diecastAUDIO

The Custom Crew and Johnny Lightning Collaboration Sneak Peek Photos!

Jeff Glasson — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 15:57:10 +0000

A few weeks ago I posted about The Custom Crew’s Luis Tanahara and his design collaboration with Johnny Lightning. At the end of that article I hinted that we might be seeing additional collaborations between the two, and now is time to start sharing!

Click any image to see them up close!

As you can see, this is lining up to be a collaboration of epic proportions! Not only has Tom Zahorsky of Johnny Lightning designed a completely rad ride for the pairing, but we get a sweet look at the all new flatbed version of the Sledster! Details about quantities, pricing, packaging and how these pieces will be sold are still not available, but the wait will be short as you can expect these to be available sometime in April.

Stay tuned for a closer look at the new Sledster Flatbed and its “hidden” surprises!

Pre-Order Mike Zarnock’s New Ultimate Guide to Hot Wheels Variations, 4th Edition

Jeff Glasson — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:30:20 +0000

Back in January I shared the new cover design for the all new 4th edition of Mike Zarnock’s Hot Wheels Variations, The Ultimate Guide. While there’s still a short while longer until collectors can have the book in-hand, collectors can ensure they have their copy as soon as its release by pre-ordering a copy directly from Mike!

This new volume contains 5,500 listings, 3,100 color images, secondary market pricing, and weighs in at whopping 504 pages! It truly is the biggest and most complete identification and price guide on Hot Wheels cars variations found in blister packs from 1989-2008.

Pre-order now directly from Mike’s website (via PayPal) for just $25.00 (in the USA). Shipping outside to Canada, Mexico and elsewhere is available. Please note that PayPal purchase will come up as “The Krellman Group.”

Fireball Tim’s Dragtracks are Hot, Hot, Hot!

Jeff Glasson — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:01:39 +0000

If you grew up in the 70’s or early 80’s with die-cast cars in your toy box, then chances are good that you also experienced screwing a plastic clamp to the side of table in order to form the top of the orange race track that would cascade down to the floor. These days those fun lengths of track are getting harder and harder to come by. Collectors with access to a local die-cast club track might get to enjoy it once a month. There are also sites like Redline Derby that provide useful information on putting together your own track for those who are good with their hands.

Now, thanks to Fireball Tim, collectors will have easy access to a downhill track that takes racing to the the next level! Fireball debuted this two lane drag strip style downhill race track at the Super Convention and it was very well received. Each set features:

- 17 feet of track

- Christmas Tree Start-up Lights

- Digital Scoring Read-Out Finish Line

- Digital Race Sound Effects

- Remote Foot Pedals to start the race!

The Dragtracks set is designed to fit all 1/64th scale die-cast cars and is available for order directly from Fireball Tim’s website for $79.95. A power pack accessory and extra track is also available. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Make the jump over to Fireball Tim’s Dragtracks page here!

Saturday Nitro: The 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention Re-cap Show

Jeff Glasson — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 22:34:48 +0000

With a very successful 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention now past us, I sit down with Mike Zarnock and Joe Kelly Jr. to talk about our experiences during our week at Circus Circus in Las Vegas. We touch upon all the great events that occurred and all the amazing people who attended – from day one through the Diecast Hall of Fame ceremony to the finale.

Listen to the recorded show from the audio widget on this page and be sure to check out the catalog of previous shows on the Saturday Nitro page.

Diecast Stories: Did I follow my own rules?

Joe Altieri — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:45:59 +0000

I recently returned from the DiecastSpace Super Convention in Las Vegas, and I had a great time! It was so nice to get away and hang with old friends [and some new ones] who are just like me, obsessed with little cars! I don’t have to feel like I collect nuclear waste like I do with my non-diecast collecting friends; although most of them have come to accept my collection and rarely bust me about it. Not never, just rarely.

While I was in Las Vegas I met with several people who commented that they had read and liked my Convention Do’s and Don’ts article a lot; so it got me wondering, did I follow my own tips? Everything will be rated on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 meaning didn’t accomplish at all, 5 meaning accomplished completely and 2,3,4 somewhere in between. Let’s find out!

DO: PLAN, PLAN, and PLAN ahead.

DON’T: Wait until the last minute

SCORE: 5

I have to give myself a 5 here due to the fact of the great prices I paid for transport to LV and while I was there. I monitored airfare very carefully and eventually paid only $228.00 round-trip from NJ to LV!!!! Also I continually monitored rental cars prices eventually paying only $83.00 for five days for a mid-size car!!! Furthermore, I was arriving one day earlier than my package stay covered so I continually monitored the price for a room at the host hotel and settled on $37.00 for the one night when the convention rate was $55.00! I also remembered to print all of my confirmation paperwork to speed me through any bumps!

DO: Every event that interests you or you can afford to do

DON’T: Deny yourself or hesitate.

SCORE: 5

The package I had included pretty much every event at the convention. The only event I didn’t go to was not because I didn’t want to or missed the buy in; it was because I couldn’t afford it.

DO: Bring LOTS of CASH and in various denominations.

DON’T: Rely on an ATM.

SCORE: 4

I brought only the allowance I could afford for food/cars/entertainment and had to hit the ATM only once on the last night to do some gambling. It was a good thing because for such a large hotel [Circus Circus] there weren’t many ATMs inside.

DO: Ask for payment before you leave home from friends for cars you bring back

DON’T: feel bad about it.

SCORE: N/A

I wasn’t bringing anything back for anyone and I only picked up cars for myself.

DO: Be realistic if you’re going to be flipping convention/event cars whether it’s back home or at the event.

DON’T: Think every convention/event car is a money maker.

SCORE: N/A

I’m not planning on flipping any convention cars

DO: Bring a diecast price guide like Tomart’s or the very least Lee’s.

DON’T: Think everyone is honest in their valuations.

SCORE: 5

I brought my Tomart’s, didn’t have to use it, but I brought it. But I know if I forgot it I would need it so I am counting it.

DO: Bring good walking shoes!!!

DON’T: and you’ll be sorry!

SCORE: 5

My sneakers had gel insoles and my Crocs were brand new, so I never had an issue.

DO: Pack accordingly.

DON’T: Overpack; especially if you are flying.

SCORE: 3

He’s where I fell down! I forgot my camera and I was sorry for it! There were many great shots I would have liked to get. I also packed too many socks and T-shirts thinking it would be overly hot outside, it wasn’t. I did have enough everything else without going over and still enough room in my suitcase for other things.

DO: Pack a bag in your bag

DON’T: Bring small suitcases

SCORE: N/A

This doesn’t count because… (see next tip)

DO: Invest in a HOT-CASE.

DON’T: Think it won’t help

SCORE: 5

I brought a HOT-CASE and carry bag as my carry-on luggage and my loose car case in my suitcase. When I came home, my HOT-CASE weighed almost 10 pounds! 10 pounds less than would have been in my suitcase and I didn’t have to pay the airline’s second suitcase charge.

DO: Bring a variety of Protecto Paks.

DON’T: Rely on vendors at the convention

SCORE: N/A

I didn’t bring any thinking my HOT-CASE would be sufficient and it was. I really wasn’t going for many extra cars other than one’s tied to events so I planned accordingly.

DO: Invest in a good, compact, multiple bulb LED flashlight.

DON’T: Think it won’t help.

SCORE: 5

Brought it in my HOT-CASE loose car case and it helped out in several situations.

DO: Create a floor list to write down what rooms you’ve been in or where contacts are staying.

DON’T: Rely on your memory.

SCORE: 5

I brought floor sheets for approximately 5 floors of anticipated room to room trading but didn’t need them since R2R was a bit sparse. But I did bring them!

DO: Always be respectful when walking into someone’s room.

DON’T: be rude.

SCORE: 5

There weren’t many rooms open but the ones that were I was always cordial and when I needed to go back I was greeted warmly by the room’s owner!

DO: Buy it if you like it and the price is good

DON’T: Deny yourself or hesitate and say you’ll think about it or come back…it won’t be there!!!

SCORE: 5

I bought several new variations of the Delivery/Larry’s/Wayne’s/Phil’s Garage series that I hadn’t gotten yet for decent prices and was glad I did since they weren’t there later when I looked again and they weren’t replenished by their sellers.

DO: Zero in on a car you like

DON’T: Hesitate

SCORE: N/A

This really didn’t occur since R2R was sparse.

DO: Try to get a better price

DON’T: be afraid to negotiate

SCORE: 5

I actually negotiated several times for a friend of mine to get him something I know he needed.

DO: Be wary of un-priced cars

DON’T: be afraid to walk away if you don’t like the price.

SCORE: N/A

This wasn’t much of an issue at this convention.

DO: Take full advantage of a hospitality room

DON’T: Think you’re abusing the privilege

SCORE: N/A

There wasn’t any hospitality room at this convention.

DO: Hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign all day/night on your door

DON’T: Take chances if you have any misgivings

SCORE: 5

I followed this rule every night, and was able to keep full account of what I bought without having to put it away every time I expected the hotel staff to come in to clean.

DO: Go up to go down.

DON’T: get locked out of the elevator

SCORE: 5

If I could give myself a 10 for this I would. The convention was on the promenade level [2^nd floor] of the hotel and my hotel room was in the Floors 23-35 elevator bank that also went to floors 2 and 1. Many times during the week when I wanted to go to my room on the 35^th floor from the 2^nd floor, the elevator was going down to 1 first so I hopped on and rode it down then back up, usually stopping again at 2. Several times the car was already full from 1 to 2 so that the same people who didn’t jump on when I did still had to wait for another car!

