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t o n , C T 0 6 8 9 7 U S A E m a i l : D C X @ a i ra g e co m We w e l co m e a l l e d i t o r i a l s u b m i s s i o n s b u t a s s u m e n o re s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r t h e l o s s o r d a m a g e o f u n s o l i c i t e d m a t e r i a l To a u t h o r s , p h o t o g ra p h e r s , a n d p e o p l e f ea t u re d i n t h i s m a g a z i n e : A l l m a t e r i a l s p u b l i s h e d i n D i e C a s t X b e co m e t h e exc l u s i v e p ro p e r t y o f A i r A g e I n c u n l e s s a p r i o r a r ra n g e m e n t i s m a d e i n w r i t i n g w i t h t h e P u b l i s h e r C H A N G E O F A D D R E S S : To m a k e s u re y o u d o n’t m i s s a n y i s s u e s , s e n d y o u r n e w a d d re s s t o D i e C a s t X m a g a z i n e, P

We’re excited to ring in the new year, because a new year means new castings and new colorways of our favorite vehicles! 2022 was huge for the die cast industry, but 2023 looks like it ’s going to be even bigger thanks to the ongoing resurgence of die cast collecting We can’t wait to see what new releases will be dropped and what new custom die casts will be created.

In this issue, we go vehicle feature -heavy and take indepth looks at a wide collection of die casts spanning different genres and scales Our cover cars are all about speed; one is a classic and the other is as modern as it gets. The Bburago Bugatti Bolide is a 21st century hypercar, while the Auto World ’57 Chevy Bel Air next to it is a beloved mid- century classic We also examine a couple of Ford Broncos again, one

modern and one classic made by Maisto and Jada, respectively. If you’re a dragster fan, you’ll love seeing what Auto World did with the 1973 Blue Max Mustang Funny Car It ’s as realistic as can be We also take a nostalgic trip with Automodello’s ’53 Buick Skylark . It sure is an elegant beauty

By the way, we are looking to show off our readers’ rides, and that means yours! If you have a custom or rare die cast that you’d like to “Show & Tell,” let us know! We want to see what you got! We urge you to submit one of your die casts to show and tell in a future issue of Die Cast X by tagging us on Instagram with our handle, @diecastx . Give us a follow there too, won’t you?

As mentioned in our previous issue, our overhaul of DCX is a work in progress Stay tuned; our revamp of Die Cast X is just getting underway We hope you en joy this issue as much as we en joyed working on it .

Director

Until next time, Jerry Tsai Editorial

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

JERRY TS AI

MANAGING EDITOR KARL FUNKE

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MICHAEL GREY, FIREBALL TIM LAWRENCE , KEN TAKAHA SHI, JAMES YORK DESIGN

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TO SUBSCRIBE , SUBMIT A CHANGE OF ADDRESS, OR FOR QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR SUBSCRIPTION, GO TO https://www diecastxmagazine com/help - contact-us/ YOU CAN ALSO SEND AN EMAIL TO service@airage com, OR CALL +203-529 -4638 8AM TO 6PM EST

WRIGHT’S MEDIA airage@wrightsmedia com [877]652-5295 PRINTED IN THE USA

The “I Love The...” collection is inspired by American design styles throughout the decades. Each 1:24 die cast vehicle is highly detailed and crafted to authentically reflect the styling cues from its respective decade With fully functioning doors, hood and tailgate, and groovy era-inspired decals, this 1979 Ford F-150 will pick you up

Released under the Maisto Design Series, this 1986 Chevy Monte Carlo Lowrider is painted in metallic blue with intricate pinstriping The 1:24-scale car features a die cast metal body and opening doors and hood as well as a detailed interior The boulevard and your display shelf will never look the same with the addition of this lowrider to your collection

S c a le : 1:24

P / N : 32542BL M S R P : $22 99

U R L : 3000toys com

Loud graphics, hot customs, and sizzling flames have returned to the Johnny Lightning lineup with the Street Freaks! Whether you’re into high speed and blown engines, the secret underworld of car culture, or insane flame paint jobs, these freaks will fuel your need for horsepower

S c a le : 1:64 P / N : JLSP229B M S R P : $8 99 U

1966 saw Ferrari launch the 275 GTB/C on a completely new chassis that Mauro Forghieri had designed for a dual-purpose racecar Designated as Tipo 590A, it was lighter and stronger than the standard 275 chassis A total of twelve 275 GTB/C Scaglietti Berlinetta Competizione cars were built by Ferrari’s racing department at Maranello, each being outfitted with a voluptuous Pininfarina-designed body

Open 24/7 it’s the R.F. Gas-N-Go Garage and Towing and Recovery Tow Truck This 1:32 garage and its companion tow truck are full of irreverent Rat Fink graphics This Rat Fink garage façade has a drive-through canopy with premium and regular gas pumps on the island It’s sure to catch the eye of Rat Fink collectors looking to add to their finkish paraphernalia and all things Ed Roth S c a le : 1:32 P

Looking for a really cool prop to add to your 1:18-scale diorama? Look no further than ACME’s scale garage shop sign This highly detailed sign is perfect to pose next to your 1:18-scale vehicles (Car shown not included ) S c a le : 1:18 P / N : A1800148 M S R P : $49 95 U R L : acmediecast com

We’ve got dioramas on the mind and this 1:18-scale vintage gas pump fits the bill perfectly Pull your die cast up to this pump to refuel after a night of cruising the strip Includes highly detailed replica twin pumps and accurate Shell Oil livery S c a le : 1:18 P / N : GL14120-C M S R P : $12 49 U R L : diecastdirect com

Available for pre-order for an AprilMay 2023 delivery date, this is a stunning replica of the Ferrari F40 GTE as it was presented to the press in 1996 It features real rubber tires, true-to-scale detail, and a detailed exterior and interior This model is made of resin and does not have any openings (Pre-production sample shown )

S c a le : 1:18 P / N : TM18-286E M S R P : $279 99 U R L : diecastmodelswholesale com

2017 DIEC AST DEALER OF THE YE AR

Die Cast X loves to see our readers’ rare and customized die cast rides If you have a rare collectible or custom die cast that you’d like to “show and tell” in a future issue of DCX , submit your ride at : www diecastxmagazine com/dcx-readers-collection

In this edition of Show & Tell, we asked our readers to send us pictures of some of their favorite vehicles in their collections and we received a fantastic response Let ’ s see what our readers have to Show & Tell!

AIDAN PARSONS

Location: P h o e n i x , A r i zo n a

Instagram: @A P. D i e c a s t Brand: Ka i d o H o u s e Series: C u s t o m Model: B L K LT D 4 C u s t o m Scale: 1 : 6 4

From The Owner: “ T h i s c u s t o m B L K LT D 4 i s o n e o f t h e t o p p i e c e s i n m y c o l l e c t i o n b e c a u s e o f t h e s t o r y b e h i n d i t , a m i r ro r- l e s s c a r t u r n e d i n t o a c u s t o m m a s t e r p i e c e a n d t h e s t a r t o f a n e w d i e c a s t j o u r n e y ! ”

JASON T.

Location: Lo s A n g e l e s , C a l i fo r n i a Instagram: @ a b s o l u t e z i ro Brand: H o t W h e e l s Series: M a i n l i n e Model: H o n d a C i v i c EG h a t c h From the Owner: “ T h i s c u s t o m H o n d a C i v i c EG H a t c h b y m y f r i e n d D o m i n i c ( @ a l o h a k i n e c u st o m z ) i s c u r re n t l y o n e o f m y f avo r i t e c u s t o m s i n m y c o l l e c t i o n T h e s t a n c e , w h e e l s e l e c t i o n , l i ve r y a n d d e c a l s j u s t f i t p e r fe c t l y w i t h t h e c a r A n d d i d I m e n t i o n i t ro l l s ve r y s m o o t h l y ? ”

JEFF KATTINE

Location: I n d e p e n d e n c e , Ke n t u c k y Brand: H o t W h e e l s Series: F l y i n g C o l o r s Re d l i n e Model: Z W h i z Scale: 1 : 6 4

From The Owner: “ I c o l l e c t t h e Z W h i z b e c a u s e I h a d o n e a s a c h i l d a n d i t wa s o n e o f m y f avo r i t e H o t W h e e l s t o p l ay w i t h . A s I g re w u p a n d l e a r n e d t h e h i s t o r y o f t h e 24 0 Z a n d t h e Z W h i z , m y d r i ve t o ow n a s m a n y v a r i a t i o n s o f i t a s p o s s i b l e s t a r t e d m e d ow n t h e p rove rb i a l ra b b i t h o l e T h i s p a r t i c u l a r W h i t e E n a m e l Re d l i n e Z W h i z c a m e f ro m t h e M i ke S t ra u s s c o l l e c t i o n a n d i s o n e o f t h re e c a rd e d e x a m p l e s k n ow n t o e x i s t T h e g ray t h o ro u g h l y l ove d Z W h i z i s t h e o r i g i n a l f ro m m y c h i l d h o o d ”

JAMIE PEARSON

Location: Le v i n , N e w Ze a l a n d

Brand: H o t W h e e l s Series: N i g h t S t a l ke r C u s t o m s b y C h r i s Wa l ke r Model: Vo l k s wa g e n D ra g B u s Scale: 1 : 6 4

From The Owner: “ T h i s a m a z i n g a n d ve r y s p e c i a l c u s t o m i s o n e o f o n l y fo u r t h a t we re m a d e fo r t h e N Z D t e a m h e re i n N e w Ze a l a n d I wa s ve r y l u c k y t o b e a b l e t o a d d o n e t o m y fo re ve r c o l l e c t i o n a n d i t g e t s d i s p l aye d f ro n t a n d c e n t re fo r e ve r yo n e t o s e e I l ove t h e c o l o u r, t h e d e s i g n , a n d h ow g o o d a s t o r y t h i s p i e c e h a s I t ’s a l way s a c o o l p i e c e t o t a l k t o p e o p l e a b o u t ”

T E X T BY M I C H A E L G R E Y I M AG E S BY J E R RY T S A I

Th e r e ’s a r e a s o n w h y t h e B u i c k n a m e p l a t e g a i n e d s u c h p o p u l a r i t y f r o m t h e 1 9 3 0 s t h r o u g h t h e 1 9 4 0 s T h e m a r q u e i n n o va te d t h e a u t o m o t i v e i n d u s t r y w i t h n e w e n g i n e a n d t r a n s m i s s i o n d e s i g n s a n d b a c k e d u p t h a t t e c h n o l o g y w i t h e y e - p l e a s i n g s t y l i n g D u r i n g t h e p o s t- wa r p e r i o d , B u i c k c o n t i n u e d t u r n i n g o u t p o p u l a r c a r s t h a t a r e s t i l l s o u g h t- a f t e r t o d a y O n e o f t h e m o s t co l l e c t i b l e B u i c k s t o d a y i s t h e S k y l a r k O r i g i n a l s u r v i v o r s a n d f u l l y r e s t o r e d e x a m p l e s a r e k n o w n t o h a v e s o l d a t a u c t i o n f o r n o r t h o f $ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 . To m a r k B u i c k ’s 5 0 t h a n n iv e r s a r y i n 1 9 5 3 , t h e R o a d m a s t e r S k y l a r k wa s o ff e r e d a s t h e b r a n d ’s t o p - o f- t h e - l i n e co n v e r t i b l e M u c h o f t h e R o a d m a s t e r S k y l a r k wa s h a n d - b u i l t a n d m a n y o f i t s p a r t s w e r e c r a f t e d e s p e c i a l l y f o r t h e c a r T h e l i m i t e d - e d i t i o n co n v e r t i b l e wa s p o s i t i o n e d a s B u i c k ’s u l t i m a t e p e r s o n a l l u x u r y v e h i c l e , b l e n d i n g e v e r y a s p e c t o f l u x u r y a n d s p o r t i n e s s i n t h e b r a n d ’s r e p e r t o i r e

T he 1 9 5 4 B u i c k S k y l a r k i s o ne of t he mo st co l l e c t i b l e c a r s of it s m a ke S o me h ave au c t i o ne d fo r mo re t h a n $ 2 0 0 k .

“AS

A s w i t h t h e 1 9 5 3 m o d e l , t h e 1 9 5 4 S k y l a r k a l s o b o a s t e d m a n y u n i q u e p a r t s t h a t w e r e n o t s h a r e d w i t h o t h e r G M a u t o m o b i l e s Fo r ex a m p l e, i t h a d u n i q u e s h e e t m e t a l s t a m p i n g s f o r i t s e l o n g a t e d w h e e l c u t o u t s a n d n e w s e m i - b a r r e l t r u n k , along with a new Buick hood ornament What diffe re d was that the 1954 model was based on the smal ler Buick Century convertible platform, which was five inches shorter than the newly upsized 1954 Roadmaster ’s 127-inch-wheel base chassis

T h e ’ 5 4 S k y l a r k r e ce i v e d b e s p o k e b o d y w o r k w i t h a r o u n d e d r ea r d e c k a n d a n e v e n m o r e

d ra m a t i c w h e e l t r ea t m e n t t h a n i t s p r e d e ce s s o r, w i t h t ea r d r o p - s h a p e d c u t o u t s t h a t a l l o w e d t h e i n n e r w h e e l w e l l s t o b e p a i n t e d a co n t ra s t i n g co l o r. F i l l i n g t h o s e u n i q u e w h e e l w e l l s w e r e 1 5 - i n c h - d i a m e t e r Ke l s e y - H a y e s fa u x k n o c k- o f f w i r e w h e e l s B e i n g a m i d -1 9 5 0 s c a r, i t s w h e e l s w e r e a p p r o p r i a t e l y w ra p p e d i n a s e t o f w i d e w h i t e wa l l t i r e s .

T h e 1 9 5 4 S k y l a r k wa s e q u i p p e d w i t h a p o w e rt ra i n t h a t co n s i s t e d o f B u i c k ’s t o p - s p e c 3 2 2- c ub i c- i n c h “ N a i l h ea d ” V 8 , w h i c h p r o d u ce d 2 0 0 h o r s e p o w e r, a n d a s m o o t h - d r i v i n g D y n a f l o w

T he S k y l a r k co me s i n a b e aut i f u l , mu lt i - t i e re d d i s p l ay b ox t h at co me s w it h p ap e r wo r k a b o ut t he c a r a nd a h a nd - s i g ne d a nd nu m b e re d ce r t i f i c ate of aut he nt i c it y.

Auto mo d e l l o i nc lu d e s p a r t s to d i s p l ay t he S k y l a r k w it h it s to p i n t he up a nd d ow n p o s it i o n s .

T h i s l i m ite d - r u n mo d e l i s ava i l a b l e i n L i d o G re e n , M at a d o r Re d a nd A rc t i c W h ite co l o r way s

t ra n s m i s s i o n E v e n t h o u g h t h e S k y l a r k wa s p a c k e d t o t h e h i l t w i t h f e a t u r e s , i t wa s a s l o w s e l l e r f o r B u i c k , m o v i n g o n l y 8 3 6 u n i t s I n co nt r a s t , t h a t ’s l e s s t h a n h a l f t h e n u m b e r m a d e i n 1 9 5 3 . B a s i n g i t o n t h e s m a l l e r c h a s s i s w i t h t h e p r i ce t a g o f a l a r g e r c a r i s s a i d t o b e i t s d o w nf a l l T h e s p a r s e s a l e s e n d e d t h e S k y l a r k n a m e u n t i l i t e v e n t u a l l y m a d e a c o m e b a c k i n 1 9 6 1 . S l o w 1 9 5 4 s a l e s a n d l o w p r o d u c t i o n n u m b e r s a l s o m e a n t h a t t h e 1 9 5 4 m o d e l S k y l a r k h a s b eco m e o n e o f t h e m o s t co l l e c t i b l e B u i c k s t o d a y.

