out of the box by the DCX team Auto World 1957 Ford Thunderbird The two-seat T-bird reached new heights in its final year Strange how what started as something of a budget-conscious compromise vehicle turned into one of the most critically acclaimed and highly valued collectible Fords of all time, but such is the story of the Thunderbird. In the early 1950s, European grow to 225hp and 312ci, along T-bird is one of the few convertibles that sports cars were all the rage. with the addition of side cowl looks just as good with the top on or off. In response, Henry Ford II had vents and bumper-exit exhaust. The hardtop is included so that you have sponsored a contest to develop The real changes arrived in 1957, both options. a Ford-powered sports car in beginning with a larger grille and the vein of British two-seaters redesigned bumpers. The trunk like Jaguar. Revealed in 1953, was lengthened, making the ’57 the winning design—dubbed model more practical, while more the Ford Vega Roadster—looked prominent tailfins added extra the part, but performance flash. There was more power, was lackluster, and the project thanks to the addition of a 312 with proved prohibitively expensive. dual Holley 4-barrel carbs good for Meanwhile, some Ford engineers 285hp, and even a factory Paxton- and stylists—most notably supercharged model with 300+hp. engineer Bill Burnett and stylist It was a fitting send-off for the Bill Boyer—had been tinkering with two-seat T-bird, as the 1958 shortening up a midsize sedan to model gained a back seat and create a two-seat sports tourer nearly 1,000 pounds, abandoning using production parts. Seeing any semblance of sports car in the continuing popularity of the search of sales figures in the sports-car segment, and hearing “personal luxury” segment. that rival Chevrolet was set to Auto World has released a release a Euro-inspired sports diecast replica to commemorate car of its own, Ford management the 60th anniversary of the ’57 greenlighted production of the car that would become the Thunderbird. It was to source as many parts as possible from existing Ford parts bins to keep costs down, and would employ a version of the new overhead- valve V-8 introduced in 1954 to replace the aging Flathead. With so many sedan components, the T-bird almost inevitably emphasized luxury over sports- car performance. That decision, whether deliberate or a function of necessity, would prove fortuitous; when the Thunderbird arrived in 1955, it outsold the sports- oriented Corvette by a huge margin. The following year saw the 198hp and 292-cubic-inch V-8 50 DCXmag.com
AT A GLANCE MODEL 1957 Ford Thunderbird MANUFACTURER Auto World TYPE ’50s American classic SCALE 1:18 PRICE $95–$100 WHAT WE LIKE Peak year for T-bird styling ++ 60th-anniversary editions maximize collectibility + Great value for this level of detail T-BIRD AFICIONADOS WILL LIKELY NEVER STOP DEBATING WHICH MODEL YEAR IS THE BEST. THE ’55 IS SIMPLE AND CLEAN. THE 1956 MODEL ADDED SOME POWER AND AMENITIES, BUT FOR MANY, THE ’57 TRUMPS THEM.
AUTO WORLD 1957 FORD THUNDERBIRD e black-and-white interior embellished with tons of chrome is pure ’50s and really pres- Ford added a dual-4-barrel 312-cubic-inch engine for 1957, good for 285hp. Auto World ents well. e adjustable sun visors are a nice bonus. really delivers on the extras, with ignition wires and a nice set of decals adding extra texture to well-molded and painted primary components. T-bird. It wears a distinctive Coral most perfect proportions of any wheels are skillfully molded and them; the styling update draws Sand color, and comes with a convertible ever? chromed plastic with appropriate on all of the elements of late-’50s removable hardtop in either black simulated spinner centers, but car fashion, and the added flair or gunmetal gray. e new-for-’57 Flip up the front-hinged hood the diameter is a bit large. An seems more in keeping with the enlarged grille is photo-etched to reveal a dual Holley 312 Y-block interesting tidbit about first- T-bird’s stylish luxury nature. metal, showing the radiator behind V-8—the top engine option generation T-birds: the ’55 and Plus, stouter engine lineup meant it. e bird emblem on the hood is (aside from the impossibly rare ’56 models had 15-inch wheels, that it was a more formidable separately cast, as are the trunk supercharged model). Detail is but the ’57 went down to 14s. performance machine as well— matching emblem and the fender excellent, with plug wires, heater that’s a win-win! We enjoy Auto vents. Only the “ underbird” and radiator hoses, and battery is model’s wheel size is more in World’s anniversary models for scripts above the front tires are cables all properly located. ere keeping with the earlier years. It’s the extra bit of specialness that painted on. ere’s quite a bit are detailed labels on everything. a minor detail and the 15s actually they confer and for the way of trim—on the wheel covers, look better than the correct 14s, they focus our attention back on window surrounds, and edging e chrome air cleaner has two so it could be said that collectors specific eras. e black top version on the removable hardtop. Its raised domes to clear the two are actually benefiting from the is limited to just 750 pieces, while mainly molded plastic, but it is well carburetors, and the beautifully slight inaccuracy here. the gunmetal top is limited to just chromed and presents very well. molded intake manifold matches 252 (and costs $5 more.) e cars Hood, door, and trunk gaps are the twin-carb setup. e FINAL THOUGHTS are otherwise identical, and both good, and the casting has a couple chrome valve covers have the deliver amounts of detail and style of extra perks: e side cowl vents “ underbird Special” emblems T-bird aficionados will likely never beyond what you’d expect at this and the fuel filler door open as well. molded into them, and the stop debating which model year exhaust manifolds link to a well- is the best. e ’55 is simple and price point. ✇ e interior is just as brimming molded dual exhaust system clean. e 1956 model added some with ’50s glitz as the exterior that connects to the bumper- power and amenities but retained SOURCE is. It starts with sharp black- mounted outlets. most of the first year’s elemental Auto World autoworldstore.com and-white two-tone upholstery, look. For many, the ’57 trumps which has a nice matte finish to e front suspension articu- it. e floorboards are flocked lates and settles nicely under the in matching black, while the weight of the model, producing adjustable sun visors and steering a realistic ride height. e wire wheel are in contrasting white. More prominent tailfins, side vents, e brake pedal sits at a peculiar and portholes in the hardtop made the angle. e dashboard center panel final year of the two-seat T-bird the most is chrome with a scale texture stylish. Auto World offers versions with a and paint highlights demarcating gunmetal gray top or a glossy black top. the various switchgear. e instrument panel has detailed gauges, and the Ford-O-Matic automatic has a nicely detailed floor shifter. e hardtop fits cleanly into four notches in the rear deck and mates up perfectly to the windshield frame at the leading edge if you want to display it that way, but why would you when a ’57 T-bird has some of the 52 DCXmag.com
Item # M-163 Mercedes-Benz Blue Wonder +300 SLR Dirty Hero $873
OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD Replicarz 1971 Johnny Lightning PJ Colt Indy 500 Winner Big Al’s birthday bullet When the Vel’s Parnelli Jones (VPJ) team unloaded Al Unser’s PJ Colt at Indy in 1971, they were understandably confident. Unser had won the 500 from the pole the previous year in essentially the same car, and gone on to capture the 1970 USAC (pre-IndyCar) National Championship—the first of four each in Unser’s career—in dominant fashion, winning 10 of 18 races. For ’71, Unser’s qualifying speed was up more than 4mph from the year before—a huge gain. His 174.622mph should have been enough for pole, but it wasn’t. e McLaren team, still reeling from to 125mph to get the field to the e Lola-based PJ Colt was the last car to win Indy without a rear wing for downforce. Bruce McLaren’s death just three green and pulled down onto pit (Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) days after that ’70 Indy 500, had lane as is standard procedure. In been feverishly at work in the wind the car with him were Indianapolis tunnel, continuing their founder’s Motor Speedway owner Tony pioneering aerodynamic work. Hulman and hero astronaut John Glenn. But in all the excitement ey arrived at Indy in ’71 with a of the field thundering by, Palmer powerhouse driver lineup of Mark somehow missed his pit-lane Donohue, Peter Revson, and Denny braking marker (he claimed it had Hulme driving brand-new McLaren been removed), and he realized M16As wearing huge wings on too late that he was quickly the nose and tail, and powered by running out of road. He slammed the dominant Offenhauser turbo on the brakes, the Dodge slewed engine. Revson set the pole at sideways and careened into a a scorching 178.696mph, with Donohue just a couple of ticks behind. Only Al’s brother Bobby Unser prevented a McLaren sweep of the front row by qualifying his Offy-powered Gurney Eagle in third. Hulme’s McLaren started fourth; Al’s lap was only good enough for a fifth-place start. at start was shrouded in controversy—not for anything that happened on the track but for a near catastrophe in pit lane. Coming to the start, Eldon Palmer—the Indianapolis Dodge dealer who had been given the honor of driving in exchange for supplying the ’71 Dodge Challenger convertible pace car—sped up 54 DCXmag.com
