INSIDE SCOOP›› HOT WHEELS ›› Lambo’s 100th COLLECTORS CONVENTION CARS ››B-Day Present! GEN-XTHE PASSION, PRODUCTS & PERSONALITIES Maisto’s Exclusive GEMS Centenario Diecast Dream AUTOart Ford Falcon XB Interceptor Cars from the Sun Star Chevrolet ’70s and ’80s Camaro IROC-Z ›› › Grand Prix History BoS Triumph TR7 DHC in 1:43: Panini F1 Collection › Authentic Barn-Find Hemi Superbird from Auto World › The Future of Big Rigs: First Gear Volvo VNL 760 ALL-AMERICAN BEAUTY: REPLICARZ 1959 SCARAB MK II Display until February 27, 2018 SPRING 2018 $6.99 US $8.99 CAN DCXMAG.COM
CONTENTS DIE CAST X | VOL. 14 | ISSUE 2 16 FEATURES 38 16 | Travails and Triumphs OUT OF THE BOX 22 | e Shape of a Future at Never Came to Be e Tale of the Triumph TR Best of Show Triumph TR7 Drophead Coupé 34 | Tuned In 26 | is ’80s Icon Still Rocks Jada rottles Up Its JDM Tuner Series Sun Star 1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z 46 | F1 Car Collection 30 | Mad Aussie Muscle Taken to the Max A Scale Retrospective of Grand Prix Luminaries AUTOart Ford Falcon XB “Interceptor” 58 | Diecast Hall of Fame 38 | Sant’Agata’s $2 Million Birthday Present Class of 2017 Maisto Exclusive Edition Lamborghini Centenario 42 | One-of-a-Kind Barn-Find Hemi Mopar Auto World American Muscle 1970 Plymouth Superbird 50 | Reventlow’s Revolutionary Roadster Replicarz 1959 “Nickey Nouse” Scarab Mk II 54 | Highline Series Hauler Delivers Big Diecast Masters Caterpillar 745 Articulated Truck 46 60 | Long-Hauling into the Future First Gear Volvo VNL 760 with 53-Foot Trailer UP FRONT REGULARS QUICK LOOKS 7 | Editorial 64 | Hot Wheels Highway 49 | Fire Replicas Columbus Fire Sutphen SPH 100 Aerial Platform 57 | Best of Show 1961–62 Ghia 6.4L e Collector Generation 31st Annual Hot Wheels Collectors 63 | AUTOart Honda RA272 Ronnie Bucknum 1965 Mexican Convention Cars! Grand Prix 10 | Showroom New Releases & First Looks 66 | Rear View Alpine Racer: e Rally-Bred A110 Die Cast X (USPS 017-276; ISSN 1551-854X) is published quarterly by Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Copyright 2017, all rights reserved. Periodicals Postage paid at Wilton, CT, and additional mailing offices. Canada 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: Go to our website: DCXMag.com. Rates one year (4 issues): U.S., $19.95; Canada, $23.95, including GST; all others, $27.95. All international orders must be prepaid in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. 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 32142-8685 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 all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address changes to Die Cast X magazine, P.O. Box 420134, Palm Coast, FL 32142-8685 USA.
EDITORIAL SPRING 2018 | VOLUME 14, NO. 2 The Collector Generation EDITORIAL A s collectors we all know what we love to collect, but have you ever stopped Executive Editor to think how that came to be? As I looked at this issue’s lineup, I was Matt Boyd ›› [email protected] ruminating on which cars really spoke to me—and why. Many had no Editorial Director/Surface Group obvious similarities—in genre, brand, or even price/detail level. They’re good Peter Vieira ›› [email protected] models to be sure, but what’s so interesting is that they’re not all based on great cars, objectively speaking. But several of them are keyed to a certain stretch of Copy Editor formative years in my developing passion for the automobile. I fall smack in the middle Suzanne Noel ›› [email protected] of Generation X, so I first became aware of cars in the dark days of the mid-1970s, and by the mid-’80s, my adolescent brain had locked in on them as my primary interest. As a CONTRIBUTORS kindergartener, I remember thinking the Triumph TR7 was one of the coolest-looking cars Bill Bennett, Peter Celona, Wayne Moyer, on the road (or at least broken down on the side of it!). As a teenager, my head would Alan Paradise, Ron Ruelle, Dan Townsend, perk up when I heard some guy peel out in his IROC. And long before any grade-school teacher ever showed me Australia on a map, I already knew that was the place with the Mike Zarnock coolest police cars, and the best one was driven by a guy named Max! ART OK, so that explains the Gen-X more than 50 years of Formula 1 (page 46). Hot Creative Director Betty K. Nero cars. e Scarab needs Wheels guru Mike Zarnock gives us the lowdown no such justification—it is on the special-event cars from this year’s L.A. Designer Alan J. Palermo objectively one of the finest Hot Wheels Collectors Convention, and we salute Photographer Peter Hall sports racers ever built, and the inductees into the 2017 Diecast Hall of Fame. our dear friend Bill Bennett And that doesn’t even begin to cover all the other DIGITAL MEDIA returns to the DCX fold to share model news we have to share—on these pages, Web Producer Holly Hansen his expertise on Replicarz’s online, and via social media. brilliant new model of it. We take ADVERTISING a look at Auto World’s crazy ’70 Strategic Account Manager Mitch Brian Superbird, which is a spot-on re-creation ››203.529.4609 | [email protected] of the car that won the Barn-Find category at the Muscle Car and Corvette Nationals show. Integrated Account Executives Maisto goes upscale in a big way with its Exclusive John Lacasale Edition ode to the Lamborghini founder’s 100th birthday: the jaw-dropping Centenario. And fans ››203.529.4628 | [email protected] of 1:50 industrial vehicles get a double-dose of Ben Halladay goodness this issue with First Gear’s gorgeous Volvo VNL 760 big rig and the Caterpillar 745 ››203.482.8093 | [email protected] articulated dump truck from Diecast Masters. Brian Vargas In the features category, we examine a new collection of 1:43 models from Panini spanning ››203.939.9901 | [email protected] CONSUMER MARKETING/ PRODUCTION SERVICES e Media Source, a division of TEN, e Enthusiast Network MARKETING & EVENTS Marketing Assistant Erica Driver Event Manager Emil DeFrancesco 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 e Network for RCX.com Remember, there’s even more diecast goodness available Magazine Media Global Media online at DCXMag.com and on Facebook/diecastxmagazine. And be sure to sign up for our newsletter to get lots of bonus PRINTED IN THE USA content that comes out between issues! SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Matt Boyd ➜ DCXMag.com Executive Editor ➜ On Facebook: diecastxmagazine To subscribe, go to DCXMag.com/cs. [email protected] ➜ On Twitter: @DCXMag For a change of address, write to DCX, P.O. ➜ On Instagram: @DiecastX Box 420134, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235.
www.diecastdirect.com Don’t Forget to request a Free Catalog with Your PurChase! Ad Code DCX2018 $9.95 Flat-Rate SHIPPING 1981 Airstream Excella 280 Turbo RV 1951 Ford F-1 Pickup Truck 1:43 Scale - $26.95 - New! 1:43 Scale - $16.95 - New! GL86312 - (Stainless Steel w/Blue Stripes) GL86514 - (Blue/Weathered) 1981 Chevrolet Z28 1967 Shelby GT-500 2+2 International Scout Terra Yenko Turbo Z Pickup 1:18 Scale - $84.95 - New! 1:18 Scale - $59.95 - New! AMM1111 - (Nightmist Blue) 1:25 Scale - $49.95 - New! GL12999 - (Red) FG49-0407 - (White) 1985 Chevrolet Camaro 1964 Winnebago Travel 1959 Dodge Custom IROC-Z T-Top Trailer 216 with Awning Royal Lancer Hard Top 1:18 Scale - $73.95 - New! 1:24 Scale - $19.95 - New! 1:18 Scale - $113.95 - New! SS1940 - (White) GL18430-B - (White/Teal/Brown) SS5484 - (Jet Black/Mocha) 2017 Chevrolet Camaro 2014 Chevrolet Corvette 2018 Chevrolet Silverado ZL1 Coupe Stingray Z51 LTZ Centennial Edition 1:18 Scale - $49.95 - New! 1:27 Scale - $21.95 - New! 1:24 Scale - $13.95 - New! MA38132-RD - (Red) MM79353-BL - (Blue) MA31512-BL - (Blue Metallic) Dept. DCX2018, 3005 Old Lawrenceburg Rd. Frankfort, KY 40601 • Phone Orders: 800-718-1866 M-F 9am-5pm EST • Info (502) 227-8697
www.diecastdirect.com Mention Ad Code DCX2018 $9.95 Flat-Rate SHIPPING Don’t Forget to request a Free Catalog with Your PurChase! 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham (Nairobi Pearl) 1985 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z T-Top (Red) #SS4012 - $73.95 - 1:18 Scale #SS1941 - $73.95 - 1:18 Scale 1973 Dodge Sportsman Van 1964 Dodge W Power Wagon Pickup 1963 Dodge Travco Recreational (Green Metallic/White) Truck (Red) Vehicle (Brown/Beige) #NEO46715 - $91.95 - 1:43 Scale #NEO46308 - $124.95 - 1:43 Scale #NEO46942 - $89.95 - 1:43 Scale Caterpillar D11T Track-Type Tractor Caterpillar 390F L Hydraulic Excavator Caterpillar 797F Mining Truck Elite Series Elite Series Elite Series #DM85538 - $57.95 - 1:125 Scale #DM85537 - $57.95 - 1:125 Scale #DM85536 - $57.95 - 1:125 Scale 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra 1993 Ford Mustang Cobra 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Street “King Snake” (Grabber Blue) “King Snake” (Nitro Green) Fighter 6-Pack Attack #GMP18881 - $139.95 - 1:18 Scale #GMP18888 - $139.95 - 1:18 Scale #GMP18837 - $179.95 - 1:18 Scale Dept. DCX2018, 3005 Old Lawrenceburg Rd. Frankfort, KY 40601 • Phone Orders: 800-718-1866 M-F 9am-5pm EST • Info (502) 227-8697
showroom new releases & first looks Hitting the Mark—Again! Automodello Lincoln Mark III 1:24 | $300 to $450 Automodello’s beautiful 1:24 Lincoln Mark III series was so successful that all the original releases sold out. With demand still high, the company has decided to release a second group in all-new model/color combinations. There will be three brand- new Mark IIIs released in three different levels of exclusivity. The Standard Edition (shown) is a 1970 model in Bright Aqua Metallic in a build of 150 units—price, $300. In addition, there will be a 1971 Platinum Edition in highly appealing Triple White to celebrate Lincoln’s 100th anniversary, limited to 100 units— $395. Finally, there is a black 1970 model with a tan interior as part of the ultra-exclusive Homage Edition. Just 24 of those will be built, with the price set at $450. Automodello is taking preorders now. Automodello automodello.com Ascari’s Flamboyant F1 Finale CMC Lancia D50 1:18 | $522 The progressive Lancia D50 was an utter sensation when it debuted at the Spanish Grand Prix, the final race of the 1954 Formula 1 season—all the more so because two-time champion Alberto Ascari, widely considered the greatest driver of the day, promptly put it on pole and set the fastest lap in its first outing before retiring with clutch failure. Ascari would return for the first two races of 1955 in the D50—his final appearance culminating in one of the most memorable events in F1 history. At the season’s most prestigious event—Monaco—Ascari was leading when he missed the chicane and went barreling into the harbor, disappearing under the water! Ascari would swim to safety but would die just four days later in a Ferrari testing crash at Monza at the corner that now bears his name. Lancia subsequently sold its F1 interests to Ferrari and departed the sport, making the D50 the F1 finale for both Ascari and Lancia. This exquisite CMC replica captures many of the car’s forward-thinking features. Most notable are the striking twin pannier fuel tanks that are completely separate from the body of the car. Just as interesting is the 2.5L V-8 that is set 12 degrees off-center, allowing the driveshaft to sit beside the driver to make the car lower. CMC Classic Model Cars cmcmodelcarsusa.com 10 DCXmag.com