DO: Expect to be on lines

DON’T: get exasperated.

SCORE: 2

I didn’t get exasperated when I was on a line but only when I was trying to control a line. I let the people on line get the best of me so I failed this one. I didn’t give myself a 1 because some of the people later apologized to me for what had earlier transpired.

DO: Expect people to be holding places in line for their friends and letting said friends in the line when they show up!

DON’T: Get annoyed at this.

SCORE: 5

Every line I was on for an event, this happened to me and by me. Everyone handled it with great spirit.

DO: Talk to people you don’t know and get to know a little about them

DON’T: Be a stick in the mud.

SCORE: 5

I met a good number of new friends; Rand and Brandon father and son team and of course Henry/Jean Ann from Canada plus several other people who were nice friendly folks with great stories of collecting!

DO: Be a little wary of convention T-shirt sizes

DON’T: Feel the squeeze.

SCORE: 5

I made sure I called my wife to see if she wanted her usual shirt size or one bigger for comfort before I forged ahead and bought one. I also bought a shirt for my six year old son at the Hard Rock and heeded the salesperson’s advice to buy one size larger!

So what is my overall score for the tips that applied to me at this convention?

An 84 out of a possible 90 points [16 tips]! That 93% or an A-! Not too bad but I can do better!

I want to hear from anyone who went the DiecastSpace Super Convention in Las Vegas and find out your score. Don’t forget that something that didn’t apply to me may apply to you and vice versa. Leave your results in the comments section below. There are a possible 120 [5 points x 14 tips] applicable points so GOOD LUCK!

Stick’s Redline Garage: Hairy Hauler

Robert Stickels — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:38:40 +0000

The Hairy Hauler! This has to be one of the craziest looking castings from the 70’s. I like to think that this might what have resulted if a Heavyweight casting was given to Jesse James at Monster Garage (if Jesse worked for Mattel in the 70’s!!).

Obviously, Jesse James was not the designer of the Hairy Hauler. In fact, he was probably playing with one back then just like the rest of us Redline Collectors! In reality, the man responsible for the Hairy Hauler was Hot Wheels Designer Paul Tam. Paul designed some unique cars while at Mattel, but this one takes the cake.

This USA only casting was available in 12 spectra-flame colors and featured an all-metal chassis and body. The hinged nose canopy opened to reveal a white plastic interior. What I like the best about the Hairy Hauler is that its heavy, fast, and sleek which makes it great for orange track racing!

Click on any image to see the larger version

In the Stores: Hot Wheels (Feb/Mar 2010)

Ken Cwikla — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 15:23:51 +0000

Here’s a look at some of the latest Hot Wheels products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Basic releases:

Here are the next case code cars you should be seeing now in stores. They are case code ‘F’; being stocked by end of February into March.

New Models: Bread Box in red (pic’d) – ’71 Maverick Grabber in yel. (pic’d) – Formula Street in yel. (pic’d) – ’67 Chevelle SS 396 in gold (pic’d)

’10 HW Performance: Ferrari F430 Challenge in yellow.

HW Racing: K&N ’08 Challenger SRT8 in wht.

Hot Auction: ’56 Merc. in 2 tone green (pic’d).

Mystery cars: Formul8r in red.

Track Stars: Side Draft in met. mustard.

Other vars. collector series: ’07 Silverado in blue; AMC Javelin AMX in red w/wht. + blue; Asphalt Assault in org; ’09 Ford F-150 in blue; Deuce Roadster in black w/flames; ’65 Impala in brick red; ’55 bel-air in red.

Race World: Beach- Meyers Manx in blue; Deora II in org. (pic’d) Highway- OCC Splitback in purp.(pic’d); Bad Bagger in gold (pic’d).

Treasure Hunts: Chevy Camaro in org. (pic’d).

Walmart Specials; Various cars w/Good Year stamped tires; Exclusive colors, Mustang Fastback in yel.; Valentines Day cars: ’68 Merc. Cougar; Baja Breaker (pic’d); ’68 El Camino; 365 GTS4 Daytona Spider; Night Burner. St. Patricks day cars: Blast Lane (pic’d); Funny Money; ’69 Chevelle SS 396; Corvette C6; Limozeen. Target specials: Valentines: ’68 El Camino; ’68 Couger; ’69 Corvette; Avant Garde; Baja Breaker; Golden Arrow.

K-Mart Specials: K-Days cars: Excl. colors – ’70 Superbird in wht. (pic’d); ’57 Bel-Air in red/wht.; Mustang Funnycar in org.; Thunderbolt in gold. 1st. to market – ’70 AAR Cuda in wht.; GMC Motorhome in blue; V-8 Vega in wht. Mail in car – ’62 Corvette in blue. (pic’d).

Other series:

2010 Delivery series (Code “F + G” expected for Feb into Mar): Wynn’s Super Van; Centerline ’56 Flashsider; Holley ’62 Chevy; B+M ’34 Ford Sedan Del.; Hedman Headers Anglia Panel; Mooneyes Cool One; PPG VW DLX Station Wagon; Hot Wheels Hiway Hauler (pic’d); Mickey Thompson Baja Breaker w/ M/T tires, (pic’d); Hays ’69 Chevy Pickup; ISKY racing cams Ice Cream Truck; BF Goodrich ’56 Ford; Mr. Gasket ’72 Ford Ranchero (pic’d); Pennzoil Convoy Custom (pic’d).

HW Garage Series 2010 (Code “E, F, G”, are expected in Feb into Mar): Larry Wood- Bone Shaker (pic’d); Rat Bomb (pic’d); Phil Riehlman- ’70 Ply. Road Runner (pic’d); ’69 Pontiac GTO (pic’d); ’65 VW Fastback.

2010 Dragstrip Demons (Case code ‘C’ expected in Mar)

Speed Machines (Case ‘C’ expected in Feb into Mar): ’09 Nissan GT-R Spec.V (pic’d); Ferrari 333 SP (pic’d); Jaguar XJ220 (pic’d); Porsche 911 GT3 Road (pic’d); Saleen S7 (pic’d); Tesla Roadster (pic’d).

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors from online research and personal finds at retail locations. The ability to find select pieces will vary based on geographic location and the frequency that your local retailer refreshes their stock.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club.

In the Stores: GreenLight Collectibles (Feb/Mar 2010)

Ken Cwikla — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:00:12 +0000

Here’s a look at some of the latest products from GreenLight Collectibles that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

1/18th scale: ’67 Mustang racer in cream and black; and 2010 Shelby GT-500 cars both in bright Blue and Torch Red.

Muscle Car Garage - Release 12: ’66 Mustang GT; ’68 Hemi Road Runner; ’71 GTO Judge convertible; ’72 AMC Javelin AMX; ’09 Corvette ZO6 GT-1; and a ’10 Camaro SS.

Auction Block – Release 11: ’66 Shelby GT-350H; ’68 Plymouth GTX; ’69 Chevy Chevelle SS; ’70 Corvette LT-1 ZR-1; ’71 Charger R/T; ’10 Ford Shelby GT-500.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club.

Limited Edition pieces announced for 2010 DCX Expo

Jeff Glasson — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:52:01 +0000

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

SUPCON2010: Customs Contest – Pro Class

Jeff Glasson — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:22:49 +0000

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:

“Big Lou” Tanahara lends design talents to Johnny Lightning

Jeff Glasson — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:10:00 +0000

Diecast designer and artist, Luis Tanahara has worked in many places over the course of his career. His designs can be found on a variety of Hot Wheels and he virtually built Jada Toy’s diecast line from the ground up. Of course, these days he’s the creative force behind The Sledster and The Custom Crew brand.

While The Custom Crew is his main focus, he still finds time to work on special projects – the most recent of which is a cool team-up with Johnny Lightning. The result is this sweet looking 1959 Chevy Impala that will be part of the Black with Flames series.

(Pictures courtesy of JohnnyLightning.com)

Long time Jada collectors will notice that the familiar black with green flames design pays homage to two different pieces Lou did a few years ago. Johnny Lightning’s “Black with Flames” series has always been popular, but I have a feeling this piece in particular will be in extra high demand.

The word on the street is that is won’t be the only collaborative effort between JL and Tanahara. Stay tuned for more!

SUPCON2010: Customs Contest – Amateur Class

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:52:00 +0000

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:

In the Stores: Jada Toys (Feb/Mar 2010)

Ken Cwikla — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:33:45 +0000

Here’s a look at some of the latest Jada products that will be appearing in stores and online.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Jada, a company I find very hard to get new information on, has released Wave 12 of their Big Time Muscle line of cars. Do out in February and March. This line consists of a variety of Camaros, Corvettes and Mustangs. See the picture to the right for some examples.

Also, watch for some new Battle Machines coming soon to stores. Take a look at this new Bel-Air Taxi.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club.

GMP’s 1:18 scale “Tin Indian”

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:25:10 +0000

GMP Diecast just recently announced the upcoming release of their 1:18 scale rendition of the famous drag racing Pontiac known as the “Tin Indian.” They share the background on the car as:

“The Tin Indian name is synonymous with drag racing and it’s glory days. For most drag racing teams of the day there was just enough people and time to get from race to race. But the Indian Team consisted of 3 planes, 2 transporters, a travel RV, a complete machine shop and 14 full time people. All Indians were owned and expenses paid by Bill Knafel and Knafel Pontiac. Over the years, there were 42 different Pontiacs in the Indian family.

The Knafel Teams won more National/World Championships than any other stock class team – GM, Ford and Mopar included. This 1970 Judge dominated the tracks and won the AHRA Pro-Am Nationals at Rockingham, NC and the AHRA World Championship at Bristol, TN. GMP has even recreated the famous keystone wheels for this famous replica. This replica has it all and will surely be the centerpiece of any Pontiac collection.”

Features of this large-scale model include:

- Serialized license plate
- Diecast Metal Body
- Opening hood, doors and trunk
- Poseable steering
- Functional suspension
- Plumbed and wired engine
- Poseable visors
- Fabric seatbelts

The Tin Indian will be limited to just 2000 pieces and will retail for $139.95. The custom “keystone” wheel option can be added for $12.95. Collector can expect these to be available in April 2010.

SUPCON2010: Customs Contest – Large Scale, Dioramas & Display Only

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:16:41 +0000

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:

Shelby Drag Bus by Chris Walker from Alien Projects

Jeff Glasson — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:04:07 +0000

Chris Walker has been a busy boy. Not only did he produce several of the excellent event cars at the recent 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention while launching the first run of his new Dreamliner casting, but he also managed to produce a limited run of “Shelby authorized” VW Drag Buses.

Up until now, these pieces were only available to the attendees of the Super Convention. Only a small quantity (less than 10) remain and will be made available on a first come, first served basis via the Alien Projects website. This is the 3rd Shelby bus from Chris, and this time they are painted black with the yellow graphics and feature Terlingua decos. Each piece is set in an acrylic case and numbered.

The sale link will go live on Friday 26, 2010 at 9pm EST (6pm PST). Each remaining bus will be sold for $125. I was fortunate enough to have my raffle number called during the invitation-only Shelby party which yielded me one of these beauties. They are definitely worth your hard earned dollar.

Diecast Stories: Convention Do’s and Don’ts, Part 2

Joe Altieri — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:21:05 +0000

In Part 2 of my series on “Do’s & Don’ts” for convention goers I’ll cover all the things to consider after you arrive at the event and things are underway. Be sure to check out Part 1 of this series if you haven’t done so yet. You’ll find additional tips there to utilize before you even leave your house for the convention. And with that, enjoy Part 2!

AFTER YOU GET THERE TIPS

DO: Always be respectful when walking into someone’s room.

DON’T: be rude.

Even though people open their rooms up for room to room shopping; you are still entering someone else’s private space. Always say “Hi” or “How’s it going?” even if you don’t know the seller. It sets the mood right off that you are going to be respectful of the cars in the room. When leaving always give them a friendly parting phrase like “Take it easy.” Or “Have a good one”; even if you didn’t buy anything; because you never know if you may need to go back to get a car from that room. A little goodbye gesture may go a long way the next time you come around.

DO: Buy it if you like it and the price is good

DON’T: Deny yourself or hesitate and say you’ll think about it or come back…it won’t be there!!!

This is probably my first and foremost tip for anyone, newbie or experienced conventioneer, that is you see a car you want, like, and the price is good, don’t hesitate to buy it because if you hold off, someone else will grab it! Think about it; at any given event there are anywhere from 250 to 1000 people attending, don’t think no one else may want that car no matter how offbeat it may be and especially if you have been looking for it for a long time. Don’t use the excuse that “I just got here and want to look around” or “I need to get money, I’ll be back”.

If you are with a buddy, have him hold onto it while you get your cash or bum it from him if he can afford it. Then go back to your room and quickly settle up. That one find may make your whole trip do let it slip away!

DO: Zero in on a car you like

DON’T: Hesitate

This is a tip I have used for a long while and it works well. If you are room to rooming and you see a car your may like but aren’t sure and there are still other things you want to see in the room, just pick up the car and either a] walk around with it in your hand while you shop, or b] tell the room’s owner that you are interested in that car and put in sight of him saying you want to look around more. Even if you don’t eventually buy the car it won’t go anywhere while you’re in the room. Don’t feel bad about this, you got there first. It sounds silly to have to tell a collector this but you’d be surprised how many people wouldn’t think about doing this.

DO: Try to get a better price

DON’T: be afraid to negotiate

Plain and simple, when room to rooming during the convention; no matter what time of day/point in the week of the convention it is; it can’t hurt to ask for a better price. What’s the worse a seller can do; say no? If you really have to have it you are going to buy it anyway but just ask; you may be surprised. But if you don’t want to buy it, don’t flip out if the seller doesn’t meet your price!!! Just say “OK, thanks”, put it down and leave. You may need to go back later. But….

DO: Be wary of un-priced cars

DON’T: be afraid to walk away if you don’t like the price.

If a seller hesitates too long on giving you a price on an un-priced car and you think they’re jerking you around, don’t buy it. You can always go back. A lot of times the seller isn’t in the room and their spouse, buddy, significant other is watching over, you probably won’t get the answer you are looking for on an un-priced car or offer. If the person in the room can’t contact the seller, ask when you can go back. Don’t get angry you can’t get what you want right then. Trust me, if you anger the seller’s wife, he won’t be selling you anything when you come back. I’ve seen it happen.

DO: Take full advantage of a hospitality room

DON’T: Think you’re abusing the privilege.

Some events like Summer Smash have a club sponsored hospitality room that is a great place to grab a soda, snack, food, coffee, or just to talk to people. The whole reason for the hospitality room is to make people feel welcome so don’t be afraid to go. This isn’t to say you should start making long distance phone calls from the room phone or air out your tired, yellow crusted toe-nailed feet; no one wants to see that no matter how friendly the group running the room.

This next tip may only apply to me and usually my roommates; you may feel differently.

DO: Hang a DO NOT DISTURB sign all day/night on your door

DON’T: Take chances if you have any misgivings

At a convention I don’t like the hotel staff coming into the room when I’m not there; especially after I have just spent a good deal of money on something. I don’t care that my room isn’t straightened up everyday so much as I do care something being taken or worse yet scratched or broken! Even if something is put in a drawer or piled in a corner I don’t need anyone thumbing through my stuff. I am sure most hotel staff don’t steal or aren’t reckless….BLAH, BLAH, BLAH…I don’t care. I always put the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door all day and just ask for towels and other items when I see the staff or put the towels out in hall when I leave in the morning.

I have heard and worse yet SEEN experiences where hotel staff innocently moved things off the bed in someone’s room to change the linens or pick up trash and didn’t realize something valuable was in the bag/box they just moved and PLOP out it came and smashed onto the floor. Nuff said!

DO: Go up to go down.

DON’T: get locked out of the elevator.

What the heck does “GO UP TO GO DOWN MEAN”? It’s simple! There are times at the convention when it seems everyone needs the elevator; after the dinner when everyone wants to change clothes, afternoons when the hustle around the hotel is at its peak, or check in/check out day. “GO UP TO GO DOWN” simply means that if you are on a lower floor [from LOBBY all the way up to 2nd floor [could be mezzanines or ballroom floors in between], or the parking garage elevator, and you need to go up to higher floors and there are big crowds all vying for an elevator ride, sometimes it pays to take the down-going elevator 2 floors and then ride back up headed to your floor. You will be guaranteed a spot and won’t have to stand shoulder to shoulder in the elevator vestibule for a long time.

DO: Expect to be on lines

DON’T: get exasperated.

Lines are part of any convention. There are lines to get into most any event. If you PLAN ahead, they won’t be so much of a headache. There are events like BINGO, POKER, or UNO that is a required ticket event. If you have a ticket to this event at a set time, there is really no need to be first on line unless you are with a large group and want to sit together. Usually at a Poker game you are assigned a seat anyway. You won’t have to rush down to get on line first.

I would suggest you do get down early for a space at the front of the line for DINNER so you can find a good seat or enough seats for your group. AUTOGRAPH sessions are very popular and the line could be cut off before you get there. Even though it says autographs will be from 1:30pm to 2:30pm that is for the convention’s and signer’s benefit not yours. The convention wants to get the signers out by 2:30pm so the line may be cut at 2:10pm to insure the signers are done by 2:30pm. There may be another event happening in that room that needs to be set up or the signer has to be somewhere else.

You should get on line early to any MEET & GREET events because tables fill up quickly as do bar/food lines and because the best snacks are usually gone first and you will have to wait longer with no seat. This includes an RLC party especially! A 45 minute wait at the front of the line is better than being stuck 45 minutes in the back of the line. Additionally, if someone is giving a demonstration or lecture about something you paid to see, best seats go fast. As for the vending machine; there are proponents who say the best stuff is in the front, middle, or end of the machine. I usually see the best stuff mid-session thru the end.

The Sunday show is a tricky one to decide if you should go down early. There is no way to tell if any specific convention car will be sold out or limited to buy by the Sunday show. The staff usually doesn’t let on anything throughout the convention so if there is something you really need to get, I would get there early. I usually get up early on Sunday morning to be near the front of the line to insure I will get the extra cars I need for my buddies back home. I am leaving anyway that day and it doesn’t bother me to be up early, especially if the extra casting I need is a HW Drag Bus!

This by no means states you should get to an event after its scheduled start time. No one likes lateness and you may miss out on something good.

DO: Expect people to be holding places in line for their friends and letting said friends in the line when they show up!

DON’T: get annoyed at this.

I’ll let you know straight up that this happens all the time! I have done it and it has been done to me. You can’t be angry about it, it’s not worth it. Usually people ahead of you on a line with give you the courtesy of saying, “I’m holding a place for my buddy, wife, kid, etc. etc.” so when someone shows up you are not upset. This may not always be the case but if you are at an event where you have a ticket already; don’t sweat it.

The only time this becomes an issue is when the line if for a car that is limited in quantity; then the line is usually controlled by the even staff or even the people on line themselves and is monitored for cutters. Most regular convention goers understand these differences about line cutting as well.

If you are on a line by yourself and need to leave to go to the restroom, your room for forgotten cash, or get a drink/smoke just be honest and tell the person behind you that this is the case, they wont mind you coming back into line at all. If you don’t say anything they won’t know to let you back in line; they aren’t mind readers. Just don’t be gone too long; try to get back quickly.

DO: Talk to people you don’t know and get to know a little about them

DON’T: Be a stick in the mud.

When I went to the CA. Strauss convention in October 2001 I didn’t know a soul.

I didn’t know what to expect and I was a little intimidated. Now if you have ever met me you wouldn’t think I’d be saying that; people have told me I can make friends with a tree and the tree would talk back. So the first night I was in CA. there was a meet & greet with snacks and drinks etc. but I had gotten there a little late. It was outside around a small pool area and there didn’t appear to be anyplace to sit. But I noticed a guy sitting by himself on a table and asked if I could sit with him. Needless to say eight years later that guy is still one of my best collecting and real world friends. This has happened to me many times over. At the very least you can make a friend to hang out with at the convention or sit with at dinner or room to room together. No matter what size the convention it can seem like a big place if you just hang out by yourself. This person may not become your bosom buddy and lifelong chum but he may trade/sell you a great car. Sometimes that can make your whole trip!

Ask people you meet if they are on RLC, DCS, MCCH etc. etc. and what their handle is. You may find out you already know them without ever having met them.

DO: Be a little wary of convention t-shirt sizes

DON’T: Feel the squeeze.

Most convention t-shirts will shrink some. Check out the size before you buy, don’t wait until you get home or already rip it out of the bag, you make not be able to exchange. If you take an L, get an XL, if you’re an XL, get a 2x. Most convention t-shirts are pretty high quality and will last a long time if properly washed; you’ll want to wear it again and again so buy a bigger size. You’ll be happier in the long run. Plus most women’s-only convention shirt sizes will probably be too small for the woman in your life; trust me on this one! Just because it’s pink or yellow; it may not fit.

I am sure there are many others who have gone to conventions longer than me or just have some great tips I may have missed. I would love to hear from you via the comments below so I can add them to my list!! Knowledge is power!

Now go get registered for one of the many excellent conventions happening this year, and I hope to see you there!

MiQ Willmott’s Limited Edition 2010 Super Convention Poster

Jeff Glasson — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:06:46 +0000

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.

Hot Wheels Collectors featured in Car and Driver Magazine

Jeff Glasson — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:50:45 +0000

I love it when our little hobby of die-cast car collecting gets pushed a little further out into the mainstream, and that’s exactly what happened in the latest issue of Car and Driver magazine. Freelance C&D writer, Brett Berk has written a great piece that gives readers a deep dive into what its like to be a hard-core Hot Wheels collector.

While the article mainly focuses on the collectors and experience of the 23rd-annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention, I did have the opportunity to meet Brett last summer when he attended the Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 6 convention in Connecticut while doing research. The article shares perspectives from many different Hot Wheels collectors and gives readers a nice broad view of the hobby. And if “viewing the hobby” is what you like, then be sure to browse through the 60+ photos (captured by Ted Soqui) that captured the Hot Wheels collecting experience.

Subscribers of the print magazine got an advanced look at the article. Fortunately for the non-subscribers, the article is now available for viewing online at the Car & Driver website.

Click here to jump over to the article on the Car & Driver website.

2010 Diecast Hall of Fame Limited Edition Dairy Delivery

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 03:57:14 +0000

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!

Diecast Stories: Convention Do’s and Don’ts, Part 1

Joe Altieri — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 04:03:57 +0000

With the new year well underway, I wanted to focus on something that might be especially helpful to collectors in 2010. This year is ushering in the greatest number of diecast conventions in a long time with Diecastspace.com sponsoring the Super Convention this month in Las Vegas, The Magical Weekend of Cars in June in Orlando, FL and the first ever Canadian convention in September. Hot Wheels focused collectors will attend the Strauss Nationals in St. Louis MO. this April, the Strauss main convention in CA. in the fall and Summer Smash III coming this August in RI. There’s also JL Fest, Autofest, and the Gathering of Friends for Matchbox collectors in New Mexico. International collectors can look forward to Hot Wheels conventions in Japan, Brazil, and Mexico. Add on all the growing number of various other smaller events all around the U.S. (and the rest of the world) and collectors will have more choices than ever to experience a convention first hand.

And yet I am sure it is may be an intimidating task to actually go to one of these small, medium, or especially large events without trepidation or fear of not knowing how to plan ahead or what to do while you’re there. With that in mind, I wanted to share with you my DO’s and DON’Ts list of convention happenings based upon my 8 years of convention going experience. Some of these may seem simple enough that you would think everyone should know it already; but it can take just one thing that you didn’t think of to affect your good time.

There’s a lot to digest, so I’ll be breaking up this advice into a multi-part series. I hope there is something on this list will make even the seasoned convention-goer go “HMMMM” I never thought of that!

BEFORE YOU GET THERE TIPS

DO: PLAN, PLAN, and PLAN ahead.

DON’T: Wait until the last minute.

This applies not only to the individual events at a convention but to any outside events you may want to attend or transportation needed to get to those events. Popular convention events or even popular event times sell out quickly; you may be left out in the cold. This is especially true if you are going with others; it’s great to be at the same event together and not get split up. Also, if you are flying seriously consider renting a car if the venue the convention is at is off the beaten track like an airport hotel If you are going to travel or room with others, the cost will be greatly be deferred. Plus you may want to look up what restaurants/bars may be in the area, most hotels don’t have a great variety of cuisine or price ranges you may like. Once you get to the hotel, the front desk can tell you areas to avoid. I didn’t head the desk clerk’s warning once in Ohio and almost got mugged!

DO: Every event that interests you or you can afford to do

DON’T: Deny yourself or hesitate.

If it’s your first time going to any convention; events are a great way to meet people and feel part of the collective festive atmosphere. Don’t let anyone talk you out of something; see for yourself. Plus don’t forget the price to an event where the event is run for a charitable organization or usually the convention auction bids can be tax deductible!

If it’s not your first time going to a convention; continue to go to events you like rather than backing off since no two events will ever be alike from convention to convention. You may miss out on a great car you want.

This leads me too….

DO: Bring LOTS of CASH and in various denominations.

DON’T: Rely on an ATM.

Even though you more than likely can buy convention cars with a credit/debit card when you register at a convention; 99% of room to room vendors take only cash. Plus any raffles the convention holds; usually for some great stuff; or cars for charity cars are cash only. Going to the hotel ATM [and most hotels don’t have many] can get expensive with fees or quickly runs out of cash. More than likely, your bank is not in the area of the convention and the nearest ATM may be a long walk/drive away with a high fee [especially if the hotel is near the airport; you’re kind of isolated.]

I remember a couple of years ago; the hotel ATM ran out of cash by 1PM on a busy Saturday and the hotel wasn’t prepped to have it refilled until the next day; people were frantic! The hotel was off the beaten path and walking to an ATM wasn’t really an option.

DO: Ask for payment before you leave home from friends for cars you bring back

DON’T: feel bad about it.

Not asking for the cash up front will only cut into your funds while you’re there and make you have to either go to the ATM more often [and we already discussed those pitfalls] or go without. All the prices for the convention cars should be in your pre-received convention packet so you know how much to charge. Whether you add tax or a small profit is up to you. The price of things adds up quickly!

DO: Be realistic if you’re going to be flipping convention/event cars whether it’s back home or at the event.

DON’T: Think every convention/event car is a money maker.

Don’t think that just because a car is from a convention event that it will be a moneymaker if you try to flip it. Some cars aren’t worth the price of admission to an event. If you aren’t a flipper then you’ll be fine and collect the car because of you enjoyed your experience. If you are a flipper be forewarned…you may get burned. Plus there are many more people than just you trying to flip the same car. I don’t flip, I just buy for people back home but I have seen how people have triumphed with flipping and where they have crashed and burned. It’s not pretty.

DO: Bring a diecast price guide like Tomart’s or the very least Lee’s.

DON’T: Think everyone is honest in their valuations.

No matter what anyone selling a car tells you; just have the guide with you to get a good idea of its value. It will give you piece of mind.

DO: Bring good walking shoes!!! Especially the ladies!!!

DON’T: and you’ll be sorry!

You are on you feet from the minute you leave you hotel room in the morning to the minute you head hits the pillow at 1:30am that night, [yes rooms are open that late].

You will be standing in lines for events, walking the floors room to rooming, going to eat either inside/outside the hotel, even sightseeing if you plan to, it all goes back to planning.

DO: Pack accordingly.

DON’T: Overpack; especially if you are flying.

You won’t need to bring a lot of different clothes to a convention. The majority of the time you will see most people in T-Shirts, shorts, and jeans. [Check the future weather cast re jackets/coats]. You may want to bring a polo or buttoned down shirt [especially if it’s a cool diecast or automotive themed one] to wear to the dinner but otherwise don’t load up on clothes. Take it from a confirmed over-packer; you may not use half the stuff you bring. Also, don’t forget to pack your camera/video camera. You won’t regret it later. I’ve forgotten my camera already and I have regretted what I didn’t get a picture of to this day.

Plus, you’ll need the space for cars which brings me to…

DO: Pack a bag in your bag

DON’T: Bring small suitcases

My buddy Mike from NH taught me this trick back in 2001. I went to my first CA Strauss convention and got short on my luggage space. It was just after 9-11 and restriction abounded regarding size/shape of bags and I was scared to bring a really big suitcase, plus I under estimated what I would buy once I was there. If you are a first time conventioneer you will be tempted to buy a lot!!!!! I had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a small suitcase to accommodate what I bought. Most convention cars are in there own protecto paks and are bulky to pack in a suitcase and you don’t want to pack fragile blistercards or loose cars wrapped in toilet paper in a regular case for fear of damage.

Bring one large suitcase with a rolled up duffel bag inside. It won’t take up a lot of space and you won’t be charged for 2 suitcases when you fly out and if you don’t need it, back it goes rolled up. It’ll save you a lot of grief. Now this brings me too…..

DO: Bring a variety of Protecto Paks.

DON’T: Rely on vendors at the convention.

Many of the fragile treasures you buy may not have protectos and can’t be packed by themselves. Some older blisters don’t fit into newer protectos so plan accordingly. I have found that the older full front protectos are great for a carrying a couple of cars in baggies and header cards [like ROAKs]! Protecto pak vendors may not be there or run out of popular sizes early. Most people can sell you a few but its better to prepare beforehand.

Think about bringing a pair of scissors [in your checked bag only please] and a couple of sheets of bubble wrap for cars in acrylic case; DOLLAR TREE stores offer small rolls that work great. My buddy Bryan has shown me that blue painters tape is a better alternative to any other tape in wrapping cars up since it is designed to come off easily from what it is stuck too without damaging the car, plus its strong while its in use. But this brings me too….

DO: Invest in a HOT-CASE.

DON’T: Think it won’t help.

This is not a shameless plug for HOT-CASES but an actual testimonial. They help you out a lot! The 24 cars carry case for loose cars is great to carry around if you plan to buy loose cars for it protects them as you go rooming. Believe me, toilet paper, tissue, or paper towel wrapping quickly shred or unravel and plastic shopping bags get banged up and torn in elevators and doorways faster than you think. The carry case fits into any carry on or checked bag. Invest in an actual HOT CASE box and carry bag for that HOT CASE. It fits into any airplane overhead compartment or under the airline seat in front of you and can hold a lot of convention cars. You can carry it on the plane as a carry-on. I usually have my backpack and the HOT CASE bag as carry-ons or the case will fit flat into most 30-32” suitcases.

DO: Invest in a good, compact, multiple bulb LED flashlight.

DON’T: Think it won’t help.

Again a learned tip from my NJ collector buddies Kenny and Carl. A nice, compact LED flashlight with multiple bulbs can assist greatly in determining the condition of loose cars especially REDLINES!!! Hotel room lighting is awful and don’t rely on vendors to bring a good light either. First ask permission to examine the car you are looking at, find a shadowed part of the room [or even hunch over with the car in you palm], and shine the flashlight over every nook and cranny of that car because every flaw, toning, chip, etc., etc., will immediately pop out. It can save you the annoyance of realizing later you bought a dud.

DO: Create a floor list to write down what rooms you’ve been in or where contacts are staying.

DON’T: Rely on your memory.

Simply put; it gets overwhelming. Even in a small convention, you will never remember all the rooms you have been in, want to go back to, or have no need to see again.

I’ll give a great example. Three years ago the Strauss west coast convention was held in Garden Grove CA in a hotel that had two towers. The North tower was where the official convention room block [cheaper rooms] were which stretched from between floors 4 thru 8. There were a lot of seller’s rooms on floors 3 and 9 as well as a smattering of rooms on higher floors. So you figure 7 floors [3 thru 9] with approximately 20 [conservatively] rooms open on each floor; that makes 140 rooms just in the North Tower. Plus the South towers had at least 60 rooms open as well so add those together you get 200 rooms of Hot Wheels. Unless you have a documented photographic memory; you won’t remember everything/everyone you saw/met and where it/they were! Some conventions now give you a small pad with your welcome package to help you navigate the hotel; but I have attached a floor sheet spreadsheet [at the end of this article] that really works. My wife came up with it in 2002 in Irvine CA after she couldn’t stand walking into the same room over and over again and hear me and my buddy say “Oh we’ve seen this before, nothing here”. Plus I have tinkered with it over the years. Use it, learn it, live it, know it, it works! It’s best to 3-hole punch the floor sheets I have provided and put them in a binder. The binder will give you a strong base to write on, those little pads won’t.

Well, that’s it for now. Like I said, its a lot to digest, but I hope you’ve enjoyed them so far. Join me next time in Part 2 where I’ll reveal all my DO and DON’T tips for after you arrive at the convention.

Got a tip of your own to add? I encourage you to share them wit the rest of the readers via the comments section below.

Download the Floor Sheet file here [Microsoft Excel Format]

In the Stores: Hot Wheels (Jan/Feb 2010)

Ken Cwikla — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:12:51 +0000

Here are the next case code cars you should be seeing now in stores. They are case code ‘D’ out now and ‘E’ being stocked by end of January into February.

Basic releases:

’09 New Models: Fast Gassin’ in red/chrome.

’10 New Models:

’67 Chevelle SS 396 in red (pic’d) – ’67 Pontiac Firebird 400 in green (pic’d) – ’08 Dodge Charger Drift in blue (pic’d) – Tooligan in gold; Sting Rod II in yellow (pic’d) – ’09 Caddy CTS-V in black (pic’d) – VW Beetle in DK.red; Scorcher in red – Snow Ride in orange (pic’d) – ’08 Viper SRT-!) ACR in white – Fangula in purple (pic’d) – ’09 Corvette Stingray Concept in yellow – Backslider in green – Ghostbusters Ecto-1 (pic’d)

’10 HW Performance: Pass’n Gasser in red – ’41 Willy’s in yellow

HW Racing: Mustang Funny car in blue/purple – F-1 Racer in blue

Hot Action: Ford Thunderbolt in white – Bugatti Veyron in blue

HW City Works: Hummer H2 SUT in yellow

Heat Fleet: Custom VW Beetle in red w/flames – Jeep Scrambler in brown

Mystery cars: Hyundai Spyder in black w/flames – Nissan 350Z in purple – Duel Fueler in silver – Jaded in orange

Track Stars: Drift King in army green – Twin Mill III in green – Dieselboy in blue

Muscle Mania: ’70 Ply. Superbird in greens – ’67 Dodge Charger in blue – ’70 Buick GSX in blue – ’69 Pontiac Firebird T/A in black.

All Stars: Lamborghini Gallardo in black

HW Hot Rods: Bone Shaker in blue

HW Garage: La Fasta in silver

Race World: Cave- Evil Twin; Swoopy Do – Volcano- ’64 Lincoln Continental – Earth- Paradigm Shift (pic’d); Stockcar (pic’d)’ Speedway- Cadillac LMP; Saleen S7

Treasure Hunts: Classic Packard (pic’d) – Old # 5.5 w/wht. tires (pic’d) – 69 Talladega (pic’d)

Walmart special colors: ’40 Woodie in yellow – Ferrari 430 Scuderia in red – Ford Mustang 2+2 Fastback – FTE in yellow

Other series:

2010 Delivery series (Code “D, E, F,” all expected in Jan/Feb):

GMC Motor Home – ’55 Chevy Panel – ’56 Flashsider – Custom ’62 Chevy – ’59 Caddy Funnycar – ’83 Silverado – 50’s Chevy Truck (pic’d) – ’34 Ford – Combat Medic – Dairy Delivery – Anglia Panel – Cool One – VW DLX Station Wagon (pic’d) – Super Van – Hiway Hauler – Baja Breaker – ’69 Chevy Pickup – ’32 Sedan Delivery

HW Garage series 2010 (Code “D”):
Larry Wood: Custom ’66 GTO Wagon (pic’d) – Phil Riehlman: ’70 Chevelle SS – Wayne Scott: Chevelle Wagon (pic’d) – Neet Streeter (pic’d) – ’57 Chevy (pic’d) – Other cars: Fish’d & Dipp’d (pic’d) – Buick Le Sabre Concept (pic’d) – Ferrari 288 GTP (pic’d) – ’41 Pro-Mod Willy’s (pic’d)

Store Only Garage series Promo’s:

Walmart: Tail Dragger – VW Drag Truck – ’58 Ford Edsel

Target: Custom ’56 Ford Truck – ’64 Custom Galaxie – ’65 VW Fast Back

TRU: ’69 Pontiac GTO – Rat Bomb – ’70 Roadrunner

Speed Machines (Case ‘B’): Bugatti Veyron – Enzo Ferrari – Ford GTX-1 – Ferrari 575 GTC – Porche Carrera GT – ’07 Shelby GT 500 – Gallardo LP 560-4

The “In the Stores” column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

Stick’s Redline Garage: Peeping Bomb

Robert Stickels — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:24:27 +0000

One of my favorite casting to come out of the 70’s era release has to be the Peeping Bomb which was designed by Howard Rees. I love it’s off the wall concept.

