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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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]

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.

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

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

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

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

Click any image to see the larger version

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

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

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

Sure, the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention is still about 5 months away, but that just means there will be 5 months of exciting announcements coming your way with details about all the exciting things that will be part of the event. One of those events is a newly rumored “carnival-style” party to be thrown by Liberty Promotions.

So far there are only a few details to share. The first is that Liberty Promotions will be creating a limited edition VW drab bus specifically for this event. This bus is currently slated to be limited to just 250 pieces! Attendees will also have the opportunity to spin the Liberty Promotions prize wheel for an additional limited edition car. If that isn’t enough to peak your interest, then rest assured that there will be other activities and chance to win even more great prizes through-out the party.

How much do you think admission to such an event would cost? Collectors of Liberty Promotions buses know that their “Rebel Run” buses are equally limited as this party bus will be AND they typically sell on the secondary market for more than $100! Well, the current party ticket price is set to be just $60. Not too shabby for the bus alone, but even better with the added bonuses. Plus, there’s more to be announced.

Stay tuned for more information on when tickets for this special addition to the convention will be available. Until then, you can find information about tickets and accommodations for the convention itself on the official Super Convention website.

Former Hot Wheels graphics guru MiQ Willmott and his family were recently featured in this short artist profile video put together by Dell. MiQ and Thuy3 (his wife) created some truly amazing artwork for Dell that can be selected as a option when customizing your laptop.

Its been many years since he moved on from Mattel, but his work there has certainly not been forgotten. Collectors had the opportunity to get reacquainted with MiQ at the 2009 Hotlanta Collectors Experience just a few months ago, and I look forward to speaking with him again on an upcoming Saturday Nitro. MiQ will also be attending the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention in February where he will inducted into the Diecast Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2010.

[via youtube.com]

Great additions to the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention are already starting to roll in! In case you missed it in the DCS e-mail blast, both Chip Foose and Carson Lev will be the guest of honor at next year’s Legends dinner! Here’s the lowdown from the DCS:

“The Legends Dinner from the first Super Convention was one to dream about, Larry Wood, Tom Daniel and George Barris all shared the same stage. So how could we possibly make this event any better?

Special thanks goes to Alex’s Toy Chest for making this a phenomenal addition to the Super Convention!”

Tickets for the 2010 DiecastSpace Super Convention are on sale now at http://www.spinyourtires.com.

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

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

The Diecast Hall of Fame began its formation in the summer of 2008. The idea behind the prestigious award is to recognize all of those who have impacted the diecast and automotive world together for their accomplishments. In maintaining integrity and credibility, the Hall of Fame Committe was formed and currently consists of:

Tom Zahorsky – Johnny Lightning
Katie Roland – GreenLight Collectibles
Bruce Pascal – The Beachbomb “Holy Grail” owner
Luis Tanahara – Custom Crew and Sledster Designer
Chris Walker – Customizer
Carson Lev – VP Foose Designs
Bob Parker – Hot Wheels author
Mike Zarnock – Hot Wheels author
Joe Kelly Jr. – Car Room Magazine Founder

A person has the opportunity each year from March 1 until May 21 to submit applications online for consideration. The committee also has the opportunity to make their recomendations which is then compiled and placed into an online transparent voting process. Once the data is collected and the results are in, each committee member is sent the results and they must affirm the inductees in order for it to be a recognized induction.

At the Super Convention each year, inductees are recognized in a dinner/ceremony environment where they are presented with a plaque for their accomplishments and then issued a hand crafted diamond studded Hall of Fame Custom Ring manufactured by Jostens.

The Class of 2010 will be as follows:

Automotive Legends
• Dale Earnhardt Sr. (Post Humous)
• Tom McEwen
• Don Prudhomme
• John D’Agostino

Diecast Designer
• Ira Gilford (Hot Wheels Designer)
• Phil Riehlman (Hot Wheels Designer)
• MiQ Willmott (Hot Wheels Graphic Designer)
• Tom Lowe (Owner, Playing Mantis/Johnny Lightning)

Diecast Customizers
• Bryan Pope (Pope Designs)
• Lee Pearlman (Liberty Promotions)

Diecast Historians
• Charlie Mack (Matchbox Author)
• Mac Ragan (Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning Author)
• Fred Wagenhals (Founder of Action Racing Collectibles)

Intriguing Collectors
• Jeff Glasson (HEY – Thats me!!)
• Dan Spaulding
• Bob Rosas

Carroll Shelby Lifetime Achievement Award
• Fred Blood (1-Stop Diecast)

RAOK Award
• Jim Lombari

Here’s a video of the announcements delivered by The Car Room Magazine’s Joe Kelly Jr. who MC’d that portion of the night:

Please visit http://www.spinyourtires.com for more information about attending the 2010 Super Convention and the Diecast Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

I still have tons more 2009 Super Convention content to share and this is definitely one of my favorites. Getting to see Mattel’s full-scale Twin Mill in person is always a treat, but to witness Hot Wheels design veteran Larry Wood helping to push and pull it into the convention space at Circus Circus was the coolest. Enjoy!

