Another Alex Winson Lamley article, another Schuco Volkswagen. It doesn’t really need to be said that the Schuco Volkswagen T1 is one of my favourite diecasts. I’m a freak for old VWs for a start and despite the slightly out of proportion nose on the Schuco car, there’s some very cool liveries out there. The Lowrider version also pulled more life out of the casting with awesome looking collaborations with Tarmac Works. But now there’s a new Schuco T1 in 1/64: the T1 race transporter.
Part of the new resin ProR64 line, the T1 transporter replicates the rather unique conversion used in the United States in the 1960s. Information and indeed pictures are hard to come by but it seems at least two were built by Continental Motors, a now defunct Volkswagen/Porsche dealer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Both were seemingly for the purpose of transporting Porsche 718s to the track, but that’s about all I can find on them. The red/black example is seen here in the background of this Getty image taken in 1962.
The caption tells us the driver is Chuck Cassel, who entered this 718RS-61 in that year’s Daytona Continental race. And we know that there was another transporter, this one seen with another 718 and an unidentified driver in an undated image.
The ProR64 series takes Schuco into new territory for their 1/64 range. Resin is the material of choice here, and rarity is guaranteed. Resin allows more unique castings to be made easily, bringing oddities like this to 1/64 for the first time. Other models in the range include Maybach G-Wagens and Mercedes concept cars but right now the pick of the crop is the T1. Prices are higher but the production numbers are a lot smaller than usual. These T1s for example are limited to 500 pieces each.
The detail is great and even though these are non-rollers you’ll know by now I’m not averse to that. And neither should you be. Non-rollers have been a fixture of the larger scales for years now, and as resin becomes more commonplace amongst 1/64 brands, I think it’s safe to say more axles will stop turning.
They’re fabulous things to look at and are perfect companions to Schuco’s 356s, Kyosho’s 550 Spyder and all manner of other vintage diecast Porsches. I’d not got any immediately to hand as I took these pictures but the imagination doesn’t have to stretch too far to picture it. The red/black version adorned with the Continental Motors logo just swings it for me for a favourite but the beige/silver colourway really isn’t far behind it.
The ProR tool isn’t blighted by the squashed nose of the diecast T1s and is an altogether more faithful representation.
Even with the resin construction, they’re also still blessed with that Schuco quality feel that pervades the entire range from 1/87 Piccolo right the way up to the monster 1/12 scale cars. The decals and details are all finished to a high standard and they’re very well put together models.
The “IT DOESN’T ROLL!” crowd will be frothing at the mouth to shoot this one down, but it’ll be a perfect addition for any collector of classic Volkswagens, racing Porsches or indeed even unique vehicles and trucks. It’s a very neat display model of an effortlessly cool vintage VW and that makes it more than enough for me.
Instagram: @alex_the_hoarder
Facebook: facebook.com/alexthehoarder
(Find the Schuco ProR64 Volkswagen transporters at the brand shop and on Ebay)