# Screw Together Models?



## mercedes1254

I may be remembering wrong, but I and some friends all remember a series of kits, from the 60's - 80's maybe, that you literally had to assemble similarly to the real vehicle, just on a smaller scale. 

We remembered them as being metal, but that may be incorrect. The parts screwed together and created assemblies for the body, engine, suspension etc. They were no where near what is required to assemble a real vehicle but they were a challenge, with lots of parts. They were also rather expensive.

Does anyone else remember these kits or who made them? If so, your knowledge will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - James


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## slingshot392

1/8 Poacher

http://www.pocher.net/english/engframes.html


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## JERSEYJUNKER1

mercedes1254 said:


> I may be remembering wrong, but I and some friends all remember a series of kits, from the 60's - 80's maybe, that you literally had to assemble similarly to the real vehicle, just on a smaller scale.
> 
> We remembered them as being metal, but that may be incorrect. The parts screwed together and created assemblies for the body, engine, suspension etc. They were no where near what is required to assemble a real vehicle but they were a challenge, with lots of parts. They were also rather expensive.
> 
> Does anyone else remember these kits or who made them? If so, your knowledge will be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Thanks - James


i believe you are refering to the Hubley metal kits.i think there are others but i can't remember them. here is one on ebay now just to show you.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/HUBLEY-1-22...699639553?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item58a3777f01


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## roadskare63

yeah i remember the old Hubley models too...still have the remains of one somewahere in the shed...


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## djnick66

There have been a lot of these over the years. As mentioned, the two "main" brands were Hubley/Gilbert/JLE Scale Models metal bodied car kits in something like 1/20 scale, and the 1/8 Pocher kits from Italy. 

The Hubley kits date back to I guess the 50s and feature some large metal parts that need to be cleaned up, primed, painted and screwed together. The detail parts like seats, trim, tires, etc. are plastic. Some of the interior detailing were paper stickers. These were sold until fairly recently by JLE Scale Models which is now defunct.

Pocher kits date back to the late 60s and are 1/8 scale. They made a dozen or so antique/classic cars like Mercedes 500 K/s, Alfa Romeo's etc. In the 80s they came out with a metal bodied Ferrari and a semi truck cab that was in the same vein but not as complicated. I have had a couple of the Pocher antique cars and they are "interesting". The kits are pretty rough, with the big plastic body parts being thick and rather ill fitting. Remember the tooling here is 50 years old. The metal parts are often stamped and require bending and filing. Some of the antique cars had really complicated metal spoked wheels built from a bazillion parts, although Pocher's last runs of the kits in the 90s had these replaced with plastic chromed parts like you see in other car kits. Pocher has been revived by Hornby/Airfix although none of their old kits have resurfaced yet. Hopefully Hornby will give them a makeover and reissue some in updated, improved form.


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