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Mike C. sent me a photo of his Christmas diorama at home. Not only thoughtful but convenient as well, as it allows me to bookend this month's Gallery update with holiday festiveness.
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Christmas RAOK from Bill. This is the '81 re-color of the '31 Doozie, which will go nicely with my fancy American Classics version and my original from '77.
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Jim brought in a collection of wonderful rare models, including this great green Gremlin Grinder.
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Jim's collection also includes this rad Sir Rodney Roadster. (I hadn't even heard of this model before I saw the Micro Machines-sized keychain model.)
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...And to whom does this lovely red interior belong?
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Well, it belongs to the Lumina Stocker in this "bonus car" Race Team package. By the way, this "red interior" version is extremely rare. How rare?; let's put it this way: book value on this set is between $100.00 and $200.00. Jim prefers cash, thank you.
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Big Tractor Mike brought in a bunch of large-scale models, mostly Tonka but a few other brands as well. (Maybe they're better described as large-size rather than large-scale.) Pretty evenly split among trucks, military vehicles and construction vehicles -- however, there was one oddball in the bunch: this Vega Major Luxory Coach, by Dinky. Seems to be about 1/43 scale (I guess, I suppose). A few dings and scratches, but otherwise in very nice shape. I don't why it caught my attention, but it did, so after some hemming and hawing I relieved BTM of this bus burden.
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Here's a ventral view, for those of you who want data to plug into the auction sites. (Yes, I've put a battery into the battery holder; no, nothing happened. However, unlike modern models, the base is held to the shell by a screw, rather than a rivet, so...)
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A guest, Bob K., brought in a fine collection of rareties, not the least of which is this more rare than rare Hardee's collectible. This is the "Road Runner" race team set from the mid- to late-70s (Ertl-made, by the way). Brief web research reveals that Road Runner was actually the driver character in the commercials who, with Eddie his mechanic, would stop at Hardee's after every race. Note that the set has three pieces: car, truck and trailer. Brief auction site research reveals that the car or the truck can be found separately, but none even seem to be aware of the trailer! A word to the wise collector is sufficient.
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Bob had not one, not two but five Kenner Fast111s in his collection. Having rediscovered Fast111s since joining Suncoast Diecasters, I happily snapped them up. For those of you keeping track, clockwise from middle left they are Jet Vet; Cyclone 3; Evil Eye; Blazin' Bandit; and Blue Monday. (Yes, the red one is Blue Monday.)
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Ken scored this ritzy red Fire Chief from Bob as well.
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Again from Bob, Ken also nabbed this super way-cool hot-rodded Ford pick'em-up truck by Zylmex.
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Ken did quite well with these four well-presented Wellys.
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Ken scores again with this JL Custom AMX and sweeet Edelbrockified Bel-Air.
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Ken again! Man, that Willys jeep is too, too cool.
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One man's trash is another Ken's treasure. Ken ups the value of his already-valuable garbage truck collection with this handsome hauler.
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Dig that groovy retro font! "Wives! Keep your husbands happy with the new Colectomatic®!"
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It wouldn't be Christmas without cardboard! Ken & his daughter make these groovy decorations from cardboard backers. They'll do requests for a specific brand or line if'n you give them twenty (20) of the specific backers you prefer. As you can see, this'n's made completely out of HW Mystery stuff.
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Speaking of ornaments: This is the Hot Wheels ornament Ken gave me a few years ago. The ball can be opened to remove the cameo, which features Santa in a "Go, in that direction!" pose, and a "Micro Machines"-size funny car which apparently can peel out so strongly even the front tires kick up snow. I'd make a funny comment here about racing and lights and Christmas tree, but I can't come up with one...
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...And here's the other bookend: Photos of my Christmas diorama on display during the meeting. The pizza shack is from Ace Hardware. I was checking it out, trying to decide whether to buy it -- when I spotted the little Holiday Car Show sign near the door, I said, "Oh, I gotta have this!" Close enough in scale for my Tom Daniel replicas and the 'Stang from Big Tractor Mike (thankee, Mike!). Trees, shredded snow and my
"Christmas Village" snowman fill out the scene nicely. Battery-powered lights provide festive "under-snow" lighting. Hey, you want some groovy (post-)holiday wallpaper for you computer?; then click on either of the images below and download nice large copies for free!
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The wonders one may find in a bargain bin. In July, Big Tractor Mike had a serious sale (an "I'm tired of luggin' all this stuff around!" sale), and among the stuff I grabbed was this little blue bomb. I turned it over for a bit, thinking it seemed very familiar; when I scoped out the name on the bottom, I couldn't believe my eyes...
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Turns out it's a Superfast-era version of the car on the left: the Lotus Europa! This is amazing -- owning two separate editions, by the same manufacturer, of the same car. The models, separated by several decades; the designs, by only a few years.
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Ah, again, made in jolly ol' England, not some, shall we say, more far off, exotic land. Note also the "transitional" wheels.
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I generally don't collect European sportsters; however, this one, also from BTM's sale, is in fine shape considering its age, and the doors work, so ... okay, now I'm collecting European sportsters. And in grabbing this one, I also, quite inadvertantly, managed to accomplish something else -- which I'll explain later(!).
