1946 Pontiac

Yes Michel. I also think $115 is unbelievable too. It broke down as follows: $48 shipping, $47.28 tax and $19.78 customs clearance fees. Brooklin collected the $48 for postage and DHL made me pay the balance before they would deliver the model. I wrote Brooklin an email to let them know what Canadian customers are facing. I think it is important that they are aware of some of the obstacles they face in shipping over seas. This may now be a fact of life that nothing can be done.

Posted by: @michel-lemieux

115 CDN it is unbelievable. I can't imagine how much i would pay at the end if i order one. I payed around 65 cnd for the Lincoln. I'm not able to follow at this cost unless I inherit from a rich old aunt that I don't know somewhere?

My sentiments as well.

@kenspear

The extra fees and import taxes are imposed by your Canadian government....Brooklin does not charge these fees and has no control of them.

My Pontiac was scheduled to be delivered on Monday also, but it arrived today, so check your mailbox tonight Ken.

@kenspear Ken, we all pay shipping and we receive this model in 4 - 5 days which is really fast. What make the difference for you is the GST and Customs fees for about $70.

All I can say is when John does My Take on this model I look forward to the part where he slides the case out of the cardboard sleeve because I have been trying for half an hour now to accomplish that without damaging the cardboard sleeve and I have gotten nowhere.

@rogerkerr, LOL! It's a tight fit, for sure. I usually hold the case between my thumb and forefingers, tilt it sideways, and gently bounce it up and down a few times until the box begins sliding out.

Just as an interesting aside (well, I find it kind of interesting) on the question of overstocking and the number of models produced, Trax in Australia have always taken a very individual approach to the question. Even back when Trax models were relatively cheap, simple diecasts, they would set a fairly conservative limit on how many of a particular model they would produce, and they would stick to it. Each model was claimed to be a "once only - never to be repeated" issue, and when it was sold out, that was it.  You could only get one on eBay or from one of the small number of Australian model outlets (like Gateway Models) who might still have one in stock.

If there were clear signs that there was a demand for more, they would re-issue a model in a different colour and with an "Automatic" or "V8" badge and claim it was another unique, never-to-be-repeated model.

I guess that spared them any problems with over-stocking. On the other hand it may have cost them quite a few casual sales from people (particularly overseas collectors) who discovered too late that a parrticular model existed.

With their latest "Trax Select" issues they take an even cannier approach. They issue photos of a proposed model - presumably a fully-painted 3D printed prototype - and solicit pre-orders. If they don't get what they consider a suitable number of pre-orders then (in theory at least) they won't do the model at all and pre-order deposits will be returned. Of course, that would mean all the protyping costs would be written off. My latest purchase, the 1960 Dodge Phoenix, came with an insert saying "This model is one of a numbered production run, with only enough models built to meet collector orders received." (Mine is No 59 of 269 produced.)

So if you are a collector browsing the net and discover one of these models after the pre-ordering deadline is past and you think "Wow, I quite fancy one of those", presumably you are out of luck. Once again, that may save them from having unsold stock but could lose them a fair number of casual sales - who knows, maybe as many again as the original pre-ordered quantity. Whether they will repeat their old trick of re-issuing with some subtle change in colour, trim level or badging remains to be seen.

But at least they are averaging maybe 250-300 sales on each Select model. I don't know much about the economics of handbuilt production but how Brooklin can stay viable (without ongoing Bulgari subsidies) by producing about 50 models plus maybe small batches of 10-15 models is hard to imagine, even at their current prices.

@rogerkerr  Roger I have that same problem. I'm thinking of paying JK to come to my house to work his magic.

I received the Pontiac within about 48 hours this Friday by DHL Express. Excluding import duties, taxes, customs clearance fees and the devaluation of the Canadian dollar, everything is perfect. The Pontiac is magnificent despite that with all these additions not Brooklin's fault but in the end these additional monetary additions from our government become heavy to bear and demotivate the desire to buy abroad. I would be curious to know how many Canadians bought this model? We must not be very many. The model in itself is extraordinary but in my opinion and I am far from being an expert, it is not the top of my models even if it is the one that comes back to me the most expensive. I think I'll put it right next to my MCUSA1948 Chevrolet Fleetline in two tone green.

@rogerkerr Roger I am with you. The last three Brooklins I have received I could not get the box to slide out of the sleeve.

I also had difficulty. I passed a ruler edge to edge to slightly enlarge the outline all around without damaging it and I finally succeeded after a quarter of an hour to get the box out. I think the Pontiac is going to stay on base, everything feels so tight. The packaging is just missing a padlock.

I must be pretty lucky as I haven't had a problem sliding the outer sleeve from my models. I am not sure why there's a difference.

@michel-lemieux The sleeve is very easy to remove. I never had  a problem either with the NBC Lincoln. The trick is you apply some pressure to compress the top of the box and it slides very easily.

As for your comment about the model not being the best, I agree with you. My disappointment is the chrome plating of the grille and bumpers. I received replacement parts that are far better but I am unable to disassemble the base plate because it is glued to the floor pan.

@nickies If you have remarked for the Lincoln, the sleeve is embossed and easy to remove fast. Maybe the cold too because the box was very cold and I couldn't wait to see the Pontiac. The model spent at least 7 hours in the delivery truck. I received the Stamp model 1958 Cadillac coupe de ville in December and i am just as happy with this model if not more for half the price. For the look of the Pontiac, i think that the color lower Blue is too close of the blackwalls. I have always think in general that Dark Blue doesn't match very well with black. If the pale gray was the inferior color instead of Blue, i think the looks would be better with the blackwalls. But the model must correspond to the real car at the museum. For me , the Blue on the 1942 Oldsmobile b-44 station wagon is very close to the blue of the Pontiac but looks better in appearance maybe it is because the wood panels have given some shine to the model. The bumper chrome looks a bit more off than the one on my Lincoln but again I think it's the blue color effect that darkens the look. Between both, i am wondered if i not prefer the Lincoln than the Pontiac? C'est juste mon opinion.