madhorseman Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) I just bought one of these on EBay. Am I crazy?? I'm thinking about stripping the paint off it and have it look like one of Carroll Shelby's personal cars, that had the all natural aluminum finish. Edited October 24, 2015 by madhorseman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Nice ! That's one I still need to add to my small Cobra collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Go for it. Your Mustang looked great.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afx Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I have the Franklin Mint bare aluminum 427 - the only diecast model I own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhorseman Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 I have the Franklin Mint bare aluminum 427 - the only diecast model I own. I have seen one!! And it looked Great!! The thing is that I paid far less for the Wix version...... Yeah I'm thrifty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhorseman Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 Go for it. Your Mustang looked great..Thanks Carl, I guess I'll make the final decision after I receive it and have a good look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geno Posted October 30, 2015 Share Posted October 30, 2015 (edited) The Wix version is the best 1/24 Cobra available. I've compared them and this one blows the FM version away. Kept the Wix, got rid of the FM. Edited October 31, 2015 by Geno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede70 Posted October 31, 2015 Share Posted October 31, 2015 Not crazy at all - these are unexpectedly nice and impressive to view at first hand. Good score!Mike K. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzTom Posted November 4, 2015 Share Posted November 4, 2015 Nice. I hope you post the progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDSchindler Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 (edited) I have reviewed both the Franklin Mint and Wix models for The Car Room Magazine and Toy Cars and Models Magazine. The WIX model is actually designed and manufactured by Icons Incorporated, a small firm out of Charlotte, North Carolina at the Executive Offices in Lowes Motor Speedway. Icons was commissioned by Wix Oil Filters to manufacture cars for their annual program. One that was previously done by ERTL, Brooklin and others. Icons actually manufactured a GT-40 based on the Holman Moody car currently raced by Lee Holman in Historic races. Icons made 3 versions of the Cobra...Dark Blue, Silver and White. The white was to replicate the car that Elvis drove in spinout but the licensing could never be secured. The Cobra's were actually part of a sales counter promotion or "Impulse Buy" for around $20-30 and only sold via the NAPA Auto Parts Store. The Icons Cobra is very good, especially for the money, over the Franklin Mint model. Well, let me clarify that one also...FM has taken the Cobra image originally designed by George Bojacuik and over produced the snot out of it until the new owners raised the white flag on producing diecast. None of the FM cobras were as good as the original one (aluminum bodied #98 Racer Car) The biggest issue with the FM car was that Ford never granted licensing but since the actual car was built by Shelby, FM already had that license. if you look at the FM #98 car, you will not see the "Powered by FORD" on it. The did a reasonable facsimile or the fender emblem but did not include Ford on it. Icons did take certain liberties with their model and seriously did a very nice image for the less than $35 price point. As compared to the FM model at $130 retail price, most collectors gave the nod to Icons. Icons also did the aforementioned GT-40, Richard Petty's Torino Talladega and a 67 GTO based off a 67 GTO owned by Walt Hollifield in Mint Hil NC that has only 14 miles on it. Yes 14 miles, not 14,000...14...1 more than 13 miles and less than 15 miles...14! Walt is known for his outstanding collection of GTO...he has one of each model from each year including the first and last 64 Pontiac Tempest that had the GTO package on it. Icons targeted Danbury Mint's 67 GTO and claimed it to be better. It wasn't. Edited November 12, 2015 by BDSchindler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhorseman Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 Had a problem with receiving the Cobra, and I had to find another. Paid only a few bucks more. and it came in yesterdays mail.OMGosh!! it looks fantastic!! So much so that I can't bring myself to ruin the beautiful paint!