[Sticky] Lost Reviews - Franklin Mint & Danbury Mint

the last two presented were especially magnificent........I don`t know how you summon the energy for this venture everyday,but so many of us are (often quietly) grateful

@john-barry Thank YOU JB!!

I'm really recalling the feelings of "I gotta have that, gotta get this, how am I gonna work it so I can get this too!!"

Tony, you're killing me!  Your reviews and photos of these cars are such a vivid reminder of how wonderful our 1:24 scale times were!  And it's those reviews that I miss so much.  I'm not sure why they were lost when we got this new Forum site, but they are missed. 

@machouse1 The Perrone disease strikes again. Good to know I'm not the only one who was infected. Actually I feel quite good today having bought the majority of the FM and DM models back in the day but don't tell Tony.

Nice comments fellas - thank y'all very much!   

Danbury Mint 1965 Corvette Canyon Racer - 1484

Hands down, this is easily my favorite Danbury Mint Corvette to date. It is also my very favorite Corvette diecast to date regardless of maker but then that would be redundant since DM does the best Vettes any way. So for now, with this new entry into the diecast Corvette realm just stick a fork in me; I’m done. DM completely and totally outdid themselves on this little conceptual cutie and I did not foresee it coming. I opened the box, not having a clue that this one was in the works, and it blew my socks off!

The paint is a 1965-specific Corvette one year color, Glen Green metallic. Deeply gorgeous in its own right, the broad white center stripe flanked with twin yellow pinstripes and yellow Grand Sport hash marks on either front fender sets the overall mood of the car. It states that this is a serious player. Body modifications are done so well that you wonder why GM didn’t add them to a subsequent year’s Sting Ray. Ok, so what if they are not practical. Who really needs windshield wipers in the Canyon? A top? Puleeze! Door handles and a standard tall windshield? Get real, this is the car your mother wouldn’t let you have when you were ballsy enough to race it to its fullest potential. And no stock rearview mirrors on this whip. No flip-em-up headlights either. We got Plexiglas-covered flamethrowers over a DM-stylish photo-etched grille. The air vents ahead of the windscreen is P-E also, as is the hood bulge side air inlets. More P-E pieces are seen in the seat buckles, tire valve stems and, oh yes, the driver’s shades carelessly left on the dash. The chassis detailing is ‘DM-outstanding’ and features tack sharp suspension pieces, metal line assemblies and heat shielding for the trans tunnel.

The interior is like out of some Corvette customizer’s dream. We see race seats, fire extinguisher between them, wood-grained steering wheel and beautifully crafted door panel details. Check out the clock mounted on the center console stack between dash pods. DM fabricated its hour, minute and second hands! Note the labels affixed to the flip switches beneath it too. In fact, all of the gauges are perfectly readable and accurate in appearance if you have the magnification. The seat belts and especially the racing harnesses and buckles are the very best I have ever seen in a 1:24^th precision miniature. The fire bottle, mounted on the trans tunnel is strapped down with a fabric belt and P-E buckle. You can read the gauge on this little sucker too. But holy cow look at that engine pit. It is so crammed full of intricate go-fast gadgetry it brings a tear to your eye. The license plate reads, TWN PXTN. It refers to the twin Paxton superchargers found under the hood. DM fabricated all the associated hook-ups including neat little P-E installation hose clamps, metal wire tie-downs for the master cylinder, throttle linkage and brake fluid lines. Then check out the cool headers and follow them downward to where they join the exhaust pipes that snake their way back through the body colored heat shrouds and connect the front and rear fender flares. But be sure to notice the emergency brake lines and the anodized couplings for the braided oil cooler lines. The starter wiring can be seen from below as well. Back up top we see that DM fashioned a fuel cell that may be viewed when you open the rear top hatch. The gas filler cap opens too. The front and rear Corvette crossed flag emblems are finely crafted metal versions.

