The 4th Annual Summer Smash is rolling into Warwick, Rhode Island next week and as usual, there’ll be a ton of great limited edition Code 3 customs on hand at the show for collectors to choose from. Liberty Promotions will be returning this year with another great convention car design in addition to this year’s Rhode Island Hot Wheels Club car. Additional souvenir cars have also been made by the likes of Chris Walker, Bryan Pope, Vince Mosely, Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez, Bone Shaker and M&S Customs.

Get a sneak peek of some of the great creations via the gallery below. Click on any of the thumbnails to see a large version of the images.

Collectors interested in attending Summer Smash should make the jump over to the official Summer Smash website for more information on tickets and accommodations. I hope to see you there!

Just over a year ago, the DiecastSpace Magical Weekend of Cars rolled into the Swan and Dolphin Hotel at DisneyWorld in Orlando, Florida, and we were fortunate to have Jake and the crew from Tail Fins and Chrome at the event to capture some of the atmosphere and personalities at the convention.

The episode aired on RTV and TUFF TV on May 1st, but the Tail Fins crew has made the full episode available for those who missed it! Segments from the convention include interviews with me, die-cast author Mike Zarnock, die-cast designer Eric Tscherne, DCS Staffer Jason Bennett and female collector, Katerina. As an added bonus, the episode includes a great segment from the Hot Wheels room at the Peterson Automotive Museum.

The convention segments are sprinkled between some cool footage of a pretty impressive police car (1:1 scale!) collection, so make sure you watch the whole episode to see everything from the Magical Weekend!

Be sure to check out the Tail Fins and Chrome website to catch more full length episodes or to see if the show is available on cable TV in your area.

The next Magical Weekend of Cars will be rolling into Anaheim, CA in the Summer of 2012, but there are plenty of great events to attend in the meantime. Check out ToyCarConventions.com for a complete listing of all the DiecastSpace events nationwide.

Collectors on Facebook saw a glimpse of the location that was selected for the second Magical Weekend of Cars convention being planned for 2012. East coast diecast fans enjoyed the first Magical Weekend when it came to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida in 2010, and now it appears that west coast collectors will be closer to next year’s event when it rolls into Anaheim, California.

Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new announcement. We’ll be sure to share the details as soon as it becomes available!

Collectors interested in attending any of the other DiecastSpace conventions coming up this year can find more information on ToyCarConventions.com.

There’s just a few weeks left until the Collector Experience rolls into Nashville from June 16th thru the 19th, and from the looks of things its going to be one heck of a convention! Collectors who have never attended a DiecastSpace convention before will see first-hand why these events are truly an “experience” and not just cookie cutter show. There’ll be something for everyone in Nashville no matter if you collect Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Johnny Lightning, Greenlight or M2 Machines. All brands of diecast are featured at the Collector Experience!

The three main days of the convention are packed full of great activities like Diecast Bingo, Diecast UNO, Downhill Racing, in-room trading, autograph sessions and vending machine pull sessions featuring the debut of the DiecastSpace Vending Machine that will be packed full of all sorts of goodies and special surprises. Add in the RAOK Party, Legends Dinner and Charity Auction and you have the recipe for a fun filled couple of days.

A variety of special guests are scheduled to attend the Collector Experience as well! Diecast personalities include Hot Wheels Designers Larry Wood, Eric Tscherne and Wayne Scott as well as Diecast Authors Mike Zarnock and Bob Parker. Ben “Cooter” Jones from The Dukes of Hazard is also set to make an appearance, so be sure to bring your General Lee castings for the autograph sessions! You’ll also find several of your favorite Pro Diecast Customizers like Bryan Pope and Chris Walker in attendance with some special limited edition diecast pieces for sale.

Of course, the main reason to attend a convention is for the cars, right? A wide selection of custom convention cars have been created for the weekend. Collectors attending the premium events such as Bingo and UNO will receive their special cars for those activities during the events themselves. Those attending the convention under a general admission ticket will still have the ability to browse and purchase any of the Collector Experience branded souvenir cars. Here’s a sneak peek of come of the various cars that have been created. Click on any image to see a larger version.

If all this weren’t enough, Liberty Promotions will be giving away a FREE VW Drag Bus to anyone who books three or more nights at the convention hotel on the trading floors! Information about tickets and accommodations can be found on ToyCarConventions.com, or you can book your hotel directly by calling (615) 259-2000 and using the group code “DIECAST.”

We hope to see you there!

Dips in the economy aside, its a really good time to be a diecast collector. There have never been more options to attend a live event and connect with fellow collectors for some fun in this hobby that we all know and love. This year features large events that will definitely peak your interest no matter what brand or scale you collect. Here’s a quick rundown of each in order of occurrence including links out to their respective sites to get more information:

The Nashville Collector Experience – June 16-19, 2011 – Nashville, TN

Diecastspace returns to their “Collector Experience” style convention that will include special presentations from sponsoring manufacturers as well as your favorite standard events like the Legends Dinner, Camaro Bingo, the RAOK Party, Diecast UNO, In-Room Trading,  Charity Auction, the Customs Contest, Downhill Racing, in-room trading and much more. This convention also marks the debut of the Diecastspace Vending machine which will be packed full of amazing diecast surprises.

Special Guests for Nashville include Hot Wheels Designers Larry Wood, Wayne Scott and Eric Tscherne, Hot Wheels Author Mike Zarnock, Tom Zahorsky from Johnny Lightning and Ben “Cooter” Jones from the Dukes of Hazzard TV Show.

The Canada Convention – July 13-17, 2011 – Toronto, Canada

The Canadian Diecast Convention returns for its second year at an all new location in Toronto. Mattel will be in attendance with the Hot Wheels Live Tour Trailer featuring awesome Hot Wheels displays and exclusive Hot Wheel merchandise that will only be available on the tour. The Official Hot Wheels Vending Machine will also be on hand which is always a blast. Other events will include the Legends dinner, RAOK party, downhill racing, Diecast UNO, Diecast Bingo, the customs contest, a Redlines seminar, in-room trading and much more. Sears will also be sponsoring a special event thats not to be missed!

The Special Guests for this event are still to be announced.

Lightning Fest - July 15-16, 2011 – Dyersville, IA

Lightning Fest is the main event to attend for the die-hard Johnny Lightning collector. Held each year at the RC@ Outlet store in Dyersville, Iowa, this FREE two day event is packed full of great family-friendly activities. Such activites include Gravity Racing, a customs contest, daily raffles, a Design forum, Diecast Bingo, charity auctions, a full-scale car show and in-room trading. The Diecastspace vending machine will laso be on hnad and stocked with lot s of great JL products and surprises.

A yet to be announced special celebrity guest from the Dukes of Hazzard TV show is also planned for the event.

KustomKon – August 4-7, 2011 – Dallas, TX

The Diecastspace KustomKon returns to Dallas this summer and features activities for diecast customizers and regular collectors alike. The focus of the conference will be a series of seminars for those who have never customized before all the way up through the advanced customizer. Regular collectors will enjoy in-room trading, the Legends Dinner, the RAOK Swap, limited edition convention cars and the Sunday toy show. All of your favorite professional diecast customizers are set to attend.

Special celebrity guests George Barris and Little Daddy Dennis Roth will be in attendance as well.

Hot Wheels Summer Smash – August 25-28, Warwick, RI

The Summer Smash returns for its fourth year and is New England’s ONLY diecast convention for 2011. All of your favorite activities are scheduled including a Customs Show for kids & adults, the Sunday Toy Show, Sizzler Racing, the Bob Parker trivia contest, the Liberty Promotions Treasure Quest, a Charity Auction and Dinner, Room to Room Trading, a Saturday Car Cruise, Down Hill Racing for kids & adults, an Interactive Customs Seminar by East Coast Real Riders and more. The Diecastspace vending machine is also scheduled to be on hand.

Special guests schedule to attend include Hot Wheels Designer Larry Wood,  Jimmy “The Box Man” Chavez, Tom Zahorsky from Johnny Lightning, Hot Wheels Author  Mike Zarnock, Hot Wheels and Matchbox Author Bob Parker,  Lee Pearlman from Liberty Promotions,  Chris Walker “Night Stalker”, Vince  V-Man Mosely, and Dave Chang

Pope Designs continues their 5th Anniversary celebrations with the release of this limited edition “Atlantic City” VW Drag Bus. Limited to just 30 pieces, this bus was created as an offering to the attendees of the upcoming Diecastspace Dragbus Getaway at the Trump Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ.

The Pope Designs 5th Anniversary VW Drag Bus features Real Rider front tires, Anniversary artwork, an acrylic case, a custom backdrop insert and the all new custom acrylic case sleeve packaging that was designed exclusively for the Anniversary series. As an added bonus, each bus will include a Pope Designs 5th Anniversary Pin mounted inside the case.

Fortunately for collectors, Pope Designs has decided to make a quantity of these buses available to their online fans first and will be holding a special sale this weekend. Here are the details:

Date: Sunday, May 8 2011
Time: 9:00pm EST
Where: eBay.com
Seller ID: pope-designs
Quantity: 15
Sale Price: $100 + $7 S&H (USD)

Click either image to see the larger version

There are still a number of Pope Designs casting in the works that will be coming out during the remainder of the year. Be sure to head over to PopeDesigns.com and sign up for their e-mail list to be alerted when new offerings become available!

Collectors who regularly attend conventions are most likely familiar with Mattel’s popular Hot Wheels Vending Machine that has become a feature attraction over the years. Standing in a massive line of fellow diecast enthusiasts while waiting for a chance to see what mysterious Hot Wheels goodness will fall from the innards of the giant metal box is one activity that many collectors look forward to at each event.

If you haven’t had a chance to attend one of the many conventions that the vending machine makes a stop at then, picture if you will, a snack style vending machine – the type with spiral bars that moves your selection towards you after making your desired “letter/number” selection. However, the snacks have been replaced with premium limited edition Hot Wheels products that are normally available for members of the HotWheelsCollectors.com Redline Club, and the identity of the item you’ve selected remains hidden behind frosted glass until its pulled from the spring-hinged door at the bottom of the machine. Add in the antics of Mattel’s Chris Parker, who runs the vending machine events and you have a recipe for fun turned up to “11!”

Mattel’s Hot Wheels vending machine has appeared at many conventions over the years including numerous DiecastSpace conventions, the annual Summer Smash in Rhode Island, the Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels and of course, the official Hot Wheels Conventions that occur each spring and fall. Unfortunately, the vending machine is not always available for every event. The team over at DiecastSpace recognized the value that the vending machine has brought to their events and has come up with a solution to ensure that the fun continues on.

This June, the brand new “Diecastspace Vending Machine” will make its debut at the Nashville Collector Experience in Nashville, Tennessee. As you can see from the rendering, it will be decked out in flames and will proudly display the Diecastspace logo – but, while the outside looks great, collectors know that its whats on the inside that counts! Convention attendees can expect to find all sorts of products from the major diecast manufacturers being stocked in the machine. This means collectors could find Hot Wheels products, convention pieces, White Lightnings, Green Machines, Liberty Promotions products, M2 Machines Chase Pieces and much more coming with their pulls. Rumor has it that even the customizers will be getting in on the fun and will be producing limited edition pieces that will be part of the mix!

The new vending machine is certainly an exciting new development for the DiecastSpace family of conventions and I’ll be sure to share photos of it when the vinyl-wrapping process is complete. Be sure to visit ToyCarConventions.com for information on tickets and accommodations for the Nashville Collector Experience so you can be part of the fun!

This year marks the 100th-anniversary of the Indianapolis 500 and Mattel will be making its mark on the day with a spectacular stunt being coined as “Fearless at the 500". Approximately 1 hour before the start of the race, a custom built 1:1 scale vehicle will be released from a nine story, live size Hot Wheels track.

