Does anyone collect pocher models?

 

They are getting hard to find. Why do you ask? They are difficult to build, I'm told. Especially those with wire wheels

 

I collect pocher models and just wondering if there was anyone else out there collecting.

 

That's one expensive model. I've never heard of Pocher, just did a web search, what great detail. How long does it take to build one of these models?

 

I have built two so far. A porsche 993 and a Ferrari Testarossa. It took me about 6 months to build each one. I have a Ferrari F-40 thats next.

 

I've built a couple of Pocher F40's and a Testarossa over the years. They're nice if you have that much display space, but in actuality they're just big Burago's. They're not super-detailed, and the high price comes mainly from their size and the fact that they're out of production. I'd rather have a 1/12 Kyosho or Tamiya.

 

Interesting discussion, though to many, Pocher kits often mean the earlier models of vintage European cars. For example, the FIAT GP car from the early part of the last century, Some magnificent Alfa Romeos from the 30's, a couple of Rolls Royce and perhaps some other ones that escape me now. Ah, Bugattis, These were at the time probably the most detailed models one could hope to build (and one often could only hope to build some of them).

If memory serves, some of the models actually required the modeller to build the engine from the crankshaft up (even though once assembled, there was no way to see the innards). Often the part that defeated a lot of builders was just trying to build the wire wheels. Obviously not an issue with the later Porsche and Ferrari kits, but consider trying to build as many as 6 individual wheels where every spoke and every spoke nipple was a separate piece to be fitted into the wheel rim. I know there were actually a few people out there who offered to put the wheel assemblies together for a fee - and it wasn't cheap. Or quick.

Several of the models actually had leather-bound owner's manuals - which one had to put together - and then put in the opening little glove box. Working lights, using "grain-of-wheat" model train light bulbs were very common. Not to mention real leather interiors using, well, real leather. Working door handles too, as I recall

As much as I loved these models, I never took on the challenge of building one. Let me put it this way; it was sort of the automotive equivalent of building a 72" long model Clipper Ship from a block of wood and a lot of cloth. Only, arguably, more difficult.

Now, some of you may remember (I can't forget it) that for some reason, back in the late 60's or maybe early 70's, K-Mart somehow managed to get a huge lot of these and blew them out for something like less than 25 bucks. Seems to me these were $80-$100 retail each even back then, but I may be wrong. They may have been even more expensive. Of course, back then, there were no Ferraris or Porsches, but plenty of Fiats and Alfas. Of course, I didn't buy any of them. I don't recall the later modern car relaese to be anywhere near the detail or the challenge of the earlier kits

They were exquisite models and second to none in terms of quality and detail and, of course, size. Weren't these something like 1/8 scale or maybe 1/12? Certainly larger, by far, than the 1/18 scale that's so popular today. Excepting the later Ferrari and Porsche kits, one would have been well advised to pick up some of the earlier kits at K-Mart. (Oh, sure, now he tells us).

Ah, what was the question anyway?

 

I paid $350 for my Ferrari Testarossa two years ago. It has a price tag on the box of $99.95. The value of these models has sky rocketed in the past few years. Oh and by the way they are 1/8 scale about 20-25 inches long.

 

There are two catagories of Pocher kits; Prestige and Classic. The Prestige consists of Ferrari's F40, Ferrari Testarossa, and the Porsche 996. An experienced model builder of average skill can easily handle assembling one of these models in approximately 1 week time.

The Classic series consists of Rolls Royce, Mercedes, Bugatti, and Fiat. Usually, these are models of the 1930's. These models are extremely difficult and you should have extraordinary modeling skills to build. If you are not a top notch model builder, don't even attempt to try it. Even still, they require months (or even years) of painstaking effort. I've built one and I'll never try another. I cannot overly emphasize the difficulty of attempting to build a Classic series Pocher.

 

Hi
I do collect pocher models, and do a lot of upgrades, I'm trying to uplaod images but I dont know how

cheers

http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr.../Cdnsmilie.gif

 

Wow, who exhumed this thread!

A good dealer for Pocher enthusiasts is Scale Details. I've dealt with Stephane a few times over the years. He does sell on Ebay as well. He deals mostly with 1/8, but also a few 1/12 and 1/18 items also. I just bought a set of aluminum F40 wheels from him that I'll be installing on my Kyosho red 1/18 F40.

 

It's alive!, it's alive!

Gene Wilder, "Young Frankenstein"

 

I just wanted to vouch for Stephane and Scale Details. I have been buying their accessories for at least 10 years and they are great with customer service and quality.

 

Yep! I have a Tamiya 1/12 Caterham Super Seven BDR that I am about ready to start work on. The kit is nicely detailed, and I'm including a link to a chap's site showing some of the build process.

http://www.scalereplica.com/workbenc...terham-super-7

I see on eBay the kits are in the $400 plus range today. I was not aware of that. Hmmmmmm.

 

Here's my modified version of the Pocher Testarossa "Spyder". It was a beotch to detail because I had to cut out all the metal where Pocher had faked the openings. None of these Pocher newer year cars are very detailed...at least nowhere near the level of the older "classics". Because of their scale it takes a lot of scratchbuilding and hunting for parts that duplicate the real cars.

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

This link should get you the rest of the pics of the Ferrari, followed by a 1/8 '65 Vette, and I guess it should open to the rest of my models: http://public.fotki.com/dallas916/my...&pid=337862980

 

Here's a few pics scanned from prints of a Pocher Mercedes 540K I built about 20 years ago. It's still in the Blackhawk Museum near San Francisco as far as I know. I had to find some very thin leather for the seats because Pocher supplied this horrible fake stuff. I also had to get 3 different radiator shells to find one that looked good enough. All the metal is stainless steel, not chromed. My son put the wire wheels together for me (ugh!).

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

If you click on the pics it will take you to the Fotki website where there is a small downward arrow just below the word "comments". That icon will expand the pics to original (large-very large) size. If it doesn't work for you it's no big deal.

That 540K was the only "classic" Pocher I built. It was frustrating, parts didn't fit well, and the quality of detail wasn't really that good. I also built 5 of the Porsche 993 plastic models (converted one to a cabriolet) for customers. They were the least detailed and had the worst engine of all of the Pocher cars.