tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50071615460860997122024-03-14T09:14:09.460-05:00Matchbox FrenzyA way to share my love of all 1/64 diecast toy cars (AKA Matchbox and How Wheels, but also all of the lesser-known brands) with anyone who will read it... (And much to the relief of my family and friends who are sick of hearing me talk endlessly about toy cars).Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-59057625854315598822023-01-24T23:10:00.003-06:002023-01-24T23:12:30.990-06:00All else being equal, are mint condition cars always preferable to non-mint condition cars? Answer: NO!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">This sounds obvious, but...:</span></div><p></p><p>...Aren't mint condition cars ALWAYS preferable to non-mint cars? No!</p><p>You see it all the time in die-cast car forums, where they will describe a reasonable but non-mint car as a "filler", a temporary place-holder until you can find a mint-condition example of that casting. As if to say, that the only purpose of a non-mint car is to be a place-holder until you find the "better" mint example. </p><p>Which begs the question, are there ANY instances where, all else being equal (color, variation status, wheels, etc.), you'd actually prefer a non-mint car over a mint car? </p><p>...And my answer to that is a resounding YES! </p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUAZ4iT6G66Bk6BSuvoX_GS3y05OcWTgqs7t9SjPNCzSrMm6Uyqw9lDX9tKGbIQuKHHDdVgubKDEBUhD2XhAt0Kr5njrA2iV3GM-eQVkBmyMb3mwqN2-Z7heEfSLJKxGVZeLEzmcUr--y8Lmn2Vze91hIGeSOlbMHXTmKCqerJtv-24p7ctTAqKk4wQ/s4032/9A2A0AED-EE8A-4159-AEEB-C3227FACCF04.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHUAZ4iT6G66Bk6BSuvoX_GS3y05OcWTgqs7t9SjPNCzSrMm6Uyqw9lDX9tKGbIQuKHHDdVgubKDEBUhD2XhAt0Kr5njrA2iV3GM-eQVkBmyMb3mwqN2-Z7heEfSLJKxGVZeLEzmcUr--y8Lmn2Vze91hIGeSOlbMHXTmKCqerJtv-24p7ctTAqKk4wQ/w400-h300/9A2A0AED-EE8A-4159-AEEB-C3227FACCF04.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p>Now, to be clear, this IS the exception rather than the norm. For the most part, better condition cars are almost always preferable over worse condition cars. And broken cars are ALWAYS less desirable than non-broken cars. But... ...there are situations where I actually prefer the non-mint car over the mint car. <p></p><p></p>Some of it comes from the sense of sentimentality, that the specific non-mint model in question may hold sentimental feelings for you, that you remember playing with that SPECIFIC model as a kid, and the mint model just can't compete. <p></p><p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsntLAEaS2WLDIy0NoN92Us_Y8UzCAzQkTxmeTvlnbTZTmSwiIFdUGOHDTECH6E-mVb81rWHzpVFT9wFDXqEkVm6FUh344gKnzkF7GV8fMBQVUs_k6aG59oI9xeOHPsZk4abkZFQ8LNl21lxCYeTsnMtvOpJvPNQIpWmJ0g5fZ20CdavsUcI74IeTKQ/s4032/51E122C7-EFA1-4600-A763-7C63CC383EAB.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsntLAEaS2WLDIy0NoN92Us_Y8UzCAzQkTxmeTvlnbTZTmSwiIFdUGOHDTECH6E-mVb81rWHzpVFT9wFDXqEkVm6FUh344gKnzkF7GV8fMBQVUs_k6aG59oI9xeOHPsZk4abkZFQ8LNl21lxCYeTsnMtvOpJvPNQIpWmJ0g5fZ20CdavsUcI74IeTKQ/w400-h300/51E122C7-EFA1-4600-A763-7C63CC383EAB.jpeg" width="400" /></a></p>But some of it also comes from the fact that to my eyes, the mint models are sometimes TOO shiny. And the non-mint but good condition model may somehow look more like an ordinary car on the street, with a little less shine, and few more scuffs. This is particularly the case for cars that are SUPPOSED to have scuffs - for instance pick-up trucks - or rally cars - rather than Rolls Royce's or Cadillacs.<p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECl4QZfAK3gv8IijDzMK_5XduFOlNKRPQem-WZLJn7Npwy9RLa6Kp3nX4ZD1iUoaEOT7HhTbNTZ04VneKPQVY5Q0U1X9eXX4GMFotxg1yMdgy8KbnBdC6pzRSlrZ2yPTbjgVp8_fDHBb3LzMgVsllNBjzt210lnDyszxo_thOQ_Be4XrVGrHzR3riaA/s4032/61FA0F8B-40D3-420B-9C8A-C047E39857C1.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECl4QZfAK3gv8IijDzMK_5XduFOlNKRPQem-WZLJn7Npwy9RLa6Kp3nX4ZD1iUoaEOT7HhTbNTZ04VneKPQVY5Q0U1X9eXX4GMFotxg1yMdgy8KbnBdC6pzRSlrZ2yPTbjgVp8_fDHBb3LzMgVsllNBjzt210lnDyszxo_thOQ_Be4XrVGrHzR3riaA/w400-h300/61FA0F8B-40D3-420B-9C8A-C047E39857C1.jpeg" width="400" /></a>I instantly thought of 2 real-life examples. And they are from 2 of my all-time favorite Matchbox castings - the Mercedes AMG 500 SEC, and the Red Transitional Superfast Ford Pick-up. In both cases I compared highly beat-up examples (left-most), with mint examples (right-most), and with good "filler" examples (center). </p><p>And in both cases, I found that the played-with-good condition examples just had something about them that the mint examples lacked - some sense of old-car realism (particularly relevant for an old pick-up truck) combined with a unique "come-play-with-me" siren call. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU_xZfMQuk1EhtVCWCpNrQBM3eWcXpV7OCIW0Bci_bOE0YRR-0hBD4PGjFnlK6sSol2Nx9wyhDvEyExR4s4WD8lhHo74QeVUqWXjLX47lhlckF1EiY2x8tnXPF9hjOEZxLeFjF8A7HuB348SNruZKr2W37JRtlXFZq6Y6Id5CxK_8JDa5zKa8PI63Fg/s4032/D9610087-1A29-4BE5-8223-1EC76B1B0837.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyU_xZfMQuk1EhtVCWCpNrQBM3eWcXpV7OCIW0Bci_bOE0YRR-0hBD4PGjFnlK6sSol2Nx9wyhDvEyExR4s4WD8lhHo74QeVUqWXjLX47lhlckF1EiY2x8tnXPF9hjOEZxLeFjF8A7HuB348SNruZKr2W37JRtlXFZq6Y6Id5CxK_8JDa5zKa8PI63Fg/w400-h300/D9610087-1A29-4BE5-8223-1EC76B1B0837.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>To be clear, it doesn't hurt that both of these middle examples also have that sentimentality going for them. In both cases, these specific examples were the actual first examples of these castings that I ever had. In the case of the 500SEC, it was a casting that I had desired as a kid but didn't actually get until a decade later as an adult collector. And in the case of the pick-up, this was a casting that I literally had never before seen, until the day that I pulled that actual truck out of a $.50 bargain bin at a Matchbox collector flea market, marveling that such a great casting even existed. But I don't think that sentimentality is the only thing going for them, instead I think that I would prefer them even without that sentimentality. <div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pnPjaFwWcmIiE0idufQaU2gD_j-T-NRngPEsA5QL1QkWDpuO6ndzW0mZKLAPfb_BbnlET9qLjh1e67vrHQI6P47OUaa_ezYA1VtQu9SDj9qT9PsjmLEe7RqGNwtco0fRBr5CL6ttDzvzWIoxWSJ87DqoGYBi84vBV99x9oes_LgOG4w4Z_y_i9aJDA/s4032/9CA3B973-B425-42CF-9DB0-B46274984DF8.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pnPjaFwWcmIiE0idufQaU2gD_j-T-NRngPEsA5QL1QkWDpuO6ndzW0mZKLAPfb_BbnlET9qLjh1e67vrHQI6P47OUaa_ezYA1VtQu9SDj9qT9PsjmLEe7RqGNwtco0fRBr5CL6ttDzvzWIoxWSJ87DqoGYBi84vBV99x9oes_LgOG4w4Z_y_i9aJDA/w400-h300/9CA3B973-B425-42CF-9DB0-B46274984DF8.jpeg" width="400" /></a> </div><br /></div><div>So what do you think? Am I completely off-base? Or is there something about the playwear that is magical - some sense of "Velveteen-Rabbit"-esque toy-magic - gradually imbued on them by countless hours of childhood play? </div><div><br /></div><div><p></p></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-79074691158211676032023-01-17T21:36:00.003-06:002023-01-18T12:29:40.227-06:00Can any other diecast E32 BMW compare to the beautiful mid 1980's Matchbox 323i cabriolet? ...Enter the Hot Wheels RLC M3!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IS66347ggnMtrtWvEvYTioDO_zK25HfGsrLfKIz9efIGQwe6EVCFgYI7aeB6Kh6PJVnre5JRgZCb3fwjLSnidK5LUzTX38-lPE2vK3g7Xo_L0ZiGJ9-WYtchyMcQAA61-R_M4zzBD2Fxf4dwAtGsxy4p8rXBlKWmIOelJmxXSHgQaP4FIe_P5EwXGA/s3264/1AFADDA8-8E8D-4C7C-97F5-10569C460896.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0IS66347ggnMtrtWvEvYTioDO_zK25HfGsrLfKIz9efIGQwe6EVCFgYI7aeB6Kh6PJVnre5JRgZCb3fwjLSnidK5LUzTX38-lPE2vK3g7Xo_L0ZiGJ9-WYtchyMcQAA61-R_M4zzBD2Fxf4dwAtGsxy4p8rXBlKWmIOelJmxXSHgQaP4FIe_P5EwXGA/w400-h300/1AFADDA8-8E8D-4C7C-97F5-10569C460896.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Matchbox' wonderful 323i cabriolet has always been a favorite casting from the "Matchbox Int'l" mid 1980's era of my later childhood. In fact the blue 323i pictured, a little rough from lots of play, is indeed from my childhood, one of 4 cars purchased at Bordens in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ (the other 3 were the Escort XR3i cabriolet in white (love that casting!), the 2 door Jeep Cherokee, and oddly large VW Golf GTI in red).<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JAVUf1rVvptUNkTQXwlHfXm7_S1SYUTEbuR2PKmpFdpL1Sbz3-rO4cI9DAFjRnHcMphnQpdK2LpGwpEYWR6dgfLsp9AyGeS6UaZeM906oVZfb5FbDHgGHRn7rsEKHBttwr3HVALVvdTI2sXXUU_bmq-tNwI7BFDPj07worlqhjIZTxe1u84dd-C1Fg/s3264/3CBBE8F9-D76E-4DEC-9CA3-466E0B0E9E10.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JAVUf1rVvptUNkTQXwlHfXm7_S1SYUTEbuR2PKmpFdpL1Sbz3-rO4cI9DAFjRnHcMphnQpdK2LpGwpEYWR6dgfLsp9AyGeS6UaZeM906oVZfb5FbDHgGHRn7rsEKHBttwr3HVALVvdTI2sXXUU_bmq-tNwI7BFDPj07worlqhjIZTxe1u84dd-C1Fg/w640-h480/3CBBE8F9-D76E-4DEC-9CA3-466E0B0E9E10.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>While I'm still partial to the blue car, the other colors shown are also nice, particularly the pure white. All examples have marvelous wheels. I love the 8 dot wheels of that time, particularly the glorious gold wheels on the red car, but I'm also partial to the laser c/d wheels on the white Alpina car. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_uqoQdRHWyOn_bGacuynZmIucgXI1FR5rmgHICFPYfpDjI6AIZb91PEL4pvAbELMCoeMZVyonXAC_Kecail7e26SMTcYOZZwaBdYznnt0f_WM1u71m4sskL0IzjT1qpx2AqZ-UfEIrqnne3JhVd6Cjz7nS22jy0Twad0E5TcWmkw6ldBRmqWVdwpTA/s3264/41AA0B1A-D6FE-4B1F-84DD-0946819EA9F0.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_uqoQdRHWyOn_bGacuynZmIucgXI1FR5rmgHICFPYfpDjI6AIZb91PEL4pvAbELMCoeMZVyonXAC_Kecail7e26SMTcYOZZwaBdYznnt0f_WM1u71m4sskL0IzjT1qpx2AqZ-UfEIrqnne3JhVd6Cjz7nS22jy0Twad0E5TcWmkw6ldBRmqWVdwpTA/w400-h300/41AA0B1A-D6FE-4B1F-84DD-0946819EA9F0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I've always loved the plastic front piece/grill with it's great detail, that somehow show off the classic BMW headlights to great effect. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9x2ucO8Iv-v8Jxyy76vQEFz22fBMwLfqOgRJr1t3acEiSmbM5e5gVL0BFiTAhamnhFuAM7BetcMFqNMwMl-KbsSnMWKxrJmHPywgWHI7HDIK7ziebjn4w4Azvaaa5bzRJ_COez8sLfyNQ88MaftyjEciU-jzu9ppgd2DWIc4EPtewLhDEY9gFD43Szw/s3264/4E27B6C2-7DF8-498C-A3DF-F3EACFEC00E9.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9x2ucO8Iv-v8Jxyy76vQEFz22fBMwLfqOgRJr1t3acEiSmbM5e5gVL0BFiTAhamnhFuAM7BetcMFqNMwMl-KbsSnMWKxrJmHPywgWHI7HDIK7ziebjn4w4Azvaaa5bzRJ_COez8sLfyNQ88MaftyjEciU-jzu9ppgd2DWIc4EPtewLhDEY9gFD43Szw/w400-h300/4E27B6C2-7DF8-498C-A3DF-F3EACFEC00E9.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div>The base of the car, like many of the other great bases of the Matchbox Int'l years, is packed with nice metal detail. The Matchbox Int'l bases are truly the best bases of any Matchbox era!</div><div><br /></div><div>So as with so many of these blog entries, I have to ask whether with such a great E32 casting, is there anything else that can compare to it? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fOWJGtKJDNibMc22ZccbGiCQCZKCLMqv4xpYA15o-n19uvDQFfYI9W3SuxNj4glZl-bG6ZXaSNfLWTBSQRQRpWNupl3zRQEsTSzyzd2MLlh7mhz2EAGM_ByBEFRbWimWblMALGTZ7-igucSD_BN8TNKEjO8P-nw-lfKOAm1sd3_wDmVDgds7I3OmTA/s3264/49EE7766-9E9B-4767-A892-21C392A8ED5D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fOWJGtKJDNibMc22ZccbGiCQCZKCLMqv4xpYA15o-n19uvDQFfYI9W3SuxNj4glZl-bG6ZXaSNfLWTBSQRQRpWNupl3zRQEsTSzyzd2MLlh7mhz2EAGM_ByBEFRbWimWblMALGTZ7-igucSD_BN8TNKEjO8P-nw-lfKOAm1sd3_wDmVDgds7I3OmTA/w640-h480/49EE7766-9E9B-4767-A892-21C392A8ED5D.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEJYHXvsqNG15YdJcCDHbaO_xKwpqumuXd6hnf9zxD1TomIJQ-oX708JqXHp-wYg-JrPOp06aPOxsqEgh7iR_pcS_edgNTK-BfAPrkp6wNnk76KPxSE3wkViBnkxBhAfJUH-L79jX_O8xH6ZIjMKUh9lL3vfSM9e81q4V8Ff44QHqQbAmepk2ZNHBQQ/s3264/30E31CF6-A231-463F-95C6-A04F60064454.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEJYHXvsqNG15YdJcCDHbaO_xKwpqumuXd6hnf9zxD1TomIJQ-oX708JqXHp-wYg-JrPOp06aPOxsqEgh7iR_pcS_edgNTK-BfAPrkp6wNnk76KPxSE3wkViBnkxBhAfJUH-L79jX_O8xH6ZIjMKUh9lL3vfSM9e81q4V8Ff44QHqQbAmepk2ZNHBQQ/w400-h300/30E31CF6-A231-463F-95C6-A04F60064454.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Hot Wheels made an attempt about 20 years ago, seen here. And while the cars are reasonable, they offer no competition to the glorious Matchbox Int'l 323i casting. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiaoOz9fR2xr3OGXhwei7WdZDX9fSPZ7qmYNIX-3q36EOwEAYlKcfRPs1ypODMLcZQbrq19nWumYKG3yQ6IkBZq04rSXMMBpu7ECO3JkJLAfnpImLDQyz9RKXMCxGVwUPZrkjxc00KTIaFrFO5mFsbf3G7LVTBeQ2me6cgamWOxdi6ok42YOA4gs69Q/s3264/8CA3058D-21A7-438E-9CEB-827E68974771.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdiaoOz9fR2xr3OGXhwei7WdZDX9fSPZ7qmYNIX-3q36EOwEAYlKcfRPs1ypODMLcZQbrq19nWumYKG3yQ6IkBZq04rSXMMBpu7ECO3JkJLAfnpImLDQyz9RKXMCxGVwUPZrkjxc00KTIaFrFO5mFsbf3G7LVTBeQ2me6cgamWOxdi6ok42YOA4gs69Q/w400-h300/8CA3058D-21A7-438E-9CEB-827E68974771.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>But there is a new (and very expensive) E32 casting in town - and that is the Hot Wheels RLC E32 M3. The car was only available to Red Line Club members (hence "RLC"), and probably sold out immediately. The only way to get it now (the way that I got one) is to buy it on EBay - and they aren't cheap. I bought mine for about $50, but most go for $65-$75, which makes acquiring one a very expensive proposition. But that money will buy you an absolute JEWEL of a car. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt9LD2s9_3uLxpvgoAdVRnI4T7oom-b_-wMzAk9vc8Oabbr45b9yGNnjDfKcO5SqMEpaW3heKRbnIHEEnuP8M-9rIRNL3l1LmRxSh2ZWeRWbaVeg6hwG6JF7-uDZ9t5_hDny0r5ffbFC88qz3vgquYat_p7-JFP0XATjW2JOoGUW7AP-sGPrvQ_dzEw/s3264/16E3D3EC-1551-4C2D-96A8-29B444758499.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnt9LD2s9_3uLxpvgoAdVRnI4T7oom-b_-wMzAk9vc8Oabbr45b9yGNnjDfKcO5SqMEpaW3heKRbnIHEEnuP8M-9rIRNL3l1LmRxSh2ZWeRWbaVeg6hwG6JF7-uDZ9t5_hDny0r5ffbFC88qz3vgquYat_p7-JFP0XATjW2JOoGUW7AP-sGPrvQ_dzEw/w400-h300/16E3D3EC-1551-4C2D-96A8-29B444758499.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>This car is close to perfection, with exquisite detail, opening doors, and rubber tires. But perhaps where it shines most is when you line it up with the Matchbox 323i, which suddenly feels HUGE in comparison. It's not that the Hot Wheels is too small. It's that the Matchbox is too BIG, at a massive 1:56 scale (as stamped on the bottom of the baseplate) vs. the 1:64 scale that Matchbox size cars are supposed to be. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cb9NbE1erWZaE3cZIMKQiiluN1D08XJBPOxYw3MjogdG-y3eY5x7SMVXMMkbrfWLNaqH9WATDV5zWCI0DR4L_PH1JvV-wDsIhFZlfxRhKREyXseJR32sHxohFla4_gN9LT-Ch1mH0AIdVcNH-qUg_uXsDF_sc1XheeUU0MRKtSEg9uKhwx5fLRWW-A/s3264/72F6E486-D75C-44DF-81DD-FDA3C84A30B1.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2cb9NbE1erWZaE3cZIMKQiiluN1D08XJBPOxYw3MjogdG-y3eY5x7SMVXMMkbrfWLNaqH9WATDV5zWCI0DR4L_PH1JvV-wDsIhFZlfxRhKREyXseJR32sHxohFla4_gN9LT-Ch1mH0AIdVcNH-qUg_uXsDF_sc1XheeUU0MRKtSEg9uKhwx5fLRWW-A/w400-h300/72F6E486-D75C-44DF-81DD-FDA3C84A30B1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>But, as nice as the RLC M3 is, it doesn't make me love the 323i casting any less. It's still a favorite casting. But maybe, just not quite AS favorite as the new RLC M3... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFIzTh3Z-AFoU61wX_42VVmzXkZ1y2d2TEm_fRS1aFtqpjVki9re8B00V91lLTllblRD4wRvlsYRXd8B5n3OBIOkj7aWjdTJebiuxywOEohI2v-TVvl_MUF7PZ4iwU70Ft-F3lU9lxkZ0Vzfd9PquDj0TX9MVB1I_pm4tOWyaT0A77jy_diV4aA_ISg/s3264/594C0369-8F98-4FF1-A0A7-7FCF5BC32FF4.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCFIzTh3Z-AFoU61wX_42VVmzXkZ1y2d2TEm_fRS1aFtqpjVki9re8B00V91lLTllblRD4wRvlsYRXd8B5n3OBIOkj7aWjdTJebiuxywOEohI2v-TVvl_MUF7PZ4iwU70Ft-F3lU9lxkZ0Vzfd9PquDj0TX9MVB1I_pm4tOWyaT0A77jy_diV4aA_ISg/w640-h480/594C0369-8F98-4FF1-A0A7-7FCF5BC32FF4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQw01lCC8O8yrwyJUZuufqcPc09G-vHkcgx5ag15JqxgCkkbfhCRAIzBbnA6uAZuVtDTtlTc7e4YGUyIlfiQ3j9hfgH3sJH96ySLc5G47bzDExhU_gzWZLUyaSsq5LK-SjqYbnNOuzY__FD9wYeEHAPCc8JzthoZirQFr5qk103zf-WvytodQFkcJDQ/s3264/950E9AAD-1C13-4983-9D2B-DB95A5053862.jpeg" style="clear: right; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXxPxhDzNE7GrHcvthSrjgOg6mVEMdKuV4fLqZFowQWEXCh5i5UIHVwI7Lgu3SKuuHYo9sfN9-6kJ6IqZxO1IwKbUZ39S-eOe7tVeI-I4jP7nTX8fzy9BeHEQw9K4rKbjRroSSfKCj-dXWfZhT3H77Eb3JYiowLW83Yh6ztQvvREd4L-AtXULYlKb2A/s3264/C590A3C6-8B24-4E53-AB89-5714931F9098.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDXxPxhDzNE7GrHcvthSrjgOg6mVEMdKuV4fLqZFowQWEXCh5i5UIHVwI7Lgu3SKuuHYo9sfN9-6kJ6IqZxO1IwKbUZ39S-eOe7tVeI-I4jP7nTX8fzy9BeHEQw9K4rKbjRroSSfKCj-dXWfZhT3H77Eb3JYiowLW83Yh6ztQvvREd4L-AtXULYlKb2A/w640-h480/C590A3C6-8B24-4E53-AB89-5714931F9098.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-11995755585086938322023-01-16T22:55:00.007-06:002023-01-17T10:53:18.271-06:00Fixing my 2005 Aston Martin DB9 when no ignition left the car DEAD. Repair cost = $0!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0ZI79OwzLOU-4jsOtyFuBqPrdFwz2Z-ORUOwzWXkZ6vBrCf00JK8Lx61xZDZQPCTXXOhrnhLQd3pYM4B_Bm90U9uyusKiEO_wb78coCZoQJCLUzTpWz3CcMpDcqXamPp9HM2tqgaa3VQcjdx5gUvGa-yBAt21Og6aTJiVR9UqbwzFn2rOP7ym0aVYA/s4032/20211003_120052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo0ZI79OwzLOU-4jsOtyFuBqPrdFwz2Z-ORUOwzWXkZ6vBrCf00JK8Lx61xZDZQPCTXXOhrnhLQd3pYM4B_Bm90U9uyusKiEO_wb78coCZoQJCLUzTpWz3CcMpDcqXamPp9HM2tqgaa3VQcjdx5gUvGa-yBAt21Og6aTJiVR9UqbwzFn2rOP7ym0aVYA/w640-h480/20211003_120052.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">4 years ago, I bought a dream car...</p><p style="text-align: left;">...Well, not my absolute DREAM car. That would have been a FD Mazda RX7... ...Or a Lotus Esprit Turbo S4... ...or maybe an early '90s BMW 850i manual... ...or even a late '60s Triumph GT6?</p><p style="text-align: left;">...Or if I was getting REALLY dreamy, maybe a late '80s Aston Martin V8 Vantage, or an early '90s Aston Martin Virage. And as long as we are talking about big dollar cars, what about any number of Ferraris, from the crazy expensive ($2 MM?) mid-'80s GTO, to a comparatively bargain priced 348i? </p><p style="text-align: left;">OK, so there are many contenders for my dream car, most of them from the late '80s or early '90s, when I was in my prime "dreaming" years. </p><p style="text-align: left;">But nonetheless, the car I bought qualified as A dream car, even if it wasn't THE dream car. An exquisitely beautiful shape, pulled like taffy to lengthen and lower it, and then pulled some more for good measure. </p><p style="text-align: left;">A V12 engine, making more horsepower than ANY of the above mentioned dream cars. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Hand-built, by a manufacturer with instant "exotic" car credentials. </p><p style="text-align: left;">And best of all, arguably the MOST required criteria for any of my "dream" cars, a super-rare 6 speed manual transmission. </p><p style="text-align: left;">A 2005 Aston Martin DB9 coupe. Painted in a delicate shade of light green (I can't remember the formal name of the color right now), reminiscent of the Aston Martin Racing Green from their 1950s and 1960s LeMans race cars. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQvAgQCUEuFAuh8P0uD9W4uov3diMcXDgesa26VdPj5uKt25v7ck5fSInFLA2CAKqhyubjqgylzHQxb8v2mPvd6lTsEUHWTlPbRKh7IgRzS07evby5erTnYubbqvI6GZylC3poABITX7tpXnS9I2ao3H4ROcn0StGPfU7v9KXhIf42K43as4eCP-jaQ/s4032/20200719_085404.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQvAgQCUEuFAuh8P0uD9W4uov3diMcXDgesa26VdPj5uKt25v7ck5fSInFLA2CAKqhyubjqgylzHQxb8v2mPvd6lTsEUHWTlPbRKh7IgRzS07evby5erTnYubbqvI6GZylC3poABITX7tpXnS9I2ao3H4ROcn0StGPfU7v9KXhIf42K43as4eCP-jaQ/w400-h226/20200719_085404.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">And a price tag for a 14 year old used example that, while not low, was much lower than many other comparable cars - including most of the above dream cars. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">I was delighted with my purchase, but worried about the size of the repair bills that Aston Martin V12 exotic ownership would bring to me. I tried to force down the thought of $10,000 and $20,000 repair bills for minor issues, and told myself that I, with my very-basic mechanic skills, would attempt the repairs myself. </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WivNIIiogBRqg0A6sVS_5FJYniHAQvZPe7r5aXU78eonMQR6-PTRlikUiRR0U7UMfCt_dz-P1IE-yhkK6KAOq7ze_cC1CMdo0NNLVsFNBDrPc16v26Bm5MNsmdjDmidzS-_sE9fyK_b5HCtpOKzJyqIHyg9L5YR-q_CIHk411uen14osUjSW8uzkiw/s4032/20211003_115936.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_WivNIIiogBRqg0A6sVS_5FJYniHAQvZPe7r5aXU78eonMQR6-PTRlikUiRR0U7UMfCt_dz-P1IE-yhkK6KAOq7ze_cC1CMdo0NNLVsFNBDrPc16v26Bm5MNsmdjDmidzS-_sE9fyK_b5HCtpOKzJyqIHyg9L5YR-q_CIHk411uen14osUjSW8uzkiw/w400-h300/20211003_115936.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">And so far, I've been successful! The car has been mostly reliable, and although I've had to fix a number of minor items, I have yet to pay anyone to work on the car. I've also been fortunate with the price of parts, since many of the mundane items in the car were taken from other less prestigious manufacturers (Ford, Volvo, Toyota, etc.), and so I've been able to source mostly inexpensive parts. </div><p></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p>But all of that good fortune seemed to evaporate last week when the car just wouldn't start. </p><p>A basic tenet of cool-car-ownership is that a cool car is only cool when it actually runs and drives. A broken-down car is useless, let alone exceedingly frustrating. Even a crazy cool car like a 1957 Mercedes 300sl gullwing (or a V12 Aston with a manual gearbox) will lose its appeal quickly if it can't be driven. So a non-running car is an issue. And the thought of having it towed to an expensive foreign/exotic car mechanic is not a pleasant prospect. </p><p>I had taken it out to do some shopping, and I noticed as I left the first store that the starter button (twist the key, push in the clutch, press the start button, yeah, it's a bit weird but its an Aston!) was suddenly finicky. The car didn't immediately start, instead I had to push the button several times before the starter engaged and the car roared to life. Leaving the second store the same thing happened. But since the car ultimately started both times, I immediately forgot about it. Until the next day, when I went to start the car in the garage, and NOTHING happened. Like, nothing. Not even a feeble attempt to turn over the engine. And this time, it didn't "ultimately start". The car was fully dead, but at least safe in my garage. </p><p>I immediately came up with some potential scenarios, including the following 3 which I was able to quickly rule out:</p><p>1. Something was wrong with my key (was there some sort of electronic sensor in my key that might have died?). Easy test - I grabbed my other set of keys and tried starting it again, but again, nothing. Not an issue with the key. </p><p>2. The battery was dead. OK - this is of course the obvious issue - but the reason I listed it 2nd rather than 1st was that all my electronics in the car were working. Radio, lights, dashboard lights, etc. If there was enough power to power all that stuff, then the starter should have at least made an attempt to crank the engine. I've owned the Aston long enough to have dealt with a dead (or somewhat dead) battery before, and I knew the sound that it would make when it had some power, just not enough to fully start the car. But this time, when I turned the key to the on position, the dashboard all lit up, but then when I pressed the start button, there was nothing. To fully rule out this issue, I charged up the battery overnight, but nothing changed. It wasn't a dead battery issue. </p><p>3. BDS (Battery Disconnect Switch). This again is a semi-obvious culprit - (I say "Semi' since it is only obvious if you KNOW about the BDS, which I only accidently learned about several years ago). Here's the deal with BDS. There is a mysterious button in the trunk (boot) of the car marked as "BDS", which you can push in order to disconnect most electrical items in the car and keep the battery from dis-charging during an extended absence. This sounds intelligent, but it ISN'T. Because for some incredibly stupid reason, the BDS switch in the trunk can only be used to ENGAGE the BDS, not to DISENGAGE the BDS. In order to disengage the BDS, you have to worm your way into the back of the cabin and lift up the passenger rear seat cushion (which is NOT obvious that it is made to lift up - and requires quite a determined tug to do so) and find the re-engagement switch for the BDS. To make matters even more illogical, the BDS switch turns off the ability to open the glove box, which is likely where your owner's manual is that TELLS you about the BDS. So if you accidently engage the BDS, your car will be fully dead, and you won't be able to access the manual to learn about it. Yes, I've been in that predicament, about 2 years ago. Thank goodness for the internet! ...But, fast forward to this particular issue, and although I considered whether I MIGHT have inadvertantly engaged the BDS, I also noticed that the glove box WAS able to be opened, and that the stereo WAS working, and thus, I ruled out BDS as the culprit. </p><p>With the most obvious issues ruled out, I turned to the internet, and came up with my next 3 likely culprits:</p><p>4. More major mechanical issue - like a bad starter, or perhaps a flywheel with a broken gear (it happened once to my Mom about 30 years ago on her Plymouth Voyager). This category of issues would be expensive and hard for me to fix, so I figured I'd keep working on the less-involved issues first. </p><p>5. Bad starter button: This one seemed like the most obvious candidate, since when I was out shopping, it had seemed like the button was futzy, and I'd needed to press it several times and in different ways in order to start the car. Plus, based on my internet research, it was a known problem, and places like Scuderiacarparts.com (a good resource for Aston parts) sells replacement buttons. I was almost to the point of ordering a new button, but first I wanted to check one last thing. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwqkrRGCM2sj7JpJZ3tQdbqqcCBlaa0mDQNqCt4PFJdOOs4KM29zU3I959c-PzyQvlUuP7c45LrB4pXunZpEAYEPewTXIphFUCE39Ocv4y9XBdLSiAfIogMZeTqYGxcxC9ck_uj2LbrIy_o1nvRxhQP2yZh-yJGtj1dWTPAA0TV3lQDn9W5DTygDlPw/s4032/20230116_190316.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDwqkrRGCM2sj7JpJZ3tQdbqqcCBlaa0mDQNqCt4PFJdOOs4KM29zU3I959c-PzyQvlUuP7c45LrB4pXunZpEAYEPewTXIphFUCE39Ocv4y9XBdLSiAfIogMZeTqYGxcxC9ck_uj2LbrIy_o1nvRxhQP2yZh-yJGtj1dWTPAA0TV3lQDn9W5DTygDlPw/w300-h400/20230116_190316.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>6. Bad clutch switch: As I was researching the issue on the internet, someone mentioned that they had had a similar issue, and the Aston dealer had traced it to a broken wire in the clutch switch (remember that like most modern manual transmission cars, the clutch has to be pushed in for the car to start). In reading about this issue, I found out that the starter button is supposed to glow red when the key was in the on position and the clutch was engaged (I'm embarrassed to admit that I hadn't fully noticed this before). I couldn't remember whether the starter button had been first lit white and then red when the car had had the temperamental starting issues at the mall. But I had to admit that when I was repeatedly pressing the starter button and it had finally started, I was also repeatedly pressing in the clutch, and thus the connection issue I was attributing to the starter button could also be with the clutch switch. So I went to the garage again, turned the key, saw the starter button glow white, and then engaged the clutch, and the starter button DID NOT TURN RED. Hmm. So while I couldn't remember whether MY starter button typically turned red, it was reasonable to assume that it should be turning red, and the fact that it wasn't turning red might mean that it wasn't recognizing that the clutch was engaged. <p></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSLrxn1DiH-5a9fdLyW3j49fCYvHCJtHYp5Vkm3g1ymK4dL_LWhKhTJwOoFDNEr1k2HvCMArV6phWLbVok4z-7bXD2mdW9UnNI6WDoCxHZHMwCHmOxaq48aP3Er_jejvhml-q_3fxOfocVo0A0c8pJf3vbMQfrkphHCifXwvfq8BS3P4GzPAiHWmolA/s4032/20230116_163625.