Thunderbird Diecast Blog

Finally picked up a book just about the Solido models. Found info that I didn’t know about the models. Solido issued two types of the 55 tbird, one in 1956 with white rubber tires, no figure. It’s 2nd release was in 1959, slightly larger and came with a human figure. The tires are black rubber now. Interesting book to pick up. There were numerous colors listed for both releases but the author didn’t verify that all colors were original manufacture, only that changes could easily have occurred to Solido models over the years.

While browsing thru photos I’ve saved off of eb** for the last few years, I did come across another model of the Mark II that appears to be from the same era as the Solidos and Teknos but has some better detailing than either of the tbird models by those companies. I’m on the search as to who made it. I’ve left a photo on the Continental scale model page.

MotorMax has released their 1/24 scale model now with a Hardtop. The first colors are red with white top and a dark olive green with white hardtop. Interior is black with white seat inserts.

The 02 thunderbird blue 1/64 by Maisto has now been found in single packs at some Walmarts.

Recently added a new page to my diecasts lists. Though not a Thunderbird, I do have an interest in the Mark II and have sporadically added to my scale models of it. The page is still in its infancy while I come across the old packed models and check out some resources in the old LCOC magazines that discussed scale models of the Mark II.

Mark II Scale models

Waited well over a year for this 1/64 scale model to be released and it finally showed up on the market at Walmart this week. It’s color is 02 Thunderbird blue and is in a 5-pak.

This model was originally designed back in 1999 but didn’t get approval from Ford at the time.  Maisto went to Ford again in the fall of 2008 and asked for approval again and this time Ford gave them a positive nod.  This is the FIRST diecast of the retrobird that will make it into the hands of children (as long as the collectors leave some behind on the shelves) to actually play with.  There have been others in this size range but not on the mass market here in the states so  those have mostly found their way into the hands of collectors.  We could say that Maisto has scored a coupe over Matchbox and Hot Wheels and JL, though Matchbox did have a collector’s edition of the car but not in this price range of $1.  Matchbox did not pursue coming out with a less expensive version though they did have one designed.

Update January 22, 2010 – Steve Legel reported that the Maisto model is now being found in single packs.  Those haven’t shown up yet in my local search area.

Received an email from Durham Classics today that announced a coming edition of their 1954 preproduction model of the 55 Ford Thunderbird. This one has the Fairlane stripe on it. 3 will be 2-tone colors, and one will be solid. Each color will be limited to 60 models. They’re also coming out with a 1954 Ford Country Sedan (station wagon). You’ll find the link to their site on the diecast homepage.

Worked last night on getting photos of the current Lemax 55 “sports car” on the site. Special thanks to Marty for sending me good clear photos of the model.
Also working on an addition to the Ford station wagon page in the Thunderbird Etc… pages, adding in a list of scale models of the 57 Ford wagon.  Plus a new page in the scale models for Continental Mark II models.  Yes, branching out some to cover some of the other scale models I have on hand.

Doing some more inventory and decided to work a little bit on the Micro page. My old notes state these started coming out in 1985 but not sure of what time of year. Other sites say Galoob started in 1987 but I’ve been checking chassis dates on some and have come across 1986 and 1987 dated chassis for the all red tbird models. I think I have 3
different packages that had red models in them – each package different. The very first package had no #3 on it, just plain U.S.Classics Collction and I’m pretty sure I picked up that model’s package in 1985 in western Washington state. It will be interesting when I locate those packages in my boxes to see what I can find about package dates if any. As I recall it was a couple more years before anymore red tbird packages showed up on the market in my area, coinciding with the 1987 dates other sites say are the beginnings.  Then the white models started showing up.  While browsing another site, found that there were more wheel variations than i have noted, so will be watching that more closely when I finally come across my boxed up packages.

Working on my inventory and came across some of the last Rios I picked up. This was a set of Rios produced in either 1998 or 1999, not sure of when but I picked them up in 1999. I suspect limited in production but they are made in Italy so not sure of numbers made. The set consists of two reds and one white. One of the reds comes with a driver, Chuck Daigh. At the moment can not remember what they cost new. They show up on ebay infrequently. The white one has different style wheels from the other two. Now to find some old photograph of the 56s being raced back then. I might already have one in my files to go along with these models.  I’ve had the models since they started showing up here in the states, but just now photographing them as I didn’t have a digital camera back then.

Inventoried some more boxes and found a couple more models to display so took their pictures and replaced the ones I had on the site.
Also took some photos of the Letreset tbird models – seem to have 6 variations of them now. Those are on the site now too. The Letreset models were rather cheap models available in the mid to late 80s. 50 cents comes to mind, not a lot of detail on them. They have sort of a semi continental kit molded into the bumper but no fender vent, non-porthole hardtop and the words Letreset International beside the body long stripe.  Chassis are unmarked. other than Made in China.   Some say they are manufactured by Summer.