Die Cast Metal

7/23/2019 Die Cast Metal

1/68

DEAN JEFFRIES

LEGACYp.32

THE PASSION, PRODUCTS & PERSONALITIES

77

CARD SHARKS LEARN HOWTO SPOT THE DIFFERENCES

NEW MODELS &GEAR REVIEWED

AMAZING

RAYS

FALL 2013 |DCXmag.com

WOW! Structo

$2,000Mantaray

COLA NUTS

Motor City ClassicsCoca-Cola line

FRESH MINT

Danbury MintsNew 48 Chevy

MaistoC7 Vette


2/68


3/68


4/68

4DCXmag.com

CONTENTSDIE CAST X|FALL 2013

OUT OF THE BOX

26 |CMC 1929 Bugatti Type 35 Monaco GPAccidental Tourist

34 |Structo Dean Jeffries MantarayCatching Rays

38 |Danbury Mint 1948 ChevroletFleetline AerosedanJust in Time

42 |ACME 1932 FordFive-Window CoupeHot Rod Heaven

30 |Dean of DesignA visit with the legendary Dean Jeffries

46 |Cola NutsMotor City Classics Coca-Cola lineup

adds life

FEATURES


5/68

UP FRONT

6 |On the WebTe ultimate diecast portal

8 |EditorialPassing. Changes.

10 |Scale MailQuestions, answers, comments

12 |Inside LineEvents and industry news

14 |ShowroomNew releases & first looks

REGULARS

50 |Hot Wheels HighwaySpot the Difference

66 |Collector Profile: CrazyJack Struller ...... isnt really crazy, hes just focused

QUICK LOOKS

54 |Paudi Nissan Teana/Altima

55 |Minichamps Mercedes-BenzSLR McLaren Stirling Moss

56 |Esval 1941 Packard One-

Eighty Limousine

57 |Auto World Al Joniec 1968Mustang Cobra Jet

58 |Hot Wheels Elite e DarkKnight Rises Bat Pod

59 |AUTOart Lancia Delta S4

60 |Hot Wheels Elite Ferrari FF

62 |Maisto 2014 Corvette Stingray

64 |Kyosho Ferrari 250GTSebring 1963

ON THE COVER:Summer maybe drawing to a close, but the bestrays are inside our pages, alongwith Dean Jeffries, Danbury Mint,and so much more!THIS PAGE:Danbury Mints 1948Chevy is a new ray of hope for 1:24

collectors. Check it out on page 38.

Die Cast X(ISSN 1551-854X) published quarterly by Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Copyright 2013, all rights reserved. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices isPending at Wilton, CT, and additional offices. Canadian Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40008153. CONTRIBUTIONS: All materials published in Die Cast X magazine become the exclusiveproperty of Air Age Inc., unless prior arrangement is made in writ ing with the Publisher. Descriptions of products were obtained from manufacturers or their press agencies and do not constitutean endorsement by the Publisher or guarantee their safety. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Call (866) 298-5652. Outside the U.S.: (386) 246-3323, or go to our website: DCXmag.com. Rates one year (4 issues):U.S. $25; Canada, $28, including GST; all others, $32. All international orders must be prepaid in U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank. Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted.ADVERTISING: Advertising rates are available on request. Please send advertising materials to Advertising Dept., Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA; phone (203) 431-9000; fax(203) 529-3010; email: sales@ airage.com. EDITORIAL: Send correspondence to Editors, Die Cast X, Air Age Inc., 88 Danbury Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 USA. Email: [email protected]. We welcomeall editorial submissions but assume no responsibility for the loss or damage of unsolicited material. To authors, photographers and people featured in this magazine: all materials published in

Die Cast Xbecome the exclusive property of Air Age Inc. unless a prior arrangement is made in writing with the Publisher. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: To make sure you dont miss any issues, sendyour new address to Die Cast Xmagazine, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 USA at least six weeks before you move. Please include an address label from a recent issue, or print theinformation exactly as shown on the label. For faster service, go to DCXmag.com/cs, and click on the customer service link. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Die Cast Xmagazine, P.O.Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 USA.


6/68

6DCXmag.com

WEBD C X M A G . C O M : T H E U L T I M A T E D I E C A S T P O R T A L

ONTHE

Want to join the fun in real time? Our biweeklylive show, Cup O Joe, has been enjoying anupswing in viewership, and as we approach200,000 viewer minutes, weve been seeingsome new faces on the chat, and hearing fromcollectors as far away as Bulgaria, Brazil, andTurkey. Its that feedback and participation thatmakes the show so much fun. Weve fielded re-quests for models to be brought on the air, andweve been bringing the cars you want to see both brand-new and classic releases on cam-era. Collectors on popular message boards like

Hobby Talk (hobbytalk.com), Scale 18 (scale18.com), and more have been chiming in, and

spreading the word, too so check it out, andjoin us every other Sunday at 11 a.m. EST. Our Facebook page (facebook.com/Di-eCastXMag)has exploded, and as we close in on5,000 likes, we want to remind you to join in soonand to take part in our Git Your Goat giveaway a chance to win a trio of long out-of-produc-tion Highway 61 GTOs that we discovered in aback closet at the Air Age offices in Connecticut.Once we dusted the hard-to-find models off, wedecided to give them to one lucky collector. atlucky collector could be you. All you need to do is

like the Die Cast XFacebook page, and youre inthe running. Already like it? No sweat youre

already in! And heres the best part: if we hit5,000 likes by the time we close the contest(August 1), our own editor in chief will give away aone-of-a-kind pre-production prototype of theHighway 61 GTO straight out of his collection with a Certificate of Authenticity and a copy ofthe magazine it was featured in to another luckycollector. Well announce the winner hopefully,winners on August 4. Git liking.

If youve got a model car website, like to blog, or just want

to join a growing community of diecast collectors, stop in to

Facebook, DCXmag.com, or live with Cup O Joe. Post a few

pictures, talk about your collection, and above all, introduceyourself. Wed like to meet you.

Its been an exciting few weeks for us on the web. Our social media channels havebeen humming, and with all the new releases, well have more video on deck as youread this. Your feedback and response to our quick-moving, high-definition reviewson both the Die Cast X website and our YouTube channel means that well be doing

more and more so keep watching! Also, remember that DCXmag.com is still the placeto go for new release info, bonus photos, and the latest DCXvideos. You can comment onwhat you see and tell us what youd like to see with a couple of simple mouse clicks.We check it every day, so jump on and let us hear what you have to say.

Gityourgoat

givea

way!


7/68


8/68

8DCXmag.com

EDITORIAL

Editor-in-Chief Joe Kelly Jr.

Deputy Managing Editor Katherine Pierpont

Copyeditor Suzanne Saunders

CONTRIBUTORS

Bill Bennett, Wayne Moyer, Mike ZarnockMEDIA SERVICESVice President Media Services &Corporate Strategy Laurene R. Booth

Creative Director Betty K. Nero

Art Director Kevin Monahan

Graphic Designer Gustavo Galicia

Web Producer Holly Hansen

Production Assistant Paul Streeto

VIDEO/PHOTOGRAPHYSenior Photographer Hope McCall

Photographers/VideographersJoseph Arthur,

Johnathan Henninger, Adam Lebenstein

ADVERTISINGAdvertising Director Mitch Brian203.529.4609

Senior Account Executive Ben Halladay203.529.4628

Sales Assistant Tracey Terenzi

CIRCULATIONConsumer Marketing Manager Mike Valanzola

Newsstand Director John Morthanos

MARKETING & EVENTSVice President, MarketingLaura Hagan

Associate Creative DirectorLeslie Costa

Event Manager Emil DeFrancesco

Social Media Coordinator Devang Patel

PUBLISHING

Group Publishers Louis V. DeFrancesco Jr.,

Yvonne M. DeFrancesco

EDITORIAL

MAIL88 Danbury Road, Wilton CT 06897 USA

Phone(203) 431-9000; [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONCUSTOMER SERVICE(866) 298-5652,

+(386) 246-3323 (outside the U.S.) or

DCXMag.com/cs

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

If you are ever dissatisfied, you may cancel your

subscription and receive a full refund for all

unmailed issues. DCXis always a great gift idea!

Just call us, or go online, and give a gift today.

HOW TO REACH US

PRINTED IN THE USA

Magazine Publishers

of America

RCX.com

FALL 2013 | VOLUME 9, NO. 4

BACK IN MID APRIL, I PLACED A CALL TO DEAN JEFFRIES OFFICE, hoping to arrange a visitfor Bill Bennett, and book an interview with Dean about Structos Mantaray. I figured Id get

an assistant or an answering machine. After two rings, I found myself on the phone with thefather of the Mantaray, the designer and builder of the Monkeemobile and the Black Beauty,and the fellow whod painted Little Bastard on James Deans Porsche shortly before he

wrecked into history. Many have never heard of Dean. He never self-promoted, and never hadto. His work was his calling card, and on the phone, he was funny, open, and genuine. When Iconfessed to him that I was thrilled to be speaking with one of my idols, he chuckled then

thanked me for the kind words.Bill Bennett drove out to see Dean, and wound up spending the day, evening, and part of the

night with him, talking about his life, his late wife, andcars - lots of cars. When I spoke to Bill the next

day, he was as excited as Id ever heard him.When Bill and I shared the news ofhis passing, we both weregrateful to have had the

chance to hear his voice,and shake his hand. We- all of us - will miss him

greatly.

IN THIS ISSUE

You may notice a few changes in this issue ofDie Cast X

. Well be including more modelreviews, going forward, and were re-allocating space so we can do what were here for: bringmore new diecast and resincast releases to you. Tat may mean a shift from scale to scale, asthe issues run but it will guarantee that well have more truly new models like the still-

warm Maisto 2014 Corvette for you, every time we print.Well be concentrating on more video, too, because collectors have told us thats what they

want to see. Were only too happy to oblige. Its an amazing time to be a collector. Whether

you like traditional print, or get your info on a tablet, smartphone, or personal computer,as technology and the media progress, well be following along as we endeavor to bring our

readers, viewers, and followers the very best in every issue.

As always, I welcome your comments. Drop me a line. And enjoy the issue!

EDITORIAL

Passing. Changes.

PHOTOBYCHRISTOPHERSWEETMAN

Joe Kelly, Jr. | [email protected]

Corgi Black Beauty


9/68


10/68

10DCXmag.com

WE WANT TO HEARFROM YOU!Tell us what you like, whatyou dont and why Die Cast Xis the best diecast maga-zine ever! Send snail mail toLetters,Die Cast X, Air AgeMedia, 88 Danbury Road,Wilton, CT 06897 USA, oremail us at [email protected]'ll edit letters as needed,and though we will read themall, we don't have room toanswer or publish every one.

Scale MailYOUR FEEDBACK| WRITE TO US AT DCXAIRAGE.COM

Das Zoot ist Sehr Gut!Got your mag today and enjoyed it very much like everyissue. But as one of Ze German Readers I wonder what isthe zoot? Te word is not existing in the German languageat all! But in every other aspect: go on with your great workon the mag!Nina Hochstetter

Hi, Nina! We were just having fun with the title. Zo ot is aslang word that can be used to describe everything from styl-ish clothing to the sound and feeling ofgreat speed as we used it to describethe Mercedes Rekordwagen. It reallydoes look like its moving, even whenstanding still and its one of our veryfavorite German cars. JK

Testing ... testing ...I see that you are putting more andmore gadgets and accessories in themagazine. I like them, but does BillBennett really test each one, or doeshe just look at them and write aboutthem?Cliff Eaton

Howdy, Cliff. Rest assured that Bill ever the intrepid reporter does,indeed test every item thats sent hisway, even if it requires enlisting a neigh-bor to help out. It may not ever rain in

Southern California, but as you can see below, Bill doesnt letthat get in the way of performing his job. Bless him. JK

Angel WingsIn light of your recent article on GreenLight's 1:18 MustangII Cobra, I'm inquiring about some information regarding theCharlie's Angels Farrah Fawcett version that is supposed tobe made by GreenLight. When is it coming out? Also - doesanyone make a 1:18 or larger "Fishbowl" bus?Tanks for your help!

John Jastremski

Hello, John. anks for your letter - andfor all the pic s you sent along. We cansee that you're a fan of the Angels (andwho can blame you?). You're in luck; fromwhat we've been told, there will, indeed,be a Charlie's Angels Mustang II Cobra,decorated in white with blue stripes, on"laced" wheels, and packaged as thecar that the late, lovely Miss Fawcettdrove. It's slated for release in the fourthquarter 2013. As for those buses wow,we'd like to see that in a larger scale.e "fishbowl" bus (introduced in '59,and so named for its giant windshield)was great looking, and some wore verycool fleet markings and advertising. Anytakers? JK

Dear Joe, I enjoyed the last issue featuring the V cars, but Im looking for something a lo tmore unusual than a orino or modified rans Am. As a kid, one of my favorite V shows wasBearcats!, an adventure show about a pair o f troubleshooters in the pre-WW I AmericanSouthwest. Te stars, Rod aylor and Dennis Cole, drove a new 1914 Stutz Bearcat (well, areplica but it was built by George Barris). I never forgot the show, and after looking for one of

the replicas (originals are way out of my price range), I found one 15 years ago and restored it.Its still in my garage. Aside from a 1:24 model by Franklin Mint, I dont know of any diecasts of 1912-1916Bearcats. Id love to see more brass era cars in model form, like a Mercer Raceabout (a Stutzrival) or even one of the huge touring cars of the period. With brass radiators and lots of inter-esting details, the models would be a lot of fun. Perhaps the recently featured Indianapolis-winning 1911 Marmon Wasp will start a trend towards more pre-WW I models.Keep up the good work! Ive attached a photo of my car.John Boyle

COOL

'CAT

Hello, John. One can neverunderestimate the power ofa childhood memory. at isan incredible car youve gotthere. A couple of brass era

models have been done in1:18 diecast, most recentlyby a company called CSM a 1:18 1913 Buick 25 and we agree: the cars areimportant, not to mentionbeautiful. While some neatold plastic kits are available,we can only hope that moreready-to-display manu-facturers will s tep forwardand take the chance onthese historic machines. Inthe meantime, youve got apretty cool car to drive whileyoure waiting. anks for

sharing it! JK

Bill Bennett

takes one for

the team.


11/68


12/68

12DCXmag.com

INSIDE LINEE V E N T S & I N D U S T R Y N E W S

Countryside, IL just outside of Chicago was the place to be this past March 24if your passion is 1:43 car models. Te

Strictly 1:43 Model Car Expois an annual hap-pening where friends from all over the countryget together to catch up, add to their collections,trade, sell, and otherwise enjoy the scale.

2013 STRICTLY

1:43 SHOW

Tis year, folks got to see the lat-est creations from many top-linemanufacturers, and an added at-traction was the off-campus Fer-rari Expo Literature and CollectibleShow, held just a mile away atContinental Motors the Saturdaybefore. It was an intense side trip;we saw more Ferraris than weveever seen in one place before, bothin scale and parked throughoutthe dealerships showrooms andservice bays.

Back at the main show, organizer

Buzz Lockwood, head man at theRoute 66 Model Car Store, showedbrand-new, never-before-seenreleases, as always. Te officialmodel of this years hoedownwas Madison Models superb1947 Studebaker Woody Wagonprototype (7). Studebaker nevermade the car, and only 100 modelswill be made. Conquest Modelsalso had a new Woody Wagon ondisplay, a 1952 Buick Roadmaster(4), along with an eye-grabbing1955 DeSoto convertible(6), both

in white metal. Madison Modelsand Conquest are sister compa-nies; under the MadRod brand,they also showed the DeSotobody as a limited street rod(5)

with the full 50s treatment: nosed,decked, and in the weeds, wearinga toothy Chevy grille and polishedmag wheels.

Te late Steve Overy was sorelymissed, but the first prototypesof the last Minimarque modeldeveloped under Steves direction a gorgeous 1933 Cadillac V16available in three versions werethere (8). wo of the original Cadil-lacs were owned by Hollywoodstars Marlene Dietrich and RobertMontgomery; hopefully more of

the original MM43 models (theDuesenberg SSJ models come tomind) will be added to this revivedCars of the Stars series.

Mikhail B ashmashnikov(1) (B& G Group) displayed the mostdetailed 1:43 Duesenberg weveever seen (2) a 1933 Duesen-berg SJ Murphy Beverly Sedanwith more than 240 parts (150photo-etched). Mikhails upcomingype 57 Bugatti was shown as anin-process body(3). Were looking

forward to seeing that one alongwith more new 1:43 scale modelsand the full-scale folks who enjoythem in Chicago next year.Wayne Moyer

1 2

3

4

5

6

7

8


13/68


14/68

14DCXmag.com

SHOWROOMN E W R E L E A S E S & F I R S T L O O K S

Huayra PowerBBR Pagani Huayra SaloonGeneve1:18 |$555Te world of exotic cars has long been theplayground of BBR, and this maker neverceases to amaze and engage collectors of high-end, low-production replicas. Recently, theyve turnedtheir attention almost exclusively to resin, and this factory image of theircarbon-fiber Pagani Huayra - the $1.3 million doll ar, 720-horsepower star of theSaloon Geneve (Geneva Auto Show) shows just h ow gripping these models can be. Witha flawless carbon finish, hand-applie d polish, and exquisite external and cabin detailing, this is

just the type of thing that many collectors look for when shopping models at this level of exclusivity(only 200 of this Huayra will be made, worldwide) and this price point. Te Pagani will come affixed to astitched, leather-lined base, and promises to sell out and become even more valuable fast. Inside track: ifyou truly love the exclusivity factor, jump on the version 20 to be made that comes on a red leather base, at a price

thats closer to $600. Joe Kelly, Jr.carvillemodels.com

Dual PersonalityNEO 1961 Ghia 6.41:43 |$95.99An American company, Dual Motors, built 117 Ghia-bodied G cars based on the ChryslerFirearrow design from 1956 through 1958. But when Ghia designed a new, sleeker body, thendropped in the Chrysler 383 (6.4 liter) V-8 in 1960, the result was badged as the Ghia 6.4L. DualMotors was the importer. Frank Sinatra bought the first one in this country, and everyone whowas anyone in Hollywood had to have one. As if the car wasnt unique enough, Sinatra (andeight other owners, including fellow Rat Packers Dean Martin and Peter Lawford) had his Ghiamildly customized by George Barris with oval headlights, a smaller grille, and a black leatherinterior. So, this isnt Franks car. But it is a beautifully made and very accurate miniature of thestock Ghia 6.4L. Its high-gloss bl ack paint is literally perfect, and every piece of trim, includingthe multi-color Ghia badge, i s done with either plated or photo-etched parts. Scale fidelity andworkmanship are as good as it gets; lots of flush-fitted butyrate glazing makes it easier to seethe accurate upholstery and fitted luggage. Te dash and its detailed instruments match pho-

tos, though at least some cars had bright metal instrument panels. Te sleek shape is exactlyright from all angles, as are the di mensions. Hooray for Hollywood and thanks to JMModelau-tos.com for providing this sample. Wayne Moyerneoscalemodels.com

SUMMER WINDSORBROOKLIN 1955 ChryslerWindsor Convertible1:43 |$129.95Te all-new 1955 Chrysler lineup featured Virgil Exners100 Million Do llar Look, with design cues taken fromthe Parade Phaeton showcar. Te longer, lower lookwas especially effective on convertibles, and the platedwindshield frame and upper doorsills on Brooklins veryaccurate new Windsor Convertible (BRK-183) reallyenhance that look. Chryslers entry-level Windsor base

engine was a 301cid V-8, and Brooklins white-metalmodel carries the Power Package dual exhaustsand whitewall tires. Brooklin has really nailed thelines, look, and details of Exners design, and its glossyWisteria Blue p aint matches color chips perfectly, with

just a little orange peel. All the trim, except the relief-castscripts, is done with separate plated parts, and while thegrilles could use a heavier blackwash, the win owertaillights are neat. Interior details are especially criticalon convertibles, and Brooklin has accurate upholsterypatterns and a good dash, though, as u sual, the gaugesarent picked out. Door panels have one separate platedand one relief-cast handle. Te three-tone interior colorsdont match anything in Chrysler references, though.Nonetheless, dimensions are accurate, as are the lines, andBrooklins model should be as popular as the full-scale car

was in 1955. Wayne Moyerbrasiliapress.com

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!


