I'm looking for.....(THE HUNT IS OVER!!)

........... a Heller Talbot Lago GP car.......



.... to go on the back of the Bedford race truck and caravan combo I'm doing next year.

I'm happy to beg, borrow, trade, steal or buy!!  

Or if anyone spots one for sale at a reasonable price (up to GBP30.00 inc shipping) could you let me know please?

Alternatively, a set of four spoked wheels and tyres. Tyre diameter 32mm, wheel diameter 19mm, tyre width 8mm or near offer.

Hi Al,

Only a couple so far sorry, will continue looking though...: -

Heller Talbot

These are the Talbot by made by SMER...: -

Talbot

Talbot

Talbot (cheapest so far)

Here's a double kit, again by SMER...: -

Talbot & Alfa

As for wheels, you could always have a go yourself...: -

Re-Spoking Wire Wheels

Thanks for looking Andy, very much appreciated mate!

I already have the SMER Talbot-Lago (and the Alfa Romeo Alfetta) but they both have crap wheels, which is why I want the Heller version, which comes with acceprable wheels and tyres.

Thanks also for the link to re-spokiong the wheels. I may well go dowm that route.

The good news is, after spending about 9/10 hours on the web, I have tracked one down to a place in (of all places.. LOL) France, where they were originally made.

The bad news is, it's a bit more than I wanted to pay. But hey ho!!!

I'll let you know how I get on.

Hi Al,

No worries Sir, did you check out the top one I found in the US ( Heller Talbot ), or would it be too expensive with postage...

Andy...

I already knew about that one Andy. In the zoomed in photo of the sprues, I can only find one half of the engine block. (bottom right) I emailed the guy and asked if it was all there. No reply after four days. Emailed again and it took another three days to get a reply.

He said he thinks it's all there but would take some more photos and email them to me. That was three days ago. Not impressed.

The French one is about four pound more but at least I know it's all there.

Thanks again Andy.

Hi Al,

Roger that Sir, I'm guessing if he's slow replying he may not even get round to posting the model, I shall keep looking...

Andy...

The guy in France has been on holiday and I have just heard back from him. He wants me to pay the 42 Euros by Bank transfer PLUS he wants 10 Euros for the 'exchange rate'.

So I told him where to go.

So the hunt goes on!!

Actually sounds dodgy to me.

Hope you told him where to go in a succinct manner ... preferably short and sweet consisting of maybe two or three words ...

Search back on then ill start looking .....the games afoot !!!

Snake wrote:Actually sounds dodgy to me.

Hope you told him where to go in a succinct manner ... preferably short and sweet consisting of maybe two or three words ...

Search back on then ill start looking .....the games afoot !!!

Paying by bank transfer gives no protection at all. Once it's been done there is way to re-claim it if things go wrong but I was polite in my cancellation. LOL.

At the moment I'm considering the Revell 1945 MG TC, the Revell Porsche Speedster (both of which I know where to get) the Revell Jaguar XK120 and the Jaguar XKSS, which I haven't found yet.

And of course any suitable 1950's GP car or any other car for that matter.

Have you thought about going for the 1/24 diecast models ??? .... there's a few of those available..

Just looked and, for example, the Revell XK120 is like rocking horse poo but there's some diecast available on that evilbay thing... £18.99 and £2.50 postage.

I don't understand this €10 for the exchange rate business either Al, sounds ridiculous.

Have you seen this Al?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wire-Wheel-Detail-Kit-For-SMER-Talbot-Lago-Grand-Prix-4L5-1949-1-24th-Kit-953-/221455344497?hash=item338fc46371

Snake wrote:Have you thought about going for the 1/24 diecast models ??? .... there's a few of those available..

Just looked and, for example, the Revell XK120 is like rocking horse poo but there's some diecast available on that evilbay thing... £18.99 and £2.50 postage.

Holds up silver cross and hisses!!! LOL.

Not keen on them Colin. The smaller they get, the more 'chunky' they seem to me. Thanks for the suggestion though.

dublin boy wrote:I don't understand this €10 for the exchange rate business either Al, sounds ridiculous.

In fairness to him, he only wrote back in French so I had to use a translator. He may have been referring to his bank making a charge for receiving a bank transfer. Even so, it put the price up beyond what I was willing to pay AND my bank would also make a charge for sending the money!!!

GaryDainton wrote:Have you seen this Al?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wire-Wheel-Detail-Kit-For-SMER-Talbot-Lago-Grand-Prix-4L5-1949-1-24th-Kit-953-/221455344497?hash=item338fc46371

Yup! seen those Gary. Thanks for looking though.

Actually I have a set of the Herb Deeks P/e wheels for my Merit Talbot -Lago but apart from the instructions being hard to figure out (I think I have it now though) the spokes, being P/e are flat and not round. Big improvement on the Merit kit offering but less satisfactory methinks than the Heller kit wheels or better still, re-lacing the Heller wheels.

No rush on this as it won't get built until sometime next year.

Thanks everyone and keep looking!!

What did he said in French Al, I still have a bit left up in the increasingly grey matter.

French girlfriend in Paris for a few months back in the day.

You learn fast when they're gorgeous!! LOL

Here ya go Shay:

bonjour Alan

je viens de me renseigner pour la transaction entre l Angleterre et la France
il y aurait : 10 euros de

de frais de commission de change

total 42+10 euros =52 euros

pour moi c est la 1ére fois que j envoie en Angleterre

voici quand même mon iban rib

toutes mes excuses

bonne journée

Georges

He also attached this as his bank details:

The hunt is over for now, although I WOULD still like a Heller Talbot-Lago.

Talking with Buck on Skype, he suggested a Bugatti 35b and while that is too early, it set me thinking. I checked the production dates for the Bedford O series truck I'm using as a base race truck and found they were produced 1939 - 1953. The caravan will also fit that period.

So I looked on ebay for cars of that era and this had just come on:





The real deal was produced 1936 - 1940 so the whole combo, for an amateur race team, could be legitimately set in the late forties.



So don't go looking any more guys but if you HAPPEN to see the Heller Talbot-Lago, I'd still be interested.

Thanks everyone for all your help, you are the best.

Yep €10 in bank charges Al.

That's why I send you actual filthy lucre in Stering for stuff LOL

That Talbot-Largo looks great ! it I were modeling race cars
(and if they were reasonably available), that would be the era I would focus on !

here's http://www.ebay.com/itm/IMAI-Heller-1-24-Scale-Talbot-Lago-4-5-Litre-G-P-Model-Kit-New-In-Box-Rare-/291564429533?hash=item43e29820dd

Thanks Mitch but that is way more than I want to pay.

The BMW arrived this morning and it looks like a nice kit. Even has the inline six pot twin cam engine.

BUT..... yesterday I received a PM from Dave From Pleasanton..... he's got a Heller Talbot-Lago 4.5L GP car, so we've struck a deal. YIPPEEEE!!!







I may make the Bedford, the caravan, the BMW and the Talbot-Lago into a 'race day' dio now.

Race day diorama sounds great Al.

Check your mailbox Al.

How sweet it is !!!!!!!!

Zbuckster wrote:How sweet it is !!!!!!!!