27 replies to this topic

[TSR]

Every serious slot car collector knows how difficult is is to find some of the nicest slot cars produced in Europe in the day, the mythical Unicar Ferrari models of the 206 Dino, 330P2 .and especially the 330P3 and P4.

Produced in kit form only, they were greatly inspired in their design by the contemporary Russkit "Carrera series" kit, that were quite successful sellers in Italy.

Unicar kits first had an anodized aluminum chassis, but later had a black, then clear molded Nylon pan with a drop arm very similar to the Russkit design (barely visible in the center of the kit's picture below).

Issued in 1968, the 330P4 kit is the most desirable but is also a bit of a unicorn, so hard to find in intact form or even as a finished model built from the kit, in any condition. The kit included an injected body, which one could build as a coupe or spyder version, as well as a vacuum formed body of the coupe, in the same way MPC offered their "double kit" in the USA.



Our late friend Ezio Scisco of Turin, Italy, loved that model and had acquired enough of them over the years to assemble a small flotilla of about six of them. Ezio was an active member of the ECA slot car club, one of the oldest and still active clubs in the world. He was a charming man, a great host, and a fine model builder. Today, thanks to his son Alberto, the LASCM has been able to acquire two of Ezio's favorite cars, produced in 1968 by Unicar in Italy. These two Ferrari 330P4 and 412P are a wonderful addition to the museum.

[don.siegel]

Thanks, P. That's a nice hommage to Ezio, who really was a terrific car builder and competitor. Like the late Peter Pré, he was also a dentist  and excellent model builder. I picked up one of his cars too, and it was nice being able to say hello to Alberto, who we first knew as a young kid. 

 

I guess that explains why he never ran one of these at Bordo... I have the Dino and P2, and while they may be easier to find, they ain't easy! 

 

In fact, Ezio probably preferred all the old Detroit iron, and was thrilled when he could do a stock car of any kind. 

 

Both of my Unicars have the blue anodized chassis – is the plastic model a lot rarer? Not sure I've ever seen any one up close. 

 

Don 

[TSR]

Don, the ones with the black Nylon chassis appear to be not so rare, but the ones with the same chassis made of clear stuff are. That chassis was also used for their Alfa TZ2 kit, and apparently there was one molded in red plastic too:









As well as two body types, one injected, one vac formed (and with a metallized finish as in that kit).

All rarities nowadays...



What we need is one of those clear chassis to put a Dino kit back together in its original form under blister.
 

[Alchemist]

What wonderful cars Dokk!

 

Thank you for sharing the cars and history of them!

 

Hi Don - hope everything is well with you!

 

Ernie

[Old Pilot]

Impressive cars from Unicar, and a great memory to Ezio. I only can catch a couple of his cars, only one really interesting. Those Unicars were my main interest, but difficult to get, because of the price and for sure the other fishermans in the auction. Anyway, nice to know both are in the safe of memories...

[TSR]

Just to give you an idea of what we often have to do at the LASCM with rare kits, both the 330P4 and the Alfa kit shown above arrived to us with the cars fully assembled and used, but fortunately, the one-piece clear blisters and trays were still in their boxes.

The first thing was to completely disassemble the cars, wash and clean and polish all the parts to their original finish,  remove any trace of glue, oil, grease... make perfect replicas of the braided contacts and the decal sheets (thanks to scans made for us by Ezio Scisco), lightly grind off the muck from the rear tires, machine the axles in a lathe to remove corrosion, tumble polish the aluminum motor mounts...

Then address the kits boxes themselves.

It took some time to clean them up without damaging the printing, press them flat as they were collapsed in their center as they often do, clean the blisters from any remaining original glue ("hot pressing"), wash and dry them, fill them upside down with the correct parts, apply the proper adhesive (I use plastic model kit "cockpit glue" tha dries clear and allows a few seconds for adjustments), apply the trays blind sighted (can see through them to properly register), clamp them on their sides, turn them around and move the blister in exacting and correct location, finla clamping and weighting between parts using TSRF neodymium magnets on each side of each tray. No use to tell you that is is not an easy job, often far harder than scratchbuilding a car, and you only get one shot at it.
You can see in the pictures I posted above, that I got lucky. Twice. 

All that to make the LASCM visitors happy to see what these rare kits were like when new, since it appears that they are virtually non existent in Italy as the kits were built into assembled cars by their owners.
 

[SpeedyNH]

more endbell drive early 26D's!  and they even gave you a tube of glue. 

[TSR]

There were not too many production models that used the FT26 motor, most in fact are Unicar or Mini Dream models, both Italian. In the USA, only the Kal Kar Chaparral 2D RTR, The Calex Chaparral 2F, the Dynamic Ferrari 330P3 and the Thompson Indy car kits had one. Am I forgetting another?
I am not counting the post-Classic Era cars such as Champion or Riggen, they were produced kind of after the crash.