The track itself is being placed in the infield area of the speedway’s fourth turn and will take approximately 3 weeks to construct. An artist’s rendering of the track and tower can been seen to the right. The identity of the truck’s driver will remain unknown until the completion of the stunt at which point it will be revealed. The stunt itself has been designed to be a record breaking jump of 302 feet with a landing area somewhere near the speedway’s short chute near turns three and four.

Promotional tickets with prime seating for the stunt in the grandstand facing the landing are being offered up for $80 and $90. The ticket package includes a Hot Wheel replica, discounts and a $5 coupon for IMS merchandise.

Check out the teaser video below.

Collectors in the Ohio area should take not of this great Spring event hosted by the Northeast Ohio Hot Wheels Club. There will be room to room trading, 90+ vendor/dealer tables, an event car, a customs contest, downhill racing, and much more.

Here are the details:

When: May 15, 2011 from 9:30am to 1:30pm
Where: Holiday Inn, 15471 Royalton Rd, Strongsville, OH 44136
Website or Map: http://www.neohwc.com
Event Type: Hot Wheels, &, diecast, show
Organized By: Northeast Ohio Hot Wheels Club

Hot off the heels of the recently sold-out DragBus.com membership package comes the announcement of an all new DiecastSpace.com site geared specifically for fans of the Hot Wheels Dairy Delivery casting. The website itself will have its debut and official launch on February 26th at the Super Convention in Las Vegas Nevada. At that time you’ll be able to join the site for free and start interacting with fellow Dairy-D collectors.

DiecastSpace has also announced the availability of a limited edition premium membership package that includes the following items:

• (6) Dairy Deliveries (1 every other month starting in May)
• (1) 1/24 DivCruizer (Ships June 1)
• (1) 25% Off coupon to use for one year
• (1) DairyCollector.Com Sweatshirt
• (1) 2011 Dallas KustomKon Dairy Alternate Color Chase Piece Member Only
• (1) Christmas Chase Dairy with Real Rubber Tires Exclusive to Members Only

There are only 50 premium membership packages available and are currently on sale now for $250 (USD) each in the DiecastSpace Store. The DragBus.com premium membership package sold out in less than 12 hours, so be sure to act fast if you’d like to take advantage of this great offer.

Click here to jump over to the DCS Store to check availability and purchase.

Johnny Lightning and Diecastspace have announced a first ever Super Convention chase
contest that will happen at the 2011 Super Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada next week. During the convention, 50 Johnny Lightning cars will be randomly handed out and on Saturday, February 26, one lucky winner will be awarded a prize pack valued at $1000!

Each of the 50 Johnny Lightning cars are Tim Flock’s Fabulous Hudson Hornet and includes a QR-code on the bottom of each box. Each entrant can bring their car to the convention hall to have the QR Code on the car’s packaging scanned by the Diecastspace Girls to see if it’s a winner. The cars can also be scanned by convention goers if they have a QR Reader application on their phones.

The lucky winner will win the $1000 prize pack that includes a preproduction sample of the Tim Flock Fabulous Hudson Hornet, authentic Johnny Lightning artwork, JL gear, White Lightning’s and a variety of Johnny Lightning releases. The winner must be present with the winning car to be awarded the prize.

This contest is just one of the many great events happening at the 2011 Super Convention. Be sure to visit ToyCarConventions.com for more information on tickets and accommodations. This is certainly turning out to be a “must-attend” convention with over 1000 collectors set to descend on sin-city next week!

The crew over at DiecastSpace just posted a screen shot showing that ticket sales for the 2011 Super Convention just passed the 1000 ticket mark. Attendance at each Super Convention has consistently grown over the last 3 years and this one is shaping up to be the biggest event yet.

DiecastSpace conventions have found success by catering to collectors of all types of diecast cars regardless of brand or scale. This unique aspect combined with family-friendly activities and budget-minded prices make for a lot of value for the collectors dollar. Add in this year’s Diecast Hall of Fame induction ceremony that will feature the likes of racing legends Richard Petty, Ernie Irvan and Shirley Muldowney and you have an experience that just can’t be beat!

Information on tickets and accommodations for the Super Convention or any other DiecastSpace event coming up this year can be found at ToyCarConventions.com.

There’s just over a month left until the 2011 Diecastspace Super Convention rolls into the Tropicana Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the final stages of planning are starting to fall into place. One of the more notable tidbits (Did I just say tidbits..?!) of news to come out recently was the announcement that Dennis Gage, car aficionado and host of TV’s “My Classic Car” will be the emcee for this year’s Diecast Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Dennis’s engaging personality and wealth of automotive knowledge is sure to bring a unique twist to the festivities on induction night. Coincidentally, the new season of My Classic Car is set to premiere the day after the ceremony. How cool is that!

Be sure to visit the official 2011 Super Convention page on ToyCarConventions.com for information on tickets and accommodations to the event. Its going to be one heck of weekend thats not to be missed.

There are plenty of surprises in store for the 2011 DiecastSpace Super Convention coming to Las Vegas this coming February. The latest fun tidbit to be released is that “Woodie” will be the very first diecast car to be inducted into the Diecast Hall of Fame!

Owned by John Rhodes (aka Oggie Doggie), Woodie has been on the move since 2002 and has traveled from British Columbia to Newfoundland in Canada, visited ALL 50 United States including Puerto Rico and has been to 6 of the 7 Continents (missing only Antarctica).

Find out more about Woodie and his adventures at www.woodiesadventure.com. Information on tickets and accommodations for the 2011 Super Convention can be found on ToyCarConventions.com.

This week DiecastSpace announced a new exciting event for 2011 that will focus on fans of the uber-popular Hot Wheels Volkswagen Drag Bus. On May 13, 14 and 15th the illustrious Trump Taj Mahal Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey will play host to the first-ever VIP Drag Bus Getaway.

This amazing collector opportunity is only open to the FIRST 25 PEOPLE to register. The ticket is $1000 per person which includes, hotel accommodations for two nights, a special VIP party on Friday night, a special dinner on Saturday night,  (5) Exclusive VW Drag Buses, a VIP Event button-down shirt and a host of other cool giveaways and functions to take part in.

The VIP Drag Bus Getaway weekend will always remain a 25 person event regardless of how many people want to attend. Collectors who are unable to register before it sells out will be able to try again the following year.

Tickets for this amazing collector weekend will be available starting on Saturday, October 9th 2010 at 10AM PST (1pm EST) and again, this is only open to the FIRST 25 PEOPLE. Purchases can be made by going to www.toycarconventions.com and clicking on conventions. You can also call in your ticket order at 1-877-832-2779 but be early, as there is already a ton of buzz about this going around!

NASCAR race champion Ernie Irvan was announced as one of the 2011 Diecast Hall of Fame Inductees for the Automotive Legends category during this summer’s Magical Weekend of Cars in Orlando, Florida. Mr. Irvan has officially accepted officially accepted his induction induction and has confirmed his attendance at the upcoming Diecast Hall of Fame Ceremony to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the DiecastSpace Super Convention in February.

Be sure to check out ToyCarConventions.com for more information on tickets and accommodations to the Super Convention and the ceremony.

Here is a look at Ernie’s career as found on his website at www.irvan.com:

Famed NASCAR winner Ernie Irvan began racing at the age of nine and later won the California Championship at age 15. His love for racing gradually grew into a full-time career asErnie continued placing first in competitions. He has garnered 15 career NASCAR Winston Cup Victories and 22 career NASCAR Winston Cup pole positions.

In 1982, Ernie moved to Charlotte, North Carolina to pursue his love of racing. With only $900 to his name upon arrival in North Carolina, Ernie took on various jobs including working at Charlotte Motor Speedway and building racecars. He continued to race, winning nine races at Concord Speedway in the Late Model Series.

Ernie Irvan debuted at the Winston Cup on September 13, 1987 at Richmond Fairgrounds Raceway. Driving a Chevrolet Monte Carlo sponsored by Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet, Ernie finished 29th in the race. He went on to compete in four more races and placed in the Top 10 in his last race, winning $23,050. Ernie continued to compete and won his first Winston Cup race in the Busch 500 in 1990.

A devastating racing accident occurred in 1994 during a practice session in Michigan. Erniecrashed into the Turn Two wall at 170 miles per hour due to a deflated right front tire. Erniesuffered lung and brain injuries as well as given a 10 percent chance to live. However, Ernieproved resilient and just two months after the accident, flew to New York to accept the True Value Hard Charger Award from NASCAR. Ernie Irvan also went on to compete in at New Hampshire and Richmond in 1996,ending the season with 12 Top-5 and 16 Top-10 finishes.

In 1999, Ernie suffered through another crash in Michigan at a practice for the Busch Series race. After being diagnosed with a mild head injury and bruised lung, Ernie decided to retire from racing. Ernie’s career accomplishments and highlights include 68 Top-5′s, 124 Top-10′s, 15 victories, 22 poles and over $11 million in earnings.

Greenlight Collectibles recently announce their participation in the “invitation-only” Boston Area Toy Collectors annual dinner event where they will have a pre-production version of their 1965 Ford Galaxie featuring the Westwood Massachusetts Police Department that will appear in Series 5 of the Hot Pursuit line. Here are all the details from GreenLight’s official press release:

GreenLight Collectibles will exhibit at the 10^th Annual Boston Area Toy Collectors Club

This Prestigious Annual National Toy Event will add GreenLight to their line-up of toy companies displayed for Hobby Enthusiasts

Boston, MA (August 17, 2010) As a company that can transcend so many merchandising categories, GreenLight feels honored that it can fit into so many different facets of the hobby industry.  Greenlight is first and foremost a diecast collectibles item, for its high quality, low production run and selective availability in the market.  However, GreenLight is also an automotive enthusiast product and a toy collectors pride and joy.

The Boston Area Toy Collectors Club (BATCC) holds an annual event dating back ten years, in which through invitation only, members and their guests are treated to exhibits, speakers, giveaways and sneak peeks into some of the most popular toy manufactures in the country.  The BATCC and GreenLight have worked together for the 10^th Annual National Collectible Toy Event to introduce new and up-coming product as well as make some local news.

1:64 Hot Pursuit is one of GreenLight’s most successful series, the series is a collection of Police themed vehicles all officially licensed by the representing police department.  Massachusetts’s town of Westwood will have an influential part of 1:64 Hot Pursuit as their 1965 Ford Galaxie, will be included in the up-coming Series 5 assortment.  GreenLight will present a pre-production mock-up of the model at the Toy Collectors Event and the Westford Police Department will take this opportunity to pose for photographs with the early mock-up and possibly make headlines in the diecast and police industry.

GreenLight has also acted on furthering their 18^th scale offerings with their highly anticipated release of the 2010 Mustang GT and Shelby GT500’s.  Both cars are available in two color schemes and both have graced the covers of The Car Room Magazine Vol.2, No.3 and The Diecast Magazine Issue #8.  GreenLight will provide a model of the 1:18 2010 Torch Red Mustang Shelby GT 500 to be displayed along with The Diecast Magazine Cover, for which it was spotlighted.

Through exhibiting at the 10^th Annual National Collectible Toy Event GreenLight hopes to introduce its product to a new group of toy hobbyists as well as reach out to current diecast enthusiasts with their ever growing product lines and expanding range of merchandise. Happy Collecting!

GreenLight has also arranged for a variety of their scaled models to be awarded as raffle prizes and silent auction pieces.