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhorseman Posted November 14, 2015 Author Share Posted November 14, 2015 Thanks for the info Brian, and ...and are all those cars yours? I got one of the blue versions of the Cobra. I have reviewed both the Franklin Mint and Wix models for The Car Room Magazine and Toy Cars and Models Magazine. The WIX model is actually designed and manufactured by Icons Incorporated, a small firm out of Charlotte, North Carolina at the Executive Offices in Lowes Motor Speedway. Icons was commissioned by Wix Oil Filters to manufacture cars for their annual program. One that was previously done by ERTL, Brooklin and others. Icons actually manufactured a GT-40 based on the Holman Moody car currently raced by Lee Holman in Historic races. Icons made 3 versions of the Cobra...Dark Blue, Silver and White. The white was to replicate the car that Elvis drove in spinout but the licensing could never be secured. The Cobra's were actually part of a sales counter promotion or "Impulse Buy" for around $20-30 and only sold via the NAPA Auto Parts Store. The Icons Cobra is very good, especially for the money, over the Franklin Mint model. Well, let me clarify that one also...FM has taken the Cobra image originally designed by George Bojacuik and over produced the snot out of it until the new owners raised the white flag on producing diecast. None of the FM cobras were as good as the original one (aluminum bodied #98 Racer Car) The biggest issue with the FM car was that Ford never granted licensing but since the actual car was built by Shelby, FM already had that license. if you look at the FM #98 car, you will not see the "Powered by FORD" on it. The did a reasonable facsimile or the fender emblem but did not include Ford on it. Icons did take certain liberties with their model and seriously did a very nice image for the less than $35 price point. As compared to the FM model at $130 retail price, most collectors gave the nod to Icons. Icons also did the aforementioned GT-40, Richard Petty's Torino Talladega and a 67 GTO based off a 67 GTO owned by Walt Hollifield in Mint Hil NC that has only 14 miles on it. Yes 14 miles, not 14,000...14...1 more than 13 miles and less than 15 miles...14! Walt is known for his outstanding collection of GTO...he has one of each model from each year including the first and last 64 Pontiac Tempest that had the GTO package on it. Icons targeted Danbury Mint's 67 GTO and claimed it to be better. It wasn't. Last year I bought one of the ICONS GT40s, also a few years ago one of the King's(Richard Petty's) Torino Cobras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDSchindler Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 yep...they are all pre-production samples. The white one was done to copy the Elvis Presley Spinout Cobra has the Elvis Box Art. Since Icons didn't get the rights to sell it as the Spinout car, they were forced to change the box art. There are only 6 of the Elvis cars in an Elvis box...the cars are exactly the same. When the "Never had a serious idea of his own" designer contracted by Franklin Mint (Not George Bojacuik) found out about Icons doing the Elvis car, he was quick to get FM to contact the power that be that granted the Elvis rights/licesnses and get the rights to do the car. It was rumored that they paid considerably more than the Icons contract would ultimately be worth to secure the rights...kind of a middle finger salute to Icons for doing a rival cobra that was close to what FM's Cobra was. This is FM's Spinout Cobra. What bothers me is they advertized celebrity cars like this as an autographed version of the car. Here is that Autograph... it is not a true autograph as the King had been dead for what 40 years? I explained this to the head of the Diecast Division that this sort of thing does not add value to a diecast unless it is a true signature not a tampo'd on replica of a signature. They did this with Steve McQueen on the Bullit Mustang and others. Unless FM got in bed with Disney and figured a way to bring back the dead for a signing session...leave it off the car! Remember the FM Designer I mentioned earlier that never had an idea of his own (NOT George Bojacuik)? Raffi Miniasian took the FM Cobra, removed the body and came up with this mess calling it a "Lambandi"...a fictitious car from someone's brain. Which is fine...I am not knocking creative designs...what appalled me was that FM actually liked this enough to build it and charge $150+ for it. The car has more "issues" than the average 2 year old modeler building a skill level 3 Revell model! I'll do a separate post with my review as it was written in 2010 on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted November 14, 2015 Share Posted November 14, 2015 I kind of like the look of that car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afx Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 http://www.diecast.org/diecast98/html/asp/list_reviews/xq/ASP/id.yf05/qx/reviewpix.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhorseman Posted November 15, 2015 Author Share Posted November 15, 2015 http://www.diecast.org/diecast98/html/asp/list_reviews/xq/ASP/id.yf05/qx/reviewpix.htmThat's what I was wanting to duplicate, I'll have to find another die cast that I won't feel as bad about defacing... so to speak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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