Late '70s Firebirds... Smoky and the Bandit... Firechickens... If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

I've been complaining about this subject for so long, that everyone is sick of hearing me on my soapbox...  About how we all have so many models of "cool" cars (Corvettes, '69 Camaros, etc.) and so few models of ordinary cars (Hyundai Elantras, Nissan Altimas, etc.).  But at least with all these different castings of the same cool car, this gives me an excellent chance to have a comparison test, in this case, of the late '70s Firebird (or "Firechickens" as my friends in high school called them...).  (If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!).

I grew up in the early '80s, so this car is the quintessential Firebird to me.  Made famous by the movie "Smoky and the Bandit", available with a huge (but emission-choked) V8...  10 times cooler than the similar Camaro...

I've got the car in at least 8 distinct castings, though depending how you count unique castings you can argue that I've got it in as many as 11 distinct castings, and more than 20 color variations (I found 20, but know that I've got a few more Firebirds in other colors stashed in various places).

The first casting I'll consider is the Lesney "Pontiac" casting,  I had the olive green one shown as a kid, and eventually also acquired the same casting in white (though I couldn't find it for the photoshoot).  As an adult I got the tan/bronze example.  The silver and red cars are the same casting but with T-Tops cut into their roof (does this make it count as a unique casting...?), I'm missing the black T-Top version.  This casting has been roundly critized by Firebird aficionados for having the incorrect non-wrap-around rear window of the earlier Firebird, because Matchbox was too cheap to create a new casting and instead simply slapped a new nose and hood onto the older No. 4 "Pontiac Firebird" blue casting...  The positives of this casting is that it has a nice heft to it, and it includes detail such as silver headlights from the baseplate (an excellent trait that several of these castings share).  However its got a bunch of negatives, including the big negative mentioned above, the fact that its a little big for its scale, and the boring metal baseplate with no detail on it.  But the biggest negative is that I just don't like it very much...   Ever since I was a kid, it never really felt like it adequately represented a late '70s Firebird to me...   This Lesney Matchbox may be a well known casting, but it's not going to compare well to its competition...

The other well-known Firebird casting from my childhood, and one that I was always a bit jealous about since I didn't have it, is of course the entry from Hot Wheels, the "Hot Bird"...  This again was best known as being available in black, but was also sold in other colors.  This gold example is a beautiful car, though I actually prefer the gold wheels on the black car over the standard wheels on the gold car.  The casting has T-Tops, which aren't deep enough, and its' rear light detail is a bit lame, but it's front lights are beautiful, silver in color and with amazing detail, another example of headlights created by having silver metal from the baseplates poking through the headlight holes.  There is no real suspension to speak of, but the car still rolls well, and most importantly - it really looks like the real Firebird.  This Hot Bird is a better casting than the Matchbox and so will be in contention for the best Firebird award....

Playing Mantis Johnny Lightning supplies the modern retro version.  I liked this one so much I have it in 2 casting variations - the '78 in black, yellow, bronze and red, and the '79 (more attractive nose) in maroon, blue and silver.  All are nice with beautiful paint colors, glassed in T-Tops, opening hoods (but that barely open...), and I have 6 different types of alloy wheels across my 7 colors.  3 have plastic tires, 4 (maroon, red, yellow and black) have rubber tires.  The phoenix (firechicken?) hood decal is beautiful...  My favorite of them all is the blue and then the silver, though none are losers.  I should note however that the front headlights themselves are a bit of a let down relative to the silver metal baseplate driven detailed ones on the Hot Wheels and some of the other castings.  Overall, it's a really nice casting - and a definite contender for best casting...

The 4 remaining castings are rarer...

I recently showed the Yatming casting in a "Top 30 Yatmings of all time" posting...  The Yatming is in my collection in red, blue and yellow, all with opening doors and cast t-tops, a metal base, a soft suspension, and again metal headlights showing through from the baseplate (but that aren't as nicely detailed as those on the Hot Wheels).  Again, a definite contender...

