Innehållsförteckning för June 2022 från Diecast Collector

THE LATEST TOPLESS BEAUTY FROM DNA COLLECTIBLES THAT incredibly talented team of car enthusiasts from Switzerland has done it again, with yet another exquisite 1/18 scale resincast offering of sublime Swedish automotive design. The latest in a long line of Saab releases (and there are still plenty more to come) is the 2005 second generation 9-3 Convertible in Aero trim. Released in three stunning colour combinations, each is a limited edition of just 399 pieces, and perfect for the summer weather - they can be displayed with the top down or up, a switch that takes a matter of seconds. The Saab 9-3 (pronounced “nine three” so as to not confuse it with the earlier, late 1950s model 93, pronounced “ninety three") was manufactured in three different generations by three different…

NEXT up from Corgi Model Club (and should have begun to arrive with early subscribers by the time that you read this) is No 485 Surfing with the B.M.C. Mini-Countryman. Featuring a superbly recreated box that’s as close to the original as modern practices allow, the marvellous Mini comes with a surfing figure, two surfboards, roof rack and opening rear doors – just like the original release in March 1965 that was in production until 1969. Even if you’re not a subscriber, you can buy any of the releases so far (subject to stock) as a standalone purchase. This model will be available to buy on its own for £29.99, plus postage. But, as a subscriber, this would cost a whopping ten pounds less. To find out more, visit the…

NEW from the Goldvarg Collection is this rather stunning 1963 Buick Electra, the company’s latest release in its range of high-quality, hand-made 1/43 scale models. Available in Laguna Blue (No GC-023 A, shown here) or Dublin Green (GC-023 B), both have been manufactured under license from General Motors. To find out more and to order, visit Sergio Goldvarg’s website at www.goldvargcollection.com or contact your preferred specialist retailer.…

7 BUMPER PAGES! NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY ADL Enviro 400 - Stagecoach London SCALE: 1/76 PRICE: £66.99 REF: UK6528 Looking absolutely stunning in London’s red, this simple-liveried example could be left as is or have adverts added, if desired. Excellent detail. www.ayrey.co.uk AUTOCULT Babich Leningrad - dark red/yellow SCALE: 1/43 PRICE: £104.99 REF: ATC 06050 Another wonderfully obscure rarity from the team at AutoCult. Sublime finish and detailing all over, with the bench-seat interior beautifully replicated. www.ayrey.co.uk IXO MODELS Talbot Sunbeam Lotus #9 Tour de Corse 1981 H.Toivonen/F.Gallagher SCALE: 1/43 PRICE: £47.99 REF: RAC370B Lovely replica of the evocative Talbot Sunbeam Lotus in rally guise. Excellent throughout. Also available as the #2 car from the same event (RAC370A). www.ayrey.co.uk IXO MODELS 1970 White Western Star 4864 white/red SCALE: 1/43 PRICE: £37.99…

1/76 scale NORTHCORD MODEL COMPANY Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC - National Express West Midlands (6937 - SK68 MJE) PRICE: £59.99 REF: UK6526 www.ayrey.co.uk ONE of two new releases from Northcord Model Company reviewed this month, its Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC casting gets another outing, this time wearing the livery of National ExpressWest Midlands. Previously released in the liveries of Stagecoach in Oxfordshire, Bluestar, Stagecoach West Scotland, SouthernVectis, Stagecoach South, Ensign Bus and Xplore Dundee, Northcord brings us its thirteenth livery on the 10.9 metre long, single-door casting, featuring SmartVision camera mirrors in place of traditional driver rear-view mirrors. The model represents fleet number 6937 (registration number SK68 MJE) and it was new to National ExpressWest Midlands in early 2019. In addition to being the first bus to have the innovative…

Before looking at another dazzling (yes, with pun intended) array of night lights lined up for scrutiny, let’s take a look at what, at first sight, might seem the odd one out of the trio… MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO III - 1995 (OT382) Subaru Imprezas have ended up under my spotlight a couple of times fairly recently and so now it’s the turn of Mitsubishi’s Impreza challenger. In the guise of an outwardly unassuming yellow Lancer it carries the EVO III sting in its tail. Like its arch-rival, the Lancer Evolution has gone through successive model iterations many of which (again, like the Impreza) resulted from participation in international rallying with notable success at the hands of drivers like Tommi Mäkinen. OttOmobile’s release brings us the production ‘street’ version with its…

Sentosa is a small island of the South coast of Singapore which is known as the country’s holiday resort. The island contains a number of attractions including resort hotels, theme parks, restaurants and sporting venues. However, this wasn’t always the case, as Sentosa had originally been a military island with a number of forts and a naval base. In 1970, the armed forces left the island, and Sentosa was developed as a tourist destination. Attractions included beaches, an aquarium, museums and restaurants, as well as historical Fort Siloso. A cable car was built to connect Sentosa with the mainland, and a monorail took visitors around the island. In 2005, Sentosa was completely redeveloped as a world-class resort, with luxury hotels, casinos, golf courses and theme parks. A new causeway bridge…

The story behind this bit of my collection actually goes back to Andrew Ralston’s article about the Berliet Stradair in his Off the Beaten Track page in the November 2013 issue. I have a certain fascination with angular designs and, in the modern world of compound curves, anything like this really stands out. Andrew’s informative piece served as my introduction to the vehicle and planted a seed of desire that bore fruit late last year. When leftovers from the French Camions Berliet partwork series, which OlivierWeyl details on the immediately preceding pages, started making their way over to the UK, I quickly snapped up a couple of Stradairs to take a closer look. I wasn’t disappointed. During the 1960s, products imported to France were heavily taxed. The products of French…

The 2016 film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, was the second instalment of the interconnected series of films known as the ‘DC Extended Universe’ – following Man of Steel from 2013. Both of these films had a significantly darker toneThis was notable for being the first cinematic meeting of the two title characters. Both heroes had featured in several solo movies, but had never appeared together on the big screen. Of course, they had been teaming up in the comic books since the 1950s, and appeared together in animated cartoons. After witnessing the damage and destruction caused by Superman fighting Kryptonian criminals, Batman regards Superman as a dangerous loose cannon. Superman, on the other hand, is less than impressed by Batman’s brutal methods of dealing with crime. Both heroes…

Number 23 in Lesney’s Matchbox Superfast line-up features one of my absolute favourites from childhood – VW Camper (as evidenced by the photo on the opposite page). This ran for several years and was replaced by a fantasy/futuristic tipper truck. At the time, I was not so drawn to this, but in recent times, it has become much more appealing and I have several now – although there is one variant that I’m still after. VOLKSWAGEN CAMPER Catalogue: 1970-75 Box Styles: G This was the thirdVW Camper to appear in the Matchbox range, but this was based on the more modern Type 2 version. A great casting, it was instantly recognisable and its main feature was an opening roof hatch that revealed a nicely-appointed interior, with table, seats, sink and…

THE specialist sale held at Vectis Auctions in Thornaby on 12th April featured an impressive collection of farming-related models. Born in April 1930 in Farnham, Surrey, Hector was brought up on a farm and always loved the countryside. As a child, he was fascinated by tractors and his first toy was a Fordson Standard. For over five decades, Hector found himself unearthing special models and his tractor collection grew exponentially and eclectically, from construction to military, tin plate to modern plastic, European to Japanese. Sadly, Hector passed away late last year, at the age of 91. His last wish was that his collection should now allow others all the enjoyment and happiness it had given him over decades. Manufacturers in this collection include Britains, Tri-ang Spot-on, Corgi, Dinky, Joal, Ertl,…