The features that stand out are its pointed nose and a high side profile which gives it great suspension travel for racing. The next unique characteristics that stand out are it’s open cockpit, the large, exposed quad piped V-8 engine and that snubbed-off rear profile with high humped quarter panels. It also has a lever in the dashboard that raises and lowers the headlight covers. The metal base and exposed metal engine finish off the things that truly make it stand out.

The Peeping Bomb can be found in a variety of variations. Its plastic windshield can be found in clear or blue. Plastic interiors are most frequently found in black. White interiors are rare and very hard to find. The casting was issued in both the US and Hong Kong. Finishes were available in eleven spectraflame colors. The metallic purple with a HK issued base is generally considered the hardest to find. The Peeping Bomb is a very affordable among collectors with C8 examples selling in the range of $20-$50.

Credits: Big thanks to my left coast buddy Scott Jones and his endless help with rare pieces. Scotts collection includes the following: 1. Aqua factory prototype, 2. packaged Aqua with white interior HK casting, 3. the early run orange & purple spectraflame with orange headlights, 4. yellow "reason speculative casting" and added insight. Publications: Tomarts guide #6, and Spectraflame-the essential guide.

DiecastSpace.com 2nd Anniversary Sledster

Jeff Glasson — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:34:56 +0000

DiecastSpace celebrates its two year anniversary with the sale of this amazing limited edition custom Sledster. The graphics for this special piece were designed by the Custom Crew’s Big Lou Tanahara, and the customizing work will be handled by Dino Laspada (aka LBCustomz). Dino is a stickler when it comes to perfection, so collectors can expect nothing less than an amazingly executed limited edition custom.

Click the image to see a larger version

These special Sledsters are currently on sale for $149.00 each and the run is limited to just 50 pieces. Click here to jump to the order page while supplies are still available.

In the Stores: M2 Machines (Jan/Feb 2010)

Ken Cwikla — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:52:00 +0000

M2 is hitting it hard! I will keep you up to date on all their lines and monthly releases as I can find information released.

Auto-Lift, Release 3:

This new release includes: a ’49 Mercury in both red and gray; a ’66 Dodge Charger in both black and met. blue; a ’67 Chevy Nova SS in both met. orange and red; The Chase piece in this series will be the ’49 Mercury in a red and gold car.

Drivers 101, Release 5:

This new release includes: a ’71 Dodge Charger in purple; a ’69 Pontiac GTO Judge in red; a ’67 Chevy Nova SS in silver; a ’70 Ford Torino GT in yellow; a ’70 Ford Mustang BOSS 429 in met. orange; a ’57 Chrysler 300c in black; Which is also the Chase piece, this time in blue.

The “In the Stores” column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

In the Stores: Greenlight (Jan/Feb 2010)

Ken Cwikla — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 05:01:34 +0000

The newest items from Greenlight come in the form of “Dioramas.” They are 1/64th scale cars set in a scene box for suitable display. Pictured below are the four starter pieces to kick off this new series.

Top Row: Bullitt/Steve McQueen (1968 Ford Mustang and 1968 Dodge Charger); Auction Block (2010 Chevy Camaro SS – auction attendee characters included).

Bottom Row: County Roads (1972 Chevy C-10 w/Camper – camper characters included); Hot Pursuit (2008 Ford Crown Victoria and 2009 Chevy Corvette C6 – police officer character included).

*Pictures courtesy of Greenlighttoys.com.

The “In the Stores” column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club

Mike Zarnock’s Hot Wheels Variations, 4th Edition Cover

Jeff Glasson — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:30:39 +0000

Hot Wheels author Mike Zarnock spent the last portion of 2009 working hard on the next version of his “Hot Wheels Variations: The Ultimate Guide” series. While the book won’t be available for purchase until May, Mike was able to share this shot of the cover as a sneak peek.

The fact that Mike’s very own Altered Roadster from the Drag Strip Demons series adorns the cover is pretty cool too, don’t you think?!

Click the image to see a larger version of the cover.

2010 Lincoln Johnny Lightning Race Club custom now available

Jeff Glasson — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 21:20:46 +0000

The Lincoln Johnny Lightning Race Club recently announced the availability of their 2010 custom club car. The club selected Johnny Lightning Ford, Chevy and Dodge (shown) van castings as the base for this year’s run.

A total of 15 were customized for the run by M & S Customs who have also done a number of cars for the Rhode Island Hot Wheels Summer Smash conventions. Each car is being sold for $20 to non-club members and $15 to club members.

Contact the club through their official website for more information.

Pope Designs 2010 Super Convention Drag Bus

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:11:54 +0000

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.

Saturday Nitro featuring Vinnie and Cody from V-Force Customs

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:34:54 +0000

Saturday Nitro rumbles into 2010 with this first show of the year featuring Vinnie Dimartino and Cody Connelly from V-Force Customs. The pair were thrown into the spotlight during their time spent on the popular reality series “American Chopper.” We discuss their experiences on the show, dealing with fame, and of course, the bikes!

Since leaving the American Chopper, the two have found new success in launching their own shop where they focus on building one-of-a-kind custom bikes for all new clients and companies. During the second half of the show we talk about braking out on their own, building the new shop and launch their new successful venture.

Listen to the recorded show from the audio widget on this page or check out the catalog of previous shows on the Saturday Nitro page.

The Car Room Magazine launches an all new web site

Jeff Glasson — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:00:27 +0000

Collectors now have an additional online resource for die-cast model information with the launch of the all new Car Room Magazine website. The site’s initial set of features offer information by scale and brand, a photo gallery, die-cast oriented videos and the ability to subscribe to the print version of magazine.

The site has launched with content that can be found in previous issues of the print magazine. Moving forward, collectors can expect to see a great deal of new information that goes beyond the printed page. In addition, a good deal of exciting new functionality is already in the works, and will be rolled out during the first half of the year.

This new site along with some “yet to be announced” surprises are just a part of what is looking to be a banner year for The Car Room Magazine.

GreenLight’s 2010 Super Convention casting announced

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 13:42:21 +0000

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.

Alien Projects dreams a little dream…

Jeff Glasson — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 04:51:49 +0000

2009 was a year of accomplishments and milestones for pro die-cast customizer Chris “Night Stalker” Walker. The convention circuit saw the end of his lengthy world tour which was filled with destinations that spanned the globe, and of course, brought more accolades and wins in the customs contest arena.

While traveling the world and raking in awards, Chris actually had a hidden agenda brewing, the second half of the year brought hints of change from the veteran customizer. Those hints finally grew into an official announcement of the launch of “Alien Projects” – a new business entity that would allow Chris to grow beyond graphics and customs based on existing product.

Along with that announcement came a glimpse of a project that has been two years in the making. Chris’s vision was to create a new casting that combined retro styling with a futuristic 50’s edge. The result is now known as the “Dreamliner.” Collectors got a glimpse of the Dreamliner’s basic design via a resin cast earlier this year, and we’ve more recently been treated to this set of prototype shots.

Click any image to see a larger version

These shots really show how the piece will be coming together, and I can hardly wait to see it with paint and graphics. Speaking of paint and graphics, Chris already has the ball rolling in the way of partnering with some very talented artists in the die-cast and automotive world to lend there talents in bringing there artistic twist to the Dreamliner. One such talent is non other than “Lil Daddy” Dennis Roth!

The word from Chris is that the first official release of the Dreamliner that collectors can get their hands on will be happening sometime later this month. The quantity of that release and its price point are still to be determined, but you can bet that I’ll be posted as soon as its available! You can also stayed tuned to updates on the Dreamliner and other happenings over at the official Alien Projects website.

Connecticut Valley Club Limited Edition S’Cool Bus on sale 01/10/10

Jeff Glasson — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:45:00 +0000

Last fall I revealed the e-sheet for the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club’s upcoming limited edition S’Cool Bus. The rendering was impressive to say the least, and I was instantly looking forward to getting a first-hand look at the marriage of Bob Stickel’s design work and Liberty Promotion’s production quality.

To my surprise, that opportunity came sooner than anticipated when I got that first-hand look at an “Ol’ S’Cooler” of my very own at the 2009 CVD holiday party. The paint and tampo detail truly brings the e-sheet to life, and the build quality and presentation are top notch as expected from a Liberty produced product. Simply said, collectors couldn’t ask for a better sibling to go along with last year’s stellar CVD Passion.

The good news is that the wait for getting one of these for your own collection is almost over. The sale is set to begin on Sunday, January 10, 2010 on the CVD website. Each Ol’ S’Cooler will be priced at $29.95 each. The price includes shipping. The run is limited to just 250 pieces, so be sure to act fast as these are sure to sell out in record time just like the Passion did last year.

Click any image to see the larger versions

Sledster II pre-orders ending soon

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 04:18:46 +0000

Earlier this year collectors were introduced to the The Custom Crew’s Sledster II. This “cab-only” version of the original Sledster was wildly popular and provided enthusiasts with a new, lower barrier to entry for adding a Custom Crew limited edition piece to their collections.

Pre-orders for the second version of the Sledster 2 were announced in mid-December and should be shipping in mid-January. As an added incentive, the Custom Crew has increased the odds of getting selected to purchase a coveted “Crewzer” chase piece though-out the pre-order period which ends on January 10, 2010.

