Just as American collectors will be waking from their “Turkey-induced food comas,” Pope Designs will be launching this year’s Christmas Bus sale. Pope’s 2011 Santa Express VW Drag Bus will officially go on-sale this Friday, November 25th with a limited edition quantity of just 16 pieces.

Of those 16, 12 will be “Standard Editions” featuring Metallic Evergreen paint with Pro-Circuit rimmed front tires. The remaining 4 will be the coveted “Diamond Edition” featuring Metallic Gold paint job along with Redline Real Rider tires. Both editions come mounted in an acrylic case with original Pope Designs artwork on the backdrop card.

Each bus will be available for $90 (plus $6 shipping) on a first-come, first served basis via the Pope Designs eBay page. Diamond Editions will be randomly inserted into orders in place of the Standard Edition. Be sure to visit the Pope Designs Sales Page for more information and to see additional photos of the bus!

Join me in wishing Pro Diecast Customizer and Diecast Hall of Fame Inductee Bryan Pope a very Happy Birthday! Stay in touch with everything going on at Pope Designs by joining the mailing list, “friending” Bryan on Facebook and “liking” the Pope Designs Facebook page.

Bryan’s next convention appearance will be at the Summer Smash coming up on August 25th thru the 28th. Be sure to visit the official Summer Smash website for more info on tickets and accommodations.

It will be the ONLY way for collectors to get the remaining Pope Designs 5th Anniversary Camaros now that the online sale is over!

After a short pre-order period, the Custom Crew’s new Mooneyes Sledster is now shipping. This release mark several changes for the company including their first corporate licensing partnership, as well as the ability to purchase chase pieces as part of a four pack.

Similar to previous Custom Crew releases, both the standard and chase editions of the Mooneyes Sledster come in two different colors. The standard edition is available in Satin Black or Yellow and is limited to just 864 pieces of each color. The chase edition comes in metallic grey or metallic gold and is limited to just 384 pieces.

Collectors who purchase individual pieces will have a random chance of getting a chase piece inserted into their order in place of a standard edition Sledster. “Gotta have’m all” collectors will be pleased to see that The Custom Crew now offers a complete set of all four Sledsters for $239.96.

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

- Click any image to see a larger version -

VW Drag Bus Fans will be happy to see that the Regular and Rebel Run Editions of Liberty Promotion’s Diecast Hall of Fame Bus are now available to all Liberty Legion membership levels. Both versions of the bus were originally scheduled to be on sale last February during the 2011 DiecastSpace Super Convention along with the “Ceremonial Edition” which was only available to attendees of the Hall of Fame Ceremony.

The regular version is limited to 1250 pieces and the Rebel Run version is limited to 250. Each bus is available for $26.99 (USD) plus shipping. Rebel Run versions are randomly inserted into orders and are only available by chance.

Click here to jump over to the Liberty Promotions sale page

Note: At the time of publishing this article, a small quantity of the “Ceremonial Edition” bus has been made available at the DiecastSpace online store. Like the Rebel Run, this version of the Hall of Fame bus is also only limited to 250 pieces and is selling for more than the $59.99 asking price on the secondary markets.

Click here to jump over to the DiecastSpace store to check availability on the Ceremonial Edition bus.

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!

The 2011 DCX Expo rolls into the Fairplex in Pomona, CA as part of the RCX Expo on March 19th and 20th, and in celebration of the event Diehard-Diecast.com is offering up a limited run of custom VW Drag Buses. In years past these buses had only been made available to collectors who were physically attending the expo. This year two different versions of the bus have been created to accommodate both those who can make it and those who can only order online.

The first “INTERNET ONLY” version features black paint with this year’s DCX logo with flames design. The basic piece comes with plastic wheels and the chase piece features redline real rider tires. This bus comes on a custom DCX/Diehard Diecast card and is limited to just 150 pieces. Orders for this bus can be placed online for $70 each (USD) and you can choose whether you’d like to have it shipped or if you’d like to pick it up in person at the show.

Click any image to see the larger version

The second “ATTENDEE” version of the bus features bright green paint with the same logo and flame design. The basic piece comes with plastic wheels and the chase piece features redline real rider tires. It also comes on a custom DCX/Diehard Diecast card (with matching bright green color) and is limited to just 150 pieces. This version of the bus can also be ordered online for $65 each (USD) but MUST BE PICKED UP IN PERSON AT THE EVENT. The Attendee version will not be available for shipping.

Click here to jump over to Diehard-Diecast and place your order.

Of course, attending the expo in person is the best option and the line up of vendors is looking great. This year’s confirmed exhibitors include Lionel NASCAR Collectibles, M2 Machines, Ertl Collectibles, The Custom Crew and GreenLight Collectibles. The popular “Customs Alley” returns as well and will feature Jimmy “The Box Man” Chavez, Jay Holt of Execution Customs, Sheri Abbey of Sheri’s Wheels and Alvaro Gonzalez of Pipe Customs. FREE passes to the 2011 DCX Expo are available by contacting Diehard-Diecast via the Contact page on their website.

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.

Collectors and fans of the ultra-popular Hot Wheels VW Dragbus casting might be interested in taking advantage of a new special membership offer from DragBus.com. Each membership package will include the following benefits:

• (4) VW Drag Buses – 1 Every 3 Month’s
• 25% Off Coupon Code to use on any store purchases
• (1) 1/18 VW Drag Bus
• (1) DragBus.Com MousePad
• (2) HotCases VW Drag Bus Inserts
• (1) Hot Cases Bag

First 1:64 scale bus ships with the 1:18 scale Bus, the Hot Cases Bag, Inserts and Mouse pad on June 1st. Be sure to act fast as this special offer is LIMITED TO ONLY 30 MEMBERSHIPS and will likely sell out fast!

UPDATE: As anticipated, all 30 memberships are officially sold out. Be sure to sign up for the free account on DragBus.com to stay informed of any additional offerings that might come up in the future.

Click here to jump over to ToyCarConventions.com and take advantage of this special offer.

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.

Diehard-Diecast.com’s exclusive Fire Series has launched with this fantastic limited edition Volkswagen Fire Bus. The piece is available in both Basic and Chase versions, both of which were designed by Lou Tanahara. The Basic version comes with plastic wheels and a white top. The Chase version features rubber Real Rider tires and a Pearl White top. Each drag bus comes packaged in a custom Diehard-Diecast blister card and will sell for $80 (USD).

Chase pieces will be randomly inserted into orders. Collectors can expect a 1-in-10 chance of receiving a chase piece.

Click any image to see the larger version

Click here to jump over to the Fire Series page on Diehard-Diecast.com

Collectors who have eagerly been waiting to see what type of holiday creation Chris “NightStalker” Walker comes up with this year will be pleasantly surprised to see that this year’s sale will include three different castings to choose from! Each casting will be sold individually and will not be offered as a set.

A run-down of each piece is shown below. Click on any image to see the larger version.

Rudolph’s Rod Shop Panel:

Painted in pearl red with real rider tires. Rudolph’s Custom Rod Shop graphics adorn the sides and top of this little gem. These are limited to only 10 and come numbered in an acrylic case.

Price is $55.

Alien Projects Custom Convoy:

Dressed in pearl white and green paint with red real-riders. “Happy Holidays from Alien Projects” graphics on the side as a little homage to Alien Projects.  Limited to only 10 and numbered in an acrylic case.

Price is $65.

NightStalker’s Holiday VW Bus:

Painted with candy spectraflame red over chrome with Pro Circuit wheels.  Custom Holiday graphics adorn this wonderful piece. Comes limited to 20 and numbered in an acrylic case.

Price is $75.

Two notable aspects of this sale are the prices and the “added bonus.” Chris will be offering up each piece at a price point that ranges between $55 and $75 depending on the casting. Your wallet will certainly like that! He has also hinted that each person who makes a purchase will get a special “die-cast treat” as well. Now that’s some holiday spirit!

The sale starts on Thursday, December 2nd at 6PM PST (9PM EST) on the Night Stalker Customs website. A purchasing button will become active when the sale begins. Chris advises that if the sale button doesn’t show up, your computer may be "cached."  Dump your cookies and reset your browser to see the updated page.

Pope Designs is preparing for an extra special holiday season this year as Christmas 2010 will mark their 5th anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, a new version of the Kringle Delivery Service VW Drag Bus has been created. The original graphics from the first version sold four Christmas seasons ago have been updated and applied to a great selection of two-tone colors.

Collectors of Pope Designs work are well aware of the highly sought after “Diamond Editions” which typically feature real rubber front tires and are produced in a lower quantity. This time around, the Diamond Edition has been eliminated as all the buses in the run will feature real rubber tires and an even number of each color have been produced.

Here are details for the sale:

Where: eBay
Date for Both Auctions: Friday November 26, 20 (Black Friday)
Time for Both Auctions: 9pm EST, 8pm CST, 7pm MST, 6pm PST
Auction #1 Name: Kringle Delivery Frosty Blue Holiday VW Bus 2.0
Auction #2 Name: Kringle Delivery Holiday Gold Holiday VW Bus 2.0
Auction #1 Quantity Available: 15 Combo #1: Frosty Blue
Auction #1 Quantity Available: 15 Combo #2: Holiday Gold
Price: $115 Each
Shipping: $8 (PD ships both domestically and internationally)

Collectors who are lucky enough to purchase both color combinations will get matching production numbers for the set. Please visit the official Pope Designs website for more information on this great sale.

Pope Designs rolls into the the 2010 fall season with this first-ever online-only Halloween offering that is sure to grab the attention of Pope and Drag Bus fans alike.

The Standard Edition features festive ember-glow burnt orange paint and basic wheels while the Diamond Edition is dressed in Toxic Green and features Real Rider White Letter tires. Both versions come packaged in an acrylic case with an original Pope Designs artwork backdrop.

