[Sticky] Lost Reviews - Franklin Mint & Danbury Mint

@perrone1 The Suntan Copper makes this 1960 Impala stand out in any display. Another DM work of art.

@perrone1 A C1 Vette in Roman Red. What's not to like?

Posted by: @bob-jackman

@perrone1 A C1 Vette in Roman Red. What's not to like?

Danbury Mint 1960 Ford Thunderbird – DM1612

The DM Boyz keep hitting the ball out of the park with each new T-Bird they recreate. They started out in 2005, with the “Baby Birds”; 1955 through 1957, and presented the precision diecast world with flawless fit and finish and high-tech features and detailing. They moved into the “Square Bird” realm just months later with their Monarch Blue 1958 offering and the perfection hasn’t ceased yet. This latest release, a 1960 model year in drop top attire, marks the second version of that vintage and duplicates the Monte Carlo Red coupe’s attributes but in a convertible and in a period Adriatic Green.

The presentation is more than eye catching, it exhibits all the details and functionality of previous Birds but will continue to amaze you with ever-exacting build qualities. They provide a scale tool used for opening certain sections of the model and that’s where the amazement begins. The build tolerances are representative of the perfect scaling to the 1:1. There are no undue gaps, every piece fits tight. Close the hood, doors, trunk and top panel and all matches up with complete precision. No excuse for the top either, it fits like a glove.

The chrome metal-foiled scripts and hash marks are delicately scaled but seem to be well sealed in place. The doors and hood have the realistic high-technology hinges to carry off the shrunken 1:1 car theory. Chassis build, engine bay and trunk detailing are awe inspiring as usual but the color combo goes beyond the pale, no pun intended. The color is somewhat reminiscent of the pastel period in automotive history; not too flashy, not to boring. The interior, awash in more scale detailing, is resplendent in two-tone green and the trunk gizmos and gadgetry have never looked better.

Not sure what may be next up in the DM Thunderbird lineup but I do know that I want one!  TP 01/23/2010

Danbury Mint 1:24 1960 Ford Thunderbird Coupe  1472

My goodness, I’m sorry, I apologize to the I-hate-red crowd; but I cannot imagine a 1960 Thunderbird with over-the-top ‘Square Bird’ styling in any other color but Monte Carlo Red. Danbury’s ’58 in Monarch Blue and their ’59 in Tahitian Bronze were absolutely inspirational. For the ’60 rendition, I want, no, I need, a bright, light up my boring life, red. But, hey, don’t give me some namby, pamby red that makes my neighbor’s Camry or Altima look hot. And, please, no lipstick shade either. Good golly, Miss Molly; give me some semblance of manhood in THUNDERbird red; give me Monte Carlo-make-me-stare-at-your-HOT-ride-Red!! Yeah, in your face and lovin’ every minute of it!! That’s what I’m talkin’ about!! Ya want a car that stands out? This one stands out baby!

Oh man; DM’s done it to me again. Dang those boys in Connecticut. Once again they got me all hot and bothered about classic Detroit Iron. And thank goodness they didn’t listen to our whiny complaints about too many red cars and wimp out by giving us a ’60 T-Bird in politically correct pink or some such color. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that) And as usual, the paint itself is incredible. It appears layered on by tiny elf-like 1:24^th master paint technicians. Not sure who does their wax jobs but he or she needs a raise, it’s impeccable. All the finer points of the previous two square birds have found their way to the sexy sixty. Photo-etched grillwork and chrome foil emblems are in place and we now have a third option, a sunroof. So our palette now includes a hard top, convertible and this in-between little darling. I do not know how DM did it, nor do I want to know. I just know it works and works well. Open a door. Grasp the roof panel between your thumb and finger and slide it back while exerting the tiniest pressure downward. When closed up again, the fit is incredibly tight and seamless. If you have the book, “Cars of the Sizzling ‘60s - A Decade of Great Rides and Good Vibrations” check out page 32. There’s our little sweetheart herself. The photo shows the car, in this color, with the chrome trim addition and sunroof. The latter option called for an extra $212 from the buyer and this was said to be ‘Detroit’s first manual sunroof’. The book points out the chrome trim to be after market but Ford and its dealers offered a Chrome Dress-up Kit that is a documented Thunderbird accessory. Remember the days of the ‘Baby Birds’ and their chrome dress up kits for the engine bay? Similar option here. It included chrome trim surrounding the taillights, the chrome trim at the leading edge of the hood scoop, the chrome panels behind the headlights and the two chrome discs at the base of the windshield wipers. The car is also equipped with the 430 cubic inch Lincoln Interceptor engine. Ford built only 377 cars so equipped and it is said that only 40 of these are known to still exist. Hmm, forget “Square Bird”, can we say, “Rare Bird”?

