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Carroll Shelby #98
1960 Maserati Tipo 61
Times Mirror GP Winner
MiniChamps 1/12 In Stock
This is a beautifully crafted 1/12 scale, BRAND NEW, NEVER OPENED replica by Minichamps of the 1960 Maserati Tipo 61 as driven to victory at the LA Times Grand Prix at the Legendary Riverside Raceway by CARROL SHELBY.
The Maserati Tipo 61, commonly referred to as the "Birdcage“, can be considered as one of the best known racing cars of the early 1960s. The race car was produced between 1959 and 1961 by Maserati to compete in endurance races as well as hill climbs. A charmingly graceful body designed by the mastermind Giulio Alfieri integrated a light frame of barely 30 kg with more than 200 single pieces of tube. Because of this engineering innovation, the Maserati Tipo 60/61 acquired the legendary nickname “Birdcage”. Only 23 units were made during the years from 1959 through 1961.
It became famous for this intricate tubular space frame chassis. This method of construction provided a more rigid and lighter chassis equally. None of the other race cars had such a design at that time. By recessing the windscreen base into the bodywork, Maserati was able to reduce the impact of the new Le Mans rules demanding a tall windscreen. The Tipo 61 featured a 2.9 liter 4-cylinder engine with an output of 250 hp. The engine, was mounted in the front and had a 45° angle. A weight of only 1323 lb allowed the race car to reach a top speed of 285 km/h (177 mph). Despite being faster than the competitors, the "Birdcage“ proved to be unreliable and often retired from races due to gearbox problems. One of the best known drivers of the Birdcage was Caroll Shelby. At the "LA TIMES GP FOR SPORTS CARS 1960“, held at Riverside, California, he drove Frank Harrison’s Birdcage and finished in 5th position. Unfortunately, the only international result worth mentioning was a glorious overall win at the 1960 ADAC 1000 Km race held on the infamous Nuerburgring North Loop. This Minichamps 1:12 scale model depicts Shelby’s car and is made from 278 fine detailed parts.
Some of the many features include a very accurate motor, tubular chassis, opening doors, authentic graphics, wire wheels and more. This one will rival the competition's version at half the price. The photos are of a display model. The detail photos are of the similar red Shelby Times GP winner. The car that you receive will be Brand New in Unopened box.
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