randyc

I really like that red one. My FM was a $10 consignment store find. Missing mirrors. But it looks good at office. No one notices. But that red is really nice. Thanks for sharing.

I'm just not into big mods anymore. That's how I used to build em though.

I have about 100 of the nice 1/64 on display all over the house. Sometimes I put them out quietly to see how long it takes the missus to spot them.

That cleaned up nicely. Glad you found a really good one. As for offers, the seller can set a minimum they will accept. That causes the quick rejection. But there are ways around it on either end I think. And yes sometimes you hope to sell one and then have to lower your expectations. I try to set my prices a little higher than I Will take so that maybe both sides feel like we did ok. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Negotiating on selling a DM Aston now. Offers and counters till we work it out I hope. Don't want to give it away but don't want to keep it forever either since it's one of my buddy's collection pieces.

I picked up a 2008? GTO at Rite Aid that was missing parts. Gave it to cashier and told her they might want to do something with it because it was broken. She said she would give it to the rep when they restocked. A week or two later, same GTO was back on the display. And as many cars as they jammed in there, they get busted just by the stockist trying to put 100 cars where there is only space for 50. I have found missing parts in the display racks. If it's a car I want, I take the parts to fix it with the car. They are at that store to be sold as toys I guess. No box. toy price point. And I used to want HotWheels becasue they were hot rods. When I was a Kid. Can't hardly look at them now. I'd rather spend $4- $10 on a nicely detailed 1/64.

Unless you're looking at the JADA Charger with the wonky wheelbase and LONG nose. LOL.

Yep, this is a Welly rebranded to FG. Looks nice, but not $60 nice. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1ST-GEAR-Napa-Auto-Care-1968-Chevy-Camaro-Z28-1-24-Scale-Ltd-Edition-1-Of-12/333436510268?hash=item4da25d603c:g:ygQAAOSwOX1d6cv6

I prefer cars with tops, but these look nice.

And therein lies another rub - rebrandings. I think they do a Superbee that is rebranded Motormax? or maybe it's Crown Premiums? One of them makes a 69 Camaro with 6 slots in the rally wheels. Usually a gray car? I think I saw a 68 Camaro on the bay too.

Nice!

Wow, what a snipe hunt you sent me on. lol

So we have shared some love for First Gear here before. And they make reasonably nice diecast replicas. But it's not like looking up the Mint cars, where there are lots and lots of them. Can we try to figure out what all they have offered in diecasts? Not every variation, but just a basic list? Maybe copy and paste the below so we end up with a listing as we go. So far, I know of these: 68 ElCamino 69 SS396 67? Fairlane 427 1969 Mustang Boss 429 1973 Ford F100. Studebaker D-2 55 Nomad 63 International c1100 truck 49 ford police car International Scout pickup 69 Camaro 53 international Travelall Dodge 1500 (newish) van 33 Willys hot rod 60s Econoline pickup and van 40 Ford Coupe hot rod 57 Chevy hot rod 56 Ford F100 49 Mercury Custom 37 Chevy sedan hot rod 66 GTO What else can we find?

Yep. I am having issues shipping stuff myself. Maybe. I have sent out cars in their original Mint packaging and get emails that parts have fallen off in shipping and become lost, supposedly. And I had a guy sent me photos of a car I shipped and the car was killed. So we did a return and the car he sent back is likely NOT the car I sent him. Missing different parts than the one I sent him, I think. So I think he scammed me. Imagine that.... But yes it was nice of them to make it right. Back when I owned a hobby shop, Ertl would credit anything I ordered from them that arrived damaged. And tell me to destroy the item.

I keep looking for the green one. For you or me. I have seen the black one and don't like the side stripes and well, it's black. They don't show up good in my display (unlit at top of room) There's a FG Nova??? Haven't seen that one. Hmmm seems lilke a thread possibility... I do like their vehicles. I have the FG 68 Elky, the 69 SS396, 427 Fairlane, 69 Boss 429 Mustang, and the 73 F100. Eventually want one of the Econoline vans since my grandpa worked out of one for years.

I think I see what it is that bothers me and it's funny what each of perceive as horrible or unacceptable. the rear quarters are too short. And when looking at these two, everyone will feel something. Be it ok or not okay or what. But the rear is what stood out to me as grievous. lol And my Monogram is long gone from my collection to compare to. BTW, I was fine with the DM 68 SS396 til you pointed out the roof and rear window openings. Now I can't unsee that. Same with flat top Novas.

