AutoWeek Publishes Danbury Mint Pimpatorial
Sorry, I know: it's all very Inside Baseball. And I just got through excoriating Automotive News for not publishing the Ford Taurus spy shot. And God knows TTAC is not perfect. (Ask me; I'm OCD.) But this website is nothing if not a bully pulpit for a certain otherwise unemployable automotive publisher/writer who considers the blurring of editorial and advertising about as defensible as Barry Manilow's Grammy Award for Copacabana. Anyway, the April 14th paper edition of AutoWeek contains a heavy cardboard, full-color, two-sided, pre-perforated advertisement for the Danbury Mint's $495 18" die-cast replica of the 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster. For some strange reason, page 22 offers a review of same by Jay Engel. The sub-head proclaims the toy– I mean, reproduction, a "work of art." Apparently, the Danbury Mint has launched "what some collectors who have seen the project up close consider to be the tour de force of Danbury 23 years of die-cast replication… From the gorgeous two-tone metallic green paint to the mechanical dazzle of the hallowed V16 engine to the cornucopia of functional features, this finely detailed replica does everything except burn gasoline." I gotta admit: it's a nice looking model. But AutoWeek's "review" is hardly what I'd call a model of editorial integrity.
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RF- I actually think I remember that story. I can't stand Hot Wheels because they look ridiculous, I like models that look like original cars, but I will confess to having a few Jadas. Model train people are way crazier than Hot Wheels people. :-) I don't have a model of my ION but I do have one of my 2003 L-series.
Or you could buy a used Cadillac for $495.
OK, bear with me as I am new here. As for why anyone would want to own these? Why does anyone own anything? Because they want to. Jag collectors will look at a rolls collector and say why would you want such a useless car. Because the rolls owner wants it. The diecast business is a multi BILLION dollar a year business and can range from Hot Wheels toys to high detailed scratch built museaum quality cars that like stamps or any other such collectible item, people collect. Take for instance, John Shirley. He owns a very famous Ferrari...the only one made of this particular body style. It is a Ferrari 375 MM "Rossellini" coupe. The car has history, trust me. But he wanted a scaled model of it for his collection. He doesn't drive the full size one, nor can he drive the 1/12th scale model that was hand crafted by a friend of mine, Marshall Buck. Now you think this Caddy is high priced at $495? Try nearly $100,000 USD!!! It took Marshall over 3 years to build it. Do a google search on Creative Miniature Associates Inc. to see what I mean. But this is the exception to the rule. Diecast cars are like any other hobby. People collect them and enjoy having a mini museum. The reasons are simple...most of the time, the models they have amassed are reminders of special times growing up or possibly a sincere love of the automobile or an era of it. It started that way for me. Nearly 15 years ago I started collecting 1/18th scale based on one model, a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429. Why? It was just like the one my brother owned when I was young. I have always been a muscle car freak and before I knew it, I also had a collection of 600 cars. But here's the rub...I had $6000 invested and grew tired of the hobby. I sold all but 30. When it was all said and done, the value climbed and I was sitting with $32,000. Not bad. But since then, I have been collecting 1/24th scale and a few errant larger 1/12th and 1/10th scales. There are hobby magazines dedicated to the hobby of collecting diecast including the newest one that is about to mail, The Car Room Magazine (google it!). I have written about them and been involved in producing them as well as a collector. While it may not be your cup of tea, to those that follow the hobby, it is.
to see the Ferrari, google Creative Miniature Associates Inc. To see the magazine I talked about, google The Car Room Magazine.