Tuesday, 19 March 2024
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Patrice de Conto

A word about Patrice, Patrice was born in Belfort, France, December 30, 1951. He studied pharmacy at the university and worked for ten year as a pharmacist. But his hobby, building models, (he started very early when he was 7) took him of pharmacy and he decided to do his hobby his job. Patrice-et-sa-P4Patrice de Conto et sa P3The model to be considered as the first De Conto model is Jody Scheckter’s 1/12th Tamiya Ferrari T4. Patrice simply remade all the parts copying them and replacing plastic by more noble material as cast white metal, turned parts…The next model is an other kettle of fish. Starting with the 1/12th Protar Ferrari C2 as a base, he modified all that had to be corrected to the extend that it was a new model. The result is breathtaking and put Patrice’s name in the very selected world of large scale model makers. The model is presented at Retromobile, Paris, 10 models wP4 01ill be made.The warm reception at Retromobile drives him to start a company with two other partners, Patrice De Conto Creations. The first model is a 1/8th Ferrari 330 P4, this is the model that brought Patrice’s fame. The P4 is presented at the 1990 Retromobile and orders flows, 21 n°21 and 12 n°19 or 24 plus two special commissions yellow 412P for Jean Blaton and Jacques Swaters’ collection. In 1991, again at Retromobile, a huge diorama setting three 1/8th scale models for the finish of the 1967 24H of Daytona is on exhibition as well as the spyder version of the P4, 10 spyders were produced.In the meantime, Patrice builds other 1/6th or 1/8th transformations “à la De Conto” like Lotus 72 JPS or McLaren M23 (base Eidai).In 1993 on a special commission for the owner of a Ferrari 512M, Patrice scratch builds a 1/10th scale model of the Sunoco Ferrari 512M as raced at the 1971 Le Mans 24 Hours.
From 1994 to 2001, working for Bertrand Bigaudet’s ACB company, he builds 1/43rd, 1/24th and 1/12th models of various makers such as Bosica, Make Up, Climax, Q Models… In 1999, as he used to do in his spare time, he creates a 1/10th streamlined Mercedes W196, shows it to Bertrand Bigaudet who at once decides to produce it. A Ferrari TR57 and a 450S Maserati will follow. It is at that time that Patrice met Patrick Badot of Minidelta, Bigaudet had asked the latter to deal with the etchings of those 1/10th models. Patrice and Patrick become very friendly and, as Bertrand Bigaudet goes to specialize in collector’s old toys, they decide to produce under the Minidelta label their first 1/8th scale model: Wolfgang von Trips’ 315S, second at the 1957 Mille Miglia, chassis 0674, 1964 April test days.

 

1/10th Ferrari 512M Sunoco :

1/6th Swedish GP Brabham BT46 Alfa Romeo :

 

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