15/68

FALL 2013 15

HUNGARY HEARTHOT WHEELS ELITE

Nigel Mansell F1-891:43 |$55.99Formula Ones turboera of 1.5 liter enginesproducing upwards of 800horsepower ended in 1988; 1989regulations specified naturally aspiratedengines with a maximum displacement of 3.5 liters. Ferrari, ofcourse, went with a V-12 in a new chassis. Nigel Mansell joined the team and won two Grands Prix and Gerhard Burger another,but the unreliability of the new paddle-shifted 7-speed gearbox left Ferrari 2nd in po ints and Mansell 4th in the D rivers Champi-onship. Like all race cars, the F1-89 changed throughout the season, but race day photos show that Hot Wheels Elites new 1:43scale model is a very accurate miniature of Mansell s Hungarian Grand Prix winner. Its paint is excellent, and race photos confirmthe graphics are accurate, along with the l ate-season flared front wing and a taller airbox, without th e earlier inle ts on its sides.Suspension geometry is correct all around, and the ni cely molded thin plastic pieces are more realistic than the flat photo-etchedparts in contemporary kits. Yes, the carbon brake disks should be black, but there are good-looking printed belts with photo-etched hardware in the cockpit. Te shift paddles are too far behind the wheel, and theres no gauge detailing, but everything

else about this model matches photos, and its dimensions are right on, too. - Wayne Moyerhotwheels-elite.com

Country ClassPREMUIM X 1964 Ford Country Squire1:43 |$37As American families moved to the sprawl of the suburbs,a demand was created for a vehicle that could haul a sheetof plywood, carry the family, friends, or most of a LittleLeague team when required, and look good while doing allof the above. Te answer was the station wagon, and Ford

fielded one of the better ones, placing its wood-pan-eled Country Squire at the top of the list. PremiumX has just released this really fine resincast modelof the car as it appeared in 1964, and its excellent

finish (just a shade li ghter than Fords WimbledonWhite paint chips), realistic red interior, and wealth

of in-scale trim make it a real bargain at this price.Te fake wood framing and panels are just the right colorand even include the bolt heads; every piece of trim is hereand in scale, including the F O R D letters at the hoodsupper lip. rue, a couple of those were misaligned, butthese are easily fixed. Relief-cast interior trim and handlesare all neatly painted silver, and the accurate dash has awell-done speedometer decal. Lines are right from everyangle, and dimensions are precisely 1:43 scale. Wild AboutWheels provided this bargain-priced wagon for review.Wayne Moyerpremiumx-models.com

Splish SplashPREMIUM X 1950 Nash Ambassador1:43 |$37Nashs Airflytes were the most aerodynamic American cars when they were introduced in

1949, and boasted some of the first fully unitized bodies. All that technology was lost on theteenagers of the day, however; the cars seats folded flat to make a large, comfortable bed. Dothe math. Heres more math: Premium Xs take on the large Nash Ambassador for 1950 callsthat name out on its box and baseplate, and the resin models dimensions are right on themoney for the bigger bathtub - but the in-scale, legible fender scripts badge it as a shorterStatesman. Tat gaffe aside, everything about this model is exactly as it should be. Teexcellent two-tone paint has crisp separation lines, with perfectly fitted photo-etched beltline moldings, and every piece of trim is done, to scale, witheither plated or photo-etched pieces. A favorite exterior detail isthe colorful, 3D hood emble m, and the interior trim is doneto the same level, with a unique Uniscope instrumentpod (with detailed gauges) perched on the steeringcolumn. Tere are relief-cast, silver-painted interiorhandles, as well as small cranks for the vent window.Te models shape matches photos from all angles,and all dimensions are exactly 1:43 scale. Tanks

to Wild About Wheels for providing this sample. Wayne Moyer

premiumx-models.com

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!


16/68

16DCXmag.com

HOWROOM

OMG! ABS! AMG!MINICHAMPS Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT31:18 |$135With all those post-nominal letters and numbers, it do esnt take much to figure thatthe Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 is a special car, before you even see it. Once youdo, its apparent that this hairy variant of the retro supercar was made for trackantics, with a racing 6-speed transmission mounted to the rear axle, a stock AMG

6.3 liter V8, a tightened and lowered stance, composite brakes, and a tweaked, light-weight body with a giant carbon-fiber wing on i ts rear deck. e scaled version ofthat body, wearing AMG presentation livery, is exceptional, too. Rather than castingthe Benz i n metal or resin, this sealed-body Minichamps replica comes formed fromABS plastic. Beneath a high-grade white paint finish (the factory resolved issues with earlyversions), the swoop and drama of the car sit perched above spider-like 12-spoke wheels andfat race rubber. ough the model is a s tatic piece, the front wheels are poseable, and rolling thecar causes the brake discs to pass through hefty Brembo calipers. Small details are great; weloved the space-robot headlights and stacked rear lensing, the red kill rings front and rear, andthe three-pointed stars in the grille and deck lid. e heavily de tailed cockpit is only visually ac-cessible, but its worth peering into for its roll cage, race seats, and center stack detailing. Givenits reasonable price, to all the letters above, we add A-OK. Joe Kelly, Jr.carvillemodels.com

OPEN HEIRHOT WHEELS ELITE Ferrari 458Italia Spider 1:18 |$99It wasnt easy for Ferrari to nip the top on its 458 Italia, giventhe 202mph supercars speed, and, oh yeah where to putthe roof in its down position. Maranellos answer came in theform of a moderate redesign starting aft of the doors, all theway back to the 458s retro-bullet taillights. e simplicity andspeed of the doffable tops careful choreography as it splits,then disappears below a hard tonneau, is remarkable. It can beargued that Mattels own choreography the dance involvedin making ever-better model cars for the masses is equallynotable. is latest from the Hot Wheels Elite catalog hasopening doors, deck, and boot, and steerable wheels. Metal-lized five-spoke wheels front ceramic-look brake discs andFerrari calipers; their finish contrasts with and enhances therosso corsapaint, screened-in vents, and the photo-etchedcavallinos and Ferrari scripts. Everythings tight and tidy,and the details in the cockpit (the mega-buttoned steeringwheel, replete with paddle shifters, is a marvel in miniature)and on the peek-a-boo 562-horse V8 under the rear deckare crisply cast. Whats hard to believe is the excellence of thepiece, for the price. Joe Kelly, Jr.hotwheelselite.com

Carved CoachBROOKLIN 1934 Miller-LaSalleHearse 1:43 |$159.95For 1934, custom body manufacturer Miller introduced anArt-Carved Funeral Coach with a curved arch and support-

ing columns extending the full length of the body. e o rnatecarving was stamped metal, patterned to look like draperypanels. e bod y was offered on several chassis, but nonewas more unusual than this one, on a stretched 1934 LaSalle.is second full-sized hearse from Brooklins CommunityService Vehicle line has the real cars slender vertical grille,biplane bumpers, and shielded porthole lo uvers exactlyright. e glossy black paint has some minor surface ripples,with the long, textured roof insert and accurately reproducedcarved panels in contrasting flat black. Separate chrome-plat-ed windshield molding, handles, side trim, and semi-trimmedportholes make this one fully detailed on the outside. edrivers compartment has an accurate, but overpainted dash;likewise the ins trument details and seat upholstery. e doorpanels are plain, and its hard to see inside the rear compart-ment, but theres roller detail on the platform, though some

unpainted metal can be seen on the sides. is big beautymakes an impressive addition to any hearse or GM collection. Wayne Moyerbrasiliapress.com

BEETLE JUICEKYOSHO 2013 VW Beetle Cabriolet1:18 |$138e old Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet was a fun car, with a lot o f charm if driving with your

nose on the windshiel d and living with the smell of exhaust on your clothes was your ideaof charm. Now a new Cabriolet is bringing back all the good times, without the old ticky-ticky air-cooled ragtops foibles. To start with, its a lot more powerful - available engines area manual (or auto-clutched) 140-horse turbodiesel or 200-horse turbod gasoline four, ora 170-horse five-pot matched to a six-speed auto. Still no barn burner, the car nonethelessrings true to the old bugs mildly counterculture roots. So does this Kyosho model, deliveredin Tornado Red with the blown TSI gasoline four under its hood. e little red bug hasopening doors, hood, and trunk, a stiff, but working suspension, and steerable wheels. ebuild and paint are Kyosho-typical perfect, as is the fitment of the headlights, taillights, andall the trim; in front of metal brake discs, the plus-sized satin-toned five-spoke wheels arewrapped in no-name, but deeply treaded rubber. Its a sano pi ece: every bit of the modelthats been cast in plastic has been decod, plated, or painted. From the body-colored, heav-ily detailed dash above its carpeted floor, to the multi-level chassis and deeply-cast andpaint-detailed plate engine, the model does the job with quiet quality. Add in the snap-onplastic uptop and boot, and this little Cabrio becomes charming, indeed. Joe Kelly, Jr.carvillemodels.com

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!


17/68

FALL 2013 17

GUILTFREE CARBS

AUTOart Carburetor Salt &Pepper Shaker$99.95What could be morefun than passing afellow car nut a classic

Weber DCOE whenthey ask for the salt,pepper, or sugar? Notmuch, say we. AUO-arts lively homage tostoichiometric meteringcomes with two chromed velocitystacks for the spices; look closely and youll see the Sand P patterned in their tops. Pulling on the wing nut opens ahinged door on the Webers body, perfect for stashing packets ofsugar or sweetener. Te carb is finished in bead-blasted alumi-num, and its been exquisitely detailed with chromed and brasshardware, and from a short distance, it looks li ke the real thing.What a gas!