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSLrxn1DiH-5a9fdLyW3j49fCYvHCJtHYp5Vkm3g1ymK4dL_LWhKhTJwOoFDNEr1k2HvCMArV6phWLbVok4z-7bXD2mdW9UnNI6WDoCxHZHMwCHmOxaq48aP3Er_jejvhml-q_3fxOfocVo0A0c8pJf3vbMQfrkphHCifXwvfq8BS3P4GzPAiHWmolA/w300-h400/20230116_163625.jpg" width="300" /></a>I hate working under the dashboard of a car. You are lying on your back on the floor, with your bum trying to snake over the seat or out the door, and your forearms are invariably too long to bend at the right place to get both your arms above your face (why can't we have a 2nd elbow to make these maneuvers easier?), and it is always claustrophobic, and there is never enough light, and the stuff under the dashboard is always sharp such that your hands and wrists get all scraped, etc. </p><p>But I crawled under there, and there was an obvious, and low down (easily accessible) component mounted by the clutch pedal with a plunger that engaged when the clutch was pressed. It looked like the clutch switch. But most importantly, there were 2 wires leading to the switch, and ONE OF THEM WAS BROKEN AND HANGING DISCONNECTED!!! Bingo! This was exciting - this seemed like the obvious culprit. </p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3MjiqPgQKZ8RGWGOGyW2KDbZCYDkWKB3jFn8QvCX8zRlQZcrSypxzWwPDPj9SEsBc2PSwjsg0C6RGnIulg7sp3f8PQafPXTBjcKg133CGrZOUDdaIF4aBxOYgeTHkSqUByo-866ppTuKQMTjlIYKfb0_s4GtLpgxljd-rQ_S0OROh8-mhjnrXzKs0Q/s4032/20230116_164300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga3MjiqPgQKZ8RGWGOGyW2KDbZCYDkWKB3jFn8QvCX8zRlQZcrSypxzWwPDPj9SEsBc2PSwjsg0C6RGnIulg7sp3f8PQafPXTBjcKg133CGrZOUDdaIF4aBxOYgeTHkSqUByo-866ppTuKQMTjlIYKfb0_s4GtLpgxljd-rQ_S0OROh8-mhjnrXzKs0Q/w480-h640/20230116_164300.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><p>However, the immediate problem was that the broken wire was broken right at the switch component, so I wasn't sure how I'd reconnect the wire. I grasped the switch and started to play with it, and immediately realized that it turned, and by rotating it about 1/6th of a turn, the switch pulled out of it's mounting bracket, and now hung down slightly in front of the clutch pedal, which made it slightly easier to view (though still hard to reach which would make splicing the wires very difficult). </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMOVJ3g7FfMOsj-uMT3qNk41D7cOEaBdkDZ3qlUd5xm1u5Gw_DiZ8tJhxsdm9go7nBdNESX_0grYKCsy-hQl5NFucUpBPg2gr3xicLSkaGnOA_vvmzRrp3FdtOdIHsn9R19fl_pSu_BazR44YQw9gy6mo6vlQ2ep2OshxjcDJDvJ_FA7PJGq3_2ZofA/s4032/20230116_163700.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizMOVJ3g7FfMOsj-uMT3qNk41D7cOEaBdkDZ3qlUd5xm1u5Gw_DiZ8tJhxsdm9go7nBdNESX_0grYKCsy-hQl5NFucUpBPg2gr3xicLSkaGnOA_vvmzRrp3FdtOdIHsn9R19fl_pSu_BazR44YQw9gy6mo6vlQ2ep2OshxjcDJDvJ_FA7PJGq3_2ZofA/w300-h400/20230116_163700.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>I pulled at the wires (which went into a plastic cable sleeve) to try to get a bit more play in them, and noticed that the wiring sleeve was attached by a clip to another mounting point (the photo on the right has a black arrow pointing to it), and the clip easily slid off and disconnected, now allowing the wires and switch to hang a further 6 inches lower. I also noticed that the switch itself (in green) was connected to the car wires by a black plug. But it wasn't worth trying to disconnect the plug since the broken wire was broken on the car side of the plug. But I still couldn't figure out how to reattach the loose wire since the broken-off wire was broken off RIGHT at the switch, with no exposed wire to strip. I am always nervous about cutting wires, but I figured that at this point, the chance that this was my issue was very likely, so it was worth cutting them. I saw that there was a fair amount of extra play in the wires, so if I lost 2 inches in total length they would still connect. I pulled the wires out of the sleeve by about 6 inches, and snipped them both off, allowing me to bring the switch inside to a table (but ONLY after marking which of the wires went to the broken wire and which went to the non-broken wire! This would be important later on!). <p></p></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8HaYROARKYbCJ3aK7rLJZv-VC89NRjxjL5TBLhOEFQfTZN3vue_BXDGfDEZ8Acd8ZEMjT1E2XBNIuvM6g74SRsWqY5W2njG8sxZcgeVPmLgzNeJm5yBnv5B5WLHDV3lwAPSQM80XL6NhlaZhvdGswhhmFbi-EieJ4R0fHl610CM_xy6isQgZL1OsQQ/s4032/20230116_164947.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK8HaYROARKYbCJ3aK7rLJZv-VC89NRjxjL5TBLhOEFQfTZN3vue_BXDGfDEZ8Acd8ZEMjT1E2XBNIuvM6g74SRsWqY5W2njG8sxZcgeVPmLgzNeJm5yBnv5B5WLHDV3lwAPSQM80XL6NhlaZhvdGswhhmFbi-EieJ4R0fHl610CM_xy6isQgZL1OsQQ/w480-h640/20230116_164947.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>Once inside I noticed a few more things:<p></p><p>1. The plastic coating of the non-broken wire was actually broken as well, though not enough that the actual wires themselves had yet broken. You can see it in the photos. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1jOwDBSJw29qGs4W3D7pgvU4yn-Jsfta6iXg-FnQrpy6H2mj5F0MZ-gdcK_-T8iOXCZx96mlkTu6rRSEAR--nFL9V5jvsgw9ReJb_3eYsbORhS6epx0v07dwVqarDim3uWYjNSjFBfqXBKcNuiJnnIgERrKgBFKUcyI-7wBYj-c6FP8KyPw-JDGE2g/s4032/20230116_165207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1jOwDBSJw29qGs4W3D7pgvU4yn-Jsfta6iXg-FnQrpy6H2mj5F0MZ-gdcK_-T8iOXCZx96mlkTu6rRSEAR--nFL9V5jvsgw9ReJb_3eYsbORhS6epx0v07dwVqarDim3uWYjNSjFBfqXBKcNuiJnnIgERrKgBFKUcyI-7wBYj-c6FP8KyPw-JDGE2g/w480-h640/20230116_165207.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>2. The green switch and the black plug disconnected quite easily. There is a silver metal clip that pushes in and then the 2 easily separate. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0YHwOMP5ETn5Up2x3hnRjJllkBE9ZzQ2Gh5nHfacpfyzV1rtS4khmES4JHZJcfeUuQfxztmTwclynuo29fBG6LteEGqEdwgiGUpdery-_FreGHZdM-szbSSX_uPU-m2FvcI4YDMgywLaAZNg5UsxO0efp7qQJ0O_oBRWSQVtlKyRmHu-HA2boTOKOg/s4032/20230116_165252.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK0YHwOMP5ETn5Up2x3hnRjJllkBE9ZzQ2Gh5nHfacpfyzV1rtS4khmES4JHZJcfeUuQfxztmTwclynuo29fBG6LteEGqEdwgiGUpdery-_FreGHZdM-szbSSX_uPU-m2FvcI4YDMgywLaAZNg5UsxO0efp7qQJ0O_oBRWSQVtlKyRmHu-HA2boTOKOg/w480-h640/20230116_165252.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>3. Both the green switch and the black plug were marked as "Ford", with numbers on them that I guessed corresponded to part numbers. I entered the green switch's number of "94BB-9C872-AC" into google, and immediately found lots of ones for sale, typically marked as being for brake pedal sensor switches for Ford Mondeos and Ford Focuses. Unfortunately, none came with the plug. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6ZUbvGQgr9swQcv6gcue5IgJh-AfTj_NpnsWLNi2MauRXWyG2OQb017_mcMpJcWOHJXa2Ut8pFcOcvBVdL365SuROZifeBVbwM2RoGcmEP2Ha_ysGfpb1sGSkc0mDfHk6EgaZRm-Ea_1Qe-bATAB-BSO5QLzfpJv6R2PKBz57qSJknN1B4TpUuMf1A/s4032/20230116_165740.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6ZUbvGQgr9swQcv6gcue5IgJh-AfTj_NpnsWLNi2MauRXWyG2OQb017_mcMpJcWOHJXa2Ut8pFcOcvBVdL365SuROZifeBVbwM2RoGcmEP2Ha_ysGfpb1sGSkc0mDfHk6EgaZRm-Ea_1Qe-bATAB-BSO5QLzfpJv6R2PKBz57qSJknN1B4TpUuMf1A/w240-h320/20230116_165740.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5bUorCtkq1riKgCljY-1ZLrCBVg8MQ6W-p4zgs9FNkGkXBYFFln5kYm9S-2shxHNI7Ovch0WAMyudAKqUd7FrhcMV8qdFCEbpyISNCwJ__QoeigV268sO1afXhQbgRvCshdSAKiPJYpILeOtNEZSGHLUT3Y1_uqoi3-qG6UQBJER3-3VAnidBRpRog/s4032/20230116_165855.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx5bUorCtkq1riKgCljY-1ZLrCBVg8MQ6W-p4zgs9FNkGkXBYFFln5kYm9S-2shxHNI7Ovch0WAMyudAKqUd7FrhcMV8qdFCEbpyISNCwJ__QoeigV268sO1afXhQbgRvCshdSAKiPJYpILeOtNEZSGHLUT3Y1_uqoi3-qG6UQBJER3-3VAnidBRpRog/w240-h320/20230116_165855.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0uOFkfddhDhMBC82VfYeMClyRw6gMK5fr1lKKh4eqCkLmFPCLws7tQG3wvhqJ-cObwJyHVwfwY6H6MAqTZJCsCMSlMuaI4EYa1wIhHY-0FX6xreEW-g52nstd1IGOAfrV7cTSb_tT5j6jv1IMW4M6JFTr_BBuMMokb10hdsTfCUvNmq5hAormRodqQ/s4032/20230116_165451.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh0uOFkfddhDhMBC82VfYeMClyRw6gMK5fr1lKKh4eqCkLmFPCLws7tQG3wvhqJ-cObwJyHVwfwY6H6MAqTZJCsCMSlMuaI4EYa1wIhHY-0FX6xreEW-g52nstd1IGOAfrV7cTSb_tT5j6jv1IMW4M6JFTr_BBuMMokb10hdsTfCUvNmq5hAormRodqQ/w300-h400/20230116_165451.jpg" width="300" /></a></div></div>4. The black plug had "97AG 144489 GBA" and "ES88A" and "PBT-GF30" on it, but very unfortunately, none of these 3 identifying numbers gave me any good hits on Google. I looked and looked, trying various combinations of the numbers, inserting dashes for spaces, etc., but without any luck. I called Scuderiacarparts.com, (who were selling the switch - but under a different part number), and they had no information about the plug that the switch required. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaxX9fIF5vpojem20uQGcHGbGpBSI13AhB8fshgNiMhF3b1eFcXMG-WTnY-qTClPp4Sb5E9CivTxp-ul7tmno9RMijMEkoVEbqu0y8tsCBFca_eZJqE_PUhpnyGSSy1r9Q_URWQPm6LiWYRtRD8xNdn8elL-Fdlv63-F3BcjwCRuGwqr9f7msddXKWQ/s4032/20230116_171133.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaxX9fIF5vpojem20uQGcHGbGpBSI13AhB8fshgNiMhF3b1eFcXMG-WTnY-qTClPp4Sb5E9CivTxp-ul7tmno9RMijMEkoVEbqu0y8tsCBFca_eZJqE_PUhpnyGSSy1r9Q_URWQPm6LiWYRtRD8xNdn8elL-Fdlv63-F3BcjwCRuGwqr9f7msddXKWQ/w480-h640/20230116_171133.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeoisR5rcWZ8oCZXQcAWHi_9aLCQJZSU_YL-gwbRJriKwDJ0KH4QgMiSvoLxVxlRfbAo7rwnEFe58xlOpWYD-e8kFr3U_FneFXi1D8l9m441GKoH5nuXuRh4CY4SnxksDvyIB7htbO7dEs0YyS_CHIB5NpuxKV4Y0e6a0R1Fi7zy5Opc5kTMKtfeZXg/s4032/20230116_172828.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZeoisR5rcWZ8oCZXQcAWHi_9aLCQJZSU_YL-gwbRJriKwDJ0KH4QgMiSvoLxVxlRfbAo7rwnEFe58xlOpWYD-e8kFr3U_FneFXi1D8l9m441GKoH5nuXuRh4CY4SnxksDvyIB7htbO7dEs0YyS_CHIB5NpuxKV4Y0e6a0R1Fi7zy5Opc5kTMKtfeZXg/w480-h640/20230116_172828.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBmxWFxntUaJPy3tPwUY2o6kvyjaptW5TTErM5admB_PyAiaNXr9rdISgQTlqlH_OtkjYTHKfZAObbQqlD4LHBy_vT1DNYqu7anwuEvPkGbETjyGhdX-MLH-UriEpqiOjTwiwmIsKH3dP6MrYJETY52ej1h0uBwB4O1Jhq3Y9DCGv7_JQNJbXFBp2Qg/s4032/20230116_182038.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBmxWFxntUaJPy3tPwUY2o6kvyjaptW5TTErM5admB_PyAiaNXr9rdISgQTlqlH_OtkjYTHKfZAObbQqlD4LHBy_vT1DNYqu7anwuEvPkGbETjyGhdX-MLH-UriEpqiOjTwiwmIsKH3dP6MrYJETY52ej1h0uBwB4O1Jhq3Y9DCGv7_JQNJbXFBp2Qg/w480-h640/20230116_182038.jpg" width="480" /></a><span style="text-align: left;">I was really hoping to REPLACE the plug, vs. trying to hack into it and make a mess of the plug. But without any means to find a new plug, I was left with no choice. I got out my dremel tool with a cutting wheel attached, and VERY CAREFULLY cut away about 1/2 an inch of the plastic housing of the plug on the side where the wire was broken. That left me with about 1/3 an inch of the wire exposed, which I stripped, and then attached to the loose wire that I had trimmed off earlier. I didn't have much confidence that the wires would hold, so I used my soldering iron and soldered them together, and then wrapped the connection with electrical tape. Note - I work in finance - I'm not an electrical engineer. I KNOW that this was an ugly soldering fix (and please do NOT show this post to my electrical engineer father!). I also took the opportunity to wrap electrical tape around the exposed/frayed wires of the good connection. </span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMzwABSwPz2gtMOT46IFlndcJEE-r6oDUIkT7qVF-TlkrgB5bbB_5L_vpl6qHHtT3gqlY6g6IevGpRFXVOdkOs7hLIvf9sff7qmgmcqtb64ZfT7XEhQHQPGxHN7rwRYQAy7xM4UuPKExR6r07VpIdPH1I3Hd-C4fRCfG_-aJaDqs6TQ9WkPTLReyxmA/s4032/20230116_183707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWMzwABSwPz2gtMOT46IFlndcJEE-r6oDUIkT7qVF-TlkrgB5bbB_5L_vpl6qHHtT3gqlY6g6IevGpRFXVOdkOs7hLIvf9sff7qmgmcqtb64ZfT7XEhQHQPGxHN7rwRYQAy7xM4UuPKExR6r07VpIdPH1I3Hd-C4fRCfG_-aJaDqs6TQ9WkPTLReyxmA/w480-h640/20230116_183707.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOBgYJBCtc9s7pK4AbOZoGiC2rjsd_3cZfv4AS07Q4kjR-uOXW9WEYw-Xh9Fv4E2afOv7wLvvIsNg-eaCEZ5K9X7Z8Ty58xeqGO583KH5Vdu8SqeZEbWchLy96jjgx3r9NySjxNSGQfrRd_vGBSxYT5y2PXp-HgYLzmXGq6UclIgRhFZZHARBDCAmzA/s4032/20230116_184858.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUOBgYJBCtc9s7pK4AbOZoGiC2rjsd_3cZfv4AS07Q4kjR-uOXW9WEYw-Xh9Fv4E2afOv7wLvvIsNg-eaCEZ5K9X7Z8Ty58xeqGO583KH5Vdu8SqeZEbWchLy96jjgx3r9NySjxNSGQfrRd_vGBSxYT5y2PXp-HgYLzmXGq6UclIgRhFZZHARBDCAmzA/w480-h640/20230116_184858.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>With my frankenstein-ian switch now hopefully repaired, I went back to the car, stripped off 1/2 an inch of plastic coating from each of the 4 cut ends of the wire (the 2 wires still connected to the car and the 2 wires connected to the switch), and lightly twisted them together. Now was the moment of truth... I put the key into the ignition and turned it to the on position, and used my thumb to depress the switch plunger... ...AND THE STARTER BUTTON GLOWED RED!!! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoniKavLnH9T2qluGvTLZ4QrVFDEDTx_sXKhjHZxTWUiUz0sBV8LBZSw5B6QRsM9YvPLdAS67dTs3XroOA749yaJ2lxmDOUHSg57KafFnV6-utEpvJSxZP0XVI3JtB_Yk4Pe-rDJjA3yFLjVEqHRwp2czcayhfxbJXu8j5-j8mlf-FVbSKIcYuSl6ig/s4032/20230116_190320.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoniKavLnH9T2qluGvTLZ4QrVFDEDTx_sXKhjHZxTWUiUz0sBV8LBZSw5B6QRsM9YvPLdAS67dTs3XroOA749yaJ2lxmDOUHSg57KafFnV6-utEpvJSxZP0XVI3JtB_Yk4Pe-rDJjA3yFLjVEqHRwp2czcayhfxbJXu8j5-j8mlf-FVbSKIcYuSl6ig/w480-h640/20230116_190320.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaTzOqtyxFGw1pqjXP80ivyzoahAPD6X8DrRCNSxL1Ayvm1sdXv9-yA_2IjrJbbKr_ZFzMCBwbc-TgLuBUCkDnzya8BwQSvW6mGOc2z2-jbrypCvmk_AOvLfR-lJVhOq5dLlwG_Tb0TrsaUAB0Pc0BjuAflaxcsW3KvGKmXpJ5NLBsVJzonWFiFEWuw/s4032/20230116_185443.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKaTzOqtyxFGw1pqjXP80ivyzoahAPD6X8DrRCNSxL1Ayvm1sdXv9-yA_2IjrJbbKr_ZFzMCBwbc-TgLuBUCkDnzya8BwQSvW6mGOc2z2-jbrypCvmk_AOvLfR-lJVhOq5dLlwG_Tb0TrsaUAB0Pc0BjuAflaxcsW3KvGKmXpJ5NLBsVJzonWFiFEWuw/w400-h300/20230116_185443.jpg" width="400" /><span style="text-align: left;"> </span></a><br /></div></div><p><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">I hurredly now fully wire-nutted the connections, wrapped them in electrical tape, and re-installed switch (super easy) and re-clipped the switch's wire back onto its mounting clip, and again attempted to start the car. This time, when the starter button glowed red, I pushed it, AND THE CAR ROARED TO LIFE!</span></p><p>So, that's how I repaired and was able to start my 2005 Aston Martin DB9, at a total cost of $0. Yes, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself, and riding pretty high right now. And yes, I'm guessing that this is a common issue. The switch is mounted such that the wires for the connector are right against the firewall, where they will easily fray. And I'm guessing that the guy who said that the Aston dealer found a broken wire issue IN his switch, probably the broken wire was really right BESIDE the switch, just beyond the switch connector, just like on my car. </p><p>And I hope this repair synopsis might benefit someone, someday. Yes, not many people repair their own Aston Martins, and not many are inclined to feel terribly bad for Aston Martin owners who have expensive car repair issues, but... ...not all of us AM owners are trust fund babies, and some of us do fix our cars ourselves! And good luck to any other Aston Martin owners out there who are having a similar issue!</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-30283490457870640082022-02-12T13:48:00.614-06:002022-02-14T21:54:25.520-06:00Thoughts and advice from 25 years of re-spraying diecast cars (along with a few pictures of some recent projects!)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAwL8czliJ7jMy4VM7Ja1uQeO0pRXXx6WNFnLo2ugoTJrSGlqVoWyp9Zu2kZEPGf5Rc1ZYU607ydYo5L1dvz9wmCC6gskdPjFOdH0Ho8hQiE6pBecyZ9neS96CwHhsbQeAaquMoP3ibWkqkMAHaZky4IinWnBs7g7pnC_HAxDSQaMjkGbPtE2leaQziA=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAwL8czliJ7jMy4VM7Ja1uQeO0pRXXx6WNFnLo2ugoTJrSGlqVoWyp9Zu2kZEPGf5Rc1ZYU607ydYo5L1dvz9wmCC6gskdPjFOdH0Ho8hQiE6pBecyZ9neS96CwHhsbQeAaquMoP3ibWkqkMAHaZky4IinWnBs7g7pnC_HAxDSQaMjkGbPtE2leaQziA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>Although I'm far from an expert on re-painting Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars, I've been doing it on an amateur basis for going on 25 years now, so I thought I'd share some of my advice about how to do it well, along with some photos of some recently sprayed cars.<p></p><p>The format of this blog-post will be some very basic advice (for someone who's never done this at all), followed by my more in-depth top 15 advice list. </p><p><b>Basic Steps (that many readers will already know):</b></p><p>1. Disassembly is a must: Why? Because even the steadiest hand and the finest brush won't allow you to brush paint right up to the windows, without getting it ON the windows. You HAVE to take the windows out. Plus, without taking the windows out, the inside metal of the car won't be painted, and will still be visible in the old color. </p><p>We've all seen the gross flea market cars where some kid has attempted to change the color of the car, using some poster/tempura paint, with paint all over the windows, or WITHOUT paint in the new color going all the way up to the window. So bite the bullet and realize that although disassembly is a pain, it makes everything MUCH easier... </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8-582p1lTgmxUrYGZ_72sUxcTL9chIl5tMDIZSU8ggqQlA_slY8iU-xvdVs63uyzHY_Z_CFC0Q2L1WO7NE3_MEjlmKBusSHdSBsldE6-XnsesPkBk7EV1S2Qiez-vZinqARFU1Wv51-ywwncLv9dk7Jl-OqZ2z3B7bcxczXv1_Ix-t91bEwt74v4FEg=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8-582p1lTgmxUrYGZ_72sUxcTL9chIl5tMDIZSU8ggqQlA_slY8iU-xvdVs63uyzHY_Z_CFC0Q2L1WO7NE3_MEjlmKBusSHdSBsldE6-XnsesPkBk7EV1S2Qiez-vZinqARFU1Wv51-ywwncLv9dk7Jl-OqZ2z3B7bcxczXv1_Ix-t91bEwt74v4FEg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>2. How do you disassemble a car? Easy (in concept), just drill out the rivets. Most cars have 2 rivets on the bottom, one at the front and one at the back (though older Lesney cars sometimes have 2 rivets at the back, for a total of 3 (not including a potential rivet to hold the window glass in place)). <div><br /></div><div>Get a good and sharp set of drill bits, and start with the tiniest drill bit (this one will take the longest since you are getting the hole started) in the middle of the rivet, and go about 1/8th-1/16th of an inch deep. Once the first pilot hole is done, just start moving up the drill bit sizes. Most times you'll only need about 5-10 seconds of drilling as you move to a larger size - since the drill will immediately catch/bite using the original hole and expand the hold to the new size. Do all 2-3 rivets for the car (or cars if you are doing multiple cars at the same time) before switching to the next largest drill bit. Eventually you'll almost completely (90%?) drill out the rivet and suddenly the remains of the rivet will break, and the car will suddenly pop apart. Once you have 1 rivet popped, you can start pulling apart the baseplate from the top of the car, and the other rivet(s) will quickly pop as well. <p></p><p>Most cars have 4 main pieces - the diecast body (top), the baseplate (metal on old cars, plastic on new cars), an interior, and the plastic glass, plus the 2 axles with wheels. Older cars may have more than 4 pieces (opening doors are individual pieces, sometimes there are multiple body pieces, or separate grills, etc.). It'll all be pretty obvious once you get the car apart. </p><p>On older cars (which are my favorites - and so also my favorites to respray) the glass is often held in place with another rivet on the underside of the roof. For the glass rivet, I actually use a really large (wide) drill bit, since if I start with a tiny drill and try to make a pilot hole I'll actually drill right through the roof. Instead I just try to remove enough of the expanded part of the rivot to allow the glass to pull away from the roof. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggQlOtoE8OP5r99Xe4L4pxBC2zCogNS0nMjyWl0ZRBuMbzPwGiz46opk1zTn8jXvhDf8r-12YyxdfZIwRma5dfgnBW0VTqSM_CqYyKBRyaxwAXt7r4_8y0ODga7gO7vTfngLoXXv6s1Pw5apOd_1gmKZwbh8T5-Z6He1R5PzVG45ju67W6DTkgRF8Emw=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEggQlOtoE8OP5r99Xe4L4pxBC2zCogNS0nMjyWl0ZRBuMbzPwGiz46opk1zTn8jXvhDf8r-12YyxdfZIwRma5dfgnBW0VTqSM_CqYyKBRyaxwAXt7r4_8y0ODga7gO7vTfngLoXXv6s1Pw5apOd_1gmKZwbh8T5-Z6He1R5PzVG45ju67W6DTkgRF8Emw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p>3. Paint ONLY using spray paint: Again - this is a fairly hard and fast rule. Don't try to brush paint a car - since you'll have lots of brush marks at the end, and the paint won't be smooth. Spray painting is THE way to go to get a nice, smooth, professional looking finish (more on this later). I've brush painted trim (headlights, taillights, sometimes grills, etc.) with moderate success. But I've had very little success brush paining body panels (like doing a 2 tone paint job) since again the paint often dries with visible rough paint marks, and my hand is just not steady enough to make clean and straight lines with a brush.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuLdce_tLtFwwkGn7F9z3ZzMFy8rV2s2LH3QPgd-wz5vO4TEoOGqO3kXbU7p8h86cPYbCP64yl4PJOkLw3IEJFn2krVR-_xNpgB27jah-uF85aMfVh5nug9ZAvTkZ1GAyCJOvyAkFKgWnEGv7h8uRYe4Y6gg74jx5A7V3qS58UM1HR8GvlBLD5hkIr0A=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuLdce_tLtFwwkGn7F9z3ZzMFy8rV2s2LH3QPgd-wz5vO4TEoOGqO3kXbU7p8h86cPYbCP64yl4PJOkLw3IEJFn2krVR-_xNpgB27jah-uF85aMfVh5nug9ZAvTkZ1GAyCJOvyAkFKgWnEGv7h8uRYe4Y6gg74jx5A7V3qS58UM1HR8GvlBLD5hkIr0A=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>The one exception to the brush painting advice is interior plastic... In real life I really like brown leather car interiors, and so I often brush paint interiors in a tan or chestnut shade. For some reason the plastic doesn't show up brush strokes. Paint the interior a normal color (sometimes the casting will have a green or purple or sparkly interior which is entirely unrealistic and which NEEDS to be changed), and change black interiors (black absorbs light and hides detail) to a color that can actually be seen!<p></p><p><b>Top 15 advice list:</b></p><p>15. Don't even start this project if you are not detail oriented/a perfectionist! It's finicky, intricate, detail oriented stuff that you are doing. If you aren't detail oriented, or don't really care about it, then it's just not worth doing. Save yourself the time now! But on the other hand if you are detail oriented and you love your diecast cars, then re-spraying them into a new car is a very do-able and satisfying project!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4B2ULlYwVKJr4N9aMjoHyf0JgEWf3pLiu3gmJoKebbpvfagsX5ZDFUP7uUGX-iabmTUZnSOA7MVvvXEDFQk0caBGYLcHB3UBy_w3YvLiZHMyeF0rSZZGO_u0rFWiO352xJu3JZq4HXJ8P0LJrIYUgXhWOe5PTL5zt5HS6r8k7b9HKe5dr5a5fmO9dMQ=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4B2ULlYwVKJr4N9aMjoHyf0JgEWf3pLiu3gmJoKebbpvfagsX5ZDFUP7uUGX-iabmTUZnSOA7MVvvXEDFQk0caBGYLcHB3UBy_w3YvLiZHMyeF0rSZZGO_u0rFWiO352xJu3JZq4HXJ8P0LJrIYUgXhWOe5PTL5zt5HS6r8k7b9HKe5dr5a5fmO9dMQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>14. The final project will be cool - but it's debatable HOW much you'll like it and if you will think that the time and expense were justified in the end. If there is a color variation that already exists in the same color that you want to paint it in, then just go on EBay and buy that color variation. It'll be much easier and cheaper (and more valuable)! <p></p><p>13. The final product will be valueless: In general, code 3 (customized) cars are not worth anything besides their curiosity value. So DON'T paint a high value nice condition car (it's a bad investment - plus it'll piss off other collectors who will think you ruined it!). YOU are probably the only person who will truly appreciate the end-product!</p><p>12. Be realistic about the time required: Painting cars always takes longer (a LOT longer) than I expect. This is not a one hour project! </p><p>11. (Related to #12 above) Do more than one car at a time: Doing multiple cars allows you to pick up some volume efficiencies from doing each of the various steps. But don't do TOO many cars - or else you'll get overwhelmed, you'll get tired and start to rush, or it'll get too hard to remember which parts go with which car. In my opinion about 4-5 cars is the optimal number to do at any one time. </p><p>10. (Related to #12 above...) Patience is key. Don't rush, take your time. It's ok to redo a step. </p><p>9. Choose your projects carefully: Only do cars/castings that you really like. If you don't like the casting design BEFORE you paint it, you won't like it that much more AFTER you paint it. And if you don't like it, you won't be inspired to really put the time and energy and patience into making the final project look terrific.</p><p>Also consider the condition of the cars that you are doing. While scratched window glass can be mostly repaired (dip the glass into a container of MopandGlo and let it dry - the MopandGlo will fill in the scratches amazingly), I've never figured out how to repair/unbend axles (though there are plenty of guys out there who CAN do this), and I've never figured out a good way to repaint wheels without having the new paint look all blobby. So either be OK with the faded wheel paint, or replace them with new wheels from other donor cars (easier said than done - since the wheels and axles need to be the same size and width or they won't work!). </p><p>In summary - do cars that are in poor enough condition that you don't feel bad about ruining their originality, but in good enough condition that the unrestored parts of them won't detract from the new paint</p><p>8. Spray painting cars is both incredibly easy... ...but can also be surprisingly tough. Do smooth passes, a few inches away from the car. I put the car on a painting block that I made on 8 inch lengths of 2 inch wide pine boards, sitting on nails pounded into the board (to keep the bottom lip of the body from touching the block), which allows me to turn the block for different passes from different angles. Do the passes slow enough that you get good paint coverage, but not so slow that the paint collects on it and starts to drip/run. You DON'T want thick paint - it'll dry funny - and it obscures all the great Lesney detail that made you like the car in the first place! If you get the paint on too thick, just wipe it off with paint thinner (a NECESSARY item to have for this project) and respray it. Allow the paint to slightly dry (10-20 minutes) between coats. Allow the paint to dry much more (several hours) before handling the casting AT ALL , or before turning the casting upside down to do the inside and bottom (as well as getting a different angle on the outside of the casting). In the unlikely scenario that the paint is NOT covering and you keep on adding more coats and it continues to not cover - it's probably too wet and is running. Let it dry (or if already too drippy - wipe it off and start over). </p><p>7. Choose your paint carefully. Get several different colors and types of paints. Some paints work great - others don't - even if they are from the same brand/type of paints. </p><p>Choose your colors carefully as well. Some colors look great - others just don't. About 10-20% of the time I'll spray a car and then think that I just don't like the way the color looks - it's too dark, or too muted, or too crazy and unrealistic, or just wrong somehow, and I'll wipe it off and redo it in a different color. </p><p>I've had REALLY good luck with metallic colors - bronzes, coppers, silvers, etc. You'll see several of these colors in the photos of the recently done cars. In fact, that bronze color on the Lesney Mercury sedan and Scania tractor is my FAVORITE paint color ever - I've probably done 10+ cars in that paint color (and it's a big standard sized Rustoleum spray paint can available for $5 from any WalMart/Home Depot). When I first started spraying cars I used the little 4 inch Testor cans available from hobby Shops - but I'm not convinced that those Testor cans are any better than standard (and much cheaper on a per ounce basis) Rustoleum cans (though the Testor cans DO come in a wider variety of colors!). </p><p>When choosing a color - think about how realistic it will be. Most real cars are painted white, black, silver or red. Unfortunately, I haven't had great luck with the particular white or red shades that I've tried so far. And I don't like black since it hides rather than shows detail. Painting a luxury car a wild shade of purple or lime green is going to look a bit odd, though those can be great colors for muscle cars. </p><p>6. You don't need to strip all the paint from the old casting, but consider sanding it a bit to hide any existing paint chips: Using paint stripper is messy, gross, environmentally unfriendly and it adds a lot of time to the process. Most spray paints will provide excellent color coverage, and you won't see the old paint once the new paint is on. However, if the old paint was significantly chipped, you MAY see the outline of the chips clearly visible in the new paint. Therefore while I've stopped stripping the castings, I DO use a Dremel tool with a wire brush wheel attached to quickly sand/smooth the old paint and smooth down any chips. I don't worry about getting every speck of the old paint off unless it is really thick and blobby, or if it is so thick that it hides important metal detail in the casting.