Just answer this question – Name the two drivers of the #2 Cunningham Corvette? And email your answer to models@classicdriver.co.nz

WINNER of the MATRA-SIMCA MS670C (in #54 Classic Driver) is Ian Bisman

When thinking about the marques that have achieved success in the world’s greatest endurance race, names like Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Porsche, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Matra-Simca invariably spring to mind. Not many of us would immediately add Chevrolet to that illustrious list, and yet the Corvette has been scoring class wins at Le Mans for over 50 years. Starting with a four-car challenge at Le Mans in 1960, Chevrolet followed up with the secondgeneration Corvette in 1967, then John Greenwood and Reeves Callaway both took up the mantle, entering their modified Corvettes in the ’70s and ’90s respectively.

However, Chevrolet’s greatest successes have occurred more recently, first with the introduction of the Corvette C5-R in 2001 – scoring a onetwo finish in the GTS class on debut – then with its successors the C6-R and C6 ZR1 from 2005 to the present. All enjoyed multiple GTS/GT1/GTE class victories.

Our 1:43rd feature models from Spark are the four cars entered at Le Mans in 1960 – Chevrolet’s first appearance at Circuit de la Sarthe. Numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4 (in this era race numbers were allocated according to engine size - largest to smallest), these 283 cubic inch, fuel-injected V8 Corvettes had an all-American line-up of 15 drivers. Cars 1,2 and 3 were entered by millionaire sportsman, and Le Mans veteran, Briggs Cunningham, while #4 was entered by Camoradi USA.

Sadly, in just the third hour of the 24 hour race, the #1 Cunningham Corvette, driven by Briggs Cunningham & Bill Kimberly, skidded off the road at the White House corner, rolled, and a fire developed; the #2 car retired with a blown engine after 20 hours; while the #4 Camoradi Corvette did finish the 24 hours, but was not classified due to completing insufficient distance. However the #3 Cunningham Corvette, driven by John Fitch & Bob Grossman, despite serious overheating problems, managed to limp home to finish first in the GT 5000 class (the four Corvettes were the only cars in this class) and eighth overall, behind six 250 Ferraris and a lone Aston Martin DBR1. Not a bad effort for a big, heavy (2,975lbs/1350kg) American road car running drum brakes.

You have an opportunity to win the #2 Cunningham Corvette featured here, and the detailing on this 1:43rd Spark model is superb. Especially impressive is the extremely thin anti-bug air dam on the bonnet; the tiny tubular exhausts exiting each side of the car; the beautifully crafted chrome work; and the fine photo-etched wipers and bonnet clips. Spark has even accurately replicated the pair of small secondary taillights, inboard of the regular taillights, that race officials insisted be added at scrutineering; the non-standard Cunningham stainless-steel mesh grille; and the aircraft fuel-filler relocated to a cut out in the middle of the rear window.

All four of these models are currently available from the SPR Models online store – www.spr-models.co.nz.

For more information about the Spark, Bizarre, TrueScale, Brumm or ARMCO ranges, phone 09-414 5959 or e-mail john@spr-models.co.nz.