Dave Van

I did something like that with a RC2 die cast Superbird. It looks a LOT like the Mint Bird......same tooling or maybe cloned??? Thanks

The 'tender' has a Athearn powered F-7 B unit chassis. The loco is non powered. Like you....what I had on hand!!!! THX

I see it all the time. Go to the Hot Wheels area. The high end collector HW, $6-8 each, but inside the package is a Dollar Tree '3 of $1' cheap DC. The scammer just tapes the bubble back on and WM took it back. These folks will pay someday.....

This die cast model was just released. A 80's era Rabbit SCCA showroom stock race car. So what is the connection??? This car is a model of Joe Klitzsch's race car ran out of the GMP shops in Charlotte NC. My brother in law worked for Joe's tuning biz and I even helped out now and then. When my brother in law decided to go racing we picked the German built Fiesta being Ford guys. This put us in the same class as Joe, SCCA SS/C. Joe was a good driver and had more horsepower and more $$ in the Rabbit. He beat us every race for a year but we kept racing. The next season we had a Spring race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A home race for both of us. Luck had it rained hard most of the weekend and really hard for our race. The weight and HP did no good in the hard rain, plus we had a new unshaved set of Kleber tires on hand. We WON the race by a good bit, Joe was 2nd. It was our very first win in SCCA and my first as a crew chief. You'd thought we had won the Daytona 500!!!! Thankfully in them olden days the crew was allowed to jump in the car and take a lap if you won. Joe restored the old race car recently and I guess that is why it was picked for a die cast model. If they picked by story I'd hope to see a #33 Fiesta in a scale model!!!!

I build models that fit into different themes. Movie and TV vehicles, 1950's High School cars, Race cars etc. This was built for my 1932 Fords in 1/24 scale theme. I bought the kit back in late 1990's when RM reissued this 50's era simple kit. It was one of the first Monogram scale kits in plastic IIRC. It's crude by todays standard but found it to be a fun build.....minus all the drama I had. First when I started it I lost a cylinder head. So back in the box. Found the head....worked a little and then found other parts missing. (just one of those builds). I did this one and off for years. While trying to clean off the desk my short attention span caused me to pick up the model and apply some vintage Lindberg decals I had found. They worked and looked cool....so started building again. A few parts were still MIA but I think Tim Boyd had remarked once that Lindberg kinda cloned some Monogram parts and they ended up in their kits. Checking Lindberg disk wheel covers were an exact fit AND chrome to boot. The Lindbergh roll bar was used as well as the headers as they were more scale and chrome too. Clear sheet stock for windshield. Tamiya aircraft gray spray paint for the body. Panel line wash on engine, grille and suspension. Happy to get it done and off the list. I think I have one each, or more, of each 1/24 scale 32's built. It's a simple shelf model, built only fair.....BUT DONE!!!!!

Make a cool Hot Rod!!!!!

Very interesting for sure!!!!! Going for that NYC jet rail car look???? Here is a Gotham loco I did in HO inspirred by Batman animated show.

I have had a few kits missing major parts. Whole chrome tree, decals etc. But I have gotten kits with extra parts too. I have a unplated chrome tree for a MPC Wood's Bros Mercury that had a chrome tree too. BONUS......but it does happen.....

The look I got from my cat Red when I told him I needed more model kits...............

Seems it has..........LAst time I looked at the Johnson website it was there but NONE of the retailers listed as carrying had any in stock. Just check...SCJ does not list it any longer. HPIGuy on youtube had a replacement on his channel.

Went to Hobby Lobby Wed and picked up the Revell Monogram 56 Thunderbird reissue. $39.99 on the sticker!!!!!!! That is above MSRP per a number of websites....but at 40% still a price I was willing to pay.

Based off promo????

I SHOULD have one from a kit I turned into a slot car......finding it among 3 buildings full of models......well if I ever do I remebr you need one.

Nice clean work!!! Owning a 1/1 scale Javelin I am bias!!

Thanks for those. Looks like a great event to attend! I think you can guess which were my favs!!!!!

I checked my Ollie's today as I was in the area. The normal snap and 56 were in the Christmas inflatables row. I was cutting through or I'd never seen them. Grabbed a 56 and Jeep....not sure why. Young guy at checkout did not even know they had gotten them.....I had to tell a store employee where they were!!!!!!!!

I may be the only buyer, I hope not, but I've been asking for this one. It's a Tom Daniel design so that's covered. They should have the tool.....it was part of the Unreal Roller and Groovy Grader series....... Honest Engine...................

It may be the Air Boss' fault......but still a tragic loss of life and history. I feel for the Air Boss too.....not sure I could live with that.

The value of this tooling goes down every minute it sits. I'd sell it for a $1 over scrap value to get it gone. Someday, maybe now, it is worth more as scrap......so that may decide it's fate.

He ran into costly licensing fees......Rumors out there WHY that was an issue........but only Ernie knows and he gone now IIRC.

I'd buy some of the Caddys......even the Chrysler 60's wagons. BUT these are not the kits the mainstream model co are willing to take a chance on. The market is already pretty small.....some of the cars the tooling is out there for are a small slice of a small market.

The JoHan tooling out there are real niche vehicles. 3D printing or making new tool by scanning old kits would not make any money. These tools are at a tool & die shop, in good shape (and why he wants $$$) but the DEMAND is not there. If you want to make new tooling by scanning old kits, thousands of better projects than 60's era Chrysler mid size cars.

A single kit at my Ollie's......a left over '5 senses' Lindberg. Not too disappointed as I needed none of the kits others have found.

There is JoHan tooling out there NOT in Okey's hands. If you will recall Moebius had announced they were LOOKING at a number of kits that were ex JoHan. They would upgrade the interiors and chassis to create a new curbside kits. After looking into it and the cost of the existing tooling the ROI was not there. The current owner of the tooling is VERY firm on his costs. Accurate Miniatures looked into the tooling about 7 -8 years ago....they came to the same conclusions. If someone thinks they have the DEEP DEEP pockets to buy what is out there....good luck!!