e Johnny Lightning livery is one of the AT A GLANCE WHAT WE LIKE coolest in Indy history—more so because it MODEL won two years in a row! 1971 PJ Colt + The diecast-sponsored car that won Indy—twice! MANUFACTURER Replicarz + Removable ducktail shows off stellar engine detail GENRE Classic Indy car + Brings together two Indy legends: Al Unser and SCALE Parnelli Jones 1:18 PRICE $250
REPLICARZ PJ COLT INDY 500 WINNER e 1971 race was infamous for a near-catastrophe, when the Dodge Challenger pace car photographer’s stand at the end of and beautiful molding on the fuel plowed into a photographers’ stand at the end of pit lane at the start. Miraculously, no one pit lane. irty people were injured socket, panel lines, and rivet marks. was killed! (Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway) in the wreck and the pace car was badly damaged, but fortunately no It’s interesting to note the one was killed. Ford Four Cam V-8, despite Ford having abandoned the motor e race itself got underway program after the 1970 season with considerably less drama. (eventually selling it to A. J. Foyt). Donohue led early, with the VPJ switched Unser to the more Unsers, and Al’s teammate Joe powerful Offy for the second Leonard running well. e pace half of the season, but for Indy, took a toll on reliability; Donohue Ford power served him well. It’s a suffered a gearbox failure barely a fascinating powerplant, and the third of the way in. Hulme dropped nest of exhaust tubes that exit a valve. Leonard and the Unser unconventionally through the brothers traded the lead until valley between the cylinders are Leonard lost a turbo with about beautifully molded and painted, 80 laps to go and retired. From and you can just glimpse the there, it was all Al—he led the final “FORD” name cast into the tops 82 laps unchallenged and took the of the cam covers. e turbo checkered flag with half-a-lap plumbing is all out in the open to see and just mesmerizing. e EVERYTHING IS SO WELL DETAILED THAT COLLECTORS CAN UNDERSTAND HOW blow-off valve sticks up like a THIS ODD ENGINE FUNCTIONS JUST BY LOOKING AT THE MODEL. periscope, while the intake charge is transferred from the turbo to Above: With the ducktail rear bodywork removed, the amazing levels of detail in the engine, lead on second-place Revson. a T-pipe that feeds the tubelike transmission, and suspension can be clearly seen. Below: e cockpit is accurate but primi- Quite a way for Al to celebrate his intake manifolds. Everything is so tive by today’s standards. Check out the interesting way that the roll bar is braced on the 32nd birthday! well detailed that collectors can intake tubes for the Ford V-8, and note the exhaust exits down the center. understand how this odd engine Looking at Replicarz’ model, it functions just by looking at the is notable for its lack of wings or model. e tail section of the body significant aerodynamic devices. is removable, giving a wonderful view of the transmission cooler, e Colt would be the last car to various lines and fittings, and the win Indy without them. e Colt suspension system. was an evolution of the 4WD Lola T150 that Unser drove in the 1968 e Firestone tires are Indy 500 for the Retzloff team. immense, and as was the Retzloff sold it to the partnership convention of the day, they are of Vel Miletich and Parnelli Jones treaded rather than slicks. e for ’69, and Unser, the Lola, and wheels are beautifully crafted chief mechanic George Bignotti two-piece affairs: aluminum outer came along for the ride. e rules rings with black 6-spoke centers in 1969 made 4WD obsolete, so and etched-metal knockoffs that Bignotti converted the Lola to do not spin with the wheels. Brake 2WD and added ramp-shaped oil discs are visible behind the spokes. coolers (nicknamed “coal chutes”) to the flanks—significant enough FINAL LAP changes that the car was renamed the Vel’s Parnelli Jones Special. For As the last wingless car to win 1970, the car was tweaked again, Indy, this car represents the end of encasing the oil coolers inside an era. e team switched to Offy aero bodywork that can clearly be power and Johnny Lightning would seen on the model. e cars were end its sponsorship deal amid renamed PJ Colts, and the team financial turmoil at the end of the signed Topper Toys—creator of the season, so this car is something of Johnny Lightning brand of diecast— a turning point for the team as well. as the primary sponsor. e car and But what will really draw collector the sponsor carried over for 1971, interest is that paint scheme—it’s gaining a pair of small front wings— one of the most beautiful and which are faithfully rendered on the memorable in Brickyard history. Al model as is a kicked-up ducktail at Unser would go on to win Indy four the rear. e Johnny Lightning paint times—a record he shares with scheme is one of the coolest in Indy only A. J. Foyt and Rick Mears—and history, and it is beautiful here—the one of only five men to win back yellow lightning bolts are edged in to back. is model is as loaded red. ere is a horseshoe team logo with history as it is with detail. It’s on the nose, legible sponsor decals, a must-have. ✇ SOURCE Replicarz replicarz.com 56 DCXmag.com