A u t o m o d e l l o r e co g n i z e s t h e co l l e c t a b i l i t y o f t h e 1 9 5 4 m o d e l , a s i t wa s t h e f i n a l S k y l a r k t o h o l d t h e p r e s t i g i o u s p o s i t i o n a s B u i c k ’s f l a g s h i p. T h e d i e c a s t e x p e r t s h a v e r e l e a s e d i t a s a p a r t o f t h e i r 1 : 2 4 - s c a l e co l l e c t i o n , a p t l y c a l l e d O N E 2 4

O n l y u p t o 1 9 9 S t a n d a r d E d i t i o n r e p l i c a s i n L i d o G r e e n w i t h a t w o - t o n e g r e e n i n t e r i o r h a v e b e e n p r o d u c e d T h e c o m p a n y a l s o p r o d u c e s a n e v e n m o r e e x c l u s i v e E n co m i u m E d i t i o n S k y l a r k t h a t h a s b e e n p a i n t e d i n A r c t i c W h i t e a n d M a t a d o r R e d i n n u m b e r s o f o n l y u p t o 5 4 e a c h E a c h S k yl a r k r e p l i c a f e a t u r e s a r e m o v a b l e C a n va s To u c h c o n v e r t i b l e t o p t o b e t t e r s h o w c a s e t h e h i g h l y d e t a i l e d i n t e r i o r E v e r y S k y l a r k i s h a n d - n u mb e r e d a n d co m e s m o u n t e d t o a d e co r a t i v e p l i n t h t h a t m a k e s i t e a s y t o d i s p l a y

S p e a k i n g o f d i s p l a y, A u t o m o d e l l o ’s p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h i s O N E 2 4 m o d e l i s i n c r e d i b l e T h e S k y l a r k c o m e s i n a b e a u t i f u l , m u l t i - t i e r e d d i s p l a y b o x a n d a l s o c o m e s w i t h p a p e r w o r k a b o u t t h e c a r a s w e l l a s a h a n d - s i g n e d a n d n u m b e r e d

“THE ’54 SKYLARK RECEIVED BESPOKE BODYWORK WITH A ROUNDED REAR DECK AND AN EVEN MORE DRAMATIC WHEEL TREATMENT THAN ITS PREDECESSOR.”

M a ny f i ne d et a i l s s u c h a s a n a nte n n a , ho o d o r n a me nt a nd d o o r h a nd l e s a re a cc u rate ly rep re s e nte d

ce r t i f i c a t e o f a u t h e n t i c i t y T h e s e co n d t i e r o f t h e b o x , f o u n d b e l o w t h e c a r a n d i t s d i s p l a y s t a n d , i n c l u d e s p r o v i s i o n s t o h o l d d e t a i l e d r e c r e a t i o n s o f t h e S k y l a r k ’s s o f t- t o p i n b o t h i t s r o l l e d d o w n a n d f u l l y d e p l o y e d p o s i t i o n s . B o t h v e r s i o n s o f t h e t o p c a n b e p l a ce d o n t h e r e a r o f t h e c a r, b u t t h e t o p d o e s n o t s n a p i n p l a c e

T h e h i g h l y d e t a i l e d L i d o G r e e n ’ 5 4 S k y l a r k a s s h o w n h e r e i s s i m p l y b e a u t i f u l a n d a va i l a b l e i n v e r y l i m i t e d q u a n t i t i e s . A s m e n t i o n e d , t h e r e a r e a l s o e v e n m o r e l i m i t e d e d i t i o n s o f t h i s S k y l a r k a va i l a b l e f r o m A u t o m o d e l l o, s o d o n ’t m i s s o u t T h e i r co l l e c t a b i l i t y a n d va l u e a r e s u r e t o m a t c h t h e i r i m p r e s s i v e d e t a i l . I f y o u ’r e l o o k i n g f o r a 1 9 5 0 s f l a g s h i p t o p a r k i n y o u r d i s p l a y c a s e , t h i s r a r e B u i c k co n v e r t i b l e i s a m u s t- g e t

T he S k y l a r k l o o k s j u st a s g o o d w it h it s to p up

T E X T BY JA M E S YO R K I M AG E S BY J E R RY T S A I

Cl a s s i c S U V s a r e m a k i n g a b i g - t i m e co m e b a c k n o t o n l y o n t h e c a r s h o w c i r c u i t , b u t b a c k o n t h e t r a i l s a s w e l l . W h e n y o u ’r e a r o u n d o n e , i t ’s e a s y t o s e e w h y T h e y h a v e t h e l o o k o f a b y g o n e e r a t h a t m a n y o f u s m i s s O v e r l o o k e d f o r y e a r s , c l a ss i c S U V s a r e a d m i t t e d l y n o t a s s e x y a s c l a s s i c s p o r t s c a r s , b u t t h e y d o m a i n t a i n a c e r t a i n l o o k a n d f e e l a b o u t t h e m t h a t i s i r r e s i s t i b l e t o a u t o m o t i v e a f i c i o n a d o s a n d l a y m e n a l i k e .

J a d a To y s a g r e e s a n d h a s r e l e a s e d t h e 1 9 7 3 m o d e l F o r d B r o n co u n d e r t h e i r J u s t Tr u c k s l i n e o f d i e c a s t s J a d a ’s J u s t Tr u c k s l i n e p r e t t y m u c h e x p l a i n s w h a t i t ’s a l l a b o u t j u s t

t r u c k s R e l e a s e d i n t h r e e s c a l e s , i n c l u d i n g 1 : 6 4 , 1 : 3 2 a n d 1 : 2 4 , t h e J u s t Tr u c k s l i n e co v e r s t r u c k s o f a l l s o r t s , i n c l u d i n g m o d e r n a s w e l l a s v i n t a g e p i c k u p t r u c k s , S U V s , J e e p s , a n d e v e n m o n s t e r t r u c k s I f i t ’s a t r u c k o r e v e n a t r u c k- l i k e v e h i c l e , J a d a p r o b a b l y h a s i t i n t h e i r J u s t Tr u c k s l i n e We g o t a h o l d o f o n e o f t h e co m p a n y ’s l a t e s t r e l e a s e s , a g l o s s- g r a y 1 9 7 3 F o r d B r o n co i n 1 : 2 4 s c a l e We w e r e e x c i t e d t o s e e w h a t t h i s c l a s s i c S U V wa s a l l a b o u t S i m p l y p u t , J a d a ’s d i e c a s t r e p l i c a o f t h e ’ 7 3 B r o n c o i s a r e a l l o o k e r P a i n t e d i n a h i g h -

“FOR THOSE WHO LIKE A MORE OFF-ROAD LOOK, AN EXTRA SET OF ALL-TERRAIN TIRES AND BLACK WHEELS COMES WITH THE BRONCO.”

J a d a ’ s J u s t T r u c k s l i n e o f d i e c a s t s a r e f u n t o c o l l e c t a n d p l ay w i t h

T h i s B r o n c o c o m e s w i t h a n o p t i o n a l s e t o f w h e e l s a n d t i r e s , a l l o w i n g y o u t o s w a p t h e m o u t f o r a d i f f e r e nt l o o k

T h i s d i e c a s t f e at u r e s o p e n i n g d o o r s a n d a n o p e n c o c k p i t w i t h c a r g o a r e a .

g l o s s g ra y p a i n t s c h e m e, t h i s c l a s s i c l o o k s l i k e i t co u l d p u l l i n t o a c l a s s i c c a r s h o w a n d ea s i l y w i n t h e S U V c a t e g o r y. T h e B r o n co f ea t u r e s a d e t a i l e d i n t e r i o r a n d t w o o p e n i n g d o o r s a s w e l l a s a n o p e n i n g h o o d O p e n i n g e i t h e r d o o r r e v ea l s s ea t s a n d a r ea s o n a b l y d e t a i l e d co c k p i t co m p l e t e w i t h s t e e r i n g w h e e l a n d i n s t r u m e n t c l u s t e r

T h e 1 : 2 4 - s c a l e d i e c a s t co m e s co m p l e t e w i t h d e t a i l s s u c h a s a c h r o m e b u m p e r, a u t h e n t i c Fo r d l o g o s a n d g ra p h i c s , s i d e m i r r o r s , a n d e v e n a f u l l - s i ze s p a r e o n t h e t a i l g a t e We r ea l l y l i k e t h e b o x y l o o k o f t h e B r o n co’s a l l - m e t a l b o d y.

Fo r t h o s e w h o l i k e a m o r e o f f- r o a d l o o k , a n

ex t ra s e t o f a l l - t e r ra i n t i r e s a n d b l a c k w h e e l s co m e w i t h t h e B r o n co T h e ex t ra s e t o f w h e e l s a n d t i r e s i n c l u d e t h e i r o w n d e d i c a t e d w h e e l a n d t i r e ra c k , a s e t o f ex t ra a x l e s a n d a s c r e w d r i v e r

To s wa p t h e w h e e l s , s i m p l y p u l l o f f t h e s t o c k w h e e l s a n d p r e s s o n t h e a l t e r n a t e s e t .

W i t h a s t r e e t p r i ce o f w e l l u n d e r $ 3 0 , J a d a ’s J u s t Tr u c k s s e r i e s v e h i c l e s a r e u n d e r s t a n d a b l y p o p ul a r w i t h t r u c k fa n s a n d d i e c a s t co l l e c t o r s a l i k e .

W i t h s o m a n y n e w t r u c k r e l ea s e s b e i n g d r o p p e d a l l t h e t i m e, i t ’s ea s y t o s e e w h y t h e y d i s a p p ea r o f f s t o r e s h e l v e s a s s o o n a s t h e y ’r e r e s t o c k e d .

I f y o u h a p p e n t o s e e o n e o u t i n t h e w i l d , d o n’t h e s i t a t e t o s n a p i t u p

To automobile enthusiasts, the name Bugatti instantly con jures up images of cutting- edge design, elegant luxury and outright speed Its sculpted-bodied supercars are works of art inside and out and readily catch the attention of anyone who sees one in person A Bugatti’s looks is what draws you in, but it is its engineering that really places Bugatti vehicles on another level

Bugatti is a storied brand with an interesting history. The name sounds Italian, because its founder, Ettore Bugatti, was indeed Italian-born, but the company was actually founded in 1909 in Germany in Molsheim, Alsace, to be precise Without getting into a protracted history lesson about the Alsace region, which traded hands between Germany and France more than a few times over

the last hundred years, all we need to know is that at one point the city of Molsheim ended up on the French side of the border This was when Bugatti became known as a French carmaker

Bugatti found great racing success in the 1920s and 1930s, and its racetrack successes helped firmly establish the marque’s racing heritage, which is

still celebrated to this day But after the death of its founder in 1947, the brand lost its way. After eventually going out of business in 1963, Bugatti experienced a couple of revivals, passing through different corporate hands, and as of 1998 finally found a home at Volkswagen Group

By all accounts, the modern incarnation of Bugatti

has been a triumph in terms of brand revival, car design and production prowess. Over the years, Bugatti has turned out some of the best-known supercars and hypercars to date, even beating out traditional heavyweights such as Ferrari and Lamborghini in terms of limelight , performance benchmarks and customer orders

The French luxury car manufacturer presents a new and unique vehicle concept that looks to turn the supercar and hypercar worlds upside down the Bolide. The design of the Bolide began with a simple question What if Bugatti developed a radical ly light , completely new concept around its iconic 8.0 -liter W16 engine? The answer is what you see before you Wel l, its detailed replica is what you see before you, that is

“BUGATTI FOUND GREAT RACING SUCCESS IN THE 1920S AND 1930S, AND ITS RACETRACK SUCCESSES HELPED FIRMLY ESTABLISH THE MARQUE’S RACING HERITAGE, WHICH IS STILL CELEBRATED TO THIS DAY.”

Pop t he do o r s up to g et a b et te r lo o k at B o l ide ’ s deta i le d i nte r io r

The Bugatti Bolide is an experimental study that is designed to be a Pur Sang (that ’s French for pure -blooded) that impresses with high performance, low weight and a driving experience unlike any other In fact , Bugatti compares driving the Bolide to riding on a cannonbal l. Bolide is a track- only hyper sports car that features Bugatti’s celebrated W16 engine, which is derived from its series production powerplant , combined with a minimalist body engineered for maximum downfo rce The Bolide promises an unprecedente d and ultimate driving experience which is to s ay reduced, raw, authentic

When it came time to reproduce this thoroughbred for the die cast world, Bburago stepped up to the plate to create an absolutely stunning 1:18- scale version of the concept car Bburago’s replica features an al l-metal body that meticulously and accu rately reproduces the Bolide’s lines The scale model’s two -tone paint is finished in a

This static Bolide replica certainly is eye - catching Some of the details that we discovered include simulated carbon-fiber surfaces, intricate cockpit details and more The die cast model measures about 10 inches long and has ful ly functioning steering and opening doors The hypercar sits on aero disc rims that are wrapped in rubber slick tires The view through the windows reveals a complete two - seater interior, scaled down in exacting detail with low-profile racing seats, steering wheel, quad exhaust system and more

If you’re looking for Bugatti’s latest hypercar to add to your 1:18 garage, Bburago’s Bolide is a perfect choice With its slick body panels and iconic Bugatti front end, it ’s a stunner to be sure. Thanks to Bburago, this is one amazing concept car that you get to own

luxurious gloss topcoat that ’s further detailed with metal lic highlights

“THE FRENCH LUXURY CAR MANUFACTURER PRESENTS A NEW AND UNIQUE VEHICLE CONCEPT THAT LOOKS TO TURN THE SUPERCAR AND HYPERCAR WORLDS UPSIDE DOWN…”

MAISTO 2021 F ORD BRONCO WILDTRAK

T E X T BY M I C H A E L G R E Y I M AG E S BY J E R RY T S A I

Ford’s latest generation of Bronco has heralded a ma jor shift in the balance of power between off-road vehicle makers For decades, Jeep has owned the space for fun vehicles that can take their owners far beyond paved roads That is, until just a few short years ago when Ford came up with a worthy chal lenger to the venerable Jeep Wrangler Ford’s Bronco has stepped up to go toe to toe with Jeep, vying for the loyalty of off-roaders everywhere.

The Bronco is a revived name that comes from a long and proud line of SUVs that have worn the nameplate While previous Broncos had the ability to go off-road, this latest generation of truck takes what was previously a secondary use for the vehicle and makes it its main purpose

This latest Bronco is now a full-fledged off-roader that has factory options for turn-key go -anywhere systems such as electronic locking front and rear axles, position- sensitive dampers, and 35-inch large - diameter tires, just to name a few available off-road features The world situation being what it is, however, dictates that if you want a Bronco, especially in Wildtrak trim, you’ll need to get in line and, even worse, pay a premium mark-up The Bronco is a popular truck for good reason and plenty of buyers are in line for it

Luckily for us, you can add one to your die cast garage thanks to the good folks over at Maisto. When it came time to reproduce the Bronco Wildtrak in die cast , Maisto held nothing back

in creating this absolutely stunning 1:18- scale version of the hot SUV Maisto’s die cast replica features an all-metal body that faithfully reproduces the Bronco’s muscular lines. Also, the scale replica’s Ford Race Red paint is finished with an accurate high- gloss topcoat

This static recreation of the Bronco certainly is eye - catching Some of the details that we found include accurate cockpit details, a molded plastic hard top, a detailed chassis with exhaust system and more The die cast model measures about nine and a half inches long and, as is common on Maisto Special Edition c a r s , h a s f u l l y f u n c t i o ni n g s t e e r i n g a n d f o u r- w h e e l s u s p e n s i o n We f o u n d t h a t t h e s u s p e n s i o n t r a v e l i s e n o u g h t o

T h i s o f f - r o a d e r ’ s s i l h o u e t t e i s s i m p l e y e t e y e - p l e a s i n g

T h e B r o n c o ’ s r e a r d o o r o p e n s t o f i t y o u r s c a l e g e a r i nt o .

