Alan Passchier got involved in the model design and creating of remote control cars around two and a half years ago when he suffered a terrible mountain bike accident. Photo / Warren Buckland
Alan Passchier got involved in the model design and creating of remote control cars around two and a half years ago when he suffered a terrible mountain bike accident. Photo / Warren Buckland
Hastings man Alan Passchier crashed to the ground and found himself stuck in his own version of lockdown.
He needed a new hobby, not just for fun, but to help him out of it. He found it in the fascinating world of remote control car design.
After a terrible mountainbiking accident two-and-a-half years ago, Passchier suffered serious concussion problems.
It has caused him mental fatigue ever since, he says.
"When I was in the concussion ward the doctors and nurses said that I needed to find a hobby, something to keep me busy and keep my hands busy as well.
"I bought a couple of second-hand remote control cars online and started working on them."
Over the next two years Passchier went from enthusiast to business owner, to creating '1to10 World'. The side project has become bigger than he could ever imagine.
"My website and Facebook page has created a lot of interest over in Europe and America, but I haven't really done much in making a selling market. I just want to show my passion and models."
In his early years he had a strong interest in cars, collecting and studying car brochures from the age of seven.
Now many years later, he works on recreating some of the cars of his childhood era into scale models and giving them a unique and realistic finish, as they become one-of-a-kind gems.
Alan Passchier said he has also become more interested in design/architecture and urban decay, which you can see reflected in his dioramas. Photo / Warren Buckland
He said he has also become more interested in design/architecture and urban decay, which you can see reflected in his dioramas, with the idea of creating realistic scenes of neglected places.
The Netherlands-born and raised Kiwi has lived in New Zealand for the last 25 years and has been involved over that time in commercial interior design (Design Department), and another 10 years creating award-winning window displays.
Passchier said that during a difficult time like the Level 4 lockdown, creativity is a way to help people deal with a situation like this.
"I truly hope that I can be a source of inspiration during this time," he said.
