Pocherphile

I agree, Hudson Miniatures are like little time capsules............I also agree, they are to be built. I got one today to, "Old 16" mint. Looking forward to your builds. Rick

Yea, I noticed that, what I really want is the plastic parts, the rest can be scratch made........... Rick

You know, I have already stated I was trying for another "old 16" on eBay.........one could build as kitted, and then use the other to build one like this one..........ideas are a fly'n Frank........... Rick

Not to change the subject, I agree the seats look 1:1..............what about the Windscreen, any thoughts on this, pro or con! Look everyday w/baited breath to see if you have posted another photo of this master piece. By the way, I for one can not wait to see what you do w/the ITC kit. I made a comment on the "Ole 16" about letting it slip through my fingers, honestly, you are a much better detail man than I am and I wanted to see if you did win, just what you would do w/this really Big basic kit Rick

I believe I saw some where else where you mentioned this type paint.........just where might one find this stuff, I would like to give it a try. Thanks for the tip and I agree, I need to keep the parts spending down so I can buy more kits............ Rick

Look for a built un-painted............forget the wood wheels, to me they seem chessy...........white rubber for shoes is just too cool f/the FIAT.........though from what I have seen, they are copies of the orignals made of white vinyl! Model RC Car Body (Lexan) paint.....perfect on the basic tires and stays put, white on red painted wheels.......same results, alot less doe spent, saved for more kits! Go for it, after I complete the Mercer, I look to return to the FIAT. Rick

Oh My, on eBay a Old 16...........started low bid, but I have already bidded and I will tell you now, I bidded way higher than most would, this time I will not let slip thru my fingers like I allowed a few weeks ago f/a certain ITC kit!!!!!!!!!!!!! Alls fair in love and war................. Rick

Thanks Frank..........I did not even think of that and was just chugging along w/the build. Went back and studied the photos, and sure enough, no holes. Seems these were purpose built frames for racing! I did notice that on the right side of the chassis I will need to leave the center holes where the middle fender rails mount, #22 seems to be carring a rather large box on this platform attached right where the brackets are. I find this odd since there seems to be a location in the rear of the vehicle for storage/tools? But never the less, the box is there. I have sat here and looked @ the yellow parts trees, and by golly, either some type clear or color has been sparayed on these trees. As I said eailer.........when you sand the face of these parts, it as if paint is being sanded off. Is very glossy? I agree, I am not crazy about the rubber tires that come in the kit, do you have a suggestion for replacements? By all means start another.......yours was what made me go with this build to begin with. I would like to build another of the Mercer's as well............a Hudson Miniatures version! That one would be the stock version. Again, thanks for the help Frank. Rick

"Baby got a new pair of shoes" Frames is sett'in flat and straight...........I have stopped working on many a project after getting to this point to find the frame warped and no amount of twisting short of breaking, to get all four to set flat........! But boy oh boy, this baby is setting flat as a pan cake. Not too much more left to the basic frame, finish engine and this is ready for some paint. Rick

Is it me...............I have seen others here comment about the Fuman kit, and it is a good kit and I am enjoying the build, but! In the process of building and cleaning up plastic from the kit parts, I have noticed that when I sand the part, it is very glossy and as I sand it @ 1st, the sanding stick loads up with if I did not know better........yellow paint. Now I am talking parts that are removed from the parts trees, this was a still in the box, un-started kit. I know this is a re-pop of another mfg's product, but do they coat the parts? Not a problem, but I have never noticed this other than when I am doing a tear down from a painted build, that I am re-working! Rick

You can tell by my handle I am a BIG Pocher fan..........I have been addicted to them from the 1st time I opened a box (FIAT) 1975, Frankfurt FRG. I have over the years lost count of the number of them I have had, lets just say a bunch of'em! But I too have been bitten again by a different bug.......the 1/16th bug. The only problem w/Pocher kits......they are huge, hard to display and keep clean unless you have a wall to put that huge display case against, just for them????? But I have again discovered the wonderful world of 1/16th Old Timers, add as much detail as you want and you can display a whole flock of'em where you would have just 1 Pocher sitting! As a matter of fact as of today I have added 10 kits to my 1/16th collection, all of them old timers. Got a Hudson Miniatures 1914 Stutz Bearcat today.......that one was tough to come up with, complete and un-started. I agree, the smaller ones go alot faster and you are not spending a week putting spokes into a wheel! Just my 2 cents worth. Rick

Frank spent a couple of hours watching any clip I could find on You Tube...........my fav.......Brutus! Rick

I believe that he sold the rights to the design to the mfger, @ one time I knew the name of the company that popped this kit..........then after seeing that it would sell, Mr Pocher decided to make that same kit his 1st venture....albit.......the Fiat as we know it. The Fiat was the very 1st kit marked w/Pocher as the Logo............and the rest is History. Rick

