Exoto 1:43 1957 Fiat/Bartoletti Race Car Transporter- Scuderia Maserati They say good things come in small packages. In this case, it was more like a great thing... Review by Rusty Hurley

Overview

For much of the early history of racing, cars were just re-tooled versions of normal street models and they got to the race the same way everyone else did: they drove. But that era didn’t last long: the fragility of racers could not be exposed to the rigors of highway travel, plus there was a need to bring a back-up car and a load of parts and tools. So the race transporter was born. As quickly as it came into existence it morphed into a rolling billboard and at the track it was the most visible representation of the company ethos. Visit any paddock today occupied by a Penske team and you’ll see that still holds true.

No one understood this better than Scuderia Maserati. As if having some dude named Fangio and the sexy-fast 250F weren’t enough to earn the envy of every other team in the paddock, they had a rugged, handsome and colorful transporter. For the chassis and power train, Maserati chose a Fiat 682 RN2 with the coachwork by Bartoletti. A similar model purportedly used by Maserati but currently in service carrying classic Reventlow Scarabs caused a sensation at the 2008 Pebble Beach Concourse d’Elegance. That seems fitting given the royal treatment Exoto has lavished on this small wonder.

The model arrives securely in a double boxed Styrofoam coffin. The box art work features elegant technical drawings that offer x-ray vision as to the model’s layout in the packaging. If you’ve ever opened a model upside down (like me) this is sure to make you smile. The instructional brochure for uncrating the model safely is well worth the read – while the model is sturdy, one false move could lead to unintended consequences. The blue and yellow colors are a rich canvas for the quality bright work, enamel badging and flawless tampos. Though the engine does not open to full view, you can see the radiator fan through the photo-etched grill.

The metal work is splendid. The lattice work of the rear side framing is plumb and true. You want furious detail? The crown of the transporter bed features 31 faux rivets. The working rear gate features miniaturized locks with four rivets each and functioning latches. The booster step for the mechanics is detailed plate. While the doors do not open, the cab door windows are in the half-rolled position, giving you a fairly unobstructed view to the spartan interior.

As with their Ford Transporter, the chassis Exoto assembled would make a master Swiss watchmaker quiver with joy. Crafted primarily in metal, the intricacy and realism is served up crisp and hot; a geared propeller shaft turns rear tires via transaxle. Functioning suspension? Of course – the leaf springs act just like the real ones do. As always, take care to protect the rear view mirrors when rolling the model on its side. The front wheels are pose-able and all wheel wells have soft grooved rubber mud flaps. Speaking of the wheel wells they frame the massive Pirelli tires which feature extruded markings and two tone wheels – and no cost cutting here, the wheels are different back and front with spoke and bolt detailing usually found only in larger scale models.

As much fun as this model is for the eyes, it's even more fun for your fingers. Lower deck ramps are fixed but the upper deck ramps can be toggled to move using an ingenious pin and lock method. Provision is made for storing the auxiliary panels on the bed of the transport with ingeniously engineered C clamps. The ramps themselves are a tightly machined diamond plate, lightweight yet stiff and strong. The Exoto 1:43 Transporter series in general hits a twelve on my happy scale and this one might be the best yet. Also available in a Scuderia Ferrari version, - the overall execution will tickle you pink. Pricey yes – but you get what you pay for – a precision model of noble materials that is architected and executed without compromise. This isn’t a piece that’s going to sit quietly in a row of other models – it’s going to be the kind of model that visitors to your collection will point to and say “Wow – what is that?” And then you can tell them and can show them - and that’s just way cool.