The Diecast Zone Forums - Recent Topics

Helluva Car For 1951...

Rich Sufficool — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:48:44 +0000

General Motors Le Sabre concept car was their first Motorama entry and it was the future. From its cyclopean nose that housed the flip-up headlamps to the jet exhaust tail design with futuristic tail fins, this 2 seat roadster was just filled with innovations. The wrap-around windscreen that would soon be a standard feature on GM's lineup fronted an electrically operated soft top that was activated by a water sensor. All the luxury operating appointments are powered by a 12v system that would also be mainstream. The powertrain included an experimental 335 HP, 215 cid, supercharged aluminum V8... with hemispherical heads! Initially it was accompanied by Buick's Dynaflow transmission and later the GM Hydromatic incorporated into a transaxle. Made from aluminum, magnesium and fiberglass the car could be lifted by electric jacks to facilitate tire changing. The tail fins were actually functional containing 2X20 gal. aircraft style rubberized fuel bladders. The fuel for the Hemi V8 could be gasoline or methanol. This was Harley Earl's post war update from his Buick Y-Job of 1938. It became Earl's daily driver when the car was retired from the auto show circuit. It still exists in driving form today. I remember way back when when Franklin Mint released this model and I hoped for more Motorama concepts, but it never happened.

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remember the specials of the week...

Galen55 — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:32:25 +0000

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Poll: Which '55? (4/3/2026)

John Bono — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:25:48 +0000

'55 Lincoln or Packard?

Be sure to make your selection.

Of course, please “Reply” to share your comments.

If selection is greater than 2 rank them.

Click on the picture to enlarge the image.

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Letting the dog out.

David Green — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:13:41 +0000

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(Pics) The photographic prop extra .....

michaeldetorrice — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:55:05 +0000

My youngest niece is all grown up and actually has her real driver's license, so she would be not just an imaginary prop driver in a diecast model car photograph anymore, lol !

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Thursdays Pics: One of my cars.

Hollis Cornell — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:17:45 +0000

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Thursdays Pics: Guys Busy at the Shop.

Hollis Cornell — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:15:37 +0000

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It Wasn't F&F enough....

Rich Sufficool — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:02:37 +0000

Spanish company Guiloy issued this 1938 Delahaye 165 cabriolet attributing the coachwork to Figoni et Filaschi of Paris. It is an exercise in teardrop motifs, but lacking in their usually chrome trim and gravel guards that accentuates the design. Unlike a lot of their diecasts, the model's castings were well chased and polished with minimal panel gaps nicely aligned. It did have some decent detailing in the engine compartment and the cockpit so I decided to make the rather drab model a bit more F&F-y. Rather than using foil, I cut out industrial metal tape to give it some depth and painted up the interior in a maroon and black color combo with wood trim. It's stlll not up to a lot of the streamlined F&F body work, but it looks a lot more like I thought it should.

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eBay + AI = Gone to CRAP! I’m done

kevins — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:22:50 +0000

Has anyone else noticed the description section for an eBay seller’s auction item? Usually no details of the actual item for sale, no mention of the condition, if it has the original box and docs, only an AI generic summary of the model in general. Now today I’ve noticed the ultimate, AI lead photos that have nothing to do with the model and totally made up and false descriptions. Check this one out, pictures are worth a thousand words. This seller has a ton of similar listings, no shame!

Lead photo..

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Description…

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Actual model…

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A seller to stay away from!

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Fillin' In The Gaps...

Rich Sufficool — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 14:15:38 +0000

I always think back fondly about my 1955 Plymouth poster that I bought In Thailand in 1969. It was a 6 cylinder with 3 on the tree. It had gauges in Chinese. For driving in Bangkok traffic you definitely needed the sheet metal they used back then. Traffic patterns and obeyance to traffic lights or police were merely a suggestion... perhaps you might obey a stop light or a cop crossing school children... or not. On a 6 lane road during rush hour, if the southbound lanes were blocked you might decide, en masse, to take over the northbound lanes. I once turned onto that highway only to have 6 lanes of cars coming at me forcing me to use the sidewalk to escape. I had a Datsun Bluebird taxi rear end me at speed and its engine wound up near the driver's seat. I had a small dent when the bumper grazed my quarter panel. I almost cut a Subaru Sambar Ute in half when the drunks inside decided to play 'chicken' with me. Back then, there was a 100% tariff on all cars imported so it was amazing to see the number of cars that here would be crushed still on the road. I always thought Thailand had the most sophisticated "midnight auto supply" in the world. When the age of my Plymouth, along with the tropical conditions, meant that all its parts that were guaranteed to last the lifetime of the car would fail, and somehow, they'd have my car back on the road the same day. I never asked where they got the parts from. LOL Well the car served me well for the 3 years I was there, and when I rotated out, I sold it to a staff sergeant buddy of mine, Within 2 months, I got a letter from him saying the old Plymouth was cut in half by an Isuzu 18 wheeler. (He was fine).

I was forever lookingfor a model that would commemorate my trusty old Plymouth. Perhaps 30 years ago, I found a resin kit by Model Bauhaus that fit the bill. Forgive the 30 year old photos:

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