Seriously though, it sounds like it could do very well saleswise outside the UK, which might actually have been the marketing boys reasoning behind it.
I think you just nailed it regarding many of the models, actually. I think the following, once we get past the Clunkerbird...
112. Aimed at the Mercedes-Benz collectors' market, filling both the niches of a RHD M-B for M-B collectors and UK collectors (And, since the Mercedes-Benz was relatively popular in Japan at that time, it works there, too!).
113. Aimed at the East Bloc collectors, who tend to be a bunch that demands realism (And got it! When I showed that picture to my friends, I got a whole lot of "wow" and "I can't wait until I see mine in person" and what not).
114. Aimed at the Mercedes-Benz collectors once again, although any 1/43 collector into 1950's-1980's cars is likely to go "oh, wow, the first official S-Class! I've got to get that!" It worked for Minichamps, so why not Ixo (which is interested in producing M-B's)?
115. The Austin FX4 taxi is likely aimed at overseas collectors. If the car is modelled well enough, it could certainly become the "London Taxi representative" is some non-Britisher's collection.
116. The Austin A55 Cambridge, despite being a Jamaican taxi, is something I see more as aimed toward the domestic market as well as taxi collectors. Look at how well the plain-Jane La Route Bleue version sold for, even when detached from the diorama!
117. The Mercedes-Benz 220S Ponton is something that I'd imagine is the first real effort at a somewhat Bond-Centric car (arguably...both the VAZ-2106 and Locque's 450SEL got tons and tons of screen time...BUT they didn't chase the DB5!). But, seeing as it's a new Ixo Mercedes-Benz and the M-B collectors I know generally stick to three companies--Spark, Minichamps, and Ixo--I see this also being aimed toward the M-B guys. ANY Ponton usually sells pretty well, so I don't imagine this being any kind of exception to the rule.
118. That's the 1965 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine. They'll inadvertently get some East Bloc guys because the car just happened to be the same model and color as the car that was used to help design the ZIL-114. But mostly, since this is the first "big American car" (the biggest offered, in fact), I'm guessing this is aimed at US overseas buyers as well as British buyers who tend to like the 1950's-1960's American cars (such as MCF ).
119. This is the Lada Niva, and is aimed at the East Bloc guys, no question. The Niva tends to sell pretty well no matter what form they put it into, so this isn't a big surprise. Also, I imagine plenty of American buyers will pick it up as a "baddie" and plenty of German buyers as "Ostalgie".
120. The VAZ-2105 Zhiguli. This one's aimed much closer at the East Bloc buyers, since it was a real cult car there. Since it was implied to be a KGB or Statni Bezpecnost surveillance car, that also attracts American buyers like flies. The car issued in the Russian partwork USSR AvtoLegende matches it extremely well in terms of moulding and was arguably the best Zhiguli they did. With the JBCC enhancements, I imagine this would really sell well to the former East Bloc and the US, plus Germany as Ostalgie (it was also used by the Volkspolizei).
121. This is the Mercedes-Benz 220D and frankly, the color looks awful on the movie car. Unfortunately, that means we're going to see it reproduced on the Ixo car. It'll also be quite close to the 220 we saw in right-hand drive, which I imagine has much wider appeal, and also quite close to the Altaya M-B partwork car that represented the W115 chassis. I can see this doing okay with the M-B guys due to the W114 and W115 not having a diesel model and giving it the level of detail the 220 had, but it may well be one of the series extension's weaker sellers.
122. Scaldia-Volga M24 Sedan. Aimed at the East Bloc guys (first time we see a non-police "Second Series" Volga 24), Americans (it's a black Volga...), and I would also imagine the Germans (it had East German plates in the film) and Benelux (where the Scaldia-Volga was sold in M24 form from 1972-1985). I imagine this one having both broad appeal and Code 3 appeal. Will be interesting to see if they do the flag or not; either way, this should be a very good model.
123. Dodge M43 Ambulance. Aimed at the 1/43 US Military crowd, which is a moderately-sized but disproportionately-buying group. These guys are the ones that buy three or four of the same model to get their correct unit size. Anyone interested in an early Cold War/Korean War era US Army will snatch this one up, and the 1/48 guys that buy the old Revell and Monogram kits will almost certainly get this one, since the figures are actually much closer to 1/43 than 1/48 (and the models themselves around 1/45 scale). And of course, I imagine that while the laser will be tucked away, pretty much everyone that watched GF still remembers what it is and what it did.
124. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the model with the widest potential appeal, the Plymouth Savoy Istanbul Taxi. You're going to see the Code 3'ers devour this one unlike any other model, for one thing. You're gonna see both American and Canadian taxis, police cars, civilian sedans, upgrades to the Plymouth Plaza...you name it, it'll be there. For another, less experienced modellers in the US, Canada (where the car DID sell well), and UK may simply want a good example of a late 1950's "workhorse" type American sedan that still had fins 'n' chrome aplenty, regardless of what paint scheme it has. Then you'll have the taxi nuts buying it up because it's more attractive than the Altaya "Taxis of the World" 1947 Ford Fordor Istanbul Taxi. Despite the Car-Centrism inherent to this one, I think you'll see sales on par with the Ford Country Squire.
125. This is the '73 Chevy Bel Air, likely a Louisiana State Police car, where we've already gotten glimpses as to how the details fore of the A-pillar will look on the body due to the Impala Custom Coupe. Considering how popular that model was, this one, in a desirable and colorful police livery, is sure to please in the States. I also have difficulty imagining the Code 3'ers not going after this one...big, four-door sedans are always easy to turn into pretty much whatever you want to turn them into (I'm expecting other police liveries, taxis, and plain sedans). I think that its position in the series...following on the Savoy...will also help its sales among the Code 3 crowd that regularly doesn't pay too much attention to the JBCC.
