Pocher models aren’t toys, they’re a lifestyle

For some of us, the best part of a car is hidden by the bodywork; for some of us, engines and chassis are in themselves the source of all automotive delight. And for some of us, the older the better, the more rudimentary the more we like it. At least some of this sort of thinking must have been involved in the inspiration that led to the Pocher replica of the famous Fiat "F2" racer. In any case, the Fiat 130 h.p. grand prix car driven by Navarro to victory in the 1907 Targa Florio has justifiably become an icon and makes for a dandy display model in any scale. The Pocher 1:8 scale version is famous in its own right for being so large, so complicated and so affordable, at least among the Pocher offerings.

The Pocher Fiat kit is more closely related to the traditional smaller scale kits which rely on glue-together styrene components. With the exception of the notorious chains which in earlier versions had to be assembled from individual components, this kit has little in common with other Pocher kits other than its size and quality. It is the assembly of the chains which more closely resembled the other kits in the Pocher line of classic cars-the chains with their jillions of pieces and diabolical rivets that held the whole shebang together-and it is the chains which are the components most often missing or damaged in the kits offered for sale second hand. Like the wire wheels in some of the other kits and the notorious crankshafts in most of the other kits, the daunting chains send flocks of would-be builders back to the market for something easier to build. While it is one thing to build a Pocher without a crankshaft, it is quite another to eliminate either wire wheels or, in this case, the drive chains. When viewing a competed Pocher Fiat, it is only common courtesy to admire the chains, and, as with wire wheels on the other Pocher kits, no effusive compliments are excessive.

There is considerably more to compliment on Levene's Fiat than chains. This is a model in which the builder went out of his way looking for trouble, and the efforts show. Among the more impressive accomplishments are the splendid wood-spoke wheels. This writer is currently facing a joint venture in which the subject of wood wheels has reared its splintery head, and the decision to take a pass on the challenge ("after all, once they are painted, who is to know what the wheels are made of?") is now, after seeing Levene's efforts, under review.

"Brass era" has come to denote the early heroic days of automotive development, and Levene's model capitalizes on the name by accentuating the brass components on the model. The brass elements do their job of convincing the viewer that the painted elements are also brass, and the result is striking. The black backdrop and the aluminum bodywork-such as it is-add up to a model which could serve as a symbol for the entire era. Chains, brass, and wood-spoke wheels-what more can we ask for? A model this handsome deserves a round of applause.

Clearly, some time has passed since this model was started. Then or now, this is proof of careful work. One wonders if there is some benefit in aging our work as one might age wine. If so, some of us have some treasures on the shelves.

As with all great models, progress is slow and it pays to take photos along the way. This is convincing iron work. At this stage there is no way to determine what the engine was made of, and the metallic paint gives us adequate reason to accept the premise that the engine is iron. As the backdrop for the details of the engine, this iron block is hard to beat.

Wow. It is impressive that Levene is making his own wood-spoke wheels, but it is even more impressive that he is so neat. Note the dandy flashlight holder. No wonder the model looks terrific-Levene can see what he is doing! This writer is trying to ignore that Levene's workbench looks better than many dining room tables, but he is concerned that Levene seems to have allowed sawdust to accumulate between the wood spokes of the wheel under construction. What? No vacuum cleaner?

The brass mesh in the carburetor is a wonderful touch and adds to the brass theme. This thing looks as if it could start up and make smoke and noise. Razor sharp photos will be a treasure in the years to come. The memory of the hours and hours of painstaking construction may fade.

Birds-eye view shows off the overall impact of combining the brass, black, and aluminum colors. White tires are the cat's pajamas. Note black boards on the 'dash board' and the contrast with the floor-wonderful. Note the number of blacks used.

Aside from being a tour-de-force example of workmanship, this model can serve as a lesson in how important the colors of a model can be to the overall effect. By changing this model from its race livery to its 'showroom' look, Levene has given us a completely different appreciation of the subject. Dandy.