quick LOOK The “S” in the name stood for surbaissé (“low”), which the lithe shape validates. Note the seamless side glass—a stylistic and technical achievement. reportedly cost $18,000 alone—the equivalent of $300,000 today—but the splash it made at the Paris Auto Show was assuredly worth it. The Automodello model captures other lovely details, like the heart-shaped recess on the 1937 Delage D8-120 S rear deck for the nameplate/license-plate mount, which had become something of a Paulin signature, having been used previously on a couple of his designs for Peugeot. Aerodynamic Coupe A car like this makes a delightful model, but it presents Automodello by Pourtout with a quandary: namely, when your subject is a one-off, how do you go about making multiple models from your tooling? In the real world, there is just the one Aero Coupe—and it is silver with a black interior. 1:24 | $300 Silver Standard Edition; $450 Black Homage Edition Automodello’s solution is to make the actual color scheme its Standard Edition and to offer a second color—black with light beige interior—as By the DCX team one of its ultra-exclusive “Homage Editions,” limited to just 24 hand- I t speaks volumes to the enduring elegance of the one-of-a-kind numbered examples. Think of it as the color Delage should have made. D8-120 S Aerodynamic Coupe that Louis Delage used it as his personal The finish on both cars is exemplary, and both feature the same levels of car following its debut at the 1937 Paris Auto Show, and that when detail. To our eye, the black car is slightly more attractive, the restored vehicle was unveiled at Pebble Beach in 2005—the 100th and the lighter upholstery anniversary of the of the Delage nameplate—that it won the coveted “Best shows off the interior detail In Show” award. Penned by Georges Paulin, the chief stylist for the famed better—and then there is that French coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout, the car is a masterpiece of clean lines exclusivity. But the Standard and subtle curves. The design was widely praised for its lack of chrome car is limited to only 299 and other embellishments; Paulin relied on carefully chosen proportions units, so you’ll be in pretty and graceful contours to deliver his stylistic statement. Those proportions rare company either way! and contours were possible in part because the body was mounted on a special “S” version of the D8 chassis (for surbaissé, meaning “low”). The SOURCE “120” referred to the 4.75L straight-8 engine, which in stock form produced Automodello automodello.com; 120hp. This particular car’s motor reportedly had been further modified diecasm.com with triple carburetors and a few other tricks to produce about 160hp, enough to push the sleek coupe to 100mph and beyond. Automodello has carved a niche for itself producing limited-edition resin-cast models of very exclusive, low-production, often Above: The heart-shaped recess in the rear deck is a lesser-known specialty vehicles Georges Paulin signature styling element. like this Delage, and it does a wonderful job. The bulk of its Below: The delicate curved grille is incredibly intri- models are 1:43, but increasingly cate. The Homage Edition’s interior color shows off it is producing in 1:24—and the lovely detail there as well. Aero Coupe’s long, low, and lean proportions lend themselves particularly well to this larger scale. The delicate grille is exquisite, and the increased size allows you to better appreciate stylistic highlights, like the seamless side glass that mated the door window to the quarter window without a gasket—let alone a pillar or post! Only hand- built coachwork could be crafted to those exact tolerances in real life, and the model conveys the precision. The Pourtout body 58 DCXmag.com
Nissan turned the Le Mans world upside down— or at least backward!— with the radical front- wheel-drive GT-R LM. AUTOart captures all the quirks, like the wide front and skinny rear tires. AUTOART With all the major hardware up front, the rear third of the car is one huge 2015 NISSAN GT R aerodynamic device! LM TEST CAR AUTOart’s model is that test car, and it illustrates the utterly unpre- 1:18 | $160 By Matt Boyd cedented design. Hidden in the space between the front axle and the cockpit would be the compact twin-turbocharged 3.0L V-6, which F ront-wheel-drive (FWD) race cars are a rare breed. Newton’s produces roughly 500hp. While the model does not have an opening laws of motion have seen to that. FWD hampers traction under engine compartment, it does replicate the distinctive top-mounted acceleration, and when cornering, a front weight bias combined exhausts, which vented