VladdyTrout Sells Vintage Diecast Cars

Super Cool Blue Barbie Vespa

2010-07-04T12:19:00.003-05:00

Again, not a diecast vehicle but it's still pretty groovy. Check out this Blue Barbie Vespa. The detail is really nice. Head on over to eBay to see more pictures.

Rare 1975 Police Range Rover

2010-07-04T08:51:00.004-05:00

Now on the eBay: this rare, groovy 1975 Police Range Rover by Lesney. I think the original Range Rover body-style is the best every. It is a clean, design, beautiful in its simplicity.

Rolls Royce Convertible Toy For Barbie

2010-07-03T06:34:00.003-05:00

Now up on the eBay: this nice luxury convertible car for Barbie. The toy car is by Zima. It still has it's grille and mascot. It's really nice.

My Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock action figures are too small for this cool looking car or else I'd keep it in my collection!

Check out the eBay auction for more pictures.

Diecast Porsche Cop Car

2010-06-19T14:58:00.006-05:00

This fine diecast car has been sold! Please check out my other items for sale at items.vladdytrout.com

Classic Porsche Cop Car by Welly. Nice....Those Germans have cool cop cars. Now, don't get me wrong, I dig the classic American Crown Vics, but come on...a Porsche? What we need in America is something powerful like the old Dodge Cop cars from the 1970s.

Mazda RX-7 by Maisto

2010-06-19T14:26:00.005-05:00

Classic Mazda RX-7 by Maisto. Super cool diecast. Check out more pics on eBay.

Fans of the 1970s...Classic Corvette Diecast

2010-06-18T00:30:00.003-05:00

Hey, all you cool "Dazed and Confused" types (yes, I was one...and, in my heart, still am...) check out this rockin' 1979 T Top Corvette by Matchbox. Brings back the glory days of the 70s... cruisin' around...long hair flappin' in the breeze, Foghat on the eight track, a babe with Farrah Fawcett hair in the passenger seat...everyone just bein' mellow, no hang-ups...

Head on over to eBay and check out more pics. Rockin'!

Mercedes Benz 280 GE Diecast

2010-06-18T00:17:00.002-05:00

Check out this classic Mercedes Benz 280 GE by Siku, now up for auction on eBay. The diecast is used but it's still nice. One can still see the Mercedes logo in the grille.

Head on over to eBay and check out more pics. Thanks.

Vintage 1976 Lesney Range Rover

2010-06-08T00:01:00.008-05:00

Okay, my fellow diecast car fans, check this out: a rare 1976 Range Rover Rolamatics Police Vehicle by Lesney.

This is a vintage, used diecast car. The classic Range Rover body-style is awesome and still holds up.

Head on over to the eBay and check out more photos of this used, but cool diecast Range Rover.

On eBay: BMW 328i Diecast

2010-06-07T23:08:00.002-05:00

Item is no longer for sale on the eBay. But please check out my other items for sale at vladdytrout.com

~~Now on eBay~~: This BMW 328i diecast. This is the classic 3 series design.

Sure there is the 5 series and the gorgeous 7 series long-wheel base, but for pure driving pleasure nothing beats the 3...even when that 3 is in diecast form.

Feel free to comment on your own favorite 3 series model.

Vintage Hot Wheels Cadillac Seville Diecast

2010-06-07T07:15:00.007-05:00

Now on the eBay: Classic, vintage hard-to-find 1980 Cadillac Seville. This version of the Seville had the love-it or hate-it bustle-back style.

Sure, the real car had some issues other than its styling - like that 8-6-4 cylinder engine.

I think the bustle-back style is pretty groovy.

Head over to eBay and see more photos. The Item Number is 170496528606. Thanks!

On eBay: Mercedes Benz 300TD Taxi Diecast

2010-05-31T19:45:00.011-05:00

This fine diecast car has been sold! Please check out my other items for sale at items.vladdytrout.com

Some lucky bidder won this rare HTF Mercedes-Benz 300TD Station Wagon Taxi by Corgi. Please check out my other eBay sales for more groovy items. Never know what you're going to find. Thanks.

Now on eBay: 1970 Mustang Boss 429

2010-05-31T15:22:00.010-05:00

This diecast car has been sold! Please check out my other diecast cars for sale at items.vladdytrout.com

~~Now up on eBay~~ is this awesome 1:18 scale 1970 Mustang Boss 429 diecast by Motormax. This super cool diecast car is still attached to the base. This another rockin' diecast by Motormax. Check it out.

Rolls Royce Silver Spur - It's Been Awhile But I'm Back!