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Steve, a guest at our July meeting, brought some fantastic rarities, including quite a variety of Zowies (some even in their original baggies!). I couldn't remembar all the ones I already had (c'mon, you've been there), so I picked one that I definitely didn't recognize: this quirky little sombrero model.
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As I was setting it up for the photo, I noticed two black objects sticking out the sides. I presumed they were exhaust pipes; however, upon closer inspection, I realized they are the moustache on a little face under the sombrero! I guess his "eyes" are supposed to be windshields -- which brings to mind the classic saying, The eyes are the windows to the passenger compartment. Or, something.
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For those who've never seen Zowies before: here are some.
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I also generally don't collect old pick-up trucks, but this one's a Yatming, and really nice.
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Another find in BTM's sale. While not quite the joyous surprise as the Europa above, this one proved amusing as a compare / contrast piece against...
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...The Maisto Fresh Metal model on the left. (By the way, there's hardly any metal, fresh or otherwise, to be found on the Maisto.) Naturally, I presumed the bargainvette to be a Summer, based on the low quality of the casting; however, the model number on the base indicates it's a Yatming(!). Compare this to the Chevy p'up above -- I'm guessing Summer made the 'Vette for Yatming.
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I can't believe I've collected as many funkified '70s vans as I have, as I (ahem) generally don't collect vans either. (Ahem.)
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So, I wondered, what can I learn of this Bedford CF which made this Summer Van Model? Well, I learned that Bedford CF is the van model, which means Summer is the manufacturer. Now, again, compare this Summer-branded van (which has lots of nice metal, by the way) with the bargainvette and ChevYat pick-up. I'd easily suspect some other company, with better production facilities, made the van for Summer.
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Yet, the question of what Summer can and cannot do gets even more intriguing with this model, the Lola T260. Considering everything that's wrong on the model, it's still for Summer a very adventurous design.
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Speaking of intrigue: I have many Summer models with no brand name -- you can tell they're Summer 'cause, you know, they look like a Summer model. I happen to have two (including the van above) which actually say Summer. But this Lola is the first one I've ever seen with the mythical leaping gazelle logo.
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Man, I'm just denyin' everything this time! I (AHEM) also generally don't collect tanker trucks. However, I was looking for this model for a particular reason. First, let me give a shout-out to Big Tractor Mike for having one in such great condition. Look over the photos, then I'll 'splain my want for this model.
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Back in December of '07, I picked up this MB Super Garage from BTM. As the renderings of cars in the picture are of only moderate quality, and several have a kind of "generic" appearance, the idea of trying to collect any of the shown cars seemed ridiculous...
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...Except for this tanker. I can't explain it, but this one got in my head and stayed there. So, when I found one in very poor condition, and BTM offered the lovely above instead, I very happily acquired it.
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While I was setting up the box for the above photo, something in the corner of my eye grabbed my attention: just to the side of the Burmah was a little orange sportser which looked oddly familiar... And now you know what it was that I mysteriously referred to several pictures above: I inadvertantly managed to collect not one but two of the models shown on the box.
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Or, make that three. Well, maybe two & a half. Different names, different colors, different castings, but still the same design(!).
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This is from Matchbox's Rollamatics series. Each vehicle had an action feature operated by rolling the vehicle. No guess as to the feature on this vehicle since, aside from the wheels themselves, the only other thing that could move is the radar dish. I've seen several of these over the years at Suncoast Diecasters meetings, and they all had a similar jerky movement of the radar. This tells me that either they all had the same failure in the action linkage, or that's how the radar is supposed to move.
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I was looking through BTM's, ahem, "Slightly More Expensive" bin, wherein I found this odd-looking little hopper. Strangest looking little thing I ever did see. Was it a jeep?; a golf cart? This is the Honda Vamos, an interesting but short-lived little runner. (When I saw a commercial for Honda's new Big Red, I thought it was a revamped Vamos, but the similarities are vauge at best.)
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Nonetheless, very nicely detailed. Thanks, Tomica! (By the way, the glare in the headlights isn't camera flash; it's actually a small lamp on the back corner of my desk. How's that for reflectivty!)
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Very nicely done base as well. Thanks again, Tomica! Note the mark, "S=1/54"; I've managed to collect a few models in the 1/50 range, so this'n won't be all alone. Note also the Whizz Wheels-esque ridges on the tires.
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On to the August meeting now, where I appropriated from Ken this PT Cruiser and mythical Pronto Cruizer, both by Maisto. They'll make great companion pieces for the Prowler and semi-mythical Howler. Hey, do you remember when American automobile companies were privately-owned creators of both jobs and quality vehicles, before they became just another trinket on the charm bracelet of the Government? Yeah, me too...
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Ken had this rad-lookin' truck sitting amongst his wares (his whats?). Oddly enough, I (mis-)took it for one of Rob's customs. Ken informed me that it's actually from Maisto's "AllStars / Elite Transport" series. He bought it for the Willys, and decided he didn't need the carrier. So, as friend, I relieved him of this burden.