spent gasses from the turbine outlets. e with power applied through the same tires that steer tends to overwhelm cockpit does open and shows a nicely detailed racing seat and instrument the available front grip, causing excessive understeer and tire wear. us, panel. Notice how high the floor appears compared to the ride height. since a few quirky vintage Indycars in the first half of the century, virtually no purpose-built racing car has been designed with FWD in the modern at’s because under the passenger compartment is where much of the era—that is, until 2015, when Nissan shocked the racing world by building twin-flywheel kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) is housed. Energy its Nismo GT-R Le Mans Prototype as a puller! from the system can be sent to either the front or the rear wheels, and at full power, it is capable of generating an additional 750hp—for a total of e GT-R was built to LMP1 Hybrid specifications, with the mandate 1250hp! Another interesting quirk to note is its tire size. Because of the that it be different from the mid-engine rear-drive LMP1 cars that had drivetrain layout, Nissan chose to put much-larger Michelin race slicks populated the class for more than a decade. Designer Ben Bowlby on the front (315mm wide on 18-inch BBS wheels) than on the rear recognized that the aerodynamic rules emphasized downforce at the (200mm on 16-inch BBS wheels). e model captures this as well. Finally, front of a car, so he reasoned that, with front drive, he could exploit there’s the rear section: Because there are no major components housed that downforce to offset the FWD limitations and reduce drag in the aft, virtually the entire rear third of the car is one giant aerodynamic process. And because LMP1 rules promoted hybrid electric technology device, consisting of a mammoth diffuser and huge tunnels channeling to supplement conventional engine power, Bowlby figured that he could air to produce downforce and reduce drag. ey had the twin benefits of send the electric power to the rear wheels, making the car effectively increasing fuel economy (essential in the current era of endurance racing) all-wheel drive when the hybrid system was engaged. e concept was and reducing tire wear. audacious but sound. If it worked, the car would be like nothing else. e team started testing in 2014 and targeted the June 2015 24 Hours of Le Unfortunately, with so much power being transmitted through Mans for its racing debut. untested technology, the hybrid system proved fragile. Nissan chose to disconnect it for the race, making do without the rear drive or the LMP1 rules prescribed a closed cockpit. AUTOart captures the expansive array of controls additional 750hp. Without it, the car was 20 seconds a lap off the pace for the hybrid KERS system, which was located under the raised cabin floor. of the leading LMP1 cars. Of the three GT-Rs entered, one was still running after 24 hours. But the lack of pace and ongoing reliability issues ultimately led Nissan to cancel the project in December 2015. at single Le Mans would be the GT-R’s only race appearance. Still, it was among the most innovative racing machines ever to turn a lap at Le Mans. SOURCE AUTOart autoartmodels.com SUMMER 2017 59
quick The truck and trailer models work perfectly together and make a nice display platform for Replicarz’ ‘67 LOOK Turbine car (sold separately). Replicarz 1968 STP The truck interior is stock and nicely appointed, with legible gauges and a floor- Chevrolet C10 & Trailer shifted 4-speed. 1:18 | $140 truck; $40 trailer With STP having all that rich racing history, Replicarz—having recently released a 1:18 model of the ’67 Indy Turbine—has released an exclusive By Matt Boyd edition of ACME’s 1:18 Chevy C10 short-box fleetside pickup and Tandem Race Trailer in dayglow red with STP markings. They are sold separately A re there any three letters more familiar to American race fans but work perfectly together, and look great with the Indy Turbine loaded than S–T–P? One of the most famous sponsor liveries in all of up. Paint is that searing STP red, accented by black rockers and a center racing, the logo for the Scientifically Treated Petroleum brand of stripe that runs from grille top to tailgate. STP logos appear on the motor oils and additives was emblazoned on some of the most notable hood and doors. The trailer is the same shade, and its accent stripes run racing cars of the 1960s and ’70s—thanks in large part to its larger- over the tandem wheel arches with “STP” on the top. Flat gray covers than-life CEO Andy Granatelli, “Mr. STP.” Part businessman, part sports the diamond-plate-textured tread area on the trailer and its folding promoter, part carnival barker, Granatelli was a racer through and through. ramps. There is a tire rack up front—we wish we had ordered one of the A veteran Indianapolis 500 team owner (and owner of