Speaking of which, that rather large lump, men’s size 430, in the engine bay, takes up a good deal of room. But DM treats it with healthy respect and a liberal dose of detail. The finely crafted wiring, plumbing and fuel lines are exquisitely done. Printing on the windshield washer bag and radiator hose is scaled in. And with different color paint treatments, the engines in our diecasts are looking more realistic each day. That detail follows downward to the chassis. The fuel pump is amazing; the oil filter and tranny lines then add more realism still. Check out the working steering assembly piston. The suspension has just the right amount of believable ‘give’ to it. It employs springs up front and leaf springs behind. The doors open on internal hinges and the interior is lush with sixties finery. Check it out – A/C!! Of course the engine has the corresponding compressor and related goodies. The dash, gauges, seats and even floor pedals are so real. You can read the emblem on the steering wheel center and the gauges. And when have you seen this before? The model even has those tiny little hanger hooks on the inside roof to hang your shirt or jacket when traveling. The visors work and so does the antenna. The spare is removable and the jack and tools are remarkably well defined and detailed. So are the wheel covers. They display the valve stem as well.

This is a terrific addition to the DM family of Thunderbirds and especially the square bird years. All three of them placed together make an absolutely awesome trio of detail, believability and operational functions. Thanks DM, ya got me again!  TP 04/20/2006

@perrone1 The 60 Sun roof bird is in my nest but in a spot where getting to it is not easy. From my vantage point it appears to be okay but from others comments, the dreaded rash has destroyed their model. George Schire posted pictures of his disintegrating before his very eyes. Tony, your comments regarding this model are right on and point out the importance of this very rare bird in 1/1 scale.

Posted by: @bob-jackman

@perrone1 The 60 Sun roof bird is in my nest but in a spot where getting to it is not easy. From my vantage point it appears to be okay but from others comments, the dreaded rash has destroyed their model. George Schire posted pictures of his disintegrating before his very eyes. Tony, your comments regarding this model are right on and point out the importance of this very rare bird in 1/1 scale.

Thank you Bob!

I saw George's post as well. Mine has no rash or rot at all; just checked this morning. I did not take photos of it though due to it missing one row of chrome foiled stickers at the rear of the car.

Danbury Mint 1963 Corvette Convertible Ltd Ed of 5000 – DM1567

What goes ‘round, comes ‘round. Full circle? Well, not quite, but close. Did you know that DM’s first Corvette in 1:24^th was the iconic 1963 Sting Ray? Yep; it was the vaunted “split window coupe”. In street-stock version, this is only the second ’63 Vette they have issued and the first in convertible form. They’ve made this one reflect the gorgeous Silver Blue exterior that I cherished so much in the first Pro Modified version of the coupe, but with a white soft top and black interior. They rendered it as a manual shift, L76 327/340 engine car.

An offshoot of the original Sting Ray tooling, the model boasts operating headlamps, an extending antenna, removable spare tire and a telescoping prop under the hood. The fuel door opens and the hard tonneau flips back to reveal the simulated ‘down-top’. There are extraordinary details throughout the model. Below, the chassis displays exquisite springs and lines and wiring. The brake system looks as if it could actually work. The suspension does. The starter is wired, the emergency brake and cabling system is breathtaking and the rear shocks, leaf springs and coil-over front suspension ‘give’ just enough to be realistic.

The engine may bring tears of joy to the detail-lover’s eyes. We see perfect little sticker details, thin wiring and accurate plumbing on the carburetor-ed engine; the highest powered short block mill Chevy offered on the Vette short of the fuelie option. The interior is awash in scaled richness. The dash and gauges are model art. You can read the dials. The seats fold forward, visors flip up and down and the delicate detailing of door panel and console is grand. Even the inside of the rag top itself has been given plenty of detail attention. And the outside, not to be outdone, shows the correct original equipment tag and simulated welt line. The sealed emblems and scripts are metal foiled and beautiful.

And while some have commented on the antenna scaling and rocker panel sizing, I find no fault with either. To be sturdy enough to allow realistic telescoping, I believe the radio mast necessitates this scale dimension. The rocker panels are the same that DM has used throughout their Sting Ray line up and in person with no shadowing; they look just fine to my eye. The color choice helps make this a gorgeous replica and the many working features and overall detail spells another “must have” to me.

Order #8543-0015.  TP 11/03/2008

Danbury Mint 1:12 1964 Ford Mustang Convertible – 1510

If you could wish for the ability to go back in time to purchase the new ‘64 ½ Mustang, this release would be the closest thing to making that wish come true. Danbury is cranking out some incredibly amazing large-scale diecast replicas. But this is their first foray into the realm of the “Blue Oval” and the Ford boys and girls will deservedly be ecstatic over it. Just wait until they see all that this little Wimbledon White dumpling does! (Did I say, ‘little’? The model’s HUGE!) She ain’t just another pretty face sitting there on display and looks back at you; no, she does all sorts of astonishing things. Not only could this be the most realistic model in terms of mechanicals that can easily pass for the real McCoy, but DM built working gizmos into the package that will amaze anyone that you care to show it off to.

Ford debuted the small sporty vehicle, which came to be known as a “pony car”, on 4/17/64. Danbury used that date for the model’s license plates. And it just gets progressively better from there. Some of you know me by now. You may know that in most cases I save the best for last in reviews of our diecast treasures. Generally, though not always, that entails the engine compartment of our precision models. That is certainly the case here too but the Mustang’s chassis may have a word or two to say about that and I can vouch for its claim of superiority. There’s so much to cover I do not know where to start. I’ll let you in on a secret too; I try not to cover everything that is new or remarkable about our diecasts. I like to sit back and read what other buyers additionally discover and so do the boys in Connecticut. Though the looks are all important, let’s start by running through some of the working features.

The mirrors are posable. The outside rearview mirrors and the inside center mirror may be moved up and down and side to side. Of course the radio antenna extends; and boy does it ever gain height. It has three accurately replicated segments. The wipers move and are sprung like real ones. The windows roll up and down fully; all four of them! You may shift the transmission lever in its center console. Speaking of which, the console compartment opens as does the ash tray. The front buckets slide forward and backward. Both visors flip up. The boot reveals a working black fabric soft top. There are four separate rubber floor mats. The spare comes out. The suspension is workable and astonishingly realistic. You may remove the wheel covers and unscrew the four wheels and tires to inspect the brake system. But here comes the amazing stuff.

With three batteries stored under the floor mat in the trunk, you may push in on the ignition switch to activate the electrical system. Open a door and the courtesy lights illuminate. Push in on the light switch to turn on the outside lights. A push on the floor button enables the high beams. Tap the brake for brake lights and flip the turn signal up or down to flash your left or right signals. Pick up the solidly built and very heavy car and the front tires toe in. Set it back down and the lovely lady sits perfectly level; talk about realistic! The rear wheels turn the driveshaft and the driveshaft turns the engine crank while you watch the fan, pulley and belts revolve. Just looking at the marvel that is the engine bay makes you swear you are watching a real motor. The hood latch, scissors spring hinges and scaled plug wiring, fuel lines and linkage all lend an accurate depiction of what was the actual car for 1964. DM went above and beyond to craft the realization that you look at here. You can remove the oil dipstick. There is an authentic sticker attached to the radiator.

The air cleaner comes off to reveal carb linkage and smog controls perfectly. The chassis admirably picks up where the engine detail leaves off above. The engine filters, steering mechanism and front cradle suspension componentry are so realistic you will think that Ford built this model from the Mustang assembly line. Emergency brake cabling and transmission linkage is the best I have yet to see in a model. The interior is magnificent, plain and simple. Everything is authentic to the real car and the working windows are so cool. You can unsnap the rear boot easily; it is a pliable rubber that pulls away from the many metal pins. It reveals a black, stowed fabric top. Pull up on it gently and it unfolds on flawlessly formed top rails to position on the front windshield frame just like the real one did decades ago. Roll the windows up for a snug fit.

