Started at the Drug Store

[Gramps46]

About 2 years ago my wife asked me to stop in at the Rite Aid drug store to pick her favorite type of dental flosser.  As I was headed to the counter, my jaw dropped.    There was a stand alone rack of diecast cars and Bennie Babies.  I had entered the world of Welly's!  I walked out with a handful of Welly diecast and of course the dental floss.  Now I already had a couple of BBurago Ferraris and a Danbury Mint Testa Rossa but I had never seen anything like these Welly's.  Since that day I have picked up a lot more 1/24 diecasts.  Now I have been building models since 1957 but at my age I am not able to build as much as I would like.  The diecasts allow me to feed my passion.  I have noted the term "Estate Sale" popping up quite a bit on EBay for the Mint type diecasts which is kind of sad but it does provide us opportunities we might not have had previously to own some of these gems..  

[Anglia105E]

I know what you mean about the Welly diecast 1/24 cars. My diorama required a London black taxi and although Revell have produced a kit of the Austin FX4, it is well known that the scale is wrong. Then I saw the Welly Nex version of the black cab, which is perfectly to scale, so at a very reasonable price I had to have one for my London diorama. Most of my models I build as kits but there are quite a few diecast models from Franklin Mint, Danbury Mint and BBurago, usually picked up on Ebay at much reduced prices. There are not so many Rolls-Royces but I notice there are lots of 1950's American diecast cars available and I am very often tempted to buy something like a nice Chevy Bel Air or a Ford Fairlane for my collection.

David

[CapSat 6]

The Welly models that have grabbed my attention so far have been: the Lotus Elan (I didn't buy it, but I should have while it was there), and the Gen II VW Microbus (which I did buy). I'm now in the habit of prowling those Diecast / Beany stands at CVS's and Rite Aids...

[vamach1]

I have picked up a few Mustangs but these came along years after I acquired about 20 Frnaklin Mint and Danbury Mint models in an auction for about $20 each.  That increased my 1/24 diecast collection considerably overnight to include models that no plastic model companies ever made.  When you look at a high quality diecast compared to 50 years old kits it does show that a far more realistic engine compartment can be made just by doing some basic research.  If Welly can mass produce nicely painted but moderately detailed models t should not be that hard to make a plastic kit with at least the same quality level.

[afx]

Didn't your parent teach you Gary that drug (stores) are dangerous? 

[Snake45]

I have quite a few Wellys, Maistos, M2s, Motor Maxes, Satios, and prolla a couple other brands I can't remember right now. All 1/24-1/25. I only buy the ones with good body shapes. I don't think I've paid over about $20 for any of them. I spend a couple hours detailing them with paint and silver Sharpies and they look great. Big fun, low cost, small investment in time--what's not to like?

[Tom Geiger]

Diecast has given us many, many subjects that we never would have seen as plastic kits.  I am one to buy what I like, especially the light commercial vehicles.

There is a certain element in this hobby that looks down on people who modify and base models on diecast.  What they don't realize is the hobby has gone full circle. The original model builders started out with prefinished promotional models, which gave the manufacturers of those the idea to offer them apart as kits... and then our hobby was born!

Edited September 26, 2017 by Tom Geiger

[Snake45]

There is a certain element in this hobby that looks down on people who modify and base models on diecast.  What they don't realize is the hobby has gone full circle. The original model builders started out with prefinished promotional models, which gave the manufacturers of those the idea to offer them apart as kits... and then our hobby was born!

Yes, I know. When I've posted diecast models of "mainstream interest" (1/25 scale '50s-'70s American cars, hot-rodded) in the under glass section, they don't last long until they get kicked down here in Diecast Ghetto where they don't get much attention. And though this section is called "Diecast & Resin," I don't see that resin-bodied models get kicked down here too. One of these days I'm gonna start a discussion up in General and see if we can get the policy changed. (My position is that "Diecast" is more for 1/18, 1/43, 1/64, and other typical diecast scales, but we'll have that discussion someday.)

[Tom Geiger]

Yes, I know. When I've posted diecast models of "mainstream interest" (1/25 scale '50s-'70s American cars, hot-rodded) in the under glass section, they don't last long until they get kicked down here in Diecast Ghetto where they don't get much attention. And though this section is called "Diecast & Resin," I don't see that resin-bodied models get kicked down here too. One of these days I'm gonna start a discussion up in General and see if we can get the policy changed. (My position is that "Diecast" is more for 1/18, 1/43, 1/64, and other typical diecast scales, but we'll have that discussion someday.)

I agree.  This needs to be examined.  A section called "Diecast" would be fine for displaying manufactured models,  as would "Resin" to display unbuilt resin kits so everyone could see them.   Once either is modified, it becomes a model and deserves the same respect in the Under Glass sections.

[randyc]

Yup.  I posted a Matchbox truck I detailed out and absolutely no interest.  I find that I can get a nice diecast and as Sanke pointed out, detail it a little and have a fine shelf replica.   I don't really care if my cars have plug wires anymore,  I love to see the superdetails on builds, but they won't be on mine at this point.   My wife is my biggest fan and she could care less about the details.  

Not a lot of us in this section seems like.  But if diecast is only place I can get a model - for example my Ford Edge in this section, then that is the model I will work with.  I had to disassemble it and paint every part of it in some way.  That is a model to me.  I'm not a plastic snob or resin snob or anything.  I like a good replica.  

[Mercuryman54]

In my opinion, whether it be diecast or resin if you modify or rebuild it you are probably going to use current or out of production kit parts!! So I believe they should be allowed in the workbench or under glass sections. We are building!!

[Geno]

In my opinion, whether it be diecast or resin if you modify or rebuild it you are probably going to use current or out of production kit parts!! So I believe they should be allowed in the workbench or under glass sections. We are building!!

I agree, I buy, tear down, strip, repaint and rebuild diecast cars quite frequently. A build is a build no matter the medium. They are always kitbashed between plastic model kits and the diecast, as I did with this one. Built from an M2 1/24 Z/28 & a Yenko plastic kit to replicate Danbury Mints Yenko Camaro.

 

Edited October 5, 2017 by Geno