If ever there were a positively “must have” Corvette, trust me ladies and gents, dis be da one – oh yeah baby. Not exactly sure why this pushes my buttons so hard. Maybe because it is so irreverent. It isn’t the classic 100 point restoration you may associate with the way-cool 1965 mid year Sting Ray found at the high end auctions. It isn’t a resto-rod either. It’s an in-your-face, all about the owner and his or her interpretation of what leaves them weak in the knees, automotively speaking. This spoiled brat flaunts its classic good looks but does it with a good dose of attitude. Toss in those after market fender flares and stir in the front air dam. Prop up that bad-ass rear spoiler/wing, attach that non-too-subtle roll bar, racing seats, the eat-my-dust twin blown big block motor, bolt on some bad wheels and tires, radical exhaust, dynamite paint scheme and you have a one of a kind, kiss-my-foot 100 point restoration-be-damned canyon carving screamer. Now imagine this all coming from an awesome translation of this Corvette concept by the free-flowing idea mongers at DM and you have an idea of the panache and flair that these car guys have for creating diecasts. It’s an inspiring version of America’s favorite sports car my friends; Danbury, job extremely well done!

TP 07/14/2006

Another nice Corvette.  Missed out on this one.

Have it, love it.

Posted by: @carsman1958

Another nice Corvette.  Missed out on this one.

Posted by: @bob-jackman

Have it, love it.

Danbury Mint 1963 Corvette Pro Mod Miller Lite 1454

Ah, controversy. It sometimes brings spice to what might otherwise be a mundane and normal world. Miller Brewing Company brought the spelling of “Lite” to our vocabulary and propensity for a ‘cold one’. But maybe even more importantly, they raised the question as to whether their product provided the imbibee with great taste or a less filling beverage. A question, I’m sure, that gets put to the test every day; somewhere, maybe. But here we ponder yet another controversial earth-shaking quandary – do we want the base that comes permanently attached? Does it add great taste to the diecast collector’s palette or is it too filling for a display case? And why on earth is the fantastic Corvette model not removable from it? Can you imagine buying a case of beer and not being able to remove a single can or bottle but having to raise the whole thing to drink from the lone opened container? Well, actually, I guess I could see that but then I digress. Let’s look into this matter and its global implications, shall we?

First and foremost, the DM 1963 Corvette in its Pro Modified drag race configuration is still tied as the king of detail, to my mind, along with the other two previous issues and one other. The initial Pro Mod ’63 Sting Ray in silver-blue blew me away when it first debuted in 2002. The awesome engine detail alone raised the bar of precision diecast model-making craft and the hairs on the back of my neck simultaneously. The Coca-Cola livery added some realistic racing heritage to the same model when it was released in 2004. The other king of detail is DM’s 1966 Penske Sebring Corvette, issued earlier this year. The Miller Lite livery, here, adds that same realistic racing touch. The graphics are absolutely astonishing. All else is the same on the model, save for the base. But before I question its relevance, let’s look at it from an unbiased viewpoint. It is made of heavy materials, oval in shape with black felt on the bottom and a gold label declaring it, among other things, as an adult collectible. No doubt, this is due to the alcoholic nature of the livery and use of Miller Brewing’s name. Up top is a reflective chrome-like plate that shows off the car’s underbelly. A band on the bottom spells out, “1963 Miller Lite Corvette Pro Mod” and across the top portion we read the Miller Lite logo. The model is attached via a clear plastic stand beneath the engine making the car appear as if it were doing a wheelie. The rear end is held in place with a less obtrusive black stand.

My biggest objection to the very tastefully done base and stand is that I like to keep all of my Corvettes in the same collection. This is such a standout that it does just that, stand out. I also like to fully examine the models from time to time. This will prevent that unless I can detach it from its lovely little anchor. If I cannot then I face buying an additional separate display cover. There can be many good reasons for offering the model presentation this way and for the occasional buyer of diecast collectibles it makes good business sense. So I will not rain on the corporate parade that brings such lovely little goodies into my life. With the small contingent of us that are Corvette nuts, we may examine the previous Pro Mod issues from all angles but the bottom line to me is the overall beauty of this Corvette, sans base or with it attached, in its gorgeous livery and deep blue paint scheme. I would run it through the Thrillometer but the base keeps getting caught on the flangestand accuator.