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On the left is the Treasure Hunt series GMC Motohome I bought from Jeremy; on the right, the super-hunt version I found in the wild! Yep, believe it or not, I found a super t-hunt all on my very own. Now, I suppose most of you can see, even in these photos, the differences between them, but, as a free service to you, close-ups are provided below.
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Note that in the illustration, the GMC is shown wearing FTEs, and the left close-up also has FTEs. In the right close-up, however, the toy has Real Riders Note also that the left says "T-Hunt", while the right says "Trea$ure Hunt$". Oh, and the mis-aligned tampo on the super?; well, that just makes it singularly unique!
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BOAC RAOK
Some of you may be surprised at this, but there is in fact a collector market for old model kit boxes. That's right, boxes! I don't collect them myself, but when Big Tractor Mike handed me this one near the end of the meeting, I certainly couldn't turn it down. I was, after all, intrigued by the BOAC markings in the illustration. Some of our older guests may actually remember when BOAC was a working airline; many of you may be familiar with BOAC in a lyrical sense, although you may not have recognized the name when you hear it:
Vernon'll meet me when the BOAC lands / Keys to the MG will be in his hands
Adjust to the driving 'n' I'm on my way / It's all on the right side in Montego Bay
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Again, this is why Suncoast Diecasters is seriously cool: BTM shows up with not just one, but several Zylmex still on cards! I determined this fire engine to be the coolest of the bunch. Note it's not even punched, despite being price-tagged!
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Fortunately, Mike also had some Z's loose in baggies, including a duplicate of the flamer. Dig the nicely-articulated boon, including "working" piston.
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Courtesy BTM, another Zee. Literally, ZEE, not Zylmex. Merc/Benz 300SL. Pretty ritzy, no?
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...And how's this for fancy-schmansy!
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Big shout-out to Ed, who managed to swing some time off and re-join us. Glad to see you again, Ed! Of course, Ed brought a wonderful assortment of vehicles as well. I spotted this TootsieToy beach hopper and, not recalling if I already had this one (c'mon, you've been there), snapped it up.
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Imagine my surprise as I was looking it over to discover it's not a TootsieToy; it's a PlayArt! This is the best macro shot I could get; the only letter that really shows up clearly is the 'a' in Art, so I scribbled on the inset for ya.
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Ed also had a Flying Colors-era Land Lord. Don't know if I still have my old original Land Lord, but if not, I got me a handy spare.
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Never, ever would I have looked for or bought the Merc/Benz 380SEL. That is, until I learned that this one included a German Shepard in the back seat! Now, finding old Matchbox cars with dogs is relatively easy; but a Hot Wheels car with a dog?! That's unique!
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Best macro shot I could get (mebbe I shoulda backed out a bit); anyways, if you look at for a moment, you'll see the four-legged anti-theft system staring back at you.
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Another classic from the Edsortment - proof that oversized engines and rear tires can turn any car into a hot rod.
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Handy tool kit inlcuded, for when that rear-mounted fuel tank burts into flames.
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Remember when I got all giddy about finding three vehicles that matched the illustrations on the Super Garage box? (Way back in the July photos, several screen scrolls ago?) Note the green runner to the left of the Burmah tanker. Well, guess what I found among the Ed-mobiles...
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Yep, thar 'tis! The same black whatsit sticking up through the hood and everything!
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...Which, I've just realized, means I'm using the Super Garage box as an incredibly bulky and inconvenient catalog. Hmm.
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What the heck. The doors still work, the interior looks good, the car looks good overall for its age. In fact, the only real problem is the missing trailer hitch which, really, I don't care about.
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I mean, it's not like I ever actually buy a trailer or anything.
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The Lord was smilin' on me for sure. I sold my original Jet Sweep X5 to another SD'er many, many moons ago. Don't remember who, might've been Ed; this may or may not be my old one. But, it's mine now, and that's what matters -- thanks, Ed! (I decided I wanted it back (or replaced) because I've collected many jet- or turbine-powered vehicles, and I began to realize I missed this one turrbly.)
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Rather nicely detailed turbine. The Elmer's glue bottle serves as a support because the body shell doesn't stay up on its own. And here, to my shame, is the reason I sold it in the first place: the driver's cage. Instead of being actually cage-like, it's not much more than a box around the seat. And that's why I sold it. Pretty stupid, no? Yes.
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Yes, it really is. It's an original Redline-era Funny Money. I'm embarrased to say how little Ed asked for this rarity. I am exceptionally happy to have added this'n to my collection.
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Okay, okay, it's missing some parts. I say, so what? I have an original Redline-era Funny Money! Woo-hoooo!!!
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Ken had a sale, so I grabbed a bunch of cars for parts, for that day when I might actually start making some customs. As he was setting out his wares, I spotted this fire engine among them. I looked it over and was quite surprised at its quality. It's a no-namer, no mark on the bottom except "Made in China"; yet it's nicely detailed & painted. The "badge" tampo on the doors even has fine lettering that's legible under an eye loupe.
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Can you believe this? It even has a working three-section ladder! When's the last time you that on a brand-name 1/64 flame-douser?
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Another purchase from the J. C. Kenny White Sale. At first glance, this'n looks to be beyond hope. However, that interesting hoop scoop...
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...And complete absence of an engine told me that this one's just ripe for customing. Besides, there's another reason I picked this one up...
