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Hot Wheels Brings Back the Original Batcycle! » THE PASSION, PRODUCTS & PERSONALITIES PPROEWSETRIGanEd Timeless Classics That Changed the World Postwar Trendsetter ’49 Cadillac Series 62 by NEO CMC’s World-beating Ferrari 250 GTO METAL GT3PLus OF HONOR Global Formula for AUTOart WW II Sports Racing Success Willys Jeep Lightning Strikes Twice! The Return of Johnny Lightning Display until March 1, 2016 SPRING 2016 $6.99 US $8.99 CAN DCXMAG.COM







contents die cast x | Vol. 12 | issue 2 features 18 | Postwar Pageantry A decade of style and sophistication 34 | GT3 Sports car racing’s global formula for success 44 | Lightning Strikes Twice Ten questions for Johnny Lightning’s Tom Lowe OUT OF THE BOX 18 26 | Sublime Sedanette 54 from Caddy’s Silver Age NEO 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe 28 | Originality and Innovation 50 DCXmag.com Defined the Distinctive Airflyte The ultimate diecast QUICK LOOKs community Sun Star Platinum Collection 1952 Nash Ambassador 62 | AUTOart Willys Jeep with Trailer We only have so many pages in each 63 | Hot Wheels Elite Batcycle issue, so be sure to connect with us at 32 | Ford Brings Modern 64 | GMP 1988 NYPD Police Mustang GT DCXmag.com and and on Facebook at Motoring to the Masses—Again DiecastXmag. We always have tons of UP FRONT bonus content available online: Maisto 1949–50 Ford Convertibles 6 | Editorial n Online Exclusive Reviews 38 | Burly Brit Takes on the Reacquainting with old friends n Extended Photo Galleries Pirelli World Challenge 8 | Showroom n Interactive Features New releases & first looks n Contests and Giveaways TSM Model 2014 Bentley Continental GT3 REGULARS Be sure to visit us regularly online and 40 | A Workaday Supecar via social media to get everything DCX Goes Racing 58 | Hot Wheels Highway has to offer. And you can post your Super spy style/Camouflage stealth thoughts and questions on there, too— AUTOart McLaren 12C GT3 66 | Rear View we’d love to hear from you. Small differences, big deal 50 | The Great One CMC 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO 54 | Mid-Motor Magic from Zuffenhausen Minichamps 2013 Porsche Cayman S 56 | Fifty Years of Spaceflight in Scale Dragon Wings Space Collection Die Cast X (ISSN 1551-854X) published quarterly by Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Copyright 2015, all rights reserved. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at Wilton, CT, and additional offices. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008153. CONTRIBUTIONS: All materials published in Die Cast X magazine become the exclusive property of Air Age Inc., unless prior arrangement is made in writing with the Publisher. Descriptions of products were obtained from manufacturers or their press agencies and do not constitute an endorsement by the Publisher or guarantee their safety. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call (866) 298-5652. Outside the U.S.: (386) 246-3323, or go to our website: DCXMag.com. Rates one year (4 issues): U.S. $25; Canada, $28, including GST; all others, $32. All international orders must be prepaid in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted. ADVERTISING: Advertising rates are available on request. Please send advertising materials to Advertising Dept., Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA; phone (203) 431-9000; fax (203) 529-3010; email: advertising@ airage.com. EDITORIAL: Send correspondence to Editors, Die Cast X, Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Email: [email protected]. We welcome all editorial submissions but assume no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. To authors, photographers and people featured in this magazine: all materials published in Die Cast X become the exclusive property of Air Age Inc. unless a prior arrangement is made in writing with the Publisher. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: To make sure you don’t miss any issues, send your new address to Die Cast X magazine, P.O. Box 420134, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 USA at least six weeks before you move. Please include an address label from a recent issue, or print the information exactly as shown on the label. For faster service, go to DCXmag.com/cs, and click on the customer service link. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Die Cast X magazine, P.O. Box 420134, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 USA.



EDITORIAL With Johnny Lightning’s return, SPRING 2016 | VOLUME 12, NO. 2 Round 2 is bringing back many favorite JL lines. is ’70 GTX will be EDITORIAL part of a new batch of Zingers! Executive Editor Matt Boyd ›› [email protected] Reacquainting with old friends Editorial Director/Surface Group Peter Vieira ›› [email protected] As this issue goes to press, the New Year is fast upon us. at’s always a time to reflect back on Copy Editor the year that was, and to appreciate friends and family who played an important role. We’ve been Suzanne Noel ›› [email protected] lucky enough to be able to reacquaint with some old friends and some beloved brands over this CONTRIBUTORS past year. We welcomed back GMP to the 1:18 ranks a few issues back, and more recently, we Bill Bennett, Peter Celona, Wayne Moyer, celebrated the resurgence of Bburago. In this issue, we do so for two more: Johnny Lightning and Alan Paradise, Dan Townsend, Mike Zarnock Racing Champions. We have Tom Lowe and the gang at Round 2 to thank for that. Of course, this ART is the second time that Tom has rescued Johnny Lightning, so we sat down with him to discuss Creative Director Betty K. Nero his history with the brand and to hear what he has planned for its future as well as that of Racing Art Director Kevin Monahan Champions, which has been out of action for nearly a decade. Photographer Peter Hall DIGITAL MEDIA From there, we examine the formative postwar period of American automotive design with our Web Producer Holly Hansen old friend Alan Paradise. Alan walks us through the evolution of style and technology that initiated ADVERTISING the modern automotive age. We illustrate it with reviews of Neo’s gorgeous 1949 Cadillac Series Advertising Director 62, the ’52 Nash Ambassador from Sun Star, and the ’49–’50 Fords from Maisto. Mitch Brian ››203.529.4609 Senior Account Executive GT3 has become the preferred formula for production-based sports-car racing, bringing Ben Halladay ››203.529.4628 unprecedented parity and factory involvement from around the globe. We take a look at how Account Executive it came about and explore some of the series that use it. en we check out TSM’s Bentley Diane de Spirlet ››203.529.4664 Continental GT3 from the Pirelli World Challenge as well as AUTOart’s FIA-spec McLaren 12C GT3. CONSUMER MARKETING We also review Minichamps mid-engine marvel the Porsche Cayman S, CMC’s stunning Ferrari e Media Source, a division of TEN, 250 GTO, and a quartet of NASA space program greatest hits from Dragon Wings, and 2-wheel- e Enthusiast Network specialist Peter Celona checks out Hot Wheels’ Elite series 1966 Batcycle. Speaking of Hot Wheels, MARKETING & EVENTS our resident expert Mike Zarnock gives us the scoop on the new Bond Car series in 1:64 scale. Plus, Marketing Assistant Erica Driver we’ve got a whole bunch more of the latest and greatest in the diecast world to kick off 2016 right. Event Manager Emil DeFrancesco Enjoy, and thanks for being part of the DCX family! PUBLISHING Group Publishers Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr., Yvonne M. DeFrancesco FOLLOW US On Facebook: diecastxmagazine On Twitter: @DCXmag On Instagram: @diecastx On Google +: DieCast X Magazine Visit us online: DCXmag.com Comments may be sent to: [email protected] EDITORIAL MAIL 88 Danbury Road, Wilton CT 06897 USA Phone (203) 529-4635 Email [email protected] e Association of RCX.com Magazine Media PRINTED IN THE USA Matt Boyd ere’s always more online! SUBSCRIPTION & Executive Editor Additional models, bonus CUSTOMER SERVICES [email protected] reviews, and expanded photo galleries—including Green- For Renewals, Address Changes, Email Light’s Z-28, the Genuine Preferences, Billing and Account Status, go to Ford Parts Model A, and this DCXMag.com/cs. You can also call stunning Kyosho Rolls—all at (800) 827-0323 or + (386) 246-3323 DCXmag.com. (outside the U.S.)

1:111:8:1188 » A»»LAALLBLLRBBARRNAADNNSDSS » A»»LALLLSLCSACLAAELLSEES » 1»»01000%0%DIDDEICEACSAATSST 1982 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham 1972 ISO Grifo 7 Litri (IR8) No. E63-194369 $ 97.95 No. E63-193751 $ 97.95 1:141:34:433 1951 Bentley MK VI Cresta II 1951 Bentley MK VI Harold 1978 Cadillac Fleetwood 1957 Chevrolet 150 2-Door 1955 Chrysler Facel Metallon Radford Countryman Saloon Brougham Sedan Ghia Falcon No. E63-198263 $ 38.95 No. E63-207241 $ 38.95 No. E63-197979 $ 38.95 No. E63-200188 $ 38.95 No. E63-197982 $ 38.95 1971 Intermeccanica 1974 Maserati 1970 Plymouth Cuda 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud 1951 Studebaker Champion Indra Cabriolet Quattroporte II No. E63-193884 $ 38.95 No. E63-200895 426 HEMI III DHC Starlight Coupe $ 38.95 $ 38.95 No. E63-200186 $ 38.95 No. E63-193949 $ 38.95 No. E63-200872 1:141:34:433 1953 Bristol 1938 Buick 2007 Chevrolet GMT 600 1886 Daimler 1979 Dodge 403 Y-Job Ramcharger No. E63-185753 $ 68.95 No. E63-193453 Ambulance Kutschenwagen $ 95.95 No. E63-185581 $ 95.95 No. E63-185435 $ 84.95 No. E63-192316 $ 79.95 1930 Duesenberg Model J 1960 Ford Thunderbird Hummer H2 1954 Jeep Willys 1954 Jeep Willys Pick Up Station Wagon Tourster Derham Hardtop Stretchlimousine $ 95.95 No. E63-184424 $ 74.95 No. E63-184426 No. E63-185857 $ 95.95 No. E63-185896 $ 74.95 No. E63-186349 $ 79.95 1956 Lagonda 3-liter 1988 Lorenz and Rankl Mercedes S600 L Pullman 1985 Mercedes W126 Stretch 1955 Pegaso Z-102 DHC No. E63-192412 Silver Falcon (W140) Limousine Berlinetta Touring $ 74.95 No. E63-192428 $ 74.95 No. E63-185727 $ 84.95 No. E63-184578 $ 84.95 No. E63-181431 $ 74.95 1977 Plymouth Fury 4-Door 1958 Rambler Custom Six Rolls Royce Phantom II 1968 Rolls Royce Phantom VI 2009 Techart GT Street, Basis: Continental DHC Gurney Nutting EWB, RHD Sedan Sedan $ 79.95 No. E63-205704 $ 95.95 No. E63-185721 Porsche 911 (997) No. E63-206754 $ 79.95 No. E63-185537 $ 105.95 No. E63-207364 $ 74.95 wwwwwwwww.a..aammmeeerrirciiccaaannn-e--eexxxccceeellllellennccceee.c..ccoommm

SHOWROOM NEW RELEASES & FIRST LOOKS Kyosho Gets Spiritual in a Big Way ROEXENCVLLIIENUWESI!VE Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended Wheelbase 1:18 | $279 If there’s one obvious problem with the Rolls-Royce Phantom, it’s that the car is just too cramped in the rear seat area! Well, OK, perhaps not for most of us. But when you’re wealthy enough to buy a Phantom, you’re accustomed to a little extra elbow room. So the Crewe crew designed its Phantom ultra-luxury sedan with space-frame construction that can easily be extended as needed. What was needed to keep its most well-heeled customers comfort- able was roughly an extra 10 inches of rear cabin space, thus the Extended Wheelbase Phantom was born. Kyosho’s lavish 1:18 model is based on the Series I Phantom, produced between 2005 and 2012, as can be identified by the round driving lights in the front valence. It shares most of the tooling with the standard wheelbase edition, although, of course, the body casting and the rear doors have been extended by most of an inch in scale. Excel- lent interior appointments—including umbrellas that extend from the doorjambs—highlight this impressive replica. Go to DCXmag.com for online exclusive review! Kyosho; distributed by carvillemodelsshop.com Z Fit to a T Last issue, we introduced you to GreenLight’s brand-new 1978–79 Camaro Z-28s. is time, GL has new colors for us, plus a signature option: T-Tops! Nothing symbol- GreenLight T-Top Camaro Z-28 izes the disco-era F-bodies better than those removable glass roof panels, and GL delivers them on both model 1:18 | $NA years. is black car is a ’78. ere is also a white ’79 model with blue- stripe graphics. ey share the same level of detail as the models we reviewed last issue, although these—being full production models—have a slightly higher level of polish. As GL is the only source for late-2nd Gen Camaros and solid bang-for-buck values, these cars remain great choices for collectors. greenlighttoys.com PBOOHNONLITUNOSES! Just Our Tipo TSM Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 1968 24 Hours of Daytona Andretti/Bianchi 1:18 | $235 e 1968 24 Hours of Daytona will go down in history as the first Daytona win for Porsche with its dominant 907LM, but it was also the debut for the beautiful Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 in the under-2.0L Prototype class, and just like the bigger Porsches, the Alfa swept its class 1–2–3 (5th, 6th, and 7th, overall). e team of F1 aces Mario Andretti and Lucien Bianchi finished in the middle spot in their no. 23. e car showed plenty of speed, but an awkward procedure for changing spark plugs and other service items translated into extended waits during pit stops. Still, it was a strong maiden outing, and it foreshadowed wins later in the season. e car’s beauty and speed along with the Andretti name make it a strong draw for collectors, as can be seen in TSM’s beautiful 1:18 replica. It’s available for preorder now under item no. TSM151805R. tsm-models.com 8 DCXmag.com