I cannot think of a single RTR car or kit that used the FT26D with the pinion on the housing side.

[SpeedyNH]

thanks Philippe

[don.siegel]

P - there were also a couple Testor F1 cars with endbell-drive 26Ds - and did any of the later Tamiya sidewinder/suspension cars come with motors? 

The Riggen JAD cars, various Champion models...- or are you not counting EBD? 

 

For can-drive, I can't think of any others either... 

 

Don 

[Riccardo]

Dear all !

Unicar Dino, TZ and P3/4 were sold in kit with different chassis . First with the aluminum ( blue , silver or gold ) and later with molded nylon.

The first molded nylon was the white clear , than they use to put in the kits the grey or black ( red is a graal...) with the new different front arm. I gave some time ago to Scott Bader one kit (open) with one type of these chassis.The following nylon chassis were used (not in kit) only for Nuovo Tipo ( Superaerodinamica) , Osi Bisiluro and Ferrari 612. I can post some pictures about.

Please you can see (italian language) the Unicar history on www.tuttoslot.it forum vintage with the contribution of many Italian 1960s racers or something by me in this blog !

Thanks to LASCM  for your effort to present a nice group of Italian slot cars !

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[Riccardo]

Here an original kit with the chassis 2nd edition ( similar to the one in LASCM)

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[Riccardo]

Two Unicar 26d from my collection : 330 P3 NART and 206 Dino Maranello concessionaires at Le Mans 1966

 

Dino ( with blue aluminium chassis)  is the 1/24 scale Winner at the 30° International Vintage Meeting In Roncole 2019

[Riccardo]

Two Unicar 26d from my collection : 330 P3 NART and 206 Dino Maranello concessionaires at Le Mans 1966

 

Dino ( with blue aluminium chassis)  is the 1/24 scale Winner at the 30° International Vintage Meeting In Roncole 2019

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[Mark Mattei]

Heres a boxed Unicar Ferrari 330 P2.

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[TSR]

Riccardo, thanks! All great information. Since as you told me, the Dino kit never came with the aluminum chassis, the cars could be built by purchasing mixed spare parts, like the Cox "Cheetah IFC" (so called "Cheetaracha") that was only sold in kit form and only with a red body.
Now I can make sense of the Unicar universe. 

And yes, we wanted to make sure that Unicar, which is a important slot car company in the Classic Era of the 1960s, would be well represented at the LASCM. And now, it is.

[Riccardo]

Philippe , as told Dino never come only with the first type aluminium chassis ( the P2 to explain) . 

All the others have been used on the Dino kit. I mean: there were 2 different boxes of the Dino kit:

1) with aluminum or nylon chassis and two bodies (Hard and clear)   

2) with nylon chassis and clear or metallized body.

The box now in LASCM is N ° 1 and the body you see in the photos above is n ° 2.

The box was the same but on the top the label shows :

1) Versione spyder/berlinetta in ABS + versione berlinetta in Acetato

2) Versione berlinetta in acetato (only)

Ciao !

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[TSR]

Ricciardo, thanks for the great added information! 

[Allan Feldman]

Does the P2 come with black rear slicks? Because the one I have that I have that was once mint seal from Paloma Sicly in the 1980's has White rears with wire insets. Regards Allan

[TSR]

Allan,
as you can see in the very first picture above your post, the sealed Dino kit with the metallized vacuum formed body has white foam tires.
So, yes.

[Allan Feldman]

Two Unicar 26d from my collection : 330 P3 NART and 206 Dino Maranello concessionaires at Le Mans 1966

 

Dino ( with blue aluminium chassis)  is the 1/24 scale Winner at the 30° International Vintage Meeting In Roncole 2019

Really great looking cars I have a colour print from the start of the race all Marranello cars had whitewall tyres on the right hand fronts (only? that I could see). I suppose for ID 

Thanks Phillipe I put Russkit wires and black foam on mine I think my white foams have gone hard

Stay safe and keep well to all of you Regards Allan.

[Riccardo]

Unicar produced also Iso Grifo body (only as spare part) This is a fantasy reproduction as Swiss racer by me...

( serching for wheel inserts......)

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[TSR]

The Unicar ISO Grifo clear plastic body was a back pour of the Russkit model crafted by Anthony Bulone, losing some detail in the process as well as 1/8" in length.



 

[Rotorranch]

Does anyone make an ISO body currently?

 

Rotor

[TSR]

Contact Riccardo Chiriatti, I think that he is producing the replica of the Unicar body.