126. Completing the "Code 3/American market" trifecta is the 1986 Dodge Ram Pickup. It may be radically different from the previous two four door sedans, but trust me, the same kind of people in the US will buy it. You have a classic pickup truck (the mid-80's Rams are considered classics here, anyway) where demand exists for a classic pickup truck...amongst the US hobbyists and Code 3'ers. I can see this one repainted, too; pickups with businesses decaled on the door with a bit of matte finish to simulate wear are always popular. It should also sell well in Britain considering the time it got during the tanker chase in LTK and the underrepresentation that movie had in terms of cars, period.
127. The collection now shifts to a VERY Bond-Centric vehicle, the 1961 Chevrolet 1-Ton Pickup. Rare in real life (check out one of the VERY few trucks I was able to find to the same specifications...and this one was actually made the previous year, in 1960! http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4707313244_544a79b3c0.jpg ), it will likely catch on with the Code 3'ers, American guys, and those who rightfully demand more than the Corgi model of this truck. Also, since most of the real trucks were sold to farms, I can see agricultural collectors (the few left who do 1/43, anyway) going after this one. Believe it or not, a few of the East Bloc guys have also expressed SOME interest in this one since it "played" a Yugoslavian truck. Although Yugoslavia was certainly not a member of the East Bloc, it was an observer member of the Comecon and East Bloc vehicles turned up there quite often.
128. I'm still trying to figure out just who the Morris Minor 1000 is going to appeal to.
129. The Ford Ranch Wagon will likely appeal to the very same crowd that bought the Ford Country Squire: this is definately a model for the American market via eBay, plus for Britishers who are into American cars. I don't think it will sell quite as well because it's a bit more plain, but the Country Squire sold off the charts. I do think it will be a strong seller, make no mistake about that.
130. 1986 Wales & Edwards Rangemaster Milk Float. I see this one having a VERY broad appeal, with those who just go in for weird stuff, people that find British utility vehicles interesting, and of course Bond-Centrics making up a VERY significant portion of the market. I would imagine it would be as well-liked by the formermost group, if not actually moreso, than the Tuk-Tuk. The latter two groups will also almost certainly buy it. And don't count out American buyers, either. Being central-drive, it doesn't look as "out of place" on a US 0 gauge model railroad as a right-hand drive vehicle would. With Lionel's (arguably) most famous operating car being the milk car where the little man ejects the cans out the side door onto a magnetic platform, many hobbyists choose to build around this. With a realistic, 1/43 scale option like the Wales & Edwards Rangemaster being available (many milk trucks are homemade, with only Road Champs' surprisingly good Divco Milk Truck providing a factory option), I see that selling pretty well.
I think the tea lady added the Morris Minor to their list when they weren't looking though.
That, or one of Fabbri/EM's directors is a Morris Minor fan.
Another very interesting rundown D110, and I'm sure you're absolutely right about these. I think personally the Plymouth taxi will be the 'hidden gem' everyone's been hoping for, especially since it should be predominantly finished in black with whitewall tyres. But I do think it might be best not to 'big it up' too much, otherwise any JBCC dealers reading this thread will be thinking of doubling the price!
For anyone who isn't familiar with this car, here's a photo (click to enlarge)
I Googled Welling Super Box, and all I could find was a very strange modified Lada Niva, with no explanation as to what it was or where the name came from. I would be most interested in learning more please!
hi, got the vaz 2106 this morning and yes, its every bit as good as expected, very nicely detailed and one of the best of the series so far.....issue 114 confirmed as the Austin FX4 black cab from octopussy
I Googled Welling Super Box, and all I could find was a very strange modified Lada Niva, with no explanation as to what it was or where the name came from. I would be most interested in learning more please!
That's because the Soviets didn't have access to a real armored car (think something along the lines of a Brinks armored car, not a military armored car). As such, for the 1983 (I think) film "Mirage", they simply fabricated one! Interestingly, the movie does have a lot of American cars in it (presumably from Cuba and Vietnam), though mixed in and substituting for some are Soviet vehicles.
issue 114 confirmed as the Austin FX4 black cab from octopussy
Very interesting. Was positive it would have been the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL. Perhaps the list we've seen wasn't completely in order.
Also managed to score ELEVEN HIGH-QUALITY pictures of the VAZ-2106! All credit goes to the poster ndd on RCForum.ru, where I am a registered user.
Side of the car with diorama. Note a very minor innaccuracy: the blue stripe near the end of the car should not be flush with the rear light; there should be a slight gap of white inbetween. No biggie.
And we can also see the diorama from here.
Aside from the tiny error of the stripe and the wiper blades, we get a HUGE error in badging. "LADA NIVA"???? In reality, the VAZ-2106 of this vintage, unless meant for export, would have NO badging (and there were a few mockups destroyed when the tank ran over them with badging, but that's it). Just take out the gloss white enamel and paint over it. Also interesting is that they gave it a Leningrad Oblast 1979-1991 Soviet license plate, although that WAS also in the movie (one of the two cars the statue falls on, most notably).
They do a really nice job on the front. VERY late Soviet car (1991, possibly even Russian Federation 1992), judging by the lack of chrome around the grille. Just take the wiper blades out and spray 'em black. I'm impressed by the lightbar on top.
'Nother side view.
Another view of the side; this one normally facing the diorama.
Cool view of the front.
Nice view of the back. Thanks for the reflective mirrors, Ixo. We can also see the insides are a tad difficult to make out in these photos, but as you can see right at the back, they ARE finished (this car had black upholstery anyway).
'Nother rear view showing us the eyesore Lada Niva badge. Lost in all this, however, is that they gave us great-looking tail lights.
Another front view.
And the bottom, which is just a re-done USSR AvtoLegende bottom.
Basically, I would suggest two modifications to this car to make it (almost) perfect.
