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

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

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

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

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

The Diecast Hall of Fame Class of 2012 was officially announced at the 2011 DiecastSpace Collector Experience in Nashville, Tennessee earlier this month. An incredible number of nominees were on the ballot in each category this year and it certainly created some difficult decision making for the committee.

As in the past, each inductee will be contacted to confirm that they will be accepting their induction into the Hall of Fame. The ability for each inductee to be present at the 2012 Diecast Hall of Fame ceremony will also be confirmed and publicly listed as that information becomes available.

The inductees for each category in the Class of 2012 include:

In addition, the following DCS Staff members will be inducted under the “Intriguing Collectors” category as announced during the 2011 Diecast Hall of Fame ceremony:

Bob Ratliff, Tony Monzon, Jason Bennett, John Kennedy, Tom Brust, Frank Kelly, Paul Wooten and Cullen Lee

The 2012 Diecast Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place during the 2012 DiecastSpace Super Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino from February 22nd thru the 26th. Information on tickets and accommodations to the convention can be found at Diecastspace.com. Admission to the ceremony itself is free and open to the public.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click either image to see the larger version

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

Here’s a look at some of the latest M2 Machines 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!

The Promotions – Standard (492 pieces) and Chase (108 pieces) versions of the ‘49 Merc produced for the 2011 DiecastSpace Super Convention and made their debut in Las Vegas in February. Remaining quantities are available online at 1stopdiecast.com and on the secondary market.

1:24 Scale – New larger scale releases include a ’65 Ford Mustang 2+2 289 in red or bronze and a ’71 Plymouth ‘Cuda 383 in yellow or white.

* – 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

-Pictures courtesy of M2Machines.com and 1stopdiecast.com.

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s a look at some of the latest Johnny Lightning 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

Forever 64 – Release 13: This release includes the ’69 Dodge Charger R/T, the ’70 Plymouth Superbird, the ’72 Chevy Vega – Bruce Larson, the ’69 Chevy Impala SS Convertible, the ’92 GMC Typhoon, the ’68 Shelby GT500, the ’55 Chrysler 300, the ’77 Dodge Monaco, the ’81 Chevy Malibu – Beat the Heat, the Sprint Car – DiecastSpace, the ’77 Dodge Monaco – Demo Derby and the ’65 Chevy Chevelle SS.

JL 2.0 – Release 5: This release includes the ’87 Ford Mustang – Beat the Heat, the ’72 Vega Wagon – Warren Johnson, the ’87 Buick Grand National – Black w/Flames and the ’09 Dodge Challenger R/T – Mopar Drift car

Muscle Cars 1:24 Scale – Release 51: This release includes the ’68 Pontiac GTO and the ’49 Buick Roadmaster. – Release 52: This release contains the ’71 Plymouth Duster and the ’68 Chevy Nova.

* – Please note that this list was compiled based on information gathered by collectors fromonline 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

-Pictures courtesy of JohnnyLightning.com and others.

February 28, 2011 was the day I finally had to leave Las Vegas and go home to New Jersey. Not that I didn’t miss my wife and son [I did] and not that I didn’t have to go back to work [I did], but I was leaving with the 2011 DiecastSpace Super Convention in my wake. For four days I celebrated diecast, friends, fun, food and Vegas; what more could you ask!  Plus I actually got to meet one of my personal celebrity idols to boot! I must congratulate CJ and the entire DiecastSpace crew for executing a well run convention, as well as Lee Pearlman and his Liberty Promotions staff for their wonderful events!

I hadn’t been on the convention circuit for a while so it was so good to get back into the swing of it, re-connect with old friends and make new ones as well. The DCS Supcon was held in a new venue this year; the Tropicana Hotel rather than the Circus Circus Hotel of the past two years. Both hotels have their pluses and minuses when it comes to hosting a convention, but overall this hotel was a fine choice. The one thing I couldn’t get over was the friendliness of the hotel staff! I know the Tropicana is trying to reconstruct itself [there was a lot of that going on throughout the convention] but also reinvent itself. It showed through the staff, hotel remodeling and a host of other things. A lack of low priced food offerings within the hotel was the biggest detriment but there were some close by if you didn’t mind walking a bit.

CJ, Bob, Jeff, Cullen, Tony, Paul and the whole DCS crew tend to think a little outside the normal convention box and it makes for a nice overall event! Diecast Uno continues to be one of my favorite events at any DiecastSpace conventions. My table of nine consisted of my long time friends Bryan Pope, Connie Basham [2011 HOF Inductee], Jason Scull from NM and his girlfriend Gina, as well as good convention friends Carl, Larry and Joey and a brand new friend Sherrie Hoffman from OR. I won’t say play became ruthless, but it sure was competitive! Tables were supposed to play 5 games and the best of 5 games winner moves onto to the final. Well, we took the longest and had five different people win who then had a one game playoff! It was lots of fun!

Another enjoyable part of the convention for me is the annual customs contest. For an admitted non artist; I am always amazed at the creations these talented diecast customizers come up with. Bryan Pope, Chris Walker, Kazy Kishi and so many more have imaginations that actually come to life! This year the Amateur entries could rival the Pros and the Pro entries were so well done it was hard to choose a favorite. In the end a handful of customizers won some well deserved awards!

The Hall of Fame induction dinner was probably the highlight of my convention trip. Not only was my good friend Connie Basham inducted in the Intriguing Collector category, but I got to meet Richard Petty, Shirley Muldowney and Tommy Ivo who were also 2011 inductees. Mr. Petty is a gracious man, and I even got my picture taken with him! Shirley Muldowney and Tommy Ivo had interesting stories to wow the dinner crowd too. As always Chris Parker (HWC) from Mattel [another 2011 inductee] was on hand to liven up the event with his trademark callouts and silly string attacks! CJ also had musical entertainment in the form of a mother/daughters trio that performed several beautiful songs. One of the biggest surprises of the night was that the HOF induction portion of the night was hosted by none other than Dennis Gage from TV’s “My Classic Car!” He was a fill-in for Joe Kelly Jr. who had hosted this event for the last 2 years. Dennis was very jovial and tried to interject his own style into his hosting duties. He did a great job! I got a chance to meet him briefly before the event, and he was very affable and funny! I hope he returns in the future! Another highlight of the HOF event was having many of the attending past and present Hall of Fame inductees sign a special convention poster! The after-party awards announcements were also a BLAST; a Silly String Blast that is; get the picture [WINK WINK]!

Liberty Promotions continues to spice up the Diecastspace conventions by running their very popular scavenger hunt, as well as Wheel of Fortune – both of which allow collectors to try and win some rare Rebel Run prizes. I must admit I tried the scavenger hunt Thursday and Friday with no luck [and got into some trouble with hotel security while searching-cant really say anymore-Thanks.] and was going to give up on Saturday. I’m glad I didn’t because I eventually found one of LP’s secret scrolls and bagged myself a Rebel Run Camaro Convention car!

The Charity Auction on Friday night had some rare and tasty goodies for everyone to ogle over and possibly purchase. Many 1-of-1 customs and original pieces of diecast oriented artwork from the likes of Carson Lev and Mike Lavallee were available to bid on. Many of the auction lots rang up high dollar amounts for some worthy charities. Unfortunately, everything I was interested in quickly went past my price range – but it was fun anyway!

The sales floor and exhibition center of the Tropicana was still under construction but that didn’t deter many well known diecast manufacturers, retailers and exhibitors from participating at the Super Convention this year. Manufacturers like Greenlight, M2 Machines and Maisto showed their newest wares while retailers like HOTCASES.com, Nickelcast and Prestige Hobbies had a vast array of cars to purchase. In addition, a collection of unique real 1:1 scale custom cars showed up each day and delighted convention goes. It’s wonderful that so many different vendors and collectors can come together under a united front.

Other convention events included Bingo and the RAOK party. Bingo as always draws a big crowd and made 10 people very happy by winning prizes [not me though but I still fun!]. The RAOK party is also a free event for people to meet each other and share any RAOKs they may have brought. I didn’t stay long at the RAOK party because I had already planned to get together with friends for something else, but I heard everyone who attended had a good time!

