Canberra Model Vehicle Collectors Club

I never used to be a joiner of anything. I flew solo, the Lone Wolf. Then I joined the Leyland P76 collectors world and realised that in those groups lay many years of latent knowledge, just waiting for someone to ask the right questions. At my first P76 meeting I had 10 years of electrical gremlins diagnosed and resolved in the first hour. Recently, I began researching Dinkum and Leyland 1:43 Leyland P76's for an article to go in the P76 National Magazine. Steve Maher a P76 fan and member of the Sydney Model Auto Club provided some great advice and contacts. When I finished, I mused if there was a Canberra equivalent. I googled. Yes, but the contact details were out of date and my quest went cold. I emailed Steve who managed to find a contact in Canberra. Peter Clayden. I called Peter and it turns out we have met and chatted at several car shows, as he is a major morris minor collector. I was invited to the next meeting.

The member displays

I arrived a little earlier than the 7.30PM time, and ran into 'Louis' who was setting up his display. I introduced myself and we chatted while other members arrived. Each monthly meeting has a theme, and this month it was 'articulated vehicles'. Members set their display up, and then vote on the displays, with a winner emerging. I did not know this, and bought some Lledo land speed record cars and Matchbox Superking K7 Race car transporters.

Peters wife writing model details down for judging purposes. 

Louis writing down model details as well.

Articulated vehicles!

My display having its details recorded. The $20 note is annual dues. 

I guess technically that centre steer vehicles are articulated.

Corgi car transporters, with a Matchbox Superking hiding up the back.

My display. Next month I will do better (and use my camera instead of my phone for photos). 

As well as looking at diecast models, the club lets you peruse recent diecast magazines and there is often a talk. This month a well respected Canberra academic, and diecast collector,  gave a talk on 'Vehicles in Afghanistan' as he had been there recently on a visit. Let me say that you know Canberra is a small town when you get a briefing on Afghanistan from a respected public figure, and meet him at a model car club! It was a fascinating talk, illustrated using Powerpoint on a drop down screen with over a hundred photos, and I could have asked dozens of non-vehicle related question but kept quiet (time and place thing).

The Canberra Model Vehicle Collectors Club meets at Eastlake Football Club at 7.30 PM on the first Monday of the month.

I am the Stig. I drive Dune Buggies

I am the Stig. I drive Dune Buggies.

Trax 8021 - Ford RS Sierra - Dick Johnson

When CAMS decided to do away with the exciting Group C formula, they went for the international Group A formula, intending to internationalise and expand the Australian racing scene. It didnt really work. No local cars were really up to scratch when Group A was first introduced, and it took several seasons for the Group A Holden Commodores to become competitive.

The Ford Falcon simply had no chance. From driving one of the most exciting Group C cars ever fielded, to non-competitive overnight. It was hard for the Ford drivers. Dick Johnson, at that time one of Fords most iconic drivers, switched to the Ford Mustang, running a 5.0 litre V8, but it struggled to be competitive.  In 1987 and 1988, he switched to the turbocharged Ford RS Sierra.  Some drivers switched to other manufacturers such as BMW. In the Sierra, Johnson won the 1988 ATCC with six race victories.

Trax dont bring out many contemporary race cars any more. That market is now dominated by Biante and Classic Carlectables. But they did bring out this car back in the day with the famous no 17 on the side, in 1:43 scale. Unusually for Trax, this was not designed in Australia and manufactured in China. This model was manufactured in Portugal by a company called Trufoe.  Trax confirm this is the only model that they have had designed by an outside company. Made in several different racing liveries, the model is not commonly seen and was not as I understand enormously popular. Dinkum also produced a version of this car in 1:43. Biante have a version of this car in 1:18 which is very nice.

The RS Sierra model is fairly average, even for the time. It is not overly detailed with simple mouldings representing taillights and grilles, instead of separate pieces. The interior is not detailed at all. This car is really just a simple repaint of a road car, rather than a model of a racing car. 

A common problem with this model is the lower rear spoiler. It has come adrift on many, and this is often not mentioned in Ebay listings. Make sure you ask, or look closely at the photos if you intend to buy one.

The 1:43 spoiler is not accurate either, with the black rubber edge of the upper spoiler missing. The clear headlights on this model are also inaccurate, with the real car having red covers with Shell emblems on them, over the headlights.

Packaging is very basic, certainly nothing like the quality seen in recent years, at this stage they were still packaged like expensive toys. Often the clear plastic is damaged and torn. I think it is simply deteriorating with time, rather than a sign of neglect though. That is plastic foam on the inside, holding the car in place. This seems to be holding up well.

The baseplate is very basic, and the wheels and tyres are more toy like than most Trax models. The real car had Simmons wheels, the Trax wheels do not resemble the Simmons remotely. Paint is uniformly good, better than some early Trax, although this leads to my main concern. My biggest issue with this model is the deterioration on the racing livery paint. You can see on the 'S' and 'h' on the bonnet, and also on the '17' that the white paint is discoloured. This is also due to age and not mis-handling or neglect. I've looked at several, and it is a common problem. Additionally, the racing livery is more representative than accurate, with a lot of the sponsors missing, such as Shell emblems, Palmer Tubetek, Australian Airlines etc.

Now we come to the rating. This is mainly in my collection due to it being a Trax and a Dick Johnson car. I think cars designed by Trax are generally better presented, and this car is more a toy than a model.

Trax 8021 - Dick Johnson Ford Sierra Cosworth

Quality  6

Design    7

Colours   5

X-factor  3

Rating: 21/40