Will high end truck diecasts but an end to plastic truck modeling?

[leafsprings]

Back in the day, plastic was the only realistic stuff out there when  Nylint and Tonka  were doing their thing. Have noticed a lot more quality high end realistic die casts covering the market and giving us a lot more options. Check out this big rig in 1/18. If it was in 1/25, I might leap. KENWORTH W900 RED/BLACK TRUCK 1:18 SCALE ROAD KINGS COLLECTORS PIECE NEW BOXED | eBayPETERBILT 352 PACEMAKER SZM 1977 TRUCK 1:18 SCALE ROAD KINGS COLLECTORS PIECE | eBay

Edited November 21, 2022 by leafsprings

[keyser]

Haven’t done so with cars in 1:24 even with huge volume of obscure stuff in all scales. 
Buy the weird stuff they’ll never kit. 
I was really happy when Yat-Ming did a 1:24 Ahrens-Fox. If you can afford whatever, buy it. They aren’t available forever. B61 Mack in 1:24 followed me home too. 

[Oldmopars]

I think the difference is that nearly all the Die-Cast I have ever seen are pre-built. Nearly all plastic models I have seen are kits. Those that want a shiny built truck/car that they can just unbox and put on the shelf will still buy die-cast. Those of us that enjoy the fun/challenge of building it ourselves, will still buy kits. They are two distinctly different markets and buyer. 

Die-cast are seen as collectable, model kits can be too, but most are purchased to be built, not collected.  

[Mike 1017]

IMO, we modelers can build cars to rival Diecasts.

Mike

[vincen47]

Interesting. First time I’ve seen class 8 trucks in 1:18. Funny they mislabeled the listing as a W900, when it’s a Pete 359. But maybe the photos were swapped from another listing and they actually make a W9 as well.

I agree, if they were in 1/25 or 1/24 I’d take a closer look. 

But, I also agree that it’s a different market, for the most part, being there are plastic kit builders and diecast collectors. Some do both, so there’s a little overlap.

Myself, I have very few diecasts (outside of hot wheels), Maybe enough to count on one hand. The general stipulation being they must match the plastic kit scales, be of comparable detail, and usually be a subject not kitted. This eliminates most of them. Plus, I like building.

[Oldcarfan27]

I doubt they'll ever replace model kits. Look at Franklin and Danbury Mint diecasts. Both plastic kits and these coexisted together and still do. Many of those diecast cars were examples never put to plastic and in fact, many ended up being super-detailed to match up with modeller's builds.

Assembly line, mass produced models can't compete with one-off, hand built replicas.

[Engine 51]

11 hours ago, Oldcarfan27 said:

 

Assembly line, mass produced models can't compete with one-off, hand built replicas.

Amen!

[Aaronw]

No, if anything it will be a boost to truck builders creating more options. If you build super common subjects (1950s60s popular cars) then you may not have an interest in diecast, but for everybody else diecast has often been the only way to get your hands on many vehicles whether that is just to put one on the shelf as is or as the basis for something else.  

[leafsprings]

Thanks for all the replies. Here is one as an example in 1/25. Big plastic never covered the Mack B61 and Holmes 750. Not saying I would be content with the "Napa" theme and put it on a shelf as is, but paint could be stripped and repainted and new decals added. Wheels also could be changed out also. In other words could modifying and rebuilding diecasts become a new thing? Prices for a resin cab and resin bed plus donor frame etc. would end up being close in price to the diecasts.

Edited November 13, 2022 by leafsprings

[bobthehobbyguy]

For the most part they are two different markets. If anything die-cast provide opportunities for models that were never done in plastic.

[keyser]

16 hours ago, bobthehobbyguy said:

For the most part they are two different markets. If anything die-cast provide opportunities for models that were never done in plastic.

Exactly. Holds true for 1/24 cars, trucks, bikes.
I’ve got that Napa B61 from First Gear. They’ve done a bunch of versions. Never modeled elsewhere, and not going to get built by me to that standard. 

Some models poor, so diecast saves you pain of lousy kit. 

[Bugatti Fan]

Upper end die cast models like CMC are very well detailed and expensive!

Lower end like Burago are reasonably priced but lack detail. However they can be reworked to improve their overall appearance quite a bit.

[peteski]

Diecast models can also be a kitbashing fodder too.  Friend and fellow club member took a diecast truck, kitbashed it with another truck, added lots of detail parts, and repainted it onto a custom wrecker.  Here is a link to the photo http://classicplastic.org/image/Maguire-54-Wrecker.jpg

No kits (and modeling in general) is not going to suffer just because some pretty decent quality diecast models get thrown into the market.