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhenvTs6hansJcTcaUqO7rY5rz8i3dCsp30HZ3dT8oMrjAAXhZCCSI4cW_qgOKeYIxwUvnPB1FEgGDDPSS1YVUEFYCvSgDJATcEMS-UwoNBzqbgmONkwj99Vo1cq_XcxCP1HZpdl99XO7Yh0ib-YHYXHM_qn0FOKeHleYSB8AD-1t8Vh1cl-iRICpS-sA=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhenvTs6hansJcTcaUqO7rY5rz8i3dCsp30HZ3dT8oMrjAAXhZCCSI4cW_qgOKeYIxwUvnPB1FEgGDDPSS1YVUEFYCvSgDJATcEMS-UwoNBzqbgmONkwj99Vo1cq_XcxCP1HZpdl99XO7Yh0ib-YHYXHM_qn0FOKeHleYSB8AD-1t8Vh1cl-iRICpS-sA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>5. Have fun and consider additional customizations while you've got the car apart. There are lots of customizations that are possible to do to a car besides just painting it. The Mercury sedan in the foreground of the right-hand photo only came in a police/fire car, with an emergency police/fire light (in various shapes) on the roof. So before I painted this car, I first ground down the lip surrounding the light (with a dremel tool), then I filled in the light hole with metal solder. While the final result isn't perfect (you can see that the roof isn't perfectly smooth), I'm still pretty happy with it, and I now have a normal (non-Police/Fire) sedan that was never actually made by Lesney! <p></p><p>Other customizations that I've done include: 1. Cutting the roof off and making a convertible (cutting the roof off is easy with a Dremel cutting blade, but reforming the back deck into the shape of a convertible top can be pretty difficult), 2. doing base plate swaps with other versions of the same casting, 3. changing wheels, 4. eliminating or adding huge off-road wheels (be warned that this can be pretty hard, etc. </p><p>4. Be VERY careful of fingerprints: Avoid any serious handling of the car until the paint has had a chance to harden (overnight is best). If not, when you pressing the hood/trunk/roof of the car to re-mate it to the baseplate - you'll transfer your fingerprints into the paint. Seriously. Learn from my mistakes - I've done this mistake WAY too many times! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSQpeemwxd7DH3DtO-Nt6FR6nQ-4GfbREFDk9UB7_fzjgj9PNutFuvoDB64exe-KlBTRdTHyrGg7Hpx8jNzaaBnmxzC208cA8LxNAVlT7MyV9BHuBnr7OU9cBo8z-Dhgafbq7bkUOUZAPEqnIYaR72KZt3_IKLDEXJbjPYF_ZcQjOnJVeXI-Uyy8I8fA=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSQpeemwxd7DH3DtO-Nt6FR6nQ-4GfbREFDk9UB7_fzjgj9PNutFuvoDB64exe-KlBTRdTHyrGg7Hpx8jNzaaBnmxzC208cA8LxNAVlT7MyV9BHuBnr7OU9cBo8z-Dhgafbq7bkUOUZAPEqnIYaR72KZt3_IKLDEXJbjPYF_ZcQjOnJVeXI-Uyy8I8fA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>3. The paint on repainted castings is VERY fragile: For some reasons, it chips really easily. I estimate that a repainted car will chip about 10 times easier than original paint. I've chipped repainted cars just placing them back into cases! I don't know why this is - I've tried adding primer and clear coat and they don't seem to make much of a difference (but feel free to experiment yourself!)<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimiGKOzEbX_0XHoIVtg8DZgZPntip8vtVei0gaqlr-2fzSCQtiyvVhLh2qApsKA6zsMnFc5hBhXGh94Avqx7p35NH3DwLK2qUc26e8REwWl6c9GcixSI4oY1fHRuFs0A6iFxcnyijkYKAMCJSx8FZvAz72h-STwvAjZYTopsgyXrBPmvekxghulA-ybQ=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimiGKOzEbX_0XHoIVtg8DZgZPntip8vtVei0gaqlr-2fzSCQtiyvVhLh2qApsKA6zsMnFc5hBhXGh94Avqx7p35NH3DwLK2qUc26e8REwWl6c9GcixSI4oY1fHRuFs0A6iFxcnyijkYKAMCJSx8FZvAz72h-STwvAjZYTopsgyXrBPmvekxghulA-ybQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div>2. Skip the primer and clear coat: Although you'd think that primer and clear coat would provide more protection and more durability, I'm frankly not convinced. They add additional painting time (and more importantly - drying time). Primer adds the possibility of being sprayed on too thickly and obscuring detail. And clear coat can change the color of a lighter paint shade. At this point, I just don't feel that their benefits offset their disadvantages - but I'll keep on experimenting and maybe I'll change my mind again!<p></p><p>1. Use superglue to put the whole thing back together: Serious restorers tap new screws and screw the body back together. But I've never figured out how to do this - and frankly - superglue is a lot easier! </p><p>Finally, enjoy your new and unique look!</p></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-28242411900106664652022-02-07T20:43:00.000-06:002022-02-07T20:43:07.367-06:00The clash of the pizza vans<br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjewqjcWDC99UHAUywOlSRowCo4StSlj622jqqnhePCJmpyDCYIfV6xZScCl2ZzWZEIByFwHdYLRUMPoV9j88ehAsMT9WSpjX0hSiOmQORDOp3dYQlZmLoJ6H9_ovOGH1HIquXQQJX9bKBy-jTJP7V1Lq__ST1X8r_hL5JdqWXnt_5_1duxGxW24kWg0Q=s3264" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjewqjcWDC99UHAUywOlSRowCo4StSlj622jqqnhePCJmpyDCYIfV6xZScCl2ZzWZEIByFwHdYLRUMPoV9j88ehAsMT9WSpjX0hSiOmQORDOp3dYQlZmLoJ6H9_ovOGH1HIquXQQJX9bKBy-jTJP7V1Lq__ST1X8r_hL5JdqWXnt_5_1duxGxW24kWg0Q=w400-h300" width="400" /> </a></p><p>The term "Pizza Van" instantly conjures up just 1 image for me.</p><p>It was one of the most iconic cars from when I was a kid (and a car I didn't have!). For several years, the VW Transporter (Dormobile) pizza van was advertised on the back of Matchbox blisterpacks as the prize for joining the Matchbox collectors club...</p><p>So I was very pleased when I finally found and acquired this example 30 years later (regardless of how it smelled of stale cigarette smoke). But upon closer inspection, it's not actually THAT great of a casting, with no interior (hidden by opaque green windows), no suspension, no opening parts, and overly wide (and thus very inset) tire/wheels. Regardless, it's THE iconic pizza van in my mind. </p><p>But now there's a challenger! Tomica's new Hi-Ace van, a nice model (though sadly no longer with any opening parts) is now available in the same color combination (Italian flag colors) pizza van livery! ...which means it's time for a showdown... a comparison test... the classic tale of champion vs. challenger!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9nct92wOobrFFT_ZxqdCUbUZj6gX536l43Ovw8e7nUFfcr85PI0MlfOvR_JWGvdILtckvkSOp9NLP2HzKNcXJAHFGeo6NVZiG6vbL4XTy0xTy89da4ZX6-Cft-ZyuKSP9_9D7loS5yp1GdZUagdE6yvFCaE68TqF_xxa_-IPPJ49JejcxDUB8k7cqA/s3264/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9nct92wOobrFFT_ZxqdCUbUZj6gX536l43Ovw8e7nUFfcr85PI0MlfOvR_JWGvdILtckvkSOp9NLP2HzKNcXJAHFGeo6NVZiG6vbL4XTy0xTy89da4ZX6-Cft-ZyuKSP9_9D7loS5yp1GdZUagdE6yvFCaE68TqF_xxa_-IPPJ49JejcxDUB8k7cqA/w640-h480/image.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HhrOFLdVi5PSIWPb3MZnLclgBYT2aIp9sSEDJ0REfIWYnoJDLK-C05jI6iVJcgY-NTplCgpvXfpYhdNWs7HoR7PwgWwjsHGFl31yHnZ9bDBo8NE4PCRQa2RATeVZaBCMUMODchHPkaGoSGDKOxmVJlFF07piNhfT0K-7497HoDp3VLEX7mOtiA0ipg/s3264/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HhrOFLdVi5PSIWPb3MZnLclgBYT2aIp9sSEDJ0REfIWYnoJDLK-C05jI6iVJcgY-NTplCgpvXfpYhdNWs7HoR7PwgWwjsHGFl31yHnZ9bDBo8NE4PCRQa2RATeVZaBCMUMODchHPkaGoSGDKOxmVJlFF07piNhfT0K-7497HoDp3VLEX7mOtiA0ipg/w400-h300/image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p>But if you've been paying attention to the words I've been writing, then you probably already have a pretty clear idea of how this will end.... ...which is an easy win for the Tomica. Yes, the Lesney is iconic, and vintage, and has pretty reasonable detail and nice paint (though the Tomica has equivalently nice detail and paint), but it's no match for the Tomica's silky soft suspension, the classic boxy design, and the seperate glass/plastic headlights! </p><p>We have a new pizza van winner!</p><p><br /></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-64960340162888850832021-10-12T23:15:00.001-05:002021-10-12T23:15:09.597-05:00Best Vintage Opel Diplomat (KAD cars)... ("What other Diplomat's ARE there?!?")<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7mWnRFDCmDL_TIBbM2DQ0WtubbxUGNZ9Y3GOtApUSOv6Pm8b12tapIlZUiKeId2w-duTMTP-dSsiiyhOsPeKSHCLoKD5QddAtnKPgTdtAj-hanhRvEexveKqy6NPLW8h7ie0teDTXU-I/s2048/1974AD1E-6088-4C1E-9C2D-550C8DE2A42B.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7mWnRFDCmDL_TIBbM2DQ0WtubbxUGNZ9Y3GOtApUSOv6Pm8b12tapIlZUiKeId2w-duTMTP-dSsiiyhOsPeKSHCLoKD5QddAtnKPgTdtAj-hanhRvEexveKqy6NPLW8h7ie0teDTXU-I/w640-h480/1974AD1E-6088-4C1E-9C2D-550C8DE2A42B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuHDEpfAiusnf46sFS72z6pUislAHEcmMsejC9nU4RyhY05U9ynYyF_2y2l4QhknJINnzV4dMSutTHGGqb_FWoHvSJXkXsJPMvyP-iAVvU9mSilK41n2IT9zeR1lKrPUuHdcQwl_g3VVk/s2048/00F53699-41C4-4CE1-A3CC-391D94F49BFC.jpeg" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHuHDEpfAiusnf46sFS72z6pUislAHEcmMsejC9nU4RyhY05U9ynYyF_2y2l4QhknJINnzV4dMSutTHGGqb_FWoHvSJXkXsJPMvyP-iAVvU9mSilK41n2IT9zeR1lKrPUuHdcQwl_g3VVk/w400-h300/00F53699-41C4-4CE1-A3CC-391D94F49BFC.jpeg" width="400" /></a>When you think of a vintage diecast Opel Diplomat, exactly 1 car typically comes to mind... Lesney's excellent Matchbox Opel Diplomat, shown here in the rare and preferred Superfast form. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This has always been a favorite car of mine. Not scaled too large (it is based on a contemporary Chevy II chassis after all, so it definitely should be smaller than an Impala or the full size Mercurys or Lincoln Continental), nice detail, nice suspension, etc. A very nice car!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKX4GPNXl-53FPhmpryWz1Dfj-63SMgJTTt8FP0Bt8TYOUOfW14KTcL2cHb9Qh7Bx3QVaZ6ym5WSi0t6DgBxil5gWObmVMokCewr1NYK8SxPviIjx5nRVDWBaQSBx6FgMJt_pjNYgBLW2/s2048/68B2D09F-5C7C-42C3-8879-F72AD8D0CDC1.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdKX4GPNXl-53FPhmpryWz1Dfj-63SMgJTTt8FP0Bt8TYOUOfW14KTcL2cHb9Qh7Bx3QVaZ6ym5WSi0t6DgBxil5gWObmVMokCewr1NYK8SxPviIjx5nRVDWBaQSBx6FgMJt_pjNYgBLW2/w400-h300/68B2D09F-5C7C-42C3-8879-F72AD8D0CDC1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>But this blog title implies that there are competitors... ...So... ...ARE there any competitors? </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOtu6fhhqtxLO7Q1w5FWYtLJW2D1RbBCsrwbZu5ZgjBkImdyR8GlR5-poTmB1VHddIc39-50saK-_wxaG38Gp_LHXrYcYI0-El_bOOUPanbjGbWiZ44IIMbw3TRzIWoGl0F56A_3pdaem/s2048/2CE5CD1C-7A53-4C74-AB26-2496B26EFA8B.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuOtu6fhhqtxLO7Q1w5FWYtLJW2D1RbBCsrwbZu5ZgjBkImdyR8GlR5-poTmB1VHddIc39-50saK-_wxaG38Gp_LHXrYcYI0-El_bOOUPanbjGbWiZ44IIMbw3TRzIWoGl0F56A_3pdaem/w640-h480/2CE5CD1C-7A53-4C74-AB26-2496B26EFA8B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9xWrBmRbo82MuUxBLKJ6ihoReeDQQBmqRbHR8jyDp6vj8VEhWQpdsoWG15lGFlSX6JyhLTqZfkRJO4tJv7PVt3Vk2NCD1sJBDMueNJZw5PY99SyIjqd-UsBEjFI-L9QkFJbRPoCpB1UI/s2048/EDE1125F-E45C-4D2D-8E63-75DD7AE14101.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9xWrBmRbo82MuUxBLKJ6ihoReeDQQBmqRbHR8jyDp6vj8VEhWQpdsoWG15lGFlSX6JyhLTqZfkRJO4tJv7PVt3Vk2NCD1sJBDMueNJZw5PY99SyIjqd-UsBEjFI-L9QkFJbRPoCpB1UI/w400-h300/EDE1125F-E45C-4D2D-8E63-75DD7AE14101.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Yatming, for one, made an Opel Admiral (same car, just different trim level). And while many vintage Yatmings are cheapo-feeling car, without detail or heft, there are a few Yatmings that have high levels of quality (almost approaching Tomica-levels). Unfortunately, this Admiral is NOT one of those few high-quality Yatmings. Instead, this IS a cheapo-feeling car. While it is an interesting curiosity, this car has no chance of upstaging the Lesney Matchbox! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8g6uVGtAujgT-LDIdWTbr6bjn0t-pUD67tp-juAcKdULUdHSU1JLDpNVf0TJYB5LfqRRHI6ZvmkEqfpIFEdulPzTxh0x54tR1lutM2wilS9k0s-pus9eWq7tH5o2BAEggDt_LsJWv-wy/s2048/2B5806A4-5464-4986-88D1-C9E7D5BE190B.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8g6uVGtAujgT-LDIdWTbr6bjn0t-pUD67tp-juAcKdULUdHSU1JLDpNVf0TJYB5LfqRRHI6ZvmkEqfpIFEdulPzTxh0x54tR1lutM2wilS9k0s-pus9eWq7tH5o2BAEggDt_LsJWv-wy/w640-h480/2B5806A4-5464-4986-88D1-C9E7D5BE190B.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">But there is another vintage competitor, and unlike the Yatming, this competitor is in fact a worthy competitor. The car is a very rare car - a Siku Opel Kapitan. Yes, its a different name, but like the Admiral - the Kapitan name just signified a different trim level on the same basic car (hence the acronym - "KAD" cars - Kapitan, Admiral, Diplomat). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4Agsd3pzSl21hiUFFse3dLQgeTdaTH-Z1cyNL8vpeA6GSOIRAP6Q6NPytG6CyRT0gKpojED-Mhc5i9J-S4yky2AYIenx41IywjwudXOQ7BxUnbhoOm6SpX1KYswMf54Kh8PGcX67zlZu/s2048/2269CC91-06F5-4CFC-8405-9C144DA57CF1.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG4Agsd3pzSl21hiUFFse3dLQgeTdaTH-Z1cyNL8vpeA6GSOIRAP6Q6NPytG6CyRT0gKpojED-Mhc5i9J-S4yky2AYIenx41IywjwudXOQ7BxUnbhoOm6SpX1KYswMf54Kh8PGcX67zlZu/w400-h300/2269CC91-06F5-4CFC-8405-9C144DA57CF1.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pcwSUaVVcjvciWkaJI5mCMJvtftDrw36EJeuLUbNGKam9nPVLildURn7SVCJIXUq8klgKi3H2pjoiGoGiN-YrLp5e9Gm7M84vsOK5sR7Py0-ts3CBlVCloTsaLMcKxlJQqQoH6Kjt6Ul/s2048/017B9C6F-307D-445B-A924-66F8C11BC79C.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1pcwSUaVVcjvciWkaJI5mCMJvtftDrw36EJeuLUbNGKam9nPVLildURn7SVCJIXUq8klgKi3H2pjoiGoGiN-YrLp5e9Gm7M84vsOK5sR7Py0-ts3CBlVCloTsaLMcKxlJQqQoH6Kjt6Ul/w400-h300/017B9C6F-307D-445B-A924-66F8C11BC79C.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>The first thing you notice about the SIKU is how large it is... ...this Kapitan DOES in fact feel like an Impala. In the photos at the end of the blog you can see how much larger it is than the more correctly scaled Matchbox. Unlike the Matchbox, which has an opening hood, the SIKU has opening doors. In typical Siku fashion, the headlights are actual glass/plastic. The trim and detail are fantastic, easily eclipsing the nicely detailed Matchbox. Siku really shows off the curve of the trunk (which is there, but much less evident, in the Matchbox). And the baseplate actually has detail, unlike the Matchbox. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So, what's the verdict? Can the Siku compete with the Lesney? Yes! While I'm slightly bothered by its large size, I just find the Siku to be a more worthy model than the excellent and far-better-known Matchbox... </div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfZ7DIm3zTfedIKd2bkdd9QPr-D0_NzX0r82bw1KETh6wdw1uB75n6Yppf1hd6EPFjSuQhT9CsKPyZp0Mj0pkXek1AIwilJZ53tXwwyXzi03GuHumsTY2wFSF9l5z-bnyAxUBy70LA2a-/s2048/610539EE-682B-403E-B18E-1FABCAF1F705.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfZ7DIm3zTfedIKd2bkdd9QPr-D0_NzX0r82bw1KETh6wdw1uB75n6Yppf1hd6EPFjSuQhT9CsKPyZp0Mj0pkXek1AIwilJZ53tXwwyXzi03GuHumsTY2wFSF9l5z-bnyAxUBy70LA2a-/w640-h480/610539EE-682B-403E-B18E-1FABCAF1F705.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_o32nYVrhBcTCkWd98IBbkbynJxa2VJOGqhFKYaY1fxOxX5vJcBwsFIUSLA9dx-vsLO6NSm0ww-NLRY-EYgqWFDHSXMt-NI0sRV6t8jqVyOzAAqBLisxd7kGeAzcqFwLxFV9smXA_Ro5/s2048/B200F3D4-7DB5-4245-AE74-42BFD4B8DDA9.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_o32nYVrhBcTCkWd98IBbkbynJxa2VJOGqhFKYaY1fxOxX5vJcBwsFIUSLA9dx-vsLO6NSm0ww-NLRY-EYgqWFDHSXMt-NI0sRV6t8jqVyOzAAqBLisxd7kGeAzcqFwLxFV9smXA_Ro5/w640-h480/B200F3D4-7DB5-4245-AE74-42BFD4B8DDA9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-89205468711064997362021-02-28T22:05:00.000-06:002021-02-28T22:05:18.752-06:00Amazing Edai Grip Zechan pumper truck - and almost identical looking Tomica version<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_EXvMJ1rz-4DvT4qLpoOPOMSBna4wRCUG143znUQRvvel6FpAbkwc9eqLLuckGeFwgkrNoYZ7uU_o-qgoqqM6zg83qotufxJvJZJK77x0PKXxXv6qAy5Q7EajLwJsuVqna_XHK3iS28L/s2048/84B0DA58-090F-44E3-B347-73E4E162DA5B.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit_EXvMJ1rz-4DvT4qLpoOPOMSBna4wRCUG143znUQRvvel6FpAbkwc9eqLLuckGeFwgkrNoYZ7uU_o-qgoqqM6zg83qotufxJvJZJK77x0PKXxXv6qAy5Q7EajLwJsuVqna_XHK3iS28L/w400-h300/84B0DA58-090F-44E3-B347-73E4E162DA5B.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">I don't know what to call this truck, or this post. </div></span><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I always thought this Edai Grip Zechan pumper truck (model on the right) in green with the white cab was a cool model. But then I saw this Tomica model THAT LOOKED ALMOST THE SAME and... ...well... now I have 2!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In reality - they really are very different models, of different trucks - but they are painted so similarly - that they kind of look the same! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">P.S. The Edai truck is way nicer than the Tomica. <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUHKnqPhhx0Y7ppdKzu2uhpe-OiObe8QXMppwcD7QqAmZ5-RPnWkFE6sJjsDqFAqUA_gXmDty7TpcIABupvozg_Ft6P3kRgfljs9xLPpIMHwmdAtPtGtBS1LsL31TO7p4seWEmc9MNz7y/s2048/2E1052F8-66A4-42A7-8441-DE88E7A8AC52.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNUHKnqPhhx0Y7ppdKzu2uhpe-OiObe8QXMppwcD7QqAmZ5-RPnWkFE6sJjsDqFAqUA_gXmDty7TpcIABupvozg_Ft6P3kRgfljs9xLPpIMHwmdAtPtGtBS1LsL31TO7p4seWEmc9MNz7y/w640-h480/2E1052F8-66A4-42A7-8441-DE88E7A8AC52.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoJhgSUv8OliAuiL40b6kaxJ3uMis5ivZsfM3naHWn-WsermHOBvcBO_QP8tQvbZfaBnt5buKQGbcRVorhj9BNec0QA2kdd86FW2jsdV3qE5uHSXbdl2ZZg-aLWy_rV9Nc87m1NDzc2fQ/s2048/0F2906BA-44FB-451C-846C-CCED42027AC0.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxoJhgSUv8OliAuiL40b6kaxJ3uMis5ivZsfM3naHWn-WsermHOBvcBO_QP8tQvbZfaBnt5buKQGbcRVorhj9BNec0QA2kdd86FW2jsdV3qE5uHSXbdl2ZZg-aLWy_rV9Nc87m1NDzc2fQ/w640-h480/0F2906BA-44FB-451C-846C-CCED42027AC0.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOVV12m78iLFDnqQnS_44fEe7S2JoQS01vJURtLB2WzPhjHyUnvlr9b77tj8j75erHzgcLu7Abw9sBiwbKWwEN3jNWNtltwJQ3KjBbuaRYcRgnvjtTPSttFLRSaW6VQgDCodaE6509igr/s2048/E36874D2-8055-4C45-95B2-0404C94094A9.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOVV12m78iLFDnqQnS_44fEe7S2JoQS01vJURtLB2WzPhjHyUnvlr9b77tj8j75erHzgcLu7Abw9sBiwbKWwEN3jNWNtltwJQ3KjBbuaRYcRgnvjtTPSttFLRSaW6VQgDCodaE6509igr/w640-h480/E36874D2-8055-4C45-95B2-0404C94094A9.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /> <p></p></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-77253180810287677362021-02-10T21:33:00.076-06:002021-02-10T22:24:34.834-06:00944 Turbos... The new Hot Wheels casting of one of my favorite cars is awesome. ...But can it compete with the Original Matchbox version???<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1c-TyGvxeOv4SPgz4z3AfGg7sPZF-Sv7IRx_NKZfoAnan39EKLAfArJM0-PRPHBE-_4JbgusuaNwP4737evJmxTuzfztSFbtA9dz5oHAhzehS6qWl3OrMSTHvBjreB2bai9ybKR5WJOdb/s2048/20210210_140549.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1c-TyGvxeOv4SPgz4z3AfGg7sPZF-Sv7IRx_NKZfoAnan39EKLAfArJM0-PRPHBE-_4JbgusuaNwP4737evJmxTuzfztSFbtA9dz5oHAhzehS6qWl3OrMSTHvBjreB2bai9ybKR5WJOdb/w400-h300/20210210_140549.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I've always wanted a 944 Turbo. It was the hot car when I was in high school - cheaper but faster than a 911 Carrera, and with classic late '80s looks. So when Hot Wheels released a retro 944 turbo this year - in both red and gold - and maybe more colors to come - I went crazy over it. The shape is just right, the wheels are cool, etc. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>But the Matchbox version from the Matchbox Toys International era is the OG, and one of my favorite castings from that time. So is the new How Wheels version it's equal?</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmFd3dNhZw1v4c-iJ8JaIMoVJmbofvFZ5e7nsENMCreyk3zfySBGFru7BgoHWMrNcjcHuJpsSIm2wAzasqXXyTaMXQ6iExtQ9uhsnN51bbbTCyTKK8-PbNh8eI1zzwcC5vYPKFQBQnBVS/s2048/20210210_140600.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmFd3dNhZw1v4c-iJ8JaIMoVJmbofvFZ5e7nsENMCreyk3zfySBGFru7BgoHWMrNcjcHuJpsSIm2wAzasqXXyTaMXQ6iExtQ9uhsnN51bbbTCyTKK8-PbNh8eI1zzwcC5vYPKFQBQnBVS/w640-h480/20210210_140600.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHZtyTrni7L3Ogg0IAHpWwFaMqi05uv7eYdFKPuVnSC9o8UjcwzU6VRpJC1lNgt4xmFUnbFSW1X86Xe5F25nMy4K4FpF8YDAtT1LZGemwTHGzVEK_1g4GepmcjhPC9i48zxItT5LgrMM9/s2048/20210210_140605.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHZtyTrni7L3Ogg0IAHpWwFaMqi05uv7eYdFKPuVnSC9o8UjcwzU6VRpJC1lNgt4xmFUnbFSW1X86Xe5F25nMy4K4FpF8YDAtT1LZGemwTHGzVEK_1g4GepmcjhPC9i48zxItT5LgrMM9/w640-h480/20210210_140605.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkrQjA4jlVHiQsTIvek4FUr9eSEgw6zu38CIe4QmH9_ixsbkYhOD4u0IyMf7pJJB-0iATAYb5vsCjDECAyi6hHDiwRA0RSQjmfkeoIW3WigrjM9D1ycaK7fF5Kz0uViYy2_ktBNnEE_dQ/s2048/20210210_141331.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjkrQjA4jlVHiQsTIvek4FUr9eSEgw6zu38CIe4QmH9_ixsbkYhOD4u0IyMf7pJJB-0iATAYb5vsCjDECAyi6hHDiwRA0RSQjmfkeoIW3WigrjM9D1ycaK7fF5Kz0uViYy2_ktBNnEE_dQ/w400-h300/20210210_141331.jpg" width="400" /></a>Simply put, no. It's no comparison at all. Pulling out the Matchbox version - in red, green and amazing yellow - let alone the premium red version - instantly shows that the Matchbox is way better. The 2 castings are almost identical in size - and both are nicely detailed - but the all-metal construction of the Matchbox gives it much more of a quality heft, the Matchbox has opening doors, and the soft suspension of the Matchbox (vs. the rock-hard ride of the new Hot Wheels) all conspire to eliminate any hope of a close competition. </p><p></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmtoUy_HBO6ipuISQVaVBPvFKQddN1gawjCcXw7ult-E9lK3n35NOEQI8EMJ8hArqNwDMwuB5oBXuTRy2xgtxvqdYZBZy6CdHA9ANOjO2bkPHgeL000xxm0_Pj9Mbb39X-g3dYnlofB4r/s2048/20210210_140710.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmtoUy_HBO6ipuISQVaVBPvFKQddN1gawjCcXw7ult-E9lK3n35NOEQI8EMJ8hArqNwDMwuB5oBXuTRy2xgtxvqdYZBZy6CdHA9ANOjO2bkPHgeL000xxm0_Pj9Mbb39X-g3dYnlofB4r/w400-h300/20210210_140710.jpg" width="400" /></a>It doesn't make me love the Hot Wheels any less. It's a great model. And I'm thrilled with Hot Wheels for bringing out these retro cars. I just love the Matchbox castings more! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvw_Tw6RJj0oinOseSWGa9lecRlpriTsCUYjBMIb7GwasqHDzYz1rNuHJz4dvL3265xbHF0ftFKlRTYLBXF8H5FjBy7r4wAjlQEx-UBEKgW93wSC52OsyGHTzuUeYsm-XwlJukGHl7dYb8/s2048/20210210_141403.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvw_Tw6RJj0oinOseSWGa9lecRlpriTsCUYjBMIb7GwasqHDzYz1rNuHJz4dvL3265xbHF0ftFKlRTYLBXF8H5FjBy7r4wAjlQEx-UBEKgW93wSC52OsyGHTzuUeYsm-XwlJukGHl7dYb8/w640-h480/20210210_141403.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-54343354361855346782020-06-30T23:21:00.002-05:002020-06-30T23:21:59.608-05:00New box of 12 Tomicas... Which is best and which is worst?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFppENsGHMrQ10i9MpBXuUmukrdKtvY3GnEEdwmPhqsZ9Vk8_h0lBDQqbOKIihVsyqNR5vVRwpny6oP2k7VN-LKyteHRnmyvKWNWA4FRVtlYBHmFSek3iA41ENvS34cltv31cvdVkD3U6a/s1600/C0D19871-A280-4E0A-9435-DACDEA119659.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFppENsGHMrQ10i9MpBXuUmukrdKtvY3GnEEdwmPhqsZ9Vk8_h0lBDQqbOKIihVsyqNR5vVRwpny6oP2k7VN-LKyteHRnmyvKWNWA4FRVtlYBHmFSek3iA41ENvS34cltv31cvdVkD3U6a/s400/C0D19871-A280-4E0A-9435-DACDEA119659.jpeg" width="400" /></a>The problem with buying cars on-line is that you can't really see what they look like, the way you would if you got to see it in real life before you chose to buy it. So when you open up your shipment, you are always curious about how the cars will actually look.<br />
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Today I got a box of 12 new Tomicas, fresh from Asia. Most are new 2020 castings. Some are great castings! ...and some are not so great. So for your benefit, I thought I'd rank them in order of how much I like them, from 12th (last place) up to 1st place...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiS_rSKQcYolDfF2QYoFCA3uJFlDt3BnxxWRGBdmH3v27K7CYYjU5CZJdGLGb20uMrNQHsA41qRzeXXhBJCmMNgXtFRDCOKyTL2onDWzOC6-nWUc-pGx1AetZ2NNLr0aQQ_eLXKUnJn-A/s1600/9B648431-9515-4711-B8BB-5FA4479046D6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidiS_rSKQcYolDfF2QYoFCA3uJFlDt3BnxxWRGBdmH3v27K7CYYjU5CZJdGLGb20uMrNQHsA41qRzeXXhBJCmMNgXtFRDCOKyTL2onDWzOC6-nWUc-pGx1AetZ2NNLr0aQQ_eLXKUnJn-A/s640/9B648431-9515-4711-B8BB-5FA4479046D6.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIMwct8m4z4LQV2oZrQk5pJytAdWso-lmijSmmwN3SMYgwI03Z0q9z8m7Nn22w6MeBikW1T7Uxtnk48QJlEZS41Myob4JWhhjlgCoq9IEFF3NMGdjVGU5WlrzD7rc3I4jUTqTaQcgEip7/s1600/67EC33E2-3422-4E80-887B-5A16A74D37AB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIMwct8m4z4LQV2oZrQk5pJytAdWso-lmijSmmwN3SMYgwI03Z0q9z8m7Nn22w6MeBikW1T7Uxtnk48QJlEZS41Myob4JWhhjlgCoq9IEFF3NMGdjVGU5WlrzD7rc3I4jUTqTaQcgEip7/s400/67EC33E2-3422-4E80-887B-5A16A74D37AB.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Tomica makes some winners... ...and some losers. In this group, there was an obvious loser. This maroon Toyota Supra. Its just a very uninspiring model. Nothing about it that makes you want to play with it. The window tint is so dark that at first it appears that Tomica really cheaped out and didn't even put in an interior (they didn't, there is an interior, you just have to look REALLY hard to see it).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsT-rl9Nus-o7TvPeX4QxcWmWk9ekftQOKny839349QeQUlL5ST6e9P7b6jpWISWhAoAHiehSDogAzejsTdBnpHUgEVw8Z-LTiPZ_kW4mKRZNyS4DlxqFudBugpKUNP2pl1ExpHPjgsbJ/s1600/70377676-7C2F-492D-83B3-19AFDDA26415.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVsT-rl9Nus-o7TvPeX4QxcWmWk9ekftQOKny839349QeQUlL5ST6e9P7b6jpWISWhAoAHiehSDogAzejsTdBnpHUgEVw8Z-LTiPZ_kW4mKRZNyS4DlxqFudBugpKUNP2pl1ExpHPjgsbJ/s400/70377676-7C2F-492D-83B3-19AFDDA26415.jpeg" width="400" /></a>The ONLY interesting thing about this model was that Tomica also made it's platform sharing mate (the BMW Z4 roadster - pictured in the back of this photo) and painted it in the same shade of maroon.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxa5hIJM4C7KUNsgaQz4hYZOWtunRvxkLpjTNcDxHviNz3wxxn_CgufjY_pKIc_yAu-8eLFr1fBzMMG3HbPRnabU2b0KT5DOUu-_cBaFX5oGLE_u6pc6WIyO9D-S-uLzApdW2I8EjrjhP/s1600/76949B7C-3E3B-4950-A02A-03F20F1BDD82.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWBptLuliPZDwjbL1MR0enLNeSF7hirgDRmUtsy29YX6OPO7teRkZpu9mQdv294pld9G1GnIczqX280yfFdBHw7jvIxullMmpwjZ7Vv0rfzOQ7ESQ9Noh3m0mJK5_7QWmXWtBYG4zN9xF/s1600/6F9FFC34-573E-4D9A-9A5A-56F4827B02FC.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGWBptLuliPZDwjbL1MR0enLNeSF7hirgDRmUtsy29YX6OPO7teRkZpu9mQdv294pld9G1GnIczqX280yfFdBHw7jvIxullMmpwjZ7Vv0rfzOQ7ESQ9Noh3m0mJK5_7QWmXWtBYG4zN9xF/s400/6F9FFC34-573E-4D9A-9A5A-56F4827B02FC.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
Other than that, its not a great model. Its not as bad as the mid 2000s Mazda RX8 (in the running for the worst ever Tomica model), but its definitely not great. It takes last place by a fairly wide margin.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYxa5hIJM4C7KUNsgaQz4hYZOWtunRvxkLpjTNcDxHviNz3wxxn_CgufjY_pKIc_yAu-8eLFr1fBzMMG3HbPRnabU2b0KT5DOUu-_cBaFX5oGLE_u6pc6WIyO9D-S-uLzApdW2I8EjrjhP/s1600/76949B7C-3E3B-4950-A02A-03F20F1BDD82.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>11th place: Nissan Note Police. Tomica's micro cars are probably my least favorite genre within the Tomica range, and frankly, this one is no exception. While it's ahead of the Supra, it still remains well behind 10th and better places.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZmI5sO5-ELMwQUyKSH1exRQn26JtbTVv1ki2GC3BcdLVASklkIraJrIxYmmmh7RrXeYGzSqbQPACbrLgXOy0OcYv9shOapK6XxeeDkxKDlJiNuVYjpwU0oeKb7-DqdQVkhsTXxoe6Wom/s1600/873C6BF2-0E13-415A-8430-390ED419EF2B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBt-rkJVB_InK-ychOl3ges40-w6MBNABMChLS5b8YyRaUrcmsQCDxm5ZKai27UNv4JftMglBh61rA4Cx1BNE0GAgEVQ5mg5UV9csoKfngnpvVcD4tLBsGeBJkq5L0-CIR5EtYFyPUYhd/s1600/76949B7C-3E3B-4950-A02A-03F20F1BDD82.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBt-rkJVB_InK-ychOl3ges40-w6MBNABMChLS5b8YyRaUrcmsQCDxm5ZKai27UNv4JftMglBh61rA4Cx1BNE0GAgEVQ5mg5UV9csoKfngnpvVcD4tLBsGeBJkq5L0-CIR5EtYFyPUYhd/s400/76949B7C-3E3B-4950-A02A-03F20F1BDD82.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
