Thunderbird Diecast Blog

Seems that the European manufacturers still like the old Fords. Wiking came out with another color, maroon, and packaged it singlely so it’s available to buy on it’s own. They have changed the name though and now call it Ford Lincoln Continental. They have kept the same model #, 210. The base has also changed, back to the original style without the trailer hitch base. Good move as I doubt any 56/57 Continental still in use today ever hauls a trailer though that would be a unique experience to see on the road. They may have changed the base on the pink model reported earlier but I still don’t have one of those, just the generic wiking photo which doesn’t show the rearend. Nice to note that the tires are now white wall tires. Look good on the little model.

Meanwhile, a friend, Frits, in the Netherlands, came across an auction for a tiny ceramic 1955 T-bird. I have heard of it before (several years ago) but had no pictures to know what it looked like. It’s made in France by Faboland and they have since then updated their website with pictures of their ceramics. Well, Frits found another one and sent it on to me so I have one now.

The story on the Faboland ceramics. They are meant to be baked into special Kings cakes during the Christmas season. It’s a tradition in many European countries and also during Mardi Gras here in the USA in New Orleans. Whoever finds the tiny toy usually gets some special priviledge or gift.

This means I will have to work on my ceramic scale model page now. It’s getting time to get that done.

Heard from a friend that Hot Wheels had issued another ’57 recently. Double checked on the Hot Wheels collector site and it seems to have made it’s first appearance there in mid-April. It’s just starting to show up on the shelves at the Walmarts in my area. This ’57 is red with yellow flames, non-porthole and comes packaged in a set with a ’67 Charger and a plastic 3-D diner. The set is called a Racing Kit. It’s #2 in a series of 12. The wheels are silver laced, like the wheels on the black, purple with flames from 1999/2000.

Last year at about this time, discovered a new release for the Wiking Continental. Wiking had not had any new releases for this particular body style since the early 80s. The new release was a pearlescent lite blue, base was slightly changed but the trailer hook was still there. Then this morning received a note from a friend in the Netherlands who noticed a new color in a catalog he had just received. This time the Continental is pink with a white top. Odd color choice for the Continental. This one also comes in a set of cars so it may be awhile before I find a loose one.

I’m soo excited! HW came out with a new color 57 Thunderbird – and it almost matches my own 57′s paint job from the 70s & 80′s though mine lacked the graphics details. It is a metallic Turquoise blue with white hardtop. Mine was painted 1969 Corvette LeMans Blue with a White softtop. It’s now Willow Green with a forest green softtop. Thank you, Mattel! Now, Mattel, Lets see if you ever come up with any of the other colors my car has been – Willow Green, Thunderbird Bronze, and a purple . Really, they did a purple in the original Redline colors that about matches but that Thunderbird body style doesn’t quite match.

The new model is in their Cars of the Decades Set and is one of 4 in the Cars of the 50′s Decade and came on the market about two weeks ago. My spouse found one at a Walmart I had not gone to in my searches last week. That model is now shown on my website in the 2011 page and on the HW list. You can find early pictures of my car in the “Thunderbird, Etc…” portion of my website.

It’s advertised as authentic to 1955 by F.M. however, after inspecting this model, it’s very inaccurate to the year it is supposed to depict. F.M seemed to cut corners when having this model made, using trim and interior pieces from their 1956 models. So here’s the list I’ve uncovered of the 1956 trim on this car.
Starting with the hardtop, I will say that at least the color is correct for the car as it’s black, matching the black body. However it’s missing the Ford Crest emblem on the sides used on 55 tbirds, making it appear to be a 1956 Non-porthole hardtop which had no emblem at all.
When the hardtop is removed, the holes where the hardtop aligns on the body should have chrome hardware surrounds. Missing on this model.

Then we get on to the obvious windwings and sun visors which it should not have as Ford didn’t put those on the Tbird until the 1956 model year.
Less obvious on the outside is the rear tail lights. The taillight chrome style used the 1956 taillight indicated by the little circle at the top of the taillight which was not there on 1955 taillights. It is on this one though. At least the little circle didn’t get painted red.
I found it curious that the “doughnuts” on the bumper had the “hole” for the exhaust filled in and painted black. If the engine ran in this little car, it wouldn’t run for long.
The dash shows that there is a radio in the car, yet the antenna is clearly missing on the front right fender. Compare that to the Danbury Mint models which include the antenna AND even allow you to put the antenna up!
Look again in the interior and the wrong steering wheel is installed – it’s a ’56 3-spoke steering wheel instead of the correct ’55 2-spoke steering wheel.
While you’re looking at the interior, notice the seat covers. The white inserts meet in the middle top which is indicative of 1956 seat covers, not the ’55. The white inserts should be totally separated from each other to be correct.
Now, get under the hood. It does lift up nicely but the battery has been switched! It’s a 12 volt battery which Ford used on the 1956 models but not the 6 volt which it should have.
Note to FM: If you’re going to do an “authentic” model, consult the experts for that model. Contact Classic Thunderbird Club International for consultation on your classic tbird models. You may also check my website but I do have photos where items on these tbirds have been changed so it’s better to contact me personnally or contact some of the major restorers of these cars or contact CTCI when you’re doing an “authentic” model 55-57 Thunderbird.

Overall, the model is not worth the current retail price as it doesn’t meet “authentic” standards that many collectors go by. I’m disappointed as it’s the first 55 model Thunderbird that F.M. has done and I was expecting it to at least match in quality the Danbury Mint models, especially in that price range.

This past month, Matchbox released a 5 pack in the cartoon series, Mickey Mouse Club House. It contains a green with white interior 1957 Thunderbird with Mickey Mouse Club House graphics. Since its newly released, it may take a month or so to reach all markets.

from Ertl Collectibles by Auto World has just been released.

Finally came across the 1/24th scale American Graffiti series white tbird with Hardtop. It does not show on the MotorMax site. This completes the white AG models in 4 different sizes for MotorMax.

Four Sizes

Working of fixing the info available on those two makes. I will point out here and on the listings that Tekno is not a copy of the Solido model after comparing both. The Tekno is about 10mm shorter (about 1/2 inch) than the Solido models plus other molding details that do not match up plus base is very different.

I have classified the Tekno as a 1956 model so more people can find it as it sports the wrap around rear continental bumper even though it has no fender vents and ’55 tbird seat style.

While browsing today, I came across the Showcasts website who contracts with manufacturers to build models for them. I’ve only seen their name on the web for the past couple of years. While browsing another site, I found that Showcasts had had at one time, some of the old “2000″ scale models from MotorMax in colors of red, black, light yellow and a white. I have not seen these models show up recently so checked out MotorMax’s website and they no longer show their retrobird. They still have the 56 though in 1/43, 1/24, and 1/18. Not sure about their 1/64th scale model though. I’ve only seen the 1/64th 56 in MotorMax’s American Graffitti set and not on Walmart’s shelves since the Christmas season got over.
I m so looking forward to being able to get into my boxes and start comparing these models from different manufacturers. Have had to rely on other site and friends and there are very big gaps in that info.