Another big highlight for me was to be able to assist one of my best friends Bryan Pope in his annual Pope Designs Las Vegas custom car sale. This year’s design was the “DCS Girls VW T1 Tour Bus.” There were also six of the DCS Girls on hand to assist with the event! How’s that for something to “Get your Motor Running!” The lovely Renee donned a pink Pope Designs t-shirt to assist in pulling all of the winning tickets, while the equally charming Shelby and Angela were our number card girls who held up the winning ticket numbers for everyone to see. The other 3 DCS Girls were signing autographs and taking pictures with all of the eager fans participating in the sale. They were very well received to say the least!

Seventy eight eager people lined up for more than an hour before the sale start time to insure their ability to obtain a ticket allowing them to enter a drawing to buy one of 41 buses available! A special highlight of this year’s sale was that Bryan had a free 1 of 1 Double Diamond version of the T1 Tour Bus up for raffle for all ticket holders after the sale. I was happy to see many long time Pope Designs fans show up and even win a T1, but was more amazed at the first time winners and their back stories.

One winner this year was Las Vegas’s own Brandan Terkel. Last year Brandan was at the Super Convention hobbling around in a lot of pain on crutches. This year he had fully recovered and even opened a diecast business named CDCToyz.com (who was also a convention sponsor). Brandan and his dad Rand are huge diecast fans and Pope Designs supporters, so it was good to see one of them win. Brandan and Rand are nice, honest people, and you should definitely check out their site!

Another first time T1 winner was Martin Cruz from the Philippines. Before the official sale began, Martin told me that the one of the biggest reasons he wanted to come to Las Vegas this year was to win a Pope Designs T1! Martin is a member of the Diecast Car Collectors of the Philippines [DCPH]. It seems Martin wasn’t supposed to come to the convention this year but was offered the chance at the last minute when one of the club’s members had to bow out. Martin quickly seized the opportunity to come with his goal of winning a T1!

The final collector story involves four members of the Sipple Family from Cincinnati Ohio. Mom Melva, son Bruce, Bruce’s wife Jessica, and Melva’s daughter/Bruce’s sister Lorrie Davis all attended the convention together. It was Lorrie’s second time but her family’s first -and what a time they had. Jessica won a Pope T1 standard version, Bruce won a Pope T1 Diamond version and Mom Melva won the 1 of 1 PD Double Diamond version of the T1! Although Lorrie didn’t win a Pope T1, she did win a raffle prize at the Charity Auction. The family also managed to win a total of 4 Rebel Run Camaros in the Liberty Promotions Treasure Quest Scavenger Hunt! Talk about luck!  There are several photos from the T1 Bus sale on the Pope Designs’s wesbite, so be sure to check them out!

I was glad to receive some unique code 3 custom Hot Wheels as event cars as well as purchase several 80’s Majorettes I didn’t have as well as a mint Yatming Porsche 924 that I didn’t know existed so I was very happy! Other vendors had Hot Wheels from current to back to 60’s Redlines, many different Matchboxes from all eras, as well as a nice supply of JLs and lots of other brands in all scales. Room to room trading was on a few floors and offered some varied choices and good prices!

Even Sunday morning; when everyone else was leaving turned out to be one of the most hysterical events I personally have ever seen at a convention. The sight of a previous HOF inductee [try to guess] barreling down a hotel hallway in only their undershorts surprising then spraying a newly appointed HOF inductee [try to guess] with Silly String and then running off will forever be burned into my mind!  As you can see, Silly String plays an important role at Diecastspace conventions!

The whole time I was there; I was greeted warmly by fellow collectors I hadn’t seen in a while who welcomed me back into the convention fold. It was a great feeling! As with any group who has similar interests, there is an unspoken bond between collecting brothers [and a large and growing number of sisters] that we get each other and don’t judge this strange addiction to little cars. There will always be people who take collecting way too seriously, as well as those who lean towards amassing and flipping diecast as a way to make extra cash.  That’s OK too; to each his own!

Combining all of these great activities and friends together in a location like Las Vegas was the icing on the cake! I have had wonderful times at pretty much every convention I have attended no matter where it is held or who/what organization is hosting it, but I think Las Vegas is just a fantastic place, so it makes this convention that much more enjoyable. As of now, I don’t know when or if I will be able to get to another convention this year. I would love to go to the L.A. area Strauss convention this coming October for their 25th anniversary, but I’ll have to wait and see. The Macungie, Pennsylvania 2-day outdoor toy show in August is definitely on my list. That show is something my friends Bill, Tony and Lisa and I just can’t miss!

