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Henry loves taking the models to shows and talking to car fans, who are blown away by his work. We know how they feel! Customizers and Craftsmen I used to build model-car kits as a kid. But I always seemed to take them Henry Martinez apart again once I started to build and His Scratch-Built another model so that I could use Masterpiece ’41 Willys those parts on the new model. So I never had a real collection because of by Henry Martinez that. As a teenager, I dreamed of the day that I could get myself a real car. I always liked the This story came about quite by accident when, a while back, we posted a few photos Chevys more than any of the other cars out of Henry’s scratch-built Willys on DieCastXMagazine.com that had been forwarded there, and when I graduated from high school in to us through our sister publication RC Car Action. It turned out that Henry has been a 1967, I got a job pumping gas for a buck twenty- fan and subscriber to DCX since we launched the magazine (almost 12 years ago!). He five an hour! With that, I was able to buy me a saw the post and dropped us a note in the comments section. That kicked off a series ’57 Chevy two-door hardtop—which was just of conversations that ultimately led here. Henry graciously provided us with lots of a 10-year-old car back then—for $800. I was background and a ton of amazing photos. Henry is pretty humble about it all and tends 17 years old and thought I was the coolest kid to downplay his skills when discussing the project, but we have no hesitation calling this in town! When I turned 19 in ’69, I got my draft a true masterpiece of custom craftsmanship. But rather than having us tell you about notice and into the Army I went. I served a year it, we’ll let Henry share, in his own words, his thoughts on the concept and inspiration for in Vietnam, and when I came home, I bought a his models as well as some of the many highlights.—Matt Boyd, Editor ’55 Nomad—I used that car for a daily driver! I bought another ’55 Nomad a couple of years later, and between the two, I managed to make one nice car that I only used on the weekends. I owned that Nomad for 26 years! During all that time, I also got into El Caminos, and since then, I’ve owned five Caminos altogether. I currently own a restored ’57 Nomad and a 50 DCXmag.com

Henry achieves his desired street/strip cruiser look with an RC body bathed in automotive paint. The billet aluminum wheels are custom-designed and -machined. Workmanship on the suspension is insane. Check out the inboard disc brakes, including lines that route through the chassis to the master cylinder. restored ’68 SS 396 El Camino. With the Willys body removed, the extent of Henry’s work can really be appreciated. The I’m 68 years old now, and it’s tough to do real cars anymore. So I’ve chassis uses billet aluminum. Obviously, the overall design is amazing, but notice the little details too, like the master cylinder, battery box, transmission cooler, and remote oil gotten into building models again—not the usual store-bought kits, filter. That gearbox and bell housing are custom too! though. I started getting into doing big 1:8-scale RC cars, which I turned into scale models that look like they could be store-bought kit cars. After building a couple of ’41 Willys using RC car chassis, I decided to go all out and build a third one with a complete all-billet aluminum chassis. With the help of my friend Kenny Wild (who is a self-taught machinist), I went to work. I wanted to build a model that would look like a real car if blown up to full scale. It ended up taking me two years—and about $4,500—to complete. The concept was a car that could be used as a street and show car but also could be run on the track on occasion—if it were a real car. I used one of GMP’s old 1:6-scale race Hemi motors. Being that the motor didn’t have a water pump, I had Kenny machine me an inline electric water pump attached to the upper radiator hose. I made custom fender-well headers so that the exhaust could run out through the front fenders behind the front wheels. Dual shocks were made for all four wheels along with slotted, machined brake rotors and calipers, and a real working rack-and- pinion steering. I had to make a bell housing and a transmission to mount to the motor. The brake booster and master cylinder were mounted to the custom-built frame along with a battery box, transmission cooler, and remote oil filter. The brake lines for the front and rear brakes go through FALL 2017 51

’32 Ford Roadster I also built a ’32 Ford Roadster along the same lines as my Willys, but the only thing different is that I didn't build a complete frame for it. As with the Willys, I had to build a radiator and firewall once I fit the motors in both cars. I custom- built the windshield for the ’32, and I had Kenny machine me the custom wheels, rotors, and calipers. I custom-built the hidden taillights with red LED lights and wired the headlights also. The motor for the ’32 Roadster is a 1:6-scale GMP Ford blown Flathead with Ardun heads. I custom-built the radiator hoses from aluminum rod. I sprayed the interior with flat red to make it look like leather, and the whole car was painted black and cream with automotive paint also. GMP supplied the power for the Roadster too—an old Flathead topped with Ardun heads and a ’50s vintage blower. Henry crafted the radiator hoses and other accessories himself. For his Roadster, Henry used flat red in the interior to give it the look of leather. Hidden LED taillights are a cool modern hot-rod touch and, like on the Willys, are fully 52 DCXmag.com wired and functional.

the frame and attach to the master cylinder. The custom-made drive shaft—complete with functioning U-joints—attaches to an independent rear end fitted with inboard slotted rotors and calipers. The half-shafts on the rear end also have working U-joints. I made a stainless-steel gas tank, complete with stainless fuel lines. Once I found the right tires for my Willys, I had Kenny machine me the rims to fit. They bolt on just like a real wheel would. The radiator was made from stainless also, along with the electric cooling fan. The frame has realistic body mounts to mount the body (which is still sourced from the RC world) to the frame. The tilt front-end has custom-made realistic struts to tilt the hood open. For the interior, I made a floating console and added custom seats and steering from a big-scale Porsche model. I made suicide doors that stay closed with small magnets. The grille, headlights, and taillights and other trim parts are made from billet aluminum. I wired the headlights and taillights so that they work also. The body was painted metallic orange and silver using automotive paint. Our Final Thoughts As you can see, Henry has the Midas touch—probably from all those years building and restoring full-size Chevys! Certainly one look at his Nomad shows you he has the touch in 1:1 too. He still takes the Nomad out to car shows occasionally, but he’s begun bringing his 1:8 models to shows too; he tells us they garner at least as much attention as the ’57! He gets offers to sell them all the time, but so far, he has resisted. He enjoys the excitement and interest they bring—and the conversations they start with fans—too much to part with them. We’re glad he has hung onto them, and we’re really thankful that Henry is a loyal DCX reader and let us show off his beautiful workmanship. ✇ Henry snagged one of GMP’s excellent 1:6 Chrysler 392 Hemi drag motors to power his Willys. It needed a few accessories to install it, so he machined a water pump and crafted a custom set of headers. 1:1 ’57 Nomad Henry learned his skills building 1:1 cars—mostly Chevys. He’s particularly fond of Nomads, having owned a pair of ’55s in his youth. These days, he rolls to the occasional car show in his restored ’57. Notice the chromed-up modern EFI small-block power. It’s got a modern suspension and interior too! Henry adapted a set of sport seats from a big-scale Porsche and added a console. The suicide doors are held closed with small magnets. FALL 2017 53

out of the box by matt boyd AUTOart Rocket over from the stock version, and the signature notched sections at Bunny Toyota 86 while the chassis plate and the the rear of the front wheel wells— interior tub use have much in developed first out of necessity JDM Bodybuilding Raised common with the JDM (right- for the sport of competition to a Fine Art hand drive) 86, new suspension drifting, which requires much more parts, exhaust, and racing seats radical steering angles than stock. Unless you’re well-versed in Japanese represent significant alteration. That required cutting out the import-car culture, the name Kei Miura may not AUTOart couldn’t afford to do it back of the wheel well to prevent be a household name to you, but his tuning and halfway and maintain the level rubbing of the wider-than-stock customizing brands—Team 6666, Tops Racing of authenticity it sought for the tires at full opposite lock. That look Art (TRA-Kyoto), Pandem, and Rocket Bunny— project, so it made the requisite became part of the aesthetic, so have risen to become major players in the genre. changes. it’s now incorporated even into kits In fact, in the arena of custom body kits, he The Rocket Bunny body kit for road cars. The Rocket Bunny has established a defining aesthetic, combining AUTOart chose to replicate is its 86 has extended-length steering elements of tuner, drifting, and racing to create V2 Aero kit. It is comprised of arms and wider tires, and the a look that is both distinctive and trendsetting. 15 separate body panels and way they tuck perfectly under retails for roughly $3,800, not the lip of the fenders with nearly Tuner parts titan GReddy is the (JDM) tuner car category, and with counting the mechanical and imperceptible gaps without ever U.S. distributor for the body kits, tooling already developed for the interior alterations. Because the actually making contact is a subtly and the designs the company Subaru/Toyota/Scion triplets, the model required all-new body ingenious bit of modelcraft. The created for the entry-level Subaru Rocket Bunny 86 was a natural tooling anyway, and because rear is augmented with a nicely BRZ/Toyota 86/Scion FR-S progression. But that affiliation the real car uses composites integrated under-diffuser with sports coupes propelled the brand belies just how extensive the in place of steel and aluminum channels for a custom exhaust to international renown. AUTOart changes to the model truly are. panels throughout, AUTOart system as well as a rear deck has long had its finger on the pulse Virtually nothing of the body but chose to make the model part spoiler. The front is all-new, with of the Japanese Domestic Market the door panels and hood carry of its composite series as well. a low-slung fascia that has a This not only allows AUTOart to much larger radiator opening. deliver the car at a $140 MSRP but The standard kit includes mesh also permits much tighter panel grillework to fill it, but it has been lines and surface detailing of the left open here to showcase the rivets and bracketry that make up GReddy-branded intercooler the Rocket Bunny kit. The most that has been bolted in front of obvious change is the addition the radiator—a JDM tuner staple! of wide-body fender extensions Another staple is the deep front front and rear, which blend nicely splitter supported by metal into the recontoured front and rear bracket rods. The car comes in valences. Of particular note are five different colors (so far); this In case you were wondering, the reversed graphics are not a misprint. Having one side of the car appear as a mirror image of the other is fashionable in the Japanese drift-car scene. 54 DCXmag.com

I LOVE THAT AUTOART IS INVESTING IN MANUFACTURING QUALITY MODELS THAT FEED THE PASSIONS OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF AUTOMOTIVE ENTHUSIASTS. white one has a fine metal flake the line at Toyota’s Ōta, Japan, e seats, steering wheel, pedal set, and 4-point harnesses are all upgrades from the shine to it that looks even better assembly plant, allowing AUTOart stock 86 setup. in person. to reuse its production 86 interior tub, gauge cluster, and floorboard One benefit of AUTOart’s flocking—all of which are excellent. composite construction—which consists of a metal frame under e hood on this model is an ABS bodyshell (similar to the sealed—my only disappointment construction of real cars)—is that with it. With that big and nicely it allows wider opening doors and detailed GReddy intercooler, I lower-profile hinges than thick wanted to see the remainder metal-bodied cars. As such, the of what is surely an awesome doors swing wide enough to really aftermarket turbo setup on the show off the interior. e dash and Subaru-sourced flat-4 engine. center console are mostly stock, Alas, it was not to be, so we but the seats have been replaced have to be satisfied with that with aggressive dual-purpose intercooler and a fat aftermarket road/race buckets with 4-point exhaust, which ditches the factory harnesses. e drilled aluminum stuff for a tiny little bullet-shaped pedal set and steering wheel look catalytic converter and a single aftermarket too, but the rest looks resonator pipe. While you’re under pretty much like what rolled off the car, note the lengthened suspension arms and the wide Nitto tires—225s up front and to connect with the specific AT A GLANCE 255s in back, mounted on a aesthetics. But is what firms MODEL gorgeous set of 18-inch 3-piece like Rocket Bunny and GReddy Rocket Bunny Toyota 86 wheels. And on a personal note, are doing really all that different I’m thrilled that the beautiful rolling from what brands like Baldwin- MANUFACTURER stock is mounted at an angle for Motion or Hurst did during the AUTOart actual performance, not “stanced” height of the muscle-car era? I to make the car cartoonish. love that AUTOart is investing in GENRE manufacturing quality models Modern import tuner FINAL THOUGHTS that feed the passions of the next generation of automotive SCALE e JDM tuner genre has been enthusiasts. I wish it had detailed 1:18 gaining acceptance among diecast the engine as well as it did the collectors for quite some time. rest of the car, but even so, I PRICE think this model is a success $140 (est) e rapidly evolving trends and and hope it brings more of those the youth of the fan base have next-gen enthusiasts into the WHAT WE LIKE conspired to keep the category mostly concentrated at the collector fold. ✇ + Treats the JDM genre with lower end of the price spectrum, respect but that is changing—due in no SOURCE small part to models like this. + Fine metal-flake paint is Traditionalists may struggle AUTOart autoartmodels.com gorgeous in person + Fitment of wheels under the fender lips is subtle genius FALL 2017 55

MODELS IN MOTION BY MATT BOYD Kyosho Fazer VEi If you wanted an RC muscle car, saw how well it replicated these 1970 Chevrolet you had to be willing to paint iconic proportions, we figured Chevelle SS 454 and cut the body yourself, and diecast collectors now finally had chances are that the dimensions a reason to get excited about the Kyosho’s Mega-Muscle were going to be off as body RC world. Kyosho even added Chevy Looks the Part shapes had to be modified to fit vintage-looking tall-sidewall existing wheelbase chassis—not tires on a passable interpretation Historically, RC cars haven’t cared much about the other way around. But scale of muscle-era wheel—sort of looking scale accurate. The emphasis was on accuracy has become more of a Magnum 500-ish. And the lights performance—on-road or off—and the looks priority in recent years, as has an have lenses with housings to allow came a distant second. Or if a vehicle was scale, appreciation for classic American easy upgrade to working head- it tended to drive like a dog—not really very iron. at has culminated in the car and taillights. appealing for a performance machine. And the you see on these pages: Kyosho’s RC market didn’t pay much attention anyway to Fazer VEi 1:10 1970 Chevelle SS “Exciting” is the key word the classic American car designs that we love. 454—the king of Chevy muscle! here because this car does not compromise performance for its Yes, we’re talking about the scale looks. It comes out of the same Kyosho that makes diecast box exactly as you see it here cars like the Land Rover Defender and includes all the gear you you see on page 26. Kyosho is a need to get rolling (minus four huge player in RC too—both for AA batteries for the radio). e on-road cars (generically referred power-system battery—a 7.2V to as “touring cars” by much of nickel-metal hydride pack—is the industry) and off-road trucks included, and after you juice it and buggies and the like. When it up with the supplied charger, announced this Chevelle and we this Chevelle does 25+mph right AT A GLANCE WHAT WE LIKE MODEL Fazer VEi 1970 Chevrolet + Finally—proper muscle-car Chevelle SS 454 looks in RC Speed to match its looks MANUFACTURER Kyosho ++ Everything you need comes in the box GENRE Classic muscle car SCALE 1:10 (RC) PRICE $350 56 DCXmag.com

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming… Oh yeah, this is a diecast magazine. Red ’70 Chevelle SSs have been a pretty hot commodity in scale over the last few years. Here are a few of our favorites in 1:18, so you have something to compare the RC car to! out of the box! Before you scoff, not to mention more than double spin it out a few times at first and Auto World has not one but two versions remember this is for a 1:10 car— the roughly seven-minute run you don’t want to scuff up that of a Cranberry Red SS available at the that translates to 250mph when time of the stock NiMH. Kyosho cool Chevelle body! moment. We reviewed the Jack Reacher you account for scale. Trust me even throws in a second set of Kyosho offers it in Fathom Blue 454SS back in the Fall 2015 issue, and when I say that if you have not harder wheels/tires (what it calls with white SS stripes as well, but that has since been joined by a 396 using driven a proper hobby-grade RC “drift tires”), which allow you to we chose the Cranberry Red with the same casting. car before (we’re not talking toy- get the Chevelle sideways on black stripes because of all the store plastic junk here!), 25mph demand in proper muscle-car diecast cars out there these days GreenLight released two versions of will feel like 250—and trigger a fashion. This is necessary because in that scheme. The typical price Dom’s Chevelle SS 454 from Fast & pucker factor to go along with the Fazer chassis (which Kyosho is about $350 ready to go, which, Furious IV—one in primer gray and this your huge grin. lengthened to look proportional given the looks and performance one in Cranberry Red. It’s not quite as When you are ready for more, with the Chevelle body) is AWD of this car, is a pretty good bargain. detailed as the Auto World model, but it the brushless motor system in the and has 4-wheel independent For Mopar fans, Kyosho also offers retailed for a lot less, which made it an Chevelle can accept an upgraded suspension, meaning it handles the chassis with a ’70 Charger R/T excellent value—more so because it has lithium-polymer battery that infinitely better than a real since appreciated in value. should squeeze a few extra mph Chevelle! Handling on rails is fast, body. Drag race, anyone? ✇ out of it with no other changes— but let’s face it: Opposite-lock powerslides are half the fun with Sources a muscle car, so do yourself a favor and try out the drift tires. Kyosho kyoshoamerica.com Just make sure you have plenty of space because you are going to Auto World autoworldstore.com GreenLight Collectibles greenlighttoys.com Acme Trading Co. acmediecast.com Acme took over the old Lane/Exact Detail ’70 Chevelle tooling and has started producing SS coupes and convertibles with it. No Cranberry Red (yet), but a while back, it did do this Monaco Orange SS 454. Kyosho even throws in a second set of harder wheels/tires, which allow you to get the Chevelle sideways on demand in proper muscle-car fashion. fall 2017 57

hot wheels highway by mike zarnock More Fast, More Furious, More Fun! H ot Wheels has yet again brought collectors and fans the latest selection of stars from the iconic Toretto makes a quick appearance replica looks as if it would surely the Fast & Furious film franchise. Although the in a gray metallic ’70 Road Runner do the task with no issues at all. eight cars in this set are not all from one movie, they’re that he says he won from Han. It looks authentic painted in blue taken from selected scenes throughout the series and The Hot Wheels version is every enamel with a black “GT3 RS” are prominent characters in their own right. The graphics bit as good-looking as the one in stripe on the lower portion of the were designed by Mike McClone, Jerry Thienprasiddhi, and the film, with candy gray metallic car. It has a black interior with Jeremy Cox. The card art was developed by Hot Wheels’ paint and the addition of a black dark smoked windows and a blue packaging designer John Colucci. “HEMI” hockey stick stripe on the plastic rear wing at the end of the rear quarter panel. This car has a rear deck. The car rides on a set of Starting the group is Johnny At the beginning of 2 Fast cream interior with lightly tinted BBS wheels, which really finish off Tran’s black Honda S2000 from 2 Furious, Brian O’Conner pulls windows and a chrome Thailand the look that the car deserves. The Fast and the Furious. You up in a silver 1999 Nissan Skyline base, and given a serious look may remember it as the car that GT-R that is number two on our from blacked-out PR5 wheels This next piece of automotive raced against Jesse’s white 1995 list of automotive film heroes. with a chrome rim. film history has to be one of my Volkswagen Jetta A3 at Car Wars. The Hot Wheels rendition comes The S2000 comes with all the side pretty close to its on-screen In Fast Five, Brian is seen and hood tampos as does the car counterpart with silver metallic driving a blue 2001 Porsche GT3 in the film, along with a red interior, paint and dark blue side tampo RS, another car won by Dom in a clear windows, and small chrome designs. It has a black interior street race. The scene opens as 10-spoke wheels. Maybe Jesse and clear windows, and it rides on Brian tries to drive the Porsche should have waited until this Hot chrome 10-spoke wheels. hard enough to be able to gain ac- Wheels version came out before cess to Hernan Reyes’s compound he bet Johnny Tran that his Jetta Number three on the list comes without being detected by the was faster! from the end of The Fast and the security cameras, but the car just Furious: Tokyo Drift, where Dom won’t make it. The Hot Wheels Brian’s R34 Skyline GT-R is one of the stars of the second installment of the franchise. Johnny Tran’s black Honda S2000 makes quick work of Jesse’s Jetta in the film that started it all. Dom’s ’70 Road Runner shows up briefly in Tokyo Drift and returns in F&F IV. Hot Wheels’ version forgoes the hood stripe and adds a hockey stick, which wasn’t in the film. 58 DCXmag.com

Eight cars comprise this series, and they Porsche makes its presence known in Fast Five. span the first seven F&F films. Another Fast Five favorite is the Corvette Grand Sport Roadster. Toyota Supras have been staples of the early films; one shows up in Furious 7 as well. all-time favorites: the Corvette of stunt work for not only the cast and this car—from Furious 7—is a Subaru’s WRX STi got a bump to its Grand Sport Roadster seen in Fast of actors but also the automo- good example why. Painted white street cred when lead character, Five. Not too many people know tive stars—hence, the use of the enamel with a large rear wing and it; there were only five of these 1970 Ford Escort RS1600 (which, detailed headlights and taillights, Brian, drove this 2012 STi during the race-ready Corvettes assembled by the way, has become the most this 1994 Supra looks very pretty. skydive chase sequence. in 1963 before GM put a halt to successful rally car of all time!). A It has a black interior with smoked production. Zora Arkus-Duntov middle-of-the-road blue metallic windows and a set of small wire and a simple silver-and-black designed these ultralight roadsters paint with white striping on the wheels, which give it a mean side tampo. This car looks all specifically to beat Carroll Shelby hood and sides gives this little street stance. business with a black interior, and his Cobras. Mattel detailed European hot rod a look as if it’s smoked windows, and blue-gray its version in silver metallic paint ready to go rallying right out of Pulling up at number eight and 10-spoke wheels. with a black interior and a short the package. It has a chrome left- ending the bunch is a pearl blue race-style blue-tinted windshield. hand-drive interior, clear windows, metallic Subaru WRX STI from As usual, Hot Wheels has The plastic Thailand base is molded and front rally lights with a blue Furious 7 with a gloss black hood given the fans cars from a favorite in dark gray, detailing the chassis plastic Thailand base. The wheels film series that won’t empty the along with all the other important are small gold MC5, rather than the collector’s bank account! You can go-fast parts and finishing it all Empi-style wheels shown on the find this set, along with others off with a set of large chrome film car, but they look just as good. like it, exclusively available from a PR5 wheels. Walmart near you! The Toyota Supra is widely used Fast & Furious 6 featured a lot in the Fast & Furious franchise, fall 2017 59

hot wheels highway Flashback 2004 ZAMAC Goes Mass-Market Since their first release in 1995, the Treasure Hunt Series has been This is the Two 2 Go (no. 6). the topic of praise, controversy, misadventure, or a mixture of the three. There’s always been talk of who’s taking cars from the cases before they even make it to the shelves or what scalper has an in with what store employee. Whether it’s Hot Wheels or any other Limited Edition Collectibles, there will always be someone who has something to complain about because they can’t find the product. Believe it or not, there was a time that col- not for the retail market. Again, it seems The ’Tooned 360 Modena is no. 7. lectors had something other than Treasure that Mattel had delivered yet another No. 12 is the Bling2 Dairy Delivery (no. 12). Hunt cars to complain about not finding. extremely-sought-after, hard-to-come- The Dodge Neon (no. 18) is part of the Hardnoze series. The year was 2004, and the cars that were by, “I-gotta-have-them-all”-type of car in demand were the brand-new ZAMAC for the collector to be looking for. But (zinc, aluminum, magnesium, and copper) I think the best thing about this whole cars. They were unpainted, bare-metal deal was that they were actually planned Limited Edition Hot Wheels cars, with variations! tampos that were variations of the painted versions within the series. And as if they As if the store employees weren’t weren’t going to be hard to find being a already tired of collectors asking if there limited run, it only made it worse that they were any new unopened Hot Wheels were sold exclusively in Toys“R”Us stores! cases in the back room, collectors found out that the cases containing these The original plan was to manufacture exclusive ZAMAC cars had a light blue the first 20 releases of the 2004 First Edi- stripe on them rather than the standard tions Hot 100 (not the first 20 numerically) purple stripe. This was a good thing if you as a limited number of ZAMAC unpainted knew about it and were able to get an bodies with the standard tampo. Once employee to bring you an unopened case Mattel’s magic number was reached, the to go through. Then again, it was a bad rest of the bodies were painted and the thing since everyone eventually found out same tampos added. This is the first time about the “blue stripe,” and those were that this style of car was released as a the only cases to get opened. There were variation into the normal production run. many cases with the “purple stripe” left in There had been other ZAMAC cars before the back room that didn’t get opened until this, but those were made in a 500-piece much later, and of course, by then, those run especially for a Hot Wheels event, cases had become old news. If you were A ’64 Chevy Impala is no. 4 on the ZAMAC list. A 1968 Nova is no. 5. 60 DCXmag.com

No. 22 is this Mustang Funny Car. e Bedlam truck ring is in at no. 27. Another Hardnoze in the series is no. 39, a ’74 Monte Carlo. 2004 Checklist ❑ Deora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25/100 First Editions ’Tooned collecting at that time, ❑ Bedlam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27/100 First Editions you’ll surely remember ❑ Batmobile. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/100 First Editions ❑ Chevy Fleetline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28/100 First Editions that’s when Toys“R”Us ❑ Dodge Charger 1969 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2/100 First Editions ❑ Lotus Sport Elise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36/100 First Editions had a continuous supply ❑ Swoopy Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3/100 First Editions ❑ Chevy Monte Carlo 1974 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39/100 First Editions Hardnoze of older stock, and it took ❑ Chevy Impala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4/100 First Editions ❑ Splittin’ Image with a very long time to get it ❑ Nova 1968 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5/100 First Editions cleared out. ❑ Two 2 Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/100 First Editions ’Tooned white HW logo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43/100 First Editions ’Tooned ❑ 360 Modena . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/100 First Editions ’Tooned ❑ Splittin’ Image with As it turns out, after ❑ Toyota Supra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/100 First Editions ’Tooned everything was said and ❑ Enzo Ferrari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/100 First Editions ’Tooned black & white HW logo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43/100 First Editions ’Tooned done for the year, there ❑ Shift Kicker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/100 First Editions ’Tooned ❑ Ooz Coupe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44/100 First Editions Crooze were actually 36—not 20— ❑ Dairy Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12/100 First Editions Bling2 ❑ Plymouth Barracuda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45/100 First Editions Fatbax cars produced as ZAMAC ❑ Hyperliner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13/100 First Editions Bling2 ❑ W-Oozie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46/100 First Editions Crooze releases, with three cars ❑ Dodge Ram Pickup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15/100 First Editions Bling2 ❑ Ford Mustang GT Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48/100 First Editions ❑ 2 Cool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16/100 First Editions Hardnoze ❑ Plymouth Barracuda 1972 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53/100 First Editions Blings having variations. ✇ ❑ Grandy Lusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17/100 First Editions Hardnoze ❑ Silhouette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62/100 First Edition Fatbax ❑ Dodge Neon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18/100 First Editions Hardnoze ❑ Camaro Z28 ’69 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71/100 First Editions ’Tooned Michael ❑ Merc 1949 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19/100 First Editions Hardnoze ❑ Madd Propz with silver Zarnock ❑ Mustang Funny Car with has been metallic painted base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76/100 First Editions collecting white Ford tampo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22/100 First Editions ❑ Madd Propz with ZAMAC Hot Wheels ❑ Mustang Funny Car with since 1968; unpainted base . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76/100 First Editions he is con- blue Ford tampo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22/100 First Editions ❑ Mitsubishi Eclipse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90/100 First Editions sidered by ❑ Rockster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23/100 First Editions ❑ Jacknabbit Special . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92/100 First Editions Fatbax many to be ❑ ’63 Corvette. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93/100 First Editions ’Tooned the ultimate variation historian. If you would like a complete checklist of all 2011 mainline variations, be sure to pick up a copy of Michael’s book Hot Wheels Variations, 2000-2013 Identification & Price Guide. Copies are available from his website: mikezarnock.com. FALL 2017 61

quick LOOK The DB10 was custom-built for the film and foreshadows the direction of future Aston styling. Hot Wheels Elite pension all carry over—which was important for the production crew as it Aston Martin DB10 James afforded a measure of reliability that an entirely untested concept could Bond Spectre Edition not. Prototype though it is, the DB10 is not strictly one of a kind. Aston actually built 10 of them; eight were used in filming the extended chase 1:18 | $179 By Matt Boyd sequence through the nighttime streets of Rome, where Bond is hounded by the sinister Jaguar C-X75 (five of which were also built for the film), S ecret Agent James Bond and Aston Martin have been inextricably while the final two DB10s were retained for promotional purposes. linked since the 1964 classic movie Goldfinger introduced the world to the iconic DB5. Most of the filming was done with the Hot Wheels has just released its 1:18 replica of the DB10, complete with original DB5 prototype, retrofit by Q Branch (aka the special-effects a few Bond-specific touches. The overall proportions are spot-on with crew) with a host of gadgets, starting a tradition for Bond vehicles that the Vantage, but the DB10 features much more dramatically sculpted has endured more than half a century. In the latest Bond film, both 007 front and rear fasciae as well as pronounced bulges over wheel arches and Aston Martin return to their roots in crafting a Bond car for Spectre. housing distinctive twisted 10-spoke wheels. The hood is a clamshell Like the Goldfinger DB5, the DB10 is a prototype—but this is a concept design that is front-hinged and parts from the fenders through the center car designed specifically for the movie. Unlike with the DB5, Aston has no of the Aston-signature side vents, and unlike the Vantage, the DB10 is plans to build a production version. The DB10 is purely a styling exercise, not a hatchback—the rear window is fixed and does not rise with the foreshadowing the future direction of Aston design while providing Bond tiny trunk lid. The large grille opening has the familiar Aston contour, but with a suitably high-profile conveyance for the film itself. it is stretched around a more rounded nose. The hood features stippled vents on either side of a modest power bulge, although these are As a concept car, it carries all-new bodywork, but the underpinnings represented by decals rather than cast in. The aggressively raked roofline are based on the existing Vantage V8. The engine, gearbox, and sus­ and narrowed rear window are accurately depicted but there is a minor casting flaw on the driver’s side C-pillar. Bond steals the DB10 before Q has finalized the modifications. The model includes Q’s panel of jury-rigged toggle switches. The interior features some innovative styling cues too. There is no center stack—the console joins the dash via an asymmetrical pylon, while all the instruments and switchgear are mounted in a nacelle surrounding the driver. The model even depicts the rough panel of toggle switches for the selection of gadgets Q Branch had not finished installing at the time Bond absconded with the DB10 in the film. The engine is the 420hp 4.7L V-8 from the Vantage, and it is depicted in relief by a molded insert. It is convincing thanks to excellent paintwork and effective use of separately molded pieces for a number of the hoses and lines atop the engine. Spectre was, in many ways, a return to classic form for a Bond film, not the least of which because it resurrected that classic villainous organization and Bond’s most famous archenemy. Certainly the appear­ ance of the DB10 conjured echoes of Goldfinger and the DB5. But the DB10 is all about the future for Aston Martin—many of its features clearly previewed the just released DB11 production model. But the true appeal of the DB10 lies in those 10 minutes of screen time as it darts, drifts, and bounds its way through the streets of Rome, delivering 007 from the clutches of the villainous Jag. Fans of the film franchise who want to add the Hot Wheels’ model to their collection of Bond vehicles should act quickly as it will likely sell out. Source Hot Wheels hotwheels-elite.com 62 DCXmag.com

AUTOMODELLO 1981 AAR EAGLE CHALLENGER 1:43 | $160 STANDARD EDITION ; $195 FOUNDER’S EDITION By the DCX team AAR came up with the Boundary Layer Adhesion Technology design for Chip Mead’s White Castle car, as well as team leader Mike Mosely’s Pepsi Challenger. For most drivers, a winning percentage of one victory for every four plagued it at the next race in Milwaukee, resulting in a last-place starting starts would mark the highlight of a career, but in some ways, Dan position on the grid using a promoter’s option. But the tight Milwaukee Gurney’s driving record in IndyCar—seven wins in 28 starts—might Mile oval suited the Challenger’s prodigious grip, and Mosely set about seem secondary to his other accomplishments. But his stellar driving working his way through the field. Picking off cars one by one, Mosely record (in Formula 1, Sports Cars, NASCAR, Can Am, Trans Am, as well as eventually took the lead and finished more than a lap out front of his IndyCar) is only half the story because, while he was winning in virtually nearest competitors. It would lead in four more races, but bad luck would every major racing series on the planet, he was revving up his second deny it a second win. e other team owners would ultimately succeed in career. He hung up his driving helmet in 1970, but he founded All American petitioning IndyCar to outlaw the Challenger. Racers (AAR) back in 1964. By 1966, AAR, Gurney’s race team and car constructor firm, was building competitive cars for USAC (IndyCar) and Automodello has crafted the ’81 Pepsi Challenger—and its team car Formula 1 simultaneously. Gurney’s win at the 1967 Grand Prix of Belgium sponsored by White Castle and driven by Chip Mead—in 1:43. e models remains the first and only time that an American has won an F1 race in a were developed in conjunction with the All American Racers organization, car of his own construction. Meanwhile, Gurney Eagles were also winning and a limited run of special Founder’s Editions bear a hand-signed and in IndyCar, and starting in 1969, AAR focused its full attention on designing numbered certificate of authenticity by none other than Dan Gurney cars for that series. Over the next decade, AAR-designed Eagles would himself, who reportedly counts the Challenger as his personal favorite score 51 IndyCar victories (including Gurney’s) and a Championship for of all the AAR designs! Studying the models, it is fascinating to note the driver Bobby Unser in 1974. differences between the team cars, particularly in the engine-cover area. Given the reliability issues with the stock-block Chevy, AAR chose to e unusual cars you see on these pages would score the last of hedge its bets by running the White Castle car with the more proven those victories. In 1980, AAR introduced a version of its Eagle Indy turbo Cosworth power; the model’s left rear clearly shows the turbo inlet, Car with the truly innovative “Boundary Layer Adhesion Technology” while the Pepsi car has the conventional exhaust of the Chevy. Both cars (aka BLAT). e acronym referred to the novel system of generating have the unique broad tail that was integral to the BLAT technology, which aerodynamic downforce developed by Gurney and engineers John Ward is similar to the vortex-generating diffusers under a modern Formula 1 and Trevor Harris. While conventional cars of the day relied on ground car—but 30 years earlier! e Challenger’s career was short-lived but effects, the Eagle generated twin vortices under the rear bodywork to spectacular—and its legacy of engineering innovation epitomizes what generate downforce. e car looked like nothing else on the track, and its AAR is all about. performance soon proved just as singular. When the Eagle showed up at Indianapolis in 1981 carrying Pepsi Challenger sponsorship, driver Mike SOURCE Mosely qualified second, but the car was retired early due to reliability issues with its stock-block pushrod Chevy V-8. More reliability issues Automodello (automodello.com); distributed by Diecasm diecasm.com Founder’s Editions of the Pepsi car are hand-signed by Dan Gurney himself! FALL 2017 63

QUICK LOOK BEST OF SHOW 1979 In its final year, the Ranchero shared FORD RANCHERO a chassis and front-end bodywork with the LTD II sedan. 1:18 | $120 By the DCX team pickup bed, and there are etched-metal scripts: “Ford” on the tailgate and Fate has been a little unfair to the Ford “Ranchero” on the fenders. ere’s a pad for the radio-antenna mount Ranchero. When Ford introduced the but no antenna itself on the model. hybrid coupe/utility truck in 1957, it created a whole new class of vehicle—one Interior detail is also very nice, although the smallish windows make that was almost immediately taken over by a copycat rival! Chevrolet it a bit of a challenge to see it all. It’s a reddish brown, simulating vinyl unabashedly imitated Ford when it launched the El Camino just two years upholstery, with a bench seat and column-shift transmission lever. later, but it wasn’t long before the Chevy came to define the niche— outselling the Ford every single year except for 1960. But it wasn’t sales e gauges are well detailed, and there’s a simulated wood grain to the that ultimately led Ford to cancel the Ranchero after the 1979 model year; instrument panel itself. One interesting bit is the wheel choice. Most it was the lack of a suitable platform on which to build it. roughout its Rancheros of later model years came with Magnum 500 wheels or steel life, the Ranchero had been based on Ford’s midsize platform—starting wheels with hubcaps, but this car wears a set of 5-spoke mags. ey with the Falcon, moving to the Fairlane/Torino in 1966, then migrating may not be factory, but they are very typical of how many surviving to the Torino replacement LTD II for its final three years (1977–79). But Rancheros are outfitted today, so they look great. the LTD II was oversize and overweight by late-’70s standards and was discontinued after 1979, leaving no midsize body-on-frame platforms in BoS is developing quite a reputation for producing replicas of unusual Ford’s lineup to underpin the Ranchero. classic American cars that have been overlooked by other manufacturers, and it is rendering them with impressive accuracy. is 1979 Ranchero Best of Show marks the final-year Ranchero with this Dark Pine is a perfect example; it isn’t a model you immediately think of, but as a Metallic ’79 model. is appears to be in “500” trim, as it lacks the car that capped 32 years of continuous production of the vehicle that Squire’s faux wood paneling or the GT’s graphics. Mechanically, all three established the car/pickup crossover, it’s worthy of being modeled with trims were identical, offering either the 302, 351, or the top-option 400 the faithfulness this model provides. small-block engine, backed by a 3-speed automatic. BoS models are sealed-body resin, so no engine is available to examine, but the presence SOURCE of dual-exhaust outlets suggests either the 351 or the 400. e casting Best of Show; distributed by American Excellence american-excellence.com itself is very accurate, capturing the huge front and rear overhangs that made this one of the longest “midsize” cars Ford ever produced. e paint is also excellent; the fine metal flake giving a nice shine to the dark green color. e giant vertical grille with stacked headlights is straight off the LTD and is the most impressive feature on the model, although the passenger-side turn-signal housing was slightly misaligned on our sample. ere is trim around the window openings and rimming the e BoS Ranchero does a really nice job with the metallic green paint and all the trim. 64 DCXmag.com