MODEL Supplies has revealed photos of three newly released reproduction part products: Matchbox 26B Foden Cement Mixer orange plastic drum – also available in grey Matchbox 51B Trailer yellow plastic barrels (set of 3) Lonestar 1472 Cadillac 62 chrome plastic grille and rear bumper For the very latest catalogue featuring the full list of the company’s reproduction parts available, priced at £4.00 including UK mainland postage, contact: Steve Flowers Model Supplies Ltd, 25 Pennant Close, Glenfield, Leicester, LE3 8LL Tel: 0116 233 2288 info@model-supplies.co.uk, www.model-supplies.co.uk…

THE Corgi Model Club has added a new line of stylish and evocative t-shirts. Pictured here is the version that features the graphics of the No 201 Team Corgi Mini 1000, released in September 1978. Each quality t-shirt is available in a range of colours and sizes. To find out more, visit the club’s new-look website at www.corgimodelclub.com. DID YOU KNOW WE ARE MORE THAN JUST A MAGAZINE? www.ccofgb.co.uk www.twitter.com/CollectorClubGB www.facebook.com/CollectorsClubOfGreatBritain/ www.instagram.com/ccofgb www.youtube.com/CollectorsClubofGB…

THE Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show with Discovery, to give it its full title, took place over the long weekend of 18th to 20th March, at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre. Among the exhibitors in the extended autojumble section was EHB Coachworks, a small company that, despite its name, takes bodyshells of models, strips them and mounts them either on plinths or in 3-D wall frames, as ‘sculptures’ The end results are attractive, though a tad expensive, I thought (from £60.00 for a 1/43, £80.00 for 1/24 and £100.00 for 1/18, all plus the cost of the model itself), but it occurred to me that here’s an idea for those of us with a battered or broken diecast or three, that are not good enough for the collection display…

1/18 scale CULT MODELS 1964 Aston Martin DB5 DHC - Blue Metallic PRICE: £204.99 REF NO: CML059-1 www.ayrey.co.uk THE Aston Martin DB5 is easily one of the most recognisable cars in the world. Released in 1963, it was an evolution of the final series of the company’s DB4 (SeriesV). With a body designed by the Italian coachbuilder, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, the DB5’s status as a motoring icon was cemented with the car’s appearance in a certain James Bond movie, Goldfinger, and its subsequent immortalisation as a Corgi Toys release. The convertible 'Drop Head Coupe' was introduced shortly before the film’s release, and a total of 123 would be made before the DB5 was replaced by the DB6 in 1965. Of these 123, only 19 were manufactured as left-hand-drive, so 104…

For 27 years, and spanning three generations of Porsche 911 from 1966 to 1993, the Targa model name had been synonymous with the optional fresh air body style offered as an alternative to the fixed roofed Coupé. This much-coveted version incorporated a distinctive, wide roll bar and removable roof centre section. With the short-lived fourth generation 911 – the 993, produced between 1994 and 1998 – came the even shorter-livedTarga version, produced for just two years, between 1996 and 1998, in a style that temporarily broke the mould, so to speak, of Porsche’s original concept, until its return as a high tech reincarnation in 2014. PORSCHE 911 (993) TARGA - 1996 (GT350) GT Spirit’s constantly expanding back catalogue representing Porsche 911 production history covers all but one of theTarga variations from…

One of my first experiences in the world of journalism came about in the late 1990s, when I built a comprehensive website celebrating my passion for the Le Mans 24 Hours and, off the back of that, managed to get press passes for my favourite race. Come 2002, I was starting to make a name for myself, and there were also three famous US car makers that were doing the same for themselves in endurance racing. Twenty years ago, the race in 2002 was an interesting one, with the epic straight run down from the Dunlop bridge to the Esses de la Forêt gone forever, replaced by a pair of sweeping curves (making the circuit safer for the 24 Heures Motos). That year’s race was also the backdrop for filming…