10th place: Nissan skyline. If Tomica's micro cars are my least favorite genre, then Tomica's large Japanese luxury cars are probably in a tie with minivans for my favorite genre. But this isn't the best Skyline sedan that they've done... Its a little too narrow, with no opening doors. On the other hand, the glass headlights are a nice touch, and I like it more than the previous Skyline sedan. Overall, its good enough to be a solid casting and to just barely be edged out of 9th place.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZmI5sO5-ELMwQUyKSH1exRQn26JtbTVv1ki2GC3BcdLVASklkIraJrIxYmmmh7RrXeYGzSqbQPACbrLgXOy0OcYv9shOapK6XxeeDkxKDlJiNuVYjpwU0oeKb7-DqdQVkhsTXxoe6Wom/s1600/873C6BF2-0E13-415A-8430-390ED419EF2B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZmI5sO5-ELMwQUyKSH1exRQn26JtbTVv1ki2GC3BcdLVASklkIraJrIxYmmmh7RrXeYGzSqbQPACbrLgXOy0OcYv9shOapK6XxeeDkxKDlJiNuVYjpwU0oeKb7-DqdQVkhsTXxoe6Wom/s400/873C6BF2-0E13-415A-8430-390ED419EF2B.jpeg" width="400" /></a>9th place: Ferrari F8 Tributo. I'm a bit torn about this model. From 1 perspective I like it a lot - especially the detail with all of its hood scoops. On the other hand, it just seems too large - especially from the back - like it's out of scale. Granted, the F8 has a BIG rear end (I was following one on the highway the other day), but this model might be too large. I'm just not sure what to think about it...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFHCI8e-1Nz5nbKciEp2xpWGX7jVy8nLn1WJ-0162KOoejqcKYij7rwmisA1wJQsf7BFBusoXu8njilCQM4MYRgS1mrnw7YIAPW-AbqPynQQ5f_fJgnTNDpiiUj3SUoYyTRYFAgJtVqwL/s1600/1E1EB06C-074D-4BD5-A815-21137869A202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd7mgPf2JxpWH7eEJnFFPIVI32bRYh0jx8CeWY1ZSQnXEyUuHPMqVpDnAVpA-Vn425fY0QdNKPmlhfGCnfTLzeFD37z9gWstKx5Q38Q62WOIQZ1RvFGuLFRoJ9P_gNGxzpUyyUtYnmAy3/s1600/C236BF0D-41F2-4CEC-BD93-AB2551788C6D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEd7mgPf2JxpWH7eEJnFFPIVI32bRYh0jx8CeWY1ZSQnXEyUuHPMqVpDnAVpA-Vn425fY0QdNKPmlhfGCnfTLzeFD37z9gWstKx5Q38Q62WOIQZ1RvFGuLFRoJ9P_gNGxzpUyyUtYnmAy3/s400/C236BF0D-41F2-4CEC-BD93-AB2551788C6D.jpeg" width="400" /></a>8th place: Isuzu Erga Personnel Transport. This one is an interesting model - probably the first prisoner transport model ever made in 1/64 scale... Although you can't see it well in the photo - all of the windows are heavily barred. It may be the most interesting coach bus made by Tomica. (Coach buses are ALSO a less favorite Tomica genre, since the scale is SO small...). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFHCI8e-1Nz5nbKciEp2xpWGX7jVy8nLn1WJ-0162KOoejqcKYij7rwmisA1wJQsf7BFBusoXu8njilCQM4MYRgS1mrnw7YIAPW-AbqPynQQ5f_fJgnTNDpiiUj3SUoYyTRYFAgJtVqwL/s1600/1E1EB06C-074D-4BD5-A815-21137869A202.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKFHCI8e-1Nz5nbKciEp2xpWGX7jVy8nLn1WJ-0162KOoejqcKYij7rwmisA1wJQsf7BFBusoXu8njilCQM4MYRgS1mrnw7YIAPW-AbqPynQQ5f_fJgnTNDpiiUj3SUoYyTRYFAgJtVqwL/s400/1E1EB06C-074D-4BD5-A815-21137869A202.jpeg" width="400" /></a>7th place: Toyota Supra. This is part of the Dream Tomica series - and is painted like the Paul Walker 10 second car from the first Fast and the Furious movie. The picture on the box is awful. Frankly, even this photo doesn't make it look very nice. But in the metal, it actually looks nicer than in the pictures. Note however that its still not as nice as the (super nice) silver Supra from the Premium series.<br />
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6th place: Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera. This car is part of the more expensive (2x normal price) Tomica Premium series. As such, the wheels are accurately modeled, there is lots of detail, etc, Overall, while I'm not a big fan of newer Lamborghini models, this is a reasonable and typical example of the (very nice ) Premium series. FYI - the green paint is super cool. For this (6th place) and higher models, I highly recommend that you buy them if you don't have them already. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxTJqgUvno6e4QoJhpW3wxXhK5mrky8MF136KDmvvtkiBHCMQBFn8lMp5ScRo95vDeELyDgLB-A4d1cdeSPb2pt6MxGYNiFfaPWk2RXHlSNFQHhOvLmhvmP8mIG5v77gjZK9XMnWNeWfk/s1600/5447564B-84BD-4095-A1A5-97A0BF3DF657.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWxTJqgUvno6e4QoJhpW3wxXhK5mrky8MF136KDmvvtkiBHCMQBFn8lMp5ScRo95vDeELyDgLB-A4d1cdeSPb2pt6MxGYNiFfaPWk2RXHlSNFQHhOvLmhvmP8mIG5v77gjZK9XMnWNeWfk/s400/5447564B-84BD-4095-A1A5-97A0BF3DF657.jpeg" width="400" /></a>5th place: Toyota HiAce Communication Satellite car. I liked this HiAce when it first came out last year. I already like Tomica minivans, and I liked the HiAce, though I thought it was a little plain. But dressed up with the satellite dish, it turns a nice model into a great model. Although I ranked this as 5th place, it is definitely set apart from 6th and lower places.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQEoH_NACDlRcffaXDLjfRrQsWfelfBrNSZPWsudS4vTAAieY5kA1yWTGlbwnw3dete7IGTbtDJg7Qz2p-z2OVrdRq2T4pcFMI5WvuiIbLOzR5gSdYXvjUYHzCy6RbgZso4MFuz7KRhMN/s1600/E26DD7A1-4495-4A9F-98A7-412524A02C1D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzQEoH_NACDlRcffaXDLjfRrQsWfelfBrNSZPWsudS4vTAAieY5kA1yWTGlbwnw3dete7IGTbtDJg7Qz2p-z2OVrdRq2T4pcFMI5WvuiIbLOzR5gSdYXvjUYHzCy6RbgZso4MFuz7KRhMN/s400/E26DD7A1-4495-4A9F-98A7-412524A02C1D.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
4th place: Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato. Wow. This is a GREAT model. It's one of the best Tomica models EVER. Its large, solid, with opening doors, wonderful detail, beautiful rich paint, glass headlights, etc. I love this model. You need it too!<br />
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3rd place: Nissan Gloria Gran Tourimo Ultima. This car is part of the Limited Vintage series, and as such is VERY expensive, about 6X the price of a typical model. But I bought the car in red, and loved it so much that I ante'd up the cash to buy it in white as well... <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwFyZ8C2bfB74BER6O-29rh_58EZfqVRRPxSh8EgBZQx5oZWU_0IhuWo7ivqPnFRuRHGjsCJlKDk5OYrkpuLJcgpsI5YoXGuqmCJri5BIU8kDMyk2vD1cRWWm0Lhc_-ByObFz2cGVs0xo/s1600/BFA5E80F-3B0D-4DA6-B30A-282F9A2A7DD9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwFyZ8C2bfB74BER6O-29rh_58EZfqVRRPxSh8EgBZQx5oZWU_0IhuWo7ivqPnFRuRHGjsCJlKDk5OYrkpuLJcgpsI5YoXGuqmCJri5BIU8kDMyk2vD1cRWWm0Lhc_-ByObFz2cGVs0xo/s400/BFA5E80F-3B0D-4DA6-B30A-282F9A2A7DD9.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
Some limited vintage models let you down with slightly smaller than normal scales, and make you wonder whether the excessive price tag is worth it. But this is one of my favorite Limited Vintage castings, and the only 1 that I've liked enough to buy in multiple colors. (Note that my favorite Limited Vintage is probably the Mitsubishi Pajero/Montero). <br />
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2nd place: Cattle Transporter. This is part of the extended length series - and is definitely my favorite model in that series. The longer size allows it be (slightly) more accurately scaled, though it still claims to be 1:90 scale. The truck comes with 8 cows (4 black, 4 white) and an opening ramp door in the back. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYT24g26yZ0lsU_6n0aLPdvmyDGy9GdEX1QOJ0-9NVQKSIRmcT7PnRWnKG6tMIcTo6VFEA0NYYBspZuKalaeb-0yWnMXnM16Is99FIKHSCdZ3c7laW-9-KUDkAhOxTx4nEM1VuMmOJHLf/s1600/8D34FB32-50D3-49A6-89D8-F51B85CF36D0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYT24g26yZ0lsU_6n0aLPdvmyDGy9GdEX1QOJ0-9NVQKSIRmcT7PnRWnKG6tMIcTo6VFEA0NYYBspZuKalaeb-0yWnMXnM16Is99FIKHSCdZ3c7laW-9-KUDkAhOxTx4nEM1VuMmOJHLf/s400/8D34FB32-50D3-49A6-89D8-F51B85CF36D0.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
1st place: Aston Martin DB5. This model is again part of the premium series (2x the normal Tomica price), and is 1 of the nicest models in that series. Taking it out of the box I was stunned at how beautiful it looks. At how metallic it looks. At the incredible detail of the grill. The solid opening doors. etc. It was a no-brainer to pick this car as the best car of the 12. <br />
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Writer's note: It's interesting that this set of12 cars includes my first 2 Tomica Aston Martins, both of which are amazing models. As a real life Aston owner, I'm proud that the Tomica Astons are such faithful and beautiful models. <br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-65451641849620580502020-03-02T22:41:00.001-06:002020-03-02T22:41:25.409-06:00Vintage Rolls Royce Convertible Comparison<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-J3c-bgVQYbbZ8E39ZjqOD0OdKlKoX1HU76MaCGsbL4Q3CWNtUDMGYYP7_6dqCNuMFKNyiq8auDyynpRyZaIodlEK6PC-G5xl2TqwLzWShWhM038Y1uybJgewssM7G0cjaMMQ6LBZfRxe/s1600/E7F92ADA-780A-44E0-87F1-7F25DAAF9B03.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-J3c-bgVQYbbZ8E39ZjqOD0OdKlKoX1HU76MaCGsbL4Q3CWNtUDMGYYP7_6dqCNuMFKNyiq8auDyynpRyZaIodlEK6PC-G5xl2TqwLzWShWhM038Y1uybJgewssM7G0cjaMMQ6LBZfRxe/s400/E7F92ADA-780A-44E0-87F1-7F25DAAF9B03.jpeg" width="400" /></a>If you've just read my prior post, you know that I love the Lesney-era Silver Shadows... ...and I also love the "Silver Shadow Coupe", as Rolls Royce itself initially called the 2-door coupe that would soon be renamed the "Corniche", a name it would hold for the next 20 years. Matchbox stuck with the original name even after Rolls Royce renamed it as the Corniche, resulting in a Corniche Convertible called a Silver Shadow Coupe. Which I find confusing...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrIQwwgrsViuNWakBjbj0NS6ZE5ZEA77m_2ULH56rrtSsRcH4RRn8fOc9p-nmi2Q7AY8oFOQ0Pww0NY2Zaot2n0CQd_El-lYJwhS6U0sIT503t4k_PCaqth7lNXzNkhDAiOYvWHjrkH02/s1600/E0A9F858-6CC9-4DF0-8373-530731ACDCA3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjrIQwwgrsViuNWakBjbj0NS6ZE5ZEA77m_2ULH56rrtSsRcH4RRn8fOc9p-nmi2Q7AY8oFOQ0Pww0NY2Zaot2n0CQd_El-lYJwhS6U0sIT503t4k_PCaqth7lNXzNkhDAiOYvWHjrkH02/s400/E0A9F858-6CC9-4DF0-8373-530731ACDCA3.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Regardless of the confusing name, it's a great model in both thin and thick-wheel transitional versions. Technically it doesn't QUITE meet the strict definition of a transitional - as it was never available as a regular wheel model - but it was made during the era of the Transitionals, and thus is sometimes considered an honorary transitional. It typically is seen in an aqua-ish blue, but occasionally can be found in a yellowish-greenish-gold color. For most diecast enthusiast, it is the only known vintage model of a Rolls Royce convertible.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsvfjw3LG9SRRY-UuORqpiOgwON4HIRd2AMBRXjr25-l8sAdlKSQg3lWBjK23A7GPm6Soo-n7P7i6Tjn4b3NpiAgmUWDUguJQgPwPq02CWHJxrFH1tJmyQt_FwrApIiVwOOnVXitck_lv/s1600/CCDBFB77-D3CD-4027-8B7A-1596C3D11C74.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSsvfjw3LG9SRRY-UuORqpiOgwON4HIRd2AMBRXjr25-l8sAdlKSQg3lWBjK23A7GPm6Soo-n7P7i6Tjn4b3NpiAgmUWDUguJQgPwPq02CWHJxrFH1tJmyQt_FwrApIiVwOOnVXitck_lv/s400/CCDBFB77-D3CD-4027-8B7A-1596C3D11C74.jpeg" width="400" /></a>But the fascinating thing is that it is NOT the only vintage casting of a Rolls Royce Convertible... Instead there are not one, but TWO other contenders within my collection - and they are both very interesting and worthy contenders...: 1. Majorette did a lovely and highly detailed casting of the Corniche as part of their premium series (red with the brown interior). And Impy LoneStar Roadmaster SuperCar (did you get that full name?) did a Silver Cloud convertible (red with the ivory interior). <br />
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So with 3 distinct and beautiful castings, the obvious question is... ...which is best?<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TqEQVNaqONs8gqQ4RX1gKGUUsUcF0oDFitlc1gR04ZuRmadgokpvV9Iuwj9g3vEm_kEPyekdlvGYIvb4BZkt8TOHZd6JcAShWHZR-449rD_pvqTRP9V-fqnzeEgmgfcde1boCcbq2dso/s1600/513E95D0-2243-41BE-A3C5-3F8A8798D4D8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TqEQVNaqONs8gqQ4RX1gKGUUsUcF0oDFitlc1gR04ZuRmadgokpvV9Iuwj9g3vEm_kEPyekdlvGYIvb4BZkt8TOHZd6JcAShWHZR-449rD_pvqTRP9V-fqnzeEgmgfcde1boCcbq2dso/s400/513E95D0-2243-41BE-A3C5-3F8A8798D4D8.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
Frankly, it's a hard question. All 3 castings are great castings in their own right, and each have certain virtues and advantages to them. But while all 3 are fascinating, picking a least favorite is a quick decision. <br />
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The Majorette is an amazing piece. The amount of detail is over-the-top crazy. The lights are real plastic (not just painted - and the other 2 don't even have painted lights). The wheels are correct replicas of a Corniche's wheels, rather than standard Matchbox or Impy wheels. The interior appears to have individual seats rather than a 1 piece molded interior. The are decals on the dashboard for dials. The list of detail goes on and on and on... <br />
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But while the detail is amazing, the model has 2 primary and over-arching flaws that limit it's ability to compete.... First, its BIG. And while I like big models of big cars (and the Corniche was a BIG car), this model is TOO BIG. It is overly large. It is closer to 1/55 scale rather than 1/64th scale. In the photos you can clearly see the size difference vs. the other models. <br />
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Secondly, its got no heft. It feels very light and plasticky. It looks nice, but as soon as you touch it you feel let down by it's lack of substance. You find yourself tapping the panels to see if anything is made of metal. So in the critical "gotta-have-it" factor, the "pick it up and play with it" factor, the Majorette drops in contention compared to it's correctly scaled and HEFTY less detailed competitors, and ends up with a strong, but still third place, finish. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3en8qwdrm72wc9LqOeO4HT_HnD5xqFcQZIDpUgkVlRmEzHMhmKFSIzmOBCN_9-5yB-P-JiO_JUl3057UQ0Jo9GsCJ12tE-kETLJCAidkcCgAmv8rT0u4R9-L_pA02mw46sBTdKIFtWOs/s1600/C859262F-E819-4E25-AC9B-1FCB6C4B66E5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs3en8qwdrm72wc9LqOeO4HT_HnD5xqFcQZIDpUgkVlRmEzHMhmKFSIzmOBCN_9-5yB-P-JiO_JUl3057UQ0Jo9GsCJ12tE-kETLJCAidkcCgAmv8rT0u4R9-L_pA02mw46sBTdKIFtWOs/s400/C859262F-E819-4E25-AC9B-1FCB6C4B66E5.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcqXlxkbSuJcUVKQqk6x8tpYWX8yWby37Q8_U050kKgWrETufUiVh-2-4zHNS-2l-4DblgiGGYEffhc6UUI8YJMEqGhgftvO0O3ssC7sjAQcUJuX2HZ4qnl85lz5sTGUgj_2n24FWfltF/s1600/33D882F6-AE43-4B9A-8348-D142575A7645.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcqXlxkbSuJcUVKQqk6x8tpYWX8yWby37Q8_U050kKgWrETufUiVh-2-4zHNS-2l-4DblgiGGYEffhc6UUI8YJMEqGhgftvO0O3ssC7sjAQcUJuX2HZ4qnl85lz5sTGUgj_2n24FWfltF/s400/33D882F6-AE43-4B9A-8348-D142575A7645.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Which brings us to the next casting - the Impy. I've always been kind of fascinating by Impy's, with thier castings of atypically modeled cars, and multiple openings. Impy is the only true vintage toy-maker (at least in 1/64 scale) who regularly offers opening doors AND trunks... ...and sometimes even hoods. <br />
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And this Silver Cloud is so cool that it might just be my favorite Impy casting. The opening doors and trunk instantly give it a leg-up over the Lesney casting, but a closer inspection reveals that the hood opens as well - in TWO central hinged pieces!!! A total of 5 opening parts in an era when you were lucky to get even 1... <br />
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Scale-wise, the model appears slightly narrow (although full-size Clouds always look narrow to my eye - so maybe its actually accurate/correct?). I've never been particularly sold on the Edsel-ish look of the Cloud's headlights and grills - and I don't like it anymore in the casting. But - its a pretty accurate representation (and very well done!) of an ugly front-end.<br />
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The casting is identified as a Silver Cloud MPW, where MPW stands for Mulliner Park Ward - Rolls Royce' in-house coachbuilder. <br />
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With 5 openings in the model, it's hard to argue with the level of detail. And unlike the Majorette - this one is undoubtably made of metal. In fact, this rare casting is SO solid, and the detail is so great, that I find myself wondering why Impy's like this one haven't been driven higher in price. How is a Hot Wheels Redline worth so much more than this car?!? But while the Impy Silver Cloud MPW is an amazing piece - is it good enough to de-throne the traditional king of diecast Rolls Royce Convertibles? <br />
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As mentioned earlier, the Lesney/Matchbox casting, is a lovely casting, with nice size, nice weight, nice detail, a soft suspension from the glory days of the Transitional SuperFast era, etc. I particularly like it with the thin rather than the thick wheels (the yellow/gold one shown has the later thicker wheels while the blue has the thin wheels). In mint condition with an undamaged windshield (they are fragile so poor condition cars frequently have broken or bend windshields) and a tonneau boot cover still in place (again - these seem to get knocked off easily), it's a grand-looking car. The grill and headlights are a single stuck-on metal piece - similar to the Silver Shadow Sedan's, which looks high quality until you compare it to the Impy - when it suddenly looks "stuck on". Overall, it's a favorite casting of mine, and (before seeing the Impy) I would have had a hard time believing that anyone else also modeled it - let alone modeled it better...<br />
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So the real question is - can the Impy knock off the Lesney Matchbox and take the crown of best Vintage Rolls Royce convertible?<br />
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This one is definitely going to come down to personal choice. The Impy is the more interesting casting. And is of an older and even more rarely done model. With 5 opening panels. Including a SUPER cool center hinged hood. In contrast, the Matchbox is a traditional Lesney Transitional - big and square and nice, a favorite model of mine for several decades. How do I choose?<br />
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In the end, although I changed my mind a few times, the quircky charm of the rare Impy Cloud overwhelmed my loyalty of the traditional Matchbox Silver Shadow Coupe Convertible... <br />
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Hope you enjoy the photos!<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-51645393102125795822020-03-01T22:45:00.001-06:002020-03-01T22:46:08.016-06:00Vintage Matchbox Rolls Royce Sedans in burgundy but also silver and gold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRyZOOq_DohLD47Jtt9CaatjPFjFAiHXQm76ZpVT9ZWGM5jlg8Bs71xEDhkHZ5cpxBXxZUvtyD6nexsVDHXkM0TpKOwXoW2Qd3_fsqI2LCiKEPe4fhDWgcIeaHadq71U7ARDakiRboHss/s1600/77680339-BEA6-423A-9871-7761E875BA45.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZRyZOOq_DohLD47Jtt9CaatjPFjFAiHXQm76ZpVT9ZWGM5jlg8Bs71xEDhkHZ5cpxBXxZUvtyD6nexsVDHXkM0TpKOwXoW2Qd3_fsqI2LCiKEPe4fhDWgcIeaHadq71U7ARDakiRboHss/s400/77680339-BEA6-423A-9871-7761E875BA45.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Lesney's Rolls Royce Silver Shadow II is one of my favorite models of the post-transitional era, coming in the most common silver color, a rarer burgundy wine color and a rarer still elegant light gold - which is definitely my favorite color of the 3. I've still got my childhood car - a silver model - but it's not clean enough nor mint enough to serve as a photo model. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3ZyttoBEDzoxmHHQjRI6h0BBRhY8FEmm7l0QJ6AavYm69D5UrQR_LyLl9Sk7ZB94Ehwd0dPecLY7UfBBFxzfOgWrszeKj41W-Dtcs7iO1BHWx9VywwCrpCGBd3XLo2cPC2N8VxGAk6jE/s1600/2E18023F-2BA4-4091-B835-CD27421BDC74.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3ZyttoBEDzoxmHHQjRI6h0BBRhY8FEmm7l0QJ6AavYm69D5UrQR_LyLl9Sk7ZB94Ehwd0dPecLY7UfBBFxzfOgWrszeKj41W-Dtcs7iO1BHWx9VywwCrpCGBd3XLo2cPC2N8VxGAk6jE/s400/2E18023F-2BA4-4091-B835-CD27421BDC74.jpeg" width="400" /></a>When I started to collect Matchbox again as an adult, I was thrilled to find that my Silver Shadow (the II) was actually the second Silver Shadow that Matchbox had done - and the original version that they had done (with opening trunk rather than opening doors) was equally as nice of a model as the subsequent. In fact, its hard to decide which casting is the better model. The first Silver Shadow was only available in one color - almost the same shade of the burgundy wine color as one of the three colors of the Silver Shadow II was released in...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2Lb2hmxJdme1wFZlLiSgw_qhDViumHE9BkABqj04OwpOxbKSWKQh50CyAFaOPM5Fyu2k_3Pb2AB_ilOeWmPAnRB4S3GbYeris8z1cYWPvlkypxuO6F_SYIz0jjPRbZB6p6DWu_gsVjbV/s1600/ED92149E-E8FF-4EE5-B7B5-3DAFFF4737A3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2Lb2hmxJdme1wFZlLiSgw_qhDViumHE9BkABqj04OwpOxbKSWKQh50CyAFaOPM5Fyu2k_3Pb2AB_ilOeWmPAnRB4S3GbYeris8z1cYWPvlkypxuO6F_SYIz0jjPRbZB6p6DWu_gsVjbV/s400/ED92149E-E8FF-4EE5-B7B5-3DAFFF4737A3.jpeg" width="400" /></a>But it got better. A few years later, Matchbox (now made by Matchbox Toys International rather than Lesney) AGAIN introduced a Rolls Royce - now the successor of the Silver Shadow - the Silver Spirit. Again, it was a lovely model, nicely sized and squared off, with opening doors. It's 1 of my favorite models of the '80s. And AGAIN Matchbox sold it in almost the same burgundy wine color as the previous 2 Rolls Royces were sold in (as well as a goldish-tan color that is similar to that of the rare Shadow II). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32L1ie9tPS15aqzQezIImRw5pkH-As5UG29LvIxcpZnnBiRftmHxT5fdTa47fcfo26qnHCb5D8gmnn0J5rp7hN77mx7KJ_SUZemBlJeR31pRyuWpg5CpGotvH3pT2fB-Cp0TQ5bZjW6Mw/s1600/7091F365-7145-4371-BC12-607A756EB850.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg32L1ie9tPS15aqzQezIImRw5pkH-As5UG29LvIxcpZnnBiRftmHxT5fdTa47fcfo26qnHCb5D8gmnn0J5rp7hN77mx7KJ_SUZemBlJeR31pRyuWpg5CpGotvH3pT2fB-Cp0TQ5bZjW6Mw/s400/7091F365-7145-4371-BC12-607A756EB850.jpeg" width="400" /></a>I was always amused and pleased that 3 generations of Rolls Royces were modeled in the same color by Matchbox and I have frequently photographed them together. Recently I completed a re-spray of the Silver Spirit in silver, to match earlier re-sprays of the Silver Shadow I (as well as the Silver Cloud - never a favorite model of mine - but nicer re-sprayed in silver than in the ugly standard cream color). At the same time I also completed a metallic gold/bronze re-spray of the Shadow I - which although darker than the light gold of the Spirit and Shadow II - still looks nice in their company. Which allows me to have a complete set each of the Shadow I, Shadow II and Spirit in the 3 original colors of the Shadow II - Silver, light gold and of course - burgundy-wine....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorvtvokGzDVrvqpzF46WSXju5qbbl4GRBLP1mvSrXYbMcDeXQSiUfQYFEu6gqbYrNNc5XfWjB6l2MnmTpNXPUNH0hIDmxuuC1ftYeoxNtvbEs3X8mVKDs07weFTwlpy8hJ_0VKZ2EqS1L/s1600/9C99DD32-DEE0-4FC7-991B-C13C26B58CAF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjorvtvokGzDVrvqpzF46WSXju5qbbl4GRBLP1mvSrXYbMcDeXQSiUfQYFEu6gqbYrNNc5XfWjB6l2MnmTpNXPUNH0hIDmxuuC1ftYeoxNtvbEs3X8mVKDs07weFTwlpy8hJ_0VKZ2EqS1L/s400/9C99DD32-DEE0-4FC7-991B-C13C26B58CAF.jpeg" width="400" /></a><span style="text-align: start;"></span></div>
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(P.S. Did you notice the other Silver Shadow II... ...in blue? This is an older re-spray that I did about 15-20 years ago, complete with contrasting leather colors in its seats.... Unfortunately my attempts to repaint the allow wheels was rather ham-handed, and a separate spray of the doors resulted in them being slightly darker than the rest of the body... ). </div>
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(P.S. Did you notice the other Silver Shadow II... ...in blue? This is an older re-spray that I did about 15-20 years ago, complete with contrasting leather colors in its seats.... Unfortunately my attempts to repaint the allow wheels was rather ham-handed, and a separate spray of the doors resulted in them being slightly darker than the rest of the body... ). </div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-88163084691886238062019-12-14T23:05:00.000-06:002019-12-14T23:05:25.549-06:00Beautiful XCARTOYS 1/64 scale VW Quantum/Santana wagon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The late '80s Volkswagon Quantum wagon was always a special car for me... the mysterious large VW, under-powered, hopelessly outsold by the ubiquitous Chevy Celebrity Wagon and Ford's (junior) LTD wagon, hopelessly outsold by its own siblings (Rabbit/Golf/Jetta, and even the ungainly Vanagon), such a rare car, a car for mavericks, for intellectuals... ...for me! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1HBEY98otBjbtdTLwbAFodVO41gWhQpqHdcQ46b-vW8WIxPosp2y5GE0IM0rSK14XVmf1iedBizFGj0gyxq__c3L5Ovdi1oeMTfhQx9twvPhjF1yD_sDGSCd8CNv5Zt9GRIUYCUKzh0u/s1600/20150801_122154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1HBEY98otBjbtdTLwbAFodVO41gWhQpqHdcQ46b-vW8WIxPosp2y5GE0IM0rSK14XVmf1iedBizFGj0gyxq__c3L5Ovdi1oeMTfhQx9twvPhjF1yD_sDGSCd8CNv5Zt9GRIUYCUKzh0u/s400/20150801_122154.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Unfortunately, I never owned one. And very few are left in the USA, a non-collectible car that has long since rusted into oblivion. If you are a Quantum wagon fan (Santana in other markets), I advise you to visit China, where the squared-off Quantum/Santana (not the newer weirdly sized, rounded off aero Passat from the early '90s) was produced under license for many years. In fact when I first went to China, I was stunned to see this halo car everywhere, especially in police use, as evidenced by this photo from my trip.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EtPSU0UwEbbLzK-eoEbQaC93lW_sPUwWRNMpkmghvo0-5NOmkXdq7wDCWM1cBj71spIzk-jCASpG3KUWrtLqmMDi6SHyX8Sxsuqd-DJmNlwk68QYOEjyBxmPMZYU_8f3-hPGyZwBl2rC/s1600/9C74E72D-E667-415F-8DDB-DDB2AF99F488.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3EtPSU0UwEbbLzK-eoEbQaC93lW_sPUwWRNMpkmghvo0-5NOmkXdq7wDCWM1cBj71spIzk-jCASpG3KUWrtLqmMDi6SHyX8Sxsuqd-DJmNlwk68QYOEjyBxmPMZYU_8f3-hPGyZwBl2rC/s400/9C74E72D-E667-415F-8DDB-DDB2AF99F488.jpeg" width="400" /></a>But I've never had a good diecast model of one. No one made one back in the day... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Wl0u4Iy3fea2lnuc1K3K-eTo17RI-CILFnexVj6JNTEMpscw2pZSUd-FZxd7LYkj6SrBPr-_s-2WjHJ8AN1mwYMgD9gwtQ7PrP5F4VEwvCBy3DWeqKfSxEVVVeDuuQXPD9mfOZ0D6Mop/s1600/19B580BC-C0BB-4BEE-A347-1E26E3A76CC4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Wl0u4Iy3fea2lnuc1K3K-eTo17RI-CILFnexVj6JNTEMpscw2pZSUd-FZxd7LYkj6SrBPr-_s-2WjHJ8AN1mwYMgD9gwtQ7PrP5F4VEwvCBy3DWeqKfSxEVVVeDuuQXPD9mfOZ0D6Mop/s400/19B580BC-C0BB-4BEE-A347-1E26E3A76CC4.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Enter Xcartoys, a Chinese toy maker who makes fascinating models of uncommonly modeled cars, including this lovely model of the late '80's Quantum/Santana wagon (they also modeled an equivalent sedan version - and both are available in multiple colors). </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaScqv4PnIs2XG6W45iY0uiWMdSZ6BppHPOPn-eYOo7HQQPYY1Qg00dCkrvxT3sORdNt9QdSw39AJFsH5VBJp3Ni0wRlhdk_QLppgdVDilHPiCOHQTMVrDdLunr47o6Sx45WEY8VomXWEE/s1600/7D1515E4-56BD-48C0-9989-02916F14C7E2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaScqv4PnIs2XG6W45iY0uiWMdSZ6BppHPOPn-eYOo7HQQPYY1Qg00dCkrvxT3sORdNt9QdSw39AJFsH5VBJp3Ni0wRlhdk_QLppgdVDilHPiCOHQTMVrDdLunr47o6Sx45WEY8VomXWEE/s400/7D1515E4-56BD-48C0-9989-02916F14C7E2.jpeg" width="400" /></a>The detail is top notch, its a very faithful recreation of one of my "dream" cars. The trim is spot-on. The size is exactly in scale (check out the reference photo of the Passat against Matchbox' full size Mercury wagon). The wheels are correct. The headlights are glass/plastic. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOW44kuR2NuKxOwOEEnDtAMvADDMvwjzuJg3JPkPIxmmzbHc7aao3q_UhSzdpaW9i9CCxdFgLOYfjCw9x7c8V4TP6L2pgEUfpjxPBVLPEdnQLGmeILkoXrH-vBzHjUxqCjMp9WdTBGEvJ/s1600/92FECDFC-1EF3-46AC-A093-0D3548108D5B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnOW44kuR2NuKxOwOEEnDtAMvADDMvwjzuJg3JPkPIxmmzbHc7aao3q_UhSzdpaW9i9CCxdFgLOYfjCw9x7c8V4TP6L2pgEUfpjxPBVLPEdnQLGmeILkoXrH-vBzHjUxqCjMp9WdTBGEvJ/s400/92FECDFC-1EF3-46AC-A093-0D3548108D5B.