1. Use some gloss white enamel to paint over the "Lada Niva" badge.
2. Take the wipers out and spray-paint them black.
This leaves you with a car that only has the TINY and overlookable error of the rear fender lights touching the blue stipes. Otherwise, you're set and good to go!
Just collected my Vaz,and I am pleasantly surprised how good it is.For such a small car,the detail is superb.I was expecting another boring model,but this has a lot of appeal even for me,and I consider myself 'Middle-ground'at the moment.
But Its not all good news,the diorama is truly awful,worst one yet for me.
Great pics D110, thanks for those. It's a great looking model that's for sure, and it's possible the stripe touching or not touching the light unit might vary from one model to another, as is common with tampo printing. Shame about the 'road' surface, they could have printed some texture or markings on it at least, but there is a nod towards the movie with the bronze horse's butt being included in the background! I shall be asking Santa for this issue B-)
"I Googled Welling Super Box, and all I could find was a very strange modified Lada Niva, with no explanation as to what it was or where the name came from. I would be most interested in learning more please!
That's because the Soviets didn't have access to a real armored car (think something along the lines of a Brinks armored car, not a military armored car). As such, for the 1983 (I think) film "Mirage", they simply fabricated one! Interestingly, the movie does have a lot of American cars in it (presumably from Cuba and Vietnam), though mixed in and substituting for some are Soviet vehicles.
a re-done USSR AvtoLegende bottom.
Thank you - this is very interesting. What would we do without the Internet!
As for your point about the Lada "Niva" badge :
Basically, I would suggest two modifications to this car to make it (almost) perfect.
1. Use some gloss white enamel to paint over the "Lada Niva" badge.
You are a much better Code-3 modeller than I am (I know this from your photos and posts), but I have some limited experience. I have a model of a 2002 Audi Allroad Quattro which I wanted to represent the petrol version, not the diesel as supplied. Changing the tailpipes was easy (weirdly a Plymouth Prowler was the donor for two excellent straight chrome pipes, not the downturned diesel items). The 2.5 TDi badge remained however. I used T-Cut - I don't know what the equivalent is called in the USA, but it's a slighly abrasive polishing liquid, which works like a more aggressive toothpaste. My Audi looks so good you would never know the badge had ever been there, and this on metallic paint. I think this is a better idea than painting over the badge, as it would take a few coats. The good quality Ixo paint should be thick enough.
Finally, and off topic but very much relevant to those liking Eastern Bloc cars - I received a new model today, built from a resin kit - a Velorex three wheeled Czech microcar! It's absolutely brilliant! The real car had leather bodywork!
"I Googled Welling Super Box, and all I could find was a very strange modified Lada Niva, with no explanation as to what it was or where the name came from. I would be most interested in learning more please!
That's because the Soviets didn't have access to a real armored car (think something along the lines of a Brinks armored car, not a military armored car). As such, for the 1983 (I think) film "Mirage", they simply fabricated one! Interestingly, the movie does have a lot of American cars in it (presumably from Cuba and Vietnam), though mixed in and substituting for some are Soviet vehicles.
a re-done USSR AvtoLegende bottom.
Thank you - this is very interesting. What would we do without the Internet!
As for your point about the Lada "Niva" badge :
Basically, I would suggest two modifications to this car to make it (almost) perfect.
1. Use some gloss white enamel to paint over the "Lada Niva" badge.
You are a much better Code-3 modeller than I am (I know this from your photos and posts), but I have some limited experience. I have a model of a 2002 Audi Allroad Quattro which I wanted to represent the petrol version, not the diesel as supplied. Changing the tailpipes was easy (weirdly a Plymouth Prowler was the donor for two excellent straight chrome pipes, not the downturned diesel items). The 2.5 TDi badge remained however. I used T-Cut - I don't know what the equivalent is called in the USA, but it's a slighly abrasive polishing liquid, which works like a more aggressive toothpaste. My Audi looks so good you would never know the badge had ever been there, and this on metallic paint. I think this is a better idea than painting over the badge, as it would take a few coats. The good quality Ixo paint should be thick enough.
Finally, and off topic but very much relevant to those liking Eastern Bloc cars - I received a new model today, built from a resin kit - a Velorex three wheeled Czech microcar! It's absolutely brilliant! The real car had leather bodywork!
Well folks 112 and 113 arrived today. The mercedes is nice , the vaz aka lada niva is good, great infact but the diorama is very poor. The diorama has an enlarged version of the lada pictured behind it (looks ridiculous) .
114 is the Austin Taxi as already said. I agree there are not many of models of this. In britain any airport or tourist zone there are toy versions a plenty Usually issued with a london routemaster bus and/ or concorde. With the olympics next year all three are turning up in obscure colour scheme with the awful london olympic logo.
114 Taxi maybe oddity that commands alot of interest.
The morris needs to go come on GEfabbri by all means scrape the barrel but this issue is a scrape too far!
Brilliant model! I only wonder where the “Lada Niva” came from... As for removing the badge, I agree with myhandle - I would not recommend using paint, as it is almost impossible to do it flawlessly. IXO paintwork is generally of great quality, so a better solution would be to use a little Tamiya polishing compound and simply polish this off. Use the fine/finish grade compound, but if does not work or is to hard you can try the coarser one.
IXO paintwork is generally of great quality, so a better solution would be to use a little Tamiya polishing compound and simply polish this off. Use the fine/finish grade compound, but if does not work or is to hard you can try the coarser one.
I'm not only open to trying this; I'd actually like to try it because sometimes, paint is impossible to match. At the very least, if I screwed up, I'd be able to fall back onto the white enamel.
IXO paintwork is generally of great quality, so a better solution would be to use a little Tamiya polishing compound and simply polish this off. Use the fine/finish grade compound, but if does not work or is to hard you can try the coarser one.
I'm not only open to trying this; I'd actually like to try it because sometimes, paint is impossible to match. At the very least, if I screwed up, I'd be able to fall back onto the white enamel.
You know, I wonder what happens when the TWINE Lada Niva is released...and if it has "Lada 1600" badges.
If I remember correctly this scene was filmed at Pinewood Studios England and in all probability the car depicted was in fact in reality a Lada Niva so our model is not entirely inaccurate.
IXO paintwork is generally of great quality, so a better solution would be to use a little Tamiya polishing compound and simply polish this off. Use the fine/finish grade compound, but if does not work or is to hard you can try the coarser one.
I'm not only open to trying this; I'd actually like to try it because sometimes, paint is impossible to match. At the very least, if I screwed up, I'd be able to fall back onto the white enamel.
You know, I wonder what happens when the TWINE Lada Niva is released...and if it has "Lada 1600" badges.
I used T-Cut to remove the grey 'splatter' from the damaged DBS with no problems at all - it goes on as a thick cream and you just use it sparingly with a cotton bud to avoid going through the paint underneath (which actually would take some real effort unless the underlying paint is very thin). If in doubt try it out on a sacrificial die-cast toy first. I think the US equivalent is something like this:
Having watched the entire series of 'American Hot Rod' I know a US 'T-Cut' type product certainly exists, they used gallons of the stuff on every car they featured! I'm sure a car parts store can advise you on buying the right product - it removes grime and fine scratches on car bodywork just prior to waxing and polishing. It's great for restoring scratched paint on play-worn Dinkys and Corgis too.
But Diecast007 - Lada Niva is an entirely different car - it's simply impossible to confuse the two!
Just a thought - if the movie production guys bought up some second hand cars to repaint as police cars, it could be that one previous owner might have messed around with the badging and it simply got overlooked. If I'm right and the people working on 'Skyfall' have been asking for VW Beetles to be donated, we might see one modelled with someone's joke Porsche badge left on the back of it!
Hi Guys unfortunately, i need some space in my house, so i'm selling my collection 113 cars and magazines. If anyone is interested please email me with an offer many thanks
Econoline still not arrived. Just been onto Database Factory and guess what they still have no stock. Looks to me like IXO simply can't cope with getting the models out and doing the re-runs. I wonder if Fabbri are deliberately keeping initial runs down in case we all lose interest in the series. They then take lots of cash when we order and fail to deliver for months earning them lots of interest.... of the kind they really care about ££££.
On the FX4 - Welly have done a perfectly good 1/43 as well cheaper than the JBCC - not same year as the existing IXO. For all the lack of enthusiasm I am looking forward to it the existing IXO casting is good lets see if they can get the details right this time.
As to the other comments in Dalko's round up pretty much spot on but I think that you actually underestimate the enthusiasm of US collectors for the Ford Ranch Wagon especially if 2 doors. There is a complete lack of basic US wagons and many people want these after all they were the more common sight back in the day. Not that if IXO release one in a higher level of trim that wouldn't fly off the sheves too. As to the Plymouth I will probably order at least 3 it is a wonderful car and IXO would be mad not to release this in multiple trim levels later.....
Just a thought - if the movie production guys bought up some second hand cars to repaint as police cars, it could be that one previous owner might have messed around with the badging and it simply got overlooked. If I'm right and the people working on 'Skyfall' have been asking for VW Beetles to be donated, we might see one modelled with someone's joke Porsche badge left on the back of it!
The only reason I find this unlikely is because they actually used a couple beat-up St. Petersburg patrol cars, ex-Soviet Militsia (hence the older style lightbar assembly not used after 1994 in St. Petersburg) which were 100% correct for obvious reasons. The two cars that crash into the statue, for example, are ex-Militsia, I believe, as are a few of the stationary cars (like the one that gets run over by the tank). You can tell them because they have genuine, pre-1992 Soviet license plates (Leningrad Oblast Series 1979) with no letter prefix. Amongst those is the one THIS car was modelled on: the one on the left side of the horse statue (license number 9512 LEG [in Cyrillic], as we see it from the screen). As such, it should not have any badging at all.
The badging on the cars that were mocked up should read either "Lada 1600" or alternately "Lada 2106" (rare considering that vintage, but if you bought them from Yugoslavia or Finland, it would be correct).
As to the other comments in Dalko's round up pretty much spot on but I think that you actually underestimate the enthusiasm of US collectors for the Ford Ranch Wagon especially if 2 doors. There is a complete lack of basic US wagons and many people want these after all they were the more common sight back in the day. Not that if IXO release one in a higher level of trim that wouldn't fly off the sheves too. As to the Plymouth I will probably order at least 3 it is a wonderful car and IXO would be mad not to release this in multiple trim levels later.....
I'm sorry if it came across that way...I didn't meant to say the Ford Ranch Wagon wouldn't sell well or anything; what I meant was that it would likely play second fiddle to the Savoy (I'm also ordering three...) and that it wouldn't outsell the Country Squire. To be honest, I think it's the third-best seller in whole collection in terms of US cars. A two-door wagon is what I'm hoping for, though if they do it at the Gypsy camp, we may be stuck with a four-door version. Either one would be fine, but the two door would sell better due to the "utility" aspect and frankly would be better from Ixo's marketing standpoint: "we gave you the family wagon, so here's the utility wagon." I wouldn't say the four-door was exponentially more common than the two-door, though. I would say the four-door would have a slight edge, in fact (albeit pretty slight...the two-door was, as mentioned, seen at the time as a "utility wagon" and Ford, Chevrolet, and Plymouth all marketed as such).
Regarding the Plymouth Savoy, I'd be surprised if Ixo didn't eventually do a bottom-of-the-line Plaza and a top-of-the-line Belvedere (a Fury would be less likely, being the two-door model). You could even make it as a DeSoto Diplomat (though only as the Canadian and German versions in LHD) if you're REALLY into Code 3'ing, considering it used the same body. You'd also have to completely re-do the grille. I also expect at least one Savoy Pursuit, which was especially popular in Minnesota (State Police) and also was used as an Orange County, CA Sheriff's Dept. car. The Belvedere and Savoy also saw extensive use as taxis...I was unaware that this thing, which I had believed a mere pamphlet, was in actuality 12 pages long!