Genuine Articles Genuine Ford Parts 1931 Model A Sedan Delivery and 1940 Panel Van 1:43 | $95ea Ever since Motorhead Miniatures introduced its Genuine Ford Parts line in 2015, it has been quietly bolstering its library of classic Blue Oval models. e company just gave us a sneak peek at the prototypes of its next releases—a 1931 Ford Model A Sedan Delivery and a 1940 Ford Panel Van. Each comes in three dif- ferent paint schemes; the company sent us the Model A “Jericho Motors” parts delivery van in Commercial Drab and a 1940 Ambu- lance in Black. e finish on both is excellent. We really like the delicate spoke wheels on the Model A and the finely cast and etched trim on both. We’re happy to see this brand gaining traction, and we eagerly look forward to the next releases. If you’re a Ford fan, definitely check them out! motorheadminiatures.net OPBOHNONLITUNOSES! Gold Standard Hot Wheels Elite James Bond Aston Martin Goldfinger DB5 1:43 | $NA A quick flip over to Hot Wheels Highway on page 58 will show you that Hot Wheels is synchronizing with the recent release of the 24th install- ment of the James Bond franchise its release of a series of five 007-branded 1:64 cars, but that’s not the only Bond car the company is releasing for the occasion. Of at least as much interest to collectors is the Elite series 1:43 Aston Martin DB5 dressed as it made its debut in 1964’s Goldfinger. e product placement of the DB5 in that film is often credited with saving Aston Martin. It certainly established Bond Cars as a cinematic phenomenon and a source of fascination for 007 fans in every movie since. e DB5 is, by far, the most popular and one of the most recognizable movie cars of all time. e DB5 has since returned for seven more films, including the new Spectre. Hot Wheels Elite renders it in Silver Birch color with tons of detail, right down to the “BMT 216A” license plate. e pairing of Hot Wheels and Bond ensures collectibility, so get your order in. hotwheels-elite.com Cottage-built Brit TVR had an odd early history as an independent sports car manufacturer, but the company took a step toward the mainstream with the introduction of the M Series in 1972—the first model under new chief Automodello TVR Taimar Martin Lilley. But Lilley felt a model with improved practicality would help boost sales, so he instructed engineers to install a lifting hatch in the sloping rear bodywork. e resulting model was the Taimar—its 1:43 | $120 name was a contraction of the tailgate feature and Martin Lilley’s first name. Powered by a 140hp Ford “Essex” 3.0L V6, its performance was on par with British sports car rivals like Triumph. It helped the M Series become the best-selling TVR to that point. Automodello has become the go-to source for TVR in 1:43. And its ultra-limited marketing strategy mimics TVR itself. e standard edition (shown) will come in white with blue stripes, but there will be several special Tribute Editions in various other color schemes, limited to fewer than 20 pieces each for $150. Total production in all colors is ex- pected to be fewer than 300, so these will be rare and sought after. Automodello; distributed by diecasm.com SPRING 2016 9

SHOWROOM Finishing Touch Automotive Touchup Paint in OEM Colors for Scale Models Do you do custom work on your diecast models or just have a few that need repair or a touchup? If so, this product will be of particular interest. A company called (appropriately enough) Automotive Touchup offers literally thousands of OEM colors for cars dating all the way back to the 1940s in aerosol cans that are an appropriate size (and price) for modeling purposes. e cans have a pro- grade spray tip, which finely atomizes the spray to get as close as possible to a spray gun. If you want more, the company offers its CanGun1 spray-can tool, which turns a can into a spray gun. ey offer a clearcoat to give a final finish after your paint application, and the website is set up to search by manufacturer and year, making it easy to order what you need. e company even sent along a pic of this 1:18 Packard Caribbean wearing its paint to show what it can do. Nice! automotivetouchup.com EVENT: Better the Second Time Around Prime Movers Hot Wheels Collectors Brooklin 1948 Tucker Torpedo 1:43 | $130 Universal Hobbies New Holland and Nationals Fendt Tractors Invades Indy! CloacnatyeoduinbeClaienvaedtah,aretliet’assbeedeitns4Ps1eryicneotansrdso1sn:4in3c-esBcraoleokwlihnitMe-omdeeltsa, lthen model, a 1948 Tucker? Only tWheHbITumE OpeNrsLYand grille were plated 1:32 | $59–$65 e 16th Annual Hot and some body lines and details were incorrect, but back then, Universal Hobbies has good news for fans of industrial Wheels Collectors references were limited to aPfeMwSg4ra8i5ny photos, so who knew? and farm vehicles. It is offering two new tractors: a 2015 Nationals is coming up Plated taillight housings were added for a 1985 reissue, but the New Holland T7.225 and a Fendt 716 Vario Generation II April 6–10. e event only other change was bettPerMpSai2nt8.5 e company has now done circa 2004. e New Holland has the signature blue finish will include all the best an entirely new model (no parts are shared), and this one is correct on a diecast body with molded detail parts. e Fendt attractions of Nationals in every respect. e first examples, in very limited numbers and 716 comes in deep green with bright red wheels. Both events, including tons special colors, went to the Antique Automobile Club of America models feature rolling wheels with authentic tire tread, a of in-room trading, plus Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, but this authentic beige- detailed operator’s cab, and detailed lights and mirrors. Sizzlers racing, celeb painted beauty is the standard release. at paint is excellent, Universal Hobbies also offers a variety of attachments in autograph sessions, although heavy enough to soften some of the panel lines, and 1:32 that could be used to customize the display of any seminars, a Custom every piece of trim is done with separate chrome-plated parts. of its tractors. Check out these websites for more info. Car Contest, a Charity Grilles front and back have been given a black wash (hint: use an Universal Hobbies; distributed by 3000toys.com and Auction, and much more. eraser to pop out the plated bars), and the small parking lights b2breplicas.com Admission includes the and rear fender air scoops are particularly well done. Only the opening day reception, black-rubber window moldings haven’t been detailed. Inside, the the Saturday night finale, upholstery patterns are accurate, and Tucker’s unique half-dash and a limited-edition with the central instrument cluster and swept-wing wheel are show car. Ticket order correct, although armrests are missing and the gauge faces and forms can be found on switches are painted over.—Wayne Moyer the Collectors Nationals Brooklin; distributed by brasiliapress.com website (hwcollectors nationals.com). We’ll be All other there. Will you? colors PMS 485 PMS 285 White 10 DCXmag.com

Awesome Adventurer II Impressive Imperial Matrix 1954 DeSoto Show Car Best of Show 1957 Crown Southampton 1:43 | $100 1:18 | $98 Virgil Exner must have kept e 1957 Imperials featured Virgil Exner’s “Forward Look” Ghia’s panel beaters work- ing overtime in the early 1950s, and had the industry’s first compound curved windshield and turning out a series of gorgeous rear window, while the torsion bar suspension gave it ride and “concept cars” bearing Chrysler, handling that Motor Trend said was “much superior to that Plymouth, Dodge, and DeSoto of Cadillac and Lincoln.” Imperial sales tripled for 1957. e nameplates. One of them looked midlevel Imperial Crown Southampton, easily distinguished by markedly different from the others; its brushed aluminum roof and large body-color “crown” at the 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II wasn’t the rear is the subject of this big resin-cast beauty by Best of designed by Exner but was, instead, an in-house Show. e lines are accurate, and its body is smooth and clean Ghia proposal that was accepted by Chrysler and built on with crisp panel lines. e faux Continental ring (aka “toilet a stock ’54 DeSoto chassis. e long, low, and sleek Adventurer II is seat”) in the trunk lid, hooded headlights, and big fins are just now available from Matrix as a gorgeous 1:43-scale resin model. From the as they should be, while the flush door handles and “sparrow unprotected egg-crate grille to the “Jet Exhaust” taillights, the shape has excellent scale fidelity. Only strainer” taillight trim are accurately modeled, too. Best of the thin vertical stripes on the rear pan are printed; everything else is done with either plated or pho- Show’s deep black paint is excellent and the brushed alumi- toetched chrome parts. at includes the precisely scaled but legible “Adventurer” scripts, Ghia crest, num top is nicely simulated with semigloss metallic paint. e and crossed-flag (American and Italian) badges. e long side spear was hammered into the body wide whites are well done, too, and yes, there’s a valve stem panels and was not plated. Interior detail is as good as it gets, with two-tone upholstery, separate protruding from the chrome wheel covers.—Wayne Moyer plated handles and cranks, “engine-turned” decal instrument panel with detailed faces, wood-grain Best of Show; distributed by american-excellence.com wheel, and Ghia’s signature fitted luggage. e rear window slid down into the trunk, and Matrix has it in the halfway position. Photoetched Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels with fine wide whites and decent relief chassis detail complete an excellent model.—Wayne Moyer Matrix; distributed by acmediecast.com Exclusive by Design WhiteBox 2010 Aston Martin One-77 1:43 | $24 Aston Martin deliberately set out to build “ e World’s Most Exclusive Supercar”; only 77 would be built, hence each would be “One of 77.” at and a price tag of $1.9 million assured exclusivity. Supercar status was achieved by mounting a 750hp V12 into a carbon-fiber and aluminum monocoque tub that’s wrapped in a svelte body made of superformed aluminum panels. WhiteBox models are inexpensive, which makes the scale fidelity of this diecast One-77 all the more impressive. ere’s very little chrome on the real car, and WhiteBox has neatly printed it with silver. e egg-crate grille and authentic alloy-colored wheels are especially well done, but the brightwork on the faces of the hood intakes hasn’t been picked out. ere are big discs behind those wheels, though.—Wayne Moyer WhiteBox; distributed by american-excellence.com Andretti’s Only Victory Spark 1969 Brawner-Hawk Indy Winner 1:43 | $75 Although Andy Granatelli was having new Ford-powered 4-wheel-drive Lotus 64s built by Colin Chapman, they weren’t ready on time so Mario Andretti began the USAC season with a year-old Brawner-Hawk Mark III. At Indy, the newly arrived Lotus was several mph faster than anything else during practice, but crew chief Clint Brawner was concerned with the strength of its wheel hubs. Events proved him right; a broken rear hub during late practice sent Andretti into the wall, and his hands and face were burned in the ensuing fire. e Hawk was pulled out and a variety of asymmetric wings were tacked on to make it handle, but it ran 500 miles faster than anything else, giving Andretti (and Granatelli) his only Indy 500 win. It would also carry him to the 1969 USAC Championship. Until now, a rather old SMTS kit or hand-built model was the only thing available for 1:43 collectors, but Spark has filled that void nicely with this resin-cast model. e body lines are accurate, and its fluorescent STP Red paint is excellent. Spark has the assorted tacked-on wings and the asymmetric (no, a piece isn’t miss- ing) front wing correct. Suspension and visible engine details are accurate, too, although, of course, there’s no wiring at this price. anks to Wild About Wheels ([email protected]) for this sample.—Wayne Moyer sparkmodel.com SPRING 2016 11

SHOWROOM Mercedes Über Alles New-for-2014 Formula 1 regulations discarded the 2.4L normally aspirated engines in favor of new 1.6L turbocharged engines with integral Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS), and Mercedes Spark 2014 Mercedes W05 was ready with the all-new W05 Hybrid! e Mercedes team dominated the 2014 season, winning Hybrid Formula 1 Champion 16 of the 19 races and finishing 1–2 in 11 of them. It not only won the first four in a row but also quali- fied 1–2, set every fastest time, and led every lap enroute to 1–2 finishes. Lewis Hamilton won 1:43 | $78 11 races and the Driver’s Championship, teammate Nico Rosberg won five, and Mercedes scored more than twice as many Constructors’ points as the second-place team. Spark has released several superb resin-cast models of the W05 in different race liveries, with correct graphics and aero packages for each. What you see here is Hamilton’s Italian GP winner, and both the aero details and graphics are exactly right for this race. Its basic silver paint is excellent, and the fadeaway graph- ics and major sponsor decals are beautifully printed. e complex front-wing assembly, with winglets, sub winglets, turning vanes, and endplates, is done without a trace of adhesive. Suspension is complete and correct at both ends, too, with accurate wheels and Pirelli sidewall logos. ere’s a lot of careful painting— accurate helmet, sponsor logos, and belts—on the driver figure, as well. Like the real one, Spark’s Mercedes W05 is a winner.—Wayne Moyer sparkmodel.com Beautiful ’Bird Limited-Production Pony NEO 1960 Ford underbird 1:43 | $75 NEO 1985 Ford Mustang Twister II Early underbird owners heartily disapproved of the 1:43 | $69 four-seat “Squarebird” introduced in 1958, but it outsold e Kansas City area has more than its share of tornadoes, so the two-seater four to one. e ’59 and ’60 T-Birds got only minor trim changes; “exhaust ports” on the big side spear when Ford began making very limited “area-specific” batches of were deleted for 1959, and the spear got a chrome tip. at Mustangs, approximately 100 1970 Mustang Mach 1s were built was removed on 1960 ’Birds, and the exhaust ports reap- with special “Twister” graphics and sold only by Kansas City–area peared but on the rear fenders. ere are lots of 1957 T-Birds dealers. When sales of Fox-bodied Mustangs began to slow, Ford in 1:43 scale and quite a few ’58, ’59, ’61, and ’62 models, but reintroduced the area-specific cars, still keeping the production there’s only the ancient Dinky Toys 1960 model. So NEO’s numbers low to create “rare” ponies. Only 90 Twister IIs were new ’60 underbird Coupe would be very welcome even if built—76 hatchbacks and 14 convertibles—and all were based on it weren’t the best 1:43-scale T-Bird I’ve seen. Its resin body 5.0 Mustang GTs but with special colors and graphics. Models of has crisp, sharp panel lines, and the supersmooth Monte early Fox Mustangs are scarce in 1:43 scale, and hatchbacks are Carlo red finish matches factory chips. Drip rails appear to even rarer, so NEO’s new resin ’85 Twister II is welcome. e lines be printed chrome, but everything else is either plated or are right on the money, and the Twister II–only Jalapeno Red paint photoetched. e “engine-turned” metal panels behind the is excellent. e “5.0” and “Ford” badges are photoetched chrome; triple taillights are especially realistic. Neo hasn’t neglected the Ovals are 3D with blue backgrounds. e two-tone upholstery the interior; its accurate two-tone upholstery has painted and the dash with detailed instrument panel and controls are “brushed aluminum” trim panels and silver-painted relief accurate, although seatbelts are missing. e aluminum wheels handles.—Wayne Moyer are correct down to the embossed Ford badges on the caps.— NEO; distributed by american-excellence.com Wayne Moyer NEO; distributed by american-excellence.com Mighty Mercedes Best of Show 1938 540K Autobahn-Kurier 1:18 | $98 By the late 1930s, Germany’s Autobahns were the best highways in the world, and Mercedes’ aerodynamic fastback-bodied Autobahn-Kuriers were built to take full advantage of them. Four were built on supercharged 500K chassis by Sindelfingen, with two more built on the newer 540K. Like any hand-built limited-production car, there were detail differences, but Best of Show has this 540K’s smooth rear deck without a vestigial fin and Mercedes- badged fender skirts correct. All the larger pieces of brightwork are plated, while the window surrounds, segmented hood hinge, and running-board trim are neatly printed silver. All the three-pointed stars and the fine-mesh grille are photoetched, as are the excellent wire wheels. is is one very nice model of a magnificent car.— Wayne Moyer Best of Show; distributed by american-excellence.com 12 DCXmag.com



showroom Class-Winning Corvette John Greenwood’s radical Corvettes garnered lots of publicity but won very few races. Meanwhile, the stock-looking Owens-Corning Corvettes of Tony DeLorenzo and Jerry Thompson were winning TSM Model 1971 Owens-Corning 22 straight SCCA races and taking class wings in the FIA World Championship races at Watkins Glen Daytona Winner (1969), Daytona (1970 and 1971), and Sebring (1970). TSM has done a truly superb resin cast of the no. 11 1971 Daytona winner. Its base white paint is excellent, but the red decal graphics that cover much 1:43 | $75 of the body are semigloss. They are 100 percent complete and accurate, though, and a coat of Future floor wax will give them a glossy finish. Side window moldings are painted silver, but I suspect that they were silver on the real car, too. While the no. 12 team car had the chin splitter and grille surround painted red, TSM produced the correct white on this class-winning car. The very tiny screened inlets at the top of the bulged rear fenders, hood pins, and single wiper are photoetched. Interior details include the simple roll cage and the required two seats and belts. Thanks to Wild About Wheels for this sample.—Wayne Moyer tsm-models.com Sleek Studebaker Best of Show 1951 Champion Starlight Coupe 1:43 | $39 Potential buyers either loved the radical look of Raymond Loewy’s 1947 Studebaker or made “Which way is it going?” jokes. Loewy put an end to that with the restyled 1950 models, intentionally made to look like an airplane, with its central pointed nose capped by a chrome bullet “spinner”; at least one aftermarket company sold free-wheeling propellers that could be attached. The 1951 models got bigger grilles, smaller spinners, and new one-piece taillights. Best of Show has released this well-done model of the entry-level Champion series top-of-the-line Starlight Coupe. It got the bullet-nosed shape and forward-leaning C-pillars just right, and the resin body is flawless. The accurate Chadron Red paint is excellent, and every piece of trim has been detailed. Larger pieces appear to be painted bright with bright chrome (Alclad?), while the side window frames, rear window dividers, airplane mascot, fender “sights,” and nose scripts are printed in silver and wipers are photoetched. Check out the wheel covers—there’s a tiny valve stem poking through them! Inside, the Champion’s low-end upholstery is reproduced accurately, and the speedometer and dash details have been picked out but the relief-cast armrests and handles haven’t been. Best of Show’s bargain-priced Champion is a winner!—Wayne Moyer Best of Show; distributed by american-excellence.com Classic Caddy Cadillac confounded its competition in 1938 with an all-new, Mitchell-designed body on every model and an equally new Brooklin 1938 341 cid V16 for the top-line Series 90 models. Formal, chauffeur- Fleetwood Series driven town cars were on their way out, and Fleetwood built only 11 V16 powered ones in 1938. This is important because, while “75” Town Car Brooklin’s box says Series 75, the three long hood louvers and triple “speed lines” on all four fenders make this a Series 90 even 1:43 | $130 if Brooklin has left the small V16 badge off the grille. Each of those speed lines should have a thin chrome strip in the outer edge and the windshield frame should be plated, but other than that, this one is fully detailed with separate chromed parts. The big (and heavy!) white-metal body is accurate, and its Dark Blue Poly paint is smooth and glossy, while the fabric- covered roof has just the right luster and texture. This is a big, accurate, impres- sive model of a big impressive car.— Wayne Moyer Brooklin; distributed by brasiliapress.com 14 DCXmag.com

www.diecastdirect.com/dcx Mention Ad Code DCX2016 $9.95 Flat-Rate SHIPPING Don’t Forget to request a Free Catalog with Your PurChase! FIRST TIME EVER PRODUCED! 1948 ACF Brill IC-41 Intercity Coach 1:50 Scale - $119.95 ea. - New! AHM-ACF-01 - “Atlanta” (#2165) AHM-ACF-02 - “1948 ACF BRILL” (#1948) 1963 Chevy Impala Sport Sedan 1:43 Scale - $99.95 ea. - New! KE43027000 - (Black) KE43027001 - (Light Blue/White) F-35A Lightning II “A35-001,” F-22A Raptor USAF 1st FW, 94th FS, RAAF, 2014 #04-4066, Langley AFB, VA 1:72 Scale - $84.95 - Coming Soon! 1:72 Scale - $67.95 - Coming Soon! HM-HA4406 - “RAAF” AF1-00117 - “Hat in the Ring” 1959 Chevrolet “Brookwood” 4-Door Station Wagon 1:43 Scale - $129.95 - New! BR-BK-145A - (Classic Cream) 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utility 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utility 1977 Plymouth Fury 1:43 Scale - $22.95 - New! 1:43 Scale - $22.95 - New! 1:43 Scale - $79.95 - New! FR-FDU-116 - “Texas Highway Patrol” FR-FDU-117 - “U.S. Customs & Border Protection” NEO46450 - (Gold) Dept. DCX2016, 3005 Old Lawrenceburg Rd. Frankfort, KY 40601 • Phone Orders: 800-718-1866 M-F 9am-5pm EST • Info (502) 227-8697

SHOWROOM A Tamed ’Cat Setting the Stage Brooklin 1967 Buick Wildcat 4-Door Hardtop Carney Plastics 6–18 Muscle Car Display 1:43 | $130 1:18 (x6) | $95 Buick’s Wildcat was the company’s 1962 entry into the muscle-car We spend so much effort picking out our favorite cars to collect, but isn’t it funny how we rarely field, becoming a separate series the following year, but by 1967, give their display the same attention? Well Carney Plastics does, and in doing so, it has done its performance image was giving way to an emphasis on luxury. the hard work for us. If you spend a bit of time on its website, you can have first-class display options for whatever scale or size collection you have. Take this six-car display case, which, with e 1967 Wildcat got a new grille and new body sides with a highly compartments measuring 13 1/4 inches wide by 4 9/16 inches high by 5 7/8 inches deep, is visible (often accented by pinstripes) sculptural line sweeping down perfect for larger 1:18-scale American muscle cars and classics. e mirror-back design gives a from above the front fenders to the bottom of the rears. Wildcats great look at the cars from any angle, and the hinged front makes access easy while protecting were easily distinguished from other Buicks because the Ventiports the cars from dust (or prying hands!). It can be set on an optional display stand or mounted to a were incorporated into the lower body moldings and all hardtops wall with the included hardware. If you’re serious about your collection, these display cases are got the new “Sweepline” semi-fastback roof. Brooklin has modeled just what you need. all these details accurately with this white-metal miniature of the carneyplastics.com entry-level Wildcat 4-Door Hardtop. Every detail has been repro- duced, but the “BUICK” letters, legible Wildcat fender badges, and all window surrounds are cast in relief and painted over. Everything else, including the door handles and hood trim, is done with separate plated parts; the grille and Ventiports have been treated with a black wash. Brooklin’s paint is smooth and glossy, but it’s closer to “Gold Mist” paint chips than “Champagne Metallic.” Brooklin’s realistic leather-colored interior tub has nice seat and door panel detail but lacks inner handles and cranks. Typical for Brooklin models, dimen- sions are right on 1:43 scale, there’s nicely done relief chassis detail in the baseplate, and the moderately narrow whitewalls are period- correct.—Wayne Moyer Brooklin; distributed by brasiliapress.com Winning Formula Dandy Duesy Automodello Ford/Cosworth DFV F1 V8 Matrix 1934 Duesenberg Model J Riviera by Brunn 1:43 | $110 1:12 | $150 When a Duesenberg customer wanted a body like nothing ever seen on a Duesenberg, designer e most prolific, dominant, and successful engine in the Gordon Buehrig had some preliminary sketches already worked out that were just what the customer wanted. Buehrig completed the design, and Brunn built the car on short wheelbase chassis 2550. history of Formula 1 almost didn’t happen. e Ford/Cosworth With four doors and a soft top, it was technically a convertible sedan, but its most unusual feature DFV—or “Double Four Valve”—came about as a result of was the completely disappearing top that folded down into a compartment under the smooth rear Lotus boss Colin Chapman’s desperate scramble for a power deck; Buehrig, tongue firmly in cheek, dubbed it “Riviera.” Like most surviving Duesenbergs, the unit for his 1967 F1 campaign. e new-for-’66 rules had 2550 has been restored and “improved” several times, but a 2006 restoration returned it to its original doubled the allowed displacement from 1.5L (which Lotus had configuration, although it’s doubtful that the spectacular orange-and-black paint were the original dominated) to 3.0L, and its existing engine supplier Coventry colors. Matrix has modeled the 2550 in its current state, with the top hidden away to display Buehrig’s Climax wasn’t interested in developing a 3.0L engine. So clean flowing lines, and the result is a beauty! e two-tone paint and its separation lines are flawless, Chapman turned to a pair of former Lotus engineers Mike and almost every detail—from the delicate photoetched “Duesenbird” mascot to the folded luggage Costin and Keith Duckworth and their firm Cosworth, which rack—is there and in scale.—Wayne Moyer had developed Ford-based Four Valve 4-cylinder engines for Matrix; distributed by acmediecast.com lower formulae. ey felt confident that they could join two such fours into a 3.0L V8—with the proper funding. But Ford declined to participate! As a last-ditch effort, Chapman hit up Ford Britain PR man Walter Hayes, who signed on and the DFV was born. Automodello developed an outstanding DFV replica as part of its 1:12-scale Lotus 49 model. It now offers that engine separately as its own model. You cannot overstate the historical significance of this powerplant, which makes it a must-have for gearhead fans of F1. Automodello; distributed by diecasm.com 16 DCXmag.com



PaPgosetawnartry A Decade of Style and Sophistication by Alan Paradise Without question, the post-World War II era has been the most romanticized period of the 20th century. It was an era of great hope and opportunity for America, a time when anything was possible. This was the time when American industry began to drive the global economy. America’s postwar prosperity was largely driven by optimism and commercialism. With the Great Depression and the Great War in the past, Americans were able to turn to the ideal of “want” being as important as “need.” This advancement in desire led to unprecedented growth in manufacturing, particularly in the industries of housing, consumer appliances, and automobiles. Playing a key role were the Big Three The postwar era saw amazing advancements in styling and engineering. This 1959 Buick Invicta shows off the culmination of these efforts. Features such as the wraparound windshield, post-less hardtop, pop-up drip rails, quad headlights, and those massive tailfins were indicative of a Decade in Style.

automakers: General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. The STANDING DOWN, TOOLING UP American automobile industry was the face of the ’50s. And while the major growth was realized at Chrysler, In 1946, all the major automakers put the tooling for the 1941 Ford, and GM, there was plenty of market space production models back on line. This was meant as a temporary for smaller brands, such as Hudson, Nash, Packard, measure while a new generation of cars and trucks were being styled Studebaker, Willys, and Rambler, too. and engineered. Once this happened, GM led the styling revolution with the 1948 Oldsmobile Futurama and Cadillac Series 62, followed a Perhaps even more important than growth, the model year later by the 1949 Buick Roadmaster, Chevrolet Styleline, 1950s is best known as the era of style. Despite the and Pontiac Chieftain. Ford responded with the Custom and Dodge fact that more than half a century has passed since, with the Wayfarer. Many felt, however, that it was Mercury’s new- the automotive models and styling innovations that for-’49 CM series that were the most handsome cars on the road. All emerged from that special time remain as iconic as the prior rules of design were tossed aside in an effort to offer the ever. One of the primary reasons is the unique and public something modern and distinctive. And no design element intrinsic character found in nearly every make and marked the decade quite like the tailfin. model. Automakers were not only willing but also anxious to take risks to develop distinctive styling FINS and WINGS features, such as portholes, massive chrome bumpers, toothy grilles, bullet-shaped taillights, and, of course, GM’s Harley Earl was the undisputed master of style. He ruled the tailfin. However, it did not start out as such. the extensive studios with vision and an iron will that rewarded innovation and similarly visionary ideas. It was because of Earl that the tailfin made its way into the automotive vernacular. Legend has it that the tailfin was inspired by the twin tail on a Lockheed P-38 that Earl spotted on a visit to a Michigan Air Force base in the late 1940s. As he writes in his memoir, “When I saw those two rudders sticking up, it gave me a postwar idea. When it was introduced, it started a war in the corporation.” Hints of the tailfin started to emerge on the Cadillac sheet metal as early as 1948, and Oldsmobile and Pontiac picked up the feature in 1953. By 1956, nearly every American automaker had adapted GM’s tailfin styling feature. Packard was the lone holdout but surrendered to the trend in 1957. The height of the tailfin era was 1958 as some tailfins had grown to massive proportions. Ironically, Chevrolet, the brand The first of Ford’s postwar designs were shared between the Ford and Mercury lines. The SCM was one of the most expensive cars of the 1949 model year. Ford’s affinity for Woodies carried on for several more years. If it was good enough for Elvis, it was good enough for anyone. The 1953 Cadillac saw the true emergence of Harley Earl’s tailfin styling. It also featured bumper bullets, a new wraparound windshield, and a host of power-assisted features. In the early ’50s, this was the car to have.

During this time, Detroit became aware that women played a big role in major purchasing decisions. GM hired talented women for its design studios. Dodge opted to have men create the 1955 La Femme and marketed it directly to a female consumer base. Note the subtle coral and white two-tone paint scheme. It was a combination thought to appeal to women. e ads for the ’56 version highlighted the push-button automatic transmission selector. most noted for its tailfins in 1957, Super model Buicks, such as the a fourth star was added and bullets. Cadillac had pointed front reversed directions in ’58 with Sedanet, had three portholes per the placement migrated to the bumper appendages in 1940. a subtle high beltline styling. Of side, while the Roadmaster came rear fenders. e idea carried When production restarted in course, this was in stark contrast with four per side. With the over onto 1957, ’58, and ’59 1946, the idea had grown on the to the radical Batwing styling exception of 1958, this styling Bonnevilles and Star Chiefs but entire line. ese got bigger and that shocked the industry in feature stayed with Buick all the was axed in 1960. more outlandish each passing 1959—the last car Harley Earl had way through 1969. year until being phased out a direct hand in developing. Status markers were, for the in 1959. But in a chase to be In the GM pecking order, most part, a GM feature—more of more like America’s premium STATUS MARKERS Buick was sandwiched below an internal competition between luxury brand, bumper bullets Oldsmobile and above Pontiac, family brands rather than an quickly became a must-have A more subtle GM styling with Chevrolet being the blue- assault on crosstown rivals at styling feature, especially on element was the status marker. collar brand. In an effort to be Chrysler and Ford. It was a brief GM marques. Per usual, Buick more closely aligned with Buick yet interesting part of the ’50s’ rode the Cadillac coattails from is began with the Buick line and separate itself from the styling movement. 1947–49 until it distinguished in the form of nonfunctional Chevrolet line, the Pontiac team itself with a new over-the-top portholes on the front fenders. added status markers to its Star BUMPER BULLETS grille and bumper in 1950. Chief line in 1955. It started with e more portholes, the more three four-pointed stars on each One prewar styling feature that While all major automakers prestigious the model. is was front fender and door. By 1957, came back for a postwar encore were infected with the bumper not a new styling idea as it can and then evolved was bumper bullet bug, no one did it as be traced back to prewar Buick outlandishly as Cadillac. With models. However, with the each passing model year, the release of the 1949 model year, feature became bigger and Studebaker was always looking for ways to draw attention away from the Big ree. e aggressive styling of the 1953 Starliner hardtop certainly made a game effort of it, with its tapered nose and long, low profile. is is Maisto’s 1:18 example. 20 DCXmag.com

MASTERS OF STYLE Chevrolet used three of its “Damsels of Design” to showcase the appeal of its new 1955 Harley Earl With the exception of Henry Ford, no one in Bel Air. While the women were not consulted on sheet metal styling, they did have more to say on colors and fabrics. American automotive history has done more to advance the industry than Harley Earl. As the head of design for General One of the most stylish cars of the era was the Packard Caribbean. It used all the design Motors from the early 1930s until his retirement in 1958, he tricks of the day with a tri-tone paint scheme, recessed headlights, bumper bullets, a high put form to function. When he arrived in Detroit, automobiles beltline, and multiple status markers. Sun Star offers the 1955 version in 1:18 scale. were designed to fit mechanical configurations. Earl changed all that and soon had the engineers working within his styling While chrome, tailfins, and paint are what the decade is best remembered for, there were parameters. Earl was the creator of the Dream Car and father also many safety features that became optional and even standard equipment—such as of the Corvette. Under his leadership, he ushered in tailfins, seatbelts, as seen here in a 1956 Thunderbird promotional image. the wraparound windshield, multi-tone paint schemes, flow-through ventilation, retractable seatbelts, post-less hardtops, anti-lock brakes, vanity mirrors, and dozens of other innovations, big and small. Virgil Exner Hired by Harley Earl, Virgil Exner quickly rose through the GM ranks to become lead designer at Pontiac before his 30th birthday. He left GM in 1938 and worked for Studebaker on a freelance basis. After the war, Exner was hired by Studebaker to guide its postwar styling department. That led to an offer from Chrysler in 1949. As a disciple of Harley Earl, Exner changed the landscape at Chrysler, demanding that style drive engineering. This turned the company around and brought great prosperity to the Chrysler brand; it also repositioned Dodge, Plymouth, and DeSoto as bastions of performance and style. As head of design of Chrysler until 1961, his legacy includes the Chrysler 300 series, Plymouth Fury, wind-tunnel testing, and numerous groundbreaking concept cars. George Walker When Ford Motor Company needed a new design direction, it turned to George Walker. Yet another student of Harley Earl, Walker found a more comfortable home with Dura—a major supplier of parts and accessories to Ford. Walker designed many components for Ford before being asked to submit styling for its first postwar models. The ideas so impressed Ford executives that they hired Walker as a lead in its new design and styling department. After such successful designs as the 1949 Ford Custom and Mercury CM lines as well as the new Ford F series trucks, he took on the task of styling a Corvette rival that became the Thunderbird. He was made a corporate vice president in charge of design in 1955. His vision also brought forth the Ranchero, Sunliner, Skyliner, Continental, Crown Victoria, and Falcon. SPRING 2016 21

Chrysler’s flagship personal luxury coupe was the 300 Letter Car. The model debuted in ’55, but the ’56 300B got more attractive tailfins and more power thanks to a larger Hemi V8. Maisto does this 1:18 version in black or white. If the Sunliner was too tame for someone’s taste, there was the 1958 Country Squire bolder until, thankfully, the applied and the advent of tri- Camper Special. This was more than a concept car, as it has been reported that more than trend was phased out in 1959. tone became key to consumer 150 were ordered; however, only the proof of concept was built. This would make a great Dodge and Lincoln held on appeal as the ’50s dawned. diecast, especially if the fold-up tent, tailgate shade, and boat hinges were functional! through the 1960 model year. Once again, Cadillac was IN LIVING COLOR the parade leader using white and dove gray as a roof accent Perhaps nothing symbolizes color on its Fleetwood sedans. the postwar period more Packard, a worthy competitor to than the rich and vibrant Cadillac at the time, enriched its paint schemes that adorned color palette and offered more the massive slab-sided body complementary two-tone roof/ panels of our favorite hardtops, body color combinations. When convertibles, and wagons. Pontiac and Oldsmobile began Two-tone paint was not a new the same pattern a year later, it concept; it was being widely set the stage for an all-out attack used as far back as the late of color that would rage for the 1920s. However, the manner entire decade. in which this technique was Ford introduced one of the first true two-tone schemes on the Custom Crestliner with a lime and jade green combination. It was a moderate yet memorable sales success, and returned in ’51 along with a pale yellow and black edition. By this time, all makers had caught on to contrasting body/roof paint schemes. Yet only Ford dared true two-tone body colors. In ’52, Ford suspended the practice just as Hudson and Plymouth jumped in. Plymouth labeled the experiment an utter failure and ceased two-tone paint applications by midyear. In ’53, the first white spears showed up on Chevy Bel Air models. One of the most enduring 1950s’ models is the Chevrolet Nomad. Its three-year run produced a lasting legacy, which manifested itself into a staple of nearly all diecast and model car brands. 22 DCXmag.com