Hyper-Detailed Large-Scale Kits Italeri Fiat 806 GP and 500F 1:12 | $150 (500F); $180 (806 GP) In 1927, Fiat established the formula for Grand Prix race cars for many years to follow with the 806. e sleek and low-slung racer was powered by a 12-cylinder engine making more than 180hp—enough to push the car to 150mph. Italeri pushes the limits of kit detail with its 1:12 scale model: more than 300 parts include photo-etched metal parts, metal springs, copper wire, PVC hoses, and even leather for the interior! Metal suspension and steering pieces allow functional steering, while an exceptionally detailed engine can be viewed under a hinged bonnet. Many of those same kit highlights are adapted to a street car in the form of the 1968 Fiat 500F, the original of which has inspired the current revival model. e kit showcases a detailed interior and engine with opening doors, boot, engine cover, and even a functional convertible top. Both kits are for experienced modelers, but they rival many 1:12 assembled diecast models for detail at a considerably lower price—and with the added fun of assembling them yourself. Italeri (italeriusa.com); distributed by hobbico.com High Line Wheel Loader Diecast Masters Caterpillar 980M 1:50 | $86 e Exotic Car Personified Just in time for the holidays, Diecast Masters has added yet another beautiful piece to his High Line Series of 1:50 Caterpillar construction equipment. e 980M Wheel Loader comes equipped Kyosho Ousia Lamborghini Countach LP400 with a rock bucket that rises on hinges with simulated hydraulic pistons, and pivots realistically to dump the bucket. e center pivot articulates, providing accurate steering, and it features a cab 1:18 | $130 with a detailed interior and a driver figure. ere are proper steps and railings around the body and When the Countach exploded onto the scene in 1974, no one had seen a set of tires with authentic tread. Like all High Line Series models, it comes in a metal box deco- anything like it. Impossibly low and ridiculously wide, its wedge shape rated with screen-printed photos and specifications of the full-scale vehicle at work. e 980M was aggressive and futuristic and announced to all that it meant to be the would make a fine complement to the CAT 745 Articulated Hauler that we review on page 54. meanest, fastest, most outrageous supercar ever built! It drew attention like Diecast Masters (diecastmasters.com); distributed by b2breplicas.com and 3000toys.com nothing before—or since—and remains to this day the most photographed car of all time. It has been modeled a number of times before, by Kyosho and others. e latest release is part of Kyosho’s Ousia series and depicts the first production Countach: the LP400, produced from 1974 to 1977. e Ousia series consists of sealed models without opening panels, but unlike many curbside replicas, these feature cast-metal bodies, so their heft and finish are the match for more expensive pieces. is Giallo Fly (yellow) car with silver Campagnolo 14-inch wheels is due out just after the first of the year, so check with your favorite Kyosho dealer for availability. Kyosho kyoshoamerica.com SPRING 2018 11
showroom Matched Pairs with Detail to Spare Fire Replicas Chicago Fire Department Rosenbauer Squad Sets 1:50 | $529 (per set of 2) Fire Replicas is doing something different with its latest Chicago Fire Department releases. It has designed its Rosenbauer Commander ACP-55 and Custom Rescue models specifi- cally as sets, which are being sold together. Each set is decorated in one of four CFD Companies—Squad 1, Squad 2, Squad 5, or Squad 7. The first three are painted red and are being released in quantities of 100 sets each. Squad 7 is a noticeably different color, and it is being released in a 200-set run. Each truck in the set is comprised of more than 400 pieces, using Fire Replicas’ signature mix of resin, stainless steel, etched metal, rubber, and other materials to produce exceptional realism at 1:50 scale. The Rosenbauer CFD sets will be released in late December, and each truck will come on a presentation base with a stainless-steel nameplate listing the truck name, department, and featuring the CFD seal, and includes an acrylic display cover. Fire Replicas firereplicas.com An 18-Wheel Salute Majorette Returns to the U.S. Market! First Gear Mack Anthem 1:64 | $3.50 ea. 1:64 | $39 (tractor); $83 (with trailer) For the first time since 1999, Majorette is coming back to the U.S. market The Mack brand of big rigs is steeped in tradition, with three sets of vehicles available Exclusively from Toys “R” Us stores. but in September 2017, the company With 18 cars released in Series 1, they are divided into groups of six vehicles broke with tradition and introduced each: Limited Edition, Racing Cars, and Premium Cars. Each is packaged with the Anthem—a futuristic design a small folded poster showing the group of six it belongs to. “Limited Edition” that emphasizes efficiency refers not to availability but rather the paint, because the six in that group and performance while all arrive with a matte finish. Series 2 Limiteds (which should be on shelves maintaining the unique by the time you read this) will come in chrome paint. The cars in the Racing Mack character, Cars Series are brightly decorated in racing tampos; some have opening right down to doors and chrome wheels. The Premium vehicles all have moving parts (like the bulldog hood doors, hoods, or roofs), and the paint ranges from a matte finish to semigloss ornament. First or gloss enamel. Rumor has it that there was only a single Premium Series Gear’s highly white Nissan GT-R packed into every master case of 36, so make sure you detailed 1:64 don’t pass one of those up! diecast version Majorette majorette.com replicates the standup sleeper configuration, and an opening hood reveals a burly 13L MP8 turbodiesel built in-house by Mack and backed by the company’s innovative mDrive HD automated manual transmission. The finish and surface detailing is a cut above the usual for 1:64 scale, and it can be had as a stand-alone tractor to go with your existing 1:64 trailers, or with a 53-foot box trailer. First Gear firstgearonline.com
Unlimited and Unstoppable Maisto Off-Road Kings 2015 Jeep Wrangler JK 4-Door 1:24 | $30 In the last issue, we gave you a sneak peek at the F-150 Raptor from the Off-Road Kings series, but if anything, this Wrangler Unlimited looks even more aggressive and capable, and certainly the JK-platform Jeeps have developed a reputation for being nearly unstoppable off-road. The doors and hardtop have been jettisoned in favor of skeletal door frames with mesh inserts, and the roof sports a serious-looking roof rack with twin LED light bars on the front, matching a third mounted above the winch on the prominent brush guard. It rolls on big tires (they look to be at least 37s) on simulated bead-locks, and the suspension has been significantly raised to clear them. This Jeep looks the part of an off-road king and should please collectors of all ages. Maisto maisto.com Superb Short-Wheelbase Sedan Neo Deluxe 1933 Stutz SV-16 1:43 | $140 Once a major competitor of Cadillac and Packard, the underfunded Stutz company was hit much harder by the Great Depression. Cadillac announced a new V-16 engine and Packard had a V-12, but Stutz couldn’t afford a new engine, so Chief Engineer Charlie Greuter designed two new Overhead Cam heads for the Vertical Eight, a single cam, two-valve-per-cylinder (SV-16), and a more powerful twin-cam four-valve (DV-32) head. By 1933, both were available in the short- and long-wheelbase chassis with either factory bodies (by LeBaron) or coach-built bodies of the buyer’s choice. While previous models have been of the LWB DV-32, Neo has released this really gorgeous model of the SV-16 on the shorter chassis with a factory LeBaron Six-Passenger Sedan body. It’s black and Pigeon Blood paint is as good as you’ll see, with razor-sharp separation lines and thin pinstripes. All trim is reproduced to scale with either separate chrome-plated parts or printed chrome. The photo-etched double-row wire wheels are very realistic too.—Wayne Moyer Neo; distributed by american-excellence.com Johnny Lightning Silver Screen Ghostbusters and Christine Two-Car Diorama Sets 1:64 | $18 (per set) With its Silver Screen Dioramas, Johnny Light- ning captures not just the look of the cars but of entire scenes from two iconic ’80s films. The Christine scene, entitled “Repperton’s Reckoning,” depicts the demise of Buddy Repperton’s ’67 Camaro at the Mobico service station where the sinister red ’58 Plymouth Fury crushes it (along with members of Buddy’s crew). The scene is staged with the Plymouth and the Camaro just before impact, as the figure of Buddy looks on in fury himself. The Ghostbusters set is actually the climactic scene from the sequel; entitled “Vigo’s Fortress of Slime,” it features the Ecto 1 Cadillac, the four heroes—Egon, Ray, Venkman, and Winston—and a classic NYPD Dodge Monaco poised in front of a backdrop from the film where the boys are in danger of crossing the streams. Both sets are a lot of fun and add something extra to cars that are appealing in their own right. Johnny Lightning; distributed by autoworldstore.com SPRING 2018 13
showroom Subie’s Unobtainable STi Wood-Bodied Patrol Car Sun Star 2015 Subaru WRX S207 NBR Challenge Package Brooklin 1948 “Chicago Police” Ford Station Wagon 1:18 | $90 (est.) 1:43 | $157 The name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but man does the S207 roll through cor- With postwar demand for new cars exceeding production capabilities, the 1946–48 ners! The latest in a line of special WRX models released exclusively to the Japanese Ford Super Deluxe wood-bodied Station Wagons were virtually identical. So Brooklin market, the S207 is treated to an extra 20hp, plus special Bilstein front suspension, could have created this new International Police Vehicle model (IPV-45) by simply faster ratio steering, and bigger Brembo brakes. Just 400 were made, and only half changing the paint and adding the siren/flasher, spotlight, and decals to their BRK-83 could be ordered with the even-more-exclusive NBR Challenge Package. Named to 1947 model. But they’ve gone a lot further. The speed lines on the fenders are now commemorate Subaru’s class win at the 2015 Nürburgring 24 Hour race, it featured separate chromed pieces, the new ’48 bumper has the optional “wingtip” extensions. a carbon-fiber rear wing and special badging. Sun Star is releasing the S207 NBR in There’s a hefty set of push bars on the front bumper too. Its glossy black paint is two colors: Sunrise Yellow and the Subaru staple WR Blue Pearl. It has the special wing among Brooklin’s best, and the wood-tone framing and dark wood-grain panels are and front lip, and the blacked-out wheels show the brake discs behind them. Since the both accurate and realistic. Only the shortened beltline molding and windshield frame S207 is JDM only, it is right-hand-drive, of course, and the front two doors open, along are painted over with the body color—everything else is plated. As usual for Brooklin, with the hood. The models are limited editions as well—just 3888 will be made of this the dash has crisp, accurate relief detail with nothing picked out. Brooklin has three new casting. rows of seats, but the wagons were used as mobile crime labs, so they only had front Sun Star sunstarmodelcars.com seats; equipment filled the rear.—Wayne Moyer Brooklin; distributed by brasiliapress.com Small-Displacement While we tend to think of the late ’60s and early ’70s as the era of big-displacement American muscle, there were many impres- Heroes sive performance cars being produced in Europe and Japan at the time. BMW was coming into its own on the strength of vehicles like the precursor to the M-series, the 2002 performance sedan. The hottest 2002 was the limited-edition ’73 2002 Turbo, Hasegawa Toyota 2000GT and featuring special wheels, wild graphics, fender flares, an aggressive air dam and deck spoiler, and a torquey turbocharged 2.0L BMW 2002 Turbo inline-4, good for 170hp in a car weighing just 2,300 pounds. Radical as the 2002 Turbo was, Toyota 2000GT was utterly revo- lutionary. A collaboration between Toyota and Yamaha, it is widely considered Japan’s first supercar; its exotic styling and rarity 1:24 | $55 (BMW); $65 (Toyota) (about 350 examples were built) make it highly collectible. Hasegawa is bringing both to the 1:24 world in highly detailed kit form, allowing those with intermediate modeling skills to enjoy two of the most memorable performance cars of the era. Hasegawa (hasegawausa.com); distributed by hobbico.com Tunnel-Port Fiasco Acme 1968 Ford Mustang “Dan Gurney” Trans-Am 1:18 | $75 Although Shelby was a major part of Ford’s 1967 Trans-Am Championship, most of Ford’s factory backing went to the Bud Moore team in 1968; Shelby-American got only enough to run a single car. Worse, Ford insisted that they use the new “tunnel port” engine without any modifications. The tunnel-port was a disaster, rarely finishing a race. Dan Gurney was able to drive only two races for Shelby, retiring with engine failure in both. Acme’s latest 1:18 Mustang has the overall shape and color of Gurney’s car right, but photos show the car with fender flares and trunk-mounted quick-fill cap, which the model doesn’t have. The smooth, glossy paint and race graphics are dead on; note the “pony tail” forming the base of the “2.” Everything opens, and the 302 is nicely detailed. Doors pivot open to show the required stock dash, door panels, and wind-up windows. Everything else has been removed, and the racing seat, fabric belts with photo-etched hardware, and big dash-mounted tach are all as they should be.—Wayne Moyer Acme acmediecast.com 14 DCXmag.com