If you would like to be sent an invitation to this year’s Event and see pictures from previous Boston Area Toy Collector Club Events please visit www.bostontoyclub.com

For more information on GreenLight Collectibles please visit www.greenlighttoys.com

I’ll be attending the BATCC event later this month with The Car Room Magazine, so stay tuned for photos of the pre-production piece and more.

Attendees of the first-ever Canadian Convention kicking off on September 9th in Niagra Falls, Ontario will have the opportunity to obtain two great limited edition Pope Designs creations made in celebration of the event.

The Drag Bus is limited to just 25 pieces (20 Standard, 5 Diamond Edition) of which 20 (16 Standard, 4 Diamond Edition) will be for sale at the convention, and they will be available for $100 each. The time and place of the sale will be posted on the final convention schedule available during registration.

The Dairy Delivery is limited to just 10 pieces and will be sold out of Bryan Pope’s room for $85 each. Convention attendees should look for Pope Designs flyers at the hotel for the location of Bryan’s room.

Stay up to date on all of the latest Pope creations by signing up for the mailing list over on the official Pope Designs website.

As previously reported, Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez has created some really amazing limited edition custom pieces under his ProToyType brand for this year’s Summer Smash. In the event you won’t be able to make it to Rhode Island (did I mention Summer Smash starts TODAY?!) you can now check out the select over on Diehard-Diecast and contact them if you would like to make a purchase. Check out this amazing Custom Convoy that wasn’t included in my initial post!

Diehard-Diecast also has the latest Delivery Series cases in stock which the premier versions of the 49 Ford COE, 64 GMC Panel and VW Variant. They are being offered by the case or singles too. Just click on the CONTACT button, let them know which cars you want and they will send you a PayPal invoice. Check out the select on the Diehard-Diecast.com Hot Wheels page.

Attendees of the first-ever Canadian Diecast Convention will now have one more exciting event to attend as the 1:1 scale Hot Wheels Ford Mustang Color Shifter will be making at stop in Niagara Ontario on Saturday, September 11th.

The Mustang is covered in the very same thermochromatic paint that is used on 1:64 scale Hot Wheels Color Shifters and will change from blue to white when exposed to hot or cold water. The Mustang’s appearance is part of a cross-country tour that stops at more than 50 festivals and events across Canada to promote the Hot Wheels Color Shifter products.

This event will give convention goers and children a chance to water down the full-size car and see its color change before their very eyes. Perhaps even Hot Wheels Designer Larry Wood will get a chance at shooting the water canon at it!

Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this fantastic new event at the first-ever Canadian Diecast Convention coming to the Sheraton at the Falls on September 9-12, 2010! Information on tickets and accommodations for the convention can be found on ToyCarConventions.com.

The list of exclusive and limited edition pieces that will be showing up at this year’s Summer Smash just keeps growing and growing. Check out this amazing CMC 1:18 scale Audi 225 Roadster that will be part of the charity auction courtesy of Joe Kelly Jr. and The Car Room Magazine.

This piece is a pre-production hand-sample that came direct from CMC. Its one of only three that were ever made, AND its the only pre-pro that was ever made in the color combination of white and red with unpainted wheels. Check out this list of amazing features:

• Over 1,600 individual parts
  Working steel spring suspension
  Working steering
  Opening stamped-steel louvered hood with real spring catches
  Opening trunk
  Removable spare tire
  Leather seats
  Materials list includes copper, brass, stainless steel, mild steel, leather, styrene, rubber, vinyl, and more

This piece was featured in the April / May 2009 issue of The Car Room Magazine as well as in an episode of "Playing With Cars." Its estimated to be worth over $500, so this should certainly bring in a good amount of money at the charity auction.

Here’s the episode of Playing With Cars that the Audi was featured in:

Be sure to check out the official Summer Smash website for more information on tickets and accomadations.

“Earlier this month I shared the photos of the fantastic 1 of 1 EVOs that Dave Chang is bringing to this year’s Summer Smash for the charity auction. Shortly after, information and photos began to surface showing details of a “little” project Dave had brewing for the Fastest Downhill car contest at the convention. It quickly became apparent that a very special “World’s Fastest” Downhill EVO was being built with some special features that just might make it one tough competitor at this year’s competition. Here’s what Dave had to say about the EVO and the contest over on his personal blog:

What started out as an engineering challenge for us, we have found out this baby is too low to the ground and will not fit on the standard downhill track.

So I’ll personally build another one with a lot of cutting and adjusting, and hopefully with enough ground clearance to make it to the finish line.

1st Place for this Summer Smash Downhill Challenge will be this original EVO built for the race! A 1′ off EVO SS with the CNC’d Brass Rims, plus a Pre-production EVO “BIG TOW”

Rules are: Anything goes as this race is the “World’s Fastest Challenge”

But- The vehicle must be technically altered and cannot be stock. Technically altered mean it must be drilled out with some form of modification for speed.”

I’m sure there are quite a few race candidates with their eyes on the prize with those two amazing trophy pieces on the line. Rest assured that I’ll be there snaping pictures and taking video during this great event.

Be sure to visit the official Hot Wheels Summer Smash website for tickets and information on events and accomodations. Act fast if you haven’t made arrangements yet, as there’s just under a week left until Summer Smash III rolls into Warwick, Rhode Island.

These shots of 6, yes SIX custom creations from Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez surfaced today, and from the looks of things, attendees of the 2010 Hot Wheels Summer Smash will certainly have their hands full trying to decide which of these to take home!

Once again, Boxman has managed to create a unique packaging design that manages to work perfectly with three different themed designs – Dark Shark, Summer Smash Surfing and 3D Tiki. Collectors who attended the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention got a chance to see Jimmy’s incredible 3-D backing cards, and this new 3-D Tiki design will allow Summer Smash attendees to see the visual effects first-hand as well.

Each casting is limited to just 10 pieces and will be available to Summer Smash attendees on a first come, first served basis. Pricing of each piece is still to be determined.

Click any image to see the larger version

Be sure to visit the official Hot Wheels Summer Smash website for information on tickets and accommodations.