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLZACOjgsuVjy_UwN8EWevtALKwizQh8FQtyYAxQNaRMoWRaBLZFY3gd2c5UPzVAyKuVzKeev0yUIOwbe6LXRrkXENDnGwGEoc2ew7lrQb15GF0PqBazf6VKfHnXcgdzwoZfsWYWONnR6/s1600/17947F4A-43DC-4040-AE0D-9A51432685D6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZLZACOjgsuVjy_UwN8EWevtALKwizQh8FQtyYAxQNaRMoWRaBLZFY3gd2c5UPzVAyKuVzKeev0yUIOwbe6LXRrkXENDnGwGEoc2ew7lrQb15GF0PqBazf6VKfHnXcgdzwoZfsWYWONnR6/s400/17947F4A-43DC-4040-AE0D-9A51432685D6.jpeg" width="400" /></a>In fact, the only real critique I have of the model is the lack of a suspension. ...That, and the price. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ic1KxFX9ypQ6wTGb8_JMC_r4mSe5yr3qrsHrRpwAj3MHuUe974YtIepWXEiNypSPcR0UdMfJ_9eEqpiVOQWIpDIH7XmhWXxSK1o2C85oj6rinWxNICQd_DdF_hn8drmP8qeZehEMtNU-/s1600/6C091379-47F1-4D39-BDEF-468014FCD82D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ic1KxFX9ypQ6wTGb8_JMC_r4mSe5yr3qrsHrRpwAj3MHuUe974YtIepWXEiNypSPcR0UdMfJ_9eEqpiVOQWIpDIH7XmhWXxSK1o2C85oj6rinWxNICQd_DdF_hn8drmP8qeZehEMtNU-/s400/6C091379-47F1-4D39-BDEF-468014FCD82D.jpeg" width="400" /></a>These XCARTOYS models aren't cheap. Most of the ones listed on Ebay will set you back $20 when you include shipping, which make them an expensive proposition. But I'm here to tell you that the quality is there. So pick your model carefully, choose your color, pay your money, and enjoy a beautiful and unusually modeled car! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp7tursPD5ad_4rkATZfgSlcx_fCZtIbjpAe2NJ4qE3GbCMRw8mwym_qibohKXu6KgydsG7oweXjtjpplKysBCQVYAb3mTFFIt-KQ8fZNLq5AKWy23_DT1u27b9-aT2Q49aKIcwcuG-1j/s1600/F6E7E7BD-9468-49BE-B89D-F10BF55C0B58.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinp7tursPD5ad_4rkATZfgSlcx_fCZtIbjpAe2NJ4qE3GbCMRw8mwym_qibohKXu6KgydsG7oweXjtjpplKysBCQVYAb3mTFFIt-KQ8fZNLq5AKWy23_DT1u27b9-aT2Q49aKIcwcuG-1j/s400/F6E7E7BD-9468-49BE-B89D-F10BF55C0B58.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-32639349451799300822019-11-10T21:24:00.002-06:002019-11-11T20:52:06.727-06:00Retail Shop-lifting/Fraud of Hot Wheels models!!!<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ouTq0BQEOj0-1kq5jgq4nXQdxX6eJxRADRMEo4-Op7RO7LutFcyXwuB9nnE_Ab_hW_1t6qT4kvQ-FsbBGWM9DIsCCPFd7_XdYz_ujiuamMTOdbqXaDNysa-xfXIDHRjljMope-DtpUqn/s1600/589D1361-9914-440D-88DD-63F147D4BE4C.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5007161546086099712" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ouTq0BQEOj0-1kq5jgq4nXQdxX6eJxRADRMEo4-Op7RO7LutFcyXwuB9nnE_Ab_hW_1t6qT4kvQ-FsbBGWM9DIsCCPFd7_XdYz_ujiuamMTOdbqXaDNysa-xfXIDHRjljMope-DtpUqn/s640/589D1361-9914-440D-88DD-63F147D4BE4C.jpeg" width="355" /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We all know diecast collectors aren’t all perfect, but we still hope that they are at least pretty “ok”. So I was disappointed to find such an obvious piece of evidence of the depravity of my fellow collectors in this swapped and returned blister pack ... </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Yep, you see it correctly. Both blisters are labeled “1980 Dodge Macho Power Wagon”, but only 1 of the blisters actually contain that premium $6 model.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The bottom one instead contains </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">a 50 cent cheapo Maisto model, which has apparently been inserted into the premium Hot Wheels blisterpack and carefully resealed, in order to return the packaging to WalMart and get a refund. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">So someone actually thought that going through the effort to pay the $6 to buy the real one, bring it home, carefully cut open the packaging, take out the nice truck, insert the 50 cent cheapo truck, then drive back to Wal-Mart and fraudulently present it for a refund, effectively "buying" the premium toy for a $5.50 discount , is somehow less dishonourable, and thus a better use of time, than simply outright stealing the toy...?!? Really?!?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">(Or perhaps, it's simply a less risky way to steal, since he isn't actually "shoplifting" by walking out of the store with the unpaid toy in his pocket?).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">P.S. I'm pretty sure that this model is the first time the adjective "Macho" was ever applied to a Matchbox/Hot Wheels car...</span></div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-62063457009992544992019-11-08T23:12:00.000-06:002019-11-08T23:38:08.790-06:00Unusual Playart Lotus Elite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvGRzeX5nBB-_WnOKfmdTnB3p2i_uYEE6r4HgRxUx9hs77wqra9qpepBRrjT2Vy706xScX52yANab-aUgjrqHNdZjFDfypw0jUGP7CaYznClh8OgxfyVfdIkcFnSogX4BpaPUKtrnPF8p/s1600/C36D700C-1A39-4B5C-B33B-BC0E15B178D6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvGRzeX5nBB-_WnOKfmdTnB3p2i_uYEE6r4HgRxUx9hs77wqra9qpepBRrjT2Vy706xScX52yANab-aUgjrqHNdZjFDfypw0jUGP7CaYznClh8OgxfyVfdIkcFnSogX4BpaPUKtrnPF8p/s400/C36D700C-1A39-4B5C-B33B-BC0E15B178D6.jpeg" width="400" /></a>So there I was in my last post, complaining about Matchbox making a new (and worse) casting of a Lotus Europa, a car that they'd already modeled in much better and higher quality detail 40 years earlier, and I literally said something along the lines of "why couldn't they just have modeled a DIFFERENT Lotus, like for example, a Lotus Elite?!?". And then my EBay search of vintage PlayArt models turned up this very model of a Lotus Elite - and at a very attractive price! And 3 days later the package arrived at my house, and I tore it open, and... </div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtU3GNXb5OfQD0atn8AQjqaa_-HFMdIp_Tftd3Lp0t1OkI4FEmsPmj0uFCPl8CshTe-wI-g5YZd3qovznkU2greDtkyBcaFZl0V-DJTYrt7YBov5LIQNzS2BPOsiXAGKcGa-u5CxGEBhG/s1600/7E4BC4E2-D350-46F3-BCF5-331C8842452D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtU3GNXb5OfQD0atn8AQjqaa_-HFMdIp_Tftd3Lp0t1OkI4FEmsPmj0uFCPl8CshTe-wI-g5YZd3qovznkU2greDtkyBcaFZl0V-DJTYrt7YBov5LIQNzS2BPOsiXAGKcGa-u5CxGEBhG/s640/7E4BC4E2-D350-46F3-BCF5-331C8842452D.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsX76pxEWoIvybX7qBDa-jpZCdlG5ngrq2GbswnYfUBhoOBnhuxJsj_fOPtpfvKAcE277BoKtK6EdEqBIouTBK13ann7wBYF22yDoNa14c8GFwKcFpdWWMU8Izo1LT37l4NYswxWVZRSt/s1600/61A1B8E4-DF39-412D-A03E-25D33D734D7F.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsX76pxEWoIvybX7qBDa-jpZCdlG5ngrq2GbswnYfUBhoOBnhuxJsj_fOPtpfvKAcE277BoKtK6EdEqBIouTBK13ann7wBYF22yDoNa14c8GFwKcFpdWWMU8Izo1LT37l4NYswxWVZRSt/s640/61A1B8E4-DF39-412D-A03E-25D33D734D7F.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMgYio_583Ggbx_AKP2GBYOgB0L5zAJCh4RVCHSdLzAaeBytWL12EVV_5p_TZENsl3VvUds-jG6iZW6ISkz4NUrI3WiDQzkkCiFEtda_IAETmzzofh0wvqnWUZbZ3Csq_7uOHcST_Pj3D/s1600/56BFDDB6-590B-4912-A69E-91739BB81DF4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQMgYio_583Ggbx_AKP2GBYOgB0L5zAJCh4RVCHSdLzAaeBytWL12EVV_5p_TZENsl3VvUds-jG6iZW6ISkz4NUrI3WiDQzkkCiFEtda_IAETmzzofh0wvqnWUZbZ3Csq_7uOHcST_Pj3D/s400/56BFDDB6-590B-4912-A69E-91739BB81DF4.jpeg" width="400" /></a>...and I was met with perhaps the nicest PlayArt model that I've ever encountered!</div>
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What a cooincidence!</div>
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Frankly, the pictures don't do it justice. Perhaps its due to the paint, which is kind of bland, a flat white and medium green, with tampos that don't look overly well applied. But its the other stuff that makes it.</div>
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The casting is solid. The doors don't open, but the cutouts are so deep as to be convincing - such that I actually pulled on the doors for a while until I was satisfied that they weren't just tightly stuck - but that they were in fact cast shut. The car weighs nicely. It's sized nicely. The wheels are good. The suspension is good. The detail is excellent.<br />
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On the downside, the paint is... ...OK. And the size is typical Matchbox size, which means that for a tiny car like an Elite it is scaled too large, the same size as a full size late '60s Mercury wagon (shown in one of the above wagons). <br />
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But all of this pales - since - who actually has another 1/64 Lotus Elite?!? This is another example of PlayArt coming through to bring us cars that none of the major players modeled (Fiat Dino anyone? BMW 2002?). </div>
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All in all, a great model and a proud addition to my collection!</div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-27356478276422119922019-10-12T00:15:00.001-05:002019-10-12T08:06:21.681-05:00New Matchbox castings that repeat old castings finally are legitimate contenders to Lesney models!I really dislike when Matchbox makes a new model of a car they've modeled before... Invariably its a more plasticky and poorly done version of an excellent Lesney version.<br />
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About 10 years ago they issued new castings of a '68 Marcus Cougar, a Lotus Europa, a VW Microbus, and others. In every instance the new car was poorly done. I always wondered why people would buy these new guady and plastic creations, when the high quality originals are so easily available on EBay for just a few dollars in fair/good condition?<br />
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But I also dislike it because each time they do it, Matchbox throws away an opportunity to do something truly new. With so many cars that have never been modeled (how many Nissan Altima's have you seen in 1/64 scale?), it seems a pity to do a second rate job of something that has already been done well. Why make a second casting of a Lotus Europa when Matchbox could do a Lotus Evora instead?<br />
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Well, Matchbox is up to it again, making new models of cars that were done during the Lesney years. Except this time, the new models are premium 50th anniversary models, with a $5.50 price tag. And this time, the quality is indeed better... Which made me ask the question - of whether any of these new models of previously modeled cars are actually and finally better than the original Lesney models?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF5XRLTzyut7I7sIv8fA8d6L6duBS42_KW-ufKRZA4TtLIRacvc_H_5Qx16K_tx0jlQ65pgTByN_U_ppncFEmqDxKXo4sN-axzku9Fk1oY_nL8fntAATLJU1P4lIsjIGM2UL7_lmQan8i_/s1600/IMG_0696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br />
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The first model in question is my least favorite of the 4 new castings being compared today - a VW Microbus. Interestingly, this is an earlier version than the late '60s one they did 10 years ago - this one is a 1950s version. But even more interestingly - during the Lesney years Matchbox also made a 1950s version AND a later 1970s version of the Microbus, meaning that modern Matchbox has now made TWO new versions of older Lesney castings... And even more interestingly - the original Lesney 1950s microbus actually came in 2 versions itself - the green version with the low roof, and the silver version with the raised roof.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9P8Wk3fVX150TwitcqOMWedYQnqw_yrxJ5PE6L0peqWBBiFesXLi-qhzjJQMf3U6samu5wfltPmA43fvlexjkkLJ3wacVCTpHB6emA361YOzvXrDfrn0_6RhAaJ-qrlzg1w1k2eDyFoZ/s1600/IMG_0697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9P8Wk3fVX150TwitcqOMWedYQnqw_yrxJ5PE6L0peqWBBiFesXLi-qhzjJQMf3U6samu5wfltPmA43fvlexjkkLJ3wacVCTpHB6emA361YOzvXrDfrn0_6RhAaJ-qrlzg1w1k2eDyFoZ/s400/IMG_0697.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
To be honest, I never was crazy about either of these two original Lesney 21 window Microbuses. Maybe its that they never came in superfast form? Regardless, this might be a good opportunity for the new casting to finally be declared better than the original. But the Microbus is also my least favorite of the 4 new castings as well...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_jSBoKKoWjHEx3QYjC2XuJdXXSgldC_t4wN7O9PC5ieeObRNWhDCwC435C23ZPPU5ip_qFeWeHeoAoARCTs95AepY4bdPACDQsbZt5nebj4ZBjFDhS-Skdkjy23DSp-AGgyLD3dy5Zpu/s1600/IMG_0698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_jSBoKKoWjHEx3QYjC2XuJdXXSgldC_t4wN7O9PC5ieeObRNWhDCwC435C23ZPPU5ip_qFeWeHeoAoARCTs95AepY4bdPACDQsbZt5nebj4ZBjFDhS-Skdkjy23DSp-AGgyLD3dy5Zpu/s400/IMG_0698.JPG" width="400" /></a>The new casting is a red and white Microbus, with opening doors. The paint looks pretty good - but somehow my impression of it is poor. It just looks and feels like a toy rather than a model. It doesn't feel like metal rather than plastic. The wheels are too wide, etc., etc.<br />
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Overall, when it comes to the new microbus, I'm not crazy about the new casting. Even though I'm not crazy about the old Lesney versions either - they remain better than the new version. Given the choice between a new Microbus for $5.50 from WalMart, or a reasonable condition original for $5.50 on EBay - take the EBay version...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeE-bTx1FmNQR3ggvu-V0kGA1bNsYpS5geXMWdXDucz8_2cfhwixtojYF7wUSnZon4EBTB3tkqhuZs3IsM8ISjBMZ-Gxwb_lHSk9RdOH8e38xdN-9D1Rib_N5i1Es9TCjTi-hO4v_yxyw5/s1600/IMG_0699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeE-bTx1FmNQR3ggvu-V0kGA1bNsYpS5geXMWdXDucz8_2cfhwixtojYF7wUSnZon4EBTB3tkqhuZs3IsM8ISjBMZ-Gxwb_lHSk9RdOH8e38xdN-9D1Rib_N5i1Es9TCjTi-hO4v_yxyw5/s640/IMG_0699.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
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Next up is a bit harder of a comparison. The original Lesney 300SE is a beautiful and high quality casting. It came with BOTH opening doors AND an opening trunk and was available in blue and green - and then in gold in the superfast version (though oddly many lost the opening doors in the transformation) - (and later an army staff car (though now also losing the opening trunk)).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmea3jFqasbOLFjX7F-rpSFVN4FKuJ_C2FhZoBGAyxYTeSj_49msQ12PQRLp1Fx_rH_blJaBfCngkJVaOs-7Ou-aJxXc1L11fiTlIDaHPpKTApg7rE2NoNnZbMXoBCUsVqTyv4DF_tNRUv/s1600/IMG_0700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmea3jFqasbOLFjX7F-rpSFVN4FKuJ_C2FhZoBGAyxYTeSj_49msQ12PQRLp1Fx_rH_blJaBfCngkJVaOs-7Ou-aJxXc1L11fiTlIDaHPpKTApg7rE2NoNnZbMXoBCUsVqTyv4DF_tNRUv/s400/IMG_0700.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
The new version is a pretty dark red color and comes with opening doors. It looks pretty nice - but quite simply doesn't have the heft or presence of the original Lesney versions. Conclusion - go ahead and buy the new one - but not until you have first bought the original Lesney version.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMH46684hMdsTI4NKbAiGunC4Wzkl8uNbVzvOXPKPlW7YREAhtz57ihKqxXe_Pon4fI7LY-8YfbKmK6jyueiVzWmOUOSUcji6_8Q7Yrg_QrINRGPfwjCYDozVt58bZ5kdZOV3eEhCaALwL/s1600/IMG_0701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMH46684hMdsTI4NKbAiGunC4Wzkl8uNbVzvOXPKPlW7YREAhtz57ihKqxXe_Pon4fI7LY-8YfbKmK6jyueiVzWmOUOSUcji6_8Q7Yrg_QrINRGPfwjCYDozVt58bZ5kdZOV3eEhCaALwL/s640/IMG_0701.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplOib1hQdMJufL4xjU5chg4XXDjvT1dVC0LVxCAcyO1qUWuqoZ3w4Rx7gz516_48Ikd2u4T0Fy_SBaLJdHWzFKqUDMi3VwQ_4ozSsBYJO0y4JajMnZ_p4osk1TRtMvPupf5s-zZzlGPNs/s1600/IMG_0703.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjplOib1hQdMJufL4xjU5chg4XXDjvT1dVC0LVxCAcyO1qUWuqoZ3w4Rx7gz516_48Ikd2u4T0Fy_SBaLJdHWzFKqUDMi3VwQ_4ozSsBYJO0y4JajMnZ_p4osk1TRtMvPupf5s-zZzlGPNs/s400/IMG_0703.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Next up - a new version of the VW type 3. This new version has a REALLY cool matte white paint job - one of the coolest paint jobs of any modern Matchbox car. Plus the gold wheels add a super-sporty touch. The combination of the paint job and wheels manage to make one of the LEAST POWERFUL AND LEAST SPORTY CARS EVER actually look powerful and sporty.... This is a COOL model! You should buy it!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MCzHGh_BqhL7HfO_9bClkGcs3shkLoC10tiD7Phxpok2DAadmF5216SqftXFI2iJ9BB4_ljc8hmIuvPzTgjfxFqEXmqWD4XeH0SV9BOHCdp3KpxCRr23j6fpa84XBw4uxlEr6FSaNcZE/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2MCzHGh_BqhL7HfO_9bClkGcs3shkLoC10tiD7Phxpok2DAadmF5216SqftXFI2iJ9BB4_ljc8hmIuvPzTgjfxFqEXmqWD4XeH0SV9BOHCdp3KpxCRr23j6fpa84XBw4uxlEr6FSaNcZE/s400/IMG_0704.JPG" width="400" /></a>But is it better than the original Lesney version (shown in beat up red regular wheels, or a better condition plum superfast version)? As regular readers know - I'm a big fan of the Lesney Transitional Superfast cars with thier silky soft suspensions combined with original Lesney detail quality - so its <u>really </u>hard to rank a new modern example as better than the Lesney version. But maybe its a high enough compliment to simply declare that while the new version can't quite unseat the original version - at least it made it a close and interesting fight...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dW9MPw2v3lr7p9kinYFjVhwx5p5DZ6q4Swc-kzDMVzW5HU1BtvJCFW-qEg0E9WwBA7IZD1wvttMxTFsHnCeDwgLF8Pb2DVPiiq_6TpHBHZiJ8GNIwxHkArju2Rsvxp8j8egJq-ZVPzlg/s1600/IMG_0705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dW9MPw2v3lr7p9kinYFjVhwx5p5DZ6q4Swc-kzDMVzW5HU1BtvJCFW-qEg0E9WwBA7IZD1wvttMxTFsHnCeDwgLF8Pb2DVPiiq_6TpHBHZiJ8GNIwxHkArju2Rsvxp8j8egJq-ZVPzlg/s640/IMG_0705.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvyeYNBQRwQRegYtDP0m7YLFT98twDqXtSBo8ve5fw4qejZGuLoLYcgZ3-AT4KZ9LQ-pkDUoN_oFBRLNK7sMR1iEN9V7JWvhmX6TwtWxAeqcOXunSy_yQXUN6uB8qfwk6OEN63blaSI8V/s1600/IMG_0706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvyeYNBQRwQRegYtDP0m7YLFT98twDqXtSBo8ve5fw4qejZGuLoLYcgZ3-AT4KZ9LQ-pkDUoN_oFBRLNK7sMR1iEN9V7JWvhmX6TwtWxAeqcOXunSy_yQXUN6uB8qfwk6OEN63blaSI8V/s400/IMG_0706.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
...which brings us to our final comparison - of a late '70s Porsche 911 Turbo. This Lesney casting for me (shown in silver and royal blue - though many other colors were available) is one of the most iconic Lesney Matchbox castings ever made. It's a beauty of a casting both in look and feel, with opening doors and a tow hook (since EVERYONE tows their boat with their 911....). (Just kidding.... I own a real 911 and a real boat - and I've NEVER considered using the 911 as my boat's tow vehicle...).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIntfA3cgET1_XtzHdO0j6EZffr0b1vClWGsLRUlXC6mRw-oAiIh84GLmoNruLY89c-VWfP-3MJAt58PmnG56D_qRpusdMgRbGM3XUkLNjAadHx9OCgs-AtnDIabomYAQOiKtba34XK4L/s1600/IMG_0707.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHIntfA3cgET1_XtzHdO0j6EZffr0b1vClWGsLRUlXC6mRw-oAiIh84GLmoNruLY89c-VWfP-3MJAt58PmnG56D_qRpusdMgRbGM3XUkLNjAadHx9OCgs-AtnDIabomYAQOiKtba34XK4L/s400/IMG_0707.JPG" width="400" /></a>But the new dark blue casting is a worthy contender - sized exactly right and spot-on size with the original Lesney casting. The doors open and the paint detail is incredible. Even more than with the VW Type 3, the competition is tight and tough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldjtz3edQ9t-G5yjBudJ-cwcnYMSbTgjA8ASnIBme3C8uAFXYKDfRXxbMswIKUxQLtcUsK1RiWnRjQKC0dFL31aTD7v5p_ELec55sSfvnAXWSCnNS_bQSNED9lFk6WIi52zUBKUquw_o3/s1600/IMG_0708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjldjtz3edQ9t-G5yjBudJ-cwcnYMSbTgjA8ASnIBme3C8uAFXYKDfRXxbMswIKUxQLtcUsK1RiWnRjQKC0dFL31aTD7v5p_ELec55sSfvnAXWSCnNS_bQSNED9lFk6WIi52zUBKUquw_o3/s400/IMG_0708.JPG" width="400" /></a>The original Lesney versions still have a more solid heft and feel - and their doors close with a more satisfying click... ...but the paint detail on the new one is so good that it makes up for the difference in heft. In addition, I've noticed that some of the later original 911 turbos (made actually by Matchbox International rather than Lesney - in fact the royal blue one in the photos is a Matchbox International version) somehow seem to have less precise metal/metal detail.<br />
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So where does this leave me? Can the new version legimately claim to be a more desirable model than the original Lesney (and later) version?<br />
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Well...<br />
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Maybe!<br />
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Maybe, just maybe, this new late '70s Porsche 911 Turbo is as good as an original Lesney toy. Do youself a favor and buy both and compare for yourself!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-81345409405957377222019-10-08T22:12:00.001-05:002019-10-08T22:12:54.835-05:00New vs. Old Comparison Test - Lifted Off-Road Jeep Grand Wagoneers.... Vintage Majorette vs. New "Premium" Hot Wheels!Well readers... ...its been a while! Over a year, in fact, since my last post. <br />
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However a recent crop of premium models from Hot Wheels and Matchbox have inspired me to blog again. Today's post is motivated by the recently introduced premium Hot Wheels series called "Desert Rally", a 5-car line that includes a beautiful 1988 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, all jacked-up with huge off-road wheels. Being as its part of the premium line, the entire casting is metal, giving it a nice weighty feel, and the paint and trim work is excellent. So excellent in fact, that I started wondering how it would compare with one of my favorite models from my childhood - the Majorette Jeep Cherokee Chief, itself all jacked-up with huge off-road tires. <br />
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While the vintage Majorette model is a 2 door late '70's Jeep and the Hot Wheels is a 4 door Grand Wagoneer from 1988, in fact the 10-year apart vehicles were based on the same platform - just slightly (ever so slightly!) - updated to try to keep the Grand Wagoneer relevant in the late '80s. <br />
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Which means that its time for a "Matchbox Frenzy" comparison test... Who modeled it better - Majorette or Hot Wheels - and can a premium model from 2019 upstage a stalwart mainstay of the 1980's Majorette line?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygpXuFy1hJOAkiyDVcOFhYaBODqwmgnd-TGoT6DrzwP2EhjK5-vuJESBArmWn6ndlJg73EXhwtnmbfpdm7kX49viuJl-8Vpqa2A4K9osK0on4NgI8iLN0tY8fh2xZhLxkUjR28I6HDBDr/s1600/IMG_0694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjygpXuFy1hJOAkiyDVcOFhYaBODqwmgnd-TGoT6DrzwP2EhjK5-vuJESBArmWn6ndlJg73EXhwtnmbfpdm7kX49viuJl-8Vpqa2A4K9osK0on4NgI8iLN0tY8fh2xZhLxkUjR28I6HDBDr/s640/IMG_0694.JPG" width="640" /></a>But to be candid, as soon as I dug out the vintage Majorette casting, I knew that it was going to be the winner of the comparison test. The Hot Wheels may be newer, and glitzier, with fresh paint, but the Majorette just has more heft and presence. Although the Hot Wheels casting is nicely sized, the Majorette is still larger than the Hot Wheels, and feels more authentic in its square-jaw'd ruggedness. Nowhere is the size difference more visible than from above - looking down at the roofs of both vehicles - with the Majorette's roof clearly dwarfing the narrow white roof of the Hot Wheels. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjq1AFEk7ikr47XqsqalIrZFTQ4CIF6spew8vu_6cZ9BuzmT-2PB-y3XmgIUIufxJwQU2-47u_oMjbQgZCbBQALnCnNLtdog1z-SCtJHlXaRPSom-yCSAJZZhaWIasTqSB2MKKVQVfl2N/s1600/IMG_0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjq1AFEk7ikr47XqsqalIrZFTQ4CIF6spew8vu_6cZ9BuzmT-2PB-y3XmgIUIufxJwQU2-47u_oMjbQgZCbBQALnCnNLtdog1z-SCtJHlXaRPSom-yCSAJZZhaWIasTqSB2MKKVQVfl2N/s400/IMG_0688.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
As a kid who grew up in the era when these Jeep wagons were one of the few options for a luxury family SUV, I liked the looks of the Grand Wagoneer's grill, and remember it better than the earlier Cherokee grill. The Hot Wheels grill is modeled well in all metal, with nice detail - including a winch. But modeled in 1/64 scale, the Cherokee grill on the Majorette comes across simpler and more authentic than that of the Hot Wheels - which (only in comparison) seems too polished up - and just maybe slightly gaudy. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eFeH8WL5Ik8V1JUG6psVnxY3rvR669luCO13a3CUOf8EFtP3uDcaGBl2nGr5nJYHfzhlY1s9HwdgpKpAyWBMs0sRVga8XN8mMBnNhgiV8idrl5YNUo-RVe6hfvErL4Scgjdc7dWJjP4W/s1600/IMG_0689.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3eFeH8WL5Ik8V1JUG6psVnxY3rvR669luCO13a3CUOf8EFtP3uDcaGBl2nGr5nJYHfzhlY1s9HwdgpKpAyWBMs0sRVga8XN8mMBnNhgiV8idrl5YNUo-RVe6hfvErL4Scgjdc7dWJjP4W/s400/IMG_0689.JPG" width="400" /></a>The wheels of the Hot Wheels model are nicer than the standard big wheels of the Majorette. Plus the tires are rubber rather than plastic. Advantage Hot Wheels. <br />
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Paint-wise - the Hot Wheels paint is terrific - a beautiful teal color - with lots and lots and LOTS of detail. In comparison - the Majorette's paint is a horribly out of date shade of light orange... But then again, the faded and chipped paint feels more authentic for an off-road truck. Advantage? Tie!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIi3CX2hhLnYvBOYbgS_YchbWe4MbmP3h_glllZB09pXrB1aoJ5Dqo3Rw3-6qC-QFnguN2fT-4VLh6VUulP3_Ou_dKPkwd3ORAwjP0Iv3zXscfKZ2Zugcq5KudHOWI410ekLfAEWd7du4/s1600/IMG_0690.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvIi3CX2hhLnYvBOYbgS_YchbWe4MbmP3h_glllZB09pXrB1aoJ5Dqo3Rw3-6qC-QFnguN2fT-4VLh6VUulP3_Ou_dKPkwd3ORAwjP0Iv3zXscfKZ2Zugcq5KudHOWI410ekLfAEWd7du4/s400/IMG_0690.JPG" width="400" /></a>But this isn't going to be a comparison test where I add up points across categories, giving extra points for a working tailgate (Majorette!) or a beautifully modeled interior. As I stated earlier - as soon as I picked up the vintage Majorette - I knew it was going to be the winner. The Hot Wheels is a beautifully done piece - a steal at your local Wal-Mart/Target for just $5.50. But the Majorette wins on size and scale alone - even before considering its authentic vintage nature. If the Hot Wheels is a steal at $5.50, then the Majorette is an absolute steal on E-Bay - its common status meaning that its easy to find - and prices for even mint models (before factoring in shipping charges) aren't much more than that of the Hot Wheels at Wal-Mart. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mi8Ybou3HgyEv7XSOAKf_FtHo6kGsl8vnyo8gxr1nx3hXs-cHDZgG4W_OCfX6vZN1S8aspzbBEsIqTnF_EpWR6Iy6ukGF3BLJ9ODi73sYYZXherf4Au-bLtpeEEJZdeHZXuzqYTXUEuQ/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mi8Ybou3HgyEv7XSOAKf_FtHo6kGsl8vnyo8gxr1nx3hXs-cHDZgG4W_OCfX6vZN1S8aspzbBEsIqTnF_EpWR6Iy6ukGF3BLJ9ODi73sYYZXherf4Au-bLtpeEEJZdeHZXuzqYTXUEuQ/s400/IMG_0687.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
Check back to Matchbox Frenzy soon for hopefully another comparison post - and this time - perhaps the winner won't be pre-determined!<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-74014368213981853612018-07-24T12:02:00.000-05:002018-07-24T12:02:00.766-05:00What are the 12 most favorite Tomica cars in my collection? Which 1 is my most most favorite?16 years ago, my wife and I were expecting our first child, and I had to convert my hobby room, filled with shelf upon shelf of toy cars, into a baby room. The cars were largely all packed up into boxes (a few STILL remain in those boxes!), with only the most favorite models getting "garage" space in traditional Matchbox 24 and 48 count carry cases where they could be easily accessed...<br />
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Now days I have many more cars, but also many, many more cases, such that the majority of my collection is immediately accessible. But staring at the cases that hold my Tomica collection last night (estimated at roughly 500 cars), I started to wonder how I would pare that collection down again if I had to pack it up all over again... What are my most favorite 12 Tomicas that would warrant a garage space if all I could spare was a 12 slot light-blue tray from a traditional Matchbox case?<br />
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I started the exercise with a few ground rules... <br />
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1. Although I picked the 12 number from a Matchbox tray, I wasn't going to force the cars to ACTUALLY fit into the tray, allowing me to choose over-sized/extra-long vehicles as part of the 12. <br />