Prettied-up Plymouth Lovely Limousine WhiteBox 1959 Plymouth Savoy 4-Door Sedan Brooklin Limited 1947 Packard Super Clipper 1:43 | $25 1:43 | $165 Since 1959 was the third year for the basic Plymouth body, Chrysler did a major face- Packard had an all-new body scheduled for 1949, so the only noticeable difference lift to increase sales. Up front, the fenders got a “double-barreled” dip to match the between 1947 and ’48 models was the availability of optional wide whitewalls. The lines of the quad headlights; a new split egg-crate grille; and a new, cleaner bumper. top-line Packards were the Model 2151 Seven-Passenger Sedan and Model 2150 Rear fenders now had larger, sweeping, chrome-tipped fins with a slight outboard cant Seven-Passenger Limousine, both of which rode a 148-inch wheelbase. Bodies and taillights were moved from the fins to below them, while a new deck-lid sloped for both were built by Henney and had a sleeker, more elegant appearance with downward to meet them. WhiteBox has released this bargain-priced model of the changes to the roofline and trim. Brooklin’s latest addition to the pre-1950 Limited best-selling 4-door Savoy. The overall shape is dead on, and front-end details are all Series of white-metal models is this handsome model of the Limousine. Its heavy correct for 1959. The same is true for the rear, with the exception that the fins are white-metal body is correct from any angle, while the high-gloss black paint vertical instead of canting outboard. The two-tone black/blue paint is very good for the is very good. All exterior trim is done with separate plated metal parts, except price, but the “Colortone” side insert is slightly too large. Bumpers, wheel covers, and for window surrounds. Even the tiny rear-deck “Packard” script is plated metal. door handles are chrome-plated, while all other trim is silver-printed.—Wayne Moyer Inside, the faux-wood dash with its chromed center section, big ivory-colored WhiteBox; distributed by american-excellence.com wheel, and black chauffeur’s seat are correct. The divider panel’s glass is lowered, and the folding seats below it are stowed, making the generous legroom obvious, Formal Flagship Woody while the deeply padded rear bench seat offered the owner a most luxurious ride.—Wayne Moyer Premium X 1949 Dodge Coronet Station Wagon Brooklin; distributed by brasiliapress.com 1:43 | $50 Forward-Looking Like almost all American automobile manufacturers, Dodge introduced its all-new postwar Concept Car cars as 1949 models. Unlike the others, Dodge deliberately avoided the “longer, lower, wider” theme; instead, it advertised “Smaller on the Outside, Bigger on the Inside,” with Neo 1956 Buick XP-301 Centurion conservative three-box styling. All lines were relabeled, with Coronet as top of the line. The most expensive Dodge, by far, was the 4-Door Station Wagon, and only 800 were built. 1:43 | $114 Unlike the full-size version, this fine ’49 Coronet Wagon is a real bargain. The light green The 1956 Centurion Motorama show car, designed by paint is excellent, the wood frame and darker insert panels are correct for 1949, and all the Chuck Jordan, was the most radical of the Buick Concept trim is there—right down to the scale “Dodge” on the wheel covers. Front and rear fender cars. Its deeply recessed radiator and all-glass top were spears, smaller pieces, badges, and the windshield frame are printed in bright chrome that never used on production cars, but the wide flared fins matches the plated parts. Headlights have flute lenses. Looking inside, the upholstery would be seen on 1959 Buicks and Chevrolets. A TV camera looks right, inner door panels are correctly done in wood colors with chrome-printed relief mounted in the rear “rocket exhaust” pod replaced rear- handles, and the dash has accurate speedometer and radio panel details.—Wayne Moyer view mirrors; that’s now a common feature too. Buick’s Premium X; distributed by american-excellence.com signature Sweepspear separated the “Electron Red” and “Bright White” colors. Inside, the steering wheel was mounted on a cantilever arm from the central console. Neo’s new release in its Concept line is this striking, accurate, and fully detailed XP-301 Centurion. Its shape is right from all aspects, and the high-gloss paint rates highly. Larger trim pieces are plated; the Sweepspear and fender louvers are printed in bright chrome; while the wipers, badges, and tiny (0.2-inch-long) legible Centurion scripts are photo-etched. Interior upholstery is accurate, and Neo has the cantilevered wheel, dash-mounted TV screen, and extended center pod with the speedometer correct too.—Wayne Moyer Neo; distributed by american-excellence.com SPRING 2018 15
TTrraivuaimlspahnsd The Tale of the Triumph TR by MATT BOYD T he origins of Tri Triumph’s first postwar Roadster looked old-fashioned and didn’t really connect with buyers. Brooklin’s replica of the umph’s TR series 1949 2000 Roadster is a nice rendition of the upgraded final-year model. can be traced to Sir John Black, managing director of Standard Motor Company, and his admiration of the elegant prewar Jaguar SS roadsters. In 1944, Black spearheaded the acquisition of the remnants of the bankrupted Triumph Motor Company, and he envisioned the new subsidiary as the means of producing an in-house Jaguar competitor. The first Triumph developed under Black’s leadership was the made it instantly obsolete, and customer demand evaporated. It was 1946 1800 Roadster, but its traditional design fell short of the Jaguar discontinued in 1949 after barely 2,500 had been produced. Meanwhile, benchmark. The deficit was brought into even sharper relief in 1948, the XK120 was taking the sports car world by storm. when Jaguar debuted its stunning, modern XK120 at the Earls Court Black’s envy of Jaguar was palpable, and he was determined to Motor Show in London. The Triumph received a bigger motor that year develop a car to challenge it. He instructed the engineers to start over (becoming the 2000 Roadster), but it made little difference; the Jag had and design a roadster for the future. In 1950, Triumph unveiled its prototype (now known as the TRX) at the Paris Motor Show. Nicknamed “Bullet” for its futuristic streamlined shape, the new Roadster used Standard’s saloon chassis and running gear, and featured an array of high-tech appointments more befitting a personal luxury car than a sporting machine. They proved too complicated and expensive for production, though, so engineers went back to the drawing board once again. Triumph’s third swipe at a proper sporting roadster yielded the 20TS prototype, which debuted at Earls Court in 1952. The 20TS (which is now unofficially thought of as the TR1) also borrowed liberally from existing parts bins, but it was 2 feet shorter than the TRX and more than 800 pounds lighter—powered by the same 75hp 4-cylinder engine originally designed for a Ferguson tractor! It featured an aluminum body with envelope styling but was slightly more traditional in shape than the TRX—not coincidentally more along the lines of the XK120. But it was still a long way from a legitimate Jaguar challenger. After test driving the 20TS, BRM Formula 1 Team engineer Ken Richardson reportedly proclaimed it “the most bloody awful car I’ve ever driven!” But rather than take insult, Black hired Richardson to fix it. The result was the TR2—and Triumph’s The TRX show car debuted in Paris in 1950. More luxury car than sports roadster, it was deemed too first genuine sports car contender. complicated and expensive to put into production. 16 DCXmag.com
TR2 Specs Engine: 1996cc OHV Inline-4, 90hp Weight: 2,100 pounds Base price: $2,500 TR2 production total (approx.): 8,628 Diecast: Dinky was among the first to produce the TR2 in diecast in the 1950s, and reproductions of those early models can still be found. Spark does a more modern TR2 in 1:43. above: Wikimedia Commons/Charles01. below: Wikimedia Commons/Raymondvandonk TR2—1953–55 The core elements of the TR2 followed the 20TS/TR1 prototype, but Ken Richardson’s input helped refine nearly every parameter. Triumph simplified and strengthened the ladder-frame chassis, extracted an extra 15hp from the engine, installed stronger drum brakes, and reworked the independent front/live-axle rear suspension for better grip and balance. The body was enlarged to be more comfortable and offer better trunk space, and a removable hardtop option was added. The changes made the TR2 a huge success, and while racing was not initially among the company’s core objectives, a string of privateer team successes led Triumph to create a factory-racing department headed by Richardson himself. TR3 Specs TR3—1955–57 Engine: 1996cc OHV Inline-4, 95hp (1955); 100hp (1956–57) Many of the tricks learned by Richardson’s racing division made it into the TR3. Weight: 2,100 pounds Initially launched with drum brakes like the TR2’s, the TR3 received front discs in Base price: $2,650 1956—the first production car to have disc brakes as standard equipment. At roughly TR3 production total (approx.): 13,400 the same time, it received a new cylinder head, which added 5hp and extended the rpm range. The TR3 was hugely popular for racing and continues to be even today! Diecast: In scale, Corgi and Spark have both produced numerous versions in 1:43. Spring 2017 17
Travails and Triumphs TR3A Specs Engine: 1996cc OHV Inline-4, 100hp (standard); 2138cc OHV Inline-4, 105hp (optional from 1959) Weight: 2,090 pounds Base price: $2,675 TR3A production total (approx.): 58,236 Wikimedia Commons/BlueHussars TR3A—1957–61; TR3B—1962; TR3S—1957–62 1957 brought significant changes to the TR3 inside and out—so many that it subsequently became known by a separate designation: TR3A. The most recognizable change was the full-width grille to accommodate the larger radiator. Extra cooling was needed for the 2.1L, 105hp engine, which became an option in 1959. The B variant went on sale in 1962, concurrent to the introduction of the TR4. With a combined production of nearly 75,000 cars among all TR3 variants, it stands as Triumph’s third best- selling model. Diecast: Spark and Universal Hobbies have several A and S models in 1:43, while Kyosho’s (shown here) is the star in 1:18. TR4 Specs Diecast: Eligor and far left: Wikimedia Commons/Jeremy from Sydney, Australia Engine: 2138cc OHV Inline-4, 105hp Spark make TR4s in 1:43, Weight: 2,185 pounds but perhaps the most Base price: $2,675 interesting is Corgi’s Surrey TR4 production total (approx.): 40,253 Top version (shown). 18 DCXmag.com In 1:18, both Jada and Revell have done replicas. TR4—1961–65 Universally lauded for its modern Giovanni Michelotti design, the TR4 was a huge departure from its predecessor, featuring a square profile with full doors, replacing roll-up windows for the side curtains of the previous models. But aside from a wider track, the TR4 chassis was largely unchanged from the TR3A’s. For the first time, a TR offered a second body style: a fixed glass backlight with a removable hardtop—Targa-style—well before Porsche coined the term; it’s often referred to by the nickname “Surrey Top.” Power came from the 2.1L TR3A engine, and although the TR4 was heavier by about 100 pounds, the slick body yielded a higher top speed—around 110mph. Famed road racer Bob Tullius enjoyed considerable racing success in the TR4, including three consecutive SCCA National Championships in 1962–64. Not bad for a tractor motor!
TR4A— TR4A Specs 1965–67 Engine: 2138cc OHV Inline-4, 104hp (net) Weight: 2,275 pounds While the TR4 represented an all- Base price: $2,800 (UK); $2,500 (U.S.— new shape with largely unchanged with solid rear axle) mechanicals, the TR4A was just TR4A production total (approx.): 28,684 the opposite. Visually, it was nearly indistinguishable except for minor changes to the grille and bumpers, but underneath, it had a significantly revised chassis to accommodate replacing the live axle with a semi- trailing arm/coil-spring independent rear suspension. The car gained a half inch of track width and another 100 pounds, but the ride was much improved, with no deterioration in handling. Under the hood, cylinder-head modifications raised power and torque by roughly 10 percent to offset the increased weight, but a switch to net horsepower ratings meant that it was officially rated at 1hp less on paper. Oddly, U.S. distributors—concerned about the expense of the IRS model in England (about $2,800 in adjusted dollars)—requested a TR4A with the live-axle retrofit for the American market, which dropped the base price to less than $2,500 in the United States. Diecast: Dinky and Spark have both produced TR4As in 1:43. Wikimedia Commons/Simon Clay TR5/TR250— 1967–68 The lack of visual changes during the evolution of TR4A to TR5 hid another big mechanical change—this time under the “bonnet”! For the first time, the TR now carried Triumph’s brawny fuel-injected 2.5L Inline-6, good for 150hp—unless, of course, you lived in the United States, where the Lucas mechanical fuel-injection system was ditched in favor of carbs, dropping output to 111hp and changing the name to TR250. Full-powered models could hit 120mph! TR5/TR250 Specs Engine: 2498cc OHV Inline-6, 150hp (UK, fuel- injected); 111hp (U.S., carbureted) Weight: 2,270 pounds Base price: $3,000 (TR5, UK); $3,175 (TR250, U.S.) Production totals (approx.): 2,947 (TR5); 8,484 (TR250) Diecast: Models of the TR5 are relatively rare, although Norev and Spark did it in 1:43 and Cult makes this nice one shown in 1:18. Oddly, TR250 diecasts are essentially unheard of, despite being more common in full scale. SPRING 2018 19
Travails and Triumphs TR6—1968–76 TR6 Specs Engine: 2498cc OHV Inline-6, 150hp The longest production run and second best-selling TR, the TR6 was an evolution of the Michelotti TR4/ (UK, fuel-injected); 111hp (U.S., TR5 design but with taller, squarer fasciae influenced by Karmann. The chassis and powertrain were carried carbureted) over from the TR5/TR250, with the fuel-injected 150hp straight-6 in Britain and international markets Weight: 2,390 pounds and the carbureted version of the 2.5L straight-6 for the United States. For many, this is the quintessential Base price: $3,275 (1968); $5,295 classic TR, defined by the blocky profile and tall 15-inch steel wheels (although wire wheels were optional). (1976) Production totals (approx.): 91,850 Diecast: Numerous companies have rendered the TR6 in diecast—from Hot Wheels dollar cars up to 1:43 versions from Minichamps, Norev, Schuco, and numerous others to nicely detailed 1:18 resin pieces like the new LS Models TR6 (shown). TR7 Specs TR7—1975–81 Engine: 1998cc SOHC Inline-4, 105hp (UK); 92hp (U.S.) The first new TR to emerge after Triumph became part Weight: 2,205 pounds (Coupé) of British Leyland, the wedge-shaped TR7 was a radical Base price: $5,100 departure from the TRs that had come before. Gone was any Production totals (approx.): 141,232 trace of the Michelotti-penned roadster bodywork that had (112,368 Coupés and 28,864 DHCs) been the face of the TR since 1961. In fact, no topless version was even offered when the TR7 was introduced—a decision that horrified purists! Gone too was the sweet Inline-6, replaced by an overhead cam 2.0L 4-cylinder, which, in U.S.-spec, made just 92hp. The TR7 initially sold well despite its lackluster power, thanks in part due to a low price, nimble handling, and those striking looks, but a sluggish British economy and subpar build quality eventually slowed demand. The TR7 got a temporary boost when a British government bailout resuscitated the longed-for roadster version— officially called the Drophead Coupé (DHC). British Leyland’s dire financial situation finally halted production in 1981 but not before the TR7 became the best-selling TR ever. Diecast: TR7s are also fairly prolific in scale, with Dinky, Corgi, and Majorette all producing 1:64 versions. IXO, Dinky, and Trofeu do interesting 1:43 examples, while Ottomobile and Cult/Matrix make it in 1:18—now joined by the BoS version of the Drophead we review on page 22. 20 DCXmag.com
TR8 Specs Engine: 3528cc OHV V-8, 135hp; 145hp (fuel-injected) Weight: 2,650 pounds Base price: $11,000 Production totals (approx.): 2,746 (729 fuel-injected) Wikimedia Commons/dave_7 CONCLUSION TR8—1979–81 Triumph’s TR series got off to a bit of a slow start, and it never quite became what its advocate—Sir John Black—originally There was one final TR squeezed out of the door before British Leyland shuttered the envisioned: a Jaguar rival. Rather, it grew into something more Triumph factory. If it had wanted to be consistent with its own nomenclature, the TR8 should original, carving for itself a niche that blended British sports probably have been called the TR7A, as it was essentially a TR7 with a powertrain upgrade. car class, solid reliability, excellent performance (with a racing And what an upgrade! Borrowing the 3.5L all-aluminum Rover V-8, the TR8 was destined history to prove it!), and affordability. It slotted in nicely above primarily for the North American market, where the anemic 4-cylinder suffered most. entry-level brands like MG and Morgan, offering more modern Rated initially at 135hp (a 40 percent increase), the V-8 was later bumped to 145hp with the styling and better performance, but it was more affordable introduction of fuel injection—making it more powerful than that year’s 5.0L Mustang! The than Austin-Healey, Jaguar, or Aston Martin. TRs have aged TR8 was introduced at about the same time as the Drophead, and all but about 400 of the exceptionally well, having become collectible classics that are 2,746 TR8s were convertibles. still accessible enough to be driven regularly by enthusiasts. And while some may question the TR7’s place among its forbearers, in truth, it acquitted itself rather well given the grim automotive era into which it was thrust. And certainly the rare and extraordinary TR8 has gained the respect of collectors in the decades since. Triumph enjoys surprisingly robust representation in scale, too. The nuances of individual models are probably lost on some collectors, but the deeper you look, the more variety you find, and new versions continue to emerge in the major scales. Some of the brands are more obscure than others, but that just makes the hunt more exciting! ✇ REPLICARZ 1:18 EXCLUSIVES The difference is in the details! R18901 . . $269.99 R18007 . . . $249.99 1959 Scarab MKII, Meadowdale Winner, 1970 PJ Colt, Winner Indianapolis 500, Jim Jeffords Al Unser Sr. Coming Soon! Coming Soon! R18006 . . . $249.99 R18020 . . . $189.99 1980 Chaparral 2K, Winner Indianapolis 500, Johnny Rutherford 1985 March 85C, Winner Indianapolis 500, Danny Sullivan 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!
OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD Best of Show Triumph TR7 Drophead Coupé The Shape of a Future That Never Came to Be It was touted as “The Shape of Things to Come.” e TR6 had become a sales increasingly expensive; the TR6’s Fresh from the 1968 merger of Triumph’s parent leader thanks, in large part, to the sticker price had jumped more company Leyland Motors (which had acquired export market, and economic than 60 percent during its nine Triumph in 1960) with British Motor Holdings conditions in Britain dictated that years in production! Following (parent of Jaguar and Austin-Healey, among others), its successor would have to be the merger, it was decided that the design team at Triumph had a tall order. They even more reliant of foreign sales— sibling Jaguar would command were tasked with replacing the beloved TR6, which particularly the United States. the upscale sports car market. was, to date, the most successful of all the TRs. But the British pound had been Triumph was to move down- But times were changing. strengthening steadily versus the U.S. dollar, making British imports BoS gets the TR7 contours just right, and the Cashmere Gold exudes class. AT A GLANCE WHAT WE LIKE MODEL + The Drophead is the Triumph TR7 Drophead classiest TR7 Coupé + The Cashmere Gold paint MANUFACTURER is gorgeous Best of Show + The 8-slot alloy Road GENRE Wheels are spot-on British sports car SCALE 1:18 PRICE $120
THIS MODEL APPEARS TO BE CASHMERE GOLD METALLIC, WHICH WOULD MAKE THIS CAR FROM ’81. THE PAINT ITSELF IS BEAUTIFULLY APPLIED, WITH NO POOLING EVEN IN THE FINELY MOLDED HOOD VENTS. market so that it could be built response was predictably mixed. It was also light; at about and sold more affordably than the Triumph purists bemoaned the 2,200 pounds (thanks to its new outgoing TR6. It was decided that loss of the classic roadster lines; monocoque-style chassis), it the forthcoming TR7 should be the new wedge-shaped TR initially undercut the last TR6s by nearly a clean-sheet design; engineers did not even offer a droptop 300 pounds. at was particularly quite literally created a wedge to model! It rode on a stubby 85-inch important given the powertrain. e separate it from TRs of the past. wheelbase—3 inches shorter than short, steeply raked hood would the TR6 and just 2 inches longer never accommodate the TR6’s To say that the difference than the baby Triumph Spitfire. inline-6, but that motor was never was “dramatic” would be an Pronounced overhangs front and really in consideration anyway given understatement. And the rear meant that it was longer that it was expensive, difficult to overall than theTR6. And it was certify for emissions, and relatively wide—nearly 6 inches wider than thirsty—which was problematic the TR6. given the oil crisis of the early 1970s. Developing a new engine was not in the budget, so engineers looked elsewhere within the Triumph stable for a more compact and affordable powerplant. e 2.0L inline-4 from the Triumph Dolomite was chosen, in part because it slanted the block at a 45-degree angle, reducing the engine’s height—very helpful given the TR7’s sloping-hood profile. Tuned for U.S. emissions, it made just 92hp (European models made 105hp). It was backed by an optional slick- shifting 5-speed manual (pretty advanced stuff for 1975) as well as an optional 3-speed automatic—a first for a TR. Many buyers flocked to the futuristic wedge shape, and with a base price of just over $5,000, it offered a lot of sporty value despite its lackluster power. But nagging quality issues plagued the TR7—stemming not from a deficient design so much as persistent labor issues. In the mid- ’70s, Britain’s economy was more SPRING 2018 23
