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ferrari4evr1
USA
297 Posts |
 Posted - 05/29/2010 : 18:19:11
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Thought i would ask the experts about the Provence Moulage range of model cars. What do you think of them? Where would you place them in the model car catagory?
1. BBR quality
2. Le Phoenix\AMR quality
3. Make up quality
4. Mattel\Hot Wheels quality
5. Art Model\Top Model quality
I have heard of them before but i dont think it has been discussed here before nor have i heard of their builds...
Thanks,
James
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2010 : 20:22:21
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PM models of France were a massive range of almost exclusively resin kits,one of the 2 or 3 major makers of resin kits from the'80's until only recently when Heco,the latest company to purchase them failed.
It's not easy to "pigeonhole" them for quality,as their range over the years covered every niche from simple basic kits,all the way up to full opening,highly detailed superkits.Their range covered every type of car you could possibly think of from early American and European streetcars to every era of racing car.They must total close to at least 700-800-1000 different cars-I really couldn't tell you.
Many of their models were not available from other makers.For some cars they were the only game in town.Over the years,I have built more than quite a few.
Many of their masters were made by other artists,some of which had worked for AMR for instance,and many others that have had their own companies at one time or other like Dhont,Fadini,Viranet to name a few.
The end models were usually molded well as a rule,and quality wise on average,were of a quality in most cases about equal,or better than a regular BBR,with good decals,and photoetched parts.They were mostly accurate,with more of an "artist" feel like the early Styling kits,or Renaissance models,than the high tech feel of later computer designed BBR's or Technomodel.They usually were well molded,and not too tough to assemble with well fitting parts,with a skill range going from absolute beginner to expert for the superkits.Some of the rarer kits now are quite expensive.....
When their major competitors,"Starter" went under due to the death of its principal,and because of overreaching in their production,it was purchased by PM with Starter's range now added to their own,making the range of kits bigger than any other 1/43 model company.Some of the Starter masters were sold off to the company that owns Spark,and Bizarre.I,at least,can see the "Starter family resemblance"in some of Spark's models.
Since the late '90's they tried different series of factory built models of their range,they were of generally good quality,with the quality really depending on where they were assembled.I will try to post a few photos of some of these from my collection.Some were very well done to excellent.Ideally,if you were able to cherry pick your models in person you would be satisfied.
From the late '90's to the early 2000's they produced models of the entire LeMans grid,producing every car that raced.
One of the built superkits by Veloce43 is being sold by Mike on his site at this time,:
http://www.miniwerks.com/popup.asp?dbID=12276
In the last few years the company had also failed,after having gone thru a succession of owners,and names,Provence Miniature automobiles,(PMA),their story ending at the moment with the failure of Heco,the last owner.
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Edited by - audifan on 05/30/2010 01:32:32 |
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/29/2010 : 22:01:50
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From one of the earlier series of limited factory builts This one a Lancia from the Carrera Panamericana with a decently done Fangio figure,Retail was less than $100.00:
A well built example of one of PM's later revised kits:
One of the later Factory builts:
Not exactly Make Up ,or BBR quality,but they made subjects not made by other makers,and they were 1/2 the price.....
These models are all in my collection.
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Edited by - audifan on 05/30/2010 01:34:01 |
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 00:23:12
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Here are a few photos of regular PM kits:
White boxes are earlier kits,blue boxes are later,more recent kits look totally different,and are larger in size.I have many photos,mainly from kits I sold on Ebay over the years.... |
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 00:31:11
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This is one of their first"superkits,(not really very super compared to the later kits),with opening panels,built by PLM Studios,and signed by the driver,Vic Elford,and the builder Peter Wingfield.
Mike has had these for sale occasionally.This one is in my collection.
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Edited by - audifan on 05/30/2010 01:25:20 |
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 01:11:46
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These are photos of the PM superkit of the Ford MkII,the same model as referred to on Mike's site now.:
Lots of photoetch,and white metal parts..... |
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 01:19:33
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This is the first of their real superkits,the Ferrari 512BB,done for the company's 20th anniversary in 2002...Lots of parts here too....
There was also another yellow 512BB,and the final kit produced in this series,a Silk Cut Jaguar XJR-12 winner of LM 1990.
I sold all these kits,and many hundreds more when it became clear that my injury would not allow me to build anymore.... |
Edited by - audifan on 05/30/2010 01:30:02 |
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moriaan
Netherlands
510 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 05:44:33
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I have a built cloudcar, its really nice!
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 06:13:42
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See,all those parts really do fit together!;-)
Beautiful model.Nice presentation too.
The builders that make them earn their money.....
Bob |
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Ferrarinut
USA
1489 Posts |
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Ferrarinut
USA
1489 Posts |
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moriaan
Netherlands
510 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 11:42:41
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Mike's price is a good deal!
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audifan
USA
73 Posts |
Posted - 05/30/2010 : 11:45:29
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Missed the Factory built BB512 on the site,duh.......
Mike's prices are a great deal for what you get,look at the work that has to go into preparing,assembling,and painting all those tiny parts........ |
Edited by - audifan on 05/30/2010 11:48:19 |
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Provence Moulage Models