There’s no doubt that the Hot Wheels Summer Smash has grown to be the hottest event for diecast collectors in Northeast. The great convention pieces and fun events draw collectors from many parts of the country, but the underlying glue that really makes the event a success is the collector’s dedication to making sure they always meet their goal of raising enough money to fulfill the dreams of each year’s Children’s Wishes child.

So far, the Smash has managed to meet and exceed their financial goals each year. One of the reasons why this continues to happen year after year is through the amazing pieces donated to the Charity Auction.

2010 is shaping up to be another banner year through generous donations like these three pre-production EVOs that are being brought to the Smash by Dave Chang.

These are 1 of 1 pre-production factory paint samples done in colors that were never released. I can hardly wait to see the bidding frenzy that these piece will bring to the auction, and the only way you can get in on the action is to attend the 2010 Summer Smash in Warwick, Rhode Island from August 19th through the 22nd. Be sure to visit the official Summer Smash website for information on tickets and accommodations. See you there!

This year’s 2010 Summer Smash invades Warwick, Rhode Island in just a few weeks, and shots of the many cars that will be available at the event have started to surface. Liberty Promotions returns to the Smash as the primary convention car manufacturer, and after a look at the pictures below, I’m sure you’ll agree that the attending collectors are certainly in for a treat!

Pictured here are the standard version of the Summer Smash Drag Bus and the 2010 Rhode Island Hot Wheels Club car. Click any image to see the larger version.

Tickets for the 2010 Summer Smash are still available at the official Hot Wheels Summer Smash website. Accommodations at the Crowne Plaza Hotel are almost sold out for this year. Collectors buying tickets after the rooms sell out will be booked into an overflow hotel down the street.

Each year DiecastSpace holds one major sales event where everything in the DiecastSpace.com store is on sale. The time for that sale is THIS WEEK from July, 15, 2010 through Sunday July 18, 2010 at 11:50PM where every item in the store is 30% off.

Simply use the coupon code “SALE” at checkout to receive the discount. The coupon can be used on anything in inventory. Be sure to take advantage of this offer soon, as the store was completely sold out in just 2 hours last year!

There are also a lot of cool new items (not part of this sale) will be hitting the DiecastSpace store in the upcoming weeks. Here’s a quick run-down so you can mark you calendars:

• - August 1 at 3PM Eastern: The August Dairy goes on sale 1 of 25 pieces and features an awesome paint scheme by WRF Customs
• - August 15th 3PM Eastern: Pre Order The 1 of 15 DiecastSpace.Com Hot Wheels Convention Evo edition. We do a really cool paint scheme to celebrate the convention and we limit it to 1 of 15.
• - August 23 at 3PM Eastern: Any of the ComicCon 70 Chevelles by Chris Nightstalker Walker will go on sale on the site. Remember, if you want to guarantee yourself one, visit the DiecastSpace setup at Chicago ComicCon during August 19-22. Chris will be on hand and he can sign them.
• - August 23 at 3PM Eastern: The 1 of 10 Hand Airbrushed Summer Smash EVO’s by Kool51 will be available IF there are any left from Summer Smash.
• - August 23 at 3PM Eastern: The 1 of 50 Rolling Thunder an Evening with Wayne Scott Summer Smash event car will be available if there are any left over. This piece has been hand airbrushed by Kool 51.
• - September 14th at 3PM Eastern: If there are any left over Canada Convention Cars from Liberty Promotions, then at this time they will be put up on the site

The judges certainly had their work cut out for them after seeing the great Pro entries in the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars Customs Contest.

The following slideshows feature entries from the Mild, Spicy, Wild and Sets classes. Which are your favorites? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

+++ Pro, Mild +++

+++ Pro, Spicy +++

+++ Pro, Wild +++

+++ Pro, Sets +++

The Amateur entries in the Customs Contest at the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars contained a wide variety of style and creativity. Today’s amateurs are tomorrow’s pros, and each year the level of talent continues to rise.

The following slideshows feature entries from the Mild, Spicy and Wild classes. Which are your favorites? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

+++ Amateur – Mild +++

+++ Amateur – Spicy +++

+++ Amateur – Wild +++

There were a lot of fantastic entries in the Customs Contest at the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars in Orlando, Florida. This is the first post of many that will showcase all the great work these customizers have put into their entries. This slideshow features only diorama pieces along with the tremendous efforts submitted by the kids.

Stay tuned for more pictures featuring the customs from both the Amateur and Pro classes.

This sneak peek of the Custom DiecastSpace Sledster being produced for the 2010 Summer Smash was just released and it looks like its shaping up to be one heck of a piece! Paint and graphics are being handled by LBCustomz and KB Kustoms. Only 25 of these are being made and there will be ONE CHASE piece randomly inserted into a lucky collector’s order.

This piece is available for pre-order in the DiecastSpace online store while supplies last for $169 USD (with free shipping).

Be sure to visit the official 2010 Hot Wheels Summer Smash for information on tickets and accommodations for the largest diecast show to hit the Northeast this year.

Attendees of the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars will need to act fast to get their hands on one of these official Magical Weekend Convoy Customs.

Paint and graphics were done by SDChopShop and packaging was completed by Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez. The run is limited to just 20 pieces.

The 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars rolls into the Swan and Dolphin Hotel at Disney World in Orlando Florida from June 23trd thru the 27th. Visit ToyCarConventions.com for more information on tickets and accommodations.

There’s just about a week to go, until the start of the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars in Orlando, Florida and things are ramping up to bring this event to a whole new level. This time around collectors will get to interact with whole new set of vendors like The Franklin Mint, BBR Models, Spark, Minichamps, LeMans Miniatures and Kyosho – and these new vendors are all in addition the traditional brands that sponsor and attend each DiecastSpace convention.