Finally gave in and ordered a red Marathon 69 Chevelle direct from First Gear. The shipping box was killed, leading to the car box being killed. I emailed them - still waiting for reply to that. But I called and got a lady named Chris on the phone. She offered to send an outer box, but the outer and inner box was killed and I did pay full asking price. When I emailed her photos, she called back and told me they would be sending me a whole new box and associated inner parts. They get kudos, props, whatever, for that. We've seen this one before in a thread here. No more discussion needed, really. Nice car. Nicest 69 Chevelle replica on the market right now, plastic or diecast? And I do work for Marathon, so it looks good in my office. Also got a Wix Power Wagon by Ertl. Very dusty and missing the spare. Didn't see that in the photos. But was cheap enough. Also not pictured yet, is a First Gear 73 Ford F100. I bought it sight unseen but listed with original box. Well, it's pretty ugly color in blue over gray. I'll get some photos over the weekend and maybe we can discuss how to fix it? Looks like a Ford tractor color scheme and these are known to be decorated. I wish it were sky blue, but would need a couple body decals. The replica itself is very nice though and the grill is first rate I think. There are like 3 on ebay and no where near as cheap as I got this one with shipping.

Good topic. I have a Welly? motormax? 50 Chevy. It looks okay. Color and details are identical to the Mint car - dog dish caps, etc. But the details are cheapened in that the hood ornament is 2d rendering of the bird on the Mint version. It's flat. The trim is molded in to the body, of course. And the chassis is a one piece deal typical of the cheap diecasts. I don't have a 1/24 Mint car or a 1/25 plastic to compare it to for size. This is one that was interesting but not enough to spend much time or money on - I have $8 including shipping in it. Looks good on the shelf with some basic Snake Fu applied. See photo. My 55 Chrysler by Motormax? looks to be 1/25 length and maybe 1/24 width when compared to the Moebius 56. Another photo below. ONE of them is off a little? 57 Franklin Mint is otw. The CMW 71 Cuda was an abomination in my eyes. The rear quarters were too tall? Or something. It just never looked right. One of the few I actually took out of display. Saved for parts though. And I would agree that the cars are scaled to fit in ONE size box so they can use same size master shipping cases and so on. We obviously will still buy them. And I must say, that selling them on ebay, that size box that most use works well. I can put them in a 10 x 6 x 4 with just a little bubble to pad and they are in the mail. Mint car boxes are all over the place. Have to find a box specific to each car. And I have a JADA dune buggy in Todd's stuff that says 1/24 on the bottom, but it much closer to 1/18. It's much larger than a Chevelle that I had on hand to comparae to. Jada is generally offensive to my eye with a few exceptions. The trim and details are too far out unless you are collecting exapmples of more urban type cars? LA? IDK. Not something you would ever see locally where I am. I was able to fix the 63 Caddy to suit me though. And I have the 58 that might be a 2020 project. I want it in Lake Placid Blue or something close (matches my Strat in LPB).

Nice save! I'm waiting on a red 57 300 to arrive now. I hope I scored a deal on it - we'll see. From an auction site that doesn't always have photos, but usually has real collectors selling off. Then I'll have a 55 (welly), 56 (Moebius), and the Franklin Mint 57. I wanted the franklin just because wire wheels. I detailed (Snake-fu'ed) the 55, but it will never be a Mint car up close. But across the room, it's okay. Your bumper repair looks great. Can't wait to see more of these new cars you have.

Kinda late to the party, but this kit does make a beautiful replica when complete. I had no idea the interior was wrong, but I really liked mine. I put it on ebay for what I thought was an impossible price and it lives with someone else now. Maybe someday I will do another. And if you want just the base kit without the latest improvements, you can probably find on at an auction site for less. As I get older, I don't mind the one piece chassis, as most of my cars are never seen from the bottom once complete. I'm the only one that ever knows what's under there.

Panel gaps are getting better and better all the time. I am amazed at how nice "cheap" Maisto, Bburago, Welly cars can be.

It's amazing how nice these and most diecasts will polish up. They use tough paint.

Looks like 1/12 to me. I like it a lot.

Speaking of Bullitt, I found my diecast Bullitt car yesterday. Been packed since 2007 or so. Found a whole box of fun stuff, some of which I had been looking for; some I had forgotten.

BTW, here is a pic of Lincoln just out of the box. It's very rewarding to see these cars come back to life. Just a good cleaning and polishing. Not as dramatic on the photo as it was for real. These cars pick up all kinds of smudges and finger oils I guess. I usually use a moto tool with a polishing wheel and some plastic headlight lens cleaner or scratch/swirl remover. Also standard tools of paintbrushes, soft toothbrushes, pipe cleaners and cotton swabs. And yes the moto tool will send wipers, mirrors, etc in to the next universe. And can damage paint and chrome, so be very careful. Standard disclaimer there.

Yeah, me too. BUT my grandfather always talked about driving a big Cadillac - he never realized that dream. My Dad had several Caddies and a couple other big cars. So it's more or less in my DNA, I guess. We love big American cars. That's the majority of my collecting at this point.