Also, for Code 3'ers AND Ixo alike, be aware that the '59 Savoy was in use by a few NYC cab companies, usually with red flashes somewhere (could be the roof, pillars, or base of the fins). Dad, who grew up at that time, remembers these because they "stuck out" and were in general memorable. In essence, they were the successors to the old DeSoto Skyview cabs, which were also defined by red trim (they also played around with the '54 Dodge Coronet with red fenders, but to my knowledge, these didn't last long). Someone seeking an "oddball" NYC taxi (such as myself) would be wanting to make one of these.
Also Maz, have you gotten the Mercedes-Benz 220 yet? Thoughts?
Also, for Code 3'ers AND Ixo alike, be aware that the '59 Savoy was in use by a few NYC cab companies, usually with red flashes somewhere (could be the roof, pillars, or base of the fins). Dad, who grew up at that time, remembers these because they "stuck out" and were in general memorable.
Also, for Code 3'ers AND Ixo alike, be aware that the '59 Savoy was in use by a few NYC cab companies, usually with red flashes somewhere (could be the roof, pillars, or base of the fins). Dad, who grew up at that time, remembers these because they "stuck out" and were in general memorable.
A bit like this?
Sort of but not quite. When that came out, my Dad was all excited because he figured "oh good! here's the NYC taxi!" Turns out that's a Toronto taxi. The NYC Belvederes and Savoys usually had a red top only (as in the literal top of the roof) or red pillars only. A good number also had red flashes painted at the base of the fins, but were otherwise yellow. The yellow is also not deep or glossy enough for a NYC taxi finish, unfortunately. But it IS a great Toronto Taxi!
Also, for Code 3'ers AND Ixo alike, be aware that the '59 Savoy was in use by a few NYC cab companies, usually with red flashes somewhere (could be the roof, pillars, or base of the fins). Dad, who grew up at that time, remembers these because they "stuck out" and were in general memorable.
A bit like this?
Sort of but not quite. When that came out, my Dad was all excited because he figured "oh good! here's the NYC taxi!" Turns out that's a Toronto taxi. The NYC Belvederes and Savoys usually had a red top only (as in the literal top of the roof) or red pillars only. A good number also had red flashes painted at the base of the fins, but were otherwise yellow. The yellow is also not deep or glossy enough for a NYC taxi finish, unfortunately. But it IS a great Toronto Taxi!
Gives everyone an idea of how good an Ixo Savoy could look as a 'code 3' NYC taxi though, doesn't it? If Ixo go ahead and produce one of these in an NYC taxi livery for their regular ranges, even better!
Someone's trying to cash in. That one's not real. That model is made by a defunct Russian company called Tantal (you can tell by the hubcaps...it's been absorbed by Agat-Mossar).
Dalko - the Merc was discussed with Database Warehouse yesterday and has been despatched and is "still in the post" if their system is accurate. Will hopefully arrive soon! Looking forward to it!
Wasn't criticising on the Ford Ranch Wagon - just suggesting that the market is so starved of basic cars that I think it will be an EBay best seller. The Plymouth will go straight up to a very high premium on Ebay I suspect and unless they have ordered a lot of extra ones I think we will see Fabbri runing out of the first delivery pretty quickly and having to re-order several times to meet demand.
Finally US buyers who were so pleased with the IXO announcements of ex-Bond cars to come in their own premium ranges are getting restive waiting. It seems to me that IXO are running so hard they are simply not able to do all the work they hoped even for their own ranges. I think we will be in for a few more waits in between models yet.
Someone's trying to cash in. That one's not real. That model is made by a defunct Russian company called Tantal (you can tell by the hubcaps...it's been absorbed by Agat-Mossar).
Did the NYC cabs have white tyres too, or is this just a Canadian idiosyncracy?
Hilariously, the white tires bugged Dad, too. He'd take 'em off and paint 'em black!
In one of the swapmeets here I saw the whole stall with replacement parts for old Dinky and Corgi models. This included tyres (tires for you, D!), both in black and white, if I recall. Looks like there is the whole industry making parts for old toys!
Did the NYC cabs have white tyres too, or is this just a Canadian idiosyncracy?
Hilariously, the white tires bugged Dad, too. He'd take 'em off and paint 'em black!
I never did understand why 60's toy car manufacturers put white tyres on their models - as far as I know, completely white tyres were only ever seen on vehicles in the 20's.
Perhaps if the Savoy does well for Ixo, they might think about producing a 2 door Fury variant of it too - with a red and white paint job you have 'Christine' which I don't think has been modelled in 1.43 before. Without any 'Christine' references on the packaging it wouldn't even need any licencing by the movie makers, since it was a stock Chrysler car. It could be easily code 3'd by blacking out the windows and/or adding 'COB 241' licence plates.
Did the NYC cabs have white tyres too, or is this just a Canadian idiosyncracy?
Hilariously, the white tires bugged Dad, too. He'd take 'em off and paint 'em black!
I never did understand why 60's toy car manufacturers put white tyres on their models - as far as I know, completely white tyres were only ever seen on vehicles in the 20's.
Perhaps if the Savoy does well for Ixo, they might think about producing a 2 door Fury variant of it too - with a red and white paint job you have 'Christine' which I don't think has been modelled in 1.43 before. Without any 'Christine' references on the packaging it wouldn't even need any licencing by the movie makers, since it was a stock Chrysler car. It could be easily code 3'd by blacking out the windows and/or adding 'COB 241' licence plates.
Great photo off topic I know but I have to say 'Christine' is one of the coolest movie motors and I think often overlooked.
The reason why 'Christine' is "one of the coolest movie motors" and at the same time overlooked may be very simple - few people know about it. I don't think I've heard about it until today!
