[Sticky] Lost Reviews - Franklin Mint & Danbury Mint

Posted by: @bob-jackman

@perrone1 parade rest!

LOL! Oh thank GOD. Army bootcamp (Ft. Bragg, N.C.) was nearly 60 years ago!! 

Danbury Mint 1951 Studebaker Commander Coupe – 1410

You knew it was coming. After the tremendous success of DM’s 1950 Studebaker Champion Convertible, it was only natural for DM to follow up with a coupe version. But instead of producing another 1950 model, however, they chose to give us a 1951 Commander Coupe iteration with some other differences thrown in. It just adds some spice to the new little dish. Studebakers are an acquired taste and the Commander version goes a long way in satisfying those of us that savor this marque.

First, consider the huge difference between the drop-top’s body and this Starlight coupe. The convertible is sleek and relatively simple in design, especially with the top down. With it up, and in a different color than the body, it provides a distinct sight contrast. The coupe, with its four-panel window backlights, is highly unique in its looks. The engine is different, the seats are different and, well, we will get to it all. The Commander is painted a color that I recall seeing a number of Studes cloaked in way back then. Was it a popular choice? Must have been, at least in my recollection. It is Comanche Red, with the correct corresponding Sahara Sand wheels. This is not just another maroon car. The 1950 Crestliner is Coronation Red, a hue with a definite "brick red” flavor, leaning towards a brownish shade. DM’s 1949 Mercury is a true burgundy, perhaps more of Claret, deep and rich. If nostalgia interests you, as it does me, this is a grand color choice. The seats are a dramatic highlight, color-wise. They are a grey-green and sand shade in cord-type fabric, simulated in vinyl. The floor is flocked in grey, the dash, steering wheel and column, the roof liner and mirror-back are blue-grey, as are the door panels. The visors fold down from the roof and the seats fold far forward. The detail is excellent on the gauges and foot pedals and the radio, door knobs and window cranks are extremely well defined. I have to divulge that when this model was in development, the DM guys received fabric samples from a well known Studebaker restoration shop right here in my area, Knoxville, Tennessee. Seat fabric, carpeting, door panel and headliner material was furnished to our DM boys!

The door hinges are internally hidden, like the previous 1950 model but the door edge detail is better. The lock mechanism simulation is terrific. Externally, DM paid attention to all of the little appetizers. You’ll note that the taillights are different from the Champion. They are larger and more pronounced. DM nailed it. The external trunk latch is different and an additional “V-8” emblem has been added. The rear bumper is free of the dual bumper guards and the separate backup lights of the Champion are gone, as they should be on the Commander. The trunk mat is a plaid addition over the plain grey floor of the Champion and once again, DM got that right too. The fuel filler door still opens. Push in from the top, it opens from the bottom. The correct chrome rear gravel shields are in place. The Champion model had rubber shields for 1951. Also on the side of the car, there is no model script as there is on the “Champion”, but the fender vents are still fully operational. It seems that they stay open better on my example. The antenna disappears into the body cowl yet is scaled delightfully. Up front there are some changes too. The bottom leading edge of the hood has red script signifying that this is a “Commander”. It replaces the chrome ribs of the Champion. There is an aircraft hood ornament above the imbedded Studebaker emblem. Check under the hood for the main entrée. We now have a V-8 with all of the plug wires and accoutrements, soup to nuts. Don’t overlook the hood hinges. They are perfection. There is a prop rod if you desire to pull it up. The engine jumps to life with exact scaling of wires, fuel and electric lines and even a hood release cable. This is easily one of the most detailed engine bays I’ve looked at in this scale! Like a prime and properly aged steak; well done, DM.

The chassis is brilliantly detailed. Emergency brake cabling, fuel lines, and operating suspension are all in tune. The steering components are different in the ’51 and again, DM didn’t miss a beat. Studebaker switched over to, “Center Point” steering and the change was made on this model. The change to the tie rods and A-arm configuration is complete. The Champion has twin struts holding the front bumper, with bumper guards but the Commander has a front sub-frame that holds the single-beam bumper. That is what is replicated here. Oh, almost forgot, consider this dessert, the fender skirts are removable, just like on the Champion model.  