“WHILE PREVIOUS BRONCOS HAD THE ABILITY TO GO OFFROAD, THIS LATEST GENERATION OF TRUCK TAKES WHAT WAS PREVIOUSLY A SECONDARY USE FOR THE VEHICLE AND MAKES IT ITS MAIN PURPOSE.”

a r r a n g e t h e d i e c a s t i n r e a l i s t i c- l o o k i n g o f f- r o a d p o s e s .

T h e S U V ’s r e a l i s m co n t i n u e s w i t h a u t h e n t i c r ec r e a t i o n s o f t h e W i l d t r a k ’s r i m s t h a t a r e w r a p p e d i n t r e a d e d a l l - t e r r a i n r u b b e r t i r e s A l s o a cc u r a t e l y r e p r o d u c e d i s F o r d ’s f r o n t- e n d t r e a t m e n t o f t h e B r o n co ’s g r i l l e a n d h e a d l i g h t s . T h e r e p l i c a a l s o h a s o p e n i n g p a s s e n g e r d o o r s a n d r e a r d o o r T h e v i e w t h r o u g h t h e w i n d o w s r e v e a l s a c o m p l e t e i n t e r i o r, s c a l e d d o w n i n

e x a c t i n g d e t a i l w i t h a cc u r a t e s e a t s , s t e e r i n g w h e e l a n d m o r e . M a i s t o ’s S p e c i a l E d i t i o n s e r i e s d i e c a s t s t r a d i t i o n a l l y co m e m o u n t e d o n a p l a st i c d i s p l a y s t a n d a n d t h i s o n e i s n o d i f f e r e n t

I f y o u ’r e l o o k i n g f o r t h e l a t e s t i t e r a t i o n o f t h e B r o n co t o a d d t o y o u r 1 : 1 8 g a r a g e , w e ’d s a y t h a t M a i s t o ’s F o r d B r o n co W i l d t r a k i s a p e r f e c t c a n d i d a t e . T h e f i t a n d f i n i s h o f t h i s d i e c a s t i s o n p a r w i t h M a i s t o ’s o t h e r o f f e r i n g s a n d m a k e s f o r a g r e a t d i s p l a y p i e ce

Re a l i st i c fe at u re s s u c h a s o p e n i n g d o o r s a nd a f u l l - s i z e s p a re t i re a d o r n t h i s d i e c a st .

T h i s K 1 0 i s o u r favo r ite C hev y C / K s e r ie s rep l ic a , i n b ot h d ie c a st a nd RC st y le s

Mo st of the vehicles we cover in DCX are static in nature. These scale miniatures that we are enamored with are all about representing realism and detail But what is more realistic than a model that actually moves? Here’s where FMS Model comes in FMS produces vehicles that are essentially highly detailed drivable models that look as good as any die cast or plastic model-kit .

A g o o d ex a m p l e i s t h e co m p a ny ’s u l t ra - rea l i st i c C h ev y K 1 0 p i c k u p. I t n ot o n l y feat u re s i n te r i o r a n d u n d e r-t h e - h o o d d et a i l s ; i t c a n b e d r i ve n a ro u n d v i a a ra d i o t ra n s m i t te r a n d eve n h a s wo r k i n g l i g h t s, to o. C h ev y ’s C / K s e r i e s of p i c k u p s we re of fe re d fo r a n a sto n i s h i n g 4 0 yea r s ove r fo u r g e ne rat i o n s, t h e fi n a l e d i t i o n b e i n g re l ea s e d d u r i n g t h e 2 0 0 0 m o d e l yea r

T h e C / K m ay b e u n ava i l a b l e at C h ev y d ea l e r s n ow, b u t t h a n ks to FM S, t h e i r g reat n e ss l i ve s o n i n t h e s c a l e co l l e c to r wo r l d . Fa n s of C h ev y ’s C / K fa m i l y of t r u c ks c a n reve l i n t h e d et a i l - p a c ke d RC p i c k u p t h at FM S h a s re l ea s e d T h i s t h i rd - g e n e rat i o n C h ev y

W hat a g re at - lo o k i n g K 1 0 F M S s p e c ia l i z e s i n ma k i n g d r iva b le , deta i le d mo de l s

F M S rep l ic ate s t he C hev y K 1 0 ’ s ico n ic s i l ho uet te i n exac t i n g s c a le

x-factor

K 1 0 i s a h i g h l y d et a i l e d RC ve h i c l e t h at ’s a s d et a i l e d a s a ny st at i c m o d e l we’ve h a d t h e p l ea s u re of ex a m i n i n g u p c l o s e

FM S ’s RC ve r s i o n of t h i s b e l ove d t r u c k co m e s a l rea d y b u i l t a n d rea d y to r u n ( RT R ) i n a p e r i o dco r re c t , t wo -to n e re d -a n d -w h i te p a i n t s c h e m e w i t h p l e n t y of c h ro m e a cce n t s . T h i s RT R k i t a l s o co m e s co m p l ete w i t h a t ra n s m i t te r a n d b at te r i e s A l l yo u n e e d to d o i s to d r i ve i t

T h i s of fi c i a l l y l i ce n s e d C h ev y K 1 0 feat u re s a h a rd p l a st i c b o d y w i t h a ccu rate l y m o l d e d m et a l - p l ate d d et a i l s s u c h a s a d et a i l e d g r i l l e, f ro n t a n d rea r b u m p e r s, s i d e m i r ro r s a n d m o re. T h i s t wo -to n e d t r u c k r u n s o n c l a ss i c m et a l - p l ate d w h e e l s a s we l l ,

w i t h s of t a l l -te r ra i n - p at te r n t i re s t h at a re s u i t a b l e to r u n o n a ny t y p e of te r ra i n .

T h e K 1 0 m ea s u re s 1 2 7 5 i n c h e s i n l e n g t h a n d i s fi n i s h e d i n a n o u t st a n d i n g l y a ccu rate 1 : 1 8 s c a l e T h e ve h i c l e’s rea l i st i c fo u n d at i o n i s b a s e d o n a s u n ke n f ra m e a n d m et a l l a d d e r g i rd e r c h a ss i s A l l t h i s i s to p p e d of f w i t h a l u m i n u m f ra m e ra i l s a n d a wo r k i n g m u l t i - l i n k s u s p e n s i o n sy ste m .

T h e K 1 0 ’s h o o d a n d t a i l g ate c a n b e o p e n e d Lo o k i n g t h ro u g h i t s w i n d ow s revea l s a n u l t ra - rea l i st i c i n te r i o r T h at i n te r i o r b o a st s a ccu rate s eat s a n d d a s h b o a rd d et a i l s t h at eve n i n c l u d e d et a i l e d g a u g e s . Po p p i n g t h e K 1 0 ’s h o o d revea l s a 0 5 0t y p e m oto r, p owe r sw i tc h a n d b at te r y h i d d e n i n i t s e n g i n e b ay J u st o p e n t h e h i n g e d h o o d fo r f u l l a cce ss . L E D l i g h t s a re i n c l u d e d w i t h t h e K 1 0 a n d i t s h ea d l i g h t s, t u r n s i g n a l s a n d reve r s e l i g h t s a c t i vate a s yo u d r i ve T h e l i g h t s a re s o m e of o u r favo r i te feat u re s o n t h i s rea d y to r u n t r u c k .