The issue price is $179.  TP 11/09/2005

Danbury Mint 1969 Chevrolet Camaro Pro Street – 1469

A continuation of Danbury’s Pro Street group, this one is sure to make the Bowtie Boys stand up and cheer. According to the dial-in shoe-polished on the windshield, this is the quickest of DM’s Pro Street drag race machines to date, with an 8.34 second quarter mile index. The rear license plate says it all: IXLR8 (I accelerate).

DM has admirably amortized their initial tooling costs for numerous replicas by translating the images into race iterations or specialized versions of the original. In the case of the Pro Street diecast series we see one of them in 1:12^th scale, a ‘57 Chevy Bel Air Super Pro Street, “Big Kahuna” and one 1:16^th version of the ’55 Bel Air made into a Pro Street model. In 1:24^th, including this Camaro, we see eight Pro Street draggers to date. There are two ’57 Chevies. One, in yellow, the original Pro Street brought out by DM in 1999, and the other, the Coca-Cola Pro Street livery drag race version. Additionally, there is a ’68 Chevelle, ’69 Dodge Charger, ’69 Mustang Boss Nine, ’58 Plymouth Fury and a ’57 Bel Air Florida State Seminole specialty diecast; Pro Street iterations, all.

Detailing was spread far and wide on these Pro Street babies and none more so than on this Camaro. Extra rich in visual delight, made possible by the Daytona Yellow paint, a favorite for this car, the first personal impact is immediate. Relatively free of frills, the black accent stripes on front fenders and doors, adds just the right amount of contrast. Low body stance, muscular hood, wide rear tires, bold side-exiting exhausts and a carbon fiber and aluminum rear wing sets the bad bowtie attitude for the competition to follow. Purposeful detailing adds a vast dimension to the realism of the model. Let’s just start off by chronicling the use of photo-etched detail enhancement pieces. There are photo-etch rear wing Dzus clips and P-E metal hood hold-down fasteners. Look close to see the Edelbrock headers, photo-etched metal spelling out “Edelbrock” on the valve covers and removable air cleaners.

DM used P-E pieces for the air intakes just fore of the windshield, the “SS” on the grille and interior rear panel, the marker light covers in the front valance, NOS tie-downs, drag chute rip cord release handle and seat belt buckles. And lest I forget, the key fob is made of the same wonderful stuff.  The use of metal wire for tubing and line assemblies is also most welcome in the simulation of 1:1 pieces and goodies. Witness the fittings and lines coming from the aluminum fuel cell to the fuel pump. The use of this material in the engine alongside the 572 crate motor is almost overwhelming to the scaled senses. Chrome metal-foiled insignias of “572” adorn the front fender edges. DM’s use of metal wire to fabricate throttle linkage, fuel lines and the utilization of P-E for the alternator bracket, aluminum sheeting to fashion the radiator top, thinly scaled wiring for the plugs, electronic control system and the braided fuel lines is outstanding! Don’t miss the drag chute cabling or the battery wiring with external hook-up. And be complete when you examine the interior. It is awash with every conceivable detail from fabric belting to delicate detailing of the tach face, fire bottle and nitrous tank plumbing and the awesome P-E foot pedals.

The model features a bad blower, carbon fiber wing and rear shelf and four-link rear suspension. A 6-point roll cage lends driver protection and the NOX canister looks too good nestled between the tubbed rear tires. I won’t say too much more and allow you to miss certain detail exercises. The hood fits well on magnets and can be displayed with or without the reverse hood scoop and with or without the air cleaners in place. Be sure to take note of the awesome tire design, rotor discs and calipers and the chrome wheel design all the way around. The exhaust tips are metal and the wheelie bar is authentic.