DM built another beautiful model with all of the detailing you could possibly imagine in a diecast of this size. It’s the perfect compliment to the Champion convertible; the colors are rich and diverse when displayed together and make a great conversation starter, especially for those of us old enough to remember and appreciate this fine automobile. DM scores a well deserved 9.87 on the Thrillometer! Order number 443-10, the issue price is $115. TP 05/24/2005

Danbury Mint 1:24 1953 Buick Estate Wagon 1408

Fraud! Danbury has cheated. I’m sorry; this is NOT a diecast auto model. DM is trying to pull a fast one here. They somehow managed to find a way to shrink a 1:1 car down to 1:24^th scale. And this model proves it! Oh sure, I’m as pleased as I could possibly be that they chose to do it with a gorgeous 1953 Buick Estate Wagon. And, ok, I’m suitably happy that they aren’t charging us prices commensurate with what a real 100 point restoration would now bring, but honestly, this is out and out deception. There is no way to gather all this detail into a small package like this, is there? First, and almost always foremost on the DM diecasts, is the paint. Come on, does this look anything other than a genuine auto body finish to you? Wonderfully scaled, the metallic nature of this deep and lovely color, Terrace Green, is the essence of a full scale car shrunken down to our collector size. All right, I’m over that, how ‘bout the rest of the replica?

In true Danbury miniature fashion, it is awesome. There are some authentic wood grained veneer inlays, here and there, that enhance the viewability of the piece and their color and texture contrasts richly with the interior and exterior color choice. There is an abundance of functionality and beautifully executed detailing to whet our diecast appetites too. It might be said that some of these are about the car’s magnificent hinges. We’ve come to think of DM as a leading pioneer in door hinges, rising above the old time dog leg hinges so prevalent in early diecast builds, and utilizing them whenever they’ve had the opportunity. But beyond those used here on all four doors, we are treated royally with the multi-link scissors hinges of the hood and the telescoping internal piston-type lifts of the tail gate window, folding slider rods of the lower tailgate and the spare tire cover hatch within. Then, too, we’re given an additional operational feature in the rear seating; more on that later. From the bottom up there is a tremendous amount of attention paid to the detailing. The Buick’s chassis exhibits everything from a trans cooler unit with flexible hoses to multi-link suspension componentry. The engine, as we’ve come to expect from DM, is almost inconceivable. The aforementioned scissors springs hinges are so accurate in their appearance and operation you’ll wonder how they could have been modeled in this scale. The engine bay is filled with all sorts of goodies in the form of fuel lines and plug wires to exceptional carb detailing. Even my washer bottle is full. When opening the doors, take care not to open too fully. Allow them to stop where they want to and do not exert any further pressure. This, of course, is a precision model and not a toy. With the doors open, take plenty of time to explore within. Up front the driver has a full complement of instrumentation. The dash gauges and radio sets are readable and the clock shows the time as 4:25. The carpets are just what you’d expect from Buick and DM also gives us good detailing in the door panels too. As you take in the back seat notice that you may swivel the seat cushion forward allowing it to do a 180. The bottom of it is now in carpeting. Now fold the seat back forward and you have flat floor space all the way to the rear. Cool; a 1950’s SUV.

Let’s move to the rear of the car. Take note on your way that the fuel filler door opens as well. A word of caution is needed for the operation of the rear gates. Again, this is a precision model and fumbling fingers need not apply. Open the upper tail gate window first by using a fingernail to lift the chrome handle. Once slightly ajar you may want to grasp the unit and even give a tiny bit of downward pressure to open the panel. Here comes the strongest word of caution: don’t open it fully. The piston-type lifts may want to separate. If they do you can spend a little downtime reuniting them back to working order. Next, lower the bottom tail gate door. Notice the wood grain here too, but don’t miss the metal sliding hinges. There’s another that you will see as you lift the spare tire cover hatch. Yes, the tire is removable. The doors snap back in place and latch securely but the tailgate system stays closed with the friction fit of the two pieces. The bottom external gate hinges keep everything aligned perfectly. Do not overlook the metal antenna in the Styrofoam; it fits into the roof mount base. A driver’s spotlight and delicately fashioned wire wheels surrounded by monster-wide whitewalls complete the picture.