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Yup: it's actually made in England. As recently as 1979, Matchbox was still makin' 'em at home, as it were. In other words, the work wasn't outsourced to Hong Kong, or Malaysia, or Tawain, or....
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From the rare Zowies series. Surprisingly (and disappointingly), I haven't been able to find much information online regarding Zowies (although I've found many photos). As I understand it from Big Tractor Mike, Mattel sold the Zowies line in the '70s as a subset of Hot Wheels. The models all are comical in nature, with cartoonishly exaggerted features. They're about a third the size of regular Hot Wheels models, which makes them roughly 1/87 scale (and, boy, won't this look good added to that HO layout you've spent 4,000 hours building in your garage!).
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This model is commonly called "Baby Bonnet", but it occaisionally shows up with other names. From this angle, the bonnet almost has a "covered wagon" look to it. And the bit of sculpturing in front of the radiator is apparently meant to be a heart-shaped Valentine box. Aaawwww...
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The next several vehicles are from Big Tractor Mike's bargain bin. This one, I'm guessing, is a Summer model. The sub-standard casting and cheap wheels and base are big clues. The trunk seems out of proportion, but perhaps it's an illusion caused by the sweep of the tailfins. I picked it up because I find it curious, and because it's another car to add to my "IF I ever start customizing..." pile.
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I couldn't read the fine embossed lettering under the fluorescents at the Sports Bar, but the cartoonish proportions, "space cadet" wheels and pale blue plastic base just screamed, It's a Maisto! However, the eye loupe at home revealed a huge surprise: (drum roll) It's a Mattel Meal-mobile! Yep, it's a Mattel model, Hot Wheels-branded, from a McDonald's Happy Meal. Which, I must admit, greatly surprised me. I've been collecting McHot Wheels fairly regularly ever since McD offered the Jeep CJ-7 & Tricar X-8 in baggies in the late '70s; yet, I couldn't recall this one. Fortunately, it stated 2001 on the base, so I binged googled various combinations of details, and finally was able to determine that this model is "2K57 Glo-Rider".
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Now, 2K57, okay, I get it, it's a "year 2000" interpretation of the '57 Chevy. But, "Glo-Rider"? I then realized that, in the scanned ad I found online, both it and a customized pick-up had a "glow effect" underneath. Ah, now it makes sense: it's a riff on the short-lived fad of installing under-chassis lighting. ...Which means ... the base glows in the dark! WOO-HOO!!! Which, in fact, it does; I have proven this. However, my attempts at photographing it totally tanked. I do own a black light fixture, but it's deep in storage. So, in the mean time, I offer you this completely fake version:
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I couldn't believe BTM had this in his bargain bin! But, he pointed out that it had been repainted, and had some other faults. No problem!; I'm just happy to add another classic TootsieToy to my collection! (Hmm... I got a PlayArt Esso truck, now a T'Toy Mobil... If I could just get ones that say Exxon, ExxonMobil and MobilGas, I'd have the whole set!)
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Okay, heavy oxidation on the tank; should OHSA or the EPA maybe know about this?
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Here's one that slipped past Quality Control: the left front wheel is, like, totally punched off-center!
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What's more rare that a British-brand toy car actually made in Britain? How about an American-brand toy truck actually made in America. Heck, it even tells us what city it was made in! (Chicago? Sheesh, I hope Rahm Emanuel's fingerprints aren't all over this.) Also, it's nice to know it's based on a Chevy design, it's not a 'generic' truck body.
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Last month, I told you about a RAOK from Kenny; well, I got one from Big Tractor Mike this time! He brought in some great old-school car cases, among which was this l'il retro wonder. Considering both its rarity and great condition, his askin' price was more than resonable. However, I'm putting funds into a small bidness, so while I could pick up a few cars, the case was out of the question. Time passes... then Mike walks over and hands it to me! He offered it as a thanks for my management of the website! Mike, I seriously do appreciate it.
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Hey, ya notice that logo down near the bottom? Here's a close-up. Like me, it may take a moment for you to get it. Okay, time's up: a car case, from Mattel ... but it's not Hot Wheels-branded? Seems a little odd, doesn't it?
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Ah, here's the secret. You know those cars in the "Since '68" packaging? Scope out the year: 1966. Can you dig this? Mattel was selling a car case ... before it began selling its own cars! This is exquisite rarity defined.
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Ken tags a triple-fold triumph for his tally of toy-car treasures with this trio of terrific Treasure Hunts!
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Like Henry Ford said, you can have your Studebaker Avanti in any color, as long as it's black. In this case, Ken got one in orange black and one in green black.
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Again, more gorgeous Kenner Fast111's from Sondra's collection.
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Again again, I cannot overstate the rarity of such clear, legible license plates.
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More great Sondra rarities: Matchbox choppers. Man, I don't even remember these! This is Jumbo Jet...
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...And this is The Stingeroo.
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Hmm....almost looks like a political convention...
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And here is your showroom shot.
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Another incredible Sondra rarity, and my "buy of the month" for April: Hot Wheels' "Revvers" series Haulin' Horses.