To the casual observer, the products of the French Minialuxe company seem very similar to those from Norev and, as a result, Minialuxe has, to some extent, been overshadowed by its more famous rival. Yet it would be unfair to suggest that Minialuxe lacked a separate identity and, as we shall see, the brand was not short of original ideas. Norev, of course, is still a major name in the collecting world, not only producing a vast range of current diecasts, in a large factory in China, but also being behind the recreations of classic models by CIJ and Atlas Dinky Toys. Minialuxe, by contrast, disappeared in 1978 yet it, too, made a reappearance with the launch of a new range of diecasts in 2012 and, like the previous range…

When I was a car-mad young nipper, I was often fascinated by stuff that was never sold in Britain, so absent from the pages of my father’s copies of Autocar or Motor. However, my much-thumbed Observer’s Books ofAutomobiles gave intriguing glimpses of these alien riches, so when British toy makers sometimes released something off their usual path, I’d be hooked. One example was Matchbox’s No 36c Opel Diplomat saloon, released in 1966 in a metallic yellow-gold with an opening bonnet and a detailed engine, which I now realise depicted aV8. I think I had three of them, including one with the later Superfast upgrade, and they sat nicely together with my No 53c Zodiac Mk4 with a similarly opening bonnet. Zooming forward a few decades, model makers still sometimes surprise…

THERE was plenty up for bidding at Bamfords’ March sale, but one that really caught our eye was the hard to-find, especially in this condition, Dinky Toys No 107 Stripey the Magic Mini, complete with its inner card display stand intact and all three figures. Lot 3030 closed with a hammer price of an impressive £300. Comprising the correct white Mini with red, yellow and blue stripe sticker decals, red interior and chrome spun hubs, with Candy and the Bearandas plastic figures, all were in excellent condition. As was the inner cardboard display plinth, and everything came in a good, but worn box. Bamfords’ next toys & collectables auction will be held on 14th June. More information can be found at www.bamfords-auctions.co.uk.…

It is a well-known fact that, afterWorldWar II, new cars were hard to obtain in Britain as the priority was to‘export or die’ in order to rebuild the country’s shattered economy. This situation was reflected in the toy market, too, as better quality products like DinkyToys were exported around the world and initially only modest stocks were released to toy shops at home. All this provided an opportunity for smaller manufacturers who hastily produced less sophisticated toys for distribution via markets, corner shops or hardware stores. One firm that was quick to exploit this situation was Timpo, founded in 1938 by a Mr Sally Gawrylowicz. Timpo had managed to keep a certain amount of toy production going during the war years, making toy aeroplanes and figures from a composition material…

EAGLEMOSS has announced its latest ultra-detailed 'build-up' diecast replica, the 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback. The Mustang was soon cast by movie makers and in films as varied as Goldfinger (1964), Gone in 60 Seconds (1974), and, of course, the 1968 cult classic, Bullitt. The model has working headlights, taillights, and stoplights, plus opening doors, bonnet, and boot. The windows actually wind-down and the front wheels can be turned by the steering wheel. The interior also features folding seats. It also comes with an optional customisation kit that turns this already cool car into a street-smart racer. Officially licensed by the Ford Motor Company, the replica measures an amazing 59cm in length and weighs an impressive 8.3kg when complete. To find out more and to take advantage of the time-limited…

1/43 scale IXO MODELS Nissan 35GT-RR LB-Silhouette Works GT Black 2019 Basis GT-R (R35) PRICE: £41.99 REF: MOC314 www.ayrey.co.uk THE LibertyWalk concept isn’t about simply tuning or 'dressing-up' cars. The company isn't interested in common-place customisation either. In the old days in Japan, 'Kaido Racers', as they were referred to, styled their cars by removing the bumpers, retro-fitting headlights from another car and cutting and installing 'overfenders'. This is the roots of old-school, traditional Japanese custom car culture - a culture loved by some, yet hated by others. Much as I love classic car design, I have to say that there is something incredibly appealing about this form of art. Starting with Lamborghinis, LB WORKS quickly added Ferraris and Nissan GT-Rs to its portfolio. The latter has become quite a market…