I’ve said it before and I will say it again; going to diecast conventions to me has become more about connecting with friends, laughing together and celebrating diecast. If I find something to buy or win something; it’s even better! Who wouldn’t want to share this experience with people you enjoy hanging out with; that is what life should be all about in the first place!

As always, I enjoy your comments – so definitely let me know if you went to Las Vegas this February or share any other positive convention experiences you have had in the past!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Midnight Racing has become one of the more popular events at the various Diecastspace conventions and attendees of the 2011 Diecastspace Super Convention will have the opportunity to participate in a extra special version of the race. What will make the event special is the limited edition set of Hot Wheels Muscle Tone castings designed by Eric Tscherne.

Not only did Eric create the actual First Edition Muscle Tone casting for Mattel back in 2000, but he’s also selected the colors and come up with an all new graphic design for the cars that will be available for the race.

Eric has been releasing the e-sheets for the car on Facebook over the last few weeks. Collectors who are able to snag one of these beauties will truly have a great souvenir commemorating both the Super Convention and Eric’s induction into the Diecast Hall of Fame.

Be sure to visit the ToyCarConventions.com for information on tickets and accommodations to the 2011 Super Convention being held in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 24th through the 27th.

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

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

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

There are a growing number of collectors in the diecast community who question the merits of collecting customized pieces or the so-called Code 3 class of diecast.  That question is becoming more relevant as an increasing number of diecast customizers appear on the scene and that the Diecastspace.com KustomKon Conference (the first ever event geared specifically for diecast customizers) just wrapped up this month in Dallas. Here is a short explanation of Code 3 diecast (or Codes 1 and 2 for that matter) for those of you that may be unfamiliar with the term(s).

Code 1

A Code 1 diecast refers to a casting/model built by an established manufacturer that is available to the general public via some form of mass market outlet.  Examples of this are Mattel’s Hot Wheels and Matchbox, Johnny Lightning, Greenlight Collectibles, etc. which are sold thru outlets like Toys R Us, Wal-Mart, and Target, a local independent hobby/toy store, supermarkets, drug stores etc, etc, or thru a hobby specialist website like Milezone.com or 1stopdiecast.com.

There is also a new, smaller group of Code 1 diecast that has also come into play only within the last few years. Three players have emerged bringing forth their own lines of brand new castings and covering them with some pretty wild themes. This new breed of diecast manufacturer includes Dave Chang’s Kustomcity EVO line, Lou Tanahara’s Custom Crew Sledster line, and the recently introduced Dreamliner line by Chris “Nightstalker” Walker’s Alien Projects. All of these independents have conceived fresh castings, produced on a limited basis, by independent manufacturers, and are sold thru venues like conventions and internet websites. All of these brands have a growing fan base of admirers and collectors, as well as escalating prices for their rarer models. These newcomers bring a fresh perspective as to the direction the diecast collecting hobby is going in years to come.

Code 2

A Code 2 diecast car is a casting/model that is built by an established diecast manufacturer again like Mattel, Jada, or M2 Machines etc, etc to be sold exclusively by only a select retail outlet(s) or website like McDonalds kids’ meal promos or only being sold to select people who are part of a members only club like Mattel’s RLC, the older Snap-On dealer exclusives or the Johnny Lightning Collectors Club.  These Code 2 cars are usually sold in a limited quantity run or sold only for a short time or maybe even both.

Another type of Code 2 cars are ones made for specific diecast conventions by various major manufacturers. The cars are generally commissioned by a private party or convention promoter and sold only to people admitted by paid admission to the event. This even applies to the convention’s traditional Sunday toy show where the general public is invited in. Usually the public is either let in shortly after the convention-goers have entered or are charged a fee to enter. Examples of this type of Code 2 cars include pieces offered by the Strauss conventions, The Gathering of Friends, Lightning Fest and other events. If a non-club member or non convention-goer wanted to purchase these cars they would have to go on a secondary market like eBay or a toy show.  These cars are also usually made in limited quantity, and no more are made once the outlet that commissioned the car is sold out. 

