One of our favorite things about a dealer like Diecast Models Wholesale is the sheer number of models they carry. No matter the brand, category or scale, if its new chances are DMW will carry it. (That’s one of the main reasons they were selected as Diecast Dealer of the Year in 2017 by the Model Car Hall of Fame.) It also means they are constantly adding new models to their site—by the week or even by the day! But even by DMW’s standards the summer of 2019 looks to have a bumper crop, so we asked them to pick out the 10 that collectors will be most excited about. It’s a pretty awesome list! They’ve got all the bases covered: muscle cars, movie cars, classic sports cars, trucks—in everything from 1:64 on up to premium 1:18. The Summer of 2019 is going to be a hot one!
[And when you click on the order links, remember to tell ‘em Die Cast X sent ya. If you enter the coupon code “DiecastX” at checkout you’ll get a 10% discount!]
JUST RELEASED!
AUTOart
Jaguar Lightweight E Type Roadster
Scale: 1:18
DMW Price: $204.60
The new lightweight Jaguar E-Types from AUTOart are fearsome felines to be sure! The gorgeous lines of the XKE roadster are enhanced with numerous race-spec details. On the exterior the bumpers have been removed, tie-down buckles added to the bonnet, and wider tires installed on lightweight wheels with knock-off centers. There’s an included hardtop that covers a stripped down interior equipped with a roll cage and a special vented boot cover over a trunk containing a racing fuel cell. The big XK-series inline-6 engine has been beefed up with a racing exhaust and large-throat Weber carbs with chrome open intake trumpets. The pictured car is the Dark Gray, but several other colors are offered as well.
Auto World
1968 Chevrolet C-10 Fleet Side Pickup
Scale: 1:18
DMW Price: $89.99
Square-nose C-10s are all the rage these days. High production numbers, tons of available parts, style, and the fact that they are incredibly easy to work on has turned them drivable collector favorites. Auto World’s latest represents a mild street machine take on the C-10 shortbox. It sports a cool factory two-tone paint job: Saddle Fawn Metallic for the primary color, offset by a white top and rocker panels. A set of chrome 5-spoke mags dress up the wheels, and under the hood is a V-8 dressed up with some extra chrome and a slick high-rise dual-quad intake.
Jada
“Smokey and the Bandit” 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am (with Replica Buckle)
Scale: 1:24
DMW Price: $23.99
Is there a more iconic car movie than Smokey and the Bandit? The film made star Burt Reynolds into an icon and propelled the Pontiac Trans Am to legend status. Jada pays tribute to that gleeful automotive romp with the latest in its “Hollywood Rides” series. The 1:24 Trans Am features the signature black paint with gold trim and “screaming chicken” graphic on the hood, T-tops and snowflake wheels, just like the Bandit’s. Hood, doors and trunk open, and the special version even includes a replica belt buckle emblazoned with the movie’s name in the proper script.
Greenlight
Hollywood Series Release 24
Scale: 1:64
DMW Price: $29.99 (6-car set)
GL’s Hollywood Series depicts cars and trucks from famous movies and TV shows. Some are instantly recognizable; others dig a little deeper and may only be familiar to film buffs, but either way they deliver fun connections to some favorite screen moments. GL does its Hollywood vehicles in scales ranging from 1:64 to 1:18, but the small stuff delivers the most diverse selections. In this set come a red Jeep CJ-7 with “Animal Preserve” decorations from the popular 1980s action series The A-Team. Another ‘80s favorite— MacGyver—recently got rebooted, and this set includes the black ’67 GTO convertible from the 2016 series. A pair of ‘80s movies are also in the mix; the classic 1970 Olds Vista Cruiser the hapless Clark Griswold trades in in National Lampoon’s Vacation is included, as is the sinister ’58 Plymouth Fury “evil version” with blacked out windows from the horror classic Christine. 1996’s Independence Day wasn’t exactly known as a car movie, but the ’71 Chevy C-10 pickup is pretty cool. Vanishing Point, however, is one of the all-time great car flicks, but do you remember the scene with this seedy dark blue 1955 Chevrolet Two-Ten Townsman?