D r iv i n g t h i s RC t r uc k i s a s f u n a s yo u m i g ht i ma g i ne Wo r k i n g l i g ht s ma ke it t hat muc h mo re re a l i st ic

T he p ic k up ’ s ta i l g ate c a n b e lowe re d fo r lo ad i n g lo n g p ie ce s of c a rg o

T he K 1 0 ’ s b o dy i s p rote c te d by a n a nt i - s c ratc h co at i n g , s o eve n af te r d r iv i n g it a ro u nd yo u c a n du st it of f a nd d i s p lay it a s new

A s yo u c a n s e e, FM S d i d a wo n d e r f u l j o b w i t h t h e C h ev ro l et K 1 0 ’s a ccu rate s c a l e l o o ks a n d l i fe - l i ke

d et a i l e d feat u re s I t ’s a h i g h l y d et a i l e d m o d e l t h at of fe r s t h e b e n e fi t of b e i n g a b l e to b e d r i ve n l i ke a n RC ve h i c l e, a n d we rea l l y e n j oye d n ot o n l y d r i v i n g i t , b u t l o o k i n g at i t , to o

I s a n y c a r m o r e i co n i c t h a n t h e 1 9 5 7 C h e vr o l e t B e l A i r ? I t ’s a n i co n o f n o t o n l y a n e r a o f a u t o m o t i v e h i s t o r y b u t o f a n e n t i r e d ec a d e a s w e l l F r o m i t s i n s t a n t l y r e co g n i z a b l e t a i l f i n s t o i t s h a n d s o m e c h r o m e - c l a d g r i l l e a n d s c u l p t e d h e a d l i g h t a s s e m b l y, t h e e n t i r e co n s t r u c t i s s i m p l y o n e o f t h e m o s t b e a u t i f u l c a r s t o h a v e e v e r h i t t h e r o a d

T h e ’ 5 7 B e l A i r wa s n o t o n l y a h i t w i t h c a r b u y e r s o f t h e t i m e , b u t i t a l s o c a u g h t t h e e y e o f m o v i e m a k e r s , t o o. Yo u m a y r e c a l l t h a t t h e C h e v y p l a y e d a p a r t i n S e a n C o n n e r y ’s f i r s t o u t i n g a s J a m e s B o n d i n t h e m o v i e “ D r N o ”

I n t h e 1 9 6 2 f i l m t h a t l a u n c h e d t h e J a m e s B o n d s a g a , C o n n e r y ’s A g e n t 0 0 7 b a t t l e s m y s t e r i o u s D r N o, a s c i e n t i f i c g e n i u s b e n t o n d e s t r o y i n g t h e U S s p a ce p r o g r a m

A s t h e co u n t d o w n t o d i s a s t e r b e g i n s , a s h a r p l y d r e s s e d B o n d m u s t g o t o J a m a i c a t o

co n f r o n t t h e m e g a l o m a n i a c a l v i l l a i n i n h i s m a s s i v e h e a d q u a r t e r s o n C r a b K e y I s l a n d M r J o n e s , s e n t b y N o ’s p e r s o n a l a r m y, S P E C T R E , o f f e r s J a m e s B o n d a r i d e a t t h e a i r p o r t i n a b l a c k 1 9 5 7 B e l A i r C o n v e r t i b l e w i t h a r e d i n t e r i o r.

B o n d a l r e a d y k n o w s t h a t J o n e s i s a n i m p o st o r, b u t w i l l i n g l y g e t s i n t h e c a r w i t h t h e n e r v o u s w o u l d - b e a s s a s s i n O f co u r s e , i f M r J o n e s h a d n ’t b e e n d r i v i n g s u c h a n i m p r e s s i v e A m e r i c a n c a r, B o n d m a y h a v e j u s t c a l l e d h i m o u t r i g h t t h e r e a t t h e a i r p o r t a n d b e e n o n h i s wa y b u t e v e n 0 0 7 c a n ’t t u r n d o w n a r i d e i n a n i co n i c 1 9 5 7 B e l A i r

O n a l o n e l y co u n t r y r o a d a f i g h t e n s u e s , a n d B o n d m a n a g e s t o o v e r w h e l m J o n e s , w h o u l t im a t e l y k i l l s h i m s e l f b y b i t i n g d o w n o n a c yan i d e c i g a r e t t e J a m e s B o n d , t h e s o p h i s t i c a t e d B r i t i s h g o v e r n m e n t a g e n t , t h e n g e t s b e h i n d

P l e nt y of c h ro me a nd s i mu l ate d b r i g ht wo r k g ive t h i s B e l A i r a re g a l l o o k

“THIS 1:18 SCALE DIE CAST REPLICA FEATURES PLENTY OF REALISTIC FEATURES THAT WE’VE COME TO LOVE ON AUTO WORLD’S RELEASES.”

t h e w h e e l o f t h i s b e a u t i f u l A m e r i c a n c l a s s i c a n d e l e g a n t l y s e t s t h e s t a n d a r d s o f t h e B o n d f i l m f o r m u l a f o r p l e n t y o f m o v i e s t o co m e T h i s p a rt i c u l a r c a r h a s b e e n f a i t h f u l l y r e c r e a t e d b y A u t o Wo r l d i n 1 : 1 8 s c a l e a n d i s n o w a va i l a b l e f o r n o t o n l y f a n s o f t h e c a r, b u t a l s o f o r t h o s e o f 0 0 7

T h i s 1 : 1 8 - s c a l e d i e c a s t r e p l i c a f e a t u r e s p l e n t y o f r e a l i s t i c f e a t u r e s t h a t w e ’ v e co m e t o l o v e o n A u t o Wo r l d ’s r e l e a s e s . T h e B e l A i r C o n v e r t i b l e i s p a i n t e d w i t h a g l o s s y co a t o f b l a c k p a i n t a n d co m e s co m p l e t e w i t h a r e a l i s t i c- l o o k i n g ( a l b e i t p l a s t i c m o l d e d ) t w o - t o n e r e d a n d s i l v e r i n t e r i o r. We ’r e e s p e c i a l l y i m p r e s s e d b y t h e d e t a i l e d d a s h b o a r d w i t h i t s s t a i n l e s s- s t e e l - l o o k f e a t u r e s T h e c a r h a s o p e n i n g d o o r s a n d h o o d , w h i c h r e v e a l s a h i g h l y d e t a i l e d e n g i n e w i t h i n t h e e ng i n e co m p a r t m e n t T h e f r o n t w h e e l s a r e s t e e ra b l e a n d i t s c h a s s i s i s f u l l y r e a l i ze d a s w e l l

O n a s i d e n o t e , w e t h o u g h t w e s h o u l d p o i n t o u t t h a t , a s w i t h m a n y o f A u t o Wo r l d ’s 1 : 1 8 - s c a l e r e l e a s e s , t h i s B e l A i r co m e s i n f r u s t r a t i o n - f r e e p a c k a g i n g t h a t w e a b s o l u t e l y l o v e T h e c a r i s e n s co n ce d i n a c l e a r p l a s t i c c r a d l e t h a t n o t o n l y

T h i s B e l A i r fe at u re s t he s a me co l o r s c he me t h at i s s e e n i n t he 1 9 6 2 B o nd mov i e , D r No

“THE ’57 BEL AIR WAS NOT ONLY A HIT WITH CAR BUYERS OF THE TIME, BUT IT ALSO CAUGHT THE EYE OF MOVIEMAKERS, TOO. YOU MAY RECALL THAT THE CHEVY PLAYED A PART IN SEAN CONNERY’S FIRST OUTING AS JAMES BOND IN THE MOVIE DR. NO.”

p r o t e c t s i t d u r i n g t r a n s i t b u t a l s o a l l o w s u s a n u n o b s t r u c t e d l o o k a t i t e v e n i n i t s p a c k a g e d f o r m . U n l i k e w i t h o t h e r m a n u f a c t u r e r s , r e m o vi n g t h e A u t o Wo r l d c a r f r o m i t s p a c k a g i n g d i d n o t r e q u i r e a s c r e w d r i v e r a n d t h e r e wa s n o f o a m t o d e a l w i t h . N o w, b a c k t o t h e c a r.