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2. The criteria would be my "favorite" cars, not the "most inspired", "most realistic", "rarest", "most valuable", "most collectible", etc. <br />
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3. There were no other rules... I wasn't going to require myself to have token representation from any particular categories of cars - if 100% of them were Nissan Skylines, then so be it! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiMkT5iqAmoCc1f5lOCrM1cfQEOIUxjscwBSup1V40YxYjxcAOT7d57-IUiX0tDo9jTCVvOVMeJCBoMNOFW68cFwIu9HNqGxHovibmEJQWtN7gnLgKB96VGQ-9AFmbcbePz5djNu6TSC2/s1600/tomy+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiMkT5iqAmoCc1f5lOCrM1cfQEOIUxjscwBSup1V40YxYjxcAOT7d57-IUiX0tDo9jTCVvOVMeJCBoMNOFW68cFwIu9HNqGxHovibmEJQWtN7gnLgKB96VGQ-9AFmbcbePz5djNu6TSC2/s400/tomy+1.jpg" width="400" /></a>I started creating my entry list by swiftly stripping potential candidates out of the cases that hold my Tomicas. I assembled them all on a tabletop for further perusal, inspection and ranking. Although I intended my first pass to be about 50 cars, instead I ended up culling 109 highly valued cars out of the cases and onto the table. That's a LONG way from just 12 favorites!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo6QpbsmNsMQ_ncG-TXL1xd_Dmy53FDu5c6jp2ROmAHRxEPDM0T_dPRewcIydpZeamNsEchCrSXhyD5o2T3tdyph8MsQb7d5vNystPaXR2F_3Lz7-FmlcjhC5o4VF_GDY0hF0mcEe7Fv_/s1600/tomy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxo6QpbsmNsMQ_ncG-TXL1xd_Dmy53FDu5c6jp2ROmAHRxEPDM0T_dPRewcIydpZeamNsEchCrSXhyD5o2T3tdyph8MsQb7d5vNystPaXR2F_3Lz7-FmlcjhC5o4VF_GDY0hF0mcEe7Fv_/s400/tomy+2.jpg" width="400" /></a>The next cull was fairly easy - pulling out the ones that I liked but knew didn't have a chance of making my top 12... That meant that I was down to 73 remaining:<br />
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Removing a few more that I knew weren't in the same league got me down to 62 cars remaining - and the process was starting to get more daunting.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRqmCUY4zfY_O-3ceszLTVVLCiQ92eIk3pOsCrEtzoI3kmStRB6Ivti7B3FkszQFahIxmA7DCHOC3EY93vUMTTboUoVT7la0CQPtJoFF8vmnNrXwY7ukPRm4Db81VU5LQBWJ5c0ObMMC1/s1600/tomy+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieRqmCUY4zfY_O-3ceszLTVVLCiQ92eIk3pOsCrEtzoI3kmStRB6Ivti7B3FkszQFahIxmA7DCHOC3EY93vUMTTboUoVT7la0CQPtJoFF8vmnNrXwY7ukPRm4Db81VU5LQBWJ5c0ObMMC1/s400/tomy+4.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
I decided to change the rules to get down to 48, a full size Matchbox case, so 14 need to come out... The culling becomes sterner... what? 3 Evolutions?!? No, only 1 can survive... And finally I got down to my top 48! <br />
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Interestingly, my top 48 only includes 1 Tomica Limited Vintage model, very few micro cars, a large number of minivans and larger SUVs, a large number of sedans (especially Toyota Crowns) and 3 different medium duty box-type delivery trucks...!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G01tXfpjIxD4TCEFuaE9kLmzAmhQW2XSNf9lef3EIJhBde3mgfgBvaaMIpssno8RIOe70H8J5N7GDz5dUQ8aTbn2FYyzdKce8PEXVbT3npE5REFGb_seABRmVTmOpWMHYsUk5Rw6ulsN/s1600/tomy+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_G01tXfpjIxD4TCEFuaE9kLmzAmhQW2XSNf9lef3EIJhBde3mgfgBvaaMIpssno8RIOe70H8J5N7GDz5dUQ8aTbn2FYyzdKce8PEXVbT3npE5REFGb_seABRmVTmOpWMHYsUk5Rw6ulsN/s400/tomy+6.jpg" width="400" /></a>From there, I separated them into the bottom 24 (#s 25-48)...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0oQZaxLImdm9614k95sT1CpWmDzTrQLwotqXVzYJKSw3InlswA5xzsyvezHratnhUSYlEkCYZ_KcTCQ6JXijkpVrIY93lbzjSegrMHmygidkLx_-rjA3-ZC3z20n74-MvpIFA1b9vDd-/s1600/tomy+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0oQZaxLImdm9614k95sT1CpWmDzTrQLwotqXVzYJKSw3InlswA5xzsyvezHratnhUSYlEkCYZ_KcTCQ6JXijkpVrIY93lbzjSegrMHmygidkLx_-rjA3-ZC3z20n74-MvpIFA1b9vDd-/s400/tomy+5.jpg" width="400" /></a>...vs. the top 24 (#s 1-24). From this esteemed group will come my favorite Tomica car in my collection!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oNNU0AlZ7K7y_SE945tHXizmgjSN26G-bM6bOSkQDLwf9SYiUdN1ikyagHH1Muo5L5ivpIW6285ttlecKPBSK4GvoyKisCTjm8Y43HsOzb1sme7m91EqaMkTn3JdjBytbdFTXV4Qm791/s1600/tomy+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oNNU0AlZ7K7y_SE945tHXizmgjSN26G-bM6bOSkQDLwf9SYiUdN1ikyagHH1Muo5L5ivpIW6285ttlecKPBSK4GvoyKisCTjm8Y43HsOzb1sme7m91EqaMkTn3JdjBytbdFTXV4Qm791/s400/tomy+7.jpg" width="400" /></a>And finally sorted those 24 down to my top 12 cars. As I looked at the contenders for my favorites, I was struck by how many of these had already been featured at various times in this blog (of course - since they are favorites!).<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbITwGnEKxu7AUatzE9dGWSvZoStXLxhmFduFuhs5m5u3fQIzd82U5W4kxmEZTKsfgCHsi2qwhDRNLJzdlWAJK36jS4Tcqn-iENeiM5bz0hmA1V_8GwmhfUMbV8YNljD_yMByaWqM-VBV/s1600/tomy+31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdbITwGnEKxu7AUatzE9dGWSvZoStXLxhmFduFuhs5m5u3fQIzd82U5W4kxmEZTKsfgCHsi2qwhDRNLJzdlWAJK36jS4Tcqn-iENeiM5bz0hmA1V_8GwmhfUMbV8YNljD_yMByaWqM-VBV/s400/tomy+31.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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#12: Older Toyota Dyna Box truck<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCIqEwPPSfUzyF_1evg0MW4OdxzGg7Ve1zh9WkIKU5cDG_0zq4yWyxkhgZji350fHMszR8tCv5OsliuqoVILJIqQCrygJo2i7Xs9tTnwLnLi7haKKgm6m2p769AAKc1sm3pYwzn0kO1eI/s1600/tomy+30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMCIqEwPPSfUzyF_1evg0MW4OdxzGg7Ve1zh9WkIKU5cDG_0zq4yWyxkhgZji350fHMszR8tCv5OsliuqoVILJIqQCrygJo2i7Xs9tTnwLnLi7haKKgm6m2p769AAKc1sm3pYwzn0kO1eI/s640/tomy+30.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RlZLJFrUXiDR0oTlENMXcGkxGYZ-zwPUYSc5xwzXf5lA5Sh8njEVZRkAtyXkvqb853tOCMPFAWxQOHNmxbQVvrTtqJ6fhVrl6qxYYvxZHOXm95vf9eyKojzwNuO0__XrsXTHbLEQ6PLo/s1600/tomy+29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RlZLJFrUXiDR0oTlENMXcGkxGYZ-zwPUYSc5xwzXf5lA5Sh8njEVZRkAtyXkvqb853tOCMPFAWxQOHNmxbQVvrTtqJ6fhVrl6qxYYvxZHOXm95vf9eyKojzwNuO0__XrsXTHbLEQ6PLo/s400/tomy+29.jpg" width="400" /></a># 11: Mitsubishi Pajero (featured in an earlier blog-post):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolWGBX9Dcr7_27UIR0e6d-7tsV7rzf26nnnGFq0EKe8ymdKeMtX3DXyDR2zYkFmNDzKbfsLOx_7wayKLppZcRz8lVxgwXNsxaErbHR2GPSl4SJihCYfn33SB0mlKRn7FodZaZMXJztJkP/s1600/tomy+28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjolWGBX9Dcr7_27UIR0e6d-7tsV7rzf26nnnGFq0EKe8ymdKeMtX3DXyDR2zYkFmNDzKbfsLOx_7wayKLppZcRz8lVxgwXNsxaErbHR2GPSl4SJihCYfn33SB0mlKRn7FodZaZMXJztJkP/s640/tomy+28.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxx-cF0Y0UjrNNy1Td0UFUsK8oIWKScHAbbfeCXLmAAsB5zz1ZqrUqt9swcKWwJE75Kvby545NsGt-0LOiVOuIwAOuIW3eS-xad4JRcPhGJH4kKiuC1yts-aj1bX3Zh4SU4XEUzw4WNd1/s1600/tomy+27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxx-cF0Y0UjrNNy1Td0UFUsK8oIWKScHAbbfeCXLmAAsB5zz1ZqrUqt9swcKWwJE75Kvby545NsGt-0LOiVOuIwAOuIW3eS-xad4JRcPhGJH4kKiuC1yts-aj1bX3Zh4SU4XEUzw4WNd1/s400/tomy+27.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
#10: Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (featured in an earlier blog post):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-9RW9QQt32-cJ3GZ4563syWiiZ5V4H7KmhgwBJQipCk1bDRvYJ2t9xLF0SAlJQDlwbcPlfdwACW5_-kpudRzYJB2rLzjSVWx0S40YFWgmIxEtssPBSsTjsn4WFfhT53I1r_bMM_sXEmd/s1600/tomy+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-9RW9QQt32-cJ3GZ4563syWiiZ5V4H7KmhgwBJQipCk1bDRvYJ2t9xLF0SAlJQDlwbcPlfdwACW5_-kpudRzYJB2rLzjSVWx0S40YFWgmIxEtssPBSsTjsn4WFfhT53I1r_bMM_sXEmd/s640/tomy+26.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UmqMzDiiJGYlMqEbtC99i7OxQWKkh859boiDU78VL2o2dhHwxexh8vl-O096uyhANBjiGWdJRjYG9Eq2ttH5_aalH-hdE3PmZCtSwDU6JetgAAfk0gYzUZx9JE8jqfAdtpHTgs8TIULM/s1600/tomy+25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UmqMzDiiJGYlMqEbtC99i7OxQWKkh859boiDU78VL2o2dhHwxexh8vl-O096uyhANBjiGWdJRjYG9Eq2ttH5_aalH-hdE3PmZCtSwDU6JetgAAfk0gYzUZx9JE8jqfAdtpHTgs8TIULM/s400/tomy+25.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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#9: Mercedes-Benz G-Class (shown in an earlier blog post):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pMOHTnhFmNskhHAQYD3guym-SoEpmV7s9zPn3nsiN8NkHRcG0gWoLfng0FtTt5akIi19L4gZ_wZTxebFxIXIFHAYrwm0UXRZQTCO-KzhEHnoxxxPNs1ixtqltYSNoQ_sCrSYVQNGjCLC/s1600/tomy+24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0pMOHTnhFmNskhHAQYD3guym-SoEpmV7s9zPn3nsiN8NkHRcG0gWoLfng0FtTt5akIi19L4gZ_wZTxebFxIXIFHAYrwm0UXRZQTCO-KzhEHnoxxxPNs1ixtqltYSNoQ_sCrSYVQNGjCLC/s640/tomy+24.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QI8ZiBCkDj-K9rJ3h1FUho7sczynhc_rMRRCy1AC7fMrC1Ks2XTjtAzZwgJdEbG8rhP1jSFlNFhhsX7HramSUVTUa7DMBJ6PYREEHNYC4uDMpoBAGzQcnl87rLTdmEcWbRlZ8EVKEKwQ/s1600/tomy+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QI8ZiBCkDj-K9rJ3h1FUho7sczynhc_rMRRCy1AC7fMrC1Ks2XTjtAzZwgJdEbG8rhP1jSFlNFhhsX7HramSUVTUa7DMBJ6PYREEHNYC4uDMpoBAGzQcnl87rLTdmEcWbRlZ8EVKEKwQ/s400/tomy+23.jpg" width="400" /></a> #8: Toyota Century:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi2AFSHmO88ndEamO7_NxPLwbAvlljHOX-Zkl5bNnQ_kBly1-jEKtUrkvi8Jwf4jZGP7TlYZy9oecFzMGwNzFt6K-Qs0FzaLVO8YNuxMaxxPrM6wLg4Aj_3Y9ZBlGo82vxflJRP7fdj4S/s1600/tomy+22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzi2AFSHmO88ndEamO7_NxPLwbAvlljHOX-Zkl5bNnQ_kBly1-jEKtUrkvi8Jwf4jZGP7TlYZy9oecFzMGwNzFt6K-Qs0FzaLVO8YNuxMaxxPrM6wLg4Aj_3Y9ZBlGo82vxflJRP7fdj4S/s640/tomy+22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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#7: Cadillac:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVM-JxgeKS9gvWD1AY9BsePYTZviWGKBTVdFNkFp8S8RyClnHgz1UVnuB85cIsuCQTRgmhQwFoIIgt9XaFwNIYfPHJB1PPqKNVW1TeC5GXa_La8WI_jn4UTC_Ly1dwkXR6n34fHcR9M0i/s1600/tomy+21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVM-JxgeKS9gvWD1AY9BsePYTZviWGKBTVdFNkFp8S8RyClnHgz1UVnuB85cIsuCQTRgmhQwFoIIgt9XaFwNIYfPHJB1PPqKNVW1TeC5GXa_La8WI_jn4UTC_Ly1dwkXR6n34fHcR9M0i/s400/tomy+21.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljOAXVsgIfFKhS29nQpwgm3A-unJyqaJGQ6yoF37MoNbJkwt2zrEzZ_90D5GvflnWinWodQLgQX_Wz29sW8iuMlR7gGmxZ3jNGY9ye1OlZR5GK39k5LqJKE4wUAVPf5tIdU_nm-IK5z6u/s1600/tomy+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhljOAXVsgIfFKhS29nQpwgm3A-unJyqaJGQ6yoF37MoNbJkwt2zrEzZ_90D5GvflnWinWodQLgQX_Wz29sW8iuMlR7gGmxZ3jNGY9ye1OlZR5GK39k5LqJKE4wUAVPf5tIdU_nm-IK5z6u/s640/tomy+20.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHJF9YuimVez1B2j3Idc0eyTG4YR6a8CCMQPpksHCfQ0NivqVeEZlXl6458ohd_TNYEkf1pXENO59oDZADNY7NibBUDIakAVJFhRJ_hoiJX0gOJ8LUmYn2gXwLX1NLRqItSMbwvOMnhcW/s1600/tomy+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMHJF9YuimVez1B2j3Idc0eyTG4YR6a8CCMQPpksHCfQ0NivqVeEZlXl6458ohd_TNYEkf1pXENO59oDZADNY7NibBUDIakAVJFhRJ_hoiJX0gOJ8LUmYn2gXwLX1NLRqItSMbwvOMnhcW/s400/tomy+19.jpg" width="400" /></a>#6: Mazda Bongo Friendee (shown in at least 1, if not 2, prior blog posts): <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oTBrYYZD9vbuIe3tiCkVJuKkeZolqQHDDeVhrNVf3Oa7a6J_1Vr8wOJk6euJqyQ0czUesf2-BhecYcUG__taxTmRIXc-xjhAj-O9Y53XQ0qxCY2YSlkoc8KuOgkQz7wtMKo65e8wE0Uc/s1600/tomy+18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2oTBrYYZD9vbuIe3tiCkVJuKkeZolqQHDDeVhrNVf3Oa7a6J_1Vr8wOJk6euJqyQ0czUesf2-BhecYcUG__taxTmRIXc-xjhAj-O9Y53XQ0qxCY2YSlkoc8KuOgkQz7wtMKo65e8wE0Uc/s640/tomy+18.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaH7xlPVDhlGkoA4aMwCivp4kQ7Lop5yRC8G0JKZIZrul_3DT0ys_xyGXViKk0fzB-yd5YTX3Pzx_SN2_81GUBqNa2zCjSmVIoaFL79lTSI6fbFwnF2Z0eRptR3cp6Q2tr4LH8-flGD_CP/s1600/tomy+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaH7xlPVDhlGkoA4aMwCivp4kQ7Lop5yRC8G0JKZIZrul_3DT0ys_xyGXViKk0fzB-yd5YTX3Pzx_SN2_81GUBqNa2zCjSmVIoaFL79lTSI6fbFwnF2Z0eRptR3cp6Q2tr4LH8-flGD_CP/s400/tomy+17.jpg" width="400" /></a> #5: Datsun 1300 Truck: (Note that an older (non-premium) version of this exact casting - white with a heavily scraped roof - made it through several of the cullings before getting cut going into the top 48):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xn7b7LblKE_ASzMLlwIztBdsaJ2XjlnoMPHMTG2ndCh1Q3wYKXyXVRDqRQX89yIxENAWuamhFdo9bLjJ47Q4nq0cFrKutM4LOqcVxuJa0cIsRUBPX2R-32tC3Dd7iTL222HC1y3ag5Kc/s1600/tomy+16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Xn7b7LblKE_ASzMLlwIztBdsaJ2XjlnoMPHMTG2ndCh1Q3wYKXyXVRDqRQX89yIxENAWuamhFdo9bLjJ47Q4nq0cFrKutM4LOqcVxuJa0cIsRUBPX2R-32tC3Dd7iTL222HC1y3ag5Kc/s640/tomy+16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7hyphenhyphenKABf2-JdTB6IxeKKGWUr2upRjUWaEfanMU3fhRoY7h2QtHHmZbYs153-YSB9blFx0FGXPtIyoRcvwQOPVMOvzTlUr31GeBV16T7TYCiDK-qUuokk-4khoMUtF9vUo3GRzcOwaH1z1/s1600/tomy+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS7hyphenhyphenKABf2-JdTB6IxeKKGWUr2upRjUWaEfanMU3fhRoY7h2QtHHmZbYs153-YSB9blFx0FGXPtIyoRcvwQOPVMOvzTlUr31GeBV16T7TYCiDK-qUuokk-4khoMUtF9vUo3GRzcOwaH1z1/s400/tomy+15.jpg" width="400" /></a> #4: Toyota Alphard (2008 casting, though all of the 3 castings are favorites along with the white Nissan ElGrand) (shown in several earlier blog posts): <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASM1hSzCVE5tKHZEVCquk8WUTT9XNZfB-fd2YEWTYzCHLosxZdFKLVAWr0xJ0f4hDQuRJjcATgoFGo-e1P_acOF_XFM3wkZxUUGrBaasvySgRnhGN08-427rn63M4feZDcTscei5_fvUz/s1600/tomy+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjASM1hSzCVE5tKHZEVCquk8WUTT9XNZfB-fd2YEWTYzCHLosxZdFKLVAWr0xJ0f4hDQuRJjcATgoFGo-e1P_acOF_XFM3wkZxUUGrBaasvySgRnhGN08-427rn63M4feZDcTscei5_fvUz/s640/tomy+14.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdc-661e9MA_hxeZv8DEjH5t5r-DHKhAv4eQlJLZMoNXOeef9pW1qgFyFZeKbK-ud254ERnnLtgUpmPerZPMwbdlaZ2ffBCWkeH4oSQX6yxNm4100xwcY9RLpBkBrxfUrgKTAbJSW-YaX/s1600/tomy+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdc-661e9MA_hxeZv8DEjH5t5r-DHKhAv4eQlJLZMoNXOeef9pW1qgFyFZeKbK-ud254ERnnLtgUpmPerZPMwbdlaZ2ffBCWkeH4oSQX6yxNm4100xwcY9RLpBkBrxfUrgKTAbJSW-YaX/s400/tomy+13.jpg" width="400" /></a>#3: Nissan Fairlady 240ZG (shown in an earlier blog post):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hDWtXycOqgs9zHGPNU_nAyo5ebcb156rMOoFN32zDDjdripb34eiii1XVOCp2F-oR1wQdTptOl4Q1Eu2YqjpB0t3HngbQhZT6W6gAyxRRlTVP711wixfLE4Mj_noHg0-Am_LVIvRKzKB/s1600/tomy+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hDWtXycOqgs9zHGPNU_nAyo5ebcb156rMOoFN32zDDjdripb34eiii1XVOCp2F-oR1wQdTptOl4Q1Eu2YqjpB0t3HngbQhZT6W6gAyxRRlTVP711wixfLE4Mj_noHg0-Am_LVIvRKzKB/s640/tomy+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGo_eSEWqv-o64qve6VFJL6mO-M8nwGL8w64Tz8teL06RYb5wRQWHsGm_TBmda7hBBcpESJ5cfv4UyFVsq5go2R35aGgk0LZtWGmI6ZyqyT6-LyVJljil6Bx88GvCh9D_M2OArmiSCcasg/s1600/tomy+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGo_eSEWqv-o64qve6VFJL6mO-M8nwGL8w64Tz8teL06RYb5wRQWHsGm_TBmda7hBBcpESJ5cfv4UyFVsq5go2R35aGgk0LZtWGmI6ZyqyT6-LyVJljil6Bx88GvCh9D_M2OArmiSCcasg/s400/tomy+11.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
#2: Nissan Leopard:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuK6U8dNf5YXG0TvVwYnJZlGgCCIRtzujGHcBqR8i6mXW8JVa5L9oRdNxLpgAGNSwuxJEzhNg1-26DUvhZ_3W-C8nBYlhTDmqsvzcJXqa9T0EFnPqF9ra9eokWcWHVb1unrOeUYZgGqBg/s1600/tomy+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuK6U8dNf5YXG0TvVwYnJZlGgCCIRtzujGHcBqR8i6mXW8JVa5L9oRdNxLpgAGNSwuxJEzhNg1-26DUvhZ_3W-C8nBYlhTDmqsvzcJXqa9T0EFnPqF9ra9eokWcWHVb1unrOeUYZgGqBg/s640/tomy+10.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxKWzqWPV8MzPgn_60Y5TugSxPV6ADeg97dOj4tpR_S0tlym_lMPnd4bbi8-BgZVupPupisZ1_T6Lyhp_v_dmV3VrvQkgJHoIzNJWMqLFmqxz4EqOOsbueZyLCRHuDaHk-mAgoa1uQnOw/s1600/tomy+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDxKWzqWPV8MzPgn_60Y5TugSxPV6ADeg97dOj4tpR_S0tlym_lMPnd4bbi8-BgZVupPupisZ1_T6Lyhp_v_dmV3VrvQkgJHoIzNJWMqLFmqxz4EqOOsbueZyLCRHuDaHk-mAgoa1uQnOw/s400/tomy+9.jpg" width="400" /></a> #1: Toyota Crown:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6YeZpuuUt19i94ZmuRpsHdSqEFD0TyAVGKZoGE2QIVxFIlJ5w2yIPe0IMmieSRQNw6iHbKA-DHd_V5EcvIqkMhBnIINnEuU3ThPhBowKS122oZvpJ52RKQTSXOq9r0jnlvKEMQqH8445/s1600/tomy+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6YeZpuuUt19i94ZmuRpsHdSqEFD0TyAVGKZoGE2QIVxFIlJ5w2yIPe0IMmieSRQNw6iHbKA-DHd_V5EcvIqkMhBnIINnEuU3ThPhBowKS122oZvpJ52RKQTSXOq9r0jnlvKEMQqH8445/s640/tomy+8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now that I've taken all of these photos, and written up the entire blog post, I wonder about some of my selections... Were those initial 109 really my 109 favorites? How about the top 12 - am I sure that none of the next 12, or the next 24 beyond those, deserve a spot in the top 12? How about the ordering of the 12... Do I really like the #1 Crown more than the Nissan Leopard? How did the Toyota Century end up behind the Cadillac?!? <br />
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Regardless of the exact final order, there is no doubt that the above models are some of my favorite and most highly prized models in my collection. I've loved that #1 Crown since I got it 15 years ago, though the same casting in off-white is arguably equally prized (top left corner of the 25-48 photo).<br />
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If I could only have 12 Tomica models, I'd probably keep most of these 12 castings. And if you are just starting to collect Tomicas, perhaps keep your eyes out for these... You won't go wrong!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed the post... Now I've got to put 109 contender cars back into their proper cases!<br />
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-78007441709216808802018-07-07T00:59:00.002-05:002018-07-07T00:59:55.413-05:00Box of 22 new Tomicas! Which is best, which is worst, and how are they ranked?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uZm9cEbHQUhHDsEAo0kQP2LICYrM1dPTsAoTekl85Wcbhx3RrgQ-kORY3qNFXPdvYxe7ICCXflcJKC9bVr5hix83zrl9rSx7sURSPiUFGAhefDaakd0tY6u-tyzn5hsHaHahu_SYFgfJ/s1600/image1+%25289%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8uZm9cEbHQUhHDsEAo0kQP2LICYrM1dPTsAoTekl85Wcbhx3RrgQ-kORY3qNFXPdvYxe7ICCXflcJKC9bVr5hix83zrl9rSx7sURSPiUFGAhefDaakd0tY6u-tyzn5hsHaHahu_SYFgfJ/s400/image1+%25289%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>A fresh box of new Tomicas just arrived all the way from Hong Kong! 22 new-to-me models, all freshly made and double sealed in plastic! But not all of the castings are new, some are older castings that I never wanted badly enough to buy before, two or three are just color/police/fire variations of castings I already have. But some of them ARE new, and some of them are unbelievably cool, while some are nothing more than letdowns... so how do they rank? Read on!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXSQdbD4LeVoTw5H0cA3lpC-CK2AVZmns3Nvs069IqTYi50-OB9j_ktNxKHhKOCSXxU7ucO7cKM-KO6l1fhr5ED035moPxeOK-rXZuG9ALOF8nadmsI4z_7k5zV8pFlUFJSntScXth6_a/s1600/image2+%25284%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLXSQdbD4LeVoTw5H0cA3lpC-CK2AVZmns3Nvs069IqTYi50-OB9j_ktNxKHhKOCSXxU7ucO7cKM-KO6l1fhr5ED035moPxeOK-rXZuG9ALOF8nadmsI4z_7k5zV8pFlUFJSntScXth6_a/s400/image2+%25284%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>The first step is to separate them into broad groupings... the awesomely cool contenders, the letdowns, and the broad middle ground of ok/reasonable castings. In truth however, they quickly separate into not 3, but 7 distinct groupings. From last to first, (and in the below photo from left to right), here are the 22 worst to best of my newest Tomica models:<br />
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#22: London double decker bus in red, #95. An old casting, never bought due to lack of interest. Not really bad, just kind of boring and very underscaled. Roughly comparable to the ubiquitous (and equally uninteresting and equally under-scaled) Matchbox casting. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL22ohsQEeai5sQBrtRfa4Hxirp12gembdFc9o6uXZNs42cZTneZ-_WdUl4_mZlKlocPxWMyf9dfpnSBloJw297Ej_tgI1QRW4uJPo_tECD0XZkeLJFqOopq4vnlVI7JCEutuo6wysYFRO/s1600/image3+%25284%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL22ohsQEeai5sQBrtRfa4Hxirp12gembdFc9o6uXZNs42cZTneZ-_WdUl4_mZlKlocPxWMyf9dfpnSBloJw297Ej_tgI1QRW4uJPo_tECD0XZkeLJFqOopq4vnlVI7JCEutuo6wysYFRO/s400/image3+%25284%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>
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#21: Nissan Note in copper, #48. This is one more somewhat boring casting of a somewhat boring economy car. The lack of any opening features makes it even weaker. Still better than some of the awful new models from Matchbox and Hot Wheels, so I'm OK with the decision to buy it, it's just not at all, and never will be, a favorite. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagcdCAcgVj4XTqa_vZ6YBC_0VGIrbhW8HA98H_gjqBrRDtI0Sqx51oVfo2HKHLiajIcPsqBfyoWFVG6WoxS4c6oaBPAWoRMjn6Ah6VRxvoYgG4GNK7DsR3GYdWvh3ZgXH0w0ibAI3kDc6/s1600/image4+%25284%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjagcdCAcgVj4XTqa_vZ6YBC_0VGIrbhW8HA98H_gjqBrRDtI0Sqx51oVfo2HKHLiajIcPsqBfyoWFVG6WoxS4c6oaBPAWoRMjn6Ah6VRxvoYgG4GNK7DsR3GYdWvh3ZgXH0w0ibAI3kDc6/s400/image4+%25284%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#20: Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz in pink, Tomica Premium #25. Overall I'm a HUGE fan of the Tomica Premium line - offering excellent detail (especially wheels!) and great castings for not too much more money than an ordinary Tomica casting (and at far better price points, and more normal scales, than the Tomica Vintage line that I always think I want to love but am unable to...). So what's the deal with this model? Well, partly its just too dang small. A real Eldorado is almost twice the length of a late '80's Celica All-Trac (another Premium casting), not the same length. And even without comparing it, it just feels a little plasticky. It seems pretty nice until you pick it up. The worst example of the Tomica Premium line that I've yet found. <br />
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#19: Nissan Serena e-Power in white, # 52. I'm a big fan of Tomica minivans, even the less exciting examples. This Serena is one of the less exciting ones, and in fact I already have this casting, but not in white, so out of loyalty to Tomica minivans I felt like I had to get it. On the plus side, it does have an opening tailgate as well as distinct glass (plastic) headlights. Overall an OK casting, just not one to get overly excited about. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlRepfvF0Jl7Rwf4TnshsZeM2VmuoKzsdy7GauoWVZnuTAGQEZ9EDjauhwr5fFQDzZBvzAO1RsK1Gp2DUMIj7BG3HU1XwqVRoxCrBY6iyhHq66xdFvVw7w2Se8y7XgbK3MZbwZmyEwNb6/s1600/image5+%25283%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZlRepfvF0Jl7Rwf4TnshsZeM2VmuoKzsdy7GauoWVZnuTAGQEZ9EDjauhwr5fFQDzZBvzAO1RsK1Gp2DUMIj7BG3HU1XwqVRoxCrBY6iyhHq66xdFvVw7w2Se8y7XgbK3MZbwZmyEwNb6/s400/image5+%25283%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#18: Dodge Viper GTS in red, # 11. This one looked nice as I pulled it out of the box, but then I noticed its a little small, it's rounded shape isn't overly well modeled, and it doesn't have any opening parts. It kind of reminds me of the boring red (same color) Mazda RX8 from 10-12 years ago, though I like the Viper a little bit more.<br />
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#17: Lotus 3-Eleven in green, # 112: This casting was one of the harder ones for me to decide where it belonged. It doesn't help that I'm not familiar with the real car, and that the (supposedly real) car doesn't really look like what I think a car is supposed to look like (I'm not a fan of the Polaris Slingshot either!). On the other hand, it DOES look kind of cool... ...and the paint is somehow really cool-looking.... <br />
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#16: Daihatsu Cast in lime green, #46: Another casting that I wasn't sure where to place. I can't decide whether it looks cool or is super ugly. A model of a real car that I'm not familiar with, though it appears to have a bit of a Mini Countryman vibe. Not sure if its an economy car, a microvan, or a cute-ute SUV. Extra points for the opening rear hatch. The paint is pretty cool too, a lustrous lime green with a white roof. The overall conclusion is inconclusive, other than that I'm glad I've got it!<br />
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#15: Subaru WRX S4 Unmarked Police Car in grey, #2: Tomica's done a bunch of uninspiring WRXs, which is sad since a WRX is such an inspiring car! This WRX casting is better than several of the earlier ones, but still not overly great. Kind of bland... It has an opening hood, though I'd rather it have opening doors. The scale is right on and the paint is not bad, so somehow it got to #15. <br />
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At this point we move into models that were more liked, so I photographed fronts and backs...<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFypIzjhOVUTdxf3wb3jV5z6FI7FmgR0NL5eBrTkGRWWDiSUHF5DVkLFHJgv_keu9K8dLoK5h6am7WM3uUJSClrBiuNcKwQ6gJgbZCPPP9nOriTP0y3ueHOq4Iis5k_BxiHprSK03nu7bY/s1600/image6+%25283%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFypIzjhOVUTdxf3wb3jV5z6FI7FmgR0NL5eBrTkGRWWDiSUHF5DVkLFHJgv_keu9K8dLoK5h6am7WM3uUJSClrBiuNcKwQ6gJgbZCPPP9nOriTP0y3ueHOq4Iis5k_BxiHprSK03nu7bY/s400/image6+%25283%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
#14: Nissan X-Trail Fire Chief in red, #1. X-Trails always remind me of the rattle-trap X-Trail that I rented on a vacation on the washed-out dirt roads of Costa Rica, so I always tremble a little bit when I see an X-Trail (they aren't sold in the USA - so I don't get much of a chance to change my opinion of them). The new Tomica model models the updated X-Trail (which has a Mazda CX3 vibe) very well, with no opening features but a nice size and scale, excellent detail and clear lens headlights. The red fire-truck paint is a good choice for the model, overall the effect is quite handsome. If you don't have this model, I'd recommend that you get it!<br />
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#13: Toyota Prius in white, #50: I hate Priuses in real life. There is nothing sporty or interesting about them for me. But how much I like or dis-like a car in real life has VERY little to do with how much I like it in 1/64th scale, and this Prius is an excellent example of this. This is a very well done model of a Prius. The new Prius is even more weird looking than the previous versions of the Prius, and the model captures all the weirdness exactly correctly. The model perfectly captures the Prius' nerdiness. Plus it has an opening back hatch... Overall, I probably should have rated it higher than #13 - and if it had been a model of any car OTHER than a Prius, I probably would have!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF6uTemkQ031Yf-8Tzm7qzZQFRq9NmeGo2o3YZRPN0e82lT1SA2nWlKlRx1gYjAAZSoPGYkPXgsGijDg7Waw_I2Pz0j_00M7pnjsQG3WkjIulioy9-OuermfMmVQcX-OtVJdTffqbgWhS/s1600/image13.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcF6uTemkQ031Yf-8Tzm7qzZQFRq9NmeGo2o3YZRPN0e82lT1SA2nWlKlRx1gYjAAZSoPGYkPXgsGijDg7Waw_I2Pz0j_00M7pnjsQG3WkjIulioy9-OuermfMmVQcX-OtVJdTffqbgWhS/s400/image13.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#12: Lexus RC F in white, # 13: Unlike the Prius, RC F's DO look cool in real life, and this model does a pretty good job of capturing it. It looks fast and powerful. I particularly like the opening doors, the view from the rear end, and have always been a fan of Tomica's cheap "these look like super fast" wheels (also on the WRX). I DIDN'T like the contrasting black paint on the top of the car - I'd have prefered if it was all in white. One of the nicer Lexus' that Tomica has done. <br />
