CMC Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, 1,000 km, Nürburgring 1964 Koch/Pon

A masterpiece of architecture model: CMC Porsche 904 Carrera GTS, 1,000 km, Nürburgring 1964 Koch/Pon, #45

When the Porsche 904 debuted at the Solitude Circuit, Germany in November 1963, a plan was also in place to build it for a minimum of 100 vehicles so as to meet the FIA’s regulations for homologation of a racing as well as road-legal vehicle.

Equipment features: Exhaust system: Sebring
Color: Orange

Technical data of the CMC model:

1. Model: Precision model hand-assembled, Die-Cast
2. Manufacturer: CMC GmbH, Classic Model Cars, Germany
3. Scale: 1:18
4. Item-No.: M-236
5. Parts: 922
6. Limited Edition: 1,500

CMC model car details:

• Hand-assembled metal precision model made from 922 parts
• Athentic reproduction of the entire vehicle
• The hood can be swung open to the rear with a true-to-original replica or the opening kinematics
• Tank filler neck with opening cap and open oil filler neck
• Doors to be opened with movable sliding windows
• Openable front hood with fuel tank and spare wheel underneath
• True to the original rims
• Highly detailed four-cylinder engine ("Fuhrmann engine") with many add-on units and complete cable routing/wiring
• True to the original design of the vehicle interior
• Racing equipment, seats with real velours cover
• Highly detailled windshield wipers with real rubber wiper blades
• True to the original dashboard with all display instruments and controls
• Exact replica of the elaborate chassis and cover including the front and rear wheel suspension, the oil tank, the dry sump lubrication and the gasoline tank, as well as an impressive tailpipe design of the racing exhaust system

Description of the original vehicle: The Porsche 904-055 was delivered to its first owner Ben Pon in May 1964, when he decided to switch to sportscar racing from F1 championship that he had engaged in 1962. With its orange livery, 904-055 contested under the auspices of Racing Team Holland in the 1964 and 1965 racing seasons. It debuted in the 1000 Km Nürburgring 1964 as car #45, clinching a class win and an amazing 3rd overall with Ben Pon and Gerhard Koch behind the wheel.

This race is remembered for its huge entry of over 100 cars, which could be divided into two categories: prototype GT cars and homologated GT cars. There were numerous sub-divisions and capacity classes, but the overall picture was simple: it would involve a duel between two groups of prototypes, namely the Ferrari works team with two 3.3-litre V12-cylinder open 275Ps versus the Porsche works team with two 2-litre flat-8-cylinder 904 coupés. The race started at 9:00 pm and lasted well after 4:00, during which time the leader covered 44 laps of the Nürburgring.

It soon became clear that the prototype Porsche 904/8 was no match for its counterpart. In the end, the Ferraris had a 1-2 victory, with Scarfiotti/Varcarella finishing 1st on a 275P and Parkes/Guichet/Mario coming 2nd on a 250 GTO.  For 904-055, a 4-cylinder GTS, to finish 3rd among a top-quality field of 81 starters, it was nothing short of being impressive.

Fresh from the podium success in Germany, Pon and his 904-055 were headed to La Sarthe for the Le Mans 24 Hours. It resulted in an eighth overall and second in class finish with Henk van Zalinge as his co-pilot. A few weeks later, Pon was joined by Rob Slotemaker for the Reims 12 Hours, and they finished seventh and third in class respectively. On July 19, they proceeded to contest in GP Zoland, only to find that the delivery van had lost control of the trailer carrying their 904s, breaking the windscreen of 904-055, among others. A wind deflector had to be installed temporarily, and yet it didn’t stop Pon from winning the race!

904-055 boasted a fantastic record of 13 class wins over two seasons. Among the 1965 highlights were a 4th place finish and a class win in the Monza 1000 Kms. The Dutch driver Gijs van Lennep was made to man the car in the season finale at Zandvoort, where he continued the winning streak on 904-055.

The car was sold to the USA in 1966, and it formed part of several collections till it was brought back to Europe in 2013.

Technical data of the original vehicle:

1. Two-seater coupé body made of fiberglass over a steel frame
2. Four-cylinder boxer engine
3. Dry sum lubrication
4. Bore x Stroke: 92.0 x 74.0 mm
5. Displacement: 1,966 cm³
6. Performance: 180 hp at 7,200 rpm
7. Maximum speed: approx. 263 km/h (racing version)
8. Brakes: Disc brakes on all four wheels
9. Wheelbase: 2,400 mm
10. Tires front:165-15 or 5.00 M-15,
11. Tires rear: 165-15 or 5.00 M-15 (5.50 M-15)
12. Track width front: 1,316
13. Track width rear: 1,312 mm
14. Vehicle length: 4,090 mm
15. Vehicle width: 1,540 mm
16. Vehicle hight: 1,065 mm
17. Construction time: 1963-65
18. number of units: 116, of which 106 with four-cylinder engines

CMC Legal Disclaimer The use of manufacturers’ names, symbols, type designations, and/or descriptions is solely for reference purposes. It does not imply that the CMC scale model is a product of any of these manufacturers.
The use of racing team and/or driver names, symbols, starting numbers, and/or descriptions is solely for reference purposes. Unless otherwise stated, it does not imply that the CMC scale model is a product of any of these racing teams/drivers or endorsed by any of them.

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