Every time DM announces another Pro Street, they raise the bar on detail and on my blood pressure; what a nice little dilemma.  TP 07/06/2006

Danbury Mint 1967 Corvette Coupe “FSO” – 1537

Most of us have heard of the COPO Chevrolets that outfitted Camaro and Novas with special high performance engines, parts and accessories. The Central Office Production Order process was not so much a secret, back in the day, as it was inaccessible to the normal buyer. So what is a FSO? It stands for Factory Shop Order. Corvette built four FSO cars between 1967 and 1970 for Bob Wingate of Clippinger Chevrolet in California. Bob sold more Corvettes from the dealership than anyone and led the nation, more than once, in selling Chevy’s sports car and high performance parts. But in 1966, Joe Pike, General Motors National Sales Promotion Manager for Chevrolet, learned that Ford’s Lee Iaccoca invited Mr. Wingate to Dearborn to see if he could sell Mustangs and Cobras with the same results as his Corvette orders.

Since he was already being furnished with Corvettes to drive, Pike wanted to up the ante by granting Bob a very special Corvette incentive to stay put. The Factory Shop Order was made in August, 1966 for a new 1967 Corvette coupe 427/435 hp. It had options that no other customer could order. It was a non-Corvette color, candy apple green and wearing a blue stinger stripe. It featured flared fenders, blended-in turn signals and other custom touches. But after a GM dignitary viewed the car as more of a custom than a Corvette sales ad, it was decided to replace Bob’s car with a less customized model while still retaining the essential “California Look” that Bob helped mold. The replacement was the second FSO and the Danbury model you see depicted here. Still a 427/435, it had an M-20 four speed with 3.55 rear axle.

It came equipped with American Torq-Thrust® racing wheels shod with blue streak tires, six taillights replacing the standard four and sans front bumper to mimic the then current Southern Cal trend for Vettes-of-the-day. It was outfitted with a wooden Nardi® steering wheel and painted a standard Corvette color, Goodwood Green, and given a stinger stripe with matching roof and tail stripe in white. The third FSO car that Bob received was a 1968 L-89 coupe and the last a 1970 LT-1 roadster. The ’67 Goldwood Green coupe is the only known FSO survivor today. Restored to perfection, it is a wonderful model to be replicated in precision 1:24^th for us Corvette, muscle car and sixties fans. Thanks to DM, we can own this legend in all its restored glory.

Danbury’s Corvette masters crafted a historically accurate gem. Their only other sixty-sevens were a coupe in Sunfire Yellow, issued in 2005 and they followed up with a roadster in Rally Red for 2007. All three are configured differently and distinctly and each is gorgeous. But for the antiquity and unique nature of this FSO, I tip my hat to the DM boys. As always, the paint is sumptuously applied, all pieces fitting precisely well and details flowing like the ample horsepower found under the hood. The metal-foiled crossed flags emblem on the nose, “Corvette” script on the rear deck and the “427” badgings on the hood cowling are simply awesome. The fuel filler door opens to reveal the gas cap and the antenna is suitably slim. Talk about scaled to size, check out the pinstripe that borders the broad white center band. Incredible!

The engine detail is quite phenomenal. You will swear you’re looking at the restored car. The same goes for the chassis appointments and interior pieces. The suspension is functional and the tire carrier opens to drop the blue streak spare. DM nailed the period-correct license plate and the “Clippinger Chevrolet” plate holder. The bumperless front end is fabricated perfectly and the twin light pods revolve to open. I absolutely love the way DM is doing their research and offering us these rare historic autos. I could only hope that they do so well with this ’67 that the encouragement to render another FSO Corvette is overwhelming.  TP 11/26/2007

@perrone1 I have the pro street cars but nothing with sponsor decals on it.