1964 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt Photos & Video

I don't know if anyone noticed the keys in the ignition on the dash in the photo. 

@john3976 Cooler than that is the modeling of the support springs for the rear seat back visible through the trunk with the deleted bulkhead.

Here's the keys in the ignition:

Actually, the Thunderbolt is made from Ertl's P100 series and not Lane!  The P100 was the premier level in the Ertl line-up.  The enhanced level of detail shows in these models in numerous ways.  Have you noticed the rear seat springs detail when viewing through the trunk area?  

I believe this was from ERTL's P-100 series; not Lane. Sorry, Marty. It looks like we didn't read each other's posting.

@rich-sufficool - Ha!  No worries!  Great minds, 'eh?  🤣 

I have also seen the mould could be a GMP, either way the box on mine says ACME on the bottom. I think they are being listed as Lane because of the decals on the car, there is one that says Lane Automotive and one that says Lane Collectibles and people assume that this was a Lane Exact Detail mould. 

I have found online GMP product numbers:

This '64 Thunderbolt was one of several cars that went to Bob Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. The car was painted with the dealership info, an attractive shade of gold and a black roof. Len Richter was the driver of this beast who grabbed the 1964 AHRA Championship. Now you can own this beautiful diecast model replica in bold 1:18 scale with all the great details that make it special.

GMP Diecast Model No. A1801104

I got that GMP number and description from the ACME web site. 

I wonder if this one was done off of a GMP mould since ACME owns the rights to GMP and the box is labeled ACME on the bottom. This one is a holiday edition from 2014. 

The last photo of the tag is HC 2014 for Holiday Collectible 2014 is what I take it to mean. I also notice my car has the hose/cable run different than yours in the trunk. Yours the hose/cable is run along fender well and floor where mine is run along the top and goes straight down. 

@john3976 - No, GMP never made this model.  Originally, it was Ertl P100.  All other iterations of the '64 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt are from that Ertl P100 model mold. 

Actually, there is great confusion with the whole GMP/ACME/Ertl/Lane/Highway 61 family of cars.  I profess, that I don't understand the relationship but over the years, I've picked up little tidbits of information that all these companies are connected by family and/or close personal relationships.  ACME, which was born directly from the ashes of GMP (or so I think) has been in the acquisition business of acquiring molds from their family and friends.  Those "family and friends" are from Ertl, Lane, and H61.  Perhaps someone will chime in that has more precise information than the rumor that I'm relying on.  

Oh, BTW.... I have one more in my collection. That makes three Thunderbolts that I have. 

 The toolings of ERT, H61, Lane were sold off. GMP was still in existance when Lane went under and bought their tooling. Later, ACME seemed to be a reorganization of GMP and AutoWorld is ERtl risen from the ashes. All the reshuffling and reorganizations kept the toolings from being destroyed allowing collectors who missed the original offerings a chance to collect those images.

The Diecast industry is an interesting mess trying to figure out who owns what these days. 

ACME:

Going to the ACME site clears up some of the mystery as GMP is still used as a brand and ACME Trading Company was created to become the companies (GMP) identity going forward as an import, distribution company and a brand. According to the ACME web site it is still the same 9 employees that started Georgia Model Products, Peach State Collectibles which morphed into GMP which are the first letters of Georgia Model Products. 

ACME Trading Company says they have three factories in China that produce their Diecast products. 

ACME still uses the HWY61 branding and GMP branding for some releases but use the ACME label for most Diecast from HWY61 and GMP molds, they do not use the Lane Exact Detail branding at all and instead use the ACME label for all the former Lane Exact Detail molds. While Lane Exact Detail was a direct competitor to GMP I think ACME made a mistake not taking advantage of the Lane Exact Detail name like they do with the HWY61 and GMP names on some releases but maybe when they acquired the molds they did not purchase the right to the Lane Exact Detail name as well and that is why they don't use that branding. 

ACME does have possession of the 1964 Ford Thunderbolt mold and they have sold the Thunderbolt under the ACME label, one of which is the 2014 Holiday version I have and has ACME printed on the bottom of the box and they currently market the Hemi Hunter Part #A1801108 under the ACME label. They list other Thunderbolts under both GMP part numbers and ACME part numbers as well. 

AutoWorld:

AutoWorld on the other hand is much harder to even find information on and is a competitor to ACME. This is from the AutoWorld site: 

AutoWorld has released a BOSS 429 mustang in Black and Gold colors made for Ford’s then-president Bunkie Knudsen, some have said is off the HWY61 mold but  it is not from a HWY61 mold, for a few reasons, one is the hood hinges are different, the HWY61 uses a different hinge system using springs like the real car, this AutoWorld car uses the two large metal hinges that go into the firewall like Ertl Diecast of old and I don't think the rear quarter windows open on the AutoWorld car and from what I can tell the trunk also does not open on the AutoWorld car. Another item is the trim is painted silver instead of chrome trim around the windows like the HWY61 cars have. 