Quartzo Jochen Rindt Lotus 72C French GP Winner 1:18 | $100 By the DCX team Jochen Rindt’s story is like no other in the history of Formula 1. Equal The detail on the Cosworth Ford V-8 is a highlight. There is even transparent tubing for parts triumphant and tragic, he is the only Driver’s Champion to lines to the fuel-injection system. be crowned posthumously, having perished in a practice crash prior to the Italian Grand Prix. But even though he did not survive to but Rindt chose to wear only four of the safety straps on his 5-point compete in the final four races of the 13-race season, he had scored harness, forgoing the crotch strap. When his car slid under the barrier, enough points by virtue of his five victories in the first nine rounds that he simultaneously slid under his belts and perished from severe he retained the championship lead over Jacky Ickx through the end of neck injuries. the season. His team—Lotus-Ford—also won the Constructor’s title, despite being in utter turmoil after Rindt’s death and the immediate Quartzo manufactures 1:18 replicas of Rindt’s winning 72Cs from the resignation of his teammate John Miles. The car that would win Rindt his Dutch, French, and British races as well as the debut car from Spain. The ill-fated championship—and the last car he would ever drive—was the model you see here is Rindt’s French GP winner. The technical details of revolutionary Lotus 72C. Under the leadership of boss Colin Chapman, the 72C are represented well: the inboard brakes under the vertical slots Lotus was known for its innovation, having pioneered many of the in the nose and nestled against the gearbox in back, the side-mounted technologies that had become standard in the F1 field over the preceding twin radiators, and the compact torsion-bar suspension that replaced decade. For 1970, the Lotus 72 offered up more firsts, including sidepod- conventional coil springs. Detail on the Cosworth Ford DFV V-8 is very mounted radiators and inboard-mounted disc brakes to reduce unsprung satisfying, with the mesh covering the independent induction stacks for weight at the wheels. The car was initially fragile, and after it failed to the fuel-injection system even featuring fuel lines. Out back, there is an finish in its debut outing at the Spanish Grand Prix (the second race oil cooler and a battery perched on the tail right between the exhaust of the season), it was returned to the factory for more development. outlets. The paint matches the race-specific livery and other details It reappeared for race 5, the Dutch Grand Prix, with the bugs worked specific to the French GP. Even the helmet that the driver figure wears is out, where Rindt kicked off a four-race winning streak—followed by the correct to the French race, and it is different on the other cars. About the French, British, and German Grands Prix. only miss is the tires. The model wears slicks, but the 72C’s Firestones were treaded. And then came Italy. Monza was the fastest track of the series, and several cars—including the Lotuses—experimented with removing the Jochen Rindt is a tragic and historic figure, and his brilliance during the wings to reduce downforce and increase top speeds on Monza’s long 1970 season hints at what greater things he might have achieved had his straights. Rindt’s Lotus was topping 205mph in practice, but the increased life not been cut short at just 28 years of age at the peak of his career. top speed also put more strain on the brake system, which failed as This car celebrates that peak, even as it marks the beginning of the Rindt was entering the famed Parabolica. His car veered off the track career of one of the most influential car designs in F1 history. It is a worthy and slid under a poorly designed guardrail. He still might have survived, addition to any fan’s collection. ✇ Source Quartzo; distributed by Sun Star sunstarmodelcars.com Quartzo does four different versions of the Rindt Lotus 72. Each is subtly different and matched to the race they appeared in. FALL 2017 65

REAR VIEW Oldie but a Goodie: Ertl’s 1969 442 BY RON RUELLE General Motors struck door reveals an odd detail. It may matic as an option (and no, the Above: e most distinctive element gold when they appear that the mirror is broken company did not rebadge autos that marks a ’69 Olds is the separated introduced their off, but the mounting hole is as 432s!), but this car is a proper grille—the gap tooth!—and the removal of midsize range of cars actually plugged from the factory. 4-speed with a tall chrome gear wing windows, both of which Ertl’s model in 1964. e “A-body” cars were On the real car, a passenger-side lever—one of the only breaks in gets right. the Chevy Chevelle, Pontiac mirror was optional, and often no- the expanse of black interior. (Fun Tempest/Le Mans, Buick Skylark, frills performance models would fact: For about three weeks in Left: It gets the engine bay right too. and Oldsmobile F-85/Cutlass. forgo unnecessary (and heavy) 1969, GM ran out of Chevelle seat Underhood, the bronze engine and bright bits like extra rear-view mirrors. covers and door panels, so they red fender liners are visually interesting ey were sporty, just the right dropped in Buick and Olds parts to and historically correct. size, and reasonably priced. It e interior is equally spartan keep the assembly lines moving.) didn’t take long for each division and just as black, reflecting the counts. When you pop the hood to realize that there was room no-nonsense spirit of this car. By Of course, with a muscle car, on this model, you are greeted for bigger engines, of course, and 1969, the 442 offered an auto- it’s what’s under the hood that with an explosion of color—the soon the Chevelle SS, Pontiac engine block is bright bronze, just GTO, and Buick GS were prowling like on the real car but unlike any the streets. Oldsmobile offered other Olds of that vintage. ere’s the 442 (four-barrel carb, a bright chrome air cleaner and, 4-speed stick, dual exhaust) as its of course, matching red fender sport option and offered further wells. On the real W30, one of the upgrades like the W30 package— upgrades was to change the front just in case. wells from steel to plastic to clear the ducts to the special intake In 1:18 scale, there are several system. To make sure everyone models of 1968–69 Chevelle/ knew about it, they were molded SS models out there, quite a few in bright red. On the model, you GTOs, no Skylark/GS models can see it behind the wheels. (a criminally underrepresented car!), and very few Cutlass/442 It’s surprising there aren’t more models. As you can see elsewhere models of the Cutlass from this in this issue, Auto World has era, but there are a few—and with a fresh model of the 442, but Auto World having revamped the long before that, Ertl offered a tooling, there will hopefully be model of the ’68 and ’69 Olds, in more to come. If anyone is taking Cutlass, 442, and Hurst trim. e requests, the Cutlass was the 442 had the subtlest exterior basis for the Vista Cruiser, widely modifications of all the A-bodies, considered the coolest station with stripes, wheels, and badging wagon of all time. at could be a as the most obvious clues. Ertl’s contender for coolest 1:18 model model captures them as well of all time, too. In the meantime, as the sleek fastback shape. 442s like this are a pretty good A close look at the passenger consolation, and examples still aren’t that expensive on the secondary market. ✇ e exterior styling of the 442 was subtle. Ron Ruelle is social media guru at e performance of the W30 was not. hobbydb.com, a website dedicated to documenting anything and everything collectible. 66 DCXmag.com