Marsh Models - Thundersport - made in England 1:43 - Model race car - ref. #MM10 McLaren M8D Chevy V8 Can Am 1971 #48 Dank Gurney - professionally built - very good quality - in the original box - rare today

Offering to you a very rare and high quality 1/43rd scale special resin artisanal model by:

Marsh Models - Thundersport

John Simons

made in England

ref. #MM39B

AVS Shadow MK1 Can Am Mid-Ohio Race 1970 #1 Vic Elford

a wonderful model

factory built - very good quality - in the original box - very rare - no plastic case

reserve price reasonable - best of luck with your bidding

Note
the last photo of the real car ... not with this lot ...

Historic Note
On August 23, 1970, during the fifth round of the Can-Am championship at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, renowned British driver Vic Elford found himself behind the wheel of the radical AVS Shadow Mk.1 (chassis 70-4), fielded by Don Nichols’ team, Advanced Vehicle Systems (AVS).

The Context and the Project

• Extreme Design: Designed by Trevor Harris, the Shadow Mk.1 was conceived to reduce the frontal area by 35%. It utilized tiny 10-inch wheels at the front and 12-inch wheels at the rear, paired with a powerful Chevrolet V8 engine displacing approximately 8 liters (427/495 cubic inches). The driver sat in a nearly supine position.
• Evolution and Issues: In the season’s opening races (at Mosport and St. Jovite), with George Follmer at the wheel, the car was plagued by severe overheating problems. The radiators, originally housed within the wing, were relocated to the exterior above the rear fenders—an arrangement that doubled the aerodynamic drag and effectively nullified the original design concept. The car was repainted jet black (replacing its original bright orange), and the rear wing was replaced by a large spoiler.

The Race at Mid-Ohio

• Retirement: Vic Elford took the wheel of the number 1 Shadow, but the experience was brief and frustrating. The car proved difficult to handle and suffered from a severe lack of wheel balance.
• Outcome: Elford was forced to retire after just 9 laps. It was the third and final appearance—and the third DNF (Did Not Finish)—in the ill-fated racing career of the Shadow Mk.1 in the Can-Am championship.