This Danbury Mint model, in its grand scale, with all its bells and whistles, pulls off the magic that allows us to relive a time 43 years ago as if it were mystically renewed overnight with no lapse in minutes or hours. Whether or not the success of this undertaking permits a follow-up Mustang model I can only say that I am thankful for the bravery of the DM folks for building it. Sure, I’d like to see a vintage Shelby version clear on up to a new Shelby iteration but just as it sits, it makes me smile; big time!! TP 02/26/2007

Franklin Mint 1963 Chevrolet Impala Coupe- Nbr Limited Edition of 2500  E290

As far as precision 1:24^th scale 1963 Impalas are concerned Franklin Mint is the only game in town and owns the field. Cause for lament? Absolutely not; it’s cause for celebration. While DM and WCPD have done credible justice to the Impala and Impala SS line, FM remains the only 1963 to be modeled. They have previously given us the Silver Blue SS convertible and Low Rider versions issued in 1998 and the original SS Sport Coupe, in Sateen Silver, which launched the Impala line for FM in 1996. A gold convertible was released as a limited edition in 2004 and now this Riverside Red coupe debuts, in my opinion, as the hottest looking of them all.

The color suits the model immensely well. Showing off the mid-sixties styling, so bold and ever changing in the Impala’s history, FM chose to impact the presentation with contrasting beige interior. You may consider this as a re-issue/repaint of the Silver coupe model and for obvious reasons it may attract more attention than its Sateen sibling. Detailed well for its early vintage, it carries high-tech suspension operation; the rear is cool to watch as it moves with all its components, photo-etched wipers and fully detailed engine bay. The wiring is scaled well and the battery is cabled. You can read the little “409” stickers on the valve covers and while the outside emblems are tampos they are crisp and clean. The antenna is metal and scaled to a slim and trim tolerance. The model’s finish is excellent; smooth, shiny and evenly applied. All gaps are tight on doors, hood and trunk lid.

The ’63 Impala remains a popular image; mix in its SS 409 lineage and limited edition factor and you have a very pleasant addition to your diecast collection. The issue price is $135.

TP 09/16/2006

Franklin Mint 1963 Corvette Coupe- Independent Retailer- Nbr Ltd Ed of 500 – E818

Hang on to your hats Vette collectors, Michelle, at Mint Models, is at it again and, Oh My Gawd, has she commissioned a winner here!  Franklin first made their fiberglass Corvette in this C2 body style in the vintage of 1963 and as the classic split window coupe. It debuted in 1998 in Sebring Silver with red interior. I recall thinking that if it were in Saddle Tan Metallic with the saddle interior it would be an equally appealing heartthrob. Records cannot substantiate just how many of these cars were built in this tan color combo but most aficionados say, “Not many.”

TFM redid the model in 2001 in Daytona Blue as a limited edition of 3000 and its popularity made it somewhat of a superstar in the collectibles market. This model outshines that color combo in my humble estimation and, in numbers of only 500, makes it ultra-collectible. FM issued the fourth and last of these fiberglass split windows in October of 2007 in a limited edition of 1963 in Silver Blue Metallic. The model does not have the higher tech features that some of the later models are now made with, but the overall appearance of this one-year-only split window is nonetheless a classic in its own right. The light pods flip up, the suspension functions and the replica now sports those grand little chrome metal-foiled insignias.

The engine detail is just as incredible as the original version and still inspires awe. Of course it is the fuelie engine that along with the large gas tank makes it the first Z06 Corvette. TFM carried over the correct rear storage configuration and appropriate stickers. The beauty of the model lies in the color choice and its rarity. And as mentioned above, in only 500 units, it will be sure to sell out very quickly.  TP 06/06/2008

The other three Fiberglass 63 Split Window Z06's:

@perrone1 Saddle Tan Metallic, stunning, as is the car! The C2 regularly features in all time top ten car design and the like lists, easy to see why. Beautiful array there Tony, at least I have the silver one.

Tony, The FM 63 Corvette coupe is a favorite of mine and I have all four colors proudly displayed. Your pictures do the models well.

@perrone1 The 63 Impala is my second favorite next to the 58 and followed by the 65.

Posted by: @geoff-jowett

@perrone1 Saddle Tan Metallic, stunning, as is the car! The C2 regularly features in all time top ten car design and the like lists, easy to see why. Beautiful array there Tony, at least I have the silver one.

Thanks you Geoff!