SHOCK AND AHHHH

AUTOart Two-Stage Coilover Pen & Flashlight$29.95Fans of go-fast hardware will like this pen and flashlight set.Resembling a racing coil-over shock with two-stage springsand a reservoir, this 4 1/2-inch beauty is the pi cture of precision,with a titanium gray or gold anodized housing, and red and black

powder-coated springs. o use it, just unscrew the spring portion,reverse it, and screw it back together for a functional pen; pushthe lens on top of the reservoir to switch on the LED flashlight.Te little ring on the top makes it an easy addition to your keychain, or the little damper can be clipped on to your shirt like aconventional ballpoint - just the thing for writing those fat checksat the next Concours with flair.

BLINGIN INTHE RAIN

AUTOart gearshiftumbrella

$59.95If youre going to the races,this umbrella is the i deal take-along to fend off the weatherin style. Te umbrellas eight-panel, silver-coated nyloncanopy is 26 inches wide, soyoull deflect mid-day rays ora light sprinkle with the bestof them. Opening it is fun, too:a gearshift-like handle with ashock absorber mechanismallows one-touch deploymentin seconds. With room enoughfor two, be assured that youllhave the classiest brolly in thecrowd.

COFFEE BRAKE

AUTOart Stainless Steel Brake Rotor Plateand Coffee Cup Set$34.95Car junkies run on caffeine, so its a natural that aman cave would benefi t from having this coffeecup, saucer, and spoon set around. Tese appear tohave been stolen from somebodys front suspen-sion; the saucer looks exactly like a cross-drilledbrake rotor, and the handles of the cup and spoon

have lightening holes drilled in them to continue thetheme. Made of sturdy stainless steel, these pieces

can stand the abuse meted out by a manly man, butstill look good enough to be set at the table with his girly

girl - or kidly kids, for that matter.autoartmodels.com

SHIFTY MOVES

AUTOart Basin Pump$39.95We dont know what pinky-in-the-air types call thesearound the chateau, butaround here, we call thesethings plungers and if youdont know what they do, its afair assumption that you havenever experienced the panicof rising water. Rest assured,this nifty item referred to asa basin pump by AUO-art has been thoroughlyevaluated at the BennettHousehold Department ofProduct esting and has

scored the highest marks. Itstoo pretty to press into serviceclearing sinks (as it was here),or clearing other, less delicateclogs, so were hoping that thevast majority of these littleshifters will be sold to folkswho want to stick in onto aflat surface and practice heel-and-toe downshifts throughtheNordschleife. Down andgritty, or Walter Mitty, thething is really cool.

FIX IT

TRAXXAS UltraPremium Tire Glue$10Stuff happens, no matterhow careful or experienced acollector you may be. When

it does, putting the piecesback in pl ace can be trying.If a strong, instant repair isrequired, Traxxas Ultra Pre-mium Tire Glue can handlemost of th e fixing. Wevetried it, and the stuff is scaryfast; though its intended useis to hold tires on RC rimsat hellacious speeds, itsso fast and furiously stickythat weve been able to useit to repair everything fromdelicate radio antennasto one particularly heavy,badly broken rear wing on an

IndyCar sample that arrivedin shreds from the manu-facturer. e first repairwas truly instantaneous,thanks to the lightness ofthe part; the wing took all of15 seconds to be secu red.ats impressive. So is theapparent lack of serioushazing from the stuff (acommon outgassing by-product of curing cyanoac-rylates). ough wed thinktwice before using it on clearparts, for gluing tires, wings,squirming monkeys this

stuff grips like nothing weveever used. Joe Kelly, Jr.traxxas.com

Bill Bennetts Lifestyles of the Auto ObsessedOnce again, our own Bill Bennett tests (and occasionally toasts) the accessories and add-onsthat make the car lifestyle so much fun.


18/68

18DCXmag.com

HOWROOM

Sebastian Vettelis one amazing Formula

One driver: young, talented and very,very fast. Driving for Red Bull Racing, the 25-year-old

German has finished on the podium in almost half of the F1races hes started, won more than one-quarter of them, haswon the F1 World Championship in 2010, 2011, and 2012 and, asof this writing, is leading the 2013 F1 Season with two wins infour starts. Wed call that a good start, if his goal is to challenge

Michael Schumachers record for themost F1 Championships. Minichamps

1:18 model of his RB6, configured asit was raced in the 2010 Brazilian

Grand Prix, is beautifully as-sembled. Te rich navy blue paintwith red, yellow and white Red Bulllivery is about as striking as you

can find, and the photographic end

plates on the rear wing are nicely rep-licated. Te cars stance is spot-on, and though its sealed, withno removable panels, what you can see is magnificently done.On the corners, scuffed tires mounted on OZ Racing wheelslook perfect. Te suspension pieces, undertray and diffuser areall done in fabric textured plastic, nicely replicating the shapesof these bits and their carbon-fiber construction, too. WithSchumacher as his hero, and all that history already behind him,this remembrance of Vettels first championship year mightbecome one of the breakout collectibles from a potentiallyphenomenal career and thats no bull. Bill Bennettcarvillemodels.com

MONDO TOPOLINOACME TRADING Mondello & Matsubara 1937 Fiat Topolino

1:18 |$129.95Fiat is back on these shores again, and the little 500s of today harken back to a unit calledthe Fiat 500 opolino. Like the mo dern version, the elder Italian was among the smallest roadcars of its day - and that made the aerodynamic coupe a perfect candidate for use in dragracing. Tats what Joe Mondello and the l ate Sush Matsubara thought, anyway, and once theyswapped out the mouse motor theyd bee n running in their diminutive car for a blown Chevy427, the theory was proved correct with consistent 7-second blasts in the quarter. ACMEsgot the cackling little Fiat done here in fine form, in a model notable not only for its paint andfinish which are very good on this pre-production sample but for its overall accuracy inreplicating the car in its early days with rat power. Tat engine is accessible via a lift-off hood,and its done to a turn with ribbed valve covers, metallized parts, and a full-house set of wires,pipes, and cables. After checking out the open-air cockpit and scuffed slicks, we pored over a

bunch of 60s-era photos of the car at work.Tough the headers and some sponsor

decals changed from frame to frame andrace to race, ACMEs replica brings back

a great era - and a groundbreakingmachine. Highly recommended.

Joe Kelly, Jr.

acmediecast.com

Gsser, Faster, BetterMINICHAMPS BMW Gsser Beer BMW 3.5 CSL1:18 |$135eam Schnitzer and their Gsser Beer-sponsored BMW 3.5 CSL had a good racing season in 1976, winning both the Nurburgring1000km and the 6 Hours of Zeltweg on the Osterreichring circuit in Austria, finishing the season second to Porsche in the WorldChampionship for Makes. Nicknamed Batmobiles because of their outrageous body mods, the BMWs were colorful, and wentlike stink, to boot. After previously releasing the Nurburgring winner, Minichamps has n ow issued the Zeltweg car in a burn-your-eyes-out green, orange, purple, blue and white Gsser Beer and Denzel li very. Its a wicked-looking piece, and beneaththe livery, the model has opening doors and a removable bonnet and boot. Sitting on scuffed steam roller rubberand basketweave BBS wheels, the car hugs the ground with the slightest rake; taken alongside thosehammer-blow graphics and l ivery, the interior is understated (as i t should be) with matte black painton everything except the instrument cluster, with a flocked racing bucket seat with 5-point racingharness for the solo passenger. Tose passengers Di eter Quester and Gunnar Nils-son, who shared driving duties at Zeltweg made the most of the cars 3.5liter DOHC six, and so has Minichamps, stuffing a ton of detail beneaththe lift-off lid. Overall, from its cow-catcher nose to its wild whale tail,

this is a nicely done car with a lo t of plumbing and wiring detail to goalong with its hard-to-miss look. Recommended. Bill Bennett

RALLY

RIGAUTOART 2012 HINO GT5001:43 |$114.90

BULLYMINICHAMPS Renault R86 Vettel 2010Brazilian GP1:18 |$125

is AUTOart 1:43 HINO GT 500 truck (yes, we said GTand truck in the same sentence) is patterned after theunit thats been bo inking through the sand in the DakarRally, and collecting Class Championships (four in a row,as of this years event) for Team Sugawara. No, this isnt

the same rig used to deliver parcels; though the trucklooks like its road-going cousins, this carbon-bodied mini-monster uses a comparatively tiny engine a turbodieselstraight six of around 8 liters to crush its competition,who run larger, heavier machines. AUTOarts model of the2012 entrant is a riot of crisp sponsor logos on a hybridmetal and plastic body. e details all over are tiny, andvery well done, from the delicate headlights and bezeledrear markers to the multi-layered chassis, jammed withheavy-duty running gear. Above the knobby tires, theright-hand-drive cab is full of sharp castings and legibletampos, and the effect is more like a submarine controlroom than the sand-bound dash for a truck. Given thepopularity of this series and the HINO brand weimagine that dashing is exactly what collectors will bedoing. Rally round, boys. Joe Kelly, Jr.

autoartmodels.com

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!


19/68


20/68

HOWROOM

20DCXmag.com

Popular PonyAUTO WORLD 1965 Ford Mustang 2+2

1:18 |$89.99Tirteen years after the original 1:18 Ertl/FoMoCo Precision 100 64 1/2 Ford Mustang convertible shook up the diecast col-lecting world, the current owner of the molds, Auto World, is releasing this 2 +2 fastback pony in the same color Rangoon Red with many of the originals operating features, including ope ning doors, hood, and trunk (on real aspect hinges); a carpeted in-terior with tilting front seats, working visors, and a fold-down rear seat; working suspension and steering, a rotating drive shaft,

and an up-down radio antenna. Te paint and finish on the car are very good, and even though the chromed bits arent donewith the same pricey electro-plating process the original P-100s wore, the overall job is right forthe price as is the packaging, which nixes the clamshell/sleeve delivery the older carenjoyed, in favor of a three-window display box. Tat box is part of thi s releaseshook it features the cover of the January 1965 issue of Popular Mechanics,boasting a Rangoon Red fastback kicking up its heels (alongside a 65Plymouth Barracuda and a contemporary ChevroletCorvair). Te model attempts andsucceeds in replicating that covercar, right down to the red stripeperformance rubber. Te boxalso affords a look at the scaledStangs neat chassis done withfaux factory overspray on its redoxide base as well as offering up agander at the model s photo-etched

grille and galloping mascot. Tis ponystill delivers. Joe Kelly, Jr.autoworldstore.com

French Curves ReduxMINICHAMPS Mullin Collection1939 Bugatti 57C Aravis1:43 |$95Only three ype 57C Aravis drophead coupe bodies werebuilt to Jean Bugattis design, and Jean himself called it themost beautiful Bugatti. Te last on e, S/N 57768, was builtfor famed French driver Maurice rintignant, and is now inOxnard, CAs Mullin Collection. Its also the subject of this

gorgeous and accurate resin model from Minichamps.1939 photos show a thin chrome molding between thebody and rear fenders, parking lights at the bottom of thegrille, and the si de molding above the color separation line,while photos from the Mull in website show Minichampsmodel is a precise miniature of 57768 as it looks today.Its two-tone blue/cream paint is excellent, with a verythin photo-etched stripe providing the color separationTe hood hinge, louver trim, and stone guards are printedbright chrome, while the trunk hinges, latches, handles,and other details including the flat horseshoe grille areall plated parts. Minichamps hasnt left anything off. Bigaluminum-colored drums are visible behind the accuratephoto-etched wire wheels, and theres basic chassis detailcast with the baseplate. Te up top has realistic wrinkles,texture, and shee n, with a printed silver molding at the

bottom. Inside, the exposed seat supports, body-colordash (with le gible gauges, of course), and separate platedhandles match Aravis photos too. Jean would agree thistruly is beautiful. Wayne Moyercarvillemodels.com

BRAZILIAN WHACKSHOT WHEELS ELITEF1-90 Mansell1:43 |$55.991989 World Champion Alain Prost moved to Ferrari for the 1990 season,bringing his Champions #1 with him, and relegating Nigel Mansell to theposition of second driver. When the season started the only noticeable difference in the FerrariF1-90, or 641, was a taller biplane rear wing replacing the 89s triplane arrangement. Ferrari

introduced the revised 641/2 at the third race of the season; it had a shorter, more roundedduckbill nose, a thicker front body (to permit larger fuel tanks), and smaller, higher radiatorexit ducts. Hot Wheels Elite has released two very accurate F1-90 models, Mansells 4th-placeBrazilian GP car and the 641/2 version he drove to win the later Portuguese Grand Prix. Teshape and details of both models match 1990 photos and illustrate these ch anges very well.Both models have the 1990 yellow background for the Agip decal, and the Brazilian car correctlyhas no background behind the FIA letters; the Portuguese version has an equally correct bluebackground, and the later version also has a correct, larger Goodyear logo on the rear wing.As with the F1-90 model, suspension details are accurate, as is the scale fidelity. Hot Wheelsreally did their research on these (no surprise, there, given the Ferrari license), and the modelscompare quite well to the ameo kits built inthe early 1990s always a good thing. Wayne Moyerhotwheels-elite.com

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!


21/68


22/68

22DCXmag.com

March, HaltedREPLICARZ 1984 March 84C

1:18 |$169.99For all the preparation and planning, Indy can be a cruel place. Gordon Johncock found that outin 1984, when the March 84C he was piloting crashed on lap 104, injuring his ankle and twistingthe car up beyond repair. Powered by a Ford-Cosworth DFV turbo V8 making an impressive800 horsepower, Gordons March wasnt alone. Tom Sneva (another DNF - blown CV joint) andRick Mears (who won that year) left the starting line in 84Cs, as well. at means that Repli-carz can make the most of this Carousel 1 mold set, and from what we see in this hand-builtadvance sample, they plan to. Given the 11-year difference between this car and Joh ncocksvictoriou s 73 Eagle-Offy, the tech gap between the cars is dramatic, as youd expect. oughsleeker on its outside, when this beautifully liveried and painted model splits (one of the cool-est tricks in all of 1:18), it does so literally from nose to tail, exposing everything from the triplefluid reservoirs at the foremost bulkhead, to the nicely patterned and rivet-detailed carbonfiber shell. Behind that armor is the stressed-member V8. is one s a real treat: among all ofthe sharply cast pieces, we counted a couple of different shades of metallized finishes, andat least two different sheens of graphite black o n the engine and transaxle, in between all th e

vinyl and plastic wiring and plumbing. Once youre done tracing allthe forward-running cooling pipes and the full-on cockpit (the

gauges alone are almost worth this ones price), break out yourbest squint to see the spring within the manifold blowoff valveand the impeller nes ted inside the turbo intake. Cruel day -

cool model. Highly recommended. Joe Kelly, Jr.replicarz.com

HOWROOM

EAGLE EYEDREPLICARZ 1973 Eagle-Offy IndyCar

1:18 |$159.99We just cant seem to get enough of Replicarz latest models and we mean that literally. e company is righteouslywarming over some of the late Carousel 1s tools easilyamong the best mold sets in the IndyCar world - much to thedelight of collectors. is time, its the Eagle-Offenhauser thatGordon Johncock drove to win an otherwise disastrous Indy500 in 1973. e car, seen here as a pre-production samplewith a couple of tweaks still a-waiting, nonetheless comesacross as a sweet piece, with a full-on, turbod Offy 4 thatsbeen wired, plumbed, and set amidst the cars intricate struts,wings, and rear suspension bits. eres a smattering of noble

materials, like the screening on the intake horn and the yellowsteel springs, but the cars big trick is its split-up-the-middlebody. Grab the top section and lift it off to reveal the cars innerworkings, including the fully wired rear dash, gauged binnacle,and pedals up front. Press the nose down, and the pushrodsuspension acts on the springs set inboard of the hinged andpivoting control arms. e orange color, crisp STP and sponsorgraphics, impeccable wheels and Good Year race tires make thisone a stunner on the shelf; all that under-the-skin fun makes itone that wont stay there long. Joe Kelly, Jr.replicarz.com

CLAY DAYSANDIFER Design and Color StudiesPrices/Scales VaryBefore computers came along, having a scale model on the table was the only wayto see how light would play over a cars shape, or how different colors or trimswould look in the real world. Once approval was given to a design, most of theseworkaday models were scrapped. Now, thanks to Samuel Sandifer, some of the

more important survivors are being recreated in extremely limited numbers, andsold through an exclusive with JM Modelautos. Heres the remarkable thing: each of thesereplicas, ranging from the Charger III (pictured) to early LaSalle color studies and Ford MotorCompany profile models (viewable in the bonus gallery on DCXmag.com) have been care-fully lifted directly from the nearly priceless originals, using the old models as masters for the

new tooling. Sandifer who dates back to when these modelswere still being made has cast and finished each piece

completely by hand. Limited? Oh, yeah. Expensive? Youbetcha. But if you love the history of design,

and remember those old blackand white photos of Harley,

Virgil, Edsel, Gordon, orany of the masters

poring over one ofthese, you cantget closer than

this. Joe Kelly, Jr.jmmmodelautos.com

OS ONLINE!

Coupe-E CatAUTOART 1961 Jaguar E-Type 1:18 |$245.90

e Jaguar E-type causes folks to stop and go glassy-eyed, especially if the observed machine is on the hoof.Few cars in the history of the automobile can lay claim tosuch perfection of line and detail; even fewer can back upthe pulchritude with power. But the Jag could, and in scale,the car has been a hit though a qualified one for AU-TOart. We covered the roadster in our Summer 2013 issue,and now the coupe has arrived on the scene as a part of

the upscale Signature lineup. Our sample arrived in BRG,along with a serialized certificate and a brochure coveringthe real cars history and the models virtues. eres a lotof both. e mod els opening doors, hatch, and tilting hoodreveal a masterful assemblage of precision castings largeand small, perfect paint and finish, and scale textures thattease for a touch. Under-hood, the straight 3.8 liter six i sbeautifully finished, and abundantly wired and piped; thespring-loaded wishbone suspension flexes and reboundshere, and at the cars complex, deeply rendered rear axle.e RHD cabin is carpeted and features real leather seatsand a crisp dash and console, and the glazing, headlights,and chrome everywhere is spectacular. As with theroadster, only one thing hobbles this otherwise excellentscale model on display: the tires mounted to the otherwiseamazing wheels are too small. If you can get past that, thisis one of the better releases of the past several years, andan important car to have in any diecast collection. JoeKelly, Jr.

AUTOartmodels.com

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!


23/68

Online store includes aircraft models fromFranklin Mint, Corgi, Hobbymaster, Marushin,Model Power and many more!

Thousands of authentic diecast, plastic andmahogany desktop models in small to largescales

Large number of military models from WWI,WWII, Vietnam and modern era.

Most are fully assembles and ready to display!

Excellent sales team toll free at1-877-2AIKENS(877-224-5367)

AIRCRAFT MODEL REPLICAS AT

Aikens Airplanes

Sale prices are for a limited time only!

Visit us online at: www.aikensairplanes.comor call us toll free at: 877-224-5367Based in Memphis, TN

DM-DRW50068 Reg $49.95SALE: $34.95

Me-109 G-2 Messerschmitt German

Trop II./JG77

Die-Cast Metal Scale:1:72Wing Span: 5.5

Length: 5.0

JSI-6007HReg $119.95ON SALE FOR $99.95

UH-1B Bell Iroquois Huey Helicopter,

Shark Mouth

Ballastic Plastic Scale: 1:18Rotorspan: 32.0

Length:38.0Width: 6.0

CG-601031Reg $59.95ON SALE FOR $49.95

Churchill MK III Tank British Army A Squadron

Die-Cast Metal Scale: 1:50Wing Span: 2

Length: 6

CG-US34309Reg $49.95ON SALE FOR $39.95Focke-Wulf Fw190A-4 - Oberleutnant Horst

Hannig, Staffelkapitan of 2./JG 2, Triqueville,

France, 1943

Die-Cast Metal Scale: 1:72Wing Span: 6Length: 5.5

Fight to Fly, Fly to Fight, Fight to Win

Make it Happen at Aikens Airplanes!