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Kinda has a resemblence to Mutt Mobile, don't it? I vaguely remember having one of these as a kid, but I don't recall which model; probably this one. Hmm? What's that sticking out the back?
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Oh, it's just the knob for the winding mechanism.
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Yes, winding mechanism! A rubber band would be hooked onto the tongue under the radiator, then onto the hook at the front of the winder. Several smart turns to the winder, and the car would be "revved up" and ready to haul deleted horses across the floor! And in case you're wondering, yes, I've tried it. Used a couple different rubber bands -- no go. The winding mechanism moves smoothly enough; I suspect that the rubber / vinyl "treads" on the drive wheels have become too tacky with age for it to work well anymore. But, the car's still beautiful, and I'm still happy!
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Here, Big Tractor Mike scored the Buy of the Month for April, and what has to be the greatest find to date at a Suncoast Diecasters meeting. Now, some of you youngsters might be thinking, "Okay, BTM got an old steam shovel in a box -- what's the big whoop?"...
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Some of you not-so-younsters might get a bit more hip to the thrill by checking the name on the endflap:
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That's right, it's the incredibly rare M4 Ruston Bucyrus 22-RB steam shovel, red body, mustard yellow shovel and green tracks, in excellent, excellent, excellent condition (thanks again, Sondra!). Not only is this model rare, this is the rarest version. When this was first produced, the "22-RB" tampo was done in red -- yeah, exactly, a red label on a red body. It was near impossible to read, so Matchbox had to quickly redesign it; which means this version almost instantly became a collector's item.
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Here is that wonderful, foolish tampo, the mark of a genuinely great find. Congratulations, Mike!
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We had a serious Redline collector as a guest at our May meeting. His Redlines were in truly superb condition; and of course were accordingly priced. Imagine my surprise when I found these originals in his dollar bin! ...SOLD!
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Ken provided this gorgeous "Larry's Garage"-edition Wild Thing...
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...Complete with authentical Larrygraph!
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Big Tractor Mike provided this fine Commer Ice Cream Canteen. A little play-worn here & there, but otherwise in really great shape. (Hey, do British ice cream trucks play the same skwonky music as American ice cream trucks?)
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A close-up of the menu, in case you're buyin'...
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Interesting design idea...but isn't a sunroof on an ice cream truck just a wee bit counter-productive?
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If you remember, way back in ... (scroll, scroll) ... September of '08, I got an unpunched TootsieToy from BTM. Well, lightning strikes twice! Thanks to Bill (who returned from his mysterious absence), here is an unpunched Ertl -- woo-hoo!
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RAOK: Random Act of Kindness. As we were closing up the May meeting, Ken walks over and hands me this Toyota RAV4, by Edocar. Now, as I've mentioned before, great finds at Suncoast Diecasters meetings generally fall into one of three categories: brands I know well; brands I've forgotten; and brands I've never heard of. This one's in that third category. I appreciate it not only because it's a gift, but particularly because it's my very first Edocar. Thanks, Ken!
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Our March gallery is bookended with pics from Don's collection at the beginning and Sondra's collection at the end. We start with this '80s classic, Hot Chocolate. Hard to believe this car is almost 30 years old...
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Why did I do a zoom & sharpen on the copyright text? I'll explain that in a little while.
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As I was looking over the car before I bought it, I thought it looked good but it seemed odd somehow. Its proportions seemed a little off, and I spotted what I thougt was a wheelie bar at the back end. Ken advised me that it's a hinge, and that it's actually a funny car, a flip-top dragster. Well, that sealed the deal!
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Turns out it's really a great-looking little dragster. I'm amused by Matchbox's mid-shell support gimmick, which I guess is their answer to Hot Wheels' front-end X-fork.
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...And for those of you who are clutching your chests over me having torn open this classic, relax. Look, the package is completely unharmed, see?
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Matchbox Slingshot Dragster, again from Don's collection. Man, this thing is pristine. The sticker is in great shape, and dig it: all sixteen pipes, whole and awesome.
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Here's why I did the copyright thing earlier: 1971, made in England. The 1980 copyright says Vehicle marked to show country of origin. A bit of a change in nine years, eh?
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Corgi Tom & Jerry Tom's Go-Cart, from Don again. This is one of those rareties I never expect to see except on some other collector's website.
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In true cartoon fashion, the cart is made of "found" objects: the engine (or engine compartment) is a trash can, Tom's headrest seems to be from an office chair, and the chassis is made from crutches. (By the way, there's a variation of this model: the garbage can has what looks like a machine gun attached, and the headrest is a box-like shape with a gray-painted disc attached which is supposed to be the can lid.)
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Again, another classic from across the pond. The 1940 copyright date seems odd, though...
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Oh, it's just the studio, keeping its fingerprints on things.
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I liked Jeremy's dip-&-dye custom so much that I threw my own and a 5-spot at him and asked, "Please make!"
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When he brought it back, he said he left it unglued because I hadn't said anything about custom wheels. I think I'll leave the originals, but for those of you who wonder what these things look like on the inside, here ya go:
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Maisto HoopDe Coupe, from Ken. Maisto's original designs seem to fall into two categories: reasonably cool, and completely ridiculous. This one is reasonably cool. Has kind of a Deora/Nightburner vibe to it. The candy color scheme and thick spoiler make it look more like a toy car than a miniature car, but it's still a good design (and I hadn't seen it in the stores, so, thanks, Ken!).