BEST OF SHOW TRIUMPH TR7 DROPHEAD COUPÉ e new Triumph’s dramatic profile was predictably controversial, but the introduction of the Drophead Coupé in ’78 brought welcome TR7, not because of it. e rocky balance to the design. British economy in the 1970s may have inspired some great music, sluggish than the TR7’s throttle in the TR8—but the hood was depicting the beige velour that but it wasn’t good for labor/ response, and in 1975, British phased in on TR7s at the same was a common option built for management relations at big auto Leyland went bankrupt, requiring time. But the clincher is the color: the home market in Britain. e manufacturers, and deepening the British government to partially Gold was only offered starting in Tartan-check-pattern interior disputes with labor unions hit nationalize the company to keep it 1980. In fact, three shades of Gold is more interesting, but that British Leyland particularly hard. afloat. e TR7 got a boost when were used between 1980 and the tended to be on left-hand-drive cash from the government bailout last TR built in October 1981. is export cars, so this is probably e discontented workforce at finally paved the way for a long- model appears to be Cashmere more accurate. Instrumentation the Triumph factory in Speke awaited roadster version—officially Gold Metallic—the third shade— is clear and legible, and the vents (outside Liverpool) was at odds called the “Drophead Coupé”—in which would make this car from and switchgear on the dash are with management even after 1978. It sparked a sales resurgence, ’81. e paint itself is beautifully precisely molded. e seats and the government bailout, resulting with just shy of 30,000 DHCs applied, with no pooling even in shifter boot have a realistic matte in shoddy workmanship, work being sold in three years. the finely molded hood vents. e finish; even the pedals down in slowdowns, and frequent strikes. door handles and fuel filler are the footwell look right. e boot Rumors of intentional sabotage It is the elegant Drophead molded in as well, and the lensing and bonnet are, of course, sealed, even circulated, and Triumph’s Coupé (DHC) that Best of Show on the markers and taillights are so you can’t get a glimpse at the formerly sterling reputation for (BoS) has rendered as a curbside both excellent. e mirrors are 2.0L slant-4 borrowed from the reliability took a beating just as TR7 resin-cast replica. Proportions separately molded and have foil Dolomite coupé. ere’s no chassis production was hitting full swing. on this convertible are superior “glass”; they come loose in the detail to speak of either, but the to the hardtop, in my estimation, package and must be glued in by detail on the optional 14-inch alloy e introduction of the DHC helped and this yields a model with a the owner, but the tabs are large 8-slot “Road Wheels” is very good. reinvigorate demand, but TR7 handsome, well-balanced profile. and perfectly shaped so that they sales couldn’t keep the foundering Some of BoS’s marketing material drop right in at the correct angle. e soft rubber tires have the company afloat by itself. British lists it as a 1976 model year, but correct sheen and texture as well Leyland’s dire financial situation DHCs didn’t appear until late For my money, resin cars are at but no sidewall markings. finally halted Triumph production 1978. e errant date is not on their best as convertibles like this, in 1981. Still, the TR7 overcame the car or packaging itself, so we where the lack of opening doors FINAL THOUGHTS those challenges to become the won’t hold it against the model. does not hamper in the slightest best-selling TR ever, with more Another clue to the vintage is the the enjoyment of the interior e TR7 sometimes gets a bad than 140,000 cars sold in its seven “double bulge” hood—which was detail. is is, of course, a right- rap being associated with the years. e 29,000 Dropheads are created in ’78 to clear the V-8 hand-drive car, with upholstery demise of the brand, but in truth, the most appealing, and BoS’s Triumph failed in spite of the model shows the best of what the TR7 was all about. Detail and stance demonstrate just how striking this car can be. All that’s left is to pair it with a TR8 Drophead; BoS doesn’t even have to change the casting— just swap decals and add a second tailpipe! ✇ SOURCE Best of Show; distributed by american-excellence.com Above: e 8-slot “Road Wheels” were an option on later TR7s, and they, like the DHC itself, add sophistication. BoS does a lovely job with them. Right: e beige velour and right-hand-drive layout identify this as a British market car. e instrumentation on the dash is first-rate, and the matte finish on the seats and even the shifter boot looks realistic. 24 DCXmag.com
OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD AT A GLANCE WHAT WE LIKE Sun Star MODEL + The IROC-Z was the blue- 1985 Chevrolet 1985 Chevrolet Camaro collar king of ’80s image cars Camaro IROC-Z IROC-Z + Engine detail on the L69 This ’80s Icon Still Rocks MANUFACTURER 5.0 Liter H.O. V-8 Sun Star If you were a Gen-X kid growing up in the USA + T-tops are old-school cool in 1985 and you cared anything about cars at all, GENRE and give a great view of the chances are you were either on Team Mustang ’80s muscle car well-appointed interior or Team Camaro. Sure, there were more exotic American cars out there. But the SCALE Corvette was a little aloof, and most 1:18 of its drivers looked like middle-aged stockbrokers. The Grand National PRICE was cool, but it was far too rare for $80 (est.) most of us to really identify with. The Ford and Chevy pony cars were In its day, the IROC-Z was the e important thing was that accessible. And evenly matched as peak of muscle-car cool, but these the IROC-Z backed up its over- they are, they have always made days, it can come across as a bit of the-top image with legitimate perfect rivals. Going into 1985, Ford had a caricature. is thing couldn’t be performance hardware. A set of bragging rights in straight-line speed thanks to more ’80s if it was headbanging 245-series Goodyear Gatorbacks the 210hp from its High Output 5.0. The Camaro a full mullet to a hair-metal guitar borrowed from the Corvette, along guys were looking for some payback, and the solo wearing acid-washed jeans with upgraded suspension, gave it brand new IROC-Z was just the weapon to do it. and a pair of Air Jordans! (But then much more grip than any Mustang, For 1985, Chevy had inserted the IROC-Z above again, Vanilla Ice was famous for and 4-wheel disc brakes gave it the Z28 as the top-performance Camaro to rollin’ in his five-point-oh, so Ford better stopping power too. All that celebrate its participation in the International guys don’t get to laugh too hard!) turn-and-stop stuff is great, but Race of Champions series. Many fans had no idea what we all really cared about was that’s what “IROC” stood for, but it wouldn’t be whether it had the guts to dust long before everyone came to understand what it meant when they saw one! 26 DCXmag.com
THE COOLTHING WASTHAT, UNDERNEATH ALLTHE MACHISMO, ITWAS ACTUALLYAN EXCELLENTALL-AROUND PERFORMANCE CAR. off the Ford at a stoplight! It turns e model depicts the carbureted L69 version of the 5.0L V-8. Note the correct dual-snorkel air cleaner, which is the motor’s most identifi- out that the Corvette provided able feature. the solution for that too—in the form of Tuned Port Injection for are properly sized and placed; the graphics to the rearward edge of callouts on the rocker panels are the V-8. Bolted to the IROC’s 1985 model year located them just the door. e triple trim stripe that nicely rendered. 5.0L LB9, it made 215hp (a crucial forward of the midline of the door. highlights the lower body contour 5hp more than the Mustang) and Later model years would move the looks spot-on too, and the engine Sun Star’s Camaro casting has considerably outmuscled the T-tops, giving excellent access Mustang in the torque department too. e downside? TPI was available only with an automatic transmission. Camaro owners who wanted to row their own gears had to settle for the carbureted 190hp L69 5.0 Liter H.O. (which meant they had to wait until the first corner to catch the Mustang!). Cosmetically, the Camaro received a revised front end and louvers on the hood—and, of course, those oh-so-subtle “IROC-Z” graphics! Sun Star has done an admirable job converting its third-generation Camaro into an IROC-Z. A new hood has the larger louvered scoops, and a new front fascia has the proper deeper front air dam and fog lights. e headlight sockets are properly blacked out, and the taillights have been revised too. e door graphics SPRING 2018 27
SUN STAR 1985 CHEVROLET CAMARO IROC-Z e T-tops are super-’80s—and give a super view of the interior! e spoke pattern on the new-for-’85 wheels is correct, but the sidewall and tread width are more reflective of previous-year cars with narrower tires than the IROC’s 245-series Goodyears. e interior detail is definitely a highlight. to the interior, which remains a as mentioned, was the only way e Camaro’s low-slung gauges and high point of this model. e tone to get the 215hp TPI V-8. e rear prominent shelf on the dash are both and texture of the upholstery is hatch on this model is cast shut, captured accurately. convincing, and the low-slung but the large rear glass provides gauges are legible. Like the more-than-adequate visibility to previous ’82 Z28 version of this the rear seat and cargo area—the casting, the ’85 IROC carries an latter of which is flocked like the automatic transmission—which, floorboards. Sun Star does well with the new-for-’85 fascia with its fog lights and deeper front air dam. Hoisting the hood reveals a those steamroller Goodyears. e 28 DCXmag.com nicely appointed engine bay. Sun model does well with the former— Star chose to outfit its IROC with from the argent-painted stripe the lesser L69 carbureted motor down the center of each spoke to instead of the preferred TPI V-8. the squarish lug pockets. But sadly, Specific engine choice aside, detail Sun Star stuck with the skinny, tall on the L69 is quite good; it captures sidewall tires from the ’82 model the dual-snorkel air cleaner that instead of retooling for the meaty is the engine’s most identifiable Goodyears, so the athletic look of feature. Other highlights include a the IROC falls a bit short where the full set of warning and instruction rubber actually meets the road. labels. e only notable lapses are a missing distributor and a set of FINAL THOUGHTS HVAC hoses that don’t quite reach the A/C compressor. But this In 1985, nothing epitomized street- motor is a notable improvement tough America more than the over the engine from the previous IROC-Z—except maybe Hulk Hogan ’82 Z28 version of this casting. and Mr. T winning the tag-team title at WrestleMania I. But you get the Chassis detail covers the point. e IROC was badass. e essentials well; the distinctive cool thing was that, underneath all torque arm/Panhard bar rear the machismo, it was actually an suspension is well represented, excellent all-around performance and while the coil springs are not car. It was fast, it handled well, and it functional, the car’s stance is pretty even has good brakes. And enough authentic. e exhaust system time has passed that those of us is less so. Up front, the crossover who grew up in the ’80s have a pipe goes well off course and the real nostalgic connection to it. Sun diameter of the whole system is Star has hit upon a great combo too thin, but since the exhaust is in adapting its third-generation individually molded, both would Camaro to depict the first-year be relatively easy fixes. Chevy IROC. It’s not perfect, but for the introduced a new wheel design price, this model delivers quite a along with the IROC—a hefty punch—a lot like the IROC itself did 16-inch 5-spoke alloy that was a in 1985. And there’s always room for full 8 inches wide to accommodate a future edition with the TPI V-8…or maybe even an L98 350! ✇ SOURCE Sun Star sunstarmodelcars.com
OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD It’s been nearly 10 years since AUTOart produced its original Ford Falcon XB “Interceptor” as it appeared in the AUTOart Ford opening seconds of the post-apocalyptic movie masterpiece Falcon XB The Road Warrior (1981), and more than five years since “Interceptor” the upgraded version with several refinements, along with a limited-edition version with a muddy/rusty patina. Each Mad Aussie Muscle version has been met with eager enthusiasm by collectors, Taken to the Max even as we pined for a pre-apocalyptic version from the original 1979 Mad Max decked out the way it was when young MFP officer Max Rockatansky jumped behind the wheel for the very first time. MAD MAX’S PURSUIT SPECIAL IS ABSOLUTELY A CULT CLASSIC AND BELONGS IN THE TOP 10 MOVIE CARS OF ALL TIME ON ITS OWN MERITS.