TMC-FGD5TE Reg. $239.95SALE: $194.95

Albatros D.V Goring

Desktop Mahogany Scale: 1:20Wing Span: 17.75

Length: 14.5

TMC-KWFTE Reg $249.95ON SALE FOR $199.95

Desktop Mahogany Scale: 1:24Wing Span: 20

Length: 10

BBI-003773 Reg. $219.95SALE: $189.95

F-18C Hornet - US Navy VFA-86, USS

Enterprise,Sidewinders

Ballastic Plastic Scale:1:18Rotorspan:32.0Wingspan: 25.75

Length: 37.75

HM-HA8207 Reg $79.95SALE: $69.95

F4U-1A Corsair VMF-111 Devil Dogs

Die-Cast Metal Scale:1:48Wing Span:10.25

Length:8.5

CG-AA33310 Reg $299.95ON SALE FOR $249.95

B-17 Flying Fortress Flak Attack

Die-Cast Metal Scale:1:72Wing Span:17.25

Length: 12.25 inches

HM-HA1964 Reg $79.95ON SALE FOR $69.95

F-4N Phantom II VF-84, Jolly Rogers,

CVW-19 CAG Bird, USS Roosevelt

Die-Cast Metal Scale: 1:72Wing Span: 6.25

Length: 10.5

HM-HA8102 Reg $79.95ON SALE FOR $66.95

Stearman N2S-2 Kaydet U.S. Navy

Die-Cast Metal Scale: 1:48Wing Span: 8.0 inches

Length: 6.25 inches

AV72-21001 Reg $24.95ON SALE FOR $16.95Tiger Moth Imperial War Museum Duxford

Die-Cast Metal Scale: 1:72Wing Span:5.0

Length: 4.0


24/68

24DCXmag.com

HOWROOM

Sprechen Sie Wow?AUTOART Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Ti DTM Hockenheim1:18 |$275Some people refer to the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) as the German equiva-lent of NASCAR. ere are certain similarities these days, but in 1993, DTM racers were far morelinked to their road-going counterparts than were their NASCAR contemporaries from theStates. Say what you will, AUTOarts 155V6 Ti, patterned after the car that won at Hockenheimin 1993 with the remarkable Alessandro Nannini at the wheel, is a sweet take on one of themost successful of the breed, a purpose-built race car with a megawatt V6 engine and four-wheel-drive. As weve more or less come to expect from this maker, the paint and bo dywork isflawless, the stance is spot-on, and the shut lines are tight and even on the cars four openingdoors and lift-off deck and hood. All the little details, like the gaskets around the glass, areexecuted beautifully, and peppered with small metal bits for the various hold downs and linkson the body. In between, the race day graphics are all done using a pad printer (tampos), andthe durability and crispness of detail is amazing. Pop the one- piece bonnet and the massivelyducted engine compartment is very convincing; peel those doors open, or lift the rear deck

(carefully) and the same holds true for the interior and boot. One beef: the rubbery quality ofthe drivers racing harness. Something fabric-based would have been a big improvement. Butoverall, this is an extremely good - and good-looking - mode l with crisp and tidy detail every-where. Highly recommended. - Bill Bennettautoartmodels.com

THE GAS MANS RIDEREPLICARZ 1984 Indy 500 March-CosworthTom Sneva1:18 |$169.99After winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1983, Tom eGas Man Sneva returned to Indy in 1984 with a March-Cosworth sporting his reigning champions #1, and snaredthe prestigious pole position with a scorching 210.029mph over 2mph faster than Howdy Holmes, who qualifiedsecond. Rick Mears was the third-place qualifier, andultimately won the race. Sneva led more laps in 1984 thanall contenders except Mears, but retired after his 168th lapdue to a failed CV joint. Replicarz has recreated Snevasred, white, and blue Texaco March 84C in diecast usingthe same tooling used to previously build Mearss 1984Champion, and its a gem of a model. e stance is correct,and the white paint with red and blue livery captures thepole winner perfectly. Lift off the one-piece upper bodyand the molded composite tub and well-detailed cockpit

jump out; the former is nicely rendered in faux carbonfiber, and the latter has a three-gauge instrument paneland fabric and photo-etch belts. At the rear, the turbo-charged Cosworth DFX engine and all of its accessories arecompelling. All of the detail is there, right down to the turboimpeller. is is a car worth having not only for its place inhistory, but also for the immaculate execution by Replicarz.Bill Bennettreplicarz.com

POSITIVE SPINSPIN MASTER NASCAR1:64 |TBAModel car makers are usually an energetic lot, but when wegot on the blower with the fellows who made these firstshots, we felt enthusiasm fairly pouring out of the handset.Spin Master is a toy company on the move. ey started

making well-regarded 1:64 NASCAR models in 2011, andthese first shots of some new additions to the series showa great deal of promise. e castings an Earnhardt-eraMonte Carlo Aerocoupe, and a spate of Generation 6models based on the current machinery seen on the highbanks have been coated with clear; we cant tell youwhich liveries these will wear, but with these crisp bodiesto decorate, not to mention a full-on interior and some ofthe best wheels and tires weve ever seen in thi s scale,were dying for you to find out. Sit tight, and stay tuned toDCXmag.com for more news and images as they becomeavailable. Joe Kelly, Jr.spinmaster.com

MagnifiqueMINICHAMPS Mullin Collection 1934 Voisin C27 Grand Sport Tourer

1:43 |$95Minichamps latest entry in its Mullin Automotive Museum Collection series is this 1:43 1934Voisin C27 roadster, as b odied by Figoni, and restored la Mullin. e yellow and black paint arehard to miss, and notes like the tiny hood latches, majestic winged radiator mascot, and thereadable gauges in its dash are best seen through a magnifier. e real car, chassis number52001, was one of only two made; after being shown at the Madrid Auto Salon, it found its wayto the garage of the Shah of Persia, for 23,000 francs. Back then, it was green and yellow; yearslater, after being found in a barn (yes, that does happen), the car was restored by descendantsof the original carriage maker and Voisins chief designer, who painted it blue. Ultimately, PeterMullin located the car, and had i t restored yet again, painting it in the colors we see today. Judg-ing by comprehensive photos of the real car, we cant find a detail thats been missed. rough

the camera lens, the wired wheels, faux ostrich seat upholstery, and hollowed out exhaustpipe make the replica hard to distinguish from a model in a larger scale - perhaps even the realcar. One detail in particular had us gobsmacked: a tiny golden dot on the models dash, whichrepresents (if not replicates) a brass St. Christopher medal on the restored roadster. atgolden dot says a l ot about thi s makers impeccable eye, and this important series continues toamaze. Joe Kelly, Jr.carvillemodels.com

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!

BONUSPHOTOSONLINE!


25/68


26/68

26DCXmag.com

OUT OF THE BOX BY BILL BENNETT

Mention classic Grand Prix motor racing and most enthusiasts think of

high-powered, single-seatmonopostos screaming through the tunnel,

flying around the waterfront and ducking and parrying past the Monte

Carlo Casino in Monaco. And why not? Te fast cars, the beautiful people, the palatial

yachts floating in the blue sea and, of course, the tortuous race course and fabulous

machines on it make the Monaco GP the high-water mark of the race season.

Accidental

TouristCMC 1929 BUGATTI TYPE 35 MONACO GP

1:18 |$350


27/68

FALL 2013 27

Te first GP to take place inthis idyllic location occurred in1929, when Anthony Noghs,French cigarette manufacturerand Monacan by birth, helpedorganize lAutomobile Club deMonaco (ACM) and sweetenedthe pot by putting up a trulygrand prize: a 100,000 Frenchfranc purse. Sixteen entrantswere invited; the race was run onMonacos streets on April 14, 1929with William Grover-Williamsdriving his two-seat Bugatti

35B to victory in the 100 laprace, besting the Mercedes SSKof Rudolf Carriciola, and other,lesser-known drivers piloting

Alfa Romeo 6Cs,Delage 15S8s, a loneCorre-La Licorne, anda pair of Maseratis - not tomention a gaggle more of ypes35 and 37 Bugattis.

Now, seemingly by accident,CMC has crafted an amazing1:18 precision replica of the veryfirst car to win at Monaco, asthe first in a series of ype 35sthat CMC plans to release inits Grand Prix National ColorProject. By accident, were

not suggesting that the close to1,000 individual pieces that makeup the model came together bychance; we mean despite theoriginal CMC announcement thatthey wouldnt produce replicasdecorated to resemble anyparticular automobile, this makeractually hit a truly important onealmost square on the nose.

TYPE CASTINGS

However it happened, CMCsGrover-Williams Monaco-

winning Bugatti arrivedhere in its green and white1929 race day livery. And itdidnt take long to realizethat though its based ontheir excellent stock 1924ype 35, CMC has added afew well-chosen tweaksto make this new model

desirable, even to ownersof that original French Blue

release.With a hybrid body formed

from diecast and pressedmetal, these scaled cars are amarvelous balance of old schoolhand-building and modern

machining and assembly. othe original set of pieces andcastings, CMC has added aleather-strapped spare tire,

a glass Brooklands-stylewindscreen with a leather pad,and a rearview mirror, and thentopped off the result with anaccurate race livery (accidentalor not) that includes the correctregistration numbers for Grover-Williams car. Coming out of its protectivefoam cocoon, the first thing thatcomes into view is the perfectlyapplied, rich forest green paint(purportedly called British RacingGreen, for the first time, here)with contrasting white numerals.Its obvious that the black andwhite photos of this car really

dont do it justice; its so well-suited for this color that folkswho believe all Bugattis shouldbe blue might find themselves

converted on sight. As it wouldbe in life, CMC has sprayed thebody so that only the exterioris painted, and left the effectof unfinished raw metal on theinside surfaces. Te detailing on this modelis nothing short of amazing.All over the body, polishedstainless steel hardware sparklesas the light catches it; nearlymicroscopic bolts, laced togetherwith fine stainless steel wire,joins the sewn-together bodyand frame. Te manual brakehandle and shifter protrudethrough the body; when gently

CMC has a knack for working hardware, and thats certainly the case on this fabulous

little Type 35. Cranks crank, pulleys spin and if those wee buckles on the hood straps

look like theyre real, its because they are. Have fun. Bring a magnifier.