This all new version brings the Sledster II to a whole new level of detail. The ladder moves up and down, extends out and swivels a full 360 degrees – and let me tell you that its a level of cool that just has to be seen in person!

The Red Ladder Truck will be the regular run consisting of 996 pieces with its Chase “Crewzer” in Yellow consisting of 252. The White Ladder Truck is also part of the regular run and the Gray Ladder Truck will be its Chase “Crewzer” version with the same run numbers as the Red/Yellow Ladder Trucks.

Be sure to visit the Custom Crew store to take advantage of this great piece.

2010 Diecast Hall of Fame ring revealed

Jeff Glasson — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:04:56 +0000

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.

Diecast Stories: I’ve changed as a collector; haven’t I?

Joe Altieri — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:10:19 +0000

First, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Joe Altieri, and I live in Northern New Jersey. I truly consider myself a die-cast ”collector” and not a hoarder, scalper, or flipper! Jeff Glasson has asked me to write some columns on the life of a typical die-cast collector and get your feedback on the hobby through my articles. I hope that once you read this article you’ll continue to read future ones to come. Thanks for reading “Diecast Stories from the Average Joe Collector.”

In recent years I’ve noticed something interesting happening to me every time I attend a die-cast show or convention; I am approached by a fellow collectors [whether I know actually know them or they are brought over to me by a friend] to either take me over to a vendor’s table or room to get my opinion on an impending sale, to show me a just purchased treasure to get my opinion on the condition or price paid, or to ask a question about products from any of the many 1:64 scale manufacturers of die-cast. I have been frequently told that I was the deciding factor either for or against a particular purchase. I am not trying to “toot my own horn” or boast about what I do or do not know about die-cast, but it always gets me thinking about how and what I collect now as opposed to when I began collecting and throughout the interim years.

It has been almost 26 years since I began collecting die-cast and over 19 years since I truly caught the die-cast collecting “bug” and met my first Hot Wheels collecting comrade, my great friend Bill, who was and is my mentor of all things Hot Wheels. So I guess I have seen a lot of collectors, trends, and die-cast companies come and go, wither and resurrect, or completely change themselves altogether. I have always been a history buff; whether it’s the real life history of the world around us or the history of the cars I love to collect. I love to absorb this knowledge as much as I can, but find myself having to omit a lot of information for lack of brain space or for want on that knowledge.

I can’t be a variation almanac like so many of today’s collectors are [God bless your memories] with all the wheels changes, window colors changes, body color changes chassis color/material changes and point of origin as I would like to be.

I don’t seek out variations for my collection unless they are physically pointed out to me while standing at the rack or at a show, and I can’t rattle off things like “the Muscle Madness ’68 Nova comes in all small wheels, all big wheels, and large front wheels/small rear wheels” or vice versa. But, I can pretty much rattle off every ’57 Chevy variation since 1977 or what each Dream Halloween or Toy Fair car has been or how much I did or didn’t pay for a particular car.

I’ve come through a succession of models that I’ve focused all of my attention on as well. First, it was old and new Matchbox. Then I added old and new Hot Wheels and new Johnny Lightnings when they were reintroduced in the 1990’s. All the while I kept up with new and old Majorette and Tomica models thrown in for good measure. It all became maddening! Yet, I would still buy any model, old or new, from any manufacturer that caught my eye. I was a full “completist” and had to have every model I could afford from those aforementioned manufacturers. During that time I was able to keep every model I had in my head as well as on ancient Apple computer spreadsheet. At times I thought my head would explode or at the very least brain matter would start to ooze from my ears!

In 2001 I attended my first Hot Wheels convention – the Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 2 in Connecticut – and my mind was blown wide open! There were so many people collecting what I did all together in the same place, with special events and best of all; the room to room trading!!! That was something I had never experienced before. I was then completely hooked on conventions from that point forward.

While at WWHW2 I heard about larger convention that meets every year in California run buy a guy named Mike Strauss. I got some info while in CT and hurriedly sent in my application to the event as soon as I got home. Unfortunately 9/11 happened that September, and I thought I may never be able to go to this Hot Wheels Mecca I had begun to believe in. Fortunately, the restrictions were lifted and off I flew to Irvine California, all by myself; intimidated, but ready to learn! During the convention I was lucky enough to meet my buddy Mike from NH – someone who is still one of my best friends in the Hot Wheel and real world.

Mike had been going to Strauss conventions since 1998 and knew all the in, outs, and quirks associated with them. We became fast friends and my feet were set upon the path of convention knowledge. Needless to say, the rest is history for I have attended every east and west coast Strauss event since Irvine 2001 (save for Dallas 2004 when my son had just been born). After Irvine 2001 I attended the Wild Weekend of Hot wheels 3 in 2002 where I got to know another best friend of mine, Bryan from NC. I have also attended the Wicked Weekend of Hot Wheels 1 and 2, the annual Macungie PA outdoor toy event, as well as more recently introduced conventions like Summer Smash in Rhode Island, the Mexico City Hot Wheelers convention, and the DiecastSpace.com Super Convention in Las Vegas and Atlanta.

When I was still a completist, conventions were all about “the hunt” for everything I didn’t have. But since having divested myself of over 3000+ pieces of Matchbox and over 1000+ pieces of Johnny Lightning I have been able to enjoy collecting even more. I no longer need to have every mainline Hot Wheels. I now prefer nice redlines or special limited cars like convention and toy fair pieces. I also have grown very fond of collecting discontinued “orphan makes.” Those include the cars I had as a kid like Playart, Zylmex, and Corgi Junior, as well as makes with limited availability in the U.S. like Tomica, Majorette, and Siku. Likewise, convention-going has changed from hunting for everything I can get my hands on, to meeting up with old and new friends and talking about the state of collecting, about other collectors who have come and gone or just sitting around eating, drinking and making each other laugh!

Many things affect the way we collect. The economy, die-cast companies’ fortunes and product decisions, to the size of our own wallets change the way we collect; and that’s not a bad thing. Any changes should be accepted and embraced if you want to keep on doing and collecting whatever you love.

So have I changed as collector? That answer would have to be a resounding YES! I’m glad I have changed, evolved, backed off or whatever you want to call it. Its made me a happier collector and a more grateful one at that.

How have/haven’t you changed as collector since you started out in this great hobby? Let’s hear you story via the comments section below.

New Column: Diecast Stories from the Average Joe Collector

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:34:16 +0000

As 2009 comes to a close, I’m proud to announce the addition of an all new regular column here on DiecastAUDIO! My friend and fellow collector, Joe Altieri is joining the team to provide a thought-provoking look into what it means to be die-cast collector.

Joe has collected a wide variety of die-cast for the last 29 years. His collection includes Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Johnny Lightning, Corgi Jr., Tomica, GreenLight, Playart, Impy and everything else in-between. In addition to die-cast, his near 3 decades of collecting, conventions, club meetings and meeting new collectors have allowed him to gather a great number of stories to share with fellow collectors. Those adventures will be shared through “Diecast Stories from The Average Joe Collector.”

What excites me the most about Joe’s new column is that its the first on the site to focus on “collecting” instead of the cars. Collectors will clearly identify with Joe’s stories, and my hope is that his posts will inspire readers to leave comments and share their own experiences with the rest of the community.

I also need to send out a special thanks to Bryan Pope who managed to pull off a fantastic cartoon likeness of Joe for the logo. It rocks!

Thanks and enjoy the first installment of the column.

Keep on collecting!

-Jeff

Stick’s Redline Garage: Turbofire

Robert Stickels — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 21:49:27 +0000

Turbofire! It’s concept speaks speed, style, and imagination. This casting shows the artistic depth and imagination of designer Ira Gilford. If this car was built in 1-to-1 scale it would probably wear a custom badge from the Winfield or Barris shops and would be finished in a 50’s style, custom fade candy paint scheme. It’s sleek sloping lines, small canopy and wild turbo fan engine certainly let ones imagination run wild! If the superhero Flash had a car, the Turbofire would probably be in his garage.

By far, this casting has to be one of the top five most recognized from the Redline era. The Turbofire was a USA-only casting and was available in 18 spectraflame colors. Its plastic interior came in assorted colors and featured a lift up rear hood that revealed its metal engine. The Turbofire is one of my favorites as a collector as they are available in good supply and at affordable prices.

Click any image to see a larger version

2010 DiecastSpace.com VIP Platinum Membership now available

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:39:11 +0000

2009 marked the launch of DiecastSpace.com’s special VIP Platinum membership program. No, its not a credit card offer as the program’s logo might indicate – but rather a collector program that’s benefits far outweigh the price of admission.

Membership packages for 2009 sold out in a very short amount of time and many interested collectors were unable to take advantage of the program. This week DiecastSpace has announced the availability of their VIP Platinum memberships for 2010.

2010 memberships will feature the following benefits for $200:

- One Custom Car Each Month FOR 12 TOTAL MONTHS: $250 value
- 25% Off ALL DiecastSpace.com Purchases
- Access to a VIP Platinum Members ONLY Lounge on DiecastSpace.Com – where you will be able to purchase all of the online sales 3 days prior to
the regular membership, enter exclusive chat rooms, read exclusive
material and information
- One Convention Car from EACH DiecastSpace Convention a total of 4 cars for the year a $100 Value
- One Platinum Member 2010 December 2 Remember Final e VW Drag Bus: This bus
will only be available to the platinum members who purchase the
membership, not the general membership. The bus will be customized by
the 2010 Customizer of the Year at the 2010 Super Convention, each
will be individually numbered and stickered. $150 value

Some changes we have made to the program in 2010:

- We will notify the membership of what car will ship each month so you can keep track of what cars are coming for each month
- We will send out a shipping email to let everyone know when vehicles ship
- We will be shipping each month on or before the 25th
- We will continue to provide free 24 hour email support
- Toll Free Phone Support Option 24 Hours a Day

2010 membership packages are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. Be sure to act fast if you’re interested in taking advantage of this great offer!