In ’54, while everyone had Harley Earl was fearless in As a demonstration of how powerful the influences of the ’50s retreated to single body colors, experimenting with styling themes remain, consider that the lowly Nash Metropolitan is today a Oldsmobile came to life with for his Motorama show concepts. The 1954 desirable piece of automotive history. Everyone from Franklin Mint its 88 and 98 Series with bold Bonneville Special (the first use of a model name to Johnny Lightning has replicated it in scale. body colors accented by roof that would define Pontiac) was based on the colors that invaded the body Corvette that incorporated a Plexiglas bubbletop and were separated with and gullwing doors. Best of Show produces this chrome-plated trim. This move 1:18 resin version. established Oldsmobile as the most distinctive car on the road. Even the cops were cool in the 1950s. This is part of a fleet of Later that year, Packard created 1959 Dodge Lancers delivered to the California Highway Patrol. a similar effect for its Caribbean Despite popular belief, this was not used in the final season of coupe and convertible. the television show Highway Patrol. Earl, noting the success of the ’54 Oldsmobile, gave the go-ahead to all brands to implement two-tone paint schemes for 1955. The only stipulation was that the colors must be combinations found in nature. This was taken on advice from Suzanne Vanderbilt and Ruth Glennie—two of Earl’s “Damsels of Design.” This directive resulted in some of history’s most iconic car colors. GM’s top brass were not the only ones in Detroit to follow Oldsmobile’s path to success. At Ford, new design chief George Walker’s first order of business was to add flashy color combinations to the Ford lineup. Chrysler had just installed Virgil Exner as its head of design, and he wasted no time bringing Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, and Chrysler up to date. Dodge even took it one step further with its Coronet by offering tri-tone paint. Trucks were also given the two-tone treatment, such as the Built on the same platform, the 1958 Buick Super Riviera and Chevrolet Impala demonstrate major styling differences. Buick hung onto the tailfins and integrated bullet-shaped turn-signal lamps into the massive front bumper/grille assembly; also note the gun-sight fender trim. The Chevy was far less bulky, with motion-infused body trim and no hint of a tailfin. SPRING 2016 23

If you had a garage big enough to hold it, the 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser was the apex of stylish family, top-down driving. With the full continental kit, it was nearly 19 feet long and weighed 4,200 pounds. Dodge C-3. of Harley Earl, the elegance of All good things must Virgil Exner, and the practical magic integrated by George come to an end. And so it was Walker. Vanished from the new with two- and tri-tone paint pre-muscle car era were bold schemes. By the end of the body trim, big bumpers, ornate decade, manufacturers were hood ornaments, romantic returning to subtler single-tone nameplates, and the dream of a color palettes. By 1961, only utopian future. From the ruins, Studebaker had a standard however, has come opportunity. two-tone paint option—and we The memorable cars of the 1950s all know what happened to lay dormant for three decades that brand. until a revival stirred in the late 1980s. It was at this point A CHANGING OF THE when the interest in the winged GUARD wonders was renewed. It was also discovered that many of these By 1963, the design masters of cars survived in great part to the each of the Big Three automakers had retired. Gone was the vision The Chevrolet El Camino and Ford Ranchero embodied the concept of a stylish utilitarian vehicle. Over the past decade, these early “Batwing” El Caminos have become very popular in all scales. The year of automotive gadgetry was 1957. Ford’s Fairlane Sunliner featured a fully way in which each was made. cars of the Exner era. Likewise, retractable hardtop, which disappeared into a specially designed trunk that could still Heavy-gauge steel bodies, limited its first GM models were from hold a full set of luggage. Extensive use of hydraulics and electronics allowed the top to or no use of molded components, Earl’s heyday. A look though complete a cycle in less than 45 seconds. and a more precise discipline in the Maisto catalog offers up construction all aided in their two dozen postwar American preservation. Today, cars that cars and trucks. AUTOart offers are as big as a boat with trim a superb 1:18 scale ’59 Cadillac seemingly made for airplanes are convertible as well as eight pre- as popular as ever. Sting Ray Corvettes. Sun Star’s postwar catalog is even deeper— THE SCALE CONNECTION from staples, like Bonnevilles and Eldorados, to the unique, like Sun The cars of the postwar era are Star’s 1952 Nash Ambassador. a staple of nearly all diecast All are a great reminder of a time makers. Consider that the ’57 when anything was possible Chevrolet Bel Air and ’59 Cadillac and the “you are what you models are among General drive” mindset fueled style and Motors’ most licensed properties. creativity the likes of which we When Castline started its M2 have not seen since. Machines, it began with Chrysler 24 DCXmag.com



out of the box by Matt Boyd NEO 1949 Cadillac Series 62 Club Coupe 1:18 | $212 As American manufacturing migrated back from wartime production to focusing on consumer goods, the race was on to design the vehicles that would define the postwar automotive boom that every manufacturer knew was coming. Of course, even the most aggressive vehicle development schedule takes years to bring a car from drawing board to sales floor, and each brand was desperate to be first. Cadillac had long been known as an innovator in both styling and technology, and its position in Detroit’s upper echelon in terms of price and prestige gave it a decided development advantage. As such, it debuted its postwar the Series 62’s chrome gravel Sublime Sedanette styling in 1948 on its Series 61 and guards and other brightwork. from Caddy’s Silver Age 62 models. The body featured The chrome is a mix of metal integrated fenders for a more and plastic: The big pieces, like The sedanette’s swoopy fastback bodywork carried an air of performance, and the streamlined look, and a lower bumpers, are plated plastic, while tailfins that would be Caddy’s defining stylistic element for the next decade are start- hood and wider stance looked the window surrounds, wipers, ing to emerge here. more modern and performance- and badging are etched metal. The minded, which was enhanced glass is superthin plastic sheet, left to our imagination. There is to showcase the tall whitewall by a sleek fastback profile on which gives it wonderful clarity, rudimentary relief molding in the bias-ply tires wrapped around the coupes. Unfortunately, but because the windscreen is chassis plate, but little advantage exquisitely etched spoked wheels the innovation did not extend a single sheet simulating the is gained by flipping the model with finely crafted Cadillac crests below the new hood, where the two-piece glass Caddy used in over and risking fingerprints on in the centers. Those wheels are carryover L-head V8 still resided. 1949, it sits a bit too flat—a minor that lovely finish. The front wheels probably my favorite feature on But the engineers caught up to quibble on an otherwise stellar turn, allowing optimal positioning the whole model, and give it a feel the stylists in 1949, when Cadillac representation. received a thoroughly modern As a resin-cast model, the 331ci OHV V8 to match its looks. It doors do not open, but the clear had quite a bit in common with its glass affords a nice view of the sibling Oldsmobile’s new-for-’49 interior. Beige bench seats front “Rocket” V8, but Cadillac enjoyed and back are offset nicely by a an advantage in both displacement walnut finish on the top of the and horsepower—as befitted GM’s dashboard and doorsills. The flagship brand. sealed doors prevent us from Although the Series 61 and seeing the footwell to determine 62 were essentially identical whether the gear selector (“on save for the chrome trim, it was the tree”) operates the standard the 62 that struck the best 3-speed manual gearbox or the balance—enough flash without innovative optional Hydramatic being ostentatious. Several body 4-speed automatic. The gear lever styles were offered, including itself, along with its companion a convertible and a pillarless turn-signal lever and the steering- hardtop named the “Coupe de wheel assembly on which they are Ville” (the first appearance of mounted, are delicately detailed. that nameplate). They joined a The chrome switchgear for the traditional sedan and a two-door hood and lights are present under coupe sometimes referred to the wheel, and there are radio as a “Sedanette.” It is the latter and clock details built into the that NEO has chosen for its 1:18 dashboard. resin model. The color is Madeira Of course, the hood does not Maroon; the finish is flawless, and open, so the details of the brand it contrasts beautifully against new 160hp 331ci Caddy V8 are 26 DCXmag.com

Lower and wider, with integrated fenders, the ’49 Series 62 was stylish and thoroughly modern. NEO captures the presence of GM’s prestige brand perfectly. The Series 62’s extra chrome trim struck the best visual balance of the ’49 models: just the right amount of flash without being ostentatious. NEO represents it with an effective mixture of plated plastic and etched metal parts. of quality and completeness that V16 glory. The low and wide car, and NEO does a beautiful job SOURCE ties the whole piece together. stance, the fastback profile, the presenting it in 1:18. As a model NEO; distributed by quintessentially Caddy grille, and, that captures the promise and american-excellence.com FINAL THOUGHTS of course, the fins that would grow potential of the postwar period, over the next decade into the this Cadillac has few rivals—if this The 1949 Cadillac is really signature elements of the Cadillac era appeals to you, this one is the beginning of the brand’s image are all here. It’s a beautiful heyday—rivaling its 1920s–’30s worth adding to your collection. ✇

OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD SUN STAR PLATINUM COLLECTION 1952 NASH AMBASSADOR 1:18 | $99 I sn’t it remarkable how time can be kind to certain cars but cruel to others? Nash was one of the most successful and well regarded of the independent auto manufacturers in the late 1940s and early ’50s. Still, when you say the name “Nash,” the impression many get is of a manufacturer of quirky, sometimes ungainly-looking cars that couldn’t keep up with the times and eventually faded away. e reality is far from that, but why does that misconception exist? Sure, its pairing with the Kelvinator factors add up to a historically Nash enlisted noted design firm Pinin Jetfire,” which had been bored company in 1937 has fueled more significant automobile worthy of Farina to help style the new-for-’52 out from 235ci to 252ci for 1952, than a few jokes about “rolling respect—respect that Sun Star Ambassador. e result was one of the gaining 5hp and 10 lb.-ft. (up to refrigerators” in the decades shows in its 1:18 replica. most distinctive cars on the road, and 120hp and 220 lb.-ft., respectively). since. Certainly the oddball little Sun Star’s model captures the look and While no hot rod, it was comparable Metropolitan didn’t exactly translate is will be the fourth or fifth style superbly. with other sedans of the day. to mainstream acceptance. And color combo for this casting, but the Detail on the model’s straight-6 is many mistakenly assume that the white-over-red scheme presents transmission (with corresponding disappearance of the nameplate beautifully and suits the contours of quirky off-center three-pedal from the market in 1954 was the the Ambassador well. Pinin Farina’s arrangement), although a GM- result of financial turmoil. In fact, notable styling contributions—the sourced Hydramatic automatic was Nash was a strong mainstream reverse-slanted C-pillars, the an option on these cars. seller, and the name was phased character “vents” in the door tops, out when the company acquired and the oval grille with thick vertical Beneath the hood sits Nash’s Hudson and formed American bars—are all expertly captured in top-option inline-6: the “Super Motors in an effort to grow into a scale. is Ambassador comes more viable competitor to Detroit’s in “Super” trim and carries the Big ree. All that overshadows continental kit with its exposed what Nash was in the immediate spare and extended bumper. postwar era: an innovator lauded Emblems are etched metal, and by industry observers that sold the trim is cast and chromed metal hundreds of thousands of vehicles for the most part, although the each year to eager consumers. bumpers are plastic. One of the best-selling and All four doors open wide to most critically acclaimed was give a full view of the cabin with its the Nash Ambassador, a family two-tone upholstery that matches sedan that offered industry- the exterior colors. Red flocking leading fuel efficiency and safety effectively simulates carpet, and together with unmistakable there are floor mats in the front styling and exceptional ride footwells but not the rear. Interior quality. Much of that was due to door panels have nicely cast and the then revolutionary unit-body painted handles and window construction. Nash championed cranks, and there are movable sun the technique almost two visors and rubber doorsill guards. decades before it would become the standard for American car e dashboard is two-tone as manufacturers. For 1952, Nash well—black surrounded by a matte enlisted none other than famed metallic silver/bronze. ere Italian stylist Pinin Farina to help is a decently detailed radio and craft the look of its flagship. And clock, and a traditional sweeper that distinctive look had purpose; speedometer that is slightly offset enclosing the front wheels toward the center to give the dash decreased aerodynamic drag, some lateral symmetry (albeit at contributing to the Ambassador’s the price of some ergonomics). excellent fuel efficiency. All these e steering column is basic but well rendered; this model opts for the standard 3-on-the-tree 28 DCXmag.com

Originality and Innovation Defined the Distinctive Airflyte excellent, but the hood’s opening technical quirk about the Nash properly painted and molded down here, nailing details and making arc is, unfortunately, very shallow, inline-6 is that the intake manifold to accurate bolt heads. the springs functional. Another so much of it is hard to see (and is cast into the block; an aluminum highlight is the brake lines that photo!). Look closely and you will plate bolted to the top of the A key selling point of the trace all the way from the manual see plug wires, hoses, battery and manifold holds the carburetor. at Ambassador line was superior ride brake booster to the drums in the cables, and a canister-style air peculiarity is well represented on quality, and that came thanks to the rear wheels. Skinny whitewall tires cleaner assembly. An interesting the model, with the aluminum plate coil-spring suspension. Sun Star have nice tread, and the chrome does an excellent job with realism SPRING 2016 29