Sometimes there are occasions when the Code 1 and Code 2 lines are blurred and things get a little confusing. Examples of cars like this are; Target exclusive tin cars, Wal-mart exclusive paint jobs, K-Mart day exclusive cars and even cars for the K-Mart and Toys R Us mail-away promotions.

I feel that cars exclusive to Target, Wal-Mart, or K-Day but can be bought at the store level are prime examples of cars that fall into the Code 1 category.  Even though the cars are usually more limited in production that most Code 1 cars and there will be people who don’t have access to the stores selling these cars in their area; they are still available to the general public in and they are still made in much higher numbers than most Code 2 cars.

I feel cars like the ones that are part of K-Mart and Toys R Us mail-away promotions tend to fall into the Code 2 category. These pieces typically require the collector to gather receipts and proofs of purchase in order to receive them. If you don’t go to those particular stores and collect the necessary requirements needed to obtain the car, you would have to buy or trade for them elsewhere. Other examples of Code 2 cars include those made exclusively as a corporate promotion. Examples of these would include pieces from the likes of Snap-On tools or cars for a diecast hobby specialist website. These cars are also usually made in a limited number, are available for a limited time, and may only be available as a mail-in, in-store offer, or through the a specific website. It often helps to join the mailing lists for these locations so you’ll get advance notice of their impending sales.

Code 3

Code 3 diecast cars are simpler to explain, but are often categorized into different sub-categories.  This type of diecast is typically created from an established manufacturer’s casting, stripped of their original paint, tampos and packaging; then re-painted and re-packaged by someone else.  There has been a surge in the sales of custom diecast pieces during the last 4 years. Most custom diecast pieces, but not all (I would say 85%), are created from Hot Wheels castings. Some “diecast customizers” come up with pretty amazing designs that are quite different from what is typically found on Code 1 and 2 cars. Some Code 2 cars do rise above the sometimes humdrum norm of diecast design and are very distinctive; but most never capture the uniqueness of Code 3 customs.  

One of the largest and most well-known Code 3 customizers is Liberty Promotions [LP].  They produce models with custom themes in quantities that tend to average around 2500 cars per run.  LP’s models are collected by a broad array of collectors, and the secondary market prices for some of their rarer “Rebel Run” issues can become very expensive. I would even believe that some newbie collectors are unaware that LP’s cars are actually customs. I usually joke with my friends that LP has become so well known their cars should be classified as a Code 2 ½!

The current crop of top customizers who sell their work include a diverse spectrum of people like Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez who is known for both his wild packaging (and indoor sunglasses!) to others like Diecastspace.com Diecast Hall of Fame inductees Bryan Pope of Pope Designs, Chris “Nightstalker” Walker of Alien Projects, Vince “V-Man” Mosley, Jay Holt of Execution Customs and Sherry Abbey. These customizers have built a large following of adoring fans who try to gobble up their customs as soon as they become available. They have been honored over and over again with custom contest awards for their creations.

Popular “up and comers” in the customizing arena are folks like Dino LaSpada (LB Customz),  Tony Monzon (SDChopShop) and “Crazy” Kazy Kishi and Chojiro of Japan- who are crafting wild and far out pieces that win the admiration of their peers and dazzle people like me who can barely draw stick figures! There are also many, many more great customizers out there just producing for the love of customizing. I can’t even begin to list all of their names, but I have been fascinated with their work for a long time.

The next type of code 3 cars has really exploded over the last few years; the RAOK!  What’s a RAOK you ask?  It’s a gift of a car given from one person to another as a sign of friendship without expectation of a return gift.  It’s a [R]andom [A]ct [O]f [K]indness gift!  Custom RAOKs are passed out between friends/acquaintances at a convention or a local club party/meeting.  Most Custom ROAKs are usually created/commissioned by the giver and are in a baggie with a custom printed header card. I love receiving RAOKs and am very appreciative of all the cars I have been given over the years from so many different people; especially since there is no way I can reciprocate for reasons previously mentioned in the last paragraph.

Code 3 cars also figure prominently at diecast conventions. For many years the Strauss series of conventions have used Code 3 cars as prizes for their Button Bingo, Poker, and Dinner giveaways as well as their Newsletter member appreciation car. Most Code 3 cars given away by Strauss come in a vast array of colors with some very low production numbers that add to their collectability. Other conventions venues like Diecastspace.com and the RIHWC Summer Smash conventions utilize code 3 cars as their convention and souvenir pieces. These are usually made by a wide selection of admired customizers who add an air of distinction to the piece. Many of these pieces are also becoming very collectible and sought after.