T h e C h e v y B e l A i r, e s p e c i a l l y i n i t s 1 9 5 7 m o d e l y e a r f o r m , h a s b e e n a d r e a m c a r o f o u r s s i n ce w e w e r e v e r y l i t t l e We ’r e g l a d t h a t A u t o Wo r l d h a s r e c r e a t e d i t i n a l l o f i t s g l o r i o u s d e t a i l f o r u s t o co l l e c t a n d a d d t o o u r s c a l e g a r a g e We ’r e s u r e t h a t n o t o n l y f a n s o f t h e B e l A i r a n d J a m e s B o n d w o u l d a g r e e , a n d w e i m a g i n e e v e n D r N o w o u l d b e s a y i n g y e s t o t h i s d i e c a s t

B ot h t he f ro nt g r i l l e a nd c h a s s i s a re re a l i st i c a l ly re c re ate d to s c a l e .

T he B e l A i r ’ s f u l ly d et a i l e d i nte r i o r i nc lu d e s re a l i st i c up ho l ste r y

F I R E BA L L

T I M L AW R E N C E

Fi re b a l l i s ow n e r o f Fi re b a l l P u b l i s h i n g , wo r k s a s a c o n c e p t a r t i s t a n d i s a s d i e h a rd a n a u t o m o t i ve e n t h u s i a s t a s t h e y c o m e H e ’s b e e n i n t h e m ov i e , T V a n d c o m m e rc i a l b u s i n e s s s i n c e 1 9 8 1 a n d h a s a l i n e o f s u c c e s s f u l a u t o m o t i ve - b a s e d c o l o r i n g b o o k s Yo u c a n fo l l ow h i m o n Fa c e b o o k @ f i re b a l l t i m a n d f i n d h i s b o o k s o n A m a zo n c o m a t : t i n y u r l c o m / f i re b a l l c o l o r

F i r e b a l l a u t o g r a p h s s o m e o f h i s c o l o r i n g b o o k s f o r f a n s at a n e v e nt

I’m very fortunate to draw cars for a living , whether it ’s for movies or our latest coloring book It ’s an addiction to the creative process So, any chance to dream up ideas for movie cars, die cast or conceptual art of any kind… I’m on it .

When I was in high school, I carried a stack of index cards around with me wherever I we nt . It al lowed me to quickly sketch ideas for whatever my mind brought me I got sent to detention more times than I can count for drawing in the back of class Imagine, getting in trouble for what you end up doing for a living Hinky

And although my brother sold all my die cast at a garage sale because he got mad at me, the never- ending creative spark led me to new adventures over the years where now I get to have a lots of fun building worlds of cars Especially die cast

Most of my friends are die cast collectors of some sort From regular Joes to big- cheese celebs, if you love cars in any way, then there’s a 100% chance you have some die cast in your garage or office. It ’s the glue that binds us and pulls us together as one It ’s the thing that removes all separation of race, creed, color or gender. No one cares whether you’re black , white, girl, boy, other, alien or vampire Die cast is the only thing that matters

In fact , I believe strongly that if we took a bunch of Hot Wheels to our enemies, wherever they are, they ’d become our friends. So… what we real ly need in this world is a president who digs die cast Anyone got any ideas?

In Star Wars they have the Force, an energy that flows through al l and binds al l together In the real world, we have the blisterpack Far more powerful

J ay L e n o l o v e s c a r s i n a l l o f t h e i r v a r i e d f o r m s i n c l u d i n g d i e c a s t

I’ve created several die - cast-based coloring books and have plenty more planned And I’d love to see some of the cars within them become actual die cast someday, but until then, the world inches closer to peace as we share our co l lections, re ce nt

finds, variations and lost re d lines

For this holiday season, it ’s our sincerest desire to deliver happiness through die cast Whether from the cars themselves, my coloring books, car shows, swap meets or Target finds giving love toward our passions increases love toward al l things So, give love in abundance And watch as love comes back to you in die cast Fireball out!

Q u a r t e r- m i l e - t r o u n c i n g F u n n y C a r s a r e s o m e o f t h e q u i c k e s t a n d l o u d e s t c a r s t o e v e r l a u n c h o f f t h e d r a g s t r i p l i n e . T h e y ’r e b u i l t f o r o n e t h i n g o n l y, a n d t h a t ’s g o i n g u l t r a - f a s t i n t h e q u a r t e r m i l e A u t o Wo r l d h a s r e c r e a t e d o n e o f t h e r a c i n g l e g e n d s o f t h e 1 9 7 0 s i n 1 : 1 8 s c a l e , a 1 9 7 3 F o r d M u s t a n g F u n n y C a r t h e y c a l l t h e B l u e M a x

T h e l e g e n d o f t h e B l u e M a x s p a n s s e v e r a l y e a r s a n d i t h a s w o r n va r i o u s l i v e r i e s o v e r i t s f a m o u s h i s t o r y. I n t h e b e g i n n i n g , t h e B l u e M a x d i d n ’t h a v e a n a m e o r i t s d i s t i n c t i v e G e r m a n c r o s s H a r r y S c h m i d t h i r e d D o n H a r d y t o b u i l d a F o r d M u s t a n g f o r t h e 1 9 6 9 s e a s o n w i t h a s t a g g e r i n g p o w e r p l a n t b u i l t b y f a m e d e n g i n e b u i l d e r s t h e R a m c h a r g e r s

A y ea r l a t e r, S c h m i d t a d d e d t h e d i s t i n c t i v e B l u e M a x r e g a l i a , d e b u t i n g a t t h e 1 9 7 0 N H R A W i n t e r N a t i o n a l s a t P o m o n a , C a l i f o r n i a , w h e r e i t s e t t o p s p e e d o f t h e m e e t f o r F u n n y C a r s a t 2 0 3 6 1 m p h T h e n e w l o o k a n d n o t a b l e s p e e d w e r e

t h e B l u e M a x ’s i n t r o d u c t i o n i n t o t h e F u n n y C a r h i s t o r y b o o k s

While Schmidt was the one who gave the sport the Blue M ax Funny Car, it was Raymond Bea-

Re a l i s t i c s l i c k d ra g t i re s a n d a p a ra c hute c a n b e fo u n d o n t h e M u s t a n g ’ s re a r e n d

T h e d e t a i l s d o n ’ t s t o p o n t h e t o p s i d e . T h e c h a s s i s i s a l s o p a c ke d f u l l o f g re at d e t a i l s

d le who furthered the Blue M ax ’s fame with his sens ational battles against drag strip rival Don Prud homme in the mid-1970s. These epic drag battles resulted in three consecutive world championships in 1979, 1980 and 1981, helping secure

B l u e M a x a s a h o u s e h o l d n a m e . T h i s r e p l i c a o f t h e 1 9 7 3 F o r d M u s t a n g B l u e M a x , a s d r i v e n b y R i c h a r d T h a r p, i s a f a n t a s t i c a l l y c o l l e c t i b l e a d d i t i o n t o A u t o Wo r l d ’s L e g e n d s o f t h e Q u a r t e r M i l e r e p l i c a l i n e u p

T h i s h i g h l y d e t a i l e d a n d l i m i t e d - e d i t i o n f u n n y c a r m i n i a t u r e f e a t u r e s a r a r e v e r s i o n o f B l u e M a x ’s i c o n i c l i v e r y a l o n g w i t h s o u g h t- a f t e r d et a i l s s u c h a s a n a cc u r a t e d i e c a s t t u b e c h a s s i s , p l u m b e d a n d w i r e d e n g i n e a n d r u b b e r G o o dy e a r b r a i d e d d r a g s l i c k s , a s w e l l a s a s e r i a l i ze d

A d i e c a s t b r a c e i s i n c l u d e d s o t h e B l u e M a x c a n b e d i s p l aye d

t o s h ow o f f i t s a c c u r at e re p l i c a e n g i n e a n d c h a s s i s .

c h a s s i s . T h e a cc u r a t e p l a s t i c b o d y co m e s o f f t h e c h a s s i s s o t h a t a l l o f t h e c a r ’s d e t a i l s c a n b e s t u d i e d u p c l o s e A d i e c a s t b r a ce i s a l s o i n c l u d e d w i t h t h e F u n n y C a r s o t h a t i t c a n b e d i s p l a y e d w i t h t h e b o d y u p a n d t h e c h a s s i s a n d e n g i n e e x p o s e d

N o t a l l o f u s a r e f o r t u n a t e e n o u g h t o h a v e s e e n B l u e M a x b a t t l e o n t h e s t r i p, b u t l u c k i l y f o r u s A u t o Wo r l d h a s r e c r e a t e d i t i n s c a l e d e t a i l , r i g h t d o w n t o i t s p l u m b e d a n d w i r e d e n g i n e a n d f u l l y d e t a i l e d c h a s s i s F u n n y C a r f a n s a n d d r a g r a ce r s a l i k e s h o u l d b e c l a m o r i n g t o a d d t h i s r e p l i c a t o t h e i r co l l e c t i o n s

H i g h ly d et a i l e d g rap h i c s a d o r n t h i s rep l i c a of t he l e g e nd a r y Fu n ny C a r

MAISTO ASSEMBLY LINE 1:24 FERRARI FXX K

T E X T A N D I M AG E S BY J E R RY T S A I

Custom die casts seem to be popping up al l over the place, and we’re loving it We see it on social media, on YouTube, and even at our local shops and col lector meets It ’s official; the die cast cu stomization movement is here to st ay. We’re fans of repainting , adding and creating parts to personalize your die cast , and we think it ’s one of the most exciting things to happen to die cast in a long while.

The amazing work that hobbyists perform on their die casts is impressive to s ay the least . There real ly are some talented artists among us die cast enthusiasts If you’re inte rested in trying your hand at die cast customization but don’t know where to start , we have good news for you.

M aisto’s A ssembly Line catalog of die casts is here

to offer a first step into the customization world For seasoned customizers, the line offers a quicker starting point for creating a customized ride. The company ’s A ssembly Line series of cars and trucks al lows one to customize a die cast with ease To be clear, the vehicles offered under the A ssembly Line moniker are considered model-kits, but don’t let the “model-kit” name fool you M aisto’s kits are wel l- detailed die cast vehicles, but they come dis assembled for you to complete

A s noted, M aisto’s kits come completely dis assembled and include a screwdriver and ful ly il lustrated instruction sheet If you’ve ever built a Lego kit or assembled a piece of furniture, you have what it takes to put this kit together. We got a chance to take one of their Ferrari FXX K kits out for a spin to see how it al l comes together

M a i sto i nc lu d e s a n i n st r u c t i o n s he et a nd s c rewd r ive r w it h it s A s s e m b ly L i ne s e r i e s d i e c a st s .

T he 1 : 2 4 - s c a l e Fe r ra r i F X X K ’ s b o dy i s s c u lpte d b e aut i f u l ly a nd a cc u rate ly.

T h i s mo d e l i s p a i nte d w it h h i g h - g l o s s p a i nt a nd i s f i n i s he d f ro m t he fa c to r y w it h re a l i st i c g rap h i c s a nd b a d g e s .

The kit comes with the metal body, plastic chassis and interior foundation, as well as plenty of detailed trim pieces such as clear plastic taillights, rear view mirrors and even a decal sheet . Also included are eight wheels and four tires The extra wheels can be swapped out as customization options Once we had the parts all laid out , we were ready to get building

The 1:24- scale Ferrari features a sleek body that comes expertly painted and complete with translucent plastic windows and a highly detailed engine compartment We noticed that detailed Ferrari badges and graphics come preprinted on the body, which is a nice touch The parts come pre -trimmed and do not require any further finishing The FXX K is assembled without the use of glue in only six steps Pieces were snapped and screwed in only

The instructions were straightforward and easy enough to understand, but we do wish the illustrations were larger for easier viewing The FXX K comes with two sets of accurately replicated wheels, one set in satin silver and the other in chrome

T h e a d va n t a g e t o t h e A s s e m b l y L i n e s e r i e s w h e n i t co m e s t o c u s t o m i z i n g i s t h a t t h e v e h i c l e co m e s p r e - d i s a s s e m b l e d , r ea d y f o r n e w p a i n t , g ra p h i c s , a n d a n y o t h e r c h a n g e s t h a t o n e c a n i m a g i n e t o b e a p p l i e d b e f o r e a s s e m b l y. D i s a ss e m b l i n g o t h e r d i e c a s t s m a y r e q u i r e d r i l l i n g a n d r u n s t h e r i s k o f b r o k e n p i e ce s A l t h o u g h w e a s s e m b l e d t h e Fe r ra r i a cco r d i n g t o t h e fa c t o r y s p e c s , w e co u l d h a v e ea s i l y r e p a i n t e d i t , a d d e d i n t e r i o r d e t a i l s , a n d h e c k , m a y b e e v e n a d d e d 3 D - p r i n t e d p a r t s i f w e r ea l l y wa n t e d t o g e t c r ea t i v e T h e c u s t o m i z a t i o n o p t i o n s a r e l i m i t e d o n l y b y y o u r i m a g i n a t i o n

If you’re thinking about entering the die cast customizing world, Maisto’s Assembly Line provides a perfect entry point for you to play with and explore The line covers a wide range of vehicles not limited to the Ferrari featured here We were so excited about customizing these die casts that we also picked up a Ford Bronco Badlands and a ’67 Mustang GT to see how creative we can get with them. If you’re looking to personalize a die cast , we suggest trying out one of these kits

Y ou don’t want to miss the world’s biggest and best RC and hobby show! The Radio Control Expo, better known as RCX , returns M arch 18 and 19, 2023 to the Fairplex in Pomona, California. Be sure to join your fel low scale vehicle enthusiasts for a fun weekend where you’l l see the latest in scale cars, trucks, drones, planes and boats. If it drives, flies or floats, it wil l be there!

This year ’s show promises nonsto p a c t i o n Yo u ’ l l s e e ex p e r t A c a d e m y o f M o d e l A e r o n a u t i c s ( A M A ) p i l o t s i n t h e F l i g h t Zo n e a s w e l l a s R C m o n s t e r t r u c k a n d d r i f t i n g d e m o s , F P V ra c i n g , R C ra c i n g , r o c k c ra w l i n g , a n d Tr y - M e t ra c k s P l u s ,

y o u r fa v o r i t e r e t a i l e r s l i k e H o r i zo n H o b b y w i l l b e t h e r e t o s h o w o f f t h e i r l a t e s t p l a n e s a n d a cce s s o r i e s Yo u ’ l l a l s o h a v e a c h a n ce t o w i n g r ea t d o o r p r i ze s a n d g e t h u g e d i s co u n t s o n t h e g ea r y o u n e e d ! A n d a s a b o n u s , R C X a t t e n d e e s w i l l a l s o h a v e f r e e a cce s s t o t h e C a l i f o r n i a O v e r l a n d A d v e n t u r e E x p o, h a p p e n i n g a t t h e s a m e t i m e a t t h e Fa i r p l ex

And while you’re there, be sure to stop by the Air Age Media booth to s ay hel lo to your favorite Die Cast X staff. Look for discount codes in future issues and on our Facebook page, then pre - order your tickets at RCX com We’l l see you in Pomona!

C o me o ut to RC X 2 0 2 3 to s e e b ot h re a l a nd s c a le ve h ic le s a nd mo re !