In addition to the new vendors, Hot Wheels Designer Wayne Scott has been added to the guest lineup which already includes the likes of Big Daddy Don Gartlits, Phil Rhielman, Eric Tscherne, Mike Zarnock, Lee Pearlman, Chris Walker and Bryan Pope. Eric Tscherne recently posted this little teaser of the artwork that he’s preparing for the show that features renditions of himself and Chip Foose done up Pixar Cars Movie style!

The general admission has also been expanded to 30,000 square feet to accommodate upwards of 18 full scale hot rods. Rumor has it that two of those cars will be creations from the popular TV show Overhaulin’.

While most add-on events have sold out, there are still tickets available for the Liberty Promotions Drag Bus Breakfast. General Admission tickets for $60 (with a convention car) or $25 (without a car) are still available until Friday, June 18th. Additional rooms have also been added to the convention room block and are available of a first-come first-served basis. Please visit the official convention page on ToyCarConventions.com for more details.

As previously reported, Liberty Promotions has a lot in store for the attendees of the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars which rolls into Orlando, Florida in just over a months time. Pictures of the official MWoC Drag Bus were released a short while ago and will be available to convention goers starting on June 24th.

Can’t make it to the convention? Online quantities will be available to Liberty Legionaires starting with Colossus level members on June 24th as well. However, if you’ve been on the fence when it comes to joining the fun at the convention itself, then you’re definitely in luck. DiecastSpace and Liberty Promotions have teamed up to offer collectors all the “indecisive” collectors out there a little incentive to see what the Magical Weekend of Cars is all about.

Head over to the 2010 MWoC Drag Bus page on LibertyPromotions.com and you’ll find a special coupon code that will save you 20% off your ticket purchase to the Magical Weekend over at ToyCarConventions.com.

Collectors attending the first ever Canada Collectors Convention with September will have the opportunity to meet the uber-talented Wayne Scott who has been confirmed as the guest of honor for the Legends Dinner.

Wayne is well known for his amazing graphic work with Mattel and the Hot Wheels brand. Before his recent departure from Mattel he was able to take a stab at full-blown design which resulted in popular new castings like Rolling Thunder.

Be sure to visit ToyCarConventions.com for information on tickets and accommodations for the Canada Convention. This first-ever event is on course to sell out fast!

Attendees of the upcoming Magical Weekend of Cars in Orlando, Florida will have the opportunity to snag one of these fantastic limited edition VW Drag Buses from Pope Designs. The bus comes as part of the purchase of a ticket to the Pope Designs Experience event and is limited to just 100 pieces!

Click the image to see a larger version

Tickets to the DiecastSpace Magical Weekend of Cars are selling fast, so be sure to visit ToyCarConventions.com for the last information on events and accommodations.

To say that Liberty Promotions is participating in the upcoming DiecastSpace Magical Weekend of Cars would be gross understatement. Fans of Liberty’s products, design and commitment to high quality standards will not want to miss the many fantastic events they have planned for the show at Disney this summer.

Here’s a rundown of what collectors can look forward to:

The Liberty Legion Exclusive:

Liberty Legion Members will be able to snag another Limited-edition Hot Wheels^® VW Drag Bus designed to celebrate the Magical Weekend of Cars. Collectors who might not be Legion members can join for free at the convention in order to purchase this bus. Can’t make it to the Florida? Liberty Promotions will also offer the Drag Bus on their website during the convention and will ship it the following week!

Magical Weekend Registration Cars:

Liberty Promotions is also producing two excellent cars that will be part of the Magical Weekend registration package. Each registration pack will include both of the following castings:

• - Hot Wheels^® ’67 Camaro
• - Hot Wheels^® Dairy Delivery

Charity VW Drag Bus:

Liberty Promotions will also be creating the Official charity Hot Wheels^® VW Drag Bus that will be available only to convention attendees who purchase the Drag Bus Breakfast add-on ticket.

But wait, there’s more..and its FREE!

Stop by the Liberty Promotions booth and take advantage of these great freebies:

• - Spin the prize wheel and you’re guaranteed to win!  Hit the Super Prize space and you’ll win something really rare or valuable!
• - Every kid who comes to the booth gets a free car!
• - Free Liberty Legion rank patches! (Discoverus, Commendus, Prominus, & Titanus shield patches available.)
• - Free Liberty Legion buttons!

Liberty Promotions Treasure Quest:

Last, but certainly not least Liberty has created a unique event that is sure to be one of the major highlights of the weekend. Go on a quest for hidden treasure!  Scrolls have been hidden around the hotel resort!  Which means it’s up to you to locate a scroll leading you to the Liberty Loot. 

• - Clues for finding the scrolls will be released throughout the convention according to the following schedule:
  • Wednesday, June 23rd at 10pm
  • Thursday, June 24th at 6pm
  • Friday, June 25th at 8pm
• - Each scroll is a certificate for one extremely limited (only 25 made!) Liberty Promotions car (the loot).

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Well Jeff, you’ve got me all excited about all these new limited edition cars that will be coming this summer, but where are the pictures..?!?! All in good time my fellow collectors. Rest assured that you’ll be able to see these new pieces right here as soon as they become available.

Until then, be sure to visit ToyCarConventions.com to get all the latest information on event tickets and accommodations. This is going to be one event that even Mickey and Minnie won’t miss!

The DCX Expo returns to the Fairplex in Pomona, California this year on March 20th & 21st. Along with its return comes an opportunity for collectors to pick up some limited edition custom pieces being made specifically for the event.

This first piece announced is this custom 1:24 scale Divco that has been designed to match the style of the DCX Dairy Delivery offered at the 2007 expo. The run is being limited to just 50 pieces, and they are available for $55 each. Collectors who are interested in this piece should note that the 2007 Dairy Delivery shown in the picture does not come with the Divco, and is only shown for design reference.