This is my favorite all time photo...........I love old B/W photography, then you add a car........I am hooked. I call this "Hauling Butt"

You gotta just love this stuff.............Daddy, what do you do, well your ole Pap is a "Mechanician"..........kid . I also saw where a Mercer was sold for a cool million.............! Rick

For those looking for a Pocher kit to give a try @.........built is the way to go. The kits are designed to be assembled w/screws, nuts and bolts.......some parts just snap together. And they were made to put together w/o painting..........and many were and did do just that. So as you prowel eBay, look for that one that is failing apart, not painted and the parts that are missing, can be replaced......get it for a song. Or go the other way, you gotta have as a kit no one has monkied with, price climbs fast and high, then there is the still sealed in box, the highest price of all and most cases, the most warped pile of plastic you could get ahold of! Back to your question.........I have took glue bombs, take apart, re-work and when done, look as good as if it just come out of the box. I now look f/built kits 1st.....as a matter of fact, I have been watching for a Benz, built with wire wheels. Rick

That ITALA was never really a Pocher mark kit, but was designed by him and marketed thru another mfger, this would launch him into the world of making kits. I saw one with Fiat parts, resin re-pops and a few of the orignal parts sell @ a swap meet f/$4000.00, was a pile of parts in a box.......... . I have only seen one other in EU and that was complete in a case.................many many years ago. Rick

I got the FIAT for a fair price when I purchased off of eBay, but there has been one showing up of late over $700.00, really...........please anyone reading this thread, do not pay $700.00 f/a FIAT.......a Rolls or a Benz sure, but not a FIAT???????? Rick

The PC in my hobby room has a messed up video card, so I can not watch You Tube, but oh happy day, a new All-In-1 is setting in the LR, I will watch those vidoes tonight. I believe #11 is red w/white trim, very clean and well maintained racer, and besides, my Mothers maiden name was Hughes.............now if ole Uncle Howard would have left me a few bucks, I might have been able to have a Mercer too!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rick

The painting is now my screen saver. Why would one want to say such things as a 1/8th Pocher Mercer................ Rumors flew around wildly about what Pocher was going to do next, but I knew a Hobby Shop owner (Bamberg FRG), who was in w/Pocher and he always got the news from them 1st hand, so one day I walk in and spie the large box w/the Orange Rolls on it, he is smiling from ear to ear, says, nobody has that, I am the 1st to get one. Opened the box, was loaded into my car as I left. Now, he always let me know what was up w/Pocher and here he was with that big grin from ear to ear..........Ok, whats up.......Pocher is tooling for a new kit........really, what is it.........his reply, American! From that point rumors flew as to what was to come, but alas, a Fire would stop that from happening and then a few years later, a death would spell the end to the company ever producing a new kit, now don't get me wrong, the factory would churn out kits for awhile, but they never did come out w/that American whatever? I was told once a Dusey, a Caddy and you got it a Mercer! But again you know how it goes, everyone has the poop........... Oh that Hobby Shop owner, seems he was involved somehow w/the guy that started Pocher, WWII Germany/Italy......really never knew the story behind it........but the fella was a honest Joe and I believed him when He said he was best friends w/the then owner of Pocher.....sometimes in fliers, that was his daughters in the photo's assembling Pochers. Rick

Good idea, if you look @ all three photos, the driver in 2 is wearing a double pair, in the last one, the mechanic. I guess they could get pretty nasty very quickly. And is it me, but I believe from the face, one fella is in all three photos? In photo 1 he is setting in the mech's seat, in the last 2 he is driving and I believe the guy in the mech's seat is the driver in the 1st photo.......so, looks like this crew could pull double duty. Rick

For you Frank.............

I do have a question, from the photos I noticed something, whats up w/a double pair of goggles? Rick

The above photos exspress what I am saying, the Mercer was truely America's 1st Stock Car, go to the dealer, buy one, strip it down, take to track and turn it loose..........of course as time goes by, one would modify f/speed. For that reason, one can build it anyway they desire and still be within the realm of the world of Mercers as race cars. of course, B/W photos make it very hard to tell what the color is, unless one has work with B/W and then you know by the hue pretty close what the color is. At best, a educated guess! Rick

Here is some interesting Mercers of the racing type..................> 10-09-1911 Philadephia Fairmount Park 200 Mile Race # 11 Hughie Hughes, 1st Place In the 2nd photo, the fellow wearing the arm band is the mechanic, he must have the arm band on to be able to work on the car. Notice the belly pan on 3rd photo.........most racers had this, is also on a the Fiat, but the Pocher kit does not include.