2 different black ERTLs make a showing.  The left most car is the higher quality model, with opening doors and a metal baseplate, but like the blue Matchbox it is the earlier version of the Firebird with the alternate nose and non-wrap-around rear window.  It's a bit large in scale, with oversize wheels.  While it has opening doors and a metal baseplate, those factors aren't enough to put it into contention for the best casting award, instead it'll be close to the back of the pack... 

The right most model is the "Smoky and the Bandit" casting - but although its more of a correct model for this particular comparison, its just not as nice of a model.  It feels like a cheap toy, with a plastic base and no opening features.  I didn't find it until after I'd done most of the multi-car photos - so its not included in those photos.   Again, it'll be close to the back of the pack... 

Kidco makes an appearance (leftmost car in the below photo of 3 black cars) with another black Firebird with an opening hood and T-tops.  The size is nice and small, but the baseplate is plastic, the standard Kidco wheels are cheaply, the headlights have NO detail, etc.  Overall, this car is quickly determined to be the last place finisher, giving Matchbox and the 2 ERTLs the chance to battle it for 2nd to last...  Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that I've got this casting, it just doesn't stand a chance of being the best...

That leaves the last casting, by my favorite toymaker, Tomica (middle of the above 3 car photo, rightmost of the 7 car photo to the right)...  ....And this is a REALLY nice Tomica.  It's an F series, made for America, with a silky suspension, classic black color, opening doors, highly detailed headlights that are silver metal from the baseplate, etc.  Definitely a contender for best Firebird...

So which one wins?

Well, the Tomica, the Yatming, the Johnny Lightning and the Hot Wheels are all in contention for 1st place...   Of the 4, the Johnny Lightning gets eliminated first.  I love the casting and its colors, but there is just something special about vintage castings, that make them feel more authentic.  Or maybe, its just that I remember the vintage ones from my childhood...?  In addition, the lack of a suspension hurts the car.  It ends up in a strong 4th place, feeling more like a display piece than a toy.

The next to go is the Yatming.  It's a nice casting, and feels Tomica-like in its execution, until it is compared to the real Tomica, when it suddenly feels like a copy vs. the authentic...  It's a bit big, and just doesn't feel as jewel-like perfect as the Tomica.  It's opening doors are a nice touch, and it has a metal base with mechanical detail, but headlights just aren't as nice as those of the Tomica and Hot Wheels...   It goes home with its head held high in 3rd place.

After that, the choice becomes easy. I can't believe that the simple and common Hot WHeels, without any opening pieces, and with a half done t-top, is even able to make it to 2nd place against such strong competition, but it does.  The car is beautiful in either black or gold, and rolls great.  And it's headlights are gorgeous! In short, a great toy, and a well-deserved 2nd place finish. 

And leaves the Tomica in 1st place, an easy win in the end, a beautiful casting and well deserving of the best Firebird title.  It IS a bit ironic that a Japanese brand beat out all of the American brands for one of the most iconic American cars ever... 

Regardless, Burt Reynolds would be proud....!

P.S.  I realize that I didn't announce 5th - 7th place - the winner of the 2 ERTL / Matchbox fight...  Obviously the newer (and cheaper) ERTL will take 7th - but what about 5th and 6th?   I'm having a tough time picking, so I'm declaring it a tie! 

The 2 Matchbox transitionals that might be less preferable in superfast vs. regular wheel form

Superfast transitionals are my favorite Matchbox cars.  Period.  End of statement.

The best designs of the golden era of Matchbox...  ...but raised up to modern (and realistic) heights, with silky soft suspensions...  What's not to love...?   When I first took up Matchbox collecting as an adult, I was thrilled to read Dana Johnson's Matchbox price guide and find out that being newer, transitionals were worth less than the older regular wheels....   ...Except until I realized that Dana Johnson was wrong and that traditional demand (high) vs. supply (low) economics dictated that prices for the superfasts were rising...

For the next 20 years of adult collecting, I actively sought out the superfast transitionals, until I finally completed the collection just prior to turning 40 years old.  So, now that you know how much I love transitionals, what's up with this post....?  Are there actually transitionals that are less preferable than the regular wheels versions?