And even after all of the examples I have brought up about various Code 3 diecast cars; many people still don’t think they are worth collecting.  So here are my answers to the many questions/concerns still out there about collecting Code 3 cars:

Q/C) Some people think that since Code 3 cars aren’t built by a major manufacturer, their collectability and future value suffer.
A) Untrue.  As cited above many Liberty Promotions Rebel Runs go up in value.  This is also the case for many Strauss, Pope Designs, Nightstalker, and Dave Chang EVO customs as well. 

Q/C) Some people feel they can’t justify the purchase price of some customs for sale.
A)  Many people only have a limited amount of funds these days and need to spend their money wisely.   This is all the more reason to buy only the diecast you really like.  If you factor in the time, materials, and limited production numbers of many diecast for sale vehicles; you can see why they cost what they do.  Most people buy customs because they enjoy the individuality of the cars vs. the commonality of mainline diecast or relate to the theme and appreciate the time it took build the car.

Q/C) I never seem to know when the customs for sale cars are available and miss out.
A)  This is where the buyer has to do their due diligence and invest a little time.  There are a few things you can do to insure you are in the loop or know when you can buy a customizer’s next offering.

1. Join a customizer’s website email announcement list.  Most customizers have one and you will always know when one of their cars is up for sale either online or at a convention.  You’ll have to have fast fingers to buy most customs online so set your alarm for five minutes before sale time to make sure you’re on the net and ready to buy.
2. If you have the time or can afford to do so, go to a diecast convention at least once in your collecting career.  Conventions will open your eyes up to a whole new side of collecting.  Here is where you can make friends and connections and learn about custom collecting first hand.
3. Scan auction sites like eBay, Scoomer, and The Toy Peddler or go to your local hobby show.  Even though you may possibly have to pay higher secondary market prices for a custom, you can pick and choose the designs you like best.  There will always be folks who buy a custom piece to try and flip it for a profit.  This may take it away from someone interested who won’t flip it but capitalism is what makes the world go around.  Only the collector has the power and final say whether the price of admission is too high or not.

So, should diecast collectors consider collecting custom pieces?  It boils down to so many factors and tastes that some say there isn’t just a yes or no answer but I say yes; collect the customs you like and can afford. They will bring a fresh perspective and centerpiece to your collection as well as a hot topic amongst your friends both enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. 

As the title of this article says, the beauty of a custom is truly in the eye of the collector and if you pursue the beauty of custom diecast, I’m sure you will find it to be a great new place to explore. As always, I welcome everyone’s opinion and thoughts about this article.  Let me know what you think in the comments section below!

Johnny Lightning collectors will love this sneak peak of the upcoming Sprint Car casting that will be hitting retail in 2011 as part of the Forever 64 line.

Click the image to see a larger version of this early e-sheet. Upon close inspection you’ll see a cool nod to DiecastSpace adorning the top wing courtesy of JL Senior Design Manager, Tom Zahorsky. Cool!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Diecast Hall of Fame Class of 2011 was officially announced to the public at the Legends Dinner held during the 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars in Orlando, Florida. DiecastSpace CEO CJ Kramer led the proceedings which can be viewed here:

The Official 2011 Diecast Hall of Fame Ceremony will take place in February during the 2011 DiecastSpace Super Convention at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino. Tickets are now on sale for the Super Convention and can be purchased at ToyCarConventions.com.

*- Please note that Sean Taylor from M2 Machines was inadvertently omitted from the verbal announcement, but will be sixth inductee in the Diecast Designers category for 2011.

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

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

+++ Pro, Mild +++

+++ Pro, Spicy +++

+++ Pro, Wild +++

+++ Pro, Sets +++

Wizard Entertainment is well known in the world of all things “pop culture” for publishing Wizard magazine and ToyFare magazine, as well as producing numerous Comic Con events across the United States each year. DiecastSpace has officially partnered with Wizard to strengthen the diecast collectibles presence at their events. Wizard World Comic Cons typically draw between 70,000 and 100,000 attendees over each four day event.