e gloss black over flat black two-tone paint is magnificent. It and the jacked-up fastback stance convey the perfect menace! With this release, we finally competing diecast company the original film—not a specific to reveal a lot of nice detail. Film have just that, albeit without the ultimately won the rights to use the reference to his car—and it is crews replaced the steering wheel official film licensing this time. e movie branding, leaving AUTOart to stenciled on his yellow patrol car with a Maxrob 3-spoke vintage reason behind that likely lies with label its model rather innocuously as well. e second film muddied aftermarket wheel, which the model the reboot Mad Max: Fury Road that as a “Ford XB Falcon Tuned Version those waters a bit, so “Interceptor” gets right, down to the perforated came out in 2015, which reignited Black Interceptor.” Well, a road is now accepted as canon for the metal spokes and distinctive center a furor over the franchise that got warrior by any other name… black Pursuit Special as well as Max button. e platform extension on its start with that 1979 original. e Licensed or no, we all know this is himself. Based on the Australian the dash with the blue police light success of Fury Road likely drove Max’s mad machine. So let’s see ’73 Falcon XB GT, there was just a is spot-on too. e center console how it measures up. single example built, due to the film’s has the appropriate metallic painted up the bidding on the vehicle shoestring budget. It was treated trim around the 4-speed’s shifter licensing, and a I’m borderline obsessed with the to a number of cosmetic upgrades well, but that same treatment Pursuit Special (as it is technically to solidify in the audience’s mind should border the instrument panel named.) “Interceptor” was actually its special nature. e body-kit too if we’re being picky. Speaking company of former Ford designer of the shifter, it contains one Max’s nickname/CB handle/ Peter Arcadipane supplied the of the car’s most talked-about job description in aftermarket fiberglass front cap features: the engagement switch along with the rear-deck spoiler. for the supercharger. ere is much controversy and conjecture about e rear fender flares and roof how such a device might work, but spoiler were custom jobs done by the film crew as they developed the AT A GLANCE car. e model captures all these MODEL details—big and small—with 1973 Ford Falcon XB impressive authenticity, right “Black Interceptor” down to the hood twist locks. MANUFACTURER And then there is the special AUTOart glossy black-over-satin GENRE black custom paint job, Movie car/custom with its delicate bordering pinstripe—again, which SCALE AUTOart nails. Some may 1:18 question the absence of the gold MFP shields on the PRICE front fenders, but this isn’t $190 really a problem. Magnetic decals were used in the film, WHAT WE LIKE and they weren’t on the car for all the scenes. e only + Max’s original Pursuit official omission is the “MFP” Special in all its first-film rear license plate. glory e movie actually reveals a fair bit about the interior, and unlike the + Fit and finish superior to gutted Road Warrior version, this typical star car’s interior is pretty stock. e doors open nice and wide on hidden hinges + Minute movie-correct details SPRING 2018 31
AUTOART FORD FALCON XB “INTERCEPTOR” “Look at the blower, man!” Goose knew—the big Weiand 6-71 makes the Interceptor, and AUTOart did an outstanding job with it. e Phase IV heads and the rest of the 351 Cleveland are pretty impressive too. Top: Gotta love the MFP-issue dash- it actually didn’t—it was a mock-up big Weiand 6-71 blower! AUTOart trumpets that look fantastic! Some mounted blue light and the Maxrob purely for dramatic license. at depicts the supercharger superbly, scenes have them slanted slightly wheel. What everyone wants to talk switch is present on the model, and right down to down to the flexible rearward, while they are straight up about, though, is that red plunger on the the plunger is the correct red color— rubber drive belt, though it does in other scenes. gear lever, which, thanks to movie magic, even if the switch housing and the lack the embossed “Weiand” script engages the blower on demand! Above: shaft of the gearshift handle should in the front plate (another licensing FINAL SCENE Like the Sunraysia wheels, the chrome- both be steel colored, not black. issue, perhaps?). It’s topped by a tipped zoomie pipes were custom van beautifully finished re-creation of Mad Max’s Pursuit Special is pieces adapted to Max’s mad machine— ey even added a convincing the Scott mechanical fuel-injection absolutely a cult classic and belongs and they look fantastic here! MFP police radio in an overhead hat! Under the hood is an excellent in the top 10 movie cars of all time console and painted the headliner rendition of the 351 Cleveland. on its own merits. But to my mind, 32 DCXmag.com the proper color! To get the blower height correct, by adding this original first-film AUTOart mounts it atop a high-rise configuration replica, AUTOart In its introductory scene, we get tunnel ram intake—a nice touch. completes a model series it began a tantalizing bit of exposition from a decade ago. While it may not MFP grease-monkey extraordinaire AUTOart’s precise eye for detail carry any longer the official movie Barry about the car’s mechanical extends to the wheels and tires licensing, there is no doubt it configuration: “She’s the last of as well, starting with excellent belongs alongside the Road Warrior the V-8s. She sucks nitro. Phase IV renditions of the 8-spoke steel cars. In terms of movie accuracy, heads. Twin overhead cams. 600 wheels. ey’re called Sunraysias, it’s every bit their equal, and it horsepower through the wheels!” and they were popular on Aussie depicts the car as it was originally Some of that is script fluff, of panel vans in the 1970s. ey’re envisioned. It’s sure to be a favorite course. e V-8 in question would used on several cars in the film, with collectors (with or without have been the Falcon GT’s Cleveland ranging from the custom ’59 Bel licensing), and I expect, as with all 351, so no overhead cams possible Air destroyed by Toecutter’s gang previous versions, that it will sell out there, but the Phase IV reference is to the Falcon sedan police cruisers, quickly. As Max’s pal and partner a realistic bit of Aussie Ford lore. In painted appropriately. ey’re Goose summed it up so colorfully, 1972, Ford’s racing division worked wrapped in BFGoodrich T/A Radials, “You can shut the gate on this one, up a prototype called the Phase IV just as in the movie. A word also Maxie—it’s the duck’s guts!” I don’t GT-HO Falcon, which had special about the exhaust system: Just know exactly what that means, but cylinder heads that pushed its 351 as with the Sunraysia wheels, the I trust it’s good because the model V-8 to an astounding 410hp—a straight pipes, glass packs, and fitting choice indeed for Max’s individual zoomies are sourced from is outstanding. ✇ Pursuit Special! To get to that the custom van world, and they are magic 600hp mark requires the tipped with a set of flared chrome SOURCE single most notable feature: the AUTOart autoartmodels.com
TUNED IN Jada Throttles Up Its JDM Tuner Series THE DCX TEAM Once upon a time “Japanese Domestic Market” (JDM) meant simply a vehicle built in Japan exclusively for its home audience. It covered micro-displacement city cars, commercial delivery vehicles, and everything in between. But the designation included a contingent of performance vehicles too—and there had always been a shroud of mystery about these unicorn vehicles; names like Skyline, AE86, EVO, and STi were spoken of in reverent whispers. But what started as obscure available here, the emphasis FULL SIZE terms understood only by die- shifted to parts, and JDM began to hards began to filter into the take on its modern connotation (1:24; exclusive to Toys“R”Us) wider culture in the 1990s, as a magical term implying exotic, aided by an explosion of high- rare, usually expensive, highly In our last issue, we previewed the first four cars in the 1:24 series—the performance Japanese sports cars advanced, often inscrutable Toyota FT-1, ’16 WRX STI Widebody, and a pair of Ben Sopra–tuned R35 like the NSX, RX7, and 2JZ Supra. technology that made your Nissan GT-Rs—but Jada has just released the second four. Nissan is again In the early 2000s, Japanese car both invariably faster and featured prominently, and a cool bit of the brand’s history jumps to the manufacturers started to lift infinitely more respected. front of the list. the embargo on the last of their Aftermarket brands like HKS, JDM-only offerings. e hugely GReddy, APEXi, Mugen, Tein, and 1972 Datsun 240Z anticipated rally-bred Subaru Veilside have become household WRX finally debuted in the United (“garagehold”?) names and must- With its long-nose/short deck and inline-6 power, Nissan’s original sports States in 2001 at almost exactly haves for JDM street cred—which car was sometimes described as the Japanese Jag E-Type. Jada’s version the same time as e Fast and the brings us to Jada’s JDM Tuners pays tribute to the original design by keeping its contours largely unaltered. Furious rocketed the U.S. import series. Jada has long been a It rolls on wider, lower-profile Bridgestone Potenza rubber mounted to tuner craze to new heights. We got champion of the modified-car Minilite-inspired 8-spoke wheels, and there are modest bolt-on fender Mitsubishi’s WRX fighter, the EVO, aesthetic in diecast, whether it be flares installed along with deeper front and rear lower valences that fair the following year, and a year after classic muscle with a pro-touring into them. e paint scheme is reminiscent of a vintage-showroom stock that, Subaru Tecnica International twist, Cali-style VW culture, upped the ante again with the STi lowriders, or import tuners like this racer. is is definitely our favorite of the 1:24 JDM releases thus far. version. Nissan was comparatively JDM series. is time, it has dished late to the party, but when it up series cars in three different arrived in 2008, it brought Godzilla: scales—1:64, 1:32, and 1:24— the R35 GT-R. covering a wide range of classic and late-model vehicles. Let’s With versions of nearly all of take a look. Japan’s hottest platforms now 34 DCXmag.com
2003 Nissan 350Z e Z is Nissan’s longest-running performance model, and it returned to its roots with the 5th-gen 350Z, delivering lighter weight and a naturally aspirated 6-cylinder engine like the original. e taut, beautifully sculpted lines were thoroughly modern and a great canvas for aftermarket body kit builders to work with. Jada’s wears an unbranded (but very clearly a Veilside V3) body kit, along with an APEXi exhaust and a host of other upgrades. 2001 Honda S2000 is is the one non-Nissan in this batch. Honda was one of the originators of the JDM trend, and slammed and cammed VTEC Civics with big exhausts outnumber every other import tuner combined. But the S2000 was a rarer animal: a rear-drive roadster with razor reflexes and a 4-banger that could zing past 9000rpm. To beef up the low end, GReddy offered a turbo kit for the S2000; it and a hardtop are the signature items on Jada’s version. 2002 Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) e R34 was the last of the JDM-only Skylines and the final model to use the original twin-turbo Inline-6 engine. Fast as it was, it was a favorite for cosmetic upgrades. A Bomex body kit, Bride racing seats, and a big honkin’ rear wing are the obvious items on this one.