Comments
I think you just nailed it regarding many of the models, actually. I think the following, once we get past the Clunkerbird...
112. Aimed at the Mercedes-Benz collectors' market, filling both the niches of a RHD M-B for M-B collectors and UK collectors (And, since the Mercedes-Benz was relatively popular in Japan at that time, it works there, too!).
113. Aimed at the East Bloc collectors, who tend to be a bunch that demands realism (And got it! When I showed that picture to my friends, I got a whole lot of "wow" and "I can't wait until I see mine in person" and what not).
114. Aimed at the Mercedes-Benz collectors once again, although any 1/43 collector into 1950's-1980's cars is likely to go "oh, wow, the first official S-Class! I've got to get that!" It worked for Minichamps, so why not Ixo (which is interested in producing M-B's)?
115. The Austin FX4 taxi is likely aimed at overseas collectors. If the car is modelled well enough, it could certainly become the "London Taxi representative" is some non-Britisher's collection.
116. The Austin A55 Cambridge, despite being a Jamaican taxi, is something I see more as aimed toward the domestic market as well as taxi collectors. Look at how well the plain-Jane La Route Bleue version sold for, even when detached from the diorama!
117. The Mercedes-Benz 220S Ponton is something that I'd imagine is the first real effort at a somewhat Bond-Centric car (arguably...both the VAZ-2106 and Locque's 450SEL got tons and tons of screen time...BUT they didn't chase the DB5!). But, seeing as it's a new Ixo Mercedes-Benz and the M-B collectors I know generally stick to three companies--Spark, Minichamps, and Ixo--I see this also being aimed toward the M-B guys. ANY Ponton usually sells pretty well, so I don't imagine this being any kind of exception to the rule.
118. That's the 1965 Lincoln Continental Lehmann-Peterson Executive Limousine. They'll inadvertently get some East Bloc guys because the car just happened to be the same model and color as the car that was used to help design the ZIL-114. But mostly, since this is the first "big American car" (the biggest offered, in fact), I'm guessing this is aimed at US overseas buyers as well as British buyers who tend to like the 1950's-1960's American cars (such as MCF
119. This is the Lada Niva, and is aimed at the East Bloc guys, no question. The Niva tends to sell pretty well no matter what form they put it into, so this isn't a big surprise. Also, I imagine plenty of American buyers will pick it up as a "baddie" and plenty of German buyers as "Ostalgie".
120. The VAZ-2105 Zhiguli. This one's aimed much closer at the East Bloc buyers, since it was a real cult car there. Since it was implied to be a KGB or Statni Bezpecnost surveillance car, that also attracts American buyers like flies. The car issued in the Russian partwork USSR AvtoLegende matches it extremely well in terms of moulding and was arguably the best Zhiguli they did. With the JBCC enhancements, I imagine this would really sell well to the former East Bloc and the US, plus Germany as Ostalgie (it was also used by the Volkspolizei).
121. This is the Mercedes-Benz 220D and frankly, the color looks awful on the movie car. Unfortunately, that means we're going to see it reproduced on the Ixo car. It'll also be quite close to the 220 we saw in right-hand drive, which I imagine has much wider appeal, and also quite close to the Altaya M-B partwork car that represented the W115 chassis. I can see this doing okay with the M-B guys due to the W114 and W115 not having a diesel model and giving it the level of detail the 220 had, but it may well be one of the series extension's weaker sellers.
122. Scaldia-Volga M24 Sedan. Aimed at the East Bloc guys (first time we see a non-police "Second Series" Volga 24), Americans (it's a black Volga...), and I would also imagine the Germans (it had East German plates in the film) and Benelux (where the Scaldia-Volga was sold in M24 form from 1972-1985). I imagine this one having both broad appeal and Code 3 appeal. Will be interesting to see if they do the flag or not; either way, this should be a very good model.
123. Dodge M43 Ambulance. Aimed at the 1/43 US Military crowd, which is a moderately-sized but disproportionately-buying group. These guys are the ones that buy three or four of the same model to get their correct unit size. Anyone interested in an early Cold War/Korean War era US Army will snatch this one up, and the 1/48 guys that buy the old Revell and Monogram kits will almost certainly get this one, since the figures are actually much closer to 1/43 than 1/48 (and the models themselves around 1/45 scale). And of course, I imagine that while the laser will be tucked away, pretty much everyone that watched GF still remembers what it is and what it did.
124. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the model with the widest potential appeal, the Plymouth Savoy Istanbul Taxi. You're going to see the Code 3'ers devour this one unlike any other model, for one thing. You're gonna see both American and Canadian taxis, police cars, civilian sedans, upgrades to the Plymouth Plaza...you name it, it'll be there. For another, less experienced modellers in the US, Canada (where the car DID sell well), and UK may simply want a good example of a late 1950's "workhorse" type American sedan that still had fins 'n' chrome aplenty, regardless of what paint scheme it has. Then you'll have the taxi nuts buying it up because it's more attractive than the Altaya "Taxis of the World" 1947 Ford Fordor Istanbul Taxi. Despite the Car-Centrism inherent to this one, I think you'll see sales on par with the Ford Country Squire.
125. This is the '73 Chevy Bel Air, likely a Louisiana State Police car, where we've already gotten glimpses as to how the details fore of the A-pillar will look on the body due to the Impala Custom Coupe. Considering how popular that model was, this one, in a desirable and colorful police livery, is sure to please in the States. I also have difficulty imagining the Code 3'ers not going after this one...big, four-door sedans are always easy to turn into pretty much whatever you want to turn them into (I'm expecting other police liveries, taxis, and plain sedans). I think that its position in the series...following on the Savoy...will also help its sales among the Code 3 crowd that regularly doesn't pay too much attention to the JBCC.