Click any image to see a larger version

Only 20 “Bat-Pumpkin” VW Drag buses were produced, and the details of the sale are as follows:

• Quantity Produced: 15 Standard Edition / 5 Diamond Edition
  Quantity For Sale: 13 Standard Edition / 4 Diamond Edition
  When: Friday October 1st, 2010
• Time: 9pm EST, 8pm CST, 7pm MST, 6pm PST
  Where: eBay
  Auction Title: Pope Designs Bat-Pumpkin Drag Bus
  Price: $115.00 each (plus $8 shipping, both domestic and international)

  
As always, Pope Designs distributes the Diamond Edition in a random fashion. Be sure to visit the official Pope Designs website for the full story behind the “Bat-Pumpkin” – you’ll be glad you did!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click any image to see the larger version

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

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

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

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

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

Here’s a last minute reminder for all the VW Drag Bus collectors out there that Chris Walker’s “Bombshell” Drag Bus goes on sale tonight, July 30st at 9pm EST, 6pm PST. This new Night Stalker creation features a classic Bomber Nose art style – a style that has influenced many of Chris’s customs over the years.

Click any image to see the larger version

The bus is dressed in House of Kolor Silver metal-flake with a white top. The side graphics feature a lovely blonde "bombshell" (hubba, hubba!) riding a flaming bomb, and the top is adorned with a second pin-up and signature “kill count” bomb markings. This run is limited to just 20 pieces and each bus comes mounted in an acrylic case. They will be available via http://www.alienprojects.com/NSPromotional.htm for $90 (USD) each on a first come, first served basis. The sale link will become visible on the page when the sale starts. Be sure to clear your browser’s cache to ensure the button will show up

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Collectors of Dave Chang’s EVO have been very loyal to the brand ever since its first release years ago. However, there’s no doubt that everyone is anxious for a new EVO design now that KustomCity has produced 16 successful releases.

Luckily for collectors, Dave Chang has been listening. The result is the next “EVOlution” for KustomCity know as the “EVO BIG TOW.” So far, only these few shots are available to give you a look at its progress through the design phases. Its easy to see that the Big Tow is shaping up to be another winner. We’re looking forward to getting a closer look at this piece when it becomes available in late July.

Click any image to see the larger version

The 2010 Magical Weekend of Cars has come and gone, but not without many great memories of the good times had be all who attended. The weekend was also packed full of many great convention and souvenir cars to choose from.

Collectors who weren’t able to attend the Magical Weekend are in luck as limited quantities of several convention pieces have been made available in the DiecastSpace store on a first come, first served basis. This is definitely a prime opportunity to pick up some great pieces like the MiQ Willmott Dairy and the official Liberty Promotions Drag Bus, Dairy and Camaro.

Speaking of Liberty Promotions, the remaining alternate color convention bus and Rebel Run versions (submitted randomly into orders) are also available for purchase at LibertyPromotions.com.

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

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

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

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

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

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

GMP recently announced this fantastic Vintage Deuce Series ‘32 Ford that is sure to please collectors with a great list of features at a very reasonable price for this level of 1:18 scale quality. The sell sheet for this piece states:

“GMP is taking you back, back to the 50’s with this awesome ‘32. With it’s satin black paint and red steelie wheels wrapped in luscious white walls, it is the epitome of vintage cool. This little rod will have you remembering those long gone days of street light racing and late night escapes…”

This 32’s features include:

Only 996 of these are being made available for purchase and each piece will retail for $109.95 USD. Pre-orders are being taken now at the GMP Diecast website or by calling 1-877-880-2809. Collectors can expect the ‘32 to arrive in August.

Click the thumbnail above to see the larger version of the image.

Bryan Pope from Pope Designs will once again lend his customizing talents to the Hot Wheels Summer Smash that will roll into Warwick, RI on August 19th through the 22nd. Attendees of this year’s Smash will be able to get their hands on this great looking ‘59 Caddy Funny Car.

Click the image to see a large version

Its refreshing to see Pope utilizing a fresh and unique casting – much to the dismay of Drag Bus fans everywhere! Only 100 of these will be made and they will surely sell out at the Summer Smash, so be sure to get your tickets soon and join us in Rhode Island this August!

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!

Chris Walker and the Alien Projects team have announced the availability of their latest edition Dreamliner which came from a collaboration with Dennis "Lil Daddy" Roth, son of Ed "Big Daddy" Roth. The standard run comes in green or yellow and features the official Roth logo and images of the zany Roth characters we know and love. The chase version comes in “Raw Zamac” form with black wheels instead of chrome and features the same cool graphics.

The standard run is limited to 975 pieces of each color while the chase run is limited to just 300. Chase pieces will be randomly inserted into orders in place of the standard version. Each Roth Showcar Dreamliner sells for $34.95 at the Alien Project website while supplies last.

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

Click any image to see them up close!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jump to the Diehard-Diecast order page

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!

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

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

Contact the club through their official website for more information.

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.

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

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

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

Click any image to see a larger version

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

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

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

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

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

Click any image to see the larger versions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[via papajohns.com]

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

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

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

[via johnnylightningguitar.com]