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#11: Hitachi Wheel Loader in orange, #71: Another hard one to place. On the negative side, it is ultra small scale - even small absolutely relative to the other models here, let alone how large it should have been to stay in 1/64 scale. It is also very plasticky. But on the other hand, the bucket raises AND tips, and the model has a working hinge in the middle of the chassis. There have been so many cheapo 2.75 inch wheel loader models made that had only 1, or none , of the above 3 moving parts, that I had to give credit to the functionality in this model! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PPeaw0B1ZkpaQRtMQqmsdIMjsEO8NR3g3IjkhT3veopJ_8-Hpf3BJUVrPd6ahgSNeMBXuz6YyTiGwQHlIWUDhIP_GpfRfHKf4ABeXdfN1Aps_0th4tiGRD_zvG0t68WwpR4S9p88zhBa/s1600/image7+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PPeaw0B1ZkpaQRtMQqmsdIMjsEO8NR3g3IjkhT3veopJ_8-Hpf3BJUVrPd6ahgSNeMBXuz6YyTiGwQHlIWUDhIP_GpfRfHKf4ABeXdfN1Aps_0th4tiGRD_zvG0t68WwpR4S9p88zhBa/s400/image7+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#10: JSDF Armored Vehicle in army green, #114: This is a bit of a cheater model, in that I ALREADY have this exact model. I bought a second one since I like it so much, and figured that I needed one to give away to the next little kid that I wanted to give a car to. The detail is over-the-top, the doors open in a really cool way, it has big tough wheels on it, etc. Overall a favorite model. Get it if you don't already have it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqJX855-ycp0cvySZax9EtVk8W8a4azR1LxZKA5Yhz8NcP41qjbvOy3I_zd0EKN6jAbrUgzWxEkr2u_3q3oeqvD8K1t5Xgsea93ee-fQiD9OOV1KkXrX7d-tHWYvEdaPyYGyct0GqI4Ri/s1600/image12.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqJX855-ycp0cvySZax9EtVk8W8a4azR1LxZKA5Yhz8NcP41qjbvOy3I_zd0EKN6jAbrUgzWxEkr2u_3q3oeqvD8K1t5Xgsea93ee-fQiD9OOV1KkXrX7d-tHWYvEdaPyYGyct0GqI4Ri/s400/image12.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#9: Toyota FJ Police Car in green, #31: I've got this casting in orange and was somewhat impressed by it, so when I saw the alternate police version of it, I quickly selected it. The roof rack adds substantiality to an already substantial casting, such that I like this version more than the civilian version. Opening doors would have been nice and would have moved it higher in the standings.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hpFtalD7yVd5IZjU-dIsDheX_ixAjJV0xKcRsIA82uQPkKXaDRpL1NrSqJ0cMZs21HOp7z4-3hQMWjAoNbYG43NFtwrjIZEg83yu6NchMp0r3dp7y_PLRIqik-g6APNylsFte84bhvQI/s1600/image8+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hpFtalD7yVd5IZjU-dIsDheX_ixAjJV0xKcRsIA82uQPkKXaDRpL1NrSqJ0cMZs21HOp7z4-3hQMWjAoNbYG43NFtwrjIZEg83yu6NchMp0r3dp7y_PLRIqik-g6APNylsFte84bhvQI/s400/image8+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#8: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in gray, #70: Regular readers of my blog know that I'm a sucker for a well-done SUV, even when its a crossover SUV. I like the size of this one - its big and somewhat squared off (in a rounded way). The metal detail-work is well done, it's got separate glass/plastic headlights, an opening hatch, and overall it just looks right. You need this casting if you don't already have it!<br />
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#7: Alsok Cash Truck in white, #34: Many people will see this casting as just one more standard example of a medium duty commercial chassis with a plastic box on the back, but I've really enjoyed Tomica's medium duty chassis, especially some of the Cantor models, and this Isuzu is a worthy addition to that proud heritage. If you've liked the other chassis trucks, you'll like this one even more. If you haven't liked them, then save your money - you won't like this one either. FYI - the plastic cash box on the back has nothing special about it - the trim is drawn in rather than molded. All of the appeal of this model is in the chassis...<br />
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#6: Kobelco All Terrain Crain in teal/white/gray, # 133: In a word... "Wow!". Big, long and heavy! This one feels like quality! Easily the heftiest Tomica I've ever owned. It's got a telescoping arm and a working turntable. On the down side, the arm looks like it should telescope even more. And even as good as it is, it still gets easily beaten by the KDW truck crane that I bought and reviewed 3 years ago. But for a Tomica model, its great. Period. <br />
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#5: Acura NSX in maroon, # 43: I'm not a fan of the new NSX, but this one looks GREAT! I really didn't expect to like it as much as I do. I like this one for all the reasons that I didn't like the Viper GTS. Just a great model of a sports car, that makes you want to get out your inner seven year old and get down on the carpet and zoom it around. It deserves to be in a higher position, except that the next 4 models are even cooler!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CN45hQjfhYHOxK68qIcs4v-yguq75MVi3Sys6nDYIyxRWEc05DFkU4HBDItP-u8lJpDYBM5Yk5xsJDSqQmi1_MGqmXwkaDnlhG02qQHg8z6ggoDG60Js1_rOF7_JpGqptmHCI6vmyJug/s1600/image11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1CN45hQjfhYHOxK68qIcs4v-yguq75MVi3Sys6nDYIyxRWEc05DFkU4HBDItP-u8lJpDYBM5Yk5xsJDSqQmi1_MGqmXwkaDnlhG02qQHg8z6ggoDG60Js1_rOF7_JpGqptmHCI6vmyJug/s400/image11.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#4: Hitachi Rigid Dump Truck in orange, #102: Boy, do I love off-road dumps... I have since I first got my yellow Matchbox Lesney Faun dump truck back in the early 1980's along with my Tomica Hitachi off-road dump in green. And Tomica's recently done some great other orange heavy construction equipment, but this newest casting is another winner. Big, tough and heavy, with exquisite detail, a soft-closing dump and big tough wheels. I love the orange paint and the black and white "Hitachi" lettering. If you like dumps, then this is YOUR truck!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEOQr-3NXZMojYyvO9pnBb1NkpcipeSkilkM-1qZLeikWiyOAz2V5cTKGOeo3KO9tpxp1ggrhjnUP5O1idRNA9mvk-MxC3Hp1vK1T09Z3RnRYu8IwNmQYRyfUzo15cqksabYNw3XPOJA8/s1600/image9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghEOQr-3NXZMojYyvO9pnBb1NkpcipeSkilkM-1qZLeikWiyOAz2V5cTKGOeo3KO9tpxp1ggrhjnUP5O1idRNA9mvk-MxC3Hp1vK1T09Z3RnRYu8IwNmQYRyfUzo15cqksabYNw3XPOJA8/s400/image9.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#3: Lamborghini Huracan in orange-yellow, #34: I didn't expect to like this model. I almost didn't buy it. On the website it looked flat and boring, similar to the many Hot Wheels Lamborghini models that all feel the same. But in the metal it just FELT GREAT! It's got matte-finish orange paint, traditional Tomica "fast-car" wheels - but this time with a gold rather than silver trim ring on them, a see-through engine window, etc. But none of this is why the casting is so good - instead its just an overall excellent model, done just right. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4G-GJt8pwIEaINOjcj12dlhjm-55ztQH6SOap2fx28HLGumNnTfZs5PVGzFhsE0vWHRgbuEeH-8vRH8UaXFIVwojBLDHs049ET05cqpOUvdWCKHQd9J6n6rYSr__wIf4zu2hdx_B6YYV/s1600/image10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_4G-GJt8pwIEaINOjcj12dlhjm-55ztQH6SOap2fx28HLGumNnTfZs5PVGzFhsE0vWHRgbuEeH-8vRH8UaXFIVwojBLDHs049ET05cqpOUvdWCKHQd9J6n6rYSr__wIf4zu2hdx_B6YYV/s400/image10.jpeg" width="400" /></a>#2: Nissan GT-R in bronze, # 23: Tomica's done A LOT of GT-Rs over the years. Some of the Premium GT-Rs are gorgeous models, and this GT-R is just as good. Like the Lamborghini, I almost didn't buy it, figuring that it would just be another GT-R, but instead this one feels special. The metallic bronze paint is beautiful, the opening doors reveal a highly detailed and easy to see into interior, the headlights are glass, the metal trim is spot-on, etc. This car is BEAUTIFUL. Given some of the lame basic Tomica models over the years (including the afore-mentioned RX-8), this one is an absolute revelation. <br />
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#1: Mercedes G-Class in silver, #35: I had no reservations about buying this one. I knew I wanted it from the time I saw it on the website. And in real life it doesn't disappoint. A wonderful square SUV with EXCELLENT heft. Opening doors. Unusual new tough-looking wheels. Ridiculous levels of metal detail in the casting. I should buy 5 more examples so I can give them away to kids and show them how excellent a model can be. Destined to be one of my favorite Tomica models of all time...<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-72159378432047232302018-05-11T15:57:00.001-05:002018-05-11T15:57:31.478-05:00XK and F-Type Grand Tourers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Gst5prRvtQAi1sz6e3eFhMaSdnLTXO_eE2FxLVLOw4MTpOfHz-jpSLjvMKokUR7mw-krhZ2jJpofePp00Z5X7gTf9jSQbL2UZvxzmHwRobDZmTn4eFxxe8luA1nRckMY669mQLlKP9Q4/s1600/image1+%25288%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Gst5prRvtQAi1sz6e3eFhMaSdnLTXO_eE2FxLVLOw4MTpOfHz-jpSLjvMKokUR7mw-krhZ2jJpofePp00Z5X7gTf9jSQbL2UZvxzmHwRobDZmTn4eFxxe8luA1nRckMY669mQLlKP9Q4/s640/image1+%25288%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY0nxQZfySVqCoagetYrccsAWBe2-jOfeT4jMjQI7m_VYL_7kjphmK1XJHGLkhOdE9KN2aLxfoZZYtUfwvOAFFexSKPeOE9kXDRVmR4eNospuIxPG2dN6ryVod6JGW2Utbqoo2FzkcK4A/s1600/image2+%25283%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsY0nxQZfySVqCoagetYrccsAWBe2-jOfeT4jMjQI7m_VYL_7kjphmK1XJHGLkhOdE9KN2aLxfoZZYtUfwvOAFFexSKPeOE9kXDRVmR4eNospuIxPG2dN6ryVod6JGW2Utbqoo2FzkcK4A/s400/image2+%25283%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>I really like the Jaguar F-Type fastback... What a beautiful car... And the best part of it is that Jaguar actually offers it in a manual transmission with a clutch! Unfortunately the manual is offered only on the lower horsepower variants - but maybe that keeps me from spending the money on the 550 horsepower versions!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzw2cR9efbKVl_6X42WsQEVEHjA0kKFuK7qU557zg3gd3OusTvvfLMnqip1sidhn2vEYQ1bfJZkUpOX-hwMWushDt3lBaT3psRqUJDf7X8eKgPP4U44Vvu73wgpugauVGXv2iNZ0dQRf-/s1600/image3+%25283%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhzw2cR9efbKVl_6X42WsQEVEHjA0kKFuK7qU557zg3gd3OusTvvfLMnqip1sidhn2vEYQ1bfJZkUpOX-hwMWushDt3lBaT3psRqUJDf7X8eKgPP4U44Vvu73wgpugauVGXv2iNZ0dQRf-/s400/image3+%25283%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>And now Matchbox has done a scale model of the F-Type... It's a nice model, in black in the group photo to the right, but is a little let down by the clear plastic roof. It would've looked great if they'd painted in the steel roof panels between the windshield and the moonroof, and between the moonroof and the rear hatchback. But they didn't, leaving the model looking a little chintzy... But also really good... Its a nice model of a ridiculously nice car, just with a small error. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9FqOwwAA8_0kMpF238CrdFUgLR2g8nE9sThE1GpclnZob5zoKlMTlIF5CqH_5k6ll1k-yT5WFg7-13qOZ3TBdHk2Ktb9WXHcvmI0OM2tmY6hVPF-_Th3lXEAI6oJEnAZKOiawilSZMel/s1600/image6+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9FqOwwAA8_0kMpF238CrdFUgLR2g8nE9sThE1GpclnZob5zoKlMTlIF5CqH_5k6ll1k-yT5WFg7-13qOZ3TBdHk2Ktb9WXHcvmI0OM2tmY6hVPF-_Th3lXEAI6oJEnAZKOiawilSZMel/s400/image6+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>And the cool thing is that this model replaced another super nice model of the XK hardtop (in maroon to the right). This was frankly a wonderful model, made during Matchbox' late 2000's renaissance, of another exquisite real life Jaguar coupe. I chose the maroon version for the photographs, both as a contrasting color and due to the ridiculously handsome wheels. I have the model in 6 colors (see later photo of all 6), including 2 other red/maroon shades (3 red shades for one model!?! 4 of the six share the same handsome multi-spoke alloys, with only one having even nicer 5-spoke wheels (though I didn't include a photo such that you can see it) and the blue model having a slightly less attractive 5-spoke wheels that came with that premium series. All in all, a great casting.</div>
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And the cool thing is that THAT casting also replaced an earlier very nice XK8 casting (the red convertible in the above photos). I've got this casting in 3 colors, including the premium version I chose to highlight for the main photo shoot, (unfortunately I was only able to find 2 of the colors - I can't find my blue one). </div>
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So in short, Matchbox has faithfully and excellently done the last 3 generations of Jaguar's beautiful grand touring line! Time for a comparison of the 3 generations of Matchbox Jaguar XKs!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7u-LUnuODpSboG0KI1Rg9ACLs3LAP7jJPvv4BZcDhqNxXuBSnTMEhpzos9p9h6zsgB9Vse0yW_pfWkWFn534J2E6kNPubfxQ75OswINIRCoCKCzxiXwfkD_ii856C1kTLyTProhqN9iD/s1600/image4+%25283%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7u-LUnuODpSboG0KI1Rg9ACLs3LAP7jJPvv4BZcDhqNxXuBSnTMEhpzos9p9h6zsgB9Vse0yW_pfWkWFn534J2E6kNPubfxQ75OswINIRCoCKCzxiXwfkD_ii856C1kTLyTProhqN9iD/s400/image4+%25283%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>But once I started the comparison, I decided to include additional versions from other toy companies. Hot wheels produced an interesting premium XK-8 coupe back around 1998 as part of its Adult Collectible Jaguar set (in blue) This set cost $40 - a LOT of money back then. It took a long time for me to decide to spend the money to buy the set!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTI2DAYbCC65ztPn3IAapLiL7q6NyGYn5zsrURiseAx8EyzahLnpCl_kPaA1HK-HIcssranquS0tMBld28DROwra-J1Iu8LE6KE4tGQRUFP2z0ODool-4sYNtLvWAB9j9O769WN0TTshsv/s1600/image8.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTI2DAYbCC65ztPn3IAapLiL7q6NyGYn5zsrURiseAx8EyzahLnpCl_kPaA1HK-HIcssranquS0tMBld28DROwra-J1Iu8LE6KE4tGQRUFP2z0ODool-4sYNtLvWAB9j9O769WN0TTshsv/s400/image8.jpeg" width="400" /></a>But then later on they produced a Whips version (in green in the photos) with nicer wheels. Overall its a nice casting, but there's always been something I didn't really like about it, something that was off about it... It just didn't have the same presence as the Matchbox versions... </div>
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And then as I looked through my car cases I came across a Malibu entry - a silver XK hardtop.... And what a great model this one is! Size-wise it is right in line (maybe a hair longer) than the equivalent excellent Matchbox XK hardtop. But it's got actual plastic headlights and rear lights, great body detail, and authentic replicas of Jaguar's own alloy wheels!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi1jJL1MkHlM3KHaf8ehyphenhyphens0UhmT7B1ROmJfwjPTOz-TqSVbWciy38XeQyrVwppxzfIMBWgbsdP6vf2ru5TFAnI4xNanbMTBnm63-SSHt2o5l1Ktk6_3YrRDWlyEux_HqX4DOiV3ViOMyw/s1600/image5+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQi1jJL1MkHlM3KHaf8ehyphenhyphens0UhmT7B1ROmJfwjPTOz-TqSVbWciy38XeQyrVwppxzfIMBWgbsdP6vf2ru5TFAnI4xNanbMTBnm63-SSHt2o5l1Ktk6_3YrRDWlyEux_HqX4DOiV3ViOMyw/s400/image5+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Including these 2 additional models from Malibu and Hot Wheels made for a 5 model comparison test. And while all the models are nice and worthy in their own right, it was easy to pick the winners and losers:<br />
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5th Place: The Hot Wheels XK-8 hardtop. These were the most expensive models and they felt like quality. They also were the only model with an opening part (the hood). However the most important thing about a model is the overall proportions, and the Hot Wheels casting doesn't quite get it right. It's close, but not as close as the others, and to my eye, its not right. Maybe its too rounded? Or not long enough? I can't tell what's wrong about it, but I can tell that it's not quite right. Excellent paint, metal chassis, great detail, amazing wheels (green version) and rubber tires are all wonderful aspects, but they can't change the overall shape of the casting. On a scale of 10, this casting is a nice 7, but it can't win when the other castings were all 7.5s and higher.<br />
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4th Place: Matchbox F-Type (black hardtop in the group photo). In real life this is the handsomest design, particularly from the back. But cast in metal as a toy, the back and the rest of the design isn't quite as compelling (though the black paint that hides detail doesn't help... perhaps in a different color it would score higher). It's got nice wheels, that are shared with the previous generation XK. But the real thing that relegated this model to second from last is the roof treatment, and the way that Matchbox cheaped out on painting the "metal" portions. A 7.5 on a scale of 10.<br />
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3rd Place: Matchbox XK-8 convertible (red in the group photo). There is nothing wrong with this model to relegate it to a mid pack finish. Its a nice model, (especially in premium trim with rubber tires). Its realistic. Its a pretty design (though not as pretty as the next generation). Its a good (but lightweight) model that you should have in your collection. It just lacks an absolute "gotta-have-it" quality or factor to propel it higher in the standings. An 8 on a scale of 10.<br />
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2nd Place: Matchbox 2nd generation XK coupe. This is a great model. Such a nice model that I was thinking about a blog post dedicated just to this model. Big, handsome, wide, cool-looking, available in multiple colors and wheels. A model that makes you want to buy the real car, that actually looks BETTER than the already great looking real car. This model should have won the comparison test, if not for the dark horse Malibu model. A solid 9 on a scale of 10. Get it in every color you can find!<br />
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1st Place: Malibu 2nd generation XK coupe. Those Malibu designs were beautiful designs (aside from the under-scale VW transporter bus). I have an entire blog post dedicated to the incredible efforts they made on Land Rovers a few years ago (Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, LR3, etc., all beautifully done!). And this XK is done in the same quality vein. Its everything that makes the Matchbox one a winner - turned up an extra notch. The separate glass lights are a great touch, as are the factory correct wheels. It lost a few points for weight and for the somewhat bland silver paint, but still managed to out-do the car that was a shoo-in to win this test. A 9.5 on a 10 point scale... With a metal bottom and in a color besides silver it could have been a 10!<br />
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Congrats to Malibu for a winning model, and to Matchbox for making 3 different well-modeled Jaguar Grand Touring cars!<br />
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P.S. One problem that sometimes comes up with comparison tests is determining where to cut off the models included in the comparison tests... After all, the mid-90's XKs replaced the aged XJ-S - should I have included scale model XJ-Ss? <br />
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But in this case, the XJ-S, designed in the '70's, seemed like a more different car from the XK-8 than any of the models included in the test. Plus, I don't have very good XJ-S models. <br />
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Hot Wheels did a popular one in the '80s, but to my eyes it looks out of proportion - too long relative to its width, such that it would have easily taken last place in the above test. And Corgi Jr. had an XJ-S model in the '80's (a bit less well known than the Hot Wheels model - at least here in the USA), that was the exact opposite of the Hot Wheels casting - much shorter and wider (chubbier?) though closer to true proportions. The Corgi would have won hands down over the Hot Wheels, but probably still would have been beaten by all of the excellent XK-8 and later models. Finally I have a very unusual Majorette premium model of an XJ-S cabriolet - however my casting is the only example of this model that I've ever seen! Anyway, aside from the Majorette, the XJ-S castings seem somewhat bland and well known and I just wasn't excited to include them. So I didn't! </div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-55591727963700407672018-04-25T22:36:00.003-05:002018-04-26T09:31:48.928-05:00Food Trucks vs. Food Trucks! (AKA Roach Coach’s...). I'm hungry just looking at them!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hqMfaoZkiLm-qpKvpxuQW3HK3gKwmDrtPM0F1kOF6fFTloaaaimEBS4uWP2f8dfCvx_EoX4eDB126AG8trvyK9sX_gwKS0Lvrh1nIqdp6EBsd53DBkXIsV2xRu3Lgk_7u_u00CiEwo9D/s1600/image2+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hqMfaoZkiLm-qpKvpxuQW3HK3gKwmDrtPM0F1kOF6fFTloaaaimEBS4uWP2f8dfCvx_EoX4eDB126AG8trvyK9sX_gwKS0Lvrh1nIqdp6EBsd53DBkXIsV2xRu3Lgk_7u_u00CiEwo9D/s400/image2+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Matchbox vs. Matchbox vs. Tomica vs. Tomica vs. Corgi Jr. vs. Majorette...<br />
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1950s vs. 1980s vs. 1990s vs. 2010s...<br />
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Ice cream truck vs. Kebab van vs. noodle truck vs. Roach Coach...<br />
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Classic American vs. International...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mVmtAPllw4pJ0gCgoyMGBp0n7v69qa0KLYwCOKRMkzr_4FKO-XDYVYjWvU667pNLBTJMnAAukAp9_YOsvoh0jRPhjSTw69Njn2Nz_gt5qnxehqiA3GJbCIs_YK_GbAqebnFBI-3USQ1u/s1600/image1+%25287%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4mVmtAPllw4pJ0gCgoyMGBp0n7v69qa0KLYwCOKRMkzr_4FKO-XDYVYjWvU667pNLBTJMnAAukAp9_YOsvoh0jRPhjSTw69Njn2Nz_gt5qnxehqiA3GJbCIs_YK_GbAqebnFBI-3USQ1u/s400/image1+%25287%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>This has the makings for one of the more fun comparisons I’ve ever done, comparing vastly different vehicles from different companies and across different eras, but whose basic purpose was the same; To bring the food to the people, rather than making the people go to the food!<br />
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And the cool thing is that every entry into this compare is an interesting entry. There’s not a loser in the bunch!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBK_5960qMTof55XjCq4YwArtbqyI5FPSvPRtSucjwSvKZNLCVQg4ibnpghdjkTQTEMp8leAs8141TiYxd7-YGMa3uC1kt-K6x3myyORFmUkgU89c6Q6U-ouqv3vsNzPl284jiD34MQjJ/s1600/image3+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBK_5960qMTof55XjCq4YwArtbqyI5FPSvPRtSucjwSvKZNLCVQg4ibnpghdjkTQTEMp8leAs8141TiYxd7-YGMa3uC1kt-K6x3myyORFmUkgU89c6Q6U-ouqv3vsNzPl284jiD34MQjJ/s640/image3+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a>First up, the mint green Majorette ice cream truck on a Fourgon chassis. It’s in mint condition with beautiful paint, a nice heft courtesy of the full metal casting, an actual suspension, an open and highly detailed ice cream truck interior, a trailer hook, and even a retractable red awning. Definitely a contender!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGI9qeZv2WsNT_3cT1wYuI-SYXa3AQxrjde_9P5zdrr3qUsY3ZS7kLcBduCocypCRAGL0YwW9-EBQkp4oTmZQrAR5NJJnewBPNU1fpxxfVAJGuMubBCxgQU77qpSoLxZt6TiWT5lWkTsEK/s1600/image5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGI9qeZv2WsNT_3cT1wYuI-SYXa3AQxrjde_9P5zdrr3qUsY3ZS7kLcBduCocypCRAGL0YwW9-EBQkp4oTmZQrAR5NJJnewBPNU1fpxxfVAJGuMubBCxgQU77qpSoLxZt6TiWT5lWkTsEK/s400/image5.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8B-LdzSo5PuasCJsguzp5cvPIaC9iEsJ4ImkpI3I04P-7bNGiNbxaae8cPT8tH9U2RA3eVqVUo_9K6cpXpIvzS9S12kRCfit0aUfSxCocOWGbuguzJLxBXYyxIgr8HOMXB8mhxqbOVNa/s1600/image3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8B-LdzSo5PuasCJsguzp5cvPIaC9iEsJ4ImkpI3I04P-7bNGiNbxaae8cPT8tH9U2RA3eVqVUo_9K6cpXpIvzS9S12kRCfit0aUfSxCocOWGbuguzJLxBXYyxIgr8HOMXB8mhxqbOVNa/s400/image3.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Next up, the first of 2 Matchbox entries, and easily the oldest truck in this test, the blue regular wheel Lesney ice cream truck on a Commer chassis. This particular example is not only the oldest casting, but it’s also the casting that’s been in my collection longest, since before I was born.... It was actually in the collection of my Dad and Uncle Warren, and “mysteriously” migrated into MY collection at some point in my childhood (funny how those things happen!). Although it’s got a crack in the plastic roof window, it’s in remarkably good condition given it’s age, especially in comparison to other castings of my childhood collection!<br />
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As a contender, it wins originality points, and the ice-cream man and detail in the back are brightly visible due to the roof-top moonroof. The metal detail on the truck is nice, and it obviously wins some personal memory points from me. On the other hand, it is a little under-scale relative to the other trucks, and as a pre-superfast Lesney it has zero suspension travel.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjwzZczNjaubV7mpcxsKgzszRnCFo9HNCv_rjcPF3-a3pkxX2rmVfoFwvNAJB6N1SL_3Qoo_-fT5KNO4n6rifFMeS3gtoQfaSw06tR3b14wSSraykUHh0Wb6gkbjfivuDucz6m7yGrrok/s1600/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPjwzZczNjaubV7mpcxsKgzszRnCFo9HNCv_rjcPF3-a3pkxX2rmVfoFwvNAJB6N1SL_3Qoo_-fT5KNO4n6rifFMeS3gtoQfaSw06tR3b14wSSraykUHh0Wb6gkbjfivuDucz6m7yGrrok/s400/image1.jpeg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnq661TWog1xGqd80_Za99va8xwNmG5zrzaGpxoA_pPe5_ZWupc2GzQ0oVhJFjfoCZSqdwn-fEpSOirNogCFGOF1Y54RjOGIPRUrYUFvknmmS6FdpOHZveB_nTJKZ_g_KpMEKncxsFZSfn/s1600/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnq661TWog1xGqd80_Za99va8xwNmG5zrzaGpxoA_pPe5_ZWupc2GzQ0oVhJFjfoCZSqdwn-fEpSOirNogCFGOF1Y54RjOGIPRUrYUFvknmmS6FdpOHZveB_nTJKZ_g_KpMEKncxsFZSfn/s400/image2.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Next up is the newer Matchbox entry, a casting 50 years newer than the Lesney, also in blue, a traditional "roach coach" taking pre-made sandwiches to work sites. This one is a non-licensed casting, meaning that it is a generic "truck" vs. a Ford or an International. But even so, it looks pretty good. It has no opening parts or windows on the sides, but very surprisingly again has a roof skylight offering a view into the nicely detailed food truck interior. It has tough looking wheels - probably the best wheels of any of the trucks. Oddly, the base is metal but the body is all plastic. While many of the above points would typically be show-stoppers, the overall effect is surprisingly powerful. This is a strong contender!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsYIgizbstcUcWWC8x-BZPWneWPZRzrt6rizYByqmBUgwgjLzVJjtM5qj8pqDpf82444Ei7nCBqmaXptVgma9HlkmKHRDi_LKWqqmhyphenhyphenJoMwSRGgg1aHGZlfnu5NBqZS3_WJQ5U2FkgBf-/s1600/image4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsYIgizbstcUcWWC8x-BZPWneWPZRzrt6rizYByqmBUgwgjLzVJjtM5qj8pqDpf82444Ei7nCBqmaXptVgma9HlkmKHRDi_LKWqqmhyphenhyphenJoMwSRGgg1aHGZlfnu5NBqZS3_WJQ5U2FkgBf-/s400/image4.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Next up, the red and yellow kebab truck by Tomica on a Suzuki Carry chassis... This one is just plain funny, mostly because of the flip-open kebab booth with an actual rotating kebab (but unfortunately not geared by the wheels - ala Matchbox rolamatics) and a painted-in somewhat angry-looking kebab man!<br />
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The chassis itself is a little generic, a typical Tomica small truck chassis casting, in this case, of a Suzuki Carry. Typical of modern era Tomica castings, it has a wonderful soft suspension feel. (Interestingly, I have another roach-coach style Tomica food truck again on a Suzuki Carry chassis - but I didn't enter it since I haven't yet attached (and now can't find!) the 50+ food label stickers that came with it. Without the stickers, its hard to know that it's a Roach Coach, so I nixed it from this comparison test...). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf9WcA4Cf7JXT6epXBrKlvjKOW6QxUhAnysv_QUsEE1ibRF7gAIJ9ueOOP1IPSLh5dkUGOwyvwkniZpyEujF4PH3PmqJl7ZfGIR7PA3i4axAiZ3-WyJqtnfZTgCH0FeAbZURgdmUBq69c/s1600/image4+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMf9WcA4Cf7JXT6epXBrKlvjKOW6QxUhAnysv_QUsEE1ibRF7gAIJ9ueOOP1IPSLh5dkUGOwyvwkniZpyEujF4PH3PmqJl7ZfGIR7PA3i4axAiZ3-WyJqtnfZTgCH0FeAbZURgdmUBq69c/s400/image4+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>After the Kebab truck comes the other Tomica entry, an older casting of a noodle truck, though ALSO on an (older generation) Suzuki carry chassis. This one looks vintage but is still modern enough to be made in China vs. Japan (it also has a plastic base). The detail on the back of this truck is very pronounced, contributing to a high quality feel of the overall casting. Again, its got the Tomica magical silky-soft suspension...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxXoHPNFs7dTkcD9B-4-jF1YlCopAicjnNml7GzHgWKofKnBjVIBZ3ZGndFTjiZDq_ko-3iYlrBDtzuqC-a9FtpJ3vLPAORV9y-FydHe2xEDenGGCUGnW0cEauo__u5E7OoKk3AfmZlsL/s1600/image6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpxXoHPNFs7dTkcD9B-4-jF1YlCopAicjnNml7GzHgWKofKnBjVIBZ3ZGndFTjiZDq_ko-3iYlrBDtzuqC-a9FtpJ3vLPAORV9y-FydHe2xEDenGGCUGnW0cEauo__u5E7OoKk3AfmZlsL/s400/image6.jpeg" width="400" /></a>The final casting in this review is the Corgi Junior, a "mini-shop" truck set-up in a Mercedes van. This one is one of the more basic of the castings, with the detail in the mini-shop simply printed/painted on the walls of the van rather than cast into the plastic or metal. However the van itself is reasonable, with clear windows showing the interior of the driving cabin, and a reasonably soft suspension on standard issue Corgi wheels.<br />