Left top: The two-tone dash with instruments offset toward the center for symmetry gives the interior a quirky style to match the exterior. Left bottom: Sun Star’s version of the Nash straight-6 delivers thanks to a full set of wires and plumbing, plus accurate depiction of the unique cast-in intake manifold and aluminum carb plate. Above: Conti- nental spare tire kits were all the rage in the early ’50s. Sun Star’s pivots on its mount to allow access to the carpeted trunk. simulated wire hubcaps look good way detracts from its importance beneath the drooping fenders. Out or its interest for collectors. As back, the “Continental” spare pivots a representation of postwar realistically on its mounting arm to innovation and a time capsule back allow the trunk lid to be opened, to a day when an independent revealing flocked carpet here, too. manufacturer could present a legitimate challenge to Detroit, this FINAL THOUGHTS model excels. Sun Star’s Platinum line delivers tons of detail and clever Automotive fashions have changed features for the dollar, too, making greatly in the 60+ years since the it well worth your consideration as a Ambassador was Nash’s flagship model, and perhaps that distinctive classic-era conversation piece. ✇ look has left it seeming a bit out of step from its more conservative SOURCE contemporaries. But that in no Sun Star sunstarmodelcars.com REPLICARZ EXCLUSIVE The difference is in the details! R18011 . . . $249.99 R18004 . . . $249.99 1928 Miller, Indy 500 Winner, Louis Meyer 1967 Paxton Turbine STP, Indy 500, Parnelli Jones Coming January 2016! Coming January 2016! 1:18 scale Replicarz 1:18 scale Replicarz R18500 . . . $249.99 R18013 . . . $249.99 1959 Mickey Thompson Challenger 1 Land Speed Car 1949 Blue Crown Special, Winner Indianapolis 500, Bill Holland 1:18 scale Replicarz 1:18 scale Replicarz 166 Spruce Street • Rutland, VT 05701 • www.replicarz.com One Stop Shopping! P. 800-639-1744• F. 802-775-1981 • [email protected] • We Buy Collections! Over 50 Brands, Over 3,000 models in stock. All the top lines of Die Cast Models, Displays, and Accessories. We Ship Worldwide • We accept PayPal! 30 DCXmag.com



out of the box by the DCX Team Maisto 1949–50 Ford Convertibles 1:18 | $30ea (est) F ord is often credited with bringing the modern automobile to the mainstream—first with the Model T, then again with the Model A. Following World War II, the automotive world was much different; several manufacturers had successfully captured shares of the entry-level car market that Ford had once owned. As the industry tooled back up after the war, Ford needed something special to reassert its dominance. That came in the form of the 1949 Ford Standard, Deluxe, and Custom. Available in five body styles (Club the side trim spears. In 1:18, those Ford Brings Modern Coupe, Tudor Sedan, Fordor Sedan, are almost invisibly small, but they Motoring to the Station Wagon, and Convertible), are there on Maisto’s models. The Masses—Again this was a clean-sheet design windshield surround is molded and a radical departure from past out of plastic (a familiar Maisto The bullet-nose styling was reminiscent of the spinners on World War II fighter aircraft. Fords. Gone were any hint of the trick to allow a variety of models exposed fenders or running boards to be affordably produced from a V8 was the top engine choice in single piece. In the ’49’s case, that of the 1930s, replaced by sleeker, single body casting), and it works both ’49 and ’50, which both of means that it’s light tan, which is envelope styling that integrated pretty well here. Color matching Maisto’s models have. There’s a lot quite visible in the otherwise dark the body panels into a smooth is good, but on the ’49, there’s a of detail here for the price point, engine bay. I’d like to see Maisto dip profile from bow to stern. It was slight misalignment between the but the blocks and heads are Ford the end in some dark paint. a relatively simple design—not top of the windshield and the wing engine blue—accurate but fairly Ford’s all-new chassis was overly embellished—but it had windows. Credit to Maisto for noting dark, so seeing details without a based on a ladder frame, with wonderfully balanced proportions the trim particulars between the strong light can be a challenge. One a coil-spring independent front and was instantly recognizable, two, right down to the push-button peculiarity of the ’49 is the steering suspension and a longitudinal thanks mainly to its distinctive door handle on the ’50, which column; to make the steering leaf-spring solid axle out back—a “bullet” nose that was reminiscent replaced the wishbone handle on functional, Maisto molds the wheel foundation that would underpin of the spinners on fighter aircraft. the ’49. In addition to the top-up and the steering shaft out of a Fords for the next 30+ years. The styling was all the more configuration, the ’50 also wears the impressive because it was not the the optional ribbed fender skirts and design originally planned. Relatively a Continental spare-tire kit. They late in the car’s development, are well executed, so it’s a matter of senior Ford executives decided individual taste whether it adds or to reassign the original ’49 Ford detracts from the style (I personally design to Mercury. That ’49 Merc like the cleaner look of the ’49). became an icon in its own right, but In addition to upscale the Ford hardly suffered for the upholstery, Custom-trim Fords substitution; the 1949 model sold came with horn rings and dual more than 1.1 million examples—its sun visors, which Maisto correctly best sales year since 1930! Ford replicates. The two-tone seat knew better than to mess with covers look spot-on, too—the success; the 1950 model carried open top and the color on the over the attractive look almost ’49 are especially attractive. The unaltered, save for minor changes rest of Ford’s interior is fairly to the marker lights and door and nondescript, and remains so on trunk handles, and a new crest that these models. The basics are replaced the “F-O-R-D” script on here— a speedometer, column- the hood. mounted 3-speed—but there Maisto has had its 1949–50 was little else to distinguish Ford Ford casting for some time, but it cabins. Maisto does a decent job has made strategic improvements with what it has to work with. as it releases new color and trim Ford gave its models all-new schemes. The latest are this gray ’49 bodywork, chassis, and suspension, and maroon ’50. The convertibles but it chose to carry over its were only offered in upscale Custom powertrains largely unchanged. trim. Customs carried tiny scripts For the Custom convertibles, that on the bottom edge of tips that meant the venerable 239ci flathead 32 DCXmag.com

The bodystyle Ford introduced in ’49 was a clean, elemental shape that resonated with buyers. The ’50 was identical, save some trim items, allowing Maisto to produce both at very reasonable prices. Ford interiors were fairly tame, but Maisto does a good The venerable flathead Ford V8 was a carryover, but its reliability and The Continental spare is hinged to allow job with what it has to work with stylewise. power made it a popular option. Maisto’s has solid detail, but the dark access to the trunk on the ’50. color in the deep engine bay makes that a challenge to see. Convertibles compensated for with trim rings give an authentic the tone for what the American tastes lean toward the simpler, the lack of a roof panel with a look to the rolling stock. car would be for decades to come. more elemental ’49, but both large X-brace between the frame That also makes it an appealing models deliver the goods. Maisto rails—a detail that Maisto captures FINAL THOUGHTS scale replica. When collectors think notably does not set fixed MSRPs, on its molded chassis plate. The of Maisto, classic American cars but either of these models can front and rear suspensions are Like its forebearers—the Model might not be the first genre that be found in the $30 range from separately molded and feature T and Model A—the ’49 Ford they think of. But the company’s multiple sources. At that price, you functional springs (hidden coils democratized the automobile for library is actually quite extensive, don’t even really need to choose under the leafs in back), but the American consumer, bringing and the Fords do what Maisto Maisto’s inexpensive origins are modern style and technology to does best—strike the right between them! ✇ apparent in the visible screws. Tall the masses. Its handsome style enthusiast’s chord while offering whitewalls and pie-pan hubcaps and proportions made it a sales a lot of value for the money. My SOURCE success, and in many ways, it set Maisto maisto.com spring 2016 33

The Pirelli World Challenge is one of several series to adopt the FIA GT3 formula, standardizing performance between homegrown cars like the Cadillac ATS-V.R and GT3 Ferraris, Audis, and others. (Photo courtesy of GT3PirelliWorldChallenge) Sports car Racing’s Global Formula for Success › by Matt Boyd Lamborghini campaigned the Gallardo for several years in GT3. In 2015, it switched over to the new Huracán and saw immediate success, winning the Endurance season opener at Monza. (Photo by Olivier Beroud/Vision Sport Agency, courtesy of the Blancpain GT Series)

S portscarracing Exotic, expensive GT1 cars, like this Mercedes is one of the CLK GTR, shared nothing but a name and a most complex rough silhouette with their stock counterparts. ecosystems AUTOart made 1:12 versions several years in all of back. (Photo by Stephen Hynds, licensed under motorsports. Like any Wikimedia Commons) form of racing, it relies on an interconnected web of In the ’90s, the GT2 class was the only competitors, manufacturers, realistic option for nonfactory teams sponsors, and fans. Fans want to running production-based GT cars. see competitive racing among Honda’s NSX GT2 competed at Le Mans large fields of exciting cars on in 1994–96, winning the class in ’95. is the track. Race teams rely on is TSM’s 1:18 model. manufacturer engineering and sponsor funding to be ultra-competitive production- and performance among wildly Given GT racing’s byzantine competitive. Sponsors want to based GT division. In many ways, different vehicles is equalized history, how did it arrive at this reach big crowds of enthusiastic GT has become the model for a using a straightforward system golden age? e modern GT fans, so they fund teams to successful sports racing formula: of ballast weight, power class traces its roots back to create the competition that will robust and diverse factory restrictors, and aerodynamics. cooperation between the FIA please the fans so that they involvement, huge grids of cars, and Le Mans sanctioning body, keep tuning in. With sports cars, close racing, and lots of happy is helps keep costs down the ACO, in 1999 to develop a the complexity is magnified by fans. It has set such a standard and prevents any one team or production-based class below the wide variety of track types that the GT3 rules package first manufacturer from dominating mega-power, mega-buck (road courses, street circuits), laid out by the FIA (Fédération for long. is has proven GT1 and GT2/GTS cars (Viper, race lengths (from two-hour Internationale de l'Automobile) extremely enticing for the Corvette) that were squashing sprint races to 24-hour has been adopted by numerous world’s top-tier manufacturers, all challengers in the late 1990s. enduros), and the fact that other series, making it the including Aston Martin, Audi, oftentimes there are multiple most prolific class in sports Bentley, BMW, Chevrolet, e new class was called “GT” at classes of racing—with wildly car racing. e cars must be Dodge, Ferrari, Ford, Honda, Le Mans and “N-GT” by the FIA, different speed capabilities—on based on production models, Jaguar, Lamborghini, McLaren, and was envisioned initially as the track at the same time. Mercedes, Nissan, and Porsche. privateer class. In the first several With all of that going on, it has, at times, been a challenge for racing organizations to ensure the close, competitive racing that fans want to see. It is likewise difficult to maintain the competitive parity that attracts participation of more manufacturers and teams while keeping costs in check enough for privately funded teams to be competitive. Add to that a revolving door of governing bodies, promoters, and the volatile rules packages that have resulted, and it’s a wonder that the sport survives at all. But survive it does. In fact, it is thriving—especially in the e Corvette followed the Viper to Le Mans, cementing a generation of American dominance at the world’s greatest endurance race. Between 1998 and 2011, the Viper and the C5-R each won the GT2/GTS class three times; the C6.R won four. is C5-R is AUTOart’s; the C6.R is a Bburago 1:24. SPRING 2016 35

GT3 Left: e FIA reworked its rules in 2005, adding the GT3 class. Porsche’s 911 GT3 was ideally suited and became the dominant car. is is one of many 911 GT3s that Minichamps makes in 1:43—a 2005 911 GT3 Cup car from the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. (Sample courtesy of American Excellence) years, it was dominated by a Above: Porsche was the first single make: Porsche, having to market a high-performance developed its 911 GT3 customer street car using the GT3 nomenclature, but race car specifically to meet the it would not be the last. Welly’s NEX line makes 911 new regulations. ings got more GT3 RSRs in multiple colors in both 1:18 and 1:24. interesting when Ferrari joined the fight with a GT-spec version GT3 emphasized cost savings much easier and more affordable in most of the constituent of its 360 Challenge car—more for teams by further limiting for manufacturers to build countries. Brazil followed suit interesting and more expensive modifications and prohibiting and sell race-ready GT3-spec in 2007, followed by Australia as the Porsche/Ferrari rivalry in-season changes, meaning customer cars to amateur and in ’08. Regional series like GT3 ramped up. e FIA responded in cars must be raced as delivered privateer teams. Predictably, the Asia cropped up, and established 2005 with restructuring the GT from the manufacturer, much class took off, and in 2006, it was series like the Japanese Super ranks again, adding a third class like the Porsche SuperCup and spun off into its own stand-alone GT series adapted rules to below the N-GT and renaming the Ferrari Challenge spec series. series—the FIA GT3 European accommodate GT3-spec cars. three-tiered system: GT became Standardizing performance and Championship—with national In addition to these sprint GT1, N-GT became GT2, and the limiting modifications made it championships established formats, a variety of endurance new class was dubbed GT3. BMW has raced its Z4 GT3 coupe for several seasons and is a perennial contender, having won in FIA GT and in the Tudor (now WeatherTech) IMSA GT series stateside. AUTOart made a 1:18 version previously. (Photo by the Vision Sport Agency, courtesy of the Blancpain GT Series) 36 DCXmag.com