supercharger compatible wheel sets from Replicarz to go along with it. Speaking of manufacturer Paxton Automotive), Granatelli slapped the STP logo and its tires, the C10 rides on Goodyear Eagles wrapped around chrome 14-inch ubiquitous dayglow red colors on cars and pit crews, bringing even more American Racing-style slotted mags. The truck comes tow ready, with a spectacle to The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. In 1967–68, Granatelli nicely detailed stock 396—the first year for that engine option in a C10— fielded the infamous STP–Paxton Turbine car, and in ’69, STP would score and a floor-shifted 4-speed. The interior is black, with a stock bench seat its first Indy win with Mario Andretti driving a more conventional Hawk- and well-appointed factory dashboard with nicely legible instruments. Ford. STP would win Indy again in ’73 with Gordon Johncock, but 1972 The tailgate opens on scale-looking hinges. The truck comes with a bed brought what would be possibly the most recognizable team/sponsor cover, but the fit on it is not quite right, so we left it off for photos. deal in all of motorsports: when STP Red and Petty Blue joined forces in NASCAR, going on to win four Winston Cup championships and four The STP-liveried C10 is a cool truck in its own right, but together Daytona 500s together. with the trailer, it takes on the aspect of a race-team support vehicle. Replicarz has already produced the ’67 Turbine, and it carries an STP 1:18 1968 was the first year for the 396 in a C10. There is plenty of grunt for towing—and ’68 Turbine Lotus from another manufacturer. It even has a resin figurine plenty of detail for collectors! lookalike of “Mr. STP” himself. Replicarz already does Johncock’s ’73 winner in 1:43, so a future 1:18 version of that car is certainly possible— giving lots of display options for the truck and trailer combo. Or you can just enjoy it for the fine stand-alone model that it is! ✇ SOURCE Replicarz replicarz.com 60 DCXmag.com
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HOT WHEELS HIGHWAY BY MIKE ZARNOCK Air-Cooled! these vehicles to the next level of in their driveway. Julian Koiles did diecast car collecting. an amazing job—as always—of W hen it comes to portraying car culture, depicting these screaming little Hot Wheels has been doing it since 1968, e 2017 Car Culture series monsters as they stare you down when Elliot Handler dreamed of bringing a starts the year with another star- on each card face. miniaturized version of Southern California car culture studded group of cars from yet to every young auto enthusiast on the planet. And that more subcultures with its Redlin- Starting with the Custom VW dream continues today with every Hot Wheels vehicle ers series. e name “Redliners” Beetle, you can see the serious that comes out of the Hot Wheels Design Center. Anyone is, of course, synonymous with interior through the sunroof with who has a favorite car brand feels a sense of rivalry Hot Wheels, but in this case, it its roll bar and oversized fuel tank. between themselves and fans of other brands to prove also refers to screaming engine whose is better. And of course, there are those who take rpms surpassing the tachometer’s e red Empi GT8–style wheels it one step further by modifying stance, horsepower, redline! Even the card artwork and the big, long tube chrome and endurance to challenge the rest of the automotive looks like it would smell of burnt header add to the tough look of world. Hot Wheels has incorporated each of these to rubber and race fuel! Whether this altered wheelbase Split- show how it’s done in all corners of the globe with its you like Chevy, Ford, Mercury, or Window Beetle. Car Culture series. Mopar, the Redliners series has something for everyone who Number two in series is the Hot Wheels Car Culture Assort- body and chassis, the Car Culture loves American muscle. Be on the ’69 VW Squareback. is casting ments debuted in 2016 with four series is a hefty handful of scaled- lookout for the ’69 Corvette Racer, is so versatile that it can be used mixes released for the year’s down automotive presence: ’68 Mercury Cougar, ’70 Dodge for just about anything. With its lineup: Japan Historics, Euro Style, adding more detail, mag wheels Charger R/T, ’68 COPO Camaro, “Square Force 1 Speed Shop” logo Trucks, and Track Day—each with Real Riders rubber tires, and and—my favorite—’55 Chevy on the side, Hot Wheels graphic having five cars. Each mix was authentic decoration, bringing Bel Air Gasser! designer Steve Vandervate abso- designed to celebrate different lutely nailed it, making this VW subcultures popular within the Not to be out done by the Big Panel a perfect parts-getter for an larger car culture. With a metal ree, the Air-Cooled series Import Speed Shop. brings out five of the “coolest” little Imports that even muscle e Porsche 356 Outlaw is one car lovers wouldn’t mind having of those cars that no one could resist taking for a fast pass on Mulholland Drive or dare to take your chances in the Mille Miglia 1000-mile race across Italy. But whatever you do with it, this dark blue replica on chrome rimmed Left: e Custom Beetle looks all-business with a roll bar and oversized fuel tank. Center: e Porsche 356 Outlaw looks tough with its chrome-rimmed Real Rider wheels. Right: is racy Fiat 500 is an all-new casting for 2017. 62 DCXmag.com