Auto World
1948 Chevrolet Panel Delivery Truck “Gulf Oil” Limited Edition
Scale: 1:18
DMW Price: $89.99
Chevy debuted its post-war truck series in 1947. Dubbed “Advance Design” the series offered numerous configurations in addition to the traditional pickup. One work-oriented variant based on the Suburban was the panel delivery truck—a precursor to the cargo van, the two-door wagon traded the passenger version’s rear seats and glass for smooth sheetmetal sides and a cargo bed. Auto World has released this nice limited edition wearing period Gulf Oil livery. The doors, tail gate and hood open, revealing extra details on the interior and Stovebolt 6 engine. There’s a companion ’48 in Texaco colors which DMW also carries.
AUTOart
Ford Mustang Shelby GT-350R
Scale: 1:18
DMW Price: $186
Ford has elevated its pony car icon to supercar status with the release of the 6th-generation Mustang Shelby GT350, and the “R” variant takes Mustang performance to an all-time high by removing virtually anything that doesn’t make the car go faster or handle better. Out came the A/C, rear seats, and carpeting. The stock alloy wheels were replaced with exotic ultralight carbon fiber wheels. Altogether that shaved nearly 150lb from the standard GT350’s weight. A bigger rear wing and front splitter add downforce, and the 526hp “Voodoo” 5.2L V-8 has less backpressure and a sharper sound thanks to the removal of the exhaust resonators. All these little details are accounted for on AUTOart’s gorgeous GT350R thanks to the opening hood, doors and trunk. Those trick carbon fiber wheels are here too, painted gloss black and yielding the perfect stance. The Oxford White with blue stripes is the classic color, but three other color schemes are also offered by DMW.
First Gear
Peterbilt 352 COE Sleeper Cab with 40′ Vintage Thermo King Reefer Trailer
Scale: 1:64
DMW Price: $74.95
No one does detailed big rigs in small scales better than First Gear, and they’ve got a sweet new cab-over-engine (COE) Peterbilt 352 pulling a refrigerated trailer. Functional steering, detailed interior, scale chassis, and meticulous surface detailing are just some of the things that make the tractor rig shine with realism. There’s even engine detail under the pivoting cab! The trailer delivers too, with opening doors, a pivoting fifth-wheel connection, and functional landing gear.
COMING SOON!
Greenlight
2003 Mini Cooper “The Italian Job” (Red with White Stripes)
Scale: 1:43
DMW Price: $16.99
The original The Italian Job of 1969 was a somewhat unlikely car film, but the zany 3-way Mini Cooper chase through the streets, down stairways, into sewers, and even over rooftops!) of Turin is hugely entertaining, and helped inspire a 2003 remake which showcased the reinvented modern Mini Cooper S in the hands of Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, and Jason Statham racing through Los Angeles. Greenlight is releasing all three colors in 1:43 this summer (the red car shown is Theron’s) with movie-themed packaging and their own display cases.
ACME
1969 Dodge Dart GTS 440
Scale: 1:18
DMW Price: $129.95
Everyone loves a sleeper muscle car, but it’s tough for a Mopar to slip under the radar. The exception might be the Dodge Dart, which was known for economy rather than performance. However, it shared most mechanicals with the Barracuda, and in 1969 savvy buyers who really knew how to work the option sheet could order a Dart that could really fly. Known as the “M-Code” Darts, they started as GTS models with their 335hp 383 V-8s swapped in favor of the 375hp 440 Magnum! Just 640 were built, and the upcoming ACME Dart in B5 Blue is a perfect example of this stealthy muscle machine.
ACME
1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer
Scale: 1:18
DMW Price: $134.95
We weren’t kidding when we said the square-nose Chevy trucks were hot right now. ACME is doubling down by adding a K5 Blazer to its C-10 truck lineup later this summer, and it has us super-excited. The ‘K’ means 4-wheel-drive, and ACME is known for its suspension and powertrain detail so we expect greatness underneath this classic. They’ve already announced it will have a detailed transfer case, heavy-duty Dana axles, and a fully wired and plumbed V-8. Hood, doors, and tailgate will open too. They haven’t released pix other than early prototypes so far, but those look very promising! The pic of the real K5 in red represents the first color scheme to be released.
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