No sports car brand has more cachet than Ferrari, and so the addition of 458 GT3s to the grid is an asset to all of the numerous GT series in which it competes. (Photo by Olivier Beroud/Vision Sport Agency, courtesy of the Blancpain GT Series) By 2010, GT3 had supplanted GT2. In two more years, it would do the same to GT1, and all the manufacturers wanted in on the action. Mercedes sold a factory-built GT3-eligible version of its Gullwing SLS; Minichamps made several versions in 1:18. An unlikely GT3 contender is the big Bentley Continental, but it proves GT3’s effectiveness at equalizing performance using ballast weight and intake restrictors. See TSM’s 1:18 version on page 38; Bburago makes this economical version in 1:24. events embraced GT3. All this last few years to legalize the GT3, and that class now makes Lucky for us, the standardized momentum inevitably ate into bevy of factory-built GT3 up the bulk of the field. e formula and the appeal of fac- adjacent series—most notably, machines. e IMSA Tudor SCCA’s Pirelli World Challenge tory heavy hitters in GT3 have the technically similar GT2 class, (now WeatherTech) SportsCar homogenized its rules to fit with obvious advantages in the world which the FIA folded in 2010. It Championship, which was GT3, and tripled the entries of diecast collectibles. Because did the same with GT1 in 2013, formed out of the merger of to its top GT class. All these the car’s body panels are spec promoting GT3 to the top GT the Grand Am/Rolex series series have added the cachet of pieces across numerous series, class, now with title sponsorship and the ALMS, now sports factory involvement by premiere model manufacturers can make from Swiss timepiece maker 45-car starting grids for GT3- marques like Ferrari, Bentley, several—sometimes a dozen or Blancpain. spec events. e resuscitated and McLaren at relatively little more!—replicas using a single Trans-Am restructured to add development cost to teams. tooling. is is particularly useful e United States has for European- or Asian-based embraced the GT3 formula in brands that might want to a big way, with virtually every market a car with one livery for domestic road race series its home market and another for rewriting their rules over the export. And the sheer volume of factory participation makes for fascinating diversity on the shelf, just as it does on the starting grid. Ford has announced its return to racing SOURCES at Le Mans in 2016 with the new version of its GT. Can autoartmodels.com bburago.com a GT3 effort be far behind? (Photo courtesy of Ford) Minichamps; distributed by carvillemodelshop.com tsm-models.com Welly; distributed by american-excellence.com SPRING 2016 37

out of the box by Matt Boyd Burly Brit Takes on the Pirelli World TSM Model 2014 Bentley Challenge Continental GT3 1:18 | $235 The Bentley Continental is an unlikely subject to convert into a race car. Not because it’s a Bentley— the Flying “B” brand has a rich race history tracing all the way back to the 1920s. Unlikely because it’s a huge— and heavy!—luxury sports coupe, more conventionally suited to prowling Rodeo Drive or streaking up the coast in serene speed for a weekend trip to Napa Valley than carving up a race course. The car you see on these pages Round 10 in Sonoma—where The body is sealed, but a detailed racing seat and a full cage are clearly blends a little of both; it scored a veteran Leitzinger scored the visible through the side glass. podium finish at Sonoma Raceway team’s first podium despite not in the heart of wine country in having joined the series until from the Euro-spec GT3, the As Pirelli is the title sponsor of the Pirelli World Challenge in midseason. Leitzinger and Dyson driver sits on the right and lower World Challenge, all competitors 2014. The World Challenge–spec had history going back 20 years, than in the street car, wrapped run on Pirelli P Zero racing slicks. Bentley has its roots in the FIA and he helped develop the car for in a carbon-fiber racing seat and The Bentley is one of the only GT3 formula, which has become the unique demands of the Pirelli full roll cage. There is a fuel filler competitors permitted to run the a global standard for production- World Challenge, which differ socket in the rear quarter window same size front and rear—giant based grand touring sports car somewhat from the types of tracks behind the driver. There was some 325mm-width, 29-inch-tall slicks competition. With numerous the GT3 series runs in Europe. The glue fogging around it—one of the that combat the harsh physics series across Europe, Asia, and big body produces a lot of drag, only visible clues that this was a reality that has the big Bentley the United States adopting the but it also produces significant preproduction model. constantly searching for more GT3 specification, it was the ideal downforce, aided in front by a platform for Bentley to showcase prominent front air dam and dive its performance prowess. The planes, and in the rear by the huge challenge was to whittle down rear wing and underbody diffuser— the Continental to meet technical all of which are replicated precisely parameters and be competitive on the model. Little touches like with the traditional sports cars that the projector headlamps and bright populate the series—names like orange tow loops finish off the Ferrari, Porsche, and McLaren. That presentation. involved a radical weight savings Getting the weight down regimen to remove a ton of excess might have been hard for Bentley mass—literally a ton, as Bentley engineers, but making race-ready had to remove more than two horsepower was easy. In fact, thousand pounds, taking it down the road-going version of the big from 4,950 pounds to just over Bentley already makes too much 2,800! power—up to 592 ponies from Despite the diet plan, the its twin-turbocharged 4.0L V8. Bentley is still a plus-size model— Engineers actually had to dial it noticeably longer, taller, and wider back a bit by limiting boost and than its GT3 rivals. It’s an imposing installing intake restrictors (the machine, something that comes race car makes between 500 and through tangibly in TSM’s 1:18 550hp.) With a sealed body model, resin model. It is quintessentially there is no engine detail available, Bentley, with its finely detailed although nice attention is paid the upright mesh grillework and monstrous air extractors in the stepped hood contour. The replica hood and behind the front wheels carries livery of the perennial that aid in evacuating air from sports car contender Dyson Racing under the hood. as campaigned in World Challenge The interior is sealed, as well, with driver Butch Leitzinger but windows afford a decent look in 2014. Despite this being a inside. The “glass” is clear and preproduction sample, the detail some effort was made to replicate on the graphics is meticulous down the sliding vent window. As the to the specific race weekend— World Challenge Bentley is derived 38 DCXmag.com

The Bentley is a bit of a bruiser among the svelte supercars that populate the GT3 class, but it is fast. TSM captures the car’s brutish charisma and nails the livery right down to the specific race weekend! An accurately crafted diffuser, rear wing, and bright orange tow Title-sponsor Pirelli supplies racing slicks to all World The sealed hood permits no engine view, but loops show excellent attention to detail. Challenge competitors. The Bentley wears the same detail on the huge air-extractor vents show- huge size front and rear to tame understeer, mounted on cases the resin-cast body’s virtues. wonderfully detailed O.Z. wheels. front-end grip. That is accurately action for decades, and with the supercars, making it among the respect in road-racing circles— depicted on the model, and the recent adoption of full GT3-spec most distinctive and charismatic two reasons why this model has detail on the multispoke O.Z. rules it has opened competition to on the Pirelli grid. And it is fast— tons of appeal, in addition to the Racing wheels (and the huge a diverse array of factory-backed Leitzinger’s teammate Guy Smith obvious detail and collectibility. slotted Brembo brakes behind race cars. That has expanded followed his podium with a win the There are also versions for the them) is stellar. the participation, equalized the following week, and Chris Dyson European Blancpain GT Series, but competition, and brought new won in 2015 at Road America. But any way you go, this TSM Bentley FINAL THOUGHTS levels of excitement and fan in a real sense, this model depicts engagement. The big Bentley is a the team’s first success, and Continental GT3 is a winner. ✇ World Challenge has been a bit of a bruiser in a sea of svelte Leitzinger’s name carries much bastion of production-based racing SOURCE TSM tsm-models.com spring 2016 39

out of the box by ThE DCX Team AUTOart McLaren 12C GT3 1:18 | $200 W e’ve entered an era of automotive performance where street cars have to be detuned to go racing. Let that sink in for a minute. To maintain fair competition, certain regular production vehicles for sale to the public have to be slowed down for the track. That’s not to say that the racing versions are by any definition “slow,” but the state of the sports and exotic market is such that the road-going versions simply make too much power to suit the rules limits of many racing series. That is certainly the case with the McLaren 12C that the company has built as a customer race car homologated for FIA GT3 competition. The street car’s twin-turbocharged up a few notches to accommodate GT3 is the perfect forum for McLaren to go 3.8L V8 makes 600hp—100 north the high-downforce front splitter, hunting Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini. of what the GT3 specifications dive planes, and large rear wing. AUTOart does more GT cars in 1:18 than any prescribe. So a set of intake The body is also widened to clear other manufacturer, and this 12C is as good restrictors is fitted to bring a wider track and Pirelli race slicks. as any in its stable. the output down into the legal Like most AUTOart models, it is a range. Those restrictors are mix of cast-metal body and lots of The engine bay is cramped; scale detail on the intake plenum, turbo plumbing, and various interchangeable, allowing the plastic extras—all expertly molded. chassis braces is quite good. technical directors of the various AUTOart sent us the plain white series that run GT3 rules to fine- body—their newest version at the tune that power figure (along with time of print—and while the finish ballast weight) to maintain parity is perfectly executed, it lacks the among the many diverse makes interesting visuals of the bright and configurations competing. orange launch version or ones Adjustability is one of the strengths with realistic livery. On the upside, of the GT3 rules package and this version is $10–$20 cheaper why it draws so many makes. And than the more elaborately painted while 100 fewer horsepower and models, and the clean white gives a draggier aero package make an excellent look at the various the race car not as fast in the vents and scoops. literal sense, it is unquestionably A signature element of the quicker—and that is what counts McLaren is the doors that butterfly on the track. That highly developed up and out, and the race car’s doors aero package develops tremendous work just like those of the street downforce, and together with car. That means tight confines in a race-grade suspension, Pirelli the cockpit, though—the already P Zero racing slicks, a Ricardo snug cabin made more so by the sequential transmission, and a curb addition of a carbon-fiber racing weight about 400 pounds lighter, seat and a tubular roll cage. Most of the 12C GT3 can cut lap times the surfaces have a carbon-fiber considerably quicker than those of texture but very little color to break the street car. More important, it up the dark gray composite— can crack off laps as quick as any realistic, yes, but not terribly GT3 competition, so it is a regular dynamic. There are some nicely visitor to the victory lane in a detailed switches on the center variety of series. stack, and the racing-style digital AUTOart makes more GT3 instrument display is beautifully replicas than any manufacturer in printed and perfectly legible, so the 1:18 space, and this McLaren much so that you can clearly is as nice as any in the company’s read that the Ricardo sequential stable. The already aggressive 6-speed transmission oddly has McLaren bodywork is ratcheted Reverse gear currently engaged. 40 DCXmag.com

A Workaday Supercar Goes Racing The best feature of the interior, lines, and rubber hoses to duct braces attached to the roll cage spot-on, although of course there though, has to be the steering fresh air into the cabin. The back crisscross the engine bay from the is no tread on a slick. That makes wheel—it is sourced directly from glass levers up using the included forward bulkhead to the top of the the finish all the more essential, and McLaren’s Formula 1 program, pick to give a decent look at the rear suspension subframe. Given AUTOart puts just enough scuff on and its myriad switches and dials engine bay. You can see a bit of the densely packed equipment the rolling surface to knock off the make up for the lack of controls the twin-turbo V8—mainly the and the relatively small opening shine and give it some texture. They elsewhere in the cabin. broad intake plenum and a host through which to view it, the engine are wrapped around multispoke The front bonnet cover is of turbo plumbing packed in presentation is quite effective. O.Z.-style racing wheels, although magnetically retained and lifts around it. A pair of intercoolers Wheels and tires are one of there is no brand insignia on these. straight off to reveal a gorgeous sit outboard of the engine itself, AUTOart’s specialties—no one in the Fantastic slotted metal rotors and PWR competition radiator, plus tucked up against the inside of industry produces more convincing authentic-looking calipers are fully some fluid reservoirs and attendant the rear wheel wells, and chassis rubber. The size and contours are visible behind the spokes. spring 2016 41