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Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Drift King. (This is the other car I bought from Ken; he thinks I only bought the Maisto.) I ended up with an original D'King as a left-over either from a multi-pack or from a K-Day mail-in. Not my style, not one I would've bought for itself; but, as it continued to hang around, I kinda grew fond of it. I got a Mystery version and said, "Hm! Nice companion piece!" So, when Ken offered me this TH version for a reasonable price, I couldn't turn it down. (Besides, it's an addition to my very humble TH collection.)
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Ah, now we get to Sondra's collection. These are Kidco Burnin' Key Cars race trucks; they (originally) included a key which would launch the toy via the internal spring mechanism. The unfortunately flattened tires negate the value for hard-core collectors, but I have only one other Kidco that I know of, and it's not a BKC, so with these I upped my Kidco collection by a whoppin' 200% in fell swoop.
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Kenner Fast 111's Range Runner, again from Sondra's collection. I forgot all about Fast 111's until I joined Suncoast Diecasters. This particular model is not only in great shape overall...
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...But it's very rare to find one with such an exceptionally legible license plate!
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Here we have my personal "Buy of the Month" from the March meeting: Chrysler Imperial hard-top, by Impy (again, from Sondra's collection). This is -- as I have mentioned before -- one of the best things about being a member of Suncoast Diecasters: not just having the opportunity to aquire classic Hot Wheels and Matchbox models, but to revisit older classic names such as Corgi and Tootsietoy, and to learn about names previously unknown to me, such as Yatming and Impy.
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These next two pictures have not been "photoshopped"; nor has the car been customized or modified. This is the original toy, with original working features.
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Hey, Greenlight, ya got anything like this? What? No? Yeah, I didn't think so!
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Another quality feature not seen on today's toy cars: jewelled headlights. These are jewel-faceted translucent inserts. And you thought finding a modern Matchbox or Hot Wheels with painted or tampo taillights was "da bomb".
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One more groovy detail: In case you hadn't noticed, the front wheels are in different positions in each of the above shots. Here's the secret: axial steering. The front wheels can actually be positioned back and forth. When did you ever see that on a blister-scale car?
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And finally, here's a little something for you young whipper-snappers who are accustomed only to the generic cardboard-&-blister of Matchbox and Hot Wheels, and the hermetically-sealed clamshells of Johnny Lightning and M2 Machines: Dig these photos of the classy way toy cars used to be packaged.
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Our February gallery starts off with a shout-out to Big Tractor Mike, from whom I purchased this gorgeous 1970 Mustang Boss 429, from Matchbox's American Muscle Car collection. It came nicely boxed with a multi-piece styrofoam cradle, and authentical Certificate of Authenticity... but it's so great-looking that I decided, rather than shoot it plain at the meeting, it'd be better seen in the company of other 1:43 beauties in my little "hot rod show" display. (By the way, BTM has a few other models from this series ...which means you need to get to a Suncoast Diecasters meeting!)
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Here's a second shout-out to Big Tractor Mike: Road Mates-branded Playart diecast. Man, I remember when Sears had a Toy Department -- I mean an actual department -- but I do not recall seeing these. This is Playart's beautiful rendition of the Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. While I couldn't get a better macro shot of it, if you look closely at this pic, you'll see there's a tiny little Spirit of Ecstasy on the hood, er, bonnet. And the fact that the model is still in its original package just makes it that much more beautiful. See, folks, it's just this kind of gorgeous rarity (plus that fact that BTM has a couple left) that makes it important for you to stop by a Suncoast Diecasters meeting.
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Matchbox has a version... Johnny Lightning has a version... So it's no surprise (and a nice treat) that Hot Wheels would eventually offer a version of the Thing. Of course, HW had to different, naming its version Type 181. Oh, in case you're wondering, yes, it's in front of my computer. Why? Well, I had seen these previewed online, but I didn't think they were out on store pegs already; so, when Rob showed up with a stack of 'em, I was so surprised at being able to get one so readily that I completely spaced on shooting 'em at the meeting.
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Jim brought many great classics and rarities to the Feb meeting. Example: here's an original Greased Gremlin, in really nice condition, posed next to a stylish new Classics version (courtesy of a local Publix).
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This sad little fellow turned out to be more interesting than its "missing several pieces" condition would indicate. I originally bought this from Big Tractor Mike with the intention of maybe customizing it. The only data on the bottom were "Made in China" and the number S8512. I googled the number, and got tons of useless hits; re-googling with toy brought up this Breithaupts page, which says the car was made by Summer, and is a Krieger. I couldn't find much info online about Krieger, but I did learn that Krieger made some of the earliest electric and electric-gasoline automobiles. That's right, kids; Krieger made hybrids decades before the word hybrid became fashionable. So, I'm gonna keep l'il lonesome here just as it is.
