This is Ertl Authentics extremely nice version of the Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 muscle car. The Authentics editions were excellent and this one looks great in it's initial black 1/18 release.
I thought the scaling of the Ertl Authentics was the best available for the '66 Chevelle. I used it as the basis for my Maynard Rupp Chevoom Funny Car. Â
An interesting note. When I was planning the diecast modification of this car, I got in touch with Maynard Rupp to confirm some details. Originally, the 1:1 car had a working interior dome light and working headlamps and taillamps. It was a unique feature of his Chevoom and was reported in all of the magazines. When I communicated with Maynard about his car, he said the working headlights was a myth and that it never happened. However, there are photos of the lights operating. The photo I have with the model clearly shows working headlights that he said never existed. I just assume that all the years of sniffing nitromethane affected his memory. LOL! 😎Â
This post was modified 2 years ago 2 times by Marty Johnson
@chris - I think the car is too obscure and would be too expensive to manufacture. As you know, diecast economics pretty much dictate that the tool must be able to be reproduced in a variety of colors and variants. The Chevoom would be a one-off, and today's economics don't allow for that.
@marty-johnson I get all that for sure. It's impossible to "milk the mold"Â (unlike 1/18 AWB cars, etc...) on one-off cars, but one-offs have been done.
Maybe one day, who knows....? 🙄 🙄Â
I'm still waiting for this one, and yes, variations could be tooled for increased profitability. I feel like Tucker.... "All I need is startup capital and a board of directors, hell, I'll make the damn thing myself!"Â
@marty-johnson I get all that for sure. It's impossible to "milk the mold"Â (unlike 1/18 AWB cars, etc...) on one-off cars, but one-offs have been done.
Maybe one day, who knows....? 🙄 🙄Â
I'm still waiting for this one, and yes, variations could be tooled for increased profitability. I feel like Tucker.... "All I need is startup capital and a board of directors, hell, I'll make the damn thing myself!"Â
Yeah, one-offs have been done in the past. But it was the very DISTANT past! I'm betting you would be hard-pressed to name a 1:18 one-off in Diecast in the $150 or less price range in the last 15 years.
I'm still waiting for this one, and yes, variations could be tooled for increased profitability. I feel like Tucker.... "All I need is startup capital and a board of directors, hell, I'll make the damn thing myself!"Â
Okay, you get the Plymouth so you can do that early Ramchargers car and I'll get the '65 Dart so I can do the Dart Charger. If ANYONE produced the 1965 Dodge Dart, I can guarantee the Dremel would be dusted off and put to work! That's a GUARANTEE!!! LOL! 😀Â
 