126. Completing the "Code 3/American market" trifecta is the 1986 Dodge Ram Pickup. It may be radically different from the previous two four door sedans, but trust me, the same kind of people in the US will buy it. You have a classic pickup truck (the mid-80's Rams are considered classics here, anyway) where demand exists for a classic pickup truck...amongst the US hobbyists and Code 3'ers. I can see this one repainted, too; pickups with businesses decaled on the door with a bit of matte finish to simulate wear are always popular. It should also sell well in Britain considering the time it got during the tanker chase in LTK and the underrepresentation that movie had in terms of cars, period.
127. The collection now shifts to a VERY Bond-Centric vehicle, the 1961 Chevrolet 1-Ton Pickup. Rare in real life (check out one of the VERY few trucks I was able to find to the same specifications...and this one was actually made the previous year, in 1960! http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4707313244_544a79b3c0.jpg ), it will likely catch on with the Code 3'ers, American guys, and those who rightfully demand more than the Corgi model of this truck. Also, since most of the real trucks were sold to farms, I can see agricultural collectors (the few left who do 1/43, anyway) going after this one. Believe it or not, a few of the East Bloc guys have also expressed SOME interest in this one since it "played" a Yugoslavian truck. Although Yugoslavia was certainly not a member of the East Bloc, it was an observer member of the Comecon and East Bloc vehicles turned up there quite often.
128. I'm still trying to figure out just who the Morris Minor 1000 is going to appeal to.
129. The Ford Ranch Wagon will likely appeal to the very same crowd that bought the Ford Country Squire: this is definately a model for the American market via eBay, plus for Britishers who are into American cars. I don't think it will sell quite as well because it's a bit more plain, but the Country Squire sold off the charts. I do think it will be a strong seller, make no mistake about that.
130. 1986 Wales & Edwards Rangemaster Milk Float. I see this one having a VERY broad appeal, with those who just go in for weird stuff, people that find British utility vehicles interesting, and of course Bond-Centrics making up a VERY significant portion of the market. I would imagine it would be as well-liked by the formermost group, if not actually moreso, than the Tuk-Tuk. The latter two groups will also almost certainly buy it. And don't count out American buyers, either. Being central-drive, it doesn't look as "out of place" on a US 0 gauge model railroad as a right-hand drive vehicle would. With Lionel's (arguably) most famous operating car being the milk car where the little man ejects the cans out the side door onto a magnetic platform, many hobbyists choose to build around this. With a realistic, 1/43 scale option like the Wales & Edwards Rangemaster being available (many milk trucks are homemade, with only Road Champs' surprisingly good Divco Milk Truck providing a factory option), I see that selling pretty well.
That, or one of Fabbri/EM's directors is a Morris Minor fan.
For anyone who isn't familiar with this car, here's a photo (click to enlarge)
I Googled Welling Super Box, and all I could find was a very strange modified Lada Niva, with no explanation as to what it was or where the name came from. I would be most interested in learning more please!
That's because the Soviets didn't have access to a real armored car (think something along the lines of a Brinks armored car, not a military armored car). As such, for the 1983 (I think) film "Mirage", they simply fabricated one! Interestingly, the movie does have a lot of American cars in it (presumably from Cuba and Vietnam), though mixed in and substituting for some are Soviet vehicles.
Very interesting. Was positive it would have been the Mercedes-Benz 450SEL. Perhaps the list we've seen wasn't completely in order.
Also managed to score ELEVEN HIGH-QUALITY pictures of the VAZ-2106! All credit goes to the poster ndd on RCForum.ru, where I am a registered user.
Side of the car with diorama. Note a very minor innaccuracy: the blue stripe near the end of the car should not be flush with the rear light; there should be a slight gap of white inbetween. No biggie.
And we can also see the diorama from here.
Aside from the tiny error of the stripe and the wiper blades, we get a HUGE error in badging. "LADA NIVA"???? In reality, the VAZ-2106 of this vintage, unless meant for export, would have NO badging (and there were a few mockups destroyed when the tank ran over them with badging, but that's it). Just take out the gloss white enamel and paint over it. Also interesting is that they gave it a Leningrad Oblast 1979-1991 Soviet license plate, although that WAS also in the movie (one of the two cars the statue falls on, most notably).
They do a really nice job on the front. VERY late Soviet car (1991, possibly even Russian Federation 1992), judging by the lack of chrome around the grille. Just take the wiper blades out and spray 'em black. I'm impressed by the lightbar on top.
'Nother side view.
Another view of the side; this one normally facing the diorama.
Cool view of the front.
Nice view of the back. Thanks for the reflective mirrors, Ixo. We can also see the insides are a tad difficult to make out in these photos, but as you can see right at the back, they ARE finished (this car had black upholstery anyway).
'Nother rear view showing us the eyesore Lada Niva badge. Lost in all this, however, is that they gave us great-looking tail lights.
Another front view.
And the bottom, which is just a re-done USSR AvtoLegende bottom.
Basically, I would suggest two modifications to this car to make it (almost) perfect.
1. Use some gloss white enamel to paint over the "Lada Niva" badge.
2. Take the wipers out and spray-paint them black.
This leaves you with a car that only has the TINY and overlookable error of the rear fender lights touching the blue stipes. Otherwise, you're set and good to go!
But Its not all good news,the diorama is truly awful,worst one yet for me.
Dalkowski, thank you for the info :
"I Googled Welling Super Box, and all I could find was a very strange modified Lada Niva, with no explanation as to what it was or where the name came from. I would be most interested in learning more please!
That's because the Soviets didn't have access to a real armored car (think something along the lines of a Brinks armored car, not a military armored car). As such, for the 1983 (I think) film "Mirage", they simply fabricated one! Interestingly, the movie does have a lot of American cars in it (presumably from Cuba and Vietnam), though mixed in and substituting for some are Soviet vehicles.
a re-done USSR AvtoLegende bottom.