Click here to jump over to the order page.

New Kustomcity castings to land in 2010

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 01:59:41 +0000

Fans of Dave Chang’s EVO casting will be pleased to hear that Kustomcity’s holiday email newsletter indicates that they “will be debuting a few new casting designs” in 2010! Apparently some of the designs they will be releasing were originally created as far back as 2006 and have been given a chance a making their debut after going through some refinement.

No pictures have been release so far, but you can be sure that we’ll be sharing them as soon as they become available!

2010 Elite Transports from Maisto

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 01:13:09 +0000

Fans of Maisto’s Elite Transport line are in for a treat with their first release for 2010. The new line has something for everyone by offering a nice variety of themes and castings.

Click any of the images to see a larger version

Having trouble finding these in your local retail store? Head over to Diehard-Diecast to purchase any or all of the 8 pieces from this release.

The Toy Peddler offers special deals for the holidays

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 00:37:59 +0000

The Toy Peddler is giving collectors some special deals to help thin those collections after (hopefully) adding a bunch of new pieces this holiday season. In with the new, out with the old, right?!?!

On New Years Eve, existing Toy Peddler members will be able pop their current inventory back up to the top of the pile by relisting for just .25 cents per item. Relisting is a great way to put your inventory in front of a fresh set of eyes.

If listing some new pieces is more your thing, then the Toy Peddler’s New Years Day offer is definitely worth paying attention to. Through-out the day on January 1st, 2010, collectors will receive two listing credits for the price of one. Its an offer that’s only happened once before in TTP history and might not come around for another year!

The Toy Peddler is a great alternative to eBay with almost 14,000 members dedicated specifically to toys and die-cast collectibles.

Saturday Nitro featuring Happy Days actress, Erin Moran

Jeff Glasson — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 02:46:42 +0000

The final Nitro for 2009 features a special peek into the life of actress Erin Moran. Erin is best known for her role as Joanie Cunningham on the classic sitcom “Happy Days.” While Erin doesn’t fit into the standard “Nitro guest” category of die-cast designers, customizers and manufacturers, she will be part of the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention as a special guest celebrity.

After a slightly delayed start, Erin provided listeners with some great stories about growing up in front of America. Collectors attending the Super Convention are certainly in for a treat this coming February!

Listen to the recorded show from the audio widget on this page or check out the catalog of previous shows on the Saturday Nitro page.

Liberty Promotion’s “Winter Wagon”

Jeff Glasson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:09:00 +0000

The 2009 holiday offering from Liberty Promotions is sure to keep your collection warm this winter season. The Regular Run is limited to 1300 pieces and features candy apple red paint, green windows and green-line real rider tires. The Rebel Run version is limited to 200 pieces and features winter green paint, red windows and red-line tires.

Liberty Legion members can purchase the Winter Wagon based on the following schedule:

Colossus & Titanus: Monday, November 30th at 9am CST
Prominus: Wednesday, December 2nd at 9am CST
Commendus: Friday, December 4th at 9am CST
Discoverus: Monday, December 7th at 9am CST

Make the jump over to the Liberty Promotions website for more details and ordering information.

In The Stores: Hot Wheels (Nov/Dec)

Ken Cwikla — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:12:20 +0000

Here’s a look at some of the latest Hot Wheels products that will be appearing in stores and online through-out November into December.* Found anything that isn’t on the list? Please submit it via the contact page and we’ll update the list to your credit!

Basic Releases (Case Code ‘P’)

’09 New Models:

- Volkswagon Type 181 in Blue; Ford GT in white race trim; Corvette C6 in red.

’10 New Models:

- ’10 Ford Shelby GT500 in blue; ’67 Pontiac Firebird in green; Corvette Stingray concept in silver; Spider Rider in orange; 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo in black (inter. card).

Muscle Mania:

- Olds 442 re-color in purple.

HW Designs:

- Hyper Mite in orange.

Mystery cars:

- Zotic in yellow.

Other cars:

- Mad Propz in primary colors.

T-Hunts:

- Bone Shakers, Mustangs and some Fire Eaters showing up.

Promo’s: K-day cars:

- ’69 Chevelle SS 396 in blue; ’67 Camaro in matte silver; Dairy Delivery in anodized silver.

Walmart:

- Halloween and Christmas cars are beginning to show on the shelves.

Autozone:

- Has a special line called “Mustang Mania”

Collector Lines

2010 Delivery series:

- Expect to see case code “A” very soon. This will be one of the more popular series for 2010.

Classics series 5:

- Case code ‘N + P’: Many re-paints but the coolest new casting is the ‘Semi’.

Larry’s Garage:

- Wraps up it’s run with the Holiday selection for 2009. Case code “Y”. Six cars total include: Dairy Delivery; ’67 Pontiac GTO; ’57 Chevy Bel-air; Bone Shaker; ’69 Camaro; Ford Delivery. (pictured below). The all new “Garage” series begins in December.

2010 Dragstrip Demons:

- Case code ‘A’; expected in Dec. with all new cars.

Speed Machines:

- A new 2010 series with all real production cars in it. Cars all have co-molded tires similar to the old Acceloracers rims. Expected in December.

2009 Holiday Rides:

- “A” series said to be through hobby retailer only; selections include: ’41 Willys coupe; ’50 Caddy w/Go-Kart; Baja Bug; Pontiac GTO Wagon; Letter Getter; and Texas Hold’em. All come in two colors.

Star Trek 1/50th scale:

- Case code ‘B’ just came out.

1/87th:

- No new releases.

The "In the Stores" column is brought to you courtesy of the Connecticut Valley Diecast Club.

Stick’s Redline Garage – The Demon

Robert Stickels — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:06:17 +0000

The Hot Wheels Demon started life as the “Little Coffin,” a famous 1960’s show rod built by Dave Stuckey of Wichita, Kansas. Dave worked at the famous custom shop Star Kustoms, owned by Darryl Starbird. The Little Coffin went through a few transformations, and in 1962 the Monogram Model Company purchased the car for use as a promotional vehicle where it was scaled for the popular plastic model craze that was sweeping the states.

Mattel later acquired the Monogram scaling prints in 1969 and crafted the Demon. It was finally released in 1970 and came in 12 spectra-flame colors. It also included a black roof, blue tinted front glass, a black interior and a chrome engine with dual carbs sitting atop a supercharger.

This casting was only produced in Hong Kong. There is a single variation of the Demon with a white interior that is very rare. Collectors will find the Demon tough to find in C6 or better condition, making a good set of rainbow Demons a difficult task to accomplish.

Limited Edition Car available from Johnny Lightning and Papa John’s Pizza

Jeff Glasson — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:02:55 +0000

Johnny Lightning has teamed with Papa John’s pizza to offer this exclusive limited edition 1971 Chevy Camaro Z-28 replica of the car “Papa” John Schnatter sold to save his father’s tavern and start Papa John’s pizza twenty-five years ago.

The cars are being sold on the Papa John’s website for $4.99 each and come with a coupon for a free medium cheese pizza.

[via papajohns.com]

Johnny Lightning Rocks!

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:19:03 +0000

Johnny Lightning’s 40th Anniversary celebrations continue with a unique team-up between the die-cast brand and Victory Designs. The result elevates Johnny Lightning beyond the realm of die-cast cars into full-scale guitars!

A total of 100 guitars have been produced and each comes with an exclusive Johnny Lightning car. What about White Lightnings you ask? A total of 5 White Lightning versions of the car have also been created and will be randomly shipped with each guitar purchased. If that weren’t enough, there is also a one of one special edition White Lightning Epiphone Special-II guitar will be randomly shipped to one lucky collector!

Each guitar/car package is being sold for $499.00. Be sure to visit http://www.johnnylightningguitar.com/ for more details and ordering information.

[via johnnylightningguitar.com]

Saturday Nitro Mashup featuring Jeff Glasson, Joe Kelly Jr. & Mike Zarnock

Jeff Glasson — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:13:36 +0000

The Car Room Magazine’s Joe Kelly Jr. and Hot Wheels Author Mike Zarnock join me for a special Saturday Nitro mash-up show. We’ve combined the standard live audio feed of Saturday Nitro with the video stream of The Car Room TV and topped it off by broadcasting from Mike Zarnock’s hobby room in Utica, NY.

Simulcasting the the show on both BlogTalkRadio and Livestream.com came with its share of technical hurdles, but I think things went fairly well for a first time effort. Please note that volume during the first two minutes of the audio stream on BlogTalkRadio is very low, but gets corrected soon after. We also had a few issues getting the video stream recorded properly in the beginning, so you’ll notice that the first few minutes of the show are missing when checking out the video clips below.

We really enjoyed teaming-up to try out this new format and its a sneak-peek of the direction I’ll be taking Saturday Nitro in 2010. Let me know what you think via the comments section below!

Watch live streaming video from thecarroomtv at livestream.com