The Porsche 904 Carrera GTS occupies a specific and unrepeated position in the marque's history: road-legal, race-homologated, and built in a run short enough that every surviving chassis carries its own documented identity. Chassis 904-043 is one of those numbered cars, and CMC has chosen it as the subject of a 1:18 scale model that pairs die-cast metal construction with etched and machined detail parts.
A Mid-Engined GT Built for Two Worlds
Introduced at the 1963 Paris Motor Show and homologated for GT racing after 100 units had been completed in early 1964, the Type 904 was engineered from the outset to satisfy both road registration and Group 3 GT competition rules. Its fiberglass body was bonded directly to a steel platform chassis — one of the first production cars to use this method — keeping weight low while giving the structure inherent rigidity. The 2.0-litre flat-four engine (Type 587/3) produced approximately 180 hp, though some customers specified flat-six or flat-eight units. Total production reached 106 cars, built at the Porsche factory in Zuffenhausen.
Chassis 904-043 and the Monterey Moment
In August 2017, chassis 904-043 appeared at the Pebble Beach Auctions 2017 during Monterey Car Week alongside the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance — one of the most scrutinised collector-car events on the calendar. Concours-condition Porsche 904s have consistently commanded prices well in excess of $1 million USD at major auction houses, and numbered, traceable chassis like 904-043 attract particular attention from provenance-conscious buyers. The car is finished in red with silver trim, a period-correct colour combination available to private customers in 1964–65, and carries race number 42.
CMC's 1:18 Scale Model: Die-Cast with Hundreds of Parts
CMC — Classic Model Cars — is a German manufacturer whose 1:18 die-cast models are distinguished by part counts that typically run into the hundreds, with etched metal and machined components supplementing the main die-cast body and chassis. The Porsche 904 Carrera GTS in red and silver with number 42 reproduces chassis 904-043 as presented at the 2017 Pebble Beach auction. The combination of die-cast metal with additional etched and machined parts places this firmly in the museum-grade tier of 1:18 resin and metal models, rewarding close inspection of the fiberglass body contours, cockpit, and mechanical details.
Frequently asked questions
How many Porsche 904 Carrera GTS cars were built?
Porsche built 106 production examples of the Type 904 at its Zuffenhausen factory in 1964. Homologation required 100 completed units, which were reached in early 1964.
What is chassis 904-043?
Chassis 904-043 is one of the 106 numbered production cars. Its provenance is maintained in Porsche's historical archive. In August 2017 it appeared at the Pebble Beach Auctions 2017 during Monterey Car Week.
What scale is the CMC model?
The CMC model is built at 1:18 scale. CMC uses die-cast metal construction supplemented by etched and machined detail parts, with part counts typically in the hundreds.
What livery does the model carry?
The model is finished in red with silver trim and carries race number 42 — a period-correct colour combination that was available to private customers ordering a 904 in 1964–65.