DiecastSpace’s involvement will begin with the Chicago Comic Con running August 19-22, 2010.

Wizard released the this official announcement on their site yesterday:

The world of diecast toy cars will have a strong presence at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con as DiecastSpace.com, the No. 1 Online Social Network for diecast car collectors and organizers of four major conventions in North America, will serve as official diecast partner at the event, August 19-22, at the Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill.

DiecastSpace.com will produce limited edition custom collectible cars for the Chicago Comic Con, that will be available at their booth. Their existing relationships with major diecast brands such as Hot Wheels®, Johnny Lightning, Greenlight Collectibles and many others will bring a wide variety of automotive collectible products, events and celebrity to the Wizard World Comic Con. Collectors and fans are invited to check back on WizardWorld.com as the event nears for other exciting news about DiecastSpace’s participation.

DiecastSpace.com just wrapped up its Magical Weekend of Cars convention in Orlando, Fla. This year into next, it will manage events in Niagara Falls, Canada (Sept. 9-12); Dallas (Nov. 4-7); and the “Super Convention” in Las Vegas (Feb. 24-27, 2011) that features the annual Diecast Hall of Fame ceremony.

Chicago Comic Con runs from August 19-22, 2010 at the Rosemont Convention Center. This major pop-culture convention brings together fans of comics, toys, collectibles and offers a chance to see actors, writers, artists that each industry has to offer.

For more Chicago Comic Con guest and programming updates, become a fan of CHICAGO COMIC CON on Facebook!

Save up to 15 percent off the price of tickets by ordering your tickets in advance. Tickets are more at the door.

GET CHICAGO COMIC CON TICKETS NOW!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Last week The Custom Crew announced the official pre-order for the all new Flatbed Sledster. Attendees of the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention got an first-hand look at the pre-production version of this new version of the original Sledster and the reactions were all the same – this thing ROCKS!

The flatbed trailer has been sized to easily accommodate almost any brand of 1:64 scale car. Two rear sections of the trailer can be removed and reattached to the back edge as ramps – a very nice touch indeed! The two new paint designs are dubbed “Hot Lead” and “Butterscotch,” with the latter being a tribute to the legendary rod and custom builder Gene Winfield.

Chaser “Crewzer” versions of the Flatbed Sledster will be available and eligibility to purchase them will be chosen randomly as in previous sales. You can increase your chances of being selected to purchase a chase piece by pre-ordering before May 17, 2010.

Click any image to see the larger version

In order to accommodate a large number of requests to purchase both the regular and both Chase “Crewzers” all together, The Custom Crew will be offering a limited number of Custom Combos, (sets of all four Flatbeds), to be purchased at one time. Collectors can expect Flatbed orders to start shipping around May 18th.

Click here to jump over to The Custom Crew store to place your order.

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

Click the image to see a larger version

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

Theres no doubt that MiQ Willmott’s 2010 Diecast Hall of Fame Dairy Delivery was a hit at the DiecastSpace Super Convention. It made its debut there in a limited edition flat black with two extra special pieces done up in purple appearing in the charity auction.

Attendees of the upcoming Magical Weekend of Cars will have a chance at this “MiQ approved” 2.0 version of the Dairy that will be done up in crimson red. Chances are also pretty good that an alternate color pair could appear in the charity auction once again! Stay tuned!

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

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

The Liberty Legion Exclusive:

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

Magical Weekend Registration Cars:

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

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

Charity VW Drag Bus:

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

But wait, there’s more..and its FREE!

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

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

Liberty Promotions Treasure Quest:

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

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

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

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

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.

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!

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

Pro Mild Customs:

Pro Spicy Customs:

Pro Wild Customs:

Pro Customs Sets:

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

Amateur Mild Customs:

Amateur Spicy Customs:

Amateur Wild Customs:

Amateur Customs Sets:

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

Large Scale Customs:

Diorama Customs:

Display Only Customs:

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

See you in Vegas!

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]

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Labor day has come and gone, the kids are back to school, and the evening temperatures here in the Northeast are beginning to cool down to autumn-like levels. With Halloween just a short month and a half away, collectors can expect to see a few limited edition custom pieces pop up in celebration of the cavity-promoting holiday.

