PUMA - Variações sobre o mesmo tema

The first Puma I built was the GT 1,900 cc that Toninho da Matta and Clovis Ferreira won the 1000 Km de Brasília in 1970, under a very hard rain but with a consistent race, beating some very stronger cars such as the Alfas GTAM.

The basis for this work was the traditional kit produced by Ricardo Trópia in Ouro Preto - Brazil. Some few changes like front cooler, roll bar and additional head lights were the differences from the standard kit. I draw the decals and printed them in laser. This model was a gift to Toninho.

At the same epoch, red Puma GT was drove by Marcelo Campos and achieved lots of very good results. Sadly Marcelo suffered a fatal accident with this car at the practices for a race in Belo Horizonte. This model had the same characterists of the white car (many believe that it was the same car but the red was completely destroyed in the crash), the same number, but a completely different painting, useing the traditional Puma's stripe joining both sides and the roof.

One of the good works we did was this Puma GTS 1975, owned by a collector in Brasília, that was also based in the GT 69. I had to cut the roof and change the front forward the windscreen. By the same way, the rear was modified once the GTS 75 had the rear panel too lower than the GT model. Also the wheels were scratchbuilt and the interior adapted to agree with the original car.

And so the GTS 78 that was presented in the last posting. I had built about five models of this, including a red painted one that was ordered from Barcelona. At this moment I am finishing a replica of the car I had, in Paraty Gold painted.

Oh my God, I forgot the Espartano that I am building for driver Angi Munhoz. But I will show it separately soon.

PUMA GTS 1978

The Puma cars were born in Brazil, first useing the DKW front engine and so, the traditional Volkswagen flat four in its 1,600 cc. In 1978 the little GT had a new body and its best looking, beeing one of the most desired brazilian's GT among the collectors. This one bellow was mine during five years and it gaves me the basis to work on a masterpiece and produce a resin kit in 1:24 scale, soldout at this time.

The kit was very simple but with good accuracy. The body was based on the 69 GT worked by modeler Sergio Enoch and produced as a kit by Ricardo Trópia, following the evolution of the real car. Some small details were in photoetched but all the parts were casted in urethene resin. Some 20 units were produced and they are very difficult to find today.

The tyres were also casted in resin but with a mat painting they looked very similar to the rubber. As a curb-side model (in fact only the chassis and front suspension were not detailed)

the kit still shows its engine, gearbox rear suspension and exhaust pipes.

The model could be built with the two options, with the roof in place or not. It is possible that this kit will be casted again in a very limited production, including an option to the GTE (coupe) model. It is only a possibility.

FERRARI 1:18 PIT STOP

This work was very interesting to do. A friend ordered me the diorama including a Ferrari 2003 GA in 1:18 scale, during a Pit Stop in any race that year. He brought me a large box with lots of figures (I tryed to remember the maker but that's difficult) and "billions" of small decals to set on them. In this box was included a fuel pump station and some details that were used in the Formule 1's pit stops at that time. Also there was a photographer/filmaker that could be in the pit lane during the actions.

The most important thing it was to make the base with a good space for all the mechanics and machines, creating a sceene that should remember a real refueling and tyres changing. I sid a research about the marks on the track and pit lane and tryed to get a good representation of the textures. In fact this base would become a start for more two works into the same theme. And the results were a bit interesting.

It was a growing up as the figures were beeing fited to their places, even with the missing of the car that came some time after the work had started. Really I used a Toyota to get the right position for the stripes painted on the ground. Once the maker sent all the figures and tools pre-painted, the most hhard work was to aplly the decals, too many, too small, too hard. But sure, the results are at least, a good looking for the ferrarists' eyes. See that: