Le Mans Miniatures CD Peugeot No.53 Le Mans 1966

Le Mans Miniatures CD Peugeot No.53 Le Mans 1966.

Georges Heligouin and Jean Johnny Rives.

Reproduced and modelled in 1/32 scale with the highest accuracy and details, ready-to-run slot car.

• 1/32 scale slot car
• Body made of polyurethane resin
• Injected ABS chassis
• Aluminium wheels with M2 screws
• Motor mount inline
• Slot-it offset 23t gear

Historical Background

After his separation with René Bonnet in 1961, Charles Deutsch founds in 1962 the SERA-CD, Company of Studies and Realization Automobiles and continues the competition in Le Mans with Pan-hard in 1961, then DKW, on very profiled cars, taking advantage of the effect of ground. But in 1966, CD returns to Le Mans, with a new engine. Robert Choulet, from SERA-CD, designed the bodywork and Daniel Pasquini the structure.

The concept of the water drop body has been improved and the laminated plastic (polyester resin) assembly can be bolted together in two versions: short or long with vertical tails to improve stability at high speed. It is based on a steel structure fitted with CD's own running gear, For the engine it is finally towards Peugeot that Charles Deutsch turns.

Peugeot and Moteurs Moderne prepared a racing version of the1.1-litre 204 engine. It appeared in 1965 and was very light because it was made of aluminium alloy. It was mounted transversely in Deutsch’s chassis to create the CD SP66. The collaboration worked wonders, increasing power from 53 to 108 hp. This power is trans-mitted to the rear wheels via a Peugeot 5-speed gearbox. With a weight of 740 kg and compact dimensions, the car can reach speeds up to 250 km/h!

The CD SP66 was presented at the April test of the 1966 Le Mans 24 hours. Only one car was entered to Alain Bertaut. He finishes 22nd, a great performance.

For the 24h of Le Mans Charles Deutsch comes with a complete team. Three cars are on the spot, the No.51 is driven by Claude Laurent and Jean-Claude Ogier, the No.52 by Pierre Lelong and Alain Bertaut, and finally the No.53 by Georges Heligouin and Johnny Rives. The first two are equipped with long tails and vertical fins. The No.53 is a short tail version.

In the qualifying sessions, the cars were all in a row, between 46th and 49th place. In the race, things did not go as scheduled.

The No.52 of Alain Bertaut and Pierre Lelong is the 7th car to retired the race; and the first of the 3 CDs entered, after having completed only 19 laps in 6 hours of racing when it broke its clutch.

Jean-Claude Ogier's No.51 retired in the same hour on its 54th lap when it spinned on some oil dropped in the Mulsanne kink. The collision with the ASA RB613 was serious enough for Ogier to be evacuated to hospital, breaking an arm as his car hit the barrier.

At the third hour of the race, despite the efforts of Ferrari and Ford, the two leading teams were tied.

During the 9th racing hour, in the rain this time, Georges Heliguoin made a strike with car No.53 which involved in the accident and eliminated in addition the Ferrari car No.20 of Ludovico Scarfiotti and the Matra M620 No.42 of Jo Schlesser and Alan Rees.