Yes, thats right folks…I’m still chugging through the content from the 2009 DiecastSpace.com Super Convention! This time around we have a selection of shots from the Diecast Hall of Fame dinner, induction ceremony autograph session and the groups photo session. Stay tuned for the induction ceremony videos later this month.

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

The Shelby Team graciously brought the Terlingua Cobra and a Super Snake Mustang to be put on display at the Super Convention. Its not too often you get to see two cool cars like these get driven into a building, so I captured the moment.

If you have a fast internet connection, be sure to click the “HD” button on the player to see the video high-definition. Enjoy!

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

One thing certainly became apparent as I was going through the process of grouping my convention photos together. I didn’t take as many photos of the convention attendees as I thought! Guess I’ll make a mental note about that for Reston. With that being said, here’s my set of various folks that I managed to take. Enjoy!

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

The first ever Diecast Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the 2009 DiecastSpace.com Super Convention was definitely a memorable event. The hour+ long ceremony is a bit too long to post online all at once, so I’m working on breaking it up into manageable chunks. Until that process is done you can enjoy this video montage I put together for the end of the presentation. Enjoy!

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

“Big Lou” Tanahara and Bossco were in full-effect at The Custom Crew booth during the 2009 DiecastSpace.com Super Convention. Not only were they introducing many to the Sledster for the very first time, but they gave everyone a glimpse of what’s to come in Release 2!

The pieces in Release 2 will include both the Fire Truck metallic blue with flames Sledsters. Be sure to look closely at the first two shots in the set to see a mock-up of the “flat-bed” Sledster that will appear (hopefully later this year) in a future release! Note that these Sledsters are prototype pieces and currently feature decals and slightly different colors on the graphics than will appear in the production run. So, be prepared to be blown away because the final versions are look even better come this May!

Bonus Sneak Peek!!

Not only did convention goers get to see the next release of the Sledster, but we also got to see these cool renderings of “The Sledster II!” The Custom Crew is taking things to the next level by offering these ladder and wrecker truck versions of the COE! There is currently no release date information available on these pieces, but I’ll be sure to pass that info along as it becomes available.

Don’t forget that Release 1 of The Sledster can be purchased at The Custom Crew store while supplies last!

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

On Thursday night, Amy Boylan and Chris Walker hosted an invite-only party at the Shelby Cafe. Unfortunately my late arrival meant missing the ultra-cool “behind the scenes” tour of the Shelby facilities – however, I was able to snag these shots of the cafe which features Shelby memorabilia and decor through-out.

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

Being the first year for the Super Convention, the majority of convention cars offered were Code 3′s created by various customizers. Limited runs and great quality will keep these selection in the “highly sought-after” category.

The two Johnny Lightning pieces at the beginning of the set were part of the general admission ticket. The black Shelby was the standard offering while the red Mustang was the chase piece. Please note that this set does not contain pictures of every car offered. I will add additional pictures as I go through the cars I was able to bring home.

I also include several shots of the many Jimmy “The Boxman” Chavez pieces that were available at the Diehard-Diecast booth. Enjoy!

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

I had the fortunate opportunity to host the Ridemakerz Designer Round-Table Luncheon during at the 2009 DiecastSpace.com Super Convention. The event consisted of a panel that included Larry Wood, Carson Lev, George Barris, Luis Tanahara, Larry Andreini from Ridemakerz, Robert Russell from Shelby Collectibles, HWC Ryan from Mattel, Sean Taylor from M2, Chris Walker, Lee Pearlman from Liberty Promotions, as well as Jeff Nelson and Katie Roland from GreenLight.

The large panel only allowed for the opportunity to ask a small handful of questions since it took a decent amount of time to get through guests answers. At one point during the discussion I glanced over to see Larry Wood, “Big Lou” Tanahara and Carson Lev all doodling on their noted pads! At the end of the discussion I was lucky enough to snag two of the three drawings.

Click either image to see them up close

You’ll notice that Larry’s piece (pictured on the left) has “Door Knob Grille” written on it. He drew that part while George Barris was telling the story of how he and his brother “kustomized” their first car by putting their mother’s kitchen cabinet door knobs on the grille of their 1928 Buick – too cool!

I’m not sure who was lucky enough to grab Carson’s drawing, but I’ve heard it was an equally cool piece. Needless to say, these one-of-a-kind souvenirs will be framed and added to my collection as a perfect reminder of why I love this hobby so much! This round-table event was a dream to be a part of and I’m sure it will become a tradition at Super Conventions in the future.

Several full-scale show cars were on display in the main hallway at the convention. Shelby brought the Terlingua Cobra and a Super Snake and Dennis Roth brought the Bonneville Tric. Of course collectors really went nuts for the Hot Wheels Crazy Horse Funny Car and Mattel’s Twin Mill. Even Larry Wood himself helped HWC Chris and HWC Bryan roll the Twin Mill into the hotel!

Stay tuned for video footage of the cars entering the building as well as a special moment that got captured at the end of the convention when the Cobra was leaving the building!

Special thanks to my sponsor, DiecastSpace.com for making my trip to the convention possible!

Clothes? Check. Video Gear? Check. Laptop? Ch…oh wait, I’m still typing on it! Its definitely be a heck week as I’m finishing up preparations for the convention. The recent sparseness of posts on the site has been directly attributed to finishing up all the final details for Diecast Hall of Fame visuals. However, I don’t think there will be ANY problem providing you with great posts to peruse with everything thats going on during the convention over the next 4 days.

So what can you expect from the convention coverage? Pictures and video are a definite. Live video streams will depend on the quality of the internet connection at Circus Circus. Thats one of the main things I’ll be testing tonight and tomorrow. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to stream quite a few of the events including the Ridemakerz Designers Luncheon round-table. That would definitely kick up Saturday Nitro to the next level!

In any case, be sure to come back here frequently through-out the week to see all the updates from the convention.

Until the its Vegas or Bust…!

After a nerve racking start, our show with George Barris launched into marathon discussions about his career, his many accomplishments and the state of the world of diecast. Several callers added a little extra to this record length show. Without a doubt, George Barris is a master at his craft and has some incredible stories to share. Be sure to check this one out and enjoy the ride!

Special thanks to American Collector’s Insurance for sponsoring the show!

As a reminder, these shows are done LIVE on Saturday nights which means that you can participate by calling in and asking questions directly to our special guests! Be sure to check the official schedule on the Saturday Nitro site for a list of upcoming shows.

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.

Is it just me or does it seem that 2009 will be a great year to be a diecast collector? If there’s one thing to be said about our hobby, its there’s no shortage of diecast conventions in the near future! Here is a quick list of the best multi-day events happening across the country this year (listed in order of occurrence):

2009 DiecastSpace.com Super Convention
I’ve been talking about this “first of its kind” event for a while now, and its really shaped up to be one heck of a time! Its the first time almost all the major mainstream diecast manufacturers will be present under one roof. Mattel, Johnny Lightning, GreenLight, M2 and GMP as well as a gathering of the country’s top diecast customizers will descend on Las Vegas from February 18th – 22nd. If that wasn’t enough, the first ever Diecast Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be taking place to honor somme of the best names in diecast and the automotive industry.

Very few tickets are left to this great event. Visit the official Super Convention site for ticket availability and pricing.

9th Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Nationals
Unofficially dubbed the “East Coast” Hot Wheels Convention, this Mike Strauss run event moves from city to city each Spring. This year it lands back in Reston, Virginia from March 25th – 29th. The week is always packed full of great events and fantastic ion-room trading. This year’s special guests include Howard Reese, Mike McClone, Phil Riehlman, Wayne Scott and Larry Wood.

Tickets are on sale now and will be available until March 5th or when sold out (which ever comes first). They can be purchased online with a credit card or with a check and the mail-in form.

Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 6
Randy Price’s Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels returns to Connecticut this year on July 30th – August 2nd. This year’s event will offer a variety of events including a Guinness Book of World Records attempt for the Longest Track. Convention vehiles are being produced by Mattel this year and special guests will include Larry Wood, Mike Zarnock, Bob Parker.

A variety of ticket packages are currently available on the official Wild Weekend of Hot Wheels 6 website.

Hot Wheels Summer Smash 2
Jim Lombari and the Rhode Island Hot Wheels Club are bringing the diecast fun back to Warwick on August 27th-30th for the 2nd Annual Hot Wheels Summer Smash. This year offers four full days of activities and convention vehicles from both Mattel and Liberty Promotions. Special guests include Larry Wood, George Soulakis, Mike Zarnock and Bob Parker.