Left top: The expanses of simulated carbon fiber are realistic but not terribly dynamic. Not so the steering wheel—that’s straight out of McLaren’s F1 car, and it is awe- some. Left bottom: The jumbo rear wing and underbody diffuser add the necessary downforce for competition. Grip comes courtesy of Pirelli slicks, and no one does racing rubber in scale better than AUTOart. Above: A beautifully rendered PWR radiator and a dense array of cooling lines and hoses decorate the forward compartment. FINAL THOUGHTS to the likes of Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini. AUTOart’s designers The McLaren 12C is a remarkably are clearly fans of GT racing, and practical, extremely capable, and the company boasts one of the reasonably affordable (by the most impressive libraries of 1:18 GT standards of its peers) supercar. replicas. The McLaren is pretty and It’s a fun one to root for as it takes fast, and has a GT pedigree that will on more lavish and prestigious please longtime fans. So will this competitors, and the racetrack in GT3 form is the perfect guise to do model. ✇ it. Not surprisingly, McLaren has a robust customer team program, SOURCE with lots of racers itching to take it AUTOart autoartmodels.com 42 D1C/2XHm.inadgd.co1m 9/5/14 1:56 PM

MUSCLE MEMORYBFThaMhIgarRoeavuSueinggTslrheaocttfovutlatneofbidolua-ycCbrbounlaruesoeruadibsntkiysrien1Uticg:hn6.teSl4seyeov.R••••••soreAricienre111111g.yal999999sietln777766iehhaca0110s79.esooleABPFCmDnbPcooMuhot1rnloieedaidcaCntvltgkiilyocyaMueen®Ri®cwencckeuC®GbsgstlnoC!uoetSrGahldriMoXfnneTrnMe™gvcOoaese2aa™mtnMl:cl0rtRehai1®/ismccnT6hoetaM!ae1rasTaklthmiebettu.os™wIencitoph1ao9sMw9teu4ars,nfcudwlleeamCrweaacerohsrneinUctee.hSse.A. N••• EB&FDDAAWOUIEIECTDTN-TAHYCTOFIEAEL&RONRSEYITDTRCOICHMCERO2ANELS0GTOSIA1RNILS6SE! Your Collection. Our Passion.™ GENERAL MOTORS Trademarks used under license to Round 2, LLC. Dodge and related logos, vehicle model names and trade dress are trademarks of FCA US LLC and used under license by Round 2 LLC. ©2015 FCA US LLC. Ford Motor Company Trademarks and Trade Dress used under license to Round 2, LLC. AMC and related logos, vehicle model names, and trade dresses are trademarks of FCA US LLC and are used under license. ©2015 FCA US LLC. Goodyear (and wing foot design) and Eagle are trademarks of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio USA used under license by Round 2, LLC. JOHNNY LIGHTNING, WHITE LIGHTNING, LIGHTNING STRIKE, PLAYING MANTIS, STREET FREAKS, SPOILERS, ZINGERS AND NEWSFLASH are registered trademarks of TOMY International, Inc. used under license to Round 2, LLC ©2015 TOMY International, Inc. All rights reserved. ©2015 Round 2, LLC, South Bend, IN 46628 USA. Product and packaging designed in the USA. Made in China. All rights reserved.

INTERVIEW Lightning TwStriikcese TEN QUESTIONS FOR JOHNNY LIGHTNING’S TOM LOWE BY MATT BOYD Johnny Lightning (JL) is a brand name with which all fans of 1:64 diecast will be instantly familiar. Introduced originally by Topper Toys in 1969, quick on the heels of Hot Wheels’ launch, JL focused from the outset on speed above all. To raise brand awareness and further emphasize its association with speed, JL sponsored Al Unser’s race car in the 1970 and ’71 Indy 500s, capturing victory both years. The victories raised the brand’s profile and greatly boosted sales, but even that was not enough to weather the financial difficulties of its parent company, which went under in 1971. Fast-forward 22 years, when Tom Lowe, CEO of Playing Mantis, acquired the rights to the brand name and revived production of many of the original castings, soon to be joined by a host of all-new vehicles. Fans of the original Topper JLs were drawn in by the nostalgia, while a new generation of fans was attracted by JL’s commitment to the accurate portrayal of real vehicles. The brand thrived and eventually caught the eye of RC2, who purchased Playing Mantis from Tom in 2004. The JL brand soldiered on under RC2’s stewardship, but the company gradually shifted its focus toward its more lucrative preschool markets and JL, while still rolling, got less attention. RC2 itself was bought by Japanese toy manufacturer TOMY in 2011. It initially continued to rerelease versions of RC2’s JL castings, but in 2013, it suspended JL production. Enter, once again, Tom Lowe and his current venture: Round 2. The producer of the Auto World brand of 1:18 and 1:64 diecast, Round 2 was uniquely positioned to understand the current market conditions and also the value of the JL brand. This past September, Round 2 made the big announcement that it had acquired the rights to JL and would be resuming production of the beloved brand. So we went straight to the source and asked Tom how it all came about and what collectors can expect from the new generation of Johnny Lightning. 44 DCXmag.com

e Johnny Lightning brand is near and dear to Tom Lowe. Having resurrected the brand once back in 1994 with Playing Mantis, he is doing it again with his current company, Round 2. SPRING 2016 45

By the time RC2 bought Playing Mantis, JL had amassed quite a tool library. ‘‘The approach I heard you brought back several of the core team that was The challenge for Tom and the Round 2 crew is deciding which ones not to with you at Playing Mantis. How did that come about? Was rerelease! had to be it difficult to “get the band back together,” so to speak? different Well, two of the team members were already working for With this announcement, you are in the unique position because it Round 2 (Tony Karamitsos and Mike Groothuis). I reached of having twice brought the Johnny Lightning brand back is not an out to Mac Ragan this past summer, and he was excited from the brink of extinction. Have you been watching JL’s abandoned to join the team, so I hired him. He started in November fortunes over the last 12 years? At what point did you feel brand without 2015. So yeah, it’s pretty amazing I have the same core team the calling to play that role again? Did you approach it the any tool bank, in place to bring the brand back. same way the second time? like it was in Sure, I’ve been following Johnny Lightning since I sold the 1994. It appears that there is a deliberate effort to recapture the business in 2004 to RC2. I have a good relationship with a Playing Mantis era—down to the logo and the initial product couple of executives at RC2 (now TOMY), and I have been lines you’ve announced. What is the thought process talking to them about the possibility of me taking over behind that? JL for a few years now. The approach had to be different We will utilize the Playing Mantis logo on the front of the because it is not an abandoned brand without any tool package and also go back to the original sharp “edgy” JL bank, like it was in 1994. logo. I prefer this logo and the recognition it brings to the Playing Mantis era. And it will let collectors easily know that the product was developed and produced by me and my team. Playing Mantis-era JL always had a keen sense of the brand's history, even going so far as to produce new editions of the original Topper castings with commemorative packaging (right). 46 DCXmag.com

Left: Playing Mantis released 10th Anniversary Editions of many castings just before RC2 took the wheel. Right: White Lightning editions were among the rarest and most collectible JLs. Look for those to return, as well. e market conditions—in retail, online, and in the ‘‘Themarket I want collectors to connect with the JL brand the way they dedicated collector market—are much different than did in the Playing Mantis years. Round 2 is more like Playing 20 years ago. How have you changed the approach with has changed Mantis in size, so I fully expect to create the type of bond JL to accommodate that evolution? dramatically we had with collectors in earlier years. To get that started, Yes, the market has changed dramatically over the past over the past the first releases we’ll offer will be familiar to most JL fans: 10 years. eBay has had a major effect on collectibility, and 10 years. eBay Classic Gold, Muscle Cars USA, and Street Freaks. And look the rising costs in China have affected the retail price. has had a for that familiar JL mix of cars—everything from a bone Basically, collector die-cast cars cost almost twice what they major effect on stock Maverick to a wild Black with Flames ’63 Galaxie. did 10 years ago. Tooling costs have risen, too, so you have collectibility, Plus, a collector’s club launches later in the year. to be very conservative when producing a new vehicle. e and the rising bottom line is the market is still there, but it’s not quite to costs in China e first releases should all be available in stores by late the same level as it used to be. Many used to collect as an have affected January. And collectors will find them in the usual places. investment, but now collectors buy just what they like. the retail price. Walmart, Target, and Toys“R”Us are onboard. Joining the national stores is Meijer, a large regional chain. And of Tell us about your plans—starting with the first releases course, we have our loyal hobby stores and online retailers. and then further out in terms of broader strategy for the brand. Will JL occupy the same market position (price/ e johnnylightning.com website will be the go-to place retail availability/product lines, etc.)? for the latest information on current and upcoming releases as well as feature stories and information on where to find specific cars. Plus, we’re developing an interactive garage designed to make cataloging your collection not only useful but fun. And we’ll live-feed our news to social-media outlets, like Facebook, where collectors can talk with us about the latest news, comment, repost it, and so on. Above: Each release will come in a B-version color, like this AMC Rebel in Euro Red. Right: “Street Freaks” are coming back, as well. Release 1 will include this ’63 Galaxie 500 in Black with Flames. SPRING 2016 47

Among the first new Johnny Lightnings will be Muscle Cars ‘‘Manyofthe What was the most difficult part bringing the cars to USA Release 1, which includes (clockwise from top left) the market? ’70 Mustang Mach 1, ’71 Buick GSX, ’69 Coronet R/T Conv, cars we choose Actually, it was the time and effort it took to move the tools ’70 Rebel Machine, ’67 Chevelle Malibu, and ’71 GTO. have only been from RC2’s factory to the factory we will be using. I think produced a few we moved more than 200 tools in just 60 days. That’s a lot Why did you choose the cars you did? times, and I of steel moving around. Well, the JL tool bank is very large. With all the variations, think you will there are nearly a thousand different vehicles to choose be pleased We hear you also acquired Racing Champions. Tell us from. Of course, we know that some of the earlier tools with our first about your plans for that brand. are not up to the current level of detail, especially the cars selections. Yeah, we did! RC2/TOMY was not marketing any product that were tooled from 1994 to 1996. Playing Mantis was under Racing Champions. It’s an incredible brand that is just getting started and was learning how to make quality very well known. The tool bank is awesome, too. No Racing diecast from the school of hard knocks!   Champions products have been mass-produced for a number of years, which is incredible, to say the least. So So what we do is get the team together (pizza and beer our plans are to bring the brand out of extinction and start help!) and just start choosing castings that we think might making great diecast again! make sense. They need to be solid castings and can’t be released more than three or four times over the past five We’ll start early next year with the relaunch of the years. Many of the cars we choose have only been produced Racing Champions MINT line. These are cast from the a few times, and I think you will be pleased with our first original Racing Champions and Ertl molds. Collectors selections. will recognize the familiar black packaging and display box for each car. If the model had a diecast chassis in the Key to recapturing the magic of the Playing Mantis/JL days was getting the band back together. MINT line, we include that again. But this time around, we Mike Groothuis (far left) and Tony Karamitsos (far right) were already at Round 2. Tom approached amp up the painted details to give every car a new level of Mac Ragan (center right) this past summer, and he signed on, too. authenticity. Round 2 also produces Auto World. Now that you have JL, how will that affect Auto World? We continue to support and produce Auto World True 1:64-scale diecast. Round 2 now has three brands: JL, Auto World, and Racing Champions. Three great brands with one of the largest tool banks in the world. We plan on doing everything possible to create a large variety of exceptional products and bring the passion back to our hobby. If you were speaking directly to JL fans, what is the one thing you most want them to know about the return of their beloved nameplate? That we are very passionate about the brand and will do our best to make the product that collectors will love and put smiles on their face. If I or the guys on the team would not personally buy the product, then we won’t make it! 48 DCXmag.com

www.DiecastMusclecars.com We specialize in 1/18 Scale Diecast Musclecars from Acme, Auto Art, Auto World, Greenlight, GMP, Sun Star & More. Call (715)874-6037 for more info or visit www.DiecastMusclecars.com All cars are packaged very carefully and shipped out within 24 hours via UPS. We accept Mastercard and Visa on our Simple-Secure Online Order Form. “Mention this ad for a FREE SHIPPING OFFER on your first order” Serving the World Wide Web with Quality Service Since 1999 Use coupon code Diecast2016 to get 10% off your order Orders over $99 get free shipping!! SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE! Expert tips to get the best photos and video Fly like a pro with insider setup and flight secrets The latest drone news and adventures, and more! DIGITAL EDITION INCLUDED! SUBSCRIBE ONLINE: ROTORDRONEMAG.COM/SUBS 1-800-877-5169 Mention Code A5NRDR