Overall while the AutoWorld cars bring some interesting subject matter they are a step down in detail and quality from the ACME offerings that use the GMP, HWY61, Lane Exact Detail and other molds. Currently AutoWorld markets the former Ertl American Muscle brands. 

GreenLight Collectibles:

GreenLight Collectibles is a premier manufacturer and marketer of authentic die-cast vehicle replicas, scale figures and other automotive-related products. GreenLight replicas are produced under various themes in 1:12, 1:18, 1:24, 1:43 and 1:64 scales and are officially licensed by a wide variety of the world’s most recognizable brands.

GreenLight shows on their web site they license HWY61 and GMP so they have access to some of their molds for cars. 

I have a GreenLight Shelby GT500 that is more of a 1/18 scale copy of the Gone in Six Seconds Elenor car in appearance only in White with Blue Stripes. Sadly the blue stripes on my car have spider cracks all over them which detracts from the appearance of the model. What ever tape they used for the stripes did not hold up to the final finish which may have caused the tape stripes to shrink resulting in all the spider cracks. Outside of the stripe issues it is a well done car. 

Sun Star:

Sun Star Models Development Ltd, established in 1993, is a manufacturer of die cast and plastic models for collectors worldwide.Sun Star’s products year after year bring a variety of models in various scales from the major automotive manufacturer’s of the world, encompassing the classic racing & road car to the contemporary models. Reflecting the hottest trends in both automotive and entertainment culture, Sun Star has revolutionized the die-cast collectible category especially the 1/12, 1/24,1/43, 1/18 scales by offering an extreme level of detail and styling which appealed to a whole new generation of enthusiasts. We can start from design, idea, prototype, tooling, production to finished packing. We can also work with you on your OEM projects.

Ertl:

Ertl has been producing farm toy replicas since 1945. For over 60 years, the company has produced farm toys for industry brands such as: John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, and AGCO. Ertl has also, on different occasions, acquired the licenses to produce die-cast vehicles and figurines as well as model kits for Looney Tunes, Garfield, Thomas the Tank Engine, Tugs (TV series), Theodore Tugboat, Super Mario Bros. DC Comics, and Star Wars. In 1999, Ertl was purchased by Racing Champions. Ertl is currently a brand under the RC2 Corporation umbrella.

Maisto:

Maisto International Inc. is a globally marketed toy brand that is part of the May Cheong Group. Though the brand is now headquartered in California, its origins and main company today are in Hong Kong. Maisto mainly manufactures die-cast models of automobiles, aircraft, and motorcycles. The company has also manufactured a number of Tonka products under license from Hasbro. It also now owns the former Italian Bburago and Polistil brand names.

Exoto:

The Dream Goes On

Exoto was incorporated in the state of California in 1986. The corporate name is a simplified abbreviation for "EXclusive AUTOmobiles".

Ever since its inception, the corporate objective has followed what is now a 40 year Keusseyan family tradition in the vast automotive field; offer the best or nothing.

Initially, the product line included custom fit, soft auto accessory items such as car covers and floor mats. These were successfully marketed nationwide under the brand name: Exoto's Coverup. Over a decade ago, the company turned its attention and efforts towards the miniature automotive collector market and in a few short years, Exoto Inc. had the largest selection and most distinguished line of automotive collectibles, memorabilia, and related art form.

Today, Exoto continues to thrive, internationally, in its field with multiple-brand marketing and is preparing to expand its offerings into the luxury  lifestyle segment. From catalog and point-of-sale retailer, to distributor and wholesaler, to manufacturer; the objective never changed and the dream goes on.

AutoArt:

Gateway Europe GmbH was founded in 1998 as subsidiary company of Gateway Global Ltd.  Our parent group has been producing model cars and lifestyle products with the label AUTOart since 1998. Our products are shipped worldwide.

Our products are designed and produced with the greatest detail, care and quality. It’s very important to us that our products aren’t qualified as discountware so we also select our retailers with great care. You can mostly find our products with specialist retailers.

Gateway Europe GmbH is located in Aachen. From here, the entire European market is managed and supplied

Kyosho:

Founded 1963 in Japan, Kyosho has been building products for close to 50 Years!

We want to show the world the value of enjoying life through the hobby of Radio Control. Since its foundation, Kyosho has lived by this philosophy. There is no end to the pursuit of this goal, from each generation to the next, our unceasing search for ways people can have fun leads to continuous idea creation that takes shape in the form of truly innovative products.

Well there is a start of some of the current players in the market. 

@john3976  Thank you; I appreciate your post as it clears up a few things....and to think, not too long ago many of us believed "diecast" was about to die. Higher price points have not dampened enthusiasm nor tarnished sales. It's amazing (well, to me anyway) how 1/64 has flourished in recent years.

Not a car I would normally collect, but I love the Thunderbolt...mine is the original Ertl P100 release.  As mentioned, Any Thunderbolt release comes from the original Ertl P100 mold.  Great models, that are packed with details...no matter who's name is on the box.