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Tomica Packard coupe roadster, courtesy Big Tractor Mike. I had the crazy notion of cutting out and hinging the hood, and throwing in a hot rod-style engine, with a view to making it into an ersatz Classic Cord. However, I've come to realize it's too nice to mess up. First, it has some heft for its slim design, meaning there's some good metal here. It's a nice casting; it's in great shape, with only age-discoloration on the chassis. The tires have a "Whizz Wheels"-style ridge. And how's this for quality design?: the drop-top, which on most most models simply snaps in place (and so can be easily lost), is actually soft-riveted onto a tab that extends back from the top of the window frame!
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(The working rumble seat is a nice touch, too.)
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Um... Now, Jimmy, what's the mater with this here picture here?
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The nicest surprise at our December meeting was the return of Ed; great to see him again after so many months. Of course, he also brought a fine assortment of cars, a humble few of which I have pictured here. Starting with Spacer Racer, the freakishly futuristic fire engine on the right and proceeding counter-clockwise, we see: Flashfire, all nicely dressed up in "Team Hot Wheels" colors; Second Wind, which is not the Mach 5; Flame Runner, which has its own identity crisis; and coolest of all, and a genuine classic, a TootsieToy fire engine.
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...And thanks to both Ed and Jim, I can end the year badly by offering you my David Spade impression:
(Ahem)
"So, Flame Runner... I liked it better the first time: when it was Science Friction."
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Another treasure from the Edsortment: Bob Reisner's Invader. Sweeeeeeet!!!
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...And yet another Ed-based treasure: The Lledo "Table Supply" delivery dually. The "Table Supply" name triggered something in my feeble memory...
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...Especially since it referenced Florida. I Googled the brand, and learned that Table Supply is an early name from the history of Winn-Dixie supermarkets -- proving that collecting is educational!
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Thing 2 and Thing 1
Speaking of Jim (and I had been), here's a thing of a different sort from him. I already had the Matchbox version of the Volkswagen Thing; he provided this groovy Johnny Lightning version (which I hadn't seen before). I picked it up particularly because I like the "top-up" interpretation by JL.
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Speaking of Jim (continuing), he sold me this custom "Designer Dreamz" two-pack for, shall we say, an embarrassingly low price. None the less, I suspect some of you are clutching your chests and gasping, "Dude! WHY did you take 'em out of the specially-designed custom collector case?!!?" One, they were already out of the case when I bought 'em, and two, I believe in letting my lovelies get fresh air and run around.
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Besides ... they do tricks!
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Zee/Zylmex Indy car, courtesy Big Tractor Mike. I don't collect Indy-type cars usually, but the only other Zee I have is the Vandora, so I grabbed this'n (and after all, it is in really nice shape). By the way, there's no model name on the car, just a number, but thanks to Gary's Cars, I've learned it's known as "70s Indy Racer", and was probably sold under either the Dyna Wheels or MotorMax name.
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Mini Racer (Matchbox). I picked up the cartoonish Mini-Ha-Ha (also Matchbox) some time ago, so I snagged this one as a companion piece. (And why don't I have a picture of the Mini-Ha-Ha?)
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Yatming Chevrolet Racer. Yeah, I know, seems it ought to have a different name, but that's what it's called, "Chevrolet Racer". And yeah, it's in bad shape, but one of the greatest benefits of being a member of Suncoast Diecasters is the development of an appreciation of rarities and classics. Besides, a little paint here or there will fix it right up.
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See? "Chevrolet Racer" ; says so right there. I do find it curious, however, that although it's clearly a Yatming, it seems to be sporting Corgi WhizzWheels...
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You may recall that, back in November, I posted a pic of an A-OK I found at the Zephyrhills Auto Show (and if you don't recall, scroll down and check it out). Well, the A-OK wasn't the only car I picked up there. I also found this beautiful Hispano-Suiza, from Matchbox's Models of Yesteryear series (1:43). I didn't post it back then because I didn't want to spoil the surprise at our December meeting -- I got it specifically for Big Tractor Mike, a.k.a. "Mr. Matchbox". And guess what?! -- he didn't want it! So, I'm keepin' it! Thanks, Mike!; it'll look great next to my MoY Duesenberg!
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And now, courtesy of Big Tractor Mike, here's the "Buy of the Month" from our December meeting -- not to mention the second biggest purchase I've made at a Suncoast Diecasters meeting (after those two original-era Redlines I got from Redline Mike -- see March '08 pics). These are the Ground Hog tractor and attachments from Mattel's incredibly rare Earthshakers line. The Earthshakers are descended from Sizzlers, with a small battery-powered motor that drives the tractor, albeit at a much slower pace of course.
Surprisingly, there isn't much information online regarding Earthshakers (if you dismiss the auction and "redline guide" hits, that is). However, Blast from your Past has scans of a '71 Mattel catalog which features Earthshakers. I'm sure for some of you this is the first time you've heard of Earthshakers, and I'm sorry I can't provide you more info.
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...And finally for our December photos, we close out 2008 with a shot of the 40th Anniversary Purple Passion, the last of the special edition models.
Very thoughtful of Mattel to close out the year with a working hood...
Thanks, Mattel, for 40 wonderful years. Thanks to Harry, Larry, Paul, Ira and everyone else over there who's been involved in bringing us these wonderful models. It's been a great ride, guys, and I expect the next 40 years* to be just as entertaining.
