The Surtees TS20 occupies a specific and underrepresented corner of late-1970s Formula 1 history. Spark Model brings it into 1:43 in the orange and white livery worn at Jarama, locking in a moment from a team that ceased operations at the end of 1978. For collectors focused on the Ford Cosworth DFV era, this resin model fills a gap that die-cast ranges have consistently overlooked.
The TS20: Last Chassis from a World Champion's Constructor
The Surtees TS20 was a direct evolution of the TS19 and was prepared by Team Surtees for the 1978 Formula 1 World Championship. Like the majority of privateer entries of the period, it was powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV 3.0-litre V8 — the engine that democratised grand prix racing in the late 1960s and remained the backmarker's default choice well into the 1980s. The TS20 ran a limited programme of 1978 Grands Prix before the team closed at the season's end.
John Surtees, Rupert Keegan and Jarama 1978
Team Surtees was founded by John Surtees, the 1964 Formula 1 World Champion and the only man to hold world titles on both two wheels and four. The team's final season brought British pay driver Rupert Keegan — born 1955, a veteran of Hesketh and other backmarker outfits — to the cockpit. At the 1978 Spanish Grand Prix on 4 June at Circuito del Jarama, Keegan ran number 18 and started from the back of the grid. Mario Andretti's Lotus 78 took the win; Keegan did not finish. It was the kind of hard afternoon that defined Team Surtees' 1978 campaign.
Spark Model at 1:43: Resin for the Overlooked Grid
Spark Model produces resin 1:43 Formula 1 models specifically targeting historic and rare machinery that die-cast manufacturers bypass. The TS20 No. 18 is a prime example: resin construction allows crisp surface detail on aerodynamic bodywork, and the orange and white livery is rendered accurately across the narrow one-piece body. Resin 1:43 models carry no opening parts — detail is concentrated on external surfaces, bodywork graphics and period-correct livery application.
In the Display Cabinet: Placing the TS20 in Context
A 1:43 Formula 1 car occupies roughly 10–11 cm of shelf length, making the TS20 a compact but visually distinctive piece — the orange bodywork reads clearly against the darker liveries of 1978 frontrunners. It sits logically alongside a Lotus 78 in Andretti's JPS black and gold, a Ferrari 312T3, or fellow privateer entries from the same season such as the Ensign or Wolf. For anyone building a complete 1978 grid in 1:43, the Surtees TS20 is one of the harder slots to fill — and one of the most historically resonant.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the 1:43 scale model?
The real-car length of the Surtees TS20 has not been confirmed from a verified technical source, so a precise model length cannot be calculated. As a reference, a typical late-1970s Formula 1 car measured roughly 4,300–4,500 mm including the nose, which at 1:43 would place the model between approximately 10 and 10.5 cm. Allow around 12 cm of clear display space to account for the front wing geometry.
Does the model have opening parts?
No. This is a resin model with a sealed one-piece body — no opening bonnet, doors or engine cover. All detail is focused on the exterior surfaces: bodywork contours, aerodynamic elements and the period orange and white livery applied to the TS20's narrow single-seater shell.
What material is the model made from?
The model is cast in resin, the standard material Spark Model uses for its historic Formula 1 range. Resin allows sharper reproduction of fine bodywork detail compared to die-cast zinc alloy, and it is the appropriate choice for low-volume, specialist subjects like the Surtees TS20.
Who was John Surtees and why does his team matter to collectors?
John Surtees, the 1964 Formula 1 World Champion, is the only person to have won world championship titles on both motorcycles and in Formula 1 cars. He founded Team Surtees, which competed in F1 from 1970 until the end of the 1978 season — making the TS20 the constructor's final racing car, and a natural anchor piece for any collection focused on 1970s privateer F1.
