21 replies to this topic

[Steve Okeefe]

Bob Braverman Bodies

 

 

Braverman bodies are fine examples of handmade fiberglass construction, but not too many photos of these now ancient bodies exist. Here is Bob's 1/24 scale product line as seen on page 37 of the January 1964 issue of Model Car & Track magazine:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some LASCM photos courtesy Philippe de Lespinay:

 

First, the Cooper (unfortunately, this is only a photo of the bottom of the shell):

 

 

Next, the BRM:

 

The Lotus 18:

 

Last, the Porsche RSK:

 

 

Bob Braverman also made 1/32 scale bodies.  Here's a page from the 1963 Auto World:

 

[Ecurie Martini]

Braverman also did a W196. I have one as well as one of his Birdcage bodies.

 

EM

[Steve Okeefe]

Alan,

 

Could you post a photo for the record?

 

Thanks!

[dc-65x]

Hi Steve,

 

The Winter 1963 issue of Model Car & Track shows sixteen 1/32 scale and four 1/24 scale Braverman bodies.

 

It also shows the range of Auto Hobbies fiberglass bodies.

[don.siegel]

Here are the pages on Auto Hobbies bodies - don't seem to have the Braverman's in stock, but can scan if needed... Also, feel free to start a new subject with these!

 

Don

 

 

[TSR]

Here are a few from the LASCM vault:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Steve Deiters]

PdL,

I remember some highly detailed 1/32 scale fiberglass bodies of mid-'60s rear engine Indy cars coming out in the '65 or' 66. Huffaker, Watson, etc.

 

I don't think it was Braverman, but I do remember them coming from the left coast. Any ideas? They were literally works of art.

[TSR]

Steve,

 

Yes, they were in the 1/32 scale and made of white fiberglass resin. We have quite a few at the LASCM. I think they were made by Bob Clidinst in Indianapolis, but i have to verify that.

[Hworth08]

The RSK and Birdcage look similiar to the Russkit Super Leggra series. Wonder if Mr. Braverman played a part in their design?

Beautiful little bodies. Slots were so pure then.

[Steve Deiters]

PdL,

Exactly. They were white. Would love to see some pictures if you have them.

[don.siegel]

It's Bob Clidinst I believe, and I think that "Rhino" has been in touch with him - he's still in Indy and still active, although not making bodies...

 

I think he only did Indy bodies, but except for being mentioned in a few columns they were never marketed nationally. 

 

Don 

[Steve Deiters]

It's Bob Clidinst I believe, and I think that "Rhino" has been in touch with him - he's still in Indy and still active, although not making bodies...
 
I think he only did Indy bodies, but except for being mentioned in a few columns they were never marketed nationally. 
 
Don

I just Googled his name with the "Clidinst" spelling and came up with a few things. All front engine roadsters, but the detail and the off-white color of the material is how I remember them. I do remember rear engine cars though...



Not sure how practical they would be for competitive slot racing, but they were works of art.

[TSR]

We have mostly the rear engine cars.

[Steve Deiters]

If you have some pictures I hope you post them. As I remember they were awesome. 

Looking forward to seeing them.

[TSR]

The RSK and Birdcage look similiar to the Russkit Super Leggra series. Wonder if Mr. Braverman played a part in their design?

 

 

Yes, they are indeed the same patterns. Bob Braverman and Jim Russell were friends and of course Braverman sold Russell the tooling for the Eliminator dragster later produced under the Russkit brand.

[racer4life]

Here are a few more Braverman  fiberglass body shells. I have found that the Braverman have a much shinner gelcoat on the underside of the bodies than the AutoHobbies bodys .

[Steve Okeefe]

Thanks Ed! 

[George Blaha]

hey ed t.,

 

thank you for posting the art of bob braverman.

 

Shakey George Blaha

[merkit the grof]

The 1/24th Braveman shells were most probably recast from shells made in the UK by a firm called Carlton Iredale (they subsequently sold their masters to a guy called John Darnell)

 

See more info here https://www.slotforu...=2#entry2161802

 

Joel

[TSR]

Joel,
this is likely true because several of the bodies sure look like some produced in the UK. However, the Darnell bodies I have seen appear to have been crafted by a blind man inside a dark tunnel. But anything is possible of course.

The 1/32 scale white fiberglass resin Indy cars bodies (both front-engine and rear-engine) were sold in plain-white cardboard boxes under the "Raceland" brand. Patterns were crafted by both Bob Clidinst and J.C. Benedick, who also crafted many of the Auto Hobbies patterns for Bill Sippel, alongside Ron Klein.
Clidinst was of course also involved with Strombecker and crafted some of the early cars' patterns, but the "good ones" (1965-1966) were mostly the product of Tony Bulone, who recently sold his entire archive to the LASCM. Plenty of fabulous stuff in that archive, including factory K&B, Strombecker and Russkit prototype bodies, and body molds for some of their rarest cars.

[JohnnySlotcar]

PDL- do you have the 1/24 McKee Can-Am injection molded? I saw one at McKee Engineering where he has a nice display of cars.

[TSR]

John,
that was never made. The one you saw at McKee was a fiberglass bodied prototype, a one-off that was never made in production. Here is the car you saw, and that was built for Strombecker by Tony Bulone: