Spark’s 1:43 scale Porsche 904 replicates a sports car icon …
Porsche was already challenging Ferrari in the mid-1960s, as was Ford with its GT40, for sports car supremacy in the major European races. Think Le Mans and the Targa Florio.
And while all three had, and some continue to have, success in the sports car world, Porsche is the undisputed leader in wins. Much of its success started in 1964 and 1965 with its 904 Carrera and GTS models which were sold as street cars, and racers.
While Auto Union and Mercedes had produced the famous Silver Arrow racers of the past, Porsche too painted its fiberglass bodied 904s that were bonded to a pressed steel ladder chassis the German national racing color, silver.
As a kid I built a Monogram plastic model of the Porsche 904 thinking it the epitome of aerodynamics and sporty looks. Now comes Spark Models creating a handsome diecast version of the 904 GTS in 1:43 scale. It’s available through various online diecast outlets. I got mine from Replicarz.
The History
Designed by Ferdinand Alexander (Butzi) Porsche III, son of the famous Porsche chairman Ferry Porsche, the 904 was the first Porsche racer to feature a fiberglass-reinforced plastic body. It was made in collaboration with Heinkel Flugzeugbau, a German aircraft manufacturer.
The car used the Porsche Type 587 2.0-liter flat-4 engine, but was designed to hold a new flat-6 and Porsche’s powerful flat-8 that it used in its F1 racer that Dan Gurney drove to victory in the 1962 French Grand Prix. The Porsche 804 F1 car also won a non-points Grand Prix in Germany that year.
The low-profile sculpted 904 GTS was quick and reliable, but weighed just 1,443 pounds and could be tuned to churn 180 horsepower with a top speed of 160 mph, and that was the street car. Most racing versions featured the flat-8 from the F1 cars, delivering 225 horses. While all 904s featured manual 5-speed transmissions, rack and pinion steering, a twin wishbone front suspension with coil springs and disc brakes.
The 904 would eventually take a slew of class wins and high placements at races from the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Nürburgring 1,000kms, the Reims 12 Hours, and the Monte Carlo Rally to name a few.
In 1964 Porsche’s 904 won the prototype class at Italy’s famed Targa Florio, but was sixth overall with an 8-cylinder engine, but two 4-cylinder models actually won and finished second. By the 1964 Nürburgring 1000km race the 904 was already becoming a juggernaut because of its durability. Eight 904s finished in the top 12 at the Nürbergring, while one finished seventh overall at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. By 1965 a six-cylinder version finished fourth and a four-cylinder model was fifth at Le Mans, but won its class.
In 1965, the year the Spark model represents, the Porsche 904 was winning rallies right and left, including those in Spain, at Rossfeld in Germany, and Hellbronner in France. Later it notched a second overall and class win at the Monte Carlo Rally, where just 22 cars of 237 finished. That speaks to its ruggedness.
For sports car races that year the Porsche was a winner in class at the Monza 1000km, at Targa Florio, Spa, the Daytona Continental, Le Mans, and Zandvoort in Holland.
The 904 was the successor to the Porsche 718 and led ultimately to its super successful Porsche 917. Today the car that originally sold for $7,425 new in the US is worth millions. Earlier this year a 904 Carrera GT sold for $2.5 million. Famous owners? Robert Redford was one!
The Model
Spark’s No. 174 version reviewed here is a replica of the fourth place finisher at the 1965 Targa Florio. The model is beautifully cast with excellent hood, door and rear bonnet seams. At the Targa the No. 174 was driven by two-time world driving champion and 1966 Indianapolis 500 winner Graham Hill, and famous Swedish F1 and sports car racer Jo Bonnier.
I love the pre-sponsorship era racers like this as the only markings are really the manufacturer’s logo on the hood and quarter panels just behind the front tires. While tiny, they do look realistic, certainly reflecting the Porsche logo colors of red, yellow and black. There’s also a yellow Carrera GTS decal on the car’s right rear, just in front of the slight spoiler rise on the rear bonnet’s tail.
There’s a white and black European license plate in back too, amber taillights and red brake lights. Plus down low are two well detailed exhaust pipes.
Front lights are correctly sealed beam units and there’s a silver cap at the rear of the hood, plus one fender-mounted mirror on the left. Black and silver grate work over the rear-mounted engine area looks sharp too, as does a gas cap just below an air scoop behind the right side door. Scoops are present on both sides.
Cool too that there’s a single big black windshield wiper up front and partially opened sliding side windows that racers of the day featured to help cool the cockpit. Blue No. 174 decals grace the hood, tail and doors. The interior is black plastic, but not much to look at.
Non-branded but treaded tires and silver racing wheels finish off the Porsche, which sits on a black textured base with clear acrylic cover.
These fine 1/43 scale models from Spark are easy to display in their cases, which stack well too.
Vital Stats: 1965 Porsche 904 GTS: 4th Targa Florio
Maker: Spark
Scale: 1/43
Stock No.: S9232
MSRP: $55-79.99
Link: Replicarz.com
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