Once again DM has given us a great, called-for subject. They executed the build as if they actually shrunk a real wagon down to size for us and then threw in tons of toys for us to ponder. All in all I have to rate this a monumental 10 on the Thrillometer. Diverse subject matter, color choice, detailing and build correctness, all go into yielding a phenomenal model. The order number is 443-12, the issue price is $115.

TP 03/10/2006

Danbury Mint 1953 Buick Estate Wagon - LE  DM1591

And then, there were two. I can hear the standard comments now, about this being a repaint, as if it were some used up model that someone snatched up and repainted. No, it is the existing ’53 Buick Estate Wagon tooling with its own fresh new paint and opted out with standard wheels and wheel covers. Just to be fresh, different and new.

I suspect I may be a more ‘blue’ kind of guy than a ‘green’ one. Although I adore the Terrace Green wagon issued in ’06, I believe I like this Imperial Blue model a little more. I certainly cherish the chrome wire wheels of the green car but the full wheel-covered version hits me as a more representative version, perhaps, of what you would have seen in the day. The darker, richer color contrasts against the wood in a manner that pleases my eye. The whitewalls, slim red rim of the standard wheels and the blue and white interior are striking in person.

But the model’s most striking allure lies in its details and functionality. As with the first wagon version, the gas filler door opens, the four doors are mounted on internal hinges; the tailgate folds down on elaborate folding metal hinge-rods revealing a secondary presentation of genuine wood. The rear window flips up on twin two-piece telescoping hinges and even the spare tire cover is hinged and operates like the real McCoy. The red-wheeled spare is removable.

Here’s where it gets cool – open the back doors. Carefully flip the back seat bottom up and forward. It will lie flat. Next, push the seat top forward from the opened rear and it, too, will lie flat giving you a flat cavernous space for all sorts of cargo. Each piece works like the precision model it is intended to be.  The hood rises to show off those exquisite hinges and the Buick mill is ready for inspection.

Whether wire wheels or covers are your cup of tea or the green paint pushes your buttons more than the blue, DM once again gives us choices. I like that, and LOVE this model!

TP 01/23/2010

Franklin Mint 1955 Corvette Nbr Ltd Ed 2500 – E024

I give Franklin Mint some well earned credit on the reissue of their ’55 Vette. Aside from being a limited edition and carrying a gorgeous paint scheme, (Only 15 Corvettes were painted Copper for 1955) they also updated their engine; the first V-8 for Corvette. Admittedly, not in the same detailing league as a current Danbury Corvette, the image is still quite pleasant to own.

Franklin added vacuum lines, plug wiring, though not as delicately scaled as it could be these days, and ran fluid lines to enhance the engine compartment dramatically. The interior is a different color, a more yellow cast to it than the beige seating and dash of the previous model. The only color offered for this car in Copper was dark beige so I’m not certain which is the more correct. In this model, however, the color looks better than the lighter beige would have. This is the only one of the first three Corvettes that FM added a top too and it is offered with this model as well. It is the same light beige as the former replica.

Although old tech-based, the color choice and upgraded engine make this a pretty little collectible. Issue price is $115. TP 07/05/2005

#3 of 2500:

Danbury Mint 1:24 1953 Studebaker Commander- Starliner  Hardtop  DM1611

At the top of nearly every collector’s wish list for a number of years, the Boyz of Connecticut decided to build a one-twenty fourth version of the Studebaker Starliner. They tooled up a brand new 1953 front end. They did the same for the chassis and running gear. They fashioned up a roof, body panels and trunk that mimicked the Starliner’s lines and styling identically. The Commander’s engine was built to the car’s scale standards and they added the perfectly fabricated interior of the hardtop for 1953 and before you knew it, they had an exacting Studebaker Commander Starliner Hardtop – simple! Sort of like sculpting an elephant out of clay; you simply remove everything that doesn’t look like an elephant. Ok, obviously, you know it doesn’t work that way but what we have is a gorgeous rendition of Studebaker’s idea of a European styling exercise for the early fifties.