M2 Machines will be in attendance at this year’s event and has produced a limited run of the 1970 Ford Gran Torino GT casting. The standard edition run is limited to 492 pieces and ships in the standard M2 packaging for $17.00. They have also produced a chase version for the show that is limited to just 108 pieces. Chase pieces will be randomly inserted into orders that are placed through Diehard-Diecast.com. No information is currently available on how they will be distributed during the event itself. Both versions also have an official DCX show sticker that indicates the run quantity.

Pieces purchased through Diehard-Diecast will ship on March 22, 2010 or you can request to pick up your order at the show.

Jump to the Diehard-Diecast order page

The Pro Customizers showed off some great work this year at the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention. There were many new pieces to be seen as well as some repeat favorites from previous events. It was fun to see some of the latest castings being used here and there as well. Chris Walker event entered his new custom Dreamliner complete with opening doors and hood. Enjoy!

Pro Mild Customs:

Pro Spicy Customs:

Pro Wild Customs:

Pro Customs Sets:

The Amateur Customizers at the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention certainly brought their "A" game when it cam to this year’s entries. Many of the pieces stood out at approaching Pro level. There’s no doubt that you’ll see many of these customizers at the Pro level very soon. Enjoy!

Amateur Mild Customs:

Amateur Spicy Customs:

Amateur Wild Customs:

Amateur Customs Sets:

The Customs Contest at the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention was packed full of great creations broken up into a wide variety of categories. This first post features photos sets from the Large Scale, Diorama and Display Only categories. Enjoy!

Large Scale Customs:

Diorama Customs:

Display Only Customs:

Just on the tail of being able to share pictures of the upcoming limited edition Diecast Hall of Fame Dairy Delivery, comes this preview of MiQ Willmott’s limited edition 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention poster.

Only 200 of these are being printed and each will be signed and numbered. This poster will only be available to Super Convention attendees on a first come, first served basis.

Be sure to visit the official Super Convention website for more information on tickets and accommodations.

Legendary artist and ex-Hot Wheels graphic designer MiQ Willmott has teamed up with pro customizer turned diecast manufacturer, Chris Walker to create one of my favorite pieces for the upcoming 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention. This amazing Dairy Delivery has been made in celebration of this year’s Diecast Hall of Fame and certainly pulls out all the stops.

Each Dairy will come on a custom card as shown in the mockup. The run is limited to only 75 pieces and will sell for $80 each (limit of 2 per person).

Attendees will certainly have a challenge deciding where to spend their money with pieces like this and some of the other limited edition customs being produced for the Super Convention!

See you in Vegas!

Drag Bus collectors attending the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention will have the opportunity to snag one of these limited edition creations from Diecast Hall of Fame inductee, Bryan Pope. Each piece features Redline Real Riders, two tone paint, original graphics and will come mounted in an acrylic case.

The sale will take place on Friday, February 19th at 5:30pm in front of Salon 4 at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino. The sale will be on a first come first served basis and collectors may not line up earlier than 5pm. Only 20 buses were created and will sell for $100 each with a limit of one per person.

GreenLight Toys has been a great supporter of all the DiecastSpace.com convention right from the get-go and 2010 is certainly no different. This week collectors are treated to a first look at the flat artwork of GreenLight’s 2010 Super Convention car.

This 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 is a brand new casting, and its making its debut in a promo run for the Super Convention. The final piece will come dressed in Kona Blue Metallic with White Stripes and will sport the convention logo on the roof.

A total of 1008 pieces are being produced for the convention. 912 of those will be Regular Version cars and the remaining 96 will be Green Machines. As an added bonus, GreenLight Toys will be offering a special deal for convention goers. Collectors who buy 5 regular version cars will receive a Green Machine for FREE!

Tickets for the 2010 Super Convention and special events are still available in limited quantities. Be sure to visit the official 2010 Super Convention website for more information on tickets and accommodations.

The Diecast Hall of Fame’s “Class of 2010” will see some changes in the official ring each inductee receives as part of their entrance into the prestigious organization. We unveiled the Class of 2009’s ring early this year, and many collectors have has the opportunity to see them in person at various diecast conventions through-out the year.

The rings are custom made for each inductee by Jostens and include multiple precious gems in addition to the inductees name for the ultimate personal touch.

The Diecast Hall of Fame induction ceremony is just one of the many incredible events that will be taking place at the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention in Las Vegas Nevada in February.

Fresh off the glimpse of the 2010 Super Convention Dinner Dairy we got a short while ago is this look at a raw, unpainted version of 2010 Shelby Mustang from GreenLight that attendees of the VIP Admin Party will receive. I think this is just the tip of the iceberg for the sneak peeks with just a few months left until the main event.

Click any image to see the larger version

Be sure to visit the official Super Convention website for information on tickets, accommodations and event activities.

Every now and then something cool slips by me only to surface a short while later. This is one of those times. Just in case you missed it (like I did), here’s a look at the very first e-sheet for the convention cars being produced for the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention.

This limited edition Dairy Delivery is being made by Bryan Pope of Pope Designs for the Diecast Hall of Fame Dinner. Tickets to the Hall of Fame Dinner and Ceremony are available on the official Super Convention website for $100.

Unfortunately, I was unable to attend SEMA this year, but Fireball Tim is there in full force and capturing some great footage to share with the online community. The best part? Tim accidentally setting off the alarm on a Rolls Royce! Check out this hilarious video packed full of Fireball style!

Attendees of this past weekend’s 23rd Annual Hot Wheels Convention in Los Angeles bared witness to more than just the die-cast cars they know and love. Mattel’s Chris Parker, known for his full beard and long flowing hair, allowed the entire length to be cut off during the convention to benefit the Locks of Love organization.

Chris’s long hair was certainly part of his zany and fun personality, but I think the new look won’t change his character too much! Congrats to Chris on a job well done with this generous donation to charity!

Joe Kelly Jr. from The Car Room Magazine talks to Pro Diecast Customizer Chris “Night Stalker” Walker about his background and early influences for his one-of-a-kind designs.

Thanks again to Ralph Riccardi for manning the camera and all the great editing!