TUNED IN MIDSIZE (1:32; exclusive to Toys“R”Us) 1:32 is an unfamiliar scale to many collectors (outside the industrial- and military-model genres), but Jada has embraced it, as it provides similar practicality to the more common 1:43 scale while offering a bit more visual punch. It’s a good size for its intended retail environment (Toys“R”Us shelves), but the cars are worth a look for collectors too because their affordability makes it easy to collect them all. Many of the same cars covered in 1:24 reappear here in slightly different color schemes, but we also got a look at two that we had not seen in the larger scale. 1993 Mazda RX-7 Mazda’s flagship performance car was reinvented for 1992, offering a sequential twin-turbo system that turned the tiny 1.3L rotary engine into a 255hp powerhouse. Tuners were quick to throw more boost at it, and it became a favorite in the drift scene. Jada’s has a cool rotary graphic on the flank, and a nitrous-bottle silhouette under the rear deck. 2002 Honda NSX Type-R Japan Spec Widebody Honda’s 1990 mid-engine NSX (badged in the United States as an “Acura”) was Japan’s first modern exotic car, and a steady stream of updates culminated in the carbon-fiber-bodied 2002 Type-R. Jada’s goes a step further, with a widebody kit that includes a pronounced undertray of the type used in Super GT racing. 36 DCXmag.com
COMPACT (1:64; available at all retailers) e 1:64 series comprises six vehicles done in two paint schemes, each for a total of an even dozen cars. e widebody NSX-R, FT-1, and Ben Sopra R35 make another appearance, bolstered by three unique castings. 2009 Nissan GT-R Comparing this to the Ben Sopra version shows just how extensive the latter’s body mods are. is version is fairly stock, aside from a pair of aggressive paint schemes. But then again, Godzilla is pretty radical to begin with. 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7 FINAL THOUGHTS It wasn’t so many years ago that e last EVO you couldn’t buy in American dealerships, this one is JDM many automotive traditionalists through and through (even if this left-drive version is obviously a Euro were all too willing to dismiss model). One model carries a version of the APR Performance logo made Japanese tuner cars as merely famous on the side of the EVO in e Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. a passing fad—complete with derogatory clichés about “punks” 1995 Toyota Supra in their “rice burners.” Time has proven such insults laughably e Supra finally earned its name with shortsighted. Today, the import the arrival of the 1993 model and its awesome 2JZ-GTE twin-turbo tuner market is far and away straight-6. Like the Z, the Supra body doesn’t need much embellishment: the largest, most popular, and subtle ground effects to go with the obligatory big wing. Both schemes most lucrative segment of the are attractive: polished silver or red with blacked-out hood. automotive aftermarket industry. And those “punks” turned out to be serious enthusiasts—just like you and me—with serious machines easily capable of showing many trash-talking domestic drivers their JDM-spec taillights! Time will tell if the JDM Tuner segment grows as quickly in diecast. Jada is certainly betting it has that potential. And who’s to say? Maybe Jada will end up being the GReddy of the diecast world—they’re definitely legit JDM. So the real question is, “How JDM are you?” ✇ SOURCE Jada Toys jadatoysinc.com SPRING 2018 37
OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD Maisto Exclusive Edition Lamborghini Centenario Sant’Agata’s $2 Million Birthday Present Let it never be said that Lamborghini doesn’t have a sense of its history. AT A GLANCE Founded in 1963 by Ferruccio Lamborghini, the company has spent the last MODEL 54 years pushing the boundaries of the sports car world. The legendary Miura Lamborghini Centenario set the standard for the modern supercar, and in more recent times, a stream of ultra-exclusive limited editions have set new standards for performance, MANUFACTURER price, and ostentatiousness. But when it came time to celebrate the founder’s Maisto 100th birthday, Lamborghini needed something special. Without question, this celebratory supercar would have to be the fastest, most powerful yet— GENRE trumping the wild Veneno by 20hp (760hp total) and 10mph (230mph peak)— Modern supercar but rather than go bigger, louder, or flashier, Lamborghini went a different direction. It looked to its history, drawing inspiration from the extravagant yet SCALE refined Miura that Ferruccio personally oversaw, which set the tone for the 1:18 company’s next half century. The appropriately named Centenario is the result. Just 40 will ever be made—20 coupés and 20 roadsters—priced at $2 million to PRICE start, offered to a select clientele by invitation only. All 40 were sold before the $60 first was built. WHAT WE LIKE + Superb finish with a fine metallic sheen + Delicate complexity to the scoops and vents + Those wheels! e wheels are spectacular. ey feature special carbon-fiber “propellers” that help dissipate the heat that the massive brakes generate.
Below: e Centenario bears some resemblance to the Sesto Elemento and the current Huracán, but it is far more advanced—and faster!—than either. Left: is is the most extreme angle from which to view the Centenario. Maisto does a nice job with the giant aero diffuser and the active rear wing, which help produce massive downforce without the need of radical wings or dive planes. THOSE WHEELS ALSO HAVE ODD-LOOKING CARBON- FIBER “PROPELLER” BLADES SHADOWING THE SPOKES, WHICH SERVE TO PULL AIR OUT OF THE WHEEL CENTERS TO EXTRACT HEAT FROM THE JUMBO CERAMIC BRAKE DISCS—ALL DETAILS THAT MAISTO CAPTURES DELIGHTFULLY. No one would ever mistake through and under the body, Centenario is the fastest road- be said, has grown by leaps and the Centenario design for low- producing downforce without going Lamborghini ever—around a bounds from its previous, more key, but it is more an evolution of the need for the enormous drag- road course as well as in a straight entry-level models. e company Lamborghini’s production cars inducing dive planes and wings line. And it is beautiful in a way has always punched above its than an over-the-top one-off. that encrust the Veneno. e most previous specials like the Veneno weight class in terms of detail per overt hint of that can be seen in were not. dollar, but this Exclusive Series e all-carbon-fiber body has the lower rear, where there is an represents a new high for the brand, elements of the Sesto Elemento, extensive aerodynamic diffuser. It’s this last item that makes it and it presents much better than its but its dimensions place it in a larger Making more than 500 pounds such a prime candidate for Maisto’s $60 price tag would suggest. e category, in between the Aventador of downforce at speed, and with Exclusive Series. It’s not that a paint is delightful, with nary a hint of and Veneno. It has more complex the benefits of an active rear wing great model can’t still be made of pooling or orange peel, and just the aerodynamics than either, but it that changes angle automatically an ugly car, but it’s so much more right amount fine metallic sparkle relies more on air management to generate downforce as needed satisfying when the car is as pretty in direct light. Maisto has made and a four-wheel-steering system as the Centenario is. e sculpted the active rear wing extendable to enhance cornering stability, the body is more streamlined than (the 1:18 is manual rather than other Lambos, but it’s still complex, automatic!), but it’s a little stiff to with its copious scoops, channels, deploy. Maisto also builds the model and spoilers, and Maisto shows off in its lower-priced Special Edition an attention to detail that, it must Series, but this Exclusive model is so affordable, why not spring for the better option? e doors rotate up and out with satisfying heft and hold SPRING 2018 39
MAISTO EXCLUSIVE EDITION LAMBORGHINI CENTENARIO Derived from the 6.5L V-12 that powers the Aventador and Veneno, the Centenario outguns e upscale nature of the Exclusive Edition can perhaps best be seen in the interior with its them both with 760hp. Carbon-fiber-look braces and detailed intake plumbing help give the striking yellow highlights calling attention to careful molding and a mix of textures. densely packed engine bay a realistic look. themselves firmly, but their less than top-notch is the pedal 6.5L V-12. ere’s a lot of detail in FINAL THOUGHTS angle makes seeing into the set, which is bluntly molded and the densely packed engine bay, Centenario a bit of a challenge. monochromatic. e front deck with chassis bracing and intake I have always been a Lamborghini Yellow highlights on the mostly lid opens, but with all the complex ductwork rendered in separately fan. I’m of the age that grew up black-and-carbon interior brings aero ductwork and heat extractor molded pieces. e surrounding ogling the Countach as the most a welcome burst of contrasting vents in the nose, there is only the carbon tub has realistic coloration spectacular supercar on the planet. color, and the materials and tiniest of cargo compartments. and texture too. Nothing much can workmanship are definitely a cut be seen of the exhaust system, e company’s more recent efforts above Maisto’s usual quality, with e engine cover has panels save a trio of outlet pipes inset into have been a mixed bag. Production careful molding and nice detail and vents in the backlight, making a panel in the rear valence. models like the Huracán look on the instrument panel and it look almost like scales. It rises fantastic, but the limited specials the touchscreen infotainment to reveal the powerplant that is e wheels and tires are have, at times, looked as if they screen on the center stack. derived from the Aventador and more than just striking to look were trying too hard. For me, the About the only item that looks Veneno but with advancements to at. Although lighter than most Centenario is a return to form— squeeze an extra 20hp out of the modern Lamborghinis due to the balancing flash and class while extensive use of carbon fiber, it managing to raise the performance Air management under and through the body is the key to maximizing performance while still weighs 3,350 pounds dry, and bar to new heights. I feel as if preserving beauty. Maisto replicates the complex aerodynamics skillfully. closer to 3,800 with fuel and a Ferruccio Lamborghini would have driver aboard. To keep that mass approved of his company’s birthday 40 DCXmag.com stuck to the road, the Centenario present. And collectors will approve employs huge staggered wheels— of Maisto’s gift to them. I love the 20x9 inches up front and 21x13 direction the company is going by out back—the latter wearing offering its models at multitiered 355-section steamroller Pirelli levels of price and sophistication Corsas specially developed for while overdelivering content at each the car and recognizable by a level. e Exclusive Edition really is prominent yellow stripe on the an excellent value at $60 and will sit rubberband-wide 25-aspect- happily alongside other 1:18 exotics ratio sidewalls. ose wheels also costing two, or even three, times as have odd-looking carbon-fiber much. You can spot its lower-priced “propeller” blades shadowing the origins in a couple of minor places spokes, which serve to pull air out but nothing that detracts from its of the wheel centers to extract overall appeal. Keep up the good heat from the jumbo ceramic brake discs—all details that Maisto work, Lamborghini and Maisto! ✇ captures delightfully. SOURCE Maisto maisto.com
Scale 1:18
OUT OF THE BOX BY MATT BOYD The American Muscle brand has been around a long time—more than 25 years by Auto World’s reckoning. Auto World Understandably, the company is very protective of its American Muscle legacy. By comparison, the Muscle Car and Corvette 1970 Plymouth Nationals (MCACN) show has only been around since Superbird 2009, but in that short time, it has developed a repu- tation for imaginative themes, with rare and remarkable One-of-a-Kind Barn-Find participants. It’s significant then, but perhaps not Hemi Mopar surprising, that Auto World would sign a licensing deal to produce cars from the MCACN shows as part of the American Muscle line. The latest and most interesting in the MCACN series is a 1970 Plymouth Superbird with a colorful racing past and an even more colorful vintage paint scheme, which was rescued after languishing in storage for nearly two decades to appear as part of the show’s Barn Finds category in 2015.
