Postcard model: Tatra 815 Puma

Does anyone one remember a postcard model of a Tatra 815 Puma of Karel Loprais?

I had one, and foolishly built it, never getting a second copy, and I guess I recycled the model.

The graphics were simple, showing some of Tatra logos, and colors.

Does anyone have multiple copies of this postcard still? if so, I would like 2 copies.

And this the Tatra 815 Puma I am talking about it

Minimodel.sk Advent 2021, Day 6: Jeep Cherokee

Day 6 brings the #294 Jeep Cherokee, driven by Cady and Douaud in the 1990 Paris - Algiers- Dakar rally.

There is not much information about their performance that I could find, or even in-race pictures.

A resin garage kit is the only other model I was able to find detailing this model.

The model comes with both version as we have seen in previous car kits, easy and complex.

Dakar Fantasy

We all have dreams doing one cool thing or another, one of mine is to race the Dakar, would love to do, but doubt that will ever happen.

But we can fantasize about doing it, right?

This brings me to some new models from a Czech design studio LBS, they have released in the past some cool Dakar models, everything from 4x4 to 8x8 trucks, and even a MAN support truck in the colors of the Red Bull VW team from the late 2000s.

Their current releases, as of this writing, the last 5, have been Fantasy or What Ifs of the Tatra 163 Jamal

4x4, 6x6, 8x8 and even an 8x6(the one pictured below)

I have no idea what else is coming in the next days, maybe the gifts continue until Christmas, I don't know, but I am considering this a second Dakar Advent.

 

Minimodel.sk Advent 2021, Day 5: MAN KAT 8x8

 From the 1984 edition of the Dakar, comes the #532 MAN KAT 8x8 from the Rothmans Porsche team.

The truck ran as part of the support team, and these vehicles had to follow the same route as the racers did, and there was even a separate score sheet for those support teams.  One of the reasons why they drove the same route was to assist the racing vehicle if it broke down in the desert, field repairs could be done, and then if they didn't have the right parts, or it was too severe a problem, they could tow the vehicle towards the next bivouac where the entire mechanics team could work on the vehicle in preparation for the next stage.

8x8 trucks were truck landships driving in the Dakar, the sheer size of the truck was impressive.

The model has 3 pages, 2 pages with parts and one instruction diagram page.

Minimodel.sk Advent 2021, Day 4: ARO 242

The Romanian ARO 242 is up for day 4. 

This version raced in the 1985 Dakar, but like so many other competitors has to abandon the race when something broke in the front end right before reaching the bivouac.

The paper model version, in its usual 1:100 scale, is a single sheet, with both the easy and more complex version.

I found a video of the ARO, it is in French, but the action speaks for itself 

Minimodel.sk Advent 2021, Day 3: Mercedes Benz 450 SLC

 Day 3's offer is the Mercedes Benz 450 SLC coupe which this version was driven by former Formula 1 driver Jochen Mass, and finished 62nd.

As with yesterday's Renault, the sheet contains both versions of the car, easy and complex.

Minimodel.sk Advent 2021, Day 2: Renault 21 Nevada

 Day 2 brings the Renault 21 Nevada, #363 from the 1990 edition of the Dakar, which unfortunately had to abandon the race due to mechanical issues.

A single sheet model, with both a simple and a more complex version to build, is available for download.

Minimodel.sk Advent 2021, Day 1: DAF 2800 NTT "De Neus"

 For the third year in a row, friends of the blog, www.minimodel.sk are hosting an Advent model gift event. Last year it was excursion and expeditionary vehicles, this year's theme is Dakar.

Today's offering is the DAF Trucks 2800 NTT, known as the "De Neus"(the nose), which in 1982, driven by Jan De Rooy finished 67th, and the second truck dropped out due to mechanical issues, started the Truck mystique for me in the Dakar rally.

FDS' version of the "De Neus" is represented in 1:100, over two sheets, and a construction diagram is included on the second sheet.

Head on over to www.minimodel.sk or www.minimodel.cz, and click on FDS and then Advent to download your own copy of the model.

**Update** It was not noticed until last night, but the right side of the box was missing the Dutch DealerTeam graphic, the file has been updated, and uploaded, so go get the update.

Getting your Dakar fix from Amazon

In my best Thomas Magnum voice, "I know what you are thinking...." he isn't going to cut up a book is he?

For this entry I am.

I first became aware of this book, Voitures de Course by Patrick Pasques on Amazon, and I bought the original Frech version, that is now in the collection part.

After that, the goal was to find another copy, or maybe even an English version of the book.

Low and behold, I was able to land two copies of the English/Italian edition, if you want a copy for yourself and your collection, visit the link here.

Below is the Dakar content from the book, a Mitsubishi Lancer in the colors of the Repsol Ralliart team from the 2009 Dakar.

You get two copies of the car, the full color version, and an outline version to color yourself.

I have also attached the two covers of the two books I have in my collection.

An update will come once I have both versions of the Lancer made.

Paper Dakar: The Facebook Group

Sooner or later one had to be created, right? 

Back in 2018 when I was thinking about creating this group on Facebook, wanting to showcase all the different Dakar models that were being released, which incidentially was the same the reason I started this blog way back then. 

Seems that doing something related to Dakar on a 10 year cycle is my thing, whodathunkit? 

You can visit the group by following the link here, or by clicking on the link down on the left side of the blog.