Studebaker executives were amazed to learn that their Starliner and Starlight coupes outsold their sedans by four to one! Their vision for fifty-three was to manufacture cars with European profiles. Sharing essentially the same body, the Champion was equipped with a six cylinder engine while the Commander boasted the V-8 powerplant. Starlight hardtops featured a roof pillar while the Starliner was a true coupe. Under the watchful eye of the Raymond Loewy Studio’s Robert Bourke, even the dashboard held the styling cues of a European-designed vehicle. The car had some problems though. To allow for absorption of common road inconsistencies and bumps, the suspension was designed to ‘flex’. This created squeaks and road noise that haunted the car early on.

Also early on, sheet metal ills plagued the car as the front clip didn’t quite fit the bodies of the coupe variants. But these issues aside, the car became a dream of car collectors decades later. In fact, Studebaker’s advertisement pieces were then fully realized. They said, “The New Studebaker With The European Look.” And went on to proclaim that its, “Styling (was) straight out of the dream book.” Now, thanks to DM, we can finally realize that dream too. It comes in the Commander V-8 configuration. It sports the highly popular-for-1953 Bombay Red and Salem White paint combo. The engine and interior are right out of Studebaker picture books. You’d swear Mr. Bourke collaborated with the DM Boyz on this mesmerizing diecast. The paint is glossy and rich.

And right where the white paint meets the red body, Studebaker and Danbury Mint planted a tee-tiny, “Studebaker” emblem; the smallest ever on a 1:24^th diecast?? The model holds all of DM’s fascinating illusions; internally sprung door hinges, scissors spring hood hinges, detailed engine, interior, trunk and chassis. The front fender vents open and the “V-8” emblems on all four corners of the car are meticulously crafted. If ever there were a, “must have” model, this will fit the bill. We aren’t seeing the enormity of new tooling that we once were but when we do, DM shoots for the stars. This is the latest Preview Society issue.

TP 05/02/2010

Danbury Mint 1954 Cadillac Coupe DeVille – DM1614

When Danbury blew it out of the park with their ’54 Apollo Gold Eldorado convertible, you just knew what was to follow, right? Go ahead and consider this its running mate with a lid; albeit, a terrific lid. The coupe arrives in Coupe DeVille designation and in gloriously elegant Gander Gray attire. It’s somewhat more formal than the playful yellow drop top but highly fashionable and period correct. The paint is a poly (metallic), deep gray with overtly blue overtones while the interior is conservatively understated in two-tone gray. The inevitable comparison to the rag top will unveil few surprises; you will either like one or the other or you will have to own both of them. Having placed them side by side, I’d go with the latter suggestion.

All the operational features of the Coupe DeVille are the same as found on the Eldo; opening taillight revealing the fuel filling port, high tech hinges for doors and hood, to-die-for badgings and awesome wire wheels. And you just gotta love the tire patterning. It is simply outstanding for a 1:24^th scale model. The intricate tread design, split in the middle and partially overlapping to the sidewall, is highly reminiscent of the General Dual 90™ wide whitewalls of the fifties. The highly detailed engine is the same and the undercarriage is as remarkable but the model does not come with a three-piece hard boot or fabric-covered up top. Well, duh! It doesn’t have the flashy chrome splash on the bottom of the rear fender either, but it is a limited edition of only 5000.

Whether you like the naughty, flamboyant gold glamour gal or her more serious and sultry sister, you’re going to have a difficult pick. Both have phenomenal looks and grand character lines. It just seems a shame to break up such a lovely pair – you really need them both!   TP 02/18/2010

Danbury Mint 1955 Ford Fairlane Sunliner Nbd Ltd Ed  -  1434

Whatever you do, do NOT think of this model as a repaint of DM’s Crown Victoria Skyliner and specifically not the black and white image of 1993 vintage. This model has been given a thorough overhauling. Obviously the first retooling that you will notice is that the beautifully classic ’55 shape is now topless. Well, almost; a wonderfully fabric-covered ‘up top’ is included for the more modest among us. But this becomes DM’s first ’55 Ford Fairlane convertible, the Sunliner. The high gloss Raven Black over the bright, warm Goldenrod Yellow is exceptionally reflective. DM got the painting of this little jewel down pat.