Well, no, *I* still always prefer the transitionals...   ...but there ARE 2 models where the transitional version loses functionality relative to the regular wheels versions, so *YOU* might make a different decision...

The first one is the Foden Concrete truck.  The regular wheels version has a wheel-driven gear to turn the concrete drum when the truck is rolled.  However while the superfast version gaines the superfast wheels, it LOSES the gear.

A side note...:  I find the heavy trucks to be the least appealing of the transitionals.  The regular wheels versions have equivalent size wheels, such that the transitional vs. regular wheel height differential that you get with the cars goes away.  In addition, most of the heavy trucks don't get the silky "superfast" suspension, although they are still tagged as superfast. 

The 2nd model that loses functionality is the model that is widely regarded as the rarest (and hence most expensive) of the superfast transitionals, the Pontiac Grand Prix (GP) sport coupe. 

(Another editorial note...:  Having sought out and found all of the transitionals, I personally think that the Iron Fairy crane, the Fire Pumper and the Land Rover Fire Truck are all potentially rarer than the Grand Prix, although the Grand Prix's muscle-car-driven popularity might drive a higher demand and hence a higher price).

Regardless of its rarity, the Pontiac Grand Prix is a nice model, and I like the purple paint color more than the bright red of the regular wheels.  So what functionality did it lose...?  Well, the regular wheels one has opening doors.  The superfast's are cast shut... 

I've wondered for years why Matchbox chose to cast the doors shut...?  Was it that the suspension got in the way with the spring for the doors?  Is it possible to do a base plate swap, ending up with a red version with opening doors but the superfast suspension?  Are there actually a few legitimate purple cars with opening doors? 

In conclusion, there ARE 2 models that lose functionality in superfast form, giving potential rise to the argument that the regular wheels version is better...  But for me, the choice is clear.  It's always Superfast...! 

Spectacular Model: Johnny Lightning 1973 Pontiac Grand Am/GTO

 

In real life, this car was never a great car...  Built in '73, the last gasp of the Muscle Car era, a pretty fastback design that looked quick but that was actually overweight, un-nimble, underpowered, emission-choked example of how Detroit had lost its way, and an open invitation to the foreign auto companies to bring on their efficient and trim imports.

 

But what I like in diecast has very little to do with what I like in 1:1 scale, and this particularly casting is a beauty...

It makes you love this over-done '70s design, looking just as sleek as the real car.  The raised creases and vents on the hood, the B-pillar louvers, the detailed grill and rear lights, even the crease on the doors.  Now imagine how cool this car would have been had it been produced with the 454 from a '69 Chevelle? 

The first thing you notice is the heft (probably like the 1:1 model!), with John Lightning's trademark metal baseplate and all metal casting.  It just feels like quality...
 

 

The cars feature opening hoods with detailed engine compartments.  All three of my examples have rubber wheels and excellent fully detailed paint jobs.  In fact, the silver and blue cars have beautiful metallic paint (the white one has a flat paint). 

I only have these 3 examples - I'd love to have others but these were all that I found before the casting was retired.  While the pale white is nice, it pales (pun intended) against the others.  The paint doesn't have the same richness to it and the wheels are boring discs. 

The silver one is a GTO, with a slightly different (more exciting) grill .  It's 5 spoke Cragar wheels are handsome, with a glossy chrome finish to them.  The metallic paint sparkles, the black roof contrasts nicely, and the red interior really pops.

The blue one is nice too.  This time the Cragar wheels are a matte silver finish, but the tires have raised "B F Goodrich" lettering on them vs. the silver car's whitewalls.  The blue paint is beautiful and rich, with the blue contrasting better than the silver against the painted side marker lights.  However the white interior looks less exciting that the red of the other 2 cars. 

While the blue car picks up points for its paint and wheels/tires, I find that the silver/black/red color combination of the silver car still is more eye-catching, and I'm more partial to its firebird style grill.  I declare the silver one my favorite of this favorite casting, with the blue a very close second. 

If you don't have one of these already and see one on EBay for a reasonable price, I'd recommend picking it up.  It's one of my favorite Johnny Lightning castings of the last 20 years...