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Jo-Han 68 Cadillac DeVille


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I just bought this kit, but I cannot find the production year (of kit, not car) anywhere on the box, instructions or the plastic itself...

Why I ask is because I read the thread about Jo-Han molds here on the forum and realize these kits are quite rare nowadays, and unlikely to ever be re-released due to mold wear or some such thing... The 60's Jo-Han Cads are practically an enigma here in Europe, so I was wondering how rare this 68 really is? I know it's hard to say with certainty, but is it commonly seen at shows/swap meets etc, or is it somewhat elusive nowadays?

Another reason I ask is, even though I really like this sort of subject matter and they are relatively rarely advertised for sale online, I was put off by the price they go for, especially having read they are promo-based kits with little detail and whatnot... So, when I recently found this one at what I thought was a reasonable price of just under 34 bucks shipped, I decided to bite the bullet and get it anyway, only to be very pleasantly surprised upon finally opening the box... Save for the lack of a decal sheet and a fairly crude chassis with molded on components, the kit is laden with assembling options and looks to me like it should build up into quite a nice scale representation of the 68 DeVille.

Is the 64 DeVille equally detailed?

Thanks, and kind regards :D

MATIJA

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Matija... an old kit like that, from a now-defunct company, will never be re-released. And there are only so many of them still out there unbuilt. You bought this one for $34 including shipping? That was the deal of a lifetime! Very well done! :D

PS: Be sure to post photos of it when it's finished! B)

Edited by Harry P.
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Yes, EUR 31,50... Or just under 34 US dollars, from a Dutch classified advertising site ;)

The same seller also has the ambulance version listed for EUR 50, if I remember correctly, but I did get the DeVille for pretty much half the asking price :D

This one will definitely be built, but not any time too soon... Still have to hone my skills on some more common kits before I dig into this one... Plus, I have "stage fright" to get over before I actually show something here :P

Edited by PowerPlant
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Plus, I have "stage fright" to get over before I actually show something here :P

No way! Don't be afraid to show us your work. We're all friends here, and we have people posting their work here from the whole range of skills, from absolute beginners to "pros."

Don't ever be afraid to post your work here. B)

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Thanks for all the replies and encouragement so far, but what I'm really curious about is whether anyone knows the actual production year of the kit? :D

Also, there are not many pics of this kit online but, curiously, most are different color plastic... Yellow, light blue, beige - mine is dark brown, all in the same exact box, not a different release...

I wonder why this is so? Maybe something to do with them originally being promo models?

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That kit's origins were in 1968 as an annual, but the box size and art of yours  date it to the late '70's to mid '80's.

 

Thanks for the reply :)

I've heard of promotional models, but what is an "annual", if you don't mind elaborating slightly?

And, speaking of box size, I was surprised how small the box is for such a "large" car... Noticeably smaller than most AMT or US Revell boxes I've ever seen.

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Very nice find, at a very good price. There is nothing wrong with JoHan's Caddys from the 60's. They look great built up. And they look great where it counts, in my opinion. In the body, interior, and under the hood. The detail of the chassis may not be what it is in today's kits. But, it's as good as most kits were back then.

I have both the '64 and '68 deVille convertibles. I need to build the '64 one of these days. And I need to find a '68 Lincoln to go along side my '68 Cad and '68 Imperial.

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Yup, pretty sure I bought one of those sometime in the 80s.

I think they were available right around the same time as the "USA Oldies" series.

Maybe a little before or after.

I remember buying it right around the same time that I bought a Johan '68 Chrysler 300 & a '70 Eldorado.

 

Steve

Same here...I got it in the 80s, same box art, molded in tan..

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Is the 64 DeVille equally detailed?

Thanks, and kind regards :D

MATIJA

The '64 was reissued around 1974 as a stock-only kit in the USA Oldies series; however, the front seat mold was apparently missing so the bucket seats from the '67 (IIRC) kit were substituted. Other than that it's correct, but slightly undersized so the promo it was based on would fit its box.

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The 68 Convertible I bought new and built was also molded in tan

But the 68 Chrysler 300 was Orange!!.

Similar or same as Both of my 62 Dodges!!

Jo-Han used what ever color they had available when running tooling

I had 2 of the USA Oldies Marlin. 1 molded white, and still had the wire axle

other Molded red, and had the heavy plastic axle!!

The 70 Eldorado I bought new was almost white, 1 I got a couple years ago is Orange to Pink

One person called it "Pink-Lemonade"

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Thanks for all your replies, guys...

This is now probably the rarest/most valuable kit in my stash of around 50 unbuilt models :D

I think I'll have to look a bit more into Jo-Han kits, but it's a shame they are so few and far between... Therein lies the allure, I guess :rolleyes:

Edited by PowerPlant
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The '64 was reissued around 1974 as a stock-only kit in the USA Oldies series; however, the front seat mold was apparently missing so the bucket seats from the '67 (IIRC) kit were substituted. Other than that it's correct, but slightly undersized so the promo it was based on would fit its box.

That's correct, the re-issue used bucket seats in the pattern of the '67 Cadillac.  The original promos from '63-'70 all had a bench seat.  It's still a great model and the '67-'68 Cadillacs have great styling. 

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That's correct, the re-issue used bucket seats in the pattern of the '67 Cadillac.  The original promos from '63-'70 all had a bench seat.  It's still a great model and the '67-'68 Cadillacs have great styling. 

True...my 2 67 Cadillac Coupe Deville HTs have a bench seat in them...I got to restore them both they got damaged during one of pour stroms here...bummer.

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