1:18 Mercedes Benz Renntransporter & 1:18 Mercedes Benz W165

[Petrolhead]

Here are my 1:18 Mercedes Benz Renntransporter and 1:18 Mercedes Benz W165 by CMC.
But first,a little about the transporter and the car it is carrying in the pictures below.
Alfred Neubauer,the man behind Mercedes Benz's post-World War II motorsport programme,dreamt of fast racing car transporters to be used instead of regular modified Mercedes Benz trucks when Mercedes returned to motor racing after the war and the recession that followed.With this in mind,he demanded the construction of what was to become the fastest racing car transporter in the world - a title which it still carries today.
With a chassis that was based on the X-shaped tubular frame from a Mercedes Benz Type 300,the new Renntransporter was both a joint engineering effort between different teams under the supervision of Rudolf Uhlenhaut and a melange of different Mercedes car parts.The engine and gearbox,for example, were transplanted from the 300 SL 'Gullwing',while most interior fittings were borrowed from the Type 180.
The Mercedes Benz W165 is a racing car that was designed by Mercedes-Benz to meet voiturette racing regulations.It competed in just one race,the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix,where it was driven to victory by Hermann Lang with his team-mate Rudolf Caracciola coming second.Following an invitation by Tony Hulman,owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,Caracciola entered a W165 for the Indianapolis 500 in 1946.The car was not allowed out of Switzerland by Swiss customs and so could not compete.
Now on with the show.


The only disappointing detail on this masterpiece by CMC are the ugly black attachment stubs inside the lights.At this price,these should be invisible.





This is quite possibly the most beautiful truck ever designed.

The windows do slide.

---

The A-shaped jacks you see here can be removed to support the loading ramp.I did not test the loading ramp as I had to return the model to its packaging after the shoot and these CMC models are a pain to repack.

---

As you can see,there are six narrow (let me call them) 'ramps' on the cargo bay.The two on either extreme end are what the the car's wheels sit on.The four in the middle can be removed to form two long sloping loading ramps each supported at the joint by those two A-shaped jacks I mentioned earlier.I apologize for not assembling the entire structure but it required unscrewing the jacks and repacking everything would be a nightmare.

Little leather strapped hooks hold the 'ramps' in place.Love these beautifully delicate details.





The model comes with some fine steel-finish chords to secure the wheels of whatever car you choose to display on the Renntransporter to the cargo bay floor.Once again I left them safely in their packaging.Will only take them out when I have space to put this stunner on display.

---

I do admit that the setting you see here isn't historically accurate.The W165 is a pre-World War II racer while the Renntransporter only emerged after the war.But this combination works beautifully well.Atleast until I manage to get my hands on a post-World War II 'Silver Arrow'.



Sorry again.I didn't have the right kind of screwdriver needed to open the engine cover.




Among the most inticately detailed wheels in my collection.


The W165 sat on Continental rubber.

---

These 'Silver Arrows' were such amazing looking things.


And what an incredible job CMC has done of recreating them in miniature.

Can't get enough of the wheels.

Real soft fabric covers the seat.

[Slix.Salakshya]

Now that is something we don't see very often. Look at that shape, mindblowing, the rear glass of the transporter, those are some serious curves, no one would bother making something like that today.

The front axle is behind the cabin? Damn, how does this thing turn, it must be an art to drive this around, specially the steering part.

I love the fabric on the seats, the sliding windows, those leather belts on the ramp of the transporter & the wheels of the W165, spectacular!

---

Oh, you added more photos, I see the fabric on the cars seat is spectacular too.

[Petrolhead]

Thanks for the appreciation,Slix!!Yeah.I've wonder the same thing about how this thing was maneuvered when I look at the position of the front axle.

---

Typo: I wonder the same thing about how this thing was maneuvered when I look at the position of the front axle.
And I'm just gonna go ahead and post the last few shots.Lemme know if I've gone overboard with the number of photos and if that's a bad thing.

[amit V8]

Great stuff! Nice photos too.

[srinjayray]

CMC
Thanks for sharing all the info Pacman!!! Everything is perfect except the attachment stubs. The ramps, the seats, the gear stick, the interior, the wheels, the stance everything is topnotch. Great shots too \m/

[model collector]

The Transporter is a perfect model. congrats for having one!

[Petrolhead]

Thanks for the awesome words,guys!!
And I'm glad you liked the shots too!!

[Diecast]

that's is art!...super art....you made my Christmas.

Sid your photo skills are very time high ..thanks for sharing the details in every possible way...

+1

[abhi_c]

Cheerz to CMC for creating such a masterpiece
Congrats to you for this treat on Christmas.

The detailing is so neat and the interior fabric looks beautiful. The black spots in the lights play spoilsport. Otherwise this is a gem of a collection.

[Petrolhead]

Thanks for the encouragement,guys!!Especially concerning my photography,Ravi!!I'm trying to get better with every shoot.
And thanks for another reputation point,bro!!