When we look at the history of car design, two-door coupes are the epitome of elegance and sportiness. Some of the best-looking cars ever made featured this kind of bodywork, maybe not the most practical of all, but surely one that captures the imagination of any car enthusiast. Italian made, or designed, coupes are amongst the best examples of this philosophy, featuring a certain flair that simply cannot be found elsewhere. And it really doesn’t need to be an ultra-luxury or ultra-expensive brand to provide such a thing as an attractive Italian two-door coupe. Fiat, Lancia and Alfa Romeo have all produced this kind of ‘selfish” car, models that were made for the pleasure of owning and driving something beautiful, without spending much time thinking about practicality or room for…

The model collections sold with magazines at newsagents, or available by subscription, started in France at the beginning of the 2000s. These collections, by their mode of selling and their reasonable prices, make it possible to extend one’s passion for model vehicles well beyond the limits that we knew before, creating a new concept of collection called commonly“partworks” in the collector’s language. Initially devoted to various themes of passenger and racing vehicles, these collections gradually opened up to commercial vehicles, first with the“Nos chères camionnettes” (Our dear vans) collection in 2005. But truck and heavy goods vehicle enthusiasts were hungry for more so, in 2009, Altaya launched a new collection, which became a milestone in the history of models and among enthusiasts of old transport vehicles, called “Camions d'Autrefois” (Trucks…

You may have noticed a certain scale featuring more and more prominently over the last few years. It’s not a new one, as Brian Salter covered so well in his recently-finished Size Matters series, and has been a very popular scale for decades over in the USA, with the likes of Greenlight, Johnny Lightning and AutoWorld leading the way. I’m talking about 1/64 scale, of course. In my world, I fully blame/credit both HotWheels and Matchbox for me having a fascination with diecasts at this size. Whilst neither are out and out 1/64 manufacturers, with fit-the-box very much being the order of the day, the seeds were sown very early on in my life for smaller models to appeal so much. Of course, there is the added benefit of being…

When I was young, cash was king and the credit card had not arrived. On birthdays and at Christmas, getting cash as a present was a bonus. This added to your saved up pocket money, meaning you could buy another DinkyToys model. If you did not have enough money to buy a particular model, you could use the DinkyToys saving account at the toy shop! Special vehicles, then as now, delivered cash to banks and, with this in mind, DinkyToys introduced the Brinks Armoured Car (No 275) in December 1964. In the Meccano Magazine review of that month, it says “I must move on to the very last DinkyToy due to appear in 1964 – the Brink’s Armoured Car (No 275). Brink’s are a private security company who do the…

EMAIL YOUR LETTERS AND QUESTIONS TO rick.wilson@warnersgroup.co.uk OR WRITE TO US The Editor, Diecast Collector, Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH. THE ROAD TO RUIN I'M prompted to write having read the letter in the March issue by Robert Walker, regarding paint defects on his Oxford Diecast Austin Princess AP007. I searched for mine and found that it also had the same mottling, but mine was all over the car. Being a model maker (of sorts) I took off some paint and found out it hadn't received a primer coat in the factory, thus causing the paint to react with the bare metal. I noted that he bought his from Keith’s Cars of Derby, where I buy all of my models, and asked if he…

During its brief period of production, the 1956 Lincoln Continental II was America’s most expensive car; even more costly than an imported Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. The waiting list was instantly over-subscribed for one of the thirteen Continentals that would be produced each week. Between 1956 and 1957, every car would cost Henry Ford more than its selling price. Much of the car was hand-built with many layers of paint and well-padded upholstery and, although it did wonders for Ford’s reputation, you can only lose money for so long. Huge as well as pricey, I only describe it as presidential because of the status it generated for every fortunate owner; I don't know if the president of the time possessed a Lincoln, Cadillacs still being the obvious choice for the top…