*Of course, in the next 40 years I hope to have the anniversary cars teleported directly into my display case, rather than have them arrive via snail mail. Yet, I'll probably still have to schlep over to K-mart to get those 20 trade-ins...
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Now we enter into to 2009 with some great additions: Customs Galleries. Here's a sneak peek at Rob's gallery; please be sure to check out Jeremy's gallery as well.
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Steve L. from Pensacola stopped by again, and brought an old Matchbox collector case full of incredible treasures -- classic MBs as well as models from Husky, Impy, etc. Well, after we all stopped drooling, I made him what I hoped was a non-insulting offer for this M.G. 1100. The car's in beautiful condition, the paint still looks great, there's a dog on the rear seat, and most amazing of all--
--There's an actual driver in the vehicle! I know, I know, some of you youngsters are saying,"So? Driver -- big deal!" I can't explain to you how cool it is to us old-schoolers to have a model with an actual driver figure.
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Ken started the year with some nice bling when he picked up this chromed-out Husky garbage truck.
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Ken then scored nicely when he doubled up on these gorgeous orange Willys coupes.
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Tom scored the "Buy of the Month" when Mike C. sold him this wonderful book, 50 Years of Stock Car Racing. This book is fully loaded with beautiful photographs, poster images and other illustrations. A great way to start the year, Tom; congratulations!
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A shout-out to Ken (and a mea culpa from Your Humble Webmaster); Ken sent me this great shot of the '08 Club Truck, and I completely forgot to use it when I originally posted the Club Truck pics.
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Shout-out to Jeremy #1: He found the mythical Purple Passion Woody ...then sold it to me for pretty much the shelf price!
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Love that big toothy grin...
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The only minor disappointment, IMHO -- and it's very, very minor -- is that the surf board isn't removable. As you can see by the "flanges" underneath, the surf board is actually part of the molded interior. But ... who cares!?; I got me a Purple Passion Woody! Woo-hoo!
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Shout-out to Jeremy #2: While my laptop's hard drive crash and other events kept me from using June, July and August photos in a timely manner, I simply had to post this one. This was originally the white-on-blue "Since '68" version. Our young Krown Prince o' Kustoms dunked it in dye, hoping for a solid black result. I told him this charcoal-on-indigo result is really quite beautiful.
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Yatming Kenworth tractor-trailer, purchased from Big Tractor Mike for a very reasonable price.
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I purchased this not only so I could add another Yatming to my collection, but also for a sentimental reason: the old McCrory name. I bought many a Hot Wheels car at McCrory's...
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While the "Big K" obviously refers to Kenworth, I find it ironic that it's not too far off from "Big K-Mart".
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...And speaking of old trucks and old stores, here's another photo from the Precrashian Era: a classic Tootsie Toy, still in the package, with its original price tear-out not torn out, and its hanger punch-out not punched out. An excellent find. And with that, I'll give a big shout-out to Big Tractor Mike.
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I originally presumed that Turnstyle was just a name made up for the label; however, BTM explained that this truck was from a series for particular stores. That made it even more interesting! I did an online search for Turnstyle, and found a few articles about the store's history and, like McCrory's, its eventual demise. For those of you who remember Turnstyle, I hope this fondly rekindles those memories for you.
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PlayArt fuel truck. The cab is somewhat reminiscent of Hot Wheels' Heavyweights series, no? And this thing is heavy -- I mean, on the order of "VW Drag Truck" heavy! Also, can you make out the old Esso logo on the side? For you youngsters, that's what Exxon used to be before it became Exxon, before it became Exxon-Mobil.
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Matchbox Jeep hot rod. Yeah, it's missing the windshield frame, but it's still a classic Matchbox, and I'm happy to have it!
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Don't often see hot rods with a trailer hitch and a jerry can...
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Another Matchbox classic, the Gruesome Twosome. Although, it looks somewhat less gruesome without its twosome. But don't worry; I'm sure I have some spare engines lying around...
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Such as, perhaps... THIS one?!
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Two more Matchbox classics, the Baja Buggy. A distinctly non-gruesome twosome.
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Note the differences in color. Possibly the one on the right is just sun-bleached, but the exposed interiors of both still hold a good orange color. I'm thinkin' it's genuinely a variation. So, you see, folks, you gotta stop by a Suncoast Diecasters meeting: we not only have rare classics -- we got variations of 'em!
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Aside from the beautiful, pristine Turnstyle truck above, this is IMHO the coolest recent find at a Suncoast Diecasters meeting: the Husky Studebaker Wagonaire. Man, I didn't know Studebaker even offered a wagon! And, it's not just a wagon -- it's a TV news vehicle! I have three or so versions of the ubiquitous "TV news van"; this, in contrast, is seriously cool.
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Long-time collectors will recognize the classic "grey knobbies" and the "chrome" (plastic) base. And note that, unlike modern toy cars, this one was made in the mythical land of Gt. Britain.
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Check out the details: cooling vents on the camera body; multiple lenses on the faceplate; the operator is wearing headphones over his hat; and the extra material on the back of his shirt indicates that he's wearing what today is called a "hoodie". One very nicely done miniature.
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