The official Summer Smash website is up and tickets are now on sale.

23rd Annual Hot Wheels Collectors Convention
Traditionally the larger of the two “Strauss” conventions, this California based convention is usually the most grand seeing that Mattel is headquartered just up the road in El Segundo. Dates for this event typically land in October with the official announcement coming out shortly after the Nationals in Reston are over.

Some collectors felt that the 2008 convention was a little lacking in its 40th Anniversary year. Perhaps the 40th Anniversary cross-counrty tour drained a little bit too much from the coffer. It should be interesting to see how this convention compares to the others happening earlier in the year – especially since Mattel is participating in the all of them.

The world might be in an economic frenzy right now, but the future is certainly looking bright for the world of diecast!

Yesterday the folks at DiecastSpace.com posted up an “e-sheet” (haha!!) of the incredible rings that are being created for the inductees of the all new Diecast Hall of Fame. The rings have been specially designed and customized by Jostens for each individual inductee.

Tickets for the Hall of Fame Dinner on February 20th have been sold out for quite some time. Since, there have been numerous requests for additional tickets to the ceremony itself, 100 additional tickets for that portion of the event have been made available! They are $10 each and will be sold on a first come first serve basis. You can purchase them tickets at the Official Super Convention web site.

[via diecastspace.com]

Up until now the only renderings of the Liberty Promotions 2009 Super Convention Passion we’ve been able to see have been scans from the e-sheet. Last night these photos were posted on Super Convention group over on DiecastSpace.com.

Click an image to see the larger version

Flat black primer, flames and white-wall real riders…three great looks that go great together! I’m definitely looking forward to seeing this one in person! Visit www.spinyourtires.com for more information about the 2009 Super Convention and the last remaining ticket packages.

[via diecastspace.com]

Saturday Nitro kicks off 2009 with a show that sets the bar really high with Lead Hot Wheels Designer, Larry Wood as our special guest! Not only does this show contain over an hour and a half of great diecast discussion with Larry, but Super Convention chairman, Shane Whittenbarger shares some VERY special news about a new convention sponsor and partner!

Special thanks to American Collector’s Insurance for sponsoring the show!

As a reminder, these shows are done LIVE on Saturday nights which means that you can participate by calling in and asking questions directly to our special guests! Be sure to check the official schedule on the Saturday Nitro site for a list of upcoming shows.

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.

Back in November diecastAUDIO readers were treated to a glimpse of the e-sheet rendering for the upcoming Pope Designs Saturday Nitro VW Drag Bus. Now you can feast your eyes on this photo of the completed “Diamond” Edition of the bus featuring Red Line Real Rider tires!

[via diecastspace.com]

The 2009 Diecast Super Convention has seen tremendous interest and growth since its inception. While originally scheduled to be held at the Hooters Hotel and Casino, the convention has quickly grown to the point where more space will be a necessity! As a result, DiecastSpace.com has announced that the convention is moving to the Circus Circus Las Vegas Hotel. Not only will convention goers find the newly renovated accommodations more spacious, but they’ll enjoy a nice drop in price as well!

If you’ve already booked your room at Hooters, then you’ll need to cancel your reservation at Hooters, and contact Circus Circus ASAP to reserve your room. Many convention-goers have done this already and have reported that the process is very easy. If you still have yet to book a room, then be sure to call 1-800-634-3450 and mention “Group Code B02DCS.” The new room rate is just $76 per night (plus tax) which is a considerable savings from their normal rate of $199! Room reservations from the convention will be available until February 15th.

If the new fabulous accommodations weren’t enough, collectors will be thrilled to know that Mattel and the Hot Wheels brand will be joining the festivities in February! So far you can look forward to Mattel hosting their very won FREE party to include food and live music as well as sponsoring the Hot Wing eating contest. They will also be sponsoring the Customs Contest Awards ceremony which will now include cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place! Word on the street is that Mattel might also be bringing a few other surprises and you can be sure that I’ll be letting you know as soon as they can be confirmed.

Be sure to visit www.spinyourtires.com for more information on the 2009 Super Convention!

[via www.spinyourtires.com]

Just in case a little extra nudge is needed to convince you to attend the DiecastSpace.com Super Convention next February, I’d like to submit this image of the upcoming Pope Designs Saturday Nitro Drag Bus! From the looks of it, we’re guaranteed to see this one sell out in minutes! Besides, you just can’t go wrong with Shane at the wheel and me riding shotgun!

Click to see the full image

Stay tuned for additional information on when, where and how much!

[via diecastspace.com]