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So now that I've introduced the players... ...which one is the best food truck?<br />
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Frankly, they all are likable castings, with things to recommend each of them. The variety is off-the-charts, with 50 plus years between the oldest and newest, and an incredible variety in types of food trucks and how the food preparation detail is shown.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3CN1CivTQ7ra9p4x0UaFWM0-8eg1-zJW1GI0mShqgTKb4aY-3XAGExXkq_QNywof-aVSrWD4fSKX5dGcrD8U_7N22PtfcW7kB1bNTM6xwwnR7Zio5QVqhan8nar_6VNP9rboCbcwqPjA/s1600/image5+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz3CN1CivTQ7ra9p4x0UaFWM0-8eg1-zJW1GI0mShqgTKb4aY-3XAGExXkq_QNywof-aVSrWD4fSKX5dGcrD8U_7N22PtfcW7kB1bNTM6xwwnR7Zio5QVqhan8nar_6VNP9rboCbcwqPjA/s400/image5+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Several of them have some poorer points... I don't like the fact that the newer Matchbox is a non-licensed generic truck, but it still looks cool. The Corgi "mini shop" is probably not the winner, with noticeably less detail than other contenders, but I still like the casting a lot so I refuse to let it be in last place. The Lesney ice cream truck lacks suspension and scale. The Majorette Fourgon looks kind of campy - while the mint green paint is sharp - its just not a color I would have chosen. The Tomica kebab truck has an overly large and unrealistic looking plastic hinge on the roof, and while the interior is funny - apart from the kebab there is no other actual detail. And as for the noodle truck?<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4kZlofgLAAN07tPeXe0adP5UMCatWjDBPiTNl1vY43V1cLK9EGs2_4XTs4LvvDl_SsrRvbqcrzCa9bePx5BCTwaIYXxBOo31m39qIxhxwwtcP8G0tY2ywKSwe-f4Go8QtfH0oLtbG8KU/s1600/image6+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU4kZlofgLAAN07tPeXe0adP5UMCatWjDBPiTNl1vY43V1cLK9EGs2_4XTs4LvvDl_SsrRvbqcrzCa9bePx5BCTwaIYXxBOo31m39qIxhxwwtcP8G0tY2ywKSwe-f4Go8QtfH0oLtbG8KU/s400/image6+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
There is nothing wrong with the noodle truck. Period. The detail is exceptional. The suspension is soft. The cab and chassis look vintage, even if they arguably aren't. And maybe the lack of any major flaws mean that its the winner...! 1st place, Tomica.<br />
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For second place, I have to choose the Majorette ice cream truck. The heft and size is wonderful, with extra points for the movable canopy, the detailed interior and the reasonably-soft suspension.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZz5rOOGYzTZWV9kai4h-BM0Rp42OVdMmsxR0wZs7w_d66jHYSMuF1i-IKthS0WZXm_Ocdu3LbJQmsMfzR2u5FtsTgKTXP5N0v3fYxgtAdfmfeIPoqpkNNoL0Cy_Pra6kFojgXeXclDiRg/s1600/image7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZz5rOOGYzTZWV9kai4h-BM0Rp42OVdMmsxR0wZs7w_d66jHYSMuF1i-IKthS0WZXm_Ocdu3LbJQmsMfzR2u5FtsTgKTXP5N0v3fYxgtAdfmfeIPoqpkNNoL0Cy_Pra6kFojgXeXclDiRg/s400/image7.jpeg" width="400" /></a>And I'll declare the final 4 contenders to be in a tie for 3rd place, all vastly different from one another, but all with positive attributes. As I said at the beginning, there is not a loser in the bunch!<br />
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I hope you enjoyed reading about these food trucks as much as I enjoyed writing about them!<br />
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I'm feeling a little bit hungry now... Where's a kebab truck when you need one?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInMXy4bH-7XggCLvZK1SV317RrngLUPldD66agJzH0oQhHFM7cXKPHjp0B335z_QsJyF3pl7a4c9vY6x8jOTU-xjPAWsYyOzgRbHpJGO336NUElEQ8ALz2kXX8b-UrMb18ybIZOvKYn8H/s1600/image1+%25286%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjInMXy4bH-7XggCLvZK1SV317RrngLUPldD66agJzH0oQhHFM7cXKPHjp0B335z_QsJyF3pl7a4c9vY6x8jOTU-xjPAWsYyOzgRbHpJGO336NUElEQ8ALz2kXX8b-UrMb18ybIZOvKYn8H/s640/image1+%25286%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-24904314688725985272018-04-06T20:45:00.001-05:002018-04-06T20:45:04.944-05:00Does the Yatming Maserati Bora deserve a spot in the “Top 30 Yatmings of all Time”?Two years ago I wrote a post that I enjoyed, detailing out some of Yatming’s greatest hits, and making my picks for how I’d rank them... <a href="http://johnccarroll.blogspot.com/2016/04/top-30-vintage-yatmings-of-all-time-or.html">http://johnccarroll.blogspot.com/2016/04/top-30-vintage-yatmings-of-all-time-or.html</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vkY0lvblpAy9VUpB8zDet9-jpsx63cw73e0I2U4kw_R78GTxefHX0-Avqsuq02mTlUaRqbj4XMXqwCdVrX0SvWG5PWrkGdxTe4fNrbC6DlwV7H5h1Diwp4vjLThr3_uE3VulhsgcFQ_W/s1600/image1+%25285%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-vkY0lvblpAy9VUpB8zDet9-jpsx63cw73e0I2U4kw_R78GTxefHX0-Avqsuq02mTlUaRqbj4XMXqwCdVrX0SvWG5PWrkGdxTe4fNrbC6DlwV7H5h1Diwp4vjLThr3_uE3VulhsgcFQ_W/s400/image1+%25285%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>But two years ago I didn’t have this car, the Yatming Maserati Bora. It’s a classic Yatming, with a metal base, from the golden age of Yatming (wait, was Yatming ever really good enough to warrant having a “golden” age?!? Maybe a “chromed plastic” age is more appropriate....). Anyway, as a kid the real Bora was one of my dream cars, the last of the big V8 Maserati sports cars before Maserati became all about the BMW 3-Series-sized BiTurbos... So with a new Yatming Golden-Age model of a favorite car, its time to determine whether the merits of this model put it into the same category as the best Yatmings?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwWCxfSBvhRefr2SRSk7KpihgQtnZ8L1KQ7ZpJUcoPxkFgHiJ7sHBS6x2vLur-MQl3o64KEFOOL3Vx_UBNl5Wzvu7OI3CqiN1dcpf7L26_ZS8qOzByJ6Dtiv0gvEMWKrlmA4NpcqkaBvs/s1600/image1+%25283%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvwWCxfSBvhRefr2SRSk7KpihgQtnZ8L1KQ7ZpJUcoPxkFgHiJ7sHBS6x2vLur-MQl3o64KEFOOL3Vx_UBNl5Wzvu7OI3CqiN1dcpf7L26_ZS8qOzByJ6Dtiv0gvEMWKrlmA4NpcqkaBvs/s640/image1+%25283%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzlrkj4qmb7GgwVQvXHiGt919tlvhwfDLUJ6VSWZIkuJYL4qTlhfaf7CWQpcLVi7xkYnNw71ZEfMvc1GcDkel94qJTc2YP5OlDERXaKhYYOs54_Ha8bh-64V30jdkzN6VoRMqCQQsNWEA/s1600/image1+%25284%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZzlrkj4qmb7GgwVQvXHiGt919tlvhwfDLUJ6VSWZIkuJYL4qTlhfaf7CWQpcLVi7xkYnNw71ZEfMvc1GcDkel94qJTc2YP5OlDERXaKhYYOs54_Ha8bh-64V30jdkzN6VoRMqCQQsNWEA/s400/image1+%25284%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Lesney’s matchbox also did a Bora model. Unfortunately, while 1970’s Lesney turned out absolute gems of models, like the superb Silver Shadow II, Mercedes 450SEL, Audi Quattro, Dodge Challenger and Plymouth Fury police car, it also turned out a number of oversized duds such as the recently reviewed BMW 3.0CSi (or worse, the Ford Capri) and many others. The Bora was one of the better of the oversized models, but the combination of its size and unfortunate maroon paint conspire to make it a less-than-fully-favored Lesley model. Can the benefits of this Yatming model exceed that of Matchbox, and does it deserve a place on my “Best-of-Yatming” list?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDAiyMG7UPwfJw5cMkbehf5gCXZrU7pEsNFKBD8CE6OetaQllOfp7Ic3_ONNF5G81JLyZW7wirruZe6nFigo0S-sT_9DfrQVbfBBXqySe5xG5zUy4PIIMsaXjdb2udBBUk9jbfAH9yHLv/s1600/image1+%25282%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnDAiyMG7UPwfJw5cMkbehf5gCXZrU7pEsNFKBD8CE6OetaQllOfp7Ic3_ONNF5G81JLyZW7wirruZe6nFigo0S-sT_9DfrQVbfBBXqySe5xG5zUy4PIIMsaXjdb2udBBUk9jbfAH9yHLv/s400/image1+%25282%2529.jpeg" width="400" /></a>In short... Not Really! <br />
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While the size of the Yatming Bora is slightly smaller and more appropriate than Lesney’s Matchbox Bora, and while the Yatming <u>has</u> the critical metal base that characterizes many of the higher quality Yatmings, overall the model is not one of Yatmings best attempts. Particularly galling is the plastic chromed front and rear lights/grill/bumper panels, which just look chintzy and plasticky. Given that they are attached to the metal base, it’s hard to see why they couldn’t have been better done as part of the metal base (in dramatic contrast to the excellent metal detailed trim on the Matchbox model). <br />
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The bottom of the side door windows were formed poorly, almost looking as if they were incorrectly stamped out, with too much metal remaining in the rear. The models’ typically poor later Yatming plasticky wheels don’t do it any favors. The lack of side mirrors is notable. The body has a few examples of metal detail (air vents, etc.), but even those are offset by poor body lines that just make it look poorly designed/executed. The Yatming relies on somewhat garish graphic stickers to try to add some excitement to the body, an approach that serves only to further cheapen the overall feel. This is a car that feels like a cheap drugstore-brand toy, vs. a high quality diecast model. <br />
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In short, this is not one of Yatming’s finest attempts. So obviously it won’t be a top 10 model... but is it good enough to at least crack the top 30? I reviewed the top 30 list from 2 years ago, and in doing so I wondered about whether I even ranked those 30 models correctly. How did the ugly brown undersized Thunderbird deserve a #21 spot, while cleaner Corvettes were in worse spots? But I had a hard time putting the Bora with it’s poorly executed body, ahead of any of the 30 cars making up my list. The top 30 list is safe...<br />
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So if it doesn’t make the top 30 list, is it even a worthwhile model to have? For me, the answer is unclear. It feels cheap - definitely an inferior model to the less-than-perfect but highly detailed (and much easier to find) Matchbox model. If you are an avid Yatming collector you might have to have it, but for the rest of us...? I'd advise you not to spend too much time looking for it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbo3ZRzq37NNwl1Tjy7Zkqo_gLNrPYabvQR5gl5HmDdvrb4UntM5i7K0XIFzyusPGg1RWFixc7nNy_3eNRhhcHqLN8UKk7eynQtsdi4nmnsy_zrNCv5BHa54ZD4vE3PMhAP8ommyXRAc9/s1600/image1+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbo3ZRzq37NNwl1Tjy7Zkqo_gLNrPYabvQR5gl5HmDdvrb4UntM5i7K0XIFzyusPGg1RWFixc7nNy_3eNRhhcHqLN8UKk7eynQtsdi4nmnsy_zrNCv5BHa54ZD4vE3PMhAP8ommyXRAc9/s640/image1+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<img src="webkit-fake-url://bd9ece62-99c1-45f3-8fdd-7a5a5cfeb6a4/imagejpeg" /><img src="webkit-fake-url://6a21d263-c6c2-4a9f-aeb8-b4a4bb5f7f94/imagejpeg" /><img src="webkit-fake-url://dca1febd-abc3-4a52-ade3-4ad9228c4baa/imagejpeg" /><img src="webkit-fake-url://911a5ec6-4d06-4fe3-9334-db78d0d02790/imagejpeg" /><img src="webkit-fake-url://1f0dc01f-3c4a-40f8-95f7-439a73348a25/imagejpeg" />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-87926326467933899952018-03-25T19:03:00.000-05:002018-03-25T19:03:06.067-05:00Fine new models of the old 1970 Ford F-100; M2 Machine and Greenlight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_K1N1rPsUFZhsl-vTnoSIX-HOdrobMfa-KTld-jSSix2P7xcX4kduPA_JHi1EBqXxONm7uvhf-GPxijCtgkwYwJkCzpOIcxgOx_SRBFbA2BLbnG9YYDKyD9SuRhfHuRJ9BlHxK3x1Jex/s1600/image1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_K1N1rPsUFZhsl-vTnoSIX-HOdrobMfa-KTld-jSSix2P7xcX4kduPA_JHi1EBqXxONm7uvhf-GPxijCtgkwYwJkCzpOIcxgOx_SRBFbA2BLbnG9YYDKyD9SuRhfHuRJ9BlHxK3x1Jex/s400/image1.jpeg" width="400" /></a>In your local stores currently are two fine new models of the old ‘70 Ford F-100 (also '69 and '68). Both are beautiful castings, exquisitely detailed.<br />
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My eye was first caught by the M2 Machines casting, especially the jacked up off-road version in slate grey. The realistic separately cast LOOONG bed was a major factor in having my eye drawn to it, though the detail was also amazing... A beautiful truck, big and scaled exactly right for 1/64... I loved it from the moment I tore open the packaging, and already had plans for a blog entry about it. Then I found the street racer version in black and gold, and while it wasn't as cool as the jacked up version, it was still cool. The only things I didn't like about it are: The wheels/tires - which don't roll as easily as a "Matchbox" car's wheels should roll, the opening doors which don't open as easily as a "Matchbox" car's doors should open, and the lame detailing in the wheel-wells in the truck bed - which are too low and squared off to be realistic. Everything else about the model was SPOT-ON, and the truck just tooked TOUGH!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVCUJYC01WoIa8woKqP3rgF-Re8GG4nqG5KBWZbvlJmIT40Yma0YLw5YxUjRj9bz5zFXdtUWGK0F9FOWP-qe8iP6BAjoVIs-zq8HMgZjGx8sD5xIG5YmHahDDjmyyxUcRzJT1Cig995Uc/s1600/image2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVCUJYC01WoIa8woKqP3rgF-Re8GG4nqG5KBWZbvlJmIT40Yma0YLw5YxUjRj9bz5zFXdtUWGK0F9FOWP-qe8iP6BAjoVIs-zq8HMgZjGx8sD5xIG5YmHahDDjmyyxUcRzJT1Cig995Uc/s400/image2.jpeg" width="400" /></a>But then I saw this Greenlight casting, and the ‘gotta-have-it’ factor kicked in. The Greenlight is a short bed version of the same truck (in some cases bashed as slightly different years, with appropriate tweaks to the impressively detailed grill), with more exciting paint, again jacked up, with slightly less realistic but much nicer wheels and tires that somehow conspire to make it feel like a toy to zoom across the carpet rather than a model to display... this is a toy you want to play with!!! The hood opens but the doors don't, but I don't miss the opening doors at all. The scale is again just right, though this one’s shorter bed allows it to actually fit a little bit better into a standard size die-cast 48 car case. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibETimXam-GaESjWs9s9ChbAYBZQVhhfr1LU1XLMobVGwAqeej_OTjBz_7kIDVGFXA-L_ck9Qr0_G9r5Uk7HnyzvRo4-uEgkrumEgif5is8e_nzKDa5aLgvhTn7yg58YjP4WKYe4gQwort/s1600/image3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibETimXam-GaESjWs9s9ChbAYBZQVhhfr1LU1XLMobVGwAqeej_OTjBz_7kIDVGFXA-L_ck9Qr0_G9r5Uk7HnyzvRo4-uEgkrumEgif5is8e_nzKDa5aLgvhTn7yg58YjP4WKYe4gQwort/s400/image3.jpeg" width="400" /></a>There’s no real competition and no obvious winner here, just two great castings that deserve a place in your collection... The detail on the M2 models is slightly deeper and more magnificent than the magnificent detail on the Greenlight models, but you'd only see the difference if you were actually comparing them head to head as I am here. Conversely, the wheels and tires on the Greenlight models are better and more suited for play than those of the M2 castings. This all makes the M2 models slightly more suited for display, while the Greenlight models are slightly more suited for play, but the differences are pretty minor. . They are both great castings for play AND display. Pick your color and trim (work truck? off-road racing truck? street racing truck? Short vs. Long bed?) and hand over your $6, you can't really go wrong with any of the models!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPATLeSm3vK1RW9Orsu2kmuln2nNyM9BoSJsw9BhVDPMFy9h5nI-vvAU-htoN_SvbW3kG5aQPlX0gyw5o1FcwaM_grGW4ud-shgONjnq0xoWUPGwht8WK3M7Dh7jV3k7zxmB7MiZxnCla/s1600/image4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrPATLeSm3vK1RW9Orsu2kmuln2nNyM9BoSJsw9BhVDPMFy9h5nI-vvAU-htoN_SvbW3kG5aQPlX0gyw5o1FcwaM_grGW4ud-shgONjnq0xoWUPGwht8WK3M7Dh7jV3k7zxmB7MiZxnCla/s640/image4.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-82679214563804163412018-03-21T21:33:00.002-05:002018-04-05T16:29:27.367-05:00Old School Comparo: BMW 3.0 CSI, Matchbox vs. Majorette... Who did it better?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90KN8VsIAHA2t4QsCcVFwW7tDy72lLPqEXssWdlmZ2o58OPGY7h2xbLvjvFTfH-xJcPEOmsVDdcZhHjYL_SUmPZ1GT6OtTTLa3rkBMG35asjOpAQH4uG8U43BzqI6ULduLmtZzjHzEgxM/s1600/image5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90KN8VsIAHA2t4QsCcVFwW7tDy72lLPqEXssWdlmZ2o58OPGY7h2xbLvjvFTfH-xJcPEOmsVDdcZhHjYL_SUmPZ1GT6OtTTLa3rkBMG35asjOpAQH4uG8U43BzqI6ULduLmtZzjHzEgxM/s400/image5.jpeg" width="400" /></a>This is an old school comparison test, from models designed in the mid ‘70s by two of the foremost diecast companies out there, of one of the most iconic cars of the decade... BMW’s gorgeous 3.0 coupe... Who modeled it better, Matchbox or Majorette?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IqyO9kFNNu0aeeHWgPaBH9zLEWh63ZvjaW08vVmwSMM9lVlM5JoS0Ig2sbp6JK5xMrdf8rpsGZTcZYqFxba9UWoA08_XwIuPzW9UxHd_N4ZPZCnbdva-KEQ-AwquYZeRlTvFWU6zLDkx/s1600/image12.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9IqyO9kFNNu0aeeHWgPaBH9zLEWh63ZvjaW08vVmwSMM9lVlM5JoS0Ig2sbp6JK5xMrdf8rpsGZTcZYqFxba9UWoA08_XwIuPzW9UxHd_N4ZPZCnbdva-KEQ-AwquYZeRlTvFWU6zLDkx/s400/image12.jpeg" width="400" /></a>The Matchbox model was a very popular model of the era. Although I didn’t personally have one in my collection, I was well acquainted with it from friends’ collections, and especially from my cousin Joey and Shawn’s collection. Typically painted in bright orange (as well as a few much, much rarer colors), with opening doors, exquisite metal bumper/grill/headlight detail in front and bumper/rear light/exhaust detail in back, a nicely detailed interior, Matchbox’s soft ‘superfast’ suspension, and a BMW roundel sticker displayed prominently on the hood, it has all the elements of a nice model. Couple all that with the fact that the model being tested here is in absolutely mint condition, and it’s hard to find a fault... ...or is it?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4lcoLglaQ1CAQRYePuNE2X7cKIxCfi0ckeY8out42jGyiBl1hdfOWQv8noGg3N50RkA6YhMnfRzjsOLnOyeyF2uU_9R7xDsZs4uVQd4PHjVCcYM1rxYAlq4rClQQhMyAzLzwe_zVFUHg/s1600/image11.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF4lcoLglaQ1CAQRYePuNE2X7cKIxCfi0ckeY8out42jGyiBl1hdfOWQv8noGg3N50RkA6YhMnfRzjsOLnOyeyF2uU_9R7xDsZs4uVQd4PHjVCcYM1rxYAlq4rClQQhMyAzLzwe_zVFUHg/s400/image11.jpeg" width="400" /></a>Unfortunately, the fault in this very common mid-‘70’s Lesney model was a recurring theme in other similar castings (notably the abysmal Ford Capri, but also the racing Fiat Abarth and other models), which is that it is HUGE... ‘Uge as the POTUS would say... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRcwzZM-iTla_WjcQ04mNxmZKvqfBwvHCO9Trz_zYwknsl7ViuSxRcpoefPd5kuNy-9CyI5Yfmqjnb7FmV8t8WGnk0flWwBf1vCs2MTlIUj8w2_B1O7SotHoIiEscuYEDqQe_Egr-VBr7/s1600/image9.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvRcwzZM-iTla_WjcQ04mNxmZKvqfBwvHCO9Trz_zYwknsl7ViuSxRcpoefPd5kuNy-9CyI5Yfmqjnb7FmV8t8WGnk0flWwBf1vCs2MTlIUj8w2_B1O7SotHoIiEscuYEDqQe_Egr-VBr7/s400/image9.jpeg" width="400" /></a>In real life the 3.0 was a graceful, delicate car, while the Lesney model is wide and squat, built like an NFL linebacker rather than a ballerina. It dwarfs supposedly larger cars like the Lincoln Mark V, and even dwarfs the correctly scaled German 450SEL... The extra wide Matchbox tires of the era don’t do it any favors, reinforcing its size. Both the width and height of the model are out of proportion, ensuring that, regardless of how amazing the detail may be, the model simply fails to adequately look like a real 3.0... Harsh words for a mainstay of the mid ‘70’s Matchbox line! <br />
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Enter the contender, made in France rather than England, the Majorette model. Unlike the Matchbox, I DIDN’T have a childhood experience with the model, and in fact, at 44 years of age, just YESTERDAY saw the model for the first time in real life... (which should provide ample evidence for why today’s blog subject was picked!). <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXonQffOVWHoKVkcBBXy5kq4g44-UB_0aGW7NxN2kZ0Dv_CUje6S9xSglU0Ntp1cjki6g6nM4hBha9PM-x6EbnCUXbnm5zrK7WBnRy5OcPvzMCH4o3Bs3lgOleChVstTmFmmzZ3T8nGYCY/s1600/image10.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXonQffOVWHoKVkcBBXy5kq4g44-UB_0aGW7NxN2kZ0Dv_CUje6S9xSglU0Ntp1cjki6g6nM4hBha9PM-x6EbnCUXbnm5zrK7WBnRy5OcPvzMCH4o3Bs3lgOleChVstTmFmmzZ3T8nGYCY/s400/image10.jpeg" width="400" /></a><br />
Also unlike the Matchbox, the model in question is at best in fair condition, with heavy paint loss of the once lustrous wine colored paint. So, how does it compare? Well, it compares very well... <br />
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The Majorette also has opening doors, with headlight/bumper detail that is EVEN better and deeper than that of the Matchbox model. In addition, body detail is more precise.... evidence for the difference in detail is shown in the gas cap - which for the Matchbox is a square detail that could be a rear indicator light, while for the Majorette is CLEARLY a gas cap. The suspension is just as soft as the Matchbox, the wheels are nicer, etc. But the MOST crucial element is just the overall proportions, the accurate and correct proportioned modeling... this car is the ballerina 3.0, the one that ACTUALLY resembles the real thing... Winner - Majorette!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIL_nEikkhXyHzPZNk4VBfuD9Ov4vooOWqQMOvTalac80lbmu5yhfjb1GIJB76oU_60p-Keg1baNekqEcDpKUjejY6F0cTRHddPAv1LiIzS_8U5gvl7ZuKNXlJc98sPoX2Pl5ZOuSw8jD/s1600/image6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRIL_nEikkhXyHzPZNk4VBfuD9Ov4vooOWqQMOvTalac80lbmu5yhfjb1GIJB76oU_60p-Keg1baNekqEcDpKUjejY6F0cTRHddPAv1LiIzS_8U5gvl7ZuKNXlJc98sPoX2Pl5ZOuSw8jD/s640/image6.jpeg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-6045501895968613642018-03-09T02:42:00.000-06:002018-03-09T02:42:55.935-06:00Renault 5 Turbo... 2 models with identical paint from Tomica and Corgi square off for a fight.. But what about Hot Wheels???<br />
While it is common to find multiple toy companies model the same car, it is UNCOMMON to find them paint them in the same paint scheme. But that's exactly what happened when both Corgi Juniors and Tomica decided to model the Original Hot Hatch, the Renault 5 Turbo, and paint them in the same rally-car yellow paint.... Sounds like an opportunity for a comparison!!!<br />
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Spoiler alert. There is no comparison. The Tomica wins hands down. The Corgi is considerably larger, over-scaled for such a small car, and is very plasticky (particularly the side mirrors - though at least it has them vs. the missing mirrors of the Tomica). The Tomica is correctly scaled, with a nice soft suspension (vs. the hard suspension of the Corgi) and with opening doors. In keeping with the times (the early '80s) both cars have nice metal-work and trim detail, but the Tomica's is a little nicer.<br />
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Both cars have nice paint. Its interesting to note that while the color scheme is obviously meant to be the same, it is still very different. The base yellow paint is almost exactly the same shade for the two models, but everything else about it is different. I call the paint a tie.<br />
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Overall, its an easy win for Tomica.... ...Or is it?<br />
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Enter the 30 year later challenger, Hot Wheels.<br />
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Hot Wheels doesn't have a Renault 5 turbo in yellow, but they did offer a high quality all metal Renault 5 turbo in blue or green, with rubber tires. These are seriously handsome models, with amazing satin paint, a high quality feel, and of course, beautiful wheels and the afore-mentioned RUBBER TIRES!<br />
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While Tomica wins the award for the best original / vintage casting, and for the best yellow casting, the modern Hot Wheels castings are TOO GOOD not to easily sweep to a win over even the Tomica. These castings are relatively easy to find on EBay, and for a price up to about $10, are definitely worth it. The upstart challenger takes on the vintage cars, and wins....<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5007161546086099712.post-83141941098316023982018-03-04T21:57:00.003-06:002018-03-04T21:57:52.202-06:00Current Generation Beautiful Camaro Models by Hot Wheels, Matchbox and Tomica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Here are three excellent (but non-premium) models of the newest generation Camaro, from 3 of the biggest names in diecast, Matchbox (convertible in red), Hot Wheels (silver coupe) and Tomica (black coupe). </div>
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The newest Camaro is one of the hottest looking (let alone performing) cars available on the market today, such that there is a chance that a ZL1 could end up in my garage some day... And the Camaro has always been heavily modeled by the die-cast giants, starting with the original Hot Wheels Redline "Custom Camaro" model of the '67 model (it took Matchbox about 30 years to do their own first generation model, though their model of an '80s Z28 (or was it an IROC-Z) with the opening hood is one of my favorite Matchbox models of the period). Since then Matchbox has done several additional Camaros, while Hot Wheels has continued to model Camaros as well (though their 2nd generation (1970s) and 3rd generation models (1980s) were not favorites of mine). Siku did a beautiful 1980s model, although one of the nicest 1980s Camaro models were the rubber wheel lock-up models by Kidco... </div>
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Anyway, fast forward to 2018, and we have 2 very cheap and easy to find (visit any WalMart/Target/ToysRUs and hand over $.99 to $1.29) Camaro models by Matchbox and Hot Wheels, plus one slightly harder to find (visit EBay or other on-line stores, and pay a bit more than $.99...) model by Tomica... All three models are very nice representations of the current Camaro. </div>
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So which one is best? Well, between the easy to find Matchbox and Hot Wheels models, I prefer the additional (and magnificant) painted-in trim of the Matchbox, even though I give it a few demerits for being a convertible vs. a coupe (I generally prefer coupes over convertibles). On the other hand, the convertible gives Matchbox the chance to show off its interior (in easy to see gray, vs. the Hot Wheels practically invisible black). Both cars have excellent wheels and tires, though Matchbox again squeaks out a win over Hot Wheels excellent rims with Matchbox' clean 5 spoke design. Then there is the side mirrors of the Matchbox (frequently left off of models) vs. the no mirrors Hot Wheels. After all is said and done, both models are very nice and well worth the $1 that they cost, but I give the easy lead to Matchbox.</div>
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And how do those $1 basic models compare to the basic (but still considerably more expensive once you factor in a higher base price (at least $3 even at the cheapest sites - plus shipping costs) Tomica ZL1 model? Well, simply said, the Tomica outshines them both. </div>
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In the photos, the black paint of the Tomica doesn't photograph well, but between the opening doors, the painted-in trim (better than Hot Wheels, but easily inferior to that of Matchbox, the considerably better metal trim detail (but without Matchbox' mirrors), equivalent base detail, the far, far, far better suspension (the Tomica's is Tomica-soft, while the other 2 essentially don't have any suspension to speak of), Tomica wins many categories. That being said, Matchbox does win several categories, including painted in trim, mirrors, interior trim and wheels, but those 4 items are not enough to offset the losing items. The Tomica ZL1 pulls out an easy victory. </div>
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While there is a winner, there is no loser. All of the models deserve to be in your collection. And at these prices, there is no reason for all three not to be in your collection. </div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239312048282710896noreply@blogger.com2