The matching black and yellow interior really drives the color combination to the limit of fifties nifty. To further appreciate the model I sat the 1993 issued B&W model next to the new bumble bee and compared the updates.

There is new working suspension underneath. There’s an authentic trunk mat now in place and the door sills are now photo-etched metal. Each badging is now 3-D and the model script is now delicately chrome foiled. What a difference a decade makes. Accuracy is alive and well at DM too. The “Sunliner” script is correctly placed on the doors, “Fairlane” on the hood and “Overdrive” on the trunk lid. Even the trunk and door locks are now separately molded pieces instead of the painted simulations. The wipers are individually formed units with lots more detail and realism. Interior-wise we now find operational sun visors, more delicately crafted door and window cranks and even a correct fabric rear window shelf that is seen with the boot off and the up top in place. Good attention to detail DM!

Under the hood? Fugetaboutit! Can we say, “night and day”? What a transformation. The windshield washer bag is there but correctly labeled with “See Clear”. Neat dual under the hood insulation pads are in place and the engine has sprouted proper fuel lines, a gas filter, battery cabling, heater hoses and plug wiring.

DM garners high marks for their new issues and bar-raising technologies but they also go the extra mile in reissuing older classics and favorites. A lot of work went into the research and development of this fifties cruiser and man does it show. The Thrillometer pegged out and an even and laudable 9.8 rating.  TP 08/02/2005

Franklin Mint 1956 Chevrolet Cameo Pick-up – F678

The Mint has previously issued five Chevy Cameo pickup trucks. All 1955 versions, they morphed into various configurations from the initial 1997 release date. This diecast is their first 1956 model year Cameo. Believe it or not, each formerly issued ’55 was either red or has red involved in the paint scheme. This latest iteration is a glorious Omaha Orange featuring contrasting Ivory white paint. Adding to the beautiful paint job is an orange and white interior, white inner bed sides and tailgate and period-scale white wall tires.

The detail level of the model, especially from a 1997 base, is excellent. The interior is done exceptionally well; the dash has much fine detailing and the seats are textured in orange and white. The seat folds forward and the inner door detail is terrific. The bed floor is genuine wood veneer but is overshadowed by the cool way TFM engineered the opening tail gate and spare tire door. Both are tethered by twin metal cables, scaled in size and both work flawlessly when opened and then closed. The spare is also removable.

The metal antenna is scaled well and the engine compartment is done very nicely for an older tooling. Wires and cabling are crafted well and the sticker applications are remarkably well fashioned. The chassis is done with equal passion; working suspension and a view that shows off a simulated wooden bed bottom, and leaf and coil spring components. Like some of the earlier releases, there are no vent windows within their frames but it’s easily overlooked given the vintage of the model. Overall, this is a very pleasing diecast whether you are a truck fan or not. It is a limited production run of 1500. TP 08/28/2009

@perrone1 DM hit a home run on the Studebaker models they built. I have always thought that Studebakers were great cars and the bullet nosed 50 and 51 s make me smile with their in your face looks. Glad to have all of these models in my collection.

@perrone1 Never before have I ever had such difficulty deciding which Estate Wagon is my favorite. I gave up and call it a draw. The dexterity that was required to assemble these models is truly remarkable.

Posted by: @bob-jackman

@perrone1 Never before have I ever had such difficulty deciding which Estate Wagon is my favorite. I gave up and call it a draw. The dexterity that was required to assemble these models is truly remarkable.

They really are a masterpiece of work!

@perrone1 I have the early issue of the Copper 55 Vette with the beige interior which I find attractive. While the details don't match up to those of the DM, the model holds its own in the display cases.

@perrone1 The 54 Cadillac CDV is one of my favorite mint models. Everything about this model says what luxury cars were in 1954 and the color sets it off perfectly.

@perrone1 I had forgotten that the 55 Sunliner in Black/ Goldenrod yellow was modelled as a overdrive unit. It looks fabulous parked next to the Goldenrod Yellow Thunderbird.