TrueScale Miniatures’ publicity department - sorely overworked these days -  wasn’t too happy when we took much longer than promised with these new Tyrrell P34s. And as much as we’d like to say that there was some concrete logistical reason for the delay, we can’t.

We just liked them. A lot.

We’d first heard about the new images over a few cracked shells and opened bottles shared dockside with TrueScale’s head man, Glen Chou, while in Monterey. That was August; when the one-off hand samples arrived here in late December, we were impressed. And not just with the models. We’re thinking that, in a world that’s seemingly infatuated with all things Ferrari, tooling up and marketing these wild-looking racers from the mid-to-late ‘seventies was a great call on TSM’s part.

In the spirit of the limited edition hand built 1:43 cars that so many collectors prize, these shovel-nosed six-wheelers, patterned after the pair of Tyrrells that took 1st (Jody Schecter) and 2nd (Patrick Depailler) at the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix, and the cars that won at Anderstorp (Schecter) and placed 2nd at the ‘77 Swedish Mosport (Depailler), are neatly cast in resin, and painted up and decaled nicely.

In addition to the resin, there’s some photo-etch for the chin spoiler struts, and more p/e replicating detail bits like the triangular bracing that holds the twin tailpipes. The models’ plastic Ford/Cosworth V8 engine and trans-axle read as neat and tidy; not done to the level of a high-end hand built, but still damned good at the price point (around $70.00 for the single cars, and $130.00 for the mounted pair), thanks to neat assembly and good painted-on texturing. Coolest trick? The little clear plastic half-balls set into the tops of the injector stacks on the ‘76 season cars. Imprinted with a cris-cross pattern, they give the illusion - more or less - of rounded steel intake screens.

Of course, the cars’ big attraction is the Derek Gardner-designed four wheel front end; here, TSM has brought out the detail with a fairly complex set of multi-layered painted plastic castings.  Even better, and much to TSM’s credit, the wheels have all been treated to a good scuffing. That bumps up the “real” a lot, and gives the cars even more of a hand built feel. The latest of the racers, represented by the P34 that Patrick Depailler took to 2nd at the Swedish Mosport, even has the slightly tweaked aerodynamics (and red cooling hoses, needed to keep the brakes from melting down) that the car wore in ‘77.

Cockpit detailing is decent, accented by a well cast, brightly painted bulkhead-cum-dash and a full harness; it’s easy to see that these drivers were sitting more on the car than in it. On the earlier cars, the side walls include clear “portholes” that Schecter and Depailler would peer through to keep an eye on the quadrant of 10” diameter wheels up front - not a bad feature, given the fact that said wheels were rotating at approximately twice the speed of the rears at any given moment.

Whether you’re buying at the single car level, or going for the pair, the models come secured (and well) to a nice wooden plinth with a clear plastic top; if you do reach deeper and buy the pair, TSM includes an etched, painted, and mounted plaque. Overall? Well, kudos to the TSM crew for hammering together yet another relatively inexpensive - and, in the case of the held-to-500 piece pair, honestly limited edition - series. And yes, Virginia, there’s serious talk of a 1:18 to go along with these puppies very soon.  We’ll see what Mr. Chou has to say next time we’re breaking some shells together. - CRM

TrueScale Miniatures 1:43 Tyrrell P34 /  #4 Swedish Mosport 2nd place, TSM104311, $68.00 /  #3 Anderstorp winner 1976, TSM10439, $68.00 / #3, #4, 1-2 finish Swedish Grand Prix 1976, TSM104310, limited to 500 pieces worldwide, $128.00. www.truescalemini.com

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