The 2nd Annual KustomKon wrapped up this past weekend in Dallas, and a small selection of the remaining event and souvenir cars from the convention are now available in the DiecastSpace online store. Collectors will find a variety of castings to choose from that were customized by the likes of Chris “Nightstalker” Walker, Albert “Kool51” Avila and Tony “SDChopShop” Monzon. However, you’ll need to act fast since only a small quantity of each are left after the convention.

Here is a sampling of some of the cars currently available. Click any image to see a larger version.

Click here to jump over to the DiecastSpace store to view the remaining KustomKon cars.

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!

A copy of this Summer Smash 4 poster surfaced towards the end of last week and features renders of the many of the custom cars being produced for this year’s convention. The gas pump packaging is clearly a Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez creation which is a good indication that at least a few (if not all) of these pieces will be coming from the package master.

Quantity and pricing on these pieces is still to be determined, but attendees of Summer Smash 4 will certainly be the first to have a chance to add these to their collection. Be sure to visit the Official Summer Smash 4 website for details on tickets and accommodations to this convention.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Diecast Convention Updates

With just under a week to go until the Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 6 begins, the staff has announced the availability of several incredible limited edition “Black Box” sets of convention cars. Here’s the scoop right from the Wild Weekend staff:

It has been a tradition since the first Wild Weekend event in 2000 that a very limited number of the official event cars be produced in the color black. This limited number was previously only one or two! For Wild Weekend 6, we are proud to unveil our exclusive “Black Box” Set. Each set contains (7) event cars… the Street Rodder and Bone Shaker, plus (5) other black versions of Wild Weekend 6 event cars… Can you guess which ones?

There are only 15 sets being produced, and these will be sold to the highest bidders at the Charity Auction for Autism Speaks.® This is truly a collector’s set. Each box is built to the highest standards of craftsmanship by the S.J. Pappas Company in Meriden, CT. The box is finished in high-gloss enamel, and when opened, there is an aluminum plate that is cut out to surround each car securing them in place, while offering a handy space for your favorite Wild Weekend 6 designer or Black Box car contributor to sign his name. The Black Box cover is adorned with an etched brass plate, commemorating Wild Weekend 6.

Visit the official Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels website for more information about tickets, accommodations and activities.

[via wwhw6.com]

One noticeable change made between the Super Convention and the Collector Experience was in the quality of the convention cars. The decision to stick with top-tier customizers for the production was a smart move and it definitely paid off. Here’s a set of some of the cars from the weekend:

If you weren’t able to attend the Hotllanta Collector Experience or would just like to own some of the fine pieces that came out of the event, be sure to keep an on the DiecastSpace website for special sales of the remaining limited run cars.

The e-sheet madness continues with all four of the pieces that Chris Walker is producing for the 2009 Hotlanta Collector Experience in June. You certainly can’t go wrong with casting like these and I think you’ll are that they’re looking great!

Each car will be part of a designated event/ticket at the convention. Here’s the breakdown:

• Bingo / Boneshaker
• Convention Ticket / VW Drag Truck
• DiecastSpace Party / ’67 Camaro
• Nightstalker Experience / VW Drag Bus

[via diecastspace.com]

Here is a quick slideshow of the souvenir area of the registration room and the small Mattel display room at the 2009 Hot Wheels Collectors Nationals in Reston, VA. While the Mattel display room was pretty small, it did happen to feature a few unique Hot Wheels t-shirt designs – even some for the ladies!