Left: e ’69 VW Squareback has been called into service as a parts-getter for a speed shop. Right: VW’s Brazil division produced its own sports car in the SP2, which Hot Wheels has decked out in racing livery honoring designer Mark Jones’s 30 years at the brand! Real Riders looks like it would be VW stables. Since there were no 2016. Congratulations, Mark! Car Culture right at home. e graphics on sports cars able to be imported A new-for-2017 casting from Design/castings Mark Jones this one are enough to get you into Brazil in the 1970s, this car was Graphics Steve Vandervate onto the racetrack or get you into produced for the Brazilian market the pen of Hot Wheels designer Packaging Julian Koiles trouble on the street! from 1972 to 1976. Its produc- Mark Jones is a very tough-looking tion count for the four years was little Fiat 500 that looks like it’s on e remainder of the Car Cul- Built in Brazil for its domestic between 10,000 and 11,000 units. steroids! It also debuts the new ture mixes for 2017 has not been market, the Volkswagen SP2 small-size 4-spoke wheel on finalized at the time this article has to be one of the sexiest and is Volkswagen SP2, in particular, Real Riders tires named “Classic was written, but the next one up most unknown cars to come from happens to have Brazilian graphics 4-spoke” (c4sp). e normal-size should be the Race Day series, the design minds at Volkswa- along with “M. Jones” on the roof. 4-spoke Real Riders first appeared which will include the Porsche gen. With a rear that looks like a in the 2016 Japan Historics mix. 962, Mazda RX3, 1974 Porsche Porsche 911 and a long nose with e “M. Jones” on the roof is none 916-6, 1978 Porsche 935, and four headlights like a Scirocco, it other than Hot Wheels designer Acura NSX. borrowed design traits from more Mark Jones. e year 2016 is than just a couple of models in the Mark’s 30th anniversary at Mattel, and the “16” on the side denotes SUMMER 2017 63
hot wheels highway Flashback 1979: The Heroes T hroughout the 1960s, diecast manufacturers around the globe made replica cars from those seen on television, in comic books, and in the movies. Companies like Corgi did the Batmobile, Monkee Mobile, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, James Bond cars, and many others, while Mattel kept their focus on muscle cars, drag cars, show cars, and fantasy trucks with its Heavyweights series. But by the late 1970s, things started to change at Hot Wheels. There were no more exciting high- horsepower muscle cars coming from the big brands—the gas crunch and the EPA took care of all that. Mattel was looking for its next “hook” (as they say in the music indus- try), and licensing the Marvel Comics Super Heroes seemed to be a win- ner. The other toy companies were replicating the DC Comic characters with the likes of Batman and Superman, but the Marvel fans were not be- ing served at all. It was a few years in the making, and by 1979, the Marvel Comics Super Heroes were well symbolized with a new Hot Wheels line simply called “The Heroes.” The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, The Thing, The Human Torch, Silver Surfer, Iron Man, and The Mighty Thor were all depicted, not only on the vehicles themselves but also in full-color artwork on the face of the cards. “The Heroes” single-car releases came on four different cards with On the sides of the Pinto Panel Delivery, dubbed Poison Pinto, is The Thing. Painted dark blue enamel, it has a black plastic Hong Kong base, large chrome engine, interior and front grille, blue tinted windows, and Basic Wheels. The Thing came on both the light and dark 1978 cards, which also came with a black circle and a white Collector Number 105, mak- ing four different blue 1978 cards. There were also the yellow 1979 and 1980 cards. either a dark or light blue background or yellow background dated 1978 or 1980. The date on the base of the car or printed on the card is when the casting was copyrighted or, in cases like this, the date that the licensing deal was signed, not when the actual car was released. The dark blue cards were released first in 1979, and then the light blue—both with a copyright date of 1978. The cards with a yellow background were released later in 1979 and also had a copyright date of 1978. There was a second yellow card produced and released in 1981 with a copyright date of 1980. (A big “thank you” to Chris Waters and Joe Wiggins for helping out with photos from their collection!) ✇ This black Firebird Funny Car has a metal Hong Kong base, engine, and interior; red and The Pontiac Trans Am—or Hot Bird, as it’s named by Hot Wheels—is the Captain America yellow tampos on the sides, hood, and roof; and Basic Wheels on all four corners. It came car. Painted in white enamel and decorated with stars and stripes, it also had “Captain on both the dark and light blue 1978 cards, along with both yellow 1978 and 1980 cards. America” along the sides in red, white, and blue outlined in black. The first release came Some of the light blue cards had the addition of a small black circle with a white Collector on the dark blue background card and had a red plastic interior and chrome Basic Wheels. Number 104. 64 DCXmag.com
Above: Spider-Man has his own Spider-Man Concept Car made in Hong Kong. It’s black enamel with transparent red double canopies. It has a white web design with light red over white “Spider-Man” tampo on the rear wing. Below: The #2858 Scene Machines 4-Pack is very rare and commands a hefty price of $200+! The Scene Machines 4-Pack is blister-carded and came with The Incredible Hulk (Scene Machine Delivery Van), Greased Gremlin in red, Royal Flash in white, and the Upfront 924 in yellow. This is the only configuration of vehicles known in this packaging. Above: Iron Man was released in 1981, also on the yellow 1980 card. Mattel used the Vette Van casting painted white enamel with a Hong Kong Hi-Raker base. It has a cream interior with clear windows and rides on Basic Wheels. It was again released in 1982, with a red interior and dark tinted windows. Left: 11—1493 The Heroes 6-Pack (1980—boxed vertical) Right: In 1980, The Heroes vehicles were released in a special 2-Pack exclusive to Kmart stores. There were seven different blister-carded Heroes 2-Pack sets, and all seven sets had the same product number: “1397.” The Heroes 2-Packs are very rare and very pricey! Summer 2017 65
REAR VIEW Rally ’Round This Hot Hatch! BY RON RUELLE moldings, that give it that signature Top: e car has lots of engine detail for a $40 model: separately painted ’80s-on-a-budget look. It includes a parts, label decals, even weld seams in the body! The category known sunroof, and a bit of its rally heritage Middle: e early ’80s offered some interesting interior styling, but details as the “hot hatch” can be seen in the big fog lamps are abundant here, too. seems like a modern bolted to the bumper. Bottom: Here is the car with the hatch open and, under it, is a movable automotive phenom- cargo cover hiding the spare tire. enon, but actually the Under the hatch it features a concept has been around for nearly moving cargo cover in the back half a century and has its roots that reveals the spare tire, and firmly in the sport of rally. e recipe the interior has nice touches like is straightforward: Add horsepower, seatbelt clips and legible gauges. tweak the suspension, strip out heavy options, and add a body kit e seats are patterned to repre- and you’re in business. From early sent vinyl, striped in two hues Mini and Fiat 500 rally cars, to the of gray. Underhood, the engine original Volkswagen GTI, to modern detail is what you would expect incarnations like the Subaru WRX, of a Sun Star model—separately these cars have offered exciting molded and painted pieces for the (sometimes outright crazy) per- intake system, cylinder head, and formance from the factory on a accessories, plus plug wires and a relatively modest budget. If you’ve nice set of labels and decals. ey followed the evolution of rally- even took care in replicating the inspired hot hatches in the ’80s, tiny, hidden sheet-metal details, like you may have seen this spiritual weld spots in fenders, something ancestor to the current hottest of you rarely see in a model at any the hot hatches: the Ford Focus RS. price—let alone one that originally retails for about $40! is is the 1981 Ford Escort MkIII XR3 from Sun Star. e Escort has working suspen- sion, and the different sheens from e model you see here is the paint, chrome, and flat plastic lend European version, and the company an extra air of realism. ere aren’t does both road and rally versions a lot of models of these older hot of several Escort models from hatches made in any scale, so if the 1970s through the 1990s. e rally-inspired sport compacts paint on this car is a Prairie Yellow, are your thing, this one is a solid although Sun Star offers several other colors as well. ere are gobs bargain. ✇ of separate black plastic trim bits, including mud flaps and bumper Sun Star’s rally-inspired ’81 Escort XR3 is a great Ron Ruelle is example of a lesser-known hot hatch. social media 66 DCXmag.com guru at hobbyDB.com, a website dedicated to documenting anything and everything collectible.
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