over 4000tk last year. Prices online are between 6-7k taka.

This particular car came in for repairs from Omar Faruq, an avid collector on DCCCB.