Originally a B5 Blue car, the MCACN Barn-Find Superbird got repainted in the ’70s with every custom street machine trick in the book! e vinyl top survived, as did that mondo rear wing. THIS PLYMOUTH IS A STRANGE BIRD, TO BE SURE; IT’S GREAT THAT A CAR WITH SUCH AN ECLECTIC PAST AND A SINGULAR LOOK WAS RESCUED FROM OBLIVION AND RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY. e car began as one of just by Tim Richards (who would later more seasons by a succession of e American Muscle line had a 93 Superbirds delivered from the become famous as a six-time Top owners before being converted 1:18 Superbird in its tooling library, factory with a 426 Hemi. It was Fuel Championship–winning crew to a street machine in the mid- so Auto World set about updating painted B5 Blue Fire Metallic with chief) for the Karl Gould Chrysler 1970s, receiving this wild paint it and creating a replica of the Barn a black vinyl roof and came with a dealership. Richards ran a Sox scheme—including a Road Runner Find Superbird. Among the top Torqueflite automatic transmission. & Martin–built 426 Hemi to win vs. Wile E. Coyote mural on the priorities was getting that paint From the outset. it was set up to the Super Stock/EA class at the rear deck. It was then mothballed scheme correct, which was no be a drag car, and it was driven 1970 NHRA Summernationals. for nearly 20 years before being small thing given that it employs rescued in 2014, when new owner just about every 1970s’ custom e following year, the car was Mike Hill undertook a restoration paint theme in the book! e base sold, and it was raced for a few and subsequently brought it to is sort of a metallic fuchsia, with the MCACN show for the Barn liberal use of gold-trim stripes and Find category, where it caught the scallops. ere are asymmetric attention of Auto World’s product hood stripes with a mix of colors designers. and pinstripe edging. ere are even some metallic teardrops on the nose and—almost as AT A GLANCE MODEL 1970 Plymouth Superbird Barn Find MANUFACTURER Auto World GENRE Muscle car SCALE 1:18 PRICE $95 WHAT WE LIKE Barn-find theme is great fun ++ Authentic—and very groovy!—paint scheme + Super Stock stance SPRING 2018 43
AUTO WORLD AMERICAN MUSCLE 1970 PLYMOUTH SUPERBIRD Sitting high over a set of slicks on black steel wheels, the Superbird still has a ’70s race vibe. Above: ere were just 93 factory Hemi an afterthought—some tiny configuration rather e chassis plate is the Superbirds built, but this was one of them. flames on the ducts over the than as raced. It old-school B-body plate that Currently, it carries a nicely rendered stock front wheels. And then there’s has a full interior American Muscle has been using motor with the factory oval air cleaner that trunk mural under the giant with the original- since the 1990s, but it’s fine and exhaust manifolds. And check out the Superbird wing. And oddly, despite specification white since it has all the essentials: a flame treatment on the vents over the all the other modifications, the vinyl benches separately molded torsion-bar front wheels! Below: e original interior—a factory vinyl top remains. e front and rear, front suspension, a big Dana white vinyl bench seat—remains, but the top is accurate to the photos with seatbelts and rear axle on leaf springs, and a column-shifted Torqueflite got swapped of the real car, but it does need a black carpeted well-molded and painted exhaust out for a 4-speed along the way. e detail more texture. e car has been floor. e car was system. e rolling stock up front is great—Auto World has done a wonderful restored to its street-machine delivered and consists of stock bias-ply rubber job updating this model with upscale raced with an on a set of Keystone Classic interior pieces. automatic, reverse chrome wheels, while the equipped with a rears are 8-inch slicks on plain 4-speed and a tall black steel wheels, giving the car a pistol-grip from definite race vibe. the tunnel—no console on this car. FINAL THOUGHTS e model even sports a stock steering wheel with a horn ring e MCACN show classes have (that’s the one detail that does a lot of interesting potential for not match the box photos of the Auto World’s muscle-car line, real car), but it looks reasonable and none more so than the Barn given the stock dash and other Finds category. is Plymouth appointments. is a strange bird, to be sure; it’s Lifting the special extended great that a car with such an Superbird hood, we see that the eclectic past and a singular look Sox & Martin race motor is long was rescued from oblivion and gone, replaced by a factory- restored to its former glory. at looking Street Hemi. It’s got a it has now been re-created in 1:18 stock oval air cleaner and stock for collectors to share in its odd exhaust manifolds leading charm is even better. Auto World down to a full factory exhaust has done a nice job updating system. e engine has coolant the American Muscle Superbird and heater hoses and a battery casting and an equally impressive with metal terminals, and the job re-creating this specific car’s firewall has a brake booster and paint job. While it’s certainly not an ignition coil. ere is a full set a mainstream Mopar muscle- of plug wires that are slightly too car model, for the collector that thick, but otherwise the engine appreciates the connection to is very convincing. With the car’s an actual, documented car, this racing history and the current is a great pick—especially if street-machine vibe, the pure you also dig groovy ’70s street stock motor does seem a bit incongruous, but it’s accurately machines! ✇ rendered. SOURCE Auto World autoworldstore.com 44 DCXmag.com
Your source for YRmoCuCoradrsAeocutliroscne.icfnoomrmotion! models in From the publishers of motion! UPGRADE TO MUSEUM GRADE RCCarAction.com Specifically designed for the most discerning collectors, Fire Replicas are hand-crafted using hundreds of precise parts. Visit us online to see the future of fire apparatus replicas. From the publishers of www.firereplicas.com | 1.800.481.2450
s you read this, the 68th Formula 1 Championship Season has just come to a close. Mercedes has secured its fourth consecutive Constructors’ Championship Awith the help of Lewis Hamilton, who also won his fourth Drivers’ title, tying him for third place all-time. The 32-year-old Hamilton is at the top of his game, so only time will tell how many more championships he might have in him. But he’s already sufficiently accomplished to rate among the first releases in a fascinating new series of Formula 1 models in 1:43 scale from Panini Collections (f1carcollection. com). The cars are accurate in their replication of shape and livery (although federal regulations now prohibit replicating the tobacco promotion logos, so the models must omit those). One of the features that make Formula 1 The Car Collection so appealing is the exhaustive research that goes into the models—which subscribers get to experience first-hand through beautifully illustrated magazines that accompany each release. They provide tons of history about the driver, background about the season and the drama that unfolded, and fascinating technical info about the cars themselves. It is valuable reference material in its own right, and most collectors will want to keep the magazines right alongside the models themselves. The collection is set up in a subscription format, and is currently projected to cover 60 F1 cars spanning the historyA Scale of Formula 1. The first five releases have already been Retrospective of Grand Prix F1CARannounced,solet’stakealook! Luminaries THE DCX TEAM
1. 1988 McLaren MP4/4—Ayrton Senna 2. 1977 Ferrari 3. 2014 Mercedes F1 312T2—Niki Lauda W05 Hybrid—Lewis If one were to rank the most impactful, most dramatic, and most Hamilton influential drivers in F1 history, Ayrton Senna would be a fine place to Niki Lauda rebounded from the start. And what better car than that of his first championship—scored in epic battle with McLaren’s James In just his second year with his debut season with the McLaren team and over his two-time World Hunt for the 1976 Drivers’ title by his new team, Lewis Hamilton Champion teammate Alain Prost! e McLaren MP4/4 would be the final taking the ’77 Championship on established himself as the new winner of the first turbo era, winning 15 of the 16 races—eight for Senna the strength of consistency. He power in F1 and the Mercedes as to Prost’s seven—and establishing the Senna legend. won just three races in his Ferrari the dominant team in the new but scored 10 podiums to best the hybrid turbo era. He and teammate fast but fragile Mario Andretti– Nico Rosberg won 16 of the driven Lotus-Ford, securing both 19 races, with Hamilton winning the Drivers’ and Constructors’ a career-high 11 races and titles despite quitting the team easily sweeping to his second with two races to go! Drivers’ title. COLLECTION
4. 1992 Williams HOW IT WORKS 5. 1972 Lotus 72D— FW14B—Nigel Mansell Emerson Fittipaldi When a subscriber signs up at f1carcollection.com, Veteran Nigel Mansell was he or she receives Senna’s McLaren MP4/4 for a 1972 marked the debut of one contemplating retirement after the promotional price of just $4.95, including shipping. of the most recognizable racing 1991 season, but team principal After that, the cars arrive in pairs roughly once liveries of all time: e John Player Frank Williams convinced him to a month and cost $19.95 each, plus a combined Special sponsorship bathed the have one more go—and both are shipping cost of $4.95. e deal also includes a Lotus in a lustrous black with certainly glad he did! e technical handful of bonus gifts like DVDs and a binder to gold accents. e paint and trim marvel that was the FW14B hold your magazines. e gift items continue periodically scheme is unmistakable, as is the featured active suspension, if you stick with the subscription, but there is no obligation lithe silhouette of the 72D, which, automatically tailoring grip or minimum number of cars to buy, so collectors can following a series of evolutionary and balance for each individual changes in 1970–71, finally rea- corner. e advantage helped cancel at any time. lized its potential in the hands of Mansell win nine races in 1992 and Brazilian ace Emerson Fittipaldi, finally secure himself a Drivers’ who drove it to the first of his two Championship. championships. ✇ 48 DCXmag.com
quick LOOK Fire Replicas Columbus Fire Sutphen SPH 100 Aerial Platform 1:50 | $309 (est.) By the DCX team The mid-mount configuration allows the truck to be The lighting and trim on the cab and front fascia are beau- The diamond-plated bucket at the end of the boom has all tifully replicated using 0.6mm stainless steel and a variety the water hoses, monitors, and controls fully detailed. shorter and thus more maneuverable in urban environ- of other materials. ments. The switchgear on the pump control panels is protected inside the boxed structure of the parts delivering the proper finish and thinness boom itself, which is made out of strong, light, to even the finest components. But clearly the amazingly detailed for 1:50. and temperature-resistant 6061-T6 aluminum. complex structure of the boom is the highlight, The boom can go from stowed to fully extended and it dominates the rear three-quarters of There are two extraordinary things about in less than 40 seconds, and can raise the the model. Crafted largely out of 0.6mm-thick the truck on this page. Well, actually, there platform 100 feet in the air. The truck’s internal stainless steel, it is amazingly intricate; you really are any number of extraordinary things pump can deliver enough water to feed the two get to see what makes Fire Replicas stand out about Fire Replicas’ model of the Columbus Fire 1,000-gallon-per-minute monitors, one on each when you examine the boom’s multiple layers. SPH 100 Aerial Platform, but two in particular side of the platform. stand out. First, that this first-ever model of the Fire Replicas’ previous Columbus Fire release— most advanced version of Sutphen’s Mid-Mount All this powerful gear is visible on the model, a Sutphen Monarch—sold out in just 24 hours! Aerial Platform also happens to be Fire Replicas’ down to the bolt patterns on the monitor nozzles There’s no reason to think that the SPH 100 most advanced model to date. And second, that and fittings on the hoses. The scale diamond plate Aerial Platform, which is an even more complex despite the amazing detail visible in its more pattern—always impressive on a Fire Replicas and interesting model, won’t be in equally high than 500 pieces, the model you see here is piece—is especially striking on the platform demand. Fire Replicas will start taking preorders preproduction; the finished replica that will be sides. So too the stairs in the rear superstructure, on it December 26, so don’t wait long to secure available to just 250 lucky collectors will be even which gives quick access to the platform ground more precise! level. And that superstructure has been further yours. ✇ decorated with detailed replications of numerous The Mid-Mount is a design that Sutphen tools, ladders, and other pieces of equipment. SOURCE pioneered half a century ago, and the SPH 100 There is great detail in the lighting and trim on the is the ultimate evolution of it. The design allows cab section up front, with lots of laser-cut metal Fire Replicas firereplicas.com the truck to be shorter and more maneuverable, making it ideal for urban environments with narrow city streets and taller buildings in tight confines. The raised platform provides nearly 20 square feet of protected workspace at the top of the boom, and all the firefighting equipment—water lines, air hoses, and all the power lines to control the gear that uses them—is SPRING 2018 49
OUT OF THE BOX BY BILL BENNETT Born Lawrence Graf von his racing skills in some of the best Haugwitz-Hardenberg-Reventlow, racing cars money could buy. Replicarz 1959 “Lance” was called the world’s “Nickey Nouse” richest baby. His mother was In his early 20s, after returning Scarab Mk II socialite Barbara Hutton, heir to the to Southern California from an Woolworth and E. F. Hutton fortunes; unsuccessful car-buying trip to Reventlow’s Revolutionary his father was a titled Danish Europe, Lance told his friend Bruce Roadster nobleman. Lance’s childhood was Kessler, who’d accompanied him, chaotic, split between Europe (with that the cars they saw were “pieces his father) and the United States of junk” and that he could build a (with his mother and a series of better car himself. He made good stepfathers, including Hollywood star on his word; he hired Warren Olson Cary Grant, who changed every few as the first employee of Reventlow years). Turned on to motor racing Automobile Inc. (RAI) and started by his mother’s fourth husband operations in Olson’s race shop and Targa Florio winner Prince Igor in West Hollywood, eventually Troubetzkoy, a teenage Lance honed moving into his own facility in Venice, California. He hired the best fabricators and engine builders of the era, including former Kurtis employees Dick Troutman and Tom The three Reventlow Scarab roadsters were some of the most beautiful and successful purpose-built racing sports cars of their era—far more elegant than the Egyptian dung beetle they were named after! Built and raced by wealthy entrepreneur Lance Reventlow and a team of talented hot-rodders from Southern California, the front-engined roadsters dominated U.S. sports car racing and had a backstory like something from a Hollywood movie. 50 DCXmag.com
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