28/68

28DCXmag.com

OUT OF THE BOX

THE ENBLOC ENGINE IS FITTED WITHTWO ZENITH SIDEDRAFT CARBURETORS,

COMPLETE TO THEIR VENTURIS ANDSET INTO A SEA OF AUTHENTIC ENGINE

TURNED METAL AND BELIEVABLELINKAGES, PIPES, AND CABLES.

William Grover-Williams may have been a true International Man ofMystery. Born to French and English parents, he learned to drive at

the wheel of a Rolls-Royce, served as a chauffeur to a famousartist (whose mistress he later married), and managed torack up a great deal of victories not to mention money racing motorcycles and Bugattis. During the war, he wasdeeply involved in espionage for the Allies; caught, and sentto a German concentration camp, Grover-Williams wasexecuted while there. Or was he? Grover-Williams had usedaliases most of his adult life, mostly so he could race withoutalarming his family. After the war, his widow lived with afellow named Georges Tambal who had, it is said, a definiteresemblance to a certain dashing race driver. Yeah, baby.

SPY POWERED

pulled, the brake handle drawson cables running to all fourwheels where they act on if nottruly actuate u-shaped brake

shoes inside the models brakedrums. Tose assemblies areeasy to see, thanks to removableeight-spoke wheels; turning thesteering wheel sets a geared-insteering box to work, torquinglinkages and knuckles as theperfectly cambered front wheelspivot. As for that tiller, the wood-rimmed wheel has four spokeswith cord wrapping; the readablegauges and dash-mountedmagneto are set into a machine-

turned dash, above a cockpit

filled with all the levers, shafts,pipes and pedals that madethe car run. Remarkably thinleather is set onto the seats, and

more bits of hide are used as askirt for the windscreen and agasket through which the shifterpasses to the cars right side. Ourfavorite bit of business was thehand-operated fuel pump lever- which goes up and down on adelicate hinge and plunger.

SRAPPED

Less entertaining is the tinyhardware for the hood. If you havethe nerve (and the eyesight) torelease the real-time buckles

and leather belts and open the

winged bonnet something we

recommend at least once the8-cylinder, overhead cam engineis a little jewel unto itself. Madeof diecast, plastic, brass andcopper, the en-bloc engine isfitted with two Zenith side-draftcarburetors, complete to theirventuris and set into a sea ofauthentic engine-turned metaland believable linkages, pipes,and cables. Bugatti spent a lot oftime finishing their powerplants;CMC has captured the look ofthose efforts on their engine. Only

one thing separates this motive

masterpiece from being truly

authentic to Grover-Williamscar its not supercharged.Tat makes this beautiful bug anormally aspirated ype 35, andWilliams car was a blown ype35B.

Is that a deal breaker? Well,no. Tis is a wonderful car. Tefit, the finish, the stance, and thebeautiful detail are all about asgood as it gets. And the Bugattiype 35 is as pretty a machine asever came out of Molsheim. As tothat mixup in the CMC literature,

well, someone, somewhere, hadto have been looking at the samephotos we were as the decoswere being cut and readied.Well never know how this greatlittle model came to be, virtuallyunheralded as the importantreplica is most surely is.

We do know this: seldomdoes a maker of model cars putso much of their art on displayso beautifully. And that, goodpeople, is no accident. Highlyrecommended.

SOURCESCMC Modelcars cmc-modelcars.com

Far left:

Te engine is so deeply

detailed and jammed with

noble materials that its

impossible to take it all in

just one sitting.

Above: Te cockpits real

leather seats, engine-

turned dash, and all

manner of tiny levers and

knobs - most of which

work - are an incredible

sight.

Left: Tis issue of the his-

toric car includes a wheel

change kit, with a tiny

mallet, and this wooden

spindle stand. Check

out the brake shoes and

working suspension.


29/68


30/68

30DCXmag.com

A visit with the legendaryDean JeffriesBY BILL BENNETT

Dean Jeffries, creator,

designer, and builder of Te

Monkeemobile and the Black

Beauty, is one of those larger

than life personalities you onlyread about in magazines. And

thats exactly the reason why

I was motoring into Hollywood,

nosing over to the exit for

Cahuenga Blvd. I was going to

put the iconic designer and

builder into our pages.

Deanof designI was a tad starstruck.Jeffries was one ofthe 50s and 60s most influential painters, pinstripers

and custom car demi-gods, and a contemporary of

other near-immortals like Von Dutch, Ed Big Daddy

Roth and George Barris. His dad was an auto mechanic

with a penchant for racing and hot rods, but a young

Dean wasnt interested in his fathers profession it

was too dirty. Tat didnt mean Dean would ever stray

too far. During his time in the Army, Jeffries learned

the art of pinstriping while stationed in Europe,

picking up the craft from an old German whose

specialty was painting and striping custom furnitureand pianos.

When his hitch was over, Dean returned to Los

Angeles, and started hanging out with the most

notable practitioners of this newfound automotive

craze. He made friends with Kenneth Howard, known

to the world as Von Dutch, who helped him refine

his techniques for painting, lettering, and striping

motorcycles and cars. For a while he worked out of

George Barris shop in Lynwood, but when he and

Barris started to compete rather than complement

each other, he moved out and opened his own shop

in Hollywood, eventually settling into a location on

Cahuenga Blvd, adjacent to the Hollywood Freeway.Tats where Id be meeting him. I was almost there.


31/68

FALL 2013 31

RACERS AND RAYS

One of Deans friends from his hometown of Lynwood

was future Indianapolis 500 winner Troy Ruttman, who

introduced Jeffries to his racing friends and sponsors.

When Dean painted Ruttmans J.C. Agajanian-

sponsored Indy race car, the upstart artist got invited

to spend the month of May in Indianapolis with the

Agajanian team. is became a regular pilgrimage

for him and his kit full of brushes and paints, for the

next 33 years. His client list steadily grew at Indy; he

was eventually retained by Mobil Oil to make sure its

sponsored cars looked great, and prominently sported

the petrol companys Flying Pegasus trademark.

ese were the days before sponsor logos were simple

decals; in his busiest year there, 22 of Indys 33 startersbore Jeffriess meticulous, hand-laid artwork.

As the Fifties wound down, Deans paint and

striping business was doing well, but he wanted

something more. When George Barris won the

Oakland Roadster Show in 1958 and 1959 with

the Ala Kart, Dean figured the best way

to be taken seriously in the hot rod

and custom car world would be to win at Oakland

with a roadster of his own. Starting with chassis

components from a pair of old Maserati Formula One

racers, Dean used quarter-inch steel tubing to define

the shape of a radical design. Long, low, and swoopy,

the asymmetrical single-seater was equipped with

a tilt-up bubble top, and fitted with a hand-formed

aluminum body covered in pearlescent white paint.

Powered by a Shelby Ford 289 V8 and rolling on

Halibrand magnesium wheels, the Mantaray handily

Dean Jeffries' iconic "Black

Beauty" was seldom seen in

daylight - and as this publicity

photo shows, that's a shame.

Jeffries always felt that was the

prime reason for the show's

unsuccessful run.

One of Dean's oldest rods is

a chopped, channeled, and

sectioned textbook example of

his art, and it sits parked in his

showroom, looking as good as

the day he painted it.


32/68

32DCXmag.com

won Oaklands top prize in 1964. Copiedby plastic model kit manufacturers andtoy makers, the car was an immediatecommercial success. Jeffries had arrived.

ROCKERS AND ROYALTY

Deans Hollywood location helped him to develop aclientele from the movie and television crowd, and hisshop soon became a hangout for some of Hollywoodskings: Elvis Presley, Steve Mc Queen, James Garner and

Gary Cooper were regulars and righteous car guys whocommissioned Dean for custom projects. Ten came1966, and Jeffries - the man who had painted JamesDeans Little Bastard Porsche 550 - suddenly foundhimself creating cars for use on the other side of thecamera. One project involved mega ad-man and fatherof the GO Jim Wangers, Pontiacs John DeLorean,Model Products Corp (MPC) president George oteff,and Universal Studios. Te studio had an upcomingproduction about a pseudo-rock group called TeMonkees, and needed a hero car. oteff, who hadJeffries under contract with MPC, recommended Deanfor the job. Wangers got Pontiac involved, and soonJeffries was busy sawing the front and rear off of two

brand new 1966 GO convertibles, topping them with-bucket style rag tops, adding a third row of seats,and then fairing in outrageously exaggerated rebuildsof the cars forward and aft sections. Tough the firstcar built proved too hairy to drive (its blown Pontiac V8,weighted tail, and solidly mounted rear axle caused it

to wheelstand on demand), a quickly detuned enginekept the original Monkeemobile on all four feet whenproduction started. Te second car toured the country,and was a huge hit; that, and a breakfast cereal tie-inand national contest offering real GOs as prizes helpedspread the word about the GO, Te Monkees, and DeanJeffries. oteff did well on the deal, too: MPC sold overseven million Monkeemobile kits.

Another V project came about when Chrysler Corphanded Dean the keys to a brand new 1966 ChryslerImperial. Tis time, the show would be ABCs attemptto build on Batmans success with another show abouta masked millionaire crime fighter with a sidekick anda tricked-out car. Te Green Hornet featured actor VanWilliams as Brit Reid, and his sidekick literally wasactor/martial arts master Bruce Lee, as Kato. Tebig Imperial went through major customization; inaddition to rockets, flamethrowers, machine guns,grease slingers and smokescreens, the Black Beauty

had massively extended front and rear sections, alengthened and vinyl padded roof, and row after row ofworking knobs and switches in its plush interior. Withmuch of its trim blacked out, the Black Beauty wasalways filmed at night - and that, says Jeffries, is whythe car, and the series, never caught on the way thatBatmandid.

