Thursday 27 November 2008

Formula 1 Prints - Driver/Constructor/Winner Series



















1 Brabham BT19 1966
2 Eagle Weslake T1G 1967
3 McLaren M7A 1968

Pencil on paper © Paul Chenard 2007


The series highlights the 3 Formula 1 driver/constructors who won a race and gained championship points in the car they built.

Sir Jack Brabham won the World Driver's Championship for 1966, and Dan Gurney and Bruce McLaren both won a race in Spa in 1967, and 1968, respectively.

Sir Jack Brabham sent me a note when he saw the BT19 sketch:

Dear Paul,
Thank you for the very nice pencil sketch of the BT19.
Jack Brabham
Wow! I was thrilled to hear from Sir Jack directly.

Each illustration is available as a limited edition of 250 signed and numbered 17" x 14.5" premium archival Giclee prints for $125 CDN each plus shipping/handling.


Tuesday 25 November 2008

Eagle Weslake - Spa 1967


Pen & ink and Primacolor pencils on white archival stock 4"x 9" © Paul Chenard 2008

Gary Faules Collection

1967 was a big year for Americans in motor sport, and someone who was at the forefront of it was Dan Gurney.

He won, along with A. J. Foyt, the 24 Heures du Mans in a GT40 Mark IV and remains the only American to win a Formula 1 race in a car of his own construction at Spa in Belgium.

In his career, he won races in Nascar, Can-Am, Trans-Am and Indy. Later on, as a team owner/manufacturer, his cars would also win the Indy 500, and the IMSA GTP series.

Monday 24 November 2008

The K8 is Back on Track

My New Zealand friend Peter Leversedge revived his 1949 K8 in time to participate in the 50th of the Christchurch Speedway Association Inc, which operates the Ruapuna Park Speedway.



This is a shot of Peter's friend Brenda and her dog Poppy sitting in the famous K8. It's just great to have the historic racer running again, after an 8 year lull. Peter had No.77 (the K8) on display on Saturday (Nov 15th) and then did some track time on Sunday. Bravo to you, Pete!

Peter has raced a great variety of cars, including a Lotus 18 FJ, a 260M Zephyr Special, and a "RAM" sprint car. He was New Zealand Beach Racing Champion for 1970, '72 and'73, racing No.77. Racing obviously runs through his blood.

Below is Peter racing No.77 in the day ... I love those drifts!

Tuesday 18 November 2008

Distinct Gift Idea – 1950’s Grand Prix Engines

Maserati 250F - Italy
© Paul Chenard 2008


Mercedes W196 - Germany
© Paul Chenard 2008

Talbot-Lago T26C - France
© Paul Chenard 2008

Vanwall 2.5L - England
© Paul Chenard 2008

Pencil and Prismacolor pencil on coloured paper 12"x9"

Grand Prix race cars of the 1950’s were interesting pieces of rolling engineering.

The French used the best bits of straightforward, tried and true racing technology for their racers, somewhat short of funding. The Germans developed highly engineered and tested machines; the British experimented with new technology and approaches, but were not always fully sorted. And the Italians pushed old technology to the full extent of its development, and always with flair.

National pride drove them all to push for the utmost in their machines, and they all carried their Nation’s colours into the melee; the Italian red, the British green, the French blue and the German silver.

Automobiliart.com offers a series of illustrations of 50’s Grand Prix Racing engines in International Racing Colours. There is the 1957 Maserati 250F in red, the 1956 Mercedes W196 in gray/silver, the 1950 Talbot-Lago T26C in blue and the 1957 Vanwall in green.


The series is available as limited edition premium archival Giclee prints, 14.5'x 11' (image size 12'x 9'), signed and numbered to a limit of 100 of each. The suggested retail price is $125 USD each plus shipping/handling, or all 4 for $445 USD plus shipping/handling.

Friday 14 November 2008

1959 Nürburgring 1000 km Race

Prismacolor pencils on gray archival stock
© Paul Chenard 2008


In 1959, Sir Stirling Moss convinced Aston Martin Company owner Sir David Brown to lend him an Aston Martin DBR1 sports car to participate in the Nürburgring 1000 km. Brown’s only real goal for 1959 was to win at Le Mans, so allowed only one car to go.

Moss was completely convinced that he could repeat his previous year’s win there, against some strong Ferrari opposition.

Driving at 10/10ths for the whole race, Moss did indeed reel in his second consecutive Aston Martin win at Nürburgring, with the assistance of his co-driver Jack Fairman.

In the illustration, Sir Stirling Moss gets ahead of second place winner Phil Hill; Moss’ win gave Aston Martin the additional points required to clinch the World GT Championship.

Monday 10 November 2008

Dinky #108 MG Midget Competition


I just picked up a nice 1950's Dinky racer. Though it was in nice played-with condition, it unfortunately had a broken windshield.

I looked at the replacement windshields available on the web and saw that they were of very poor quality. I decided to make my own.

I carefully removed the old one, and drew out a pattern to follow when cutting out a new one.


I'm including a copy of that pattern, along with a scale for proper sizing. I taped the pattern to a cutting board, and taped a piece of acrylic on top. I then carefully cut out the acrylic with many small light cuts.

Once I cut out, I did some light filing and sanding to smooth out the edges. Putting the new one in place is a bit tricky, but it worked beautifully.

See for yourself. Voila!

Tuesday 4 November 2008

Mille Miglia 1954 - Ascari's fans



Pencil on archival white paper, digitally colorized 12"x 9"
© Paul Chenard 2008


Son of a famous Italian racing hero Antonio Ascari, two-time World Champion Alberto Ascari moved to the Lancia Racing Team from Ferrari for 1954, but the Lancia's Formla 1 cars were under-developed, and not really in contention.

Ascari did find success in the well-developed D24 sports car, winning the grueling Mille Miglia (Thousand Mile) race.

In the following year, the Lancia D50 Formula 1 was again raced by Ascari, but retired in the 2 first races. In fact, he lost control and ended up in Monaco Harbour in that Grand Prix.

Four days later, he was killed testing a Ferrari Monza sports car; Italy lost another one of it's great racers. He died at the age of 36, like his father.