The first to appear and make you salivate is the DiecastSpace “Drool Ghoul” Drag Bus. The graphics and paint were designed and executed by Chris Walker. The run is limited to just 25 pieces and goes on sale this Friday (09/18/09) at 6pm PST (9pm EST) on DiecastSpace.com for $80 each (plus $6 shipping).

Click the image to see a larger version

[via diecastspace.com]

The diecast collecting hobby recently suffered a great loss with the recent passing of Shane Whittenbarger on August 5, 2009. While I personally had only know Shane for a little more than a year, the impact of his presence in the diecast community was unsurpassed, and it became readily apparent how amazing Shane was only after knowing him for such a short time. I’m proud to have had the pleasure of knowing and working with him.

Many people might have known Shane as an up-standing collector, a tireless worker, a dedicated father and as someone you could always count on to get the job done. Not only was he a major force in helping ensure that the 2009 DiecastSpace Super Convention was as successful as it was, but he was also the producer for Saturday Nitro and always made sure there was an amazing guest lined up for me to interview for your entertainment. I am honored to have called him a friend.

Now that Shane’s battle with cancer has ended, the reality of his funeral expenses has come to light. Its an expense that without financial assistance, would force Shane’s parents to mortgage their home to cover. In honor of Shane, members of the diecast collecting community are stepping up to bare the financial burden. Amazing companies such as GMP Diecast, Liberty Promotions and GreenLight Collectibles have donated some amazing pieces to help raise funds at several upcoming charity auctions.

Beyond that I am asking you, my fellow collector and DiecastAudio reader, to consider donating to our cause via the Chip-In widget on the right column of the site. Clicking the Chip-In button will bring you to PayPal where you can contribute with a credit card or your own personal PayPal account. The Chip-In donations are being managed by Mr. Jerry Yates who is an Administrator at DiecastSpace.com.

Please get in touch with me personally via the contact page if you are not comfortable donating with that method, but would still like to contribute. I would be more than happy to provide you with my mailing address to apply a donation via personal check to the cause. Each an every dollar gets us closer to our goal of making sure Shane is remembered in a way that he and his family deserve.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Jeff Glasson
DiecastAudio.com

Thats right – DiecastSpace.com has decided to bring its first non-US convention to Canada in 2010! Just a few weeks ago the announcement of the first Canadian convention was made and now the official convention website has been launched where collectors can find out more about the convention events, get information about accommodations and of course, buy tickets!

This in-room trading focused event will take place at the Sheraton Falls View Hotel in Niagara Falls, Ontario Canada on September 9-12th 2010. Many great sponsors have already jumped on board and there will certainly be more to come. Stay tuned for more information coming soon about this great event!

[via thecollectoruniverse.com]

This time around we were able to take advantage of the good internet connection and did a show from the Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 6! Over the course of the show I managed to persuade Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez, collector Joe Altieri, Mike Zarnock, Bob Parker and CJ Cramer from DiecastSpace to sit down and chat about their thoughts on the Wild Weekend’s events and “come-back” as an annual die-cast event here in New England. Enjoy!

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.

I’m sure those who attended the GMP Experience during the Hotlanta convention would agree that it was quite possibly the highlight of the weekend. The event was spectacular from start to finish. Everything was top notch – from Tom Long’s (GMP’s President) gracious hosting, to delicious the BBQ and the amazing parting gift. Oh, did I mention the cars!?! Attendees got a first-hand look at almost every model that GMP makes. I think more than a few collectors left with a future GMP purchase on their brains! Not too shabby for a $25 premium event!

If that weren’t enough, the trip also included a side excursion to Milton Robson’s private 1:1 scale car collection. Getting a first-hand look at his spectacular award-winning collection of muscle cars and classics was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Here are some photo sets of both the GMP Tour and the side trip to the Robson collection. Enjoy!

The GMP Experience

Milton Robson’s Private Car Collection

This time we have a special round-table style, two-hour re-cap of the DiecastSpace.com Hotlanta Collector Experience with special guests Joe Altieri, Lou Tanahara, Eric Tscherne and Joe Kelly Jr. Each guest brings a unique perspective to their experiences at the convention. We even devote some time talking about the potential the next Collector Experience will have in 2010 at Walt Disney World, Florida. Enjoy!

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.

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.