Tat didnt slow Dean down. Soon, Hollywood filmsemployed his designs, if not Dean, himself. He designedand built the wildy-wheeled Landmaster featured inDamnation Alley, and the Moon Buggy for the JamesBond epic Moonraker. As Jeffries reputation with thestudios grew, he was hired to perform and coordinatestunts for movies like Death Race 2000, Romancing the

Stone, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

RESIDENT MASTER

Walking into Jeffries' shop, shaking his hand, thenbeing escorted through the rooms with all that historyin mind felt like stepping into a time capsule onewith a car show built in and a legend as a guide. In onecorner of his showroom sat a 33 Ford udor sedan.White, with red and yellow flames, the car had beenheavily tweaked, with a chopped top, and a channeledand sectioned body. Te whole thing was done insteel Jeffries seldom uses Fiberglas and Deans hadthis beauty since his early years. Youd never knowit, because it looks brand new. Sitting quietly nextto it was the car A.J. Foyt raced at Ontario, Phoenix,

and Michigan in 1979. A turbo-Cosworth powers theracer, which wears the "Gilmore and Vels-Parnelli"

is GT40 - "Tub number 109"

is an almost-priceless piece

of Ford's racing heritage that

Dean has been hammering away

on. No, that's not the original

engine; it's a Ford Indy motor,

detailed and polished to show

car level.

Left: Dean's outer office is packed

with memorabilia, like these Mon-

keemobile and Mantaray models.

Below: e original Jeffries-built

TV car was far too hairy for any

of the boys to pilot safely, so the

blower was removed, and a carb

was fitted below a dummy unit.

Hey, hey, it's the Monkees -

Mike Nesmith, Davey Jones,

Peter Tork, and Mickey Dolenz.


33/68

FALL 2013 33

livery it did when it last raced. And then, in another

corner, looking fresh as the day it won Oakland, sat the

Mantaray.

Ten, a surprise - and a moment of complete

disbelief. Poking through scads of racing engines,

blowers and more parts than could be cataloged in a

year, we got close to what looked to be a Ford G40 kit

car - and a roadster, at that. Whats this ? I asked.

Dean smiled a little and said, ub number 109. It tooka second to let that number settle in; walking around

to the back, I didnt find the expected Ford small block

the engine that was fitted to this very car on the

day it raced at Le Mans in 1965. In its place was a Ford

Indy DOHC race car engine, one of the rarest engines

FoMoCo ever made, with every piece polished to a high

luster. Dean told me that Ford gave him the car one

of the first dozen G40s made, and one of only four

roadsters built when hed offered to buy it. Te Indy

engines were a bonus. Quite a bonus, as it happens:

after the visit to Deans shop, I read that an interested

party from the UK had offered to buy the G, as it sits,

for five million dollars.

PRICELESS

Dean Jeffries told that fellow no, simply because

hes having too much fun wrenching the car. Te old

master of metal was doing amazingly well considering

what hes been through over the years. He broke his

back filming Honky Tonk Freeway, and later fell off a

ladder in his shop, injuring himself almost to the point

of immobility. In 2008, perhaps the most grievous

injury occurred when he lost his beloved wife Rosalie, a

retired vice-president at Warner Brothers and the love

of his life.

During our visit, which extended into a pleasant

evening at dinner, then a cup of coffee at his house,

Jeffries wore a khaki vest containing a battery pack to

power the heart-aiding pump implanted in his chest.And though it was obvious his hip was paining him,

he gave this writer one of the most enjoyable days

that I can remember. Te conversation was lively,occasionally salty, frequently comical but always

sincere, and unfailingly passionate. Right now, Dean

is getting his G40 back together, and hes still doing

public appearances where rookies and the cognoscenti

alike can shake his hand, and pay homage to this

living, breathing national treasure. And sometimes, he

opens his doors to very lucky writers, and gives them

something theyll never forget - a look into a life well-

lived, and a chance to gaze into the eyes and mind of a

quiet, humble giant.

A couple of days after our visit, I called him up to

see how he was doing. Without missing a beat, he said,

Lifes bitchin, man! It surely is, Dean, it most surely is.

Ed. note: Bill Bennett visited Dean on April 19, 2013.

Dean Jeffries passed away on May 5, at the age of 80.

Grizzled, determined, and as

salty as ever, an 80-year-old

Dean Jeffries wraps his legend-ary hands around the latest

model made from one of his de-

signs - Structo's 1:8 Mantaray.

hes still doing public appearances where rookies andthe cognoscenti alike can shake his hand, and pay homageto this living, breathing national treasure


34/68

34DCXmag.com

OUT OF THE BOX BY JOE KELLY, JR. Enthusiasm was a feeling easilyattributed to the late legend.Optimistic, brilliant, and capableof just about anything he set

his mind to, Jeffries had workedwith Structo as the resurgentcompany readied a scale

model of his signature design,supplying photos, sketches, andanything needed to get the jobdone right. And to Dean Jeffries,

getting things done right wasalways the only way to roll.

SEA STORY

Its late 1963, and after makinghis mark as a striper and

painter, Edward Dean DeanoJeffries wants to be known forsomething more. He knows hehas talent, and no shortage of

ambition. He also knows thatit will take an extraordinaryeffort to get noticed among

heavyweights like Barris,

Starbird, Cushenberry, and Roth.So, Jeffries decides to aim high

the 1964 Grand National RoadsterShow at Oakland, and itsultimate reward, the Tournamentof Fame. e takeaway could

be rich: $10,000 cash, a trip toEurope, a new car, andall the new work that

the recognition mightbring.

Its not every day that a $2,000 diecast comes along, but we figured out pretty

quickly that Structos mega-buck, mega-rare 1:8 replica of Dean Jeffries Mantaray

isnt just any diecast. At least one famous California customizer agrees: from what

we gathered during an enthusiastic conversation just a couple of weeks before his

passing, Dean Jeffries the man himself felt that way, too.

STRUCTODEAN JEFFRIES MANTARAY1:8| $2,000

Catching


35/68

FALL 2013 35

Dean also knows hell have to

build one hell of a car and he

has one, on paper. Hed penned

the outrageous, asymmetrical

design for a show rod after

seeing a passing manta ray in the

Seattle surf. Like the giant sea

creature it would take its name

from, Jeffries Mantaray sketch

shows a flowing shape from its

twin-pointed leading edges,

over flared wheel wells, past an

exposed upper engine and on

toward a bubble top that nestles

closer to the right side of the

car than the left. Te off-center

nature of the Mantarays design

has Dean Jeffries truly excited

and he knows just where to get

started.

Deans father-in-law has a

pair of old Maserati Grand Prix

monopostochassis in his back

lot; if Dean can haul them

out, theyll be his to

use as he sees

fit. Tats exactly what Jeffries

does, sawing off sections the old

racers frames that he doesnt

need, and fitting the beautifully

crafted suspension and brakes

back into place. One critical

element that doesnt make the

journey is the four-cylinder

Maserati racing engine; Dean

thinks its too small and cranky

to be useful, and besides, hes

tapped his old friend Carroll

Shelby to supply a Cobra engine

and trans. With the hi-po 289

bolted in and the driveline

and controls figured out, Dean

begins the arduous process

of bringing the Mantarays

outline to life by hand-shaping

quarter-inch steel rods and

welding them to the frame. Ten

Jeffries begins hand-forming

aluminum panels for the skin,

laying each piece 86 of them

onto the form, and welding

and smoothing the seams front

and back. Jeffries uses not a

spoonful of filler anywhere on

the car; every bit is artfully filed,

sanded, and massaged until the

Mantarays body seems to be

one glimmering piece of alloy

which, in fact, it is.

He then paints the car in a

pearl white, topping the sparkle

with a NASA-sourced clearcoat.

All told, Dean takes just under

three months to complete

the Mantaray a remarkable

timeframe, since hes still

working as a striper and painter

during the day in his

Hollywood shop, and

cobbling

up the show car at night. By the

time it comes together, Dean has

scratch-fabricated or modified

virtually every piece of the

machine, from its side pipes to its

electrically activated bubble top.

Upholstered in black leather, and

rolling on polished and detailed

Halibrand wheels, Dean Jeffries

Mantaray is ready for its debut.

First, a stop for a television

appearance onTe Steve Allen

Show, then the trip north to

Oakland. When Dean arrives he

sets up a humble, homespun

display of painted boards and

thousands of Styrofoam pellets

that surround the car, along

with a sign that says, simply,

Dean Jeffries Mantaray. Te

car is a runaway hit that not

only draws crowds, but takes

the ournament of Fame handily

- the first of many accolades,

magazine covers, and awards

the Mantaray would see over

AT 21 INCHES LONG AND WEIGHING A TICK OVER 10

POUNDS, THE CAR IS AN IMMEDIATE SHOWSTOPPER.


36/68

36DCXmag.com

OUT OF THE BOX

Te big model has a lot of little details, and the plus-size scale

allows a good, long look at every one, from the scaled rubber balls

chained together atop the Shelby 289 and the beautifully cast

Maserati suspension and brakes, to the tilt-up canopy and tiny

scripts on the cars pearl paint. What a beauty.


37/68

FALL 2013 37

the next several years. Deanreturns from his European tripto a mailbox full of movie offersand model company pitches.Suddenly, doors are openthroughout the automotiveworld - and for the better part ofthe next five decades, hell walk,humbly, through many.

2013Te man on the phone fromCalifornia is beaming. I took alook at the car when (the model)got here, because I thoughtmaybe the wheels were wrong,Dean chuckled, but theyreright. Im looking at the two carsright now, and the whole thingis exactly right. What a great jobthese fellows did.

Wed have to agree. At 21inches long and weighing atick over 10 pounds, the car isan immediate showstopper.

Te giant diecast body sweepsunder a seemingly scale-correct,clear-coated pearl flake thatemits micro rainbows of colorunder the lights. Tough its big,theres a delicacy to the details,like the cross-drilled metal ribsbracketing the engine opening,

and the beautifully replicatedMantaray script and Styledby Jeffries badge below it. Breakout a magnifier, and those wordsare there, in a kerf as thin as ababys hair.

We didnt think wed need anysuch assistance to appreciatethe topside detail on the Cobra289, and we were right, at first.Te four Webers are piped withstainless fuel lines and angledfittings, and the eight chromethr

Die Cast Metal

Documents

Transcript of Die Cast Metal