great shots Tony, thanks. I have the original FM green and the DM dark blue.
OK here I go again! Why would the mints both make models of this car? It is one of many popular 1930s 'daily driver' type examples meaning if they wanted to produce a car of this 'genre' there would be 100s to chose from. So why make one that is already on the market, and once again speaking of markets, how big would the overall collector/decorator item market be for 1936 Ford Deluxe Cabriolets?
Great question Geoff. As you note, there has been many more than just one release from the mints of the same car. Even in many cases, of the same car in the same color. The '58 Corvette in Panama Yellow, the '69 ZL1's in yellow with black accents and the ones in white with black accents.
Part of that reason is that The FM markets to their own base while Danbury marketed & solicited their own current and past buyers. Without the Diecast Zone website in the early days, few people knew of what both makers were offering at any one given time.
On these '36 Fords; there were 8 of them. Now keep in mind that issue dates follow a lengthy process - measuring and photographing the subject, scale development, building, painting, assembly and shipping before advertising and stocking. TFM was first with their release of the Deep Forest Green Cabriolet in Sept. 1997. DM followed with their Washington Blue version in Dec. 1997. DM then issued the car as a Custom in Black & White in June 1998.
Next came the red one shown here in this thread, TFM's Annual Automobile Festival Nbr Ltd Ed of 3000 issued Aug. 2003. Then they followed with another Nbr Ltd Ed of 2500 in Cordoba Tan in July 2005.
DM answered in Aug. 2006 with a coupe. In black, it was a limited edition of 5000. DM's last Deluxe Cabriolet was also a numbered limited edition in Bambalino Blue in Jan. 2007. Finally TFM released the Deluxe Cabriolet w/ Trailer based from their learned technology from our LECC 1939 Ford Deluxe with trailer in the form of their previous 1936 model toolings; the Ltd Ed of 1500 in Silver/Grey & Blue in July 2007.
Very interesting history Tony. DM had cordoba gray model but they never released it, perhaps because FM had already made that color.
