My chat with John Kuvakas - Addendum #2 (and today's diecasts for 8/3/21)

In the YouTube video several models pop up for a few instants. I thought I would explain a little bit more about them and post additional photos, more or less in the order they appear.

Top Marques B2 1929 Bentley 4.5L Supercharged (the "Blower Bentley"). Max Kernick made some of the best white metal models and his Bentley series included the best of the best. This Bentley, representing the famous chassis HB 3404R and registered YU3250, is probably my favorite, made 1989-90 or thereabouts. I have No. 130 of a planned 300. I say "planned" because many times the upper limit was not reached. It's not often that a white metal model has engine detail either.

This little Fiat dragster is no stranger to long-time Forum43 members. It was the last major build of anything I attempted, everything since has been minor mods. Essentially I started with a Hachette (Norev) Fiat Topolino and a GMP Greer-Black-Prudhomme dragster, added some plastic rod and paint and there you have it. 

 I stated that the Dinky Toys were very much treasured. After all, they were my first diecasts. One of my favorites from childhood was the MG TF, and I think that brain wiring may have led to me getting an MG TD as my second car. I have all the major variations of the old Dinky now.

I got my Tootsietoy 1932 Graham Paige from well-known collector Phillippe de Lespinay (curator of the L. A. Slot Car Museum and board member of hobbydb, among other achievements). Dowst made several body variants of the Graham (including vans, tow trucks, etc.), then issued a similarly designed LaSalle coupe and sedan, several Mack AC Bulldogs. and the Briggs prototype "Doodlebug". After that it was back to less-detailed dime store toys.

Corgi 200 is a Ford Consul Mk. I, made since 1951. But it was still in production (barely) when the model appeared in 1956. I found this one in 1977.

By 1967 ads and reviews had appeared in R&C for two mail order miniature car dealers - Replicars in the L. A. area and Sinclairs in Pennsylvannia. Flush with cash from neighborhood lawn mowing, I decided to break away from the UK diecasts and see what the continental Europeans had to offer. From Replicars I ordered the Solido 135 Lola Climax F1 and the Tekno 832 MG 1100. In those days this dealer had not yet published a catalog, just a pricelist, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. In my mind the only Lola I had heard of was the Eric Broadley Lola-Ford. So the open wheeler was a bit of a surprise, but it fit in well with my Corgi Lotus and Ferrari, so I liked it. The Tekno I received was a light green one - I didn't like the checkerboard decal and tried scraping it off, with a bit of damage. So it was replaced later on with the dark red one pictured. 

I convinced my dad that an Isotta Fraschini would sure be a great addition, and he gave in and forked over for this one, my first order from Sinclairs. Rio 15 is an Isotta type 8A. The red pinstripe and painted whitewalls (the first Rio with whitewall tires) really set it off. And the bumpers are actually spring steel.

I talked about Rio #1, the Itala 35/45CV from 1906. This is a very early version I found in 1974 at a Chicago hobby shop. Note that the radiator shell is painted in a brass color - later versions would be plated. Rio has been reissuing some of their old castings for some years now - compare the gray reissue, finished as the 1906 1st place Targa Florio car. 

No further details to add about the AMR Carrera RSR, just another couple of views. However, I forgot to mention that, about the same time in 1975, I bought my first resin model, the 1973 Porsche Carrera RS that Peter Gregg and Hurley Heywood drove at Daytona. It was made by Denis Schwitzer of Swizerland under the brand Denzer and was fairly good for the time, with externally applied windows. But the wheels were cast with the body and painted, not very authentic looking compared to models to come. Since replaced by a Minichamps. 

More views of Minichamps, No. 3100G, the Mercedes-Benz 190E Evo2 road car. I made a mistake - this was my 5th oldest Minichamps in terms of ownership, but it is my earliest in terms of production date . BTW, the Paul's Art Minichamps brand began in white metal in years prior to Chinese production, both as kits and handbuilts. 

 The Spark model shown is No. SCRS05 Riley & Scott Mk. III of the Dyson Racing Team, winner at Daytona in 1999. It was issued in 2001. Note the metal tin early Sparks came in - they must have figured out quickly it was cheaper to go with the card sleeve/plastic display case we all know now.

Later in the video John mentions HPI/Mirage. Here are more pics of the HPI #8350 Toyota 2000GT in that very deep candy apple maroon color.

John also mentioned the Kyosho Ferraris. The first one that appeared is #05011R Boxer Berlinetta. The second one, later on, is the #05111R GTO. The Bugatti that appears is Evrat EVR003, a 1937 Type 57S (Chassis 57502) that appeared at the Retromobile show in Paris as a "barn find". The worn and chipped paint, scruffy upholstery, and owner add-ons (antenna and luggage rack) were expertly executed.

Finally, we flashed a pic of the beautiful EMC 1903 Cadillac two-seater. Here's more pics: