M2 Machines Foose 1968 Pontiac Firebird

My exploration of more premium 1:64 scale continues with this M2 Machines 1968 Pontiac Firebird, customised design by automotive designer and Overhaulin' reality show star Chip Foose, who in 2009 was inducted into the Diecast Hall of Fame. A fondness emerging for these muscle cars in general, I love the sparkle green with flames running down the front panels through the doors on this Firebird! It also has separate headlight pieces, and excellent chrome trim and incised panel detailing throughout, including a FOOSE rear license plate- a real looker...! It comes with a plexi display case, the car's chassis screwed into the metallic, tread base, which sports model signage in front.

A hinged hood exposes the engine underneath, perhaps the 350 V-8, replacing the 320 in that year (Wikipedia)...

The M2 has a lot of the same great detailing that the Auto World Pontiac Firebird I reviewed in my last post, and has the added benefit of wider, more even rubber tires for a smoother ride...

While these make a great pair, I lean toward the green FOOSE for it's superior tires and flashy styling- what about you?

Will "Kim's" 1968 take "Moe's" 1969 in a quarter... ?? I know these "young adult" model miniatures by Scene Setters aren't really in scale, but they're fun to stand next to these realistic 1:64 scale cars   :D

Make it FAST- Make It FUN!

Auto World Vintage Muscle Cars

While this is the Super Fun Hot Wheels blog, it's only human for me to be curious about other makes & models of 1:64 scale diecast cars, or for that matter any toy cars at all. But my interest in more premium cars stems from the seemingly unattainable, highly coveted Super Treasure Hunt cars that Hot Wheels thinly spreads throughout their cases, featuring rubber tires and special paint apps. Since these seem out of reach, I thought I'd venture outside my comfort zone and try new things, like these Vintage Muscle Series cars by Auto World.  Sporting diecast body & chassis, rubber tires, and detailed paint, these premium cars included special collector boxes that boast true 1:64 scale modeling.

It's hard to deny the realistic proportions and deco appointment on this dark red '69 Pontiac Firebird, which really fools the eye with it's attention to detail! Being the last of Firebird's "first generation, the '69 received a facelift on the front end, instruments panel, and steering wheel/column...

While I'm no car expert, the engine details look convincing enough, the 400 V-8 and 350 being a popular and versatile models of the day...

The '71 Dodge Dart Swinger is 4th generation of the first Darts originally produced in 1960, and received new quad tail lamps, the custom 2 door hardtop coupe now taking the Swinger mantle, and the standard Swinger becoming the Swinger Special (Wikipedia). This car has a pink hue to it, more evident when beside the Firebird...

The 340 4-barrel V-8 would have been the top Dart engine of the day,which looks alot like the tiny detailing under the hood of this 1:64 scale car to my untrained eye...

These cars don't roll like a Hot Wheels car due to their rubber tires- the Firebird even has tire irregularities that make for a bumpy ride. But these are for show, so I can forgive that somewhat. I think it's hard to deny the strongpoint of these Auto World cars, being there attention to details...

I know these "young adult" model miniatures  by Scene Setters aren't to scale, but are hilarious nonetheless! "Tracey" looks like she just saw a car accident, and "Moe" looks like he's further back on the evolutionary ladder    :D

Make It FAST- Make It FUN!

1998 Race Team III Gift Pack

Though I'm new into collecting, I have a soft spot for Hot Wheels Racing Team cars, most especially in blue! I already have several recent models in similar deco, so I picked up this Race Team III Gift Pack from 1998, K-Mart sticker still intact, priced about the same sixteen years ago as Hot Wheels 5-packs are today- amazing!

From left to right: Splittin' Image II (1994), Flashfire (1992), '56 Flashsider (1992), Porsche 930 (1991), and the Olds 442 W-30 (1993)...

Atop the packaging was a collector tip, interesting to myself as I was a child of the Seventies who had a modest collection of diecast cars...

I think my favorite of these are the Splittin' Image and Flashfire for their flashy canopies, futuristic design, and exposed engines! Here's the group posed with my new Loop & Launch playset...!

Make It FAST- Make It FUN!

2001 Collectors #213 MS-T Suzuka

No sooner had I photographed my green & orange MS-T Suzuka, than my new model came in the mail, an eBay auction win for a buck!As I said in my last post, the appeal of this car is hard for me to define, but I do like their large, flat body and wide undercarriage wrapping up from under the car...

This 2001 MS-T Suzuka was the second released by Mattel, the car's first release into the mainline, behind the green 1st Editions Suzuka in my last post.  Like the others, it's engine head covers through the rear window, an impossibly small Hot Wheels logo sculpted into them..

Looks like Speedy's Dealership has a healthy inventory of MS-T Suzukas right now...

Make It FAST- Make It FUN!

HW 1st Ed. 2001 & All Star 2007 MS-T Suzuka

I liked the MS-T Suzuka that came with my Haul & Race Rig so much that I picked up a couple more on eBay,  a green 1st Ed. 2001 and orange 2007 All Star! What appeals to me about this car is hard to pinpoint exactly, but I do like their large, flat body and wide undercarriage wrapping up from under the car...

I also like seeing the engine head covers through the rear window, an impossibly small Hot Wheels logo sculpted into them...

It would be hard to say I like these green and orange Suzukas more than the purple one I already had, but they do compliment it nicely...

Hot Wheels Wikia says about the MS-T Suzuka:

The MS-T Suzuka is a mid-engined, six cylinder, turbocharged car named after the famous Suzuka Circuit race track in Japan. This Hot Wheels Original Design combines futuristic F1 design elements like a carbon fiber styled under tray and diffuser with a tricked out super car body.

Make It FAST- Make It FUN!