2010-05-30T11:18:00.006-05:00

It's been awhile since I've blogged about diecast cars, or 1:1 scale (real) cars.

The Bride and I wandered upon a Rolls Royce Silver Spur in need of a new owner. Too bad I already have so many (Matchbox, Hot Wheels, Franklin Mint)Rolls Royce motorcars...I have no room for a 1:1 scale Silver Spur.

But with it's European spec headlamps, she sure is nice!

Classic Convertible Caddy

2009-11-22T11:17:00.004-06:00

A classic convertible Cadillac. One could fit three, maybe four Nash Metropolitans in this car? Man, back in the day, American cars had style...and length...

Bentley Continental, Again

2009-11-21T11:11:00.000-06:00

A ha! The Bentley Continental returns...

Classic Nash Metropolitan

2009-11-20T10:54:00.001-06:00

Check it out! My lovely bride photographed this classic motorcar at her workplace. It's a Nash Metropolitan. According to the Wikipedia, the Metropolitan was built between 1954 and 1962.

And from the photo you can see that it's a tiny car. The wheelbase is only 85 inches and overall vehicle length is 149.5 inches. The first generation Mazda Miata has a wheelbase of 89 inches and overall length of 155 inches.

Real Life Bentley Continental

2009-08-28T13:02:00.006-05:00

Here's a photo of a 1:1 scale (real) Bentley Continental parked where my bride works at the local college.

Sure, this car is basically a re-bodied Volkswagen Phaeton with some Audi thrown into the mix but it's still a nice machine.

Now it's just too bad that we didn't have our camera phones that day when the Aston Martin DB9 was at the local frakking Wal-Mart!!

Check Out This Funky Buick

2009-08-24T11:49:00.005-05:00

1/64 scale diecast lowrider Buick....check out the wheels.

Lowrider Chevy Monte Carlo

2009-08-21T19:47:00.006-05:00

Lowrider, y'all!

Diecast of Boss Hogg's Cadillac!

2009-08-16T12:38:00.002-05:00

Got this off of the eBay. This is a diecast of Boss Hogg's awesome Cadillac. The diecast still has the bull horns on the front!

Classic Diecast 1974 Ford Torino

2009-08-13T20:15:00.008-05:00

Okay, this diecast isn't red and doesn't have white stripes down its sides but this green Johnny Lightning Ford Torino still rocks.

Again, I say, back in the day American cars had style. I love this car's length and the up-swept rear fenders. Classic.

Diecast of the 1976 Cadillac Coupe de Ville Convertible

2009-08-11T19:29:00.007-05:00

The 1970s Cadillac Coupe de Ville Convertible was the last great hurrah of American land-yachts. It was longer than a modern Chevy Suburban. This detailed 1/43 scale diecast is white with red interior. The only thing missing from this toy is Boss Hogg's bullhorns hood ornament.

1971 Buick Riviera - Diecast Car of the Day

2009-08-11T16:33:00.000-05:00

Johnny Lightning makes awesome diecast cars. Here is a fantastic 1/64 scale 1971 Buick Riviera. You know, it's the Riviera with the cool boat-tail rear end.

Jada Toys Caddie Fleetwood

2009-08-10T21:30:00.000-05:00

This is an awesome diecast. Check out the sweet rear-mounted spare tire. Say hi to the new Homies figures, Wolfe (in the shades) and Japon.

Homies Lincoln Town Car by Jada Toys

2009-08-10T18:49:00.005-05:00

Another awesome diecast by Jada Toys. This Lincoln is wack, dawg. There's the pearl white paint job, the trunk-mounted spare tire, fancy wheels, and a detailed speaker system behind the rear seats.

Also give a shout out to new Homies figure Boxer. He's the one with the comically oversized fists.

1979 Lincoln Continental

2009-08-09T22:10:00.005-05:00

Won this off of eBay. It's a 1979 Lincoln Continental from Lesney. It's used, battered, a bit banged up but still looks classy.

Johnny Lightning Lincoln Mark III Coupe

2009-08-08T14:20:00.007-05:00

Johnny Lightning makes some of the best diecast cars. This awesome diecast is a replica of the classic late 1960s Lincoln Continental Mark III. Yep, won this one off the eBay.

Hot Wheels Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

2009-08-07T14:46:00.009-05:00

This is a cool diecast version of the Rolls Royce Silver shadow. Got this off the eBay. Hot Wheels made this car back in 1979.

Bustle-Back Cadillac Seville

2009-08-02T22:00:00.011-05:00

The classic bustle-back Caddie Seville. Remember this car from the early Eighties? GM wanted a car that recalled the beautiful old Hooper designed Rolls Royces from the past and GM came up with...this. Call me crazy but I dig it.

Hot Wheels created an awesome diecast replica of this wacky car.

Olds Cutlass Diecast

2009-07-30T22:32:00.005-05:00

Sweet diecast Oldsmobile Cutlass by Johnny Lightning.

Chevy Caprice Diecast

2009-07-29T21:00:00.006-05:00

Here's a sweet 1/64 scale Caprice diecast by Maisto. Detail is awesome.

B Boy and Payday in the Diecast Car Garage

2009-07-28T09:49:00.010-05:00

Homies B Boy and Payday showing off diecast Thunderbird and classic 80s Cadillac Coupe. The detail on the diecast 1986 Caddie Coupe is Jada Toys perfection.

Rolls Royce Silver Spirit by Matchbox

2009-07-25T08:27:00.002-05:00

Ah yes, this is a sweet diecast of a sweet car...the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit. Got this one off of eBay. Diecast was made back in 1986 and is in really great condition for such an old diecast.

Excellent...if only this were 1/1 scale instead of 1/69 scale.

Jaguar XJ40 aka XJ6 Diecast

2009-07-22T13:19:00.006-05:00

This is a 1/64 scale diecast of the somewhat unloved "boxy" Jaguar XJ40 unleashed upon the public during the 1980s. This sedan was called the XJ6 in the Colonies.

British-Leyland, then owners of Jaguar, decided it was time to freshen up the look of their classic XJ6 sedan. The Brits were inspired by the design cues coming out of Germany hence this squared-off "modern" look.

Not everyone loved it therefore the next generation of XJ6 had a more streamlined, retro look that's been keep alive up until...oh this month.

Check out pictures of the 2010 XJ sedan's revolutionary new look at carmagazine.

Old School Buick GSX

2009-07-21T14:25:00.004-05:00

Nice 1/64 scale Buick GSX diecast...

Ferrari Diecast by Matchbox

2009-07-20T15:53:00.007-05:00

Check out this cool 1/64 scale Matchbox Ferrari.

Old School Mercedes Benz S Class Diecast

2009-07-20T13:17:00.006-05:00

This is my diecast Mercedes Benz S class from Matchbox. What a perfect shape for a luxury car.

Crown Victoria Diecast Cop Car Ain't Afraid of a Giant Cat

2009-07-19T08:03:00.001-05:00

This cool 1/64 scale Crown Vic cop car is by Greenlight. It's a solid diecast metal car with real rubber tires.

Diecast "Shaguar" E Type

2009-07-17T21:15:00.003-05:00

Check out this 1/65th scale diecast replica of Austin Power's E-Type "Shaguar."

Note the cool license plate...

Even Trout thinks it's a cool car...

Shatner and Daughter Sell an Oldsmobile

2009-07-15T21:31:00.001-05:00

This ain't your father's Oldsmobile!

Today's Classic 1970s TV Ad™ - Chrysler Cordoba

2009-07-11T17:55:00.007-05:00

Ah yes...soft, Corinthian leather!

Today's Classic 1970s TV Ad™ - Mercury Cougar

2009-07-10T17:36:00.004-05:00

Farrah Fawcett and Mercury Cougar. Long love Farrah.

AMC Javelin Diecast Car

2009-07-10T14:30:00.007-05:00

Check out this cool 1/63 scale diecast AMC Javelin by Hot Wheels.

Hot Wheels Mercury Cyclone Diecast Car

2009-07-09T14:52:00.006-05:00

My Diecast Car of the Day™ is this sharp looking 1/43 Mercury Cyclone from the Hot Wheels Larry's Garage collection.

Rolls Royce Silver Shadow Diecast by Matchbox

2009-07-08T17:27:00.004-05:00

This is a sweet 1/63 scale diecast 1968 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow by Matchbox that I purchased from a toy store a while back. This diecast is really old and a bit dinged up but it still looks cool.

Bentley Continental GT Diecast Car by Matchbox

2009-07-07T19:05:00.013-05:00

Wow, what an awesome, shiny Bentley Continental GT Diecast from Matchbox. Please enjoy this 1/63 scale diecast beauty.

My Diecast Cop Car - 1970s Dodge Monaco

2009-07-07T13:35:00.024-05:00

My Diecast Car of the Day™ is this classic black and white 1970s era Dodge Monaco from Matchbox. Detail on this 1/63 scale diecast is the usual Matchbox awesome.

The old-school Dodge Monaco Cop Car was perfect for outwitting Chicago cops and Pinto-driving Illinois Nazis, just ask the Blues Brothers.

Diecast Cop Car of the Day™ - Maisto Crown Victoria

2009-07-06T08:05:00.003-05:00

My Diecast Car of the Day™ is this sweet 4.5 inch Ford Crown Victoria Cop Car from Maisto. It is one of them pullback deals that really goes! The look of this small diecast is excellent.

If You Can't Afford A Rolls Royce Post of The Day™ - 1976 Chevy Monte Royce

2009-07-03T21:27:00.012-05:00

Okay, this ain't a diecast car but it's cool nonetheless. If you can't afford a Rolls Royce - and you don't want a mere diecast replica - how about a replica that you can drive? How about this pimped out 1976 Chevy Monte Carlo?

Found this beauty on the Ebay and the Buy It Now price is $6000.

According to the seller a company called Custom Coach (or Classic Coach) built only 200 of these beauties before Royce successfully sued them out of business.

Also according to the seller someone stole the winged mascot.

This car ain't that bad looking. Kinda looks like that evil car from the classic 1970s horror movie, The Car starring James Brolin.

Diecast Lincoln Town Car Dubs Series

2009-07-02T23:16:00.007-05:00

Check it out! My Diecast Car of the Day™ is this sharp 1990s Lincoln Town Car Dubs Series from Jada Toys.

This is a sweet 1/63 scale diecast ride! Dig the vinyl top, the sharp 20s, the red paint. Detail is typical of Jada Toys diecast cars - excellent.

Diecast 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood

2009-07-02T07:52:00.015-05:00

My Diecast Car of the Day™ is this 1955 Cadillac. What's there to say? The car is a classic and Matchbox did a great job in capturing the essence of 1950s cool with this 1/43 scale diecast model.

The two-tone color is way cool. The front end is very detailed for such a small model. The rear fins are perfect.

How's about we all head down to Arnold's and listen to some Bill Haley and the Comets on the Jukebox? We can all walk around saying things like "AAAyyyyyy!!!" and "Sit on it!" and "Are you now or have you ever been a Communist?"

Diecast Chevy Caprice Cop Car

2009-06-30T14:00:00.009-05:00

American cop cars should always be large, gas-guzzling monsters of the road. Forget how they do it in Europe and South America with them tiny Peugots and what-nots. The way things are going in America - cap and trade, regulations on light bulbs - the "green" crowd will have lobbied the government to the point that all big American cars will soon be eradicated off the face of the Earth.

My Diecast Car of the Day™ is this Chevy Caprice Cop Car from some Chinese company (I think.) This diecast is actually a piggy bank. Lift the trunk lid and drop in your change.

The tires feel like real rubber. The cop lights, side mirrors, door panels and front grill treatment are spot on. The diecast is approx. 1/18 scale and it's pretty hefty. The detail is great. I love the classic black and white cop car look.

Rolls Royce of the Day™ - Rolls Royce Ghost

2009-06-26T13:42:00.020-05:00

The Rolls Royce of the Day™ is not a diecast model (or a vehicle I shall ever be able to own. ) It is the new Rolls Royce Ghost. It sure looks purty.

The Ghost is slotted in size between the tank-like RR Phantom and the BMW 7 Series.

The Ghost has rear Coach (Suicide) doors like its larger sibling. The Ghost also comes with an optional polished aluminium bonnet like that found on select Phantom Coupes and Phantom Drophead Coupes.

The Ghost has a sleek and more rounded exterior shape than the block-like Phantom. The Ghost is pure elegance on wheels and harkens back to the grand coachbuilt cars like the Silver Cloud.

It's interior is pure Rolls Royce with nary a hint of Germanic interference in its design.

The big difference with the interior is the large transmission tunnel due to this car sharing more of its platform with the brand new BMW 7 series. The Phantom has a near flat floor like the cars from the 20s and 30s.

The Ghost dashboard is cleaner and more elegant looking than the dash in the Phantom.

Read more about the upcoming Rolls Royce Ghost:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/04/hands-on-rolls-royce-ghost-is-100-roller-so-far/

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Secret-new-cars/Search-Results/Spyshots/Rolls-Royce-Ghost-2009-new-spyshots/

Cute Cat Picture of the Day™ - De and Trout

2009-06-25T14:39:00.008-05:00

This is the Cute Cat Picture of the Day™.

Isn't that just the sweetest thing? Trout is a beautiful cat but it's darn near impossible to get a good photo of her unless she's being held.

Rolls Royce Silver Cloud Diecast by the Franklin Mint

2009-06-24T15:57:00.017-05:00

The Franlklin Mint 1955 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud is My Diecast Car of the Day™.

This 1/24th scale model is perfect. The Mint is famous for creating some of the finest diecast models and this Silver Cloud is truely one of the best. The model is solid, heavy. The attention to detail is equal to the attention Rolls Royce paid on the real Silver Cloud.

The Spirit of Ecstacy and the grille look like the real deal. All four passenger doors open to reveal an interior just as detailed as the outside. The dashboard looks like wood, the steering wheel is very accurate, and the picnic tables have a simplified version of the mirrored Burled Walnut veneer found on the real car.

The boot is carpeted and holds a spare tire. A perfect recreation of the straight 6 engine sits in the engine bay beneath the split bonnet. The two tone paint job looks like a million bucks.

The Silver Cloud is one of the most iconic car designs ever. Rolls Royce used the Cloud as inspiration in designing the Silver Seraph and the new Phantom.

The Franklin Mint's 1/24th scale diecast Silver Cloud is a wonderful replica of a wonderful car.

1978 Ford Thunderbird Diecast Car

2009-06-23T20:25:00.008-05:00

The Motor Max 1978 Ford Thunderbird American Graffiti is My Diecast Car of the Day™.

Don't know why this is in the Motor Max American Graffiti collection since that movie took place in the early 1960s. But who cares. This is a sweet 1:64 scale diecast car. It looks good.

That expansive front end with the big grille and massive metal bumpers (remember them?) is perfectly captured in this tiny model. The painted roof on this diecast successfully recreates the bizarre vinyl roof treatment that even Rolls Royce didn't offer: the vinyl top is in two pieces, separated by a thick band of the car's sheet metal.

The real 1978 Thunderbird - actually the 1977 through1979 - was Ford Motor's most successful model with sales of over 300,000 cars. And why not? It's a huge, plush, and powerful personal luxury coupe. It shared its platform with the recently deceased Ford Torino.

Motor Max did a fantastic job by cramming so much detail and accuracy into such a small package. This diecast successfully captures the essence of high class 1970s style.

Reminds me, anyone catch "Kotter" last night?

Classic Burt Reynolds Movie of the Day™ - Cannonball Run II

2009-06-19T19:22:00.001-05:00

CMT (Country Music Television) aired Cannonball Run II last night. Okay, this movie isn't a classic in the sense that Hooper or Smokey and the Bandit are classics, but it's still a fun movie for Burt Reynolds fans.

First things first, the Cannonball Run II is a bad movie. Really bad. The jokes are corny, the acting is non-existent.

Yet Burt Reynolds and company are having a good time and that translates into fun for the audience.

There are some positive aspects to this movie:

First, the cool cars:
Rolls Royce Silver Spur, Lamborghini Countach, Chrysler Imperial Limo, Mitsubishi Starion, Cadillac Fleetwood 75

Second, the Hot Babes:

Catherine "Daisy Duke" Bach, Marilou "Taxi" Henner, Susan "Looks like Farrah Fawcett" Anton, Anonymous Bikini Clad Babes

Third, the exciting stunt sequences:

Helicopter kidnapping the Silver Spur via a gigantic magnet, Orangutan driving a Cadillac, Jackie Chan kicking around a bunch of bikers, Orangutan beating up Tim Conway and Don Knotts

Fourth, the craziest collection of actors ever captured in one movie:

Richard "Jaws" Kiel and Jackie Chan as partners in the turbo charged Mitsu, Sammy and Dean reprising their roles from the first movie, Burt and Dom de Luise also back from the first movie, Shirley MacLaine and Marilou Henner as phony nuns on the run, and Tony Danza partnered with Mel Tillis and the Orangutan.

Jamie Farr returns as the wonderful politically incorrect character of Sheik Falafal (that's right, Falafal. It's funny.)

Finally, the awesome cameos:

Telly Savalas, Charles Nelson Reilly (as a mobster!), Ricardo Montalban, Tim Conway, Jim Nabors, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, Doug McClure, Jack Elam, Louis Nye, Foster Brooks, Sid Caesar, Abe Vigoda, Alex Rocco, and the Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.

Cannonball Run II is not as good as the first one but it's a heck of a lot better than Stroker Ace.

WTF? Chinese Company Geely to Buy Volvo from Ford?

2009-06-18T13:25:00.011-05:00

This is a shocker. The company that gave us the concept Geely GE - a really well done copy of the Rolls Royce Phantom - is rumoured to be taking Volvo away from Ford Motor.

What a world. The good thing is if Geely decides to really make the Geely GE it would be a heck of a lot safer than most other Chinese cars out there.

First the Indian company Tata bought Jaguar/Land Rover from Ford, then the Chinese buy Hummer from GM, and now the Chinese are (probably) about to be proud Volvo owners.

What is the Chinese word for yuppie? Do the Chinese listen to Nora Jones and James Taylor?

Read about the rumor here:

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/18/report-geely-agrees-to-buy-volvo-ford-silent/

http://www.leftlanenews.com/chinas-geely-to-buy-volvo.html

1970s Memorabilia of the Day™ - Cannonball Run Diecast Rolls Royce from ERTL Toys

2009-06-16T13:29:00.018-05:00

Check it out! Burt Reynolds and Jamie Farr in the original Cannonball Run movie.

This is my 1970s Memorabilia of the Day™. It is ERTL's diecast version of the car that Jamie Farr's politically incorrect character of The Sheik drove.

The Rolls Royce Silver Shadow is still in the box. From what I can see of the car through the packaging - I'm keeping it in the box! - the detail is pretty good. The only weird thing is the car's beltline doesn't run straight but curves down as it flows through the rear door and up again over the rear wheel. That's how the two door Corniche is designed, not the foor door saloon.

So, ERTL got a detail of the car wrong. Hey, at least it has the movie's title stamped on its side.

About that movie, anyone remember The Cannonball Run? Quality-wise it falls below Smokey and the Bandit but is way above Stroker Ace.

Long live Dom DeLuise.

Chrysler Imperial Concept Diecast Car by Jada Toys

2009-06-15T19:59:00.005-05:00

What might have been had Chrysler not been dumped by the Germans and the US Government wasn’t clamping down on fuel efficiency.

If this concept car had been allowed to go into production Chrysler would have been on the frontlines of a return to the1970s cars Americans were so good at designing.

And imagine, when this concept came out a few years ago, the Germans still owned Chrysler so much of its mechanical engineering would have come from Daimler.

But alas, twas not to be. The Germans split and Chrysler is now owned by FIAT.

This beautiful diecaste Chrysler Imperial Concept model is by Jada Toys and is part of their DUB series.

I have two, a Silver and a Blue one. The attention to detail is phenomenal. The grille, the badges, and the paint job are all outstanding.

This diecast is 1/43 scale and made out of metal not plastic like most modern diecast cars. It costs a few dollars more than a regular Matchbox or Hot Wheels car but it's worth it.

The real Chrysler concept car is money*. Chrysler did a fantastic job. It is derivative of the RR Phantom - right down to the rear suicide doors - but who cares. One should keep in mind that back in the Forties and Fifties American cars had large, hulking bodies with monstrous front ends and suicide doors.

And the Chrysler Imperials during the 1960s were absolutely beautiful. They definitely held their own against Rolls Royce, Cadillac, and Lincoln.

Read the blogpost at Leftlane News for info on the real Chrysler Concept. It would have been one hell of a luxury car.

*Say this word like Food Network's Guy Fieri

Refit USS Enterprise NCC 1701 Diecast by Hot Wheels

2009-06-14T18:57:00.012-05:00

Okay, this isn't a car but it is a diecast model from Hot Wheels.

The beautiful USS Enterprise NCC 1701 refit is My Diecast of the Day™.

This version of the famed Constitution-class vehicle has been and always shall be my favorite. To this day, I get goosebumps every time I watch her epic introduction in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

The Hot Wheels diecast is pretty well designed and built. Not too big, it's about four to five inches long. The attention to detail is fantastic.

The saucer section (primary hull) is exceptional for such an inexpensive model. Long deep grooves and lines successfully create the illusion of individual panels.

The NCC 1701 and USS Enterprise show up very clearly, even beneath the primary hull, where the font is much smaller than what is printed on top.

The warp nacelles and pylons look great. Cool looking blue plastic runs along the inner sides of the warp nacelles. That same blue plastic is used for the deflector shield. Note the great paint job. Good work, Hot Wheels.

Although the box says its diecast, the bulk of the model is plastic. The secondary hull is where the metal is. The warp nacelles, pylons, and primary hull are plastic.

But the model still looks great. And it comes with a cool stand that allows you to tilt and angle the Enterprise anyway you wish.

The base of the stand is decorated with the Star Trek insignia.

Some fanboys may dislike this model because it's less diecast metal and more plastic.

Hey, nothing is perfect. This Hot Wheels model is a fantastic tribute to a fantastic starship.

For detailed information on Constitution-class starships and on the original (that is before the JJ Abrams alternate timeline version) USS Enterprise, check out this article at Memory Alpha, the Star Trek Wiki.

1992 Rolls Royce Corniche Diecast from the Franklin Mint

2009-06-11T14:04:00.053-05:00

The 1992 Rolls Royce Corniche from the Franklin Mint is My Diecast Car of the Day™ .

What a beauty, eh? This Franklin Mint 1/18th scale diecast car is a copy of a limited edition model - only 25 built - offered by Rolls Royce in celebration of the Corniche's 21st anniversary. It is painted Ming Blue and has a beautiful Magnolia interior.

As American luxury carmakers like Cadillac and Lincoln were forced by Government regulations and wacky environmentalists to downsize body styles, engines, and gas tanks, Rolls Royce continued to build oversized, gas guzzlers with monstrous engines.

The real Corniche was powered by a 6.75 litre V8, a massive hunk of metal and aluminium that was on par with 1970s American engines like Cadillac's 7.7 litre V8.

The real Corniche is over 204 inches in length, stands as tall as a truck, weighs in excess of 5400 hundred pounds, and averages about eight miles to the gallon/city. Just like your typical 1970s American car.

My diecast Corniche is only about 11 inches long, a couple inches wide, and gets zero miles to the gallon.

I love the design of this car, the Corniche. I love its sleek, Coke-bottle shape, the perfectly proportioned grille, the long wheelbase.

The car continued the tradition of over-sized luxo-barge convertibles that the Americans were so good at during the 1970s. But, alas, by the early 1990s, classics like the El Dorado and Lincoln Mark Series were reduced to chintzy, ill-shaped shadows of their former selves.

The classic Corniche body style remained virtually unchanged for almost three decades. The car died out in the mid 1990s and was replaced by the beautiful Bentley Azure (also a monstrous gas guzzling behemoth). In 2000 a Corniche convertible was offered as a limited edition model. It was styled after the Silver Seraph/Arnage saloon.

The Franklin Mint did a stunning job with this diecast. The paint is deep and rich. The interior is full of neat details like the realistic looking burled walnut dash. The switch gear in the dash and center stack also look very real. Beneath the bonnet is a detailed miniature version of the classic 6.75 litre V8.

Franklin Mint, I salute you on this fantastic diecast.

My Diecast Car of the Day™ – 1970s Cadillac Sedan De Ville

2009-06-10T16:15:00.012-05:00

My Diecast Car of the Day™ is a true classic American luxury car, the 1970s Cadillac Sedan deVille.

The 1970s were truly the halcyon days of the American motorcar industry. Back then, delirious excess and over-indulgence were the way to go. The cars were huge, long, tacky, overweight, velour trimmed, and vinyl-topped gas guzzling behemoths of the road. The Cadillac or Lincoln hood alone was around six feet long.

Thanks to the oil crisis, environmental propaganda and the U.S. Government, American automakers were forced to make cars smaller, safer, and more fuel efficient, you know, to do things the way foreign companies did things. American car companies should have been allowed to create machines that Americans wanted and let the free market decide.

Take the old school 1970s Cadillac Sedan de Ville. What a machine. Damned thing is something like 225 inches long – a few inches longer than a modern Suburban! Okay, my car is a Matchbox 1/64th diecast replica and it's quite small, but it is to scale, dammit.

My Matchbox 1/64th scale diecast car is pretty nice. It is small, but the attention to detail is awesome. It looks great from every angle. The paint job is top-notch. The grille and bumper treatment is very well done. Even though this is a 1/64th scale car the details would look good on a larger diecast model.

The real Cadillac Sedan de Ville had huge seats and a vast, roomy interior: a pleasure dome of hedonistic excess – miles of grotty plastics and vinyl.

Back in the day American automakers offered just about every option thinkable. Want a Chartreuse colored velour interior with power adjustable armchairs? Got it. Want an AM/FM radio with a state-of the-art Quadraphonic 8 track (the iPod of its day)? It’s yours. How about thick pile Hunter Green shag carpeting? No problem.

All that for around $6000? Not a bad deal.

So, I salute you Cadillac Sedan de Ville. You served you country well. And Matchbox has created a swell 1/64th scale tribute to a fine American classic.

Still Can't Afford A Bentley Arnage? No Problem!

2009-06-06T12:34:00.022-05:00

This, um, Bentley Arnage was found on Ebay a while back. I gotta tell ya, the front of this beast looks fine.

The proportions are a bit off but so what? The grille and headlamps look like the real thing.

The side view? Starting to get into weird territory. The door panels scream Lincoln Town Car as does the wide C pillar.

The C pillar, though, really isn't a problem, because there have been Royces and Bentleys (back when both companies were the same and shared platforms) with stretched C pillars.

The tail lamps are sort of okay but the light cluster around the license plate area screams cheap!!

All in all, this would be a fun car to have if you knew people would laugh at you or feel pity for you. This is the Borat of luxury cars, the Bruno of limos.

The only truly bad thing about this Lincoln Arnage is the interior, which is the same as your Grandpa's ride.

Yes, the seats have customized leather but the luxo-atmosphere is ruined by the plethora of fake Bentley emblems stitched into the seatbacks and plastered onto the dashboard!!

Verdict? I'd take it. I mean, this is no Geely GE but it'll do.

WTF? Geely GE The Chinese Rolls Royce

2009-06-01T17:15:00.000-05:00

Heh Heh, look familiar? Gotta say this about the Chinese auto industry, they got some balls!

In the past they fell into some hot legal water over copying Mercedes and BMW vehicles. In fact, BMW had sued to prevent the Chinese designed Shuanghuang CEO SUV from being sold in Europe because BMW felt it was a copy of their X5 SUV.

Well, a car company going after one of the largest communist countries on Earth in court does seem like a futile exercise. Seriously, think the Chinese government would be scared? Nah. What could BMW do to them?

Well, the Chinese are at it again with the wonderful Geely GE. Will they once again get away with blatantly plagiarizing a beloved and much recognized symbol of the automotive world?

Rolls Royce Phantom, meet your Chinese clone, the Geely GE. The proportions of the two cars are practically the same. Notice the Geely's profile...the length of the hood, the shape of the doors, the smallish trunk. And how can you miss that big ass grille with the winged mascot.

Okay, in Geely's defense, there are some differences. The Geely GE doesn't have suicide doors, and, um, let me think, oh yeah, the Geely GE only has one rear passenger seat.

Yup, one rear passenger seat. Makes you think of Bertolucci's The Last Emperor. Or Al Bundy's dream throne.

But you know, I'm so very broke and desperate that if I could, I'd buy this Geely son-of-a-bitch. I love Rolls Royce motorcars, even took an old Bentley Eight out for a spin once.

The only ones I can afford to purchase are the models from Franklin Mint, Matchbox, Maisto, etc.

For example, this is my beloved 1/24th scale Rolls Royce Silver Cloud I from the Franklin Mint. Beautiful. Handcrafted. But I can't drive it. Believe me, I've tried.

Such is the comedy called life that I can't afford to purchase and maintain a real Royce, let alone a pre-owned model, but can fill up an imaginary garage with 1/24, 1/18, and 1/42 scale replicas. Therefore I'll have to take the Geely GE.

I could love the Geely GE like a Royce. We could make the relationship work, the Geely and I.

Just think of the Geely GE as being a Franklin Mint replica of a Phantom that one could really drive.

Fantastic Cats

2009-05-23T18:41:00.017-05:00

We're so lucky to have the best cats in the world. The wife and I have two outdoor cats and three indoor cats.

The outdoor cats adopted us and we adopted the indoor cats.

Spooky Boy, a beautiful orange Tabby, is an out door cats and was the first to adopt us. He was hanging around our house many years ago near Halloween. My wife feed him some Tuna. He's been with us ever since.

Bella Girl, a sweet black and white cat with wild eyes and shaggy hair, is an outdoor cat that was skitish and nervous for the longest time but now she'll bump Spooky Boy away from his bowl at dinner time. She ain't skerred no more.

Our indoor cats came from the same mother but, we assume, came from different fathers.

Vladdy is a sweet, tiny, black cat with huge ears and a large white spot just below her neck. She is a sweet heart. She'll allow us to pick her up and cradle her for long periods of time. She's a boneless kitty. She just melts in your arms like a wet noodle.

A.J. is a beautiful black and white cat that has passive-aggressive issues. She can be loving one second then, claws out, ready to attack the next. Yet, she's still very sweet. Also, she's very jealous. When De, my wife, is holding Vladdy, A.J. will come out of nowhere and demand attention. She' meow, cry, whatever it takes. Also, if you're ignoring her by working at the computer, AJ will lay on the monitor and her legs and butt will block the screen.

Trout is my baby. She is also the biggest cat of the bunch. Like me, she loves to eat! Trout has a very beautiful face. She doesn't like to be held but she'll let us pet her and give her love as long as it's on her own terms.