Thank you - this is very interesting. What would we do without the Internet!
As for your point about the Lada "Niva" badge :
Basically, I would suggest two modifications to this car to make it (almost) perfect.
1. Use some gloss white enamel to paint over the "Lada Niva" badge.
You are a much better Code-3 modeller than I am (I know this from your photos and posts), but I have some limited experience. I have a model of a 2002 Audi Allroad Quattro which I wanted to represent the petrol version, not the diesel as supplied. Changing the tailpipes was easy (weirdly a Plymouth Prowler was the donor for two excellent straight chrome pipes, not the downturned diesel items). The 2.5 TDi badge remained however. I used T-Cut - I don't know what the equivalent is called in the USA, but it's a slighly abrasive polishing liquid, which works like a more aggressive toothpaste. My Audi looks so good you would never know the badge had ever been there, and this on metallic paint. I think this is a better idea than painting over the badge, as it would take a few coats. The good quality Ixo paint should be thick enough.
Finally, and off topic but very much relevant to those liking Eastern Bloc cars - I received a new model today, built from a resin kit - a Velorex three wheeled Czech microcar! It's absolutely brilliant! The real car had leather bodywork!
Well folks 112 and 113 arrived today. The mercedes is nice , the vaz aka lada niva is good, great infact but the diorama is very poor. The diorama has an enlarged version of the lada pictured behind it (looks ridiculous) .
114 is the Austin Taxi as already said. I agree there are not many of models of this. In britain any airport or tourist zone there are toy versions a plenty Usually issued with a london routemaster bus and/ or concorde. With the olympics next year all three are turning up in obscure colour scheme with the awful london olympic logo.
114 Taxi maybe oddity that commands alot of interest.
The morris needs to go come on GEfabbri by all means scrape the barrel but this issue is a scrape too far!
I'm not only open to trying this; I'd actually like to try it because sometimes, paint is impossible to match. At the very least, if I screwed up, I'd be able to fall back onto the white enamel.
You know, I wonder what happens when the TWINE Lada Niva is released...and if it has "Lada 1600" badges.
If I remember correctly this scene was filmed at Pinewood Studios England and in all probability the car depicted was in fact in reality a Lada Niva so our model is not entirely inaccurate.
I used T-Cut to remove the grey 'splatter' from the damaged DBS with no problems at all - it goes on as a thick cream and you just use it sparingly with a cotton bud to avoid going through the paint underneath (which actually would take some real effort unless the underlying paint is very thin). If in doubt try it out on a sacrificial die-cast toy first. I think the US equivalent is something like this:
http://www.autogeek.net/3m-scratch-remover.html
Having watched the entire series of 'American Hot Rod' I know a US 'T-Cut' type product certainly exists, they used gallons of the stuff on every car they featured! I'm sure a car parts store can advise you on buying the right product - it removes grime and fine scratches on car bodywork just prior to waxing and polishing. It's great for restoring scratched paint on play-worn Dinkys and Corgis too.
Just a thought - if the movie production guys bought up some second hand cars to repaint as police cars, it could be that one previous owner might have messed around with the badging and it simply got overlooked. If I'm right and the people working on 'Skyfall' have been asking for VW Beetles to be donated, we might see one modelled with someone's joke Porsche badge left on the back of it!
On the FX4 - Welly have done a perfectly good 1/43 as well cheaper than the JBCC - not same year as the existing IXO. For all the lack of enthusiasm I am looking forward to it the existing IXO casting is good lets see if they can get the details right this time.
As to the other comments in Dalko's round up pretty much spot on but I think that you actually underestimate the enthusiasm of US collectors for the Ford Ranch Wagon especially if 2 doors. There is a complete lack of basic US wagons and many people want these after all they were the more common sight back in the day. Not that if IXO release one in a higher level of trim that wouldn't fly off the sheves too. As to the Plymouth I will probably order at least 3 it is a wonderful car and IXO would be mad not to release this in multiple trim levels later.....
The only reason I find this unlikely is because they actually used a couple beat-up St. Petersburg patrol cars, ex-Soviet Militsia (hence the older style lightbar assembly not used after 1994 in St. Petersburg) which were 100% correct for obvious reasons. The two cars that crash into the statue, for example, are ex-Militsia, I believe, as are a few of the stationary cars (like the one that gets run over by the tank). You can tell them because they have genuine, pre-1992 Soviet license plates (Leningrad Oblast Series 1979) with no letter prefix. Amongst those is the one THIS car was modelled on: the one on the left side of the horse statue (license number 9512 LEG [in Cyrillic], as we see it from the screen). As such, it should not have any badging at all.
The badging on the cars that were mocked up should read either "Lada 1600" or alternately "Lada 2106" (rare considering that vintage, but if you bought them from Yugoslavia or Finland, it would be correct).
I'm sorry if it came across that way...I didn't meant to say the Ford Ranch Wagon wouldn't sell well or anything; what I meant was that it would likely play second fiddle to the Savoy (I'm also ordering three...) and that it wouldn't outsell the Country Squire. To be honest, I think it's the third-best seller in whole collection in terms of US cars. A two-door wagon is what I'm hoping for, though if they do it at the Gypsy camp, we may be stuck with a four-door version. Either one would be fine, but the two door would sell better due to the "utility" aspect and frankly would be better from Ixo's marketing standpoint: "we gave you the family wagon, so here's the utility wagon." I wouldn't say the four-door was exponentially more common than the two-door, though. I would say the four-door would have a slight edge, in fact (albeit pretty slight...the two-door was, as mentioned, seen at the time as a "utility wagon" and Ford, Chevrolet, and Plymouth all marketed as such).
Regarding the Plymouth Savoy, I'd be surprised if Ixo didn't eventually do a bottom-of-the-line Plaza and a top-of-the-line Belvedere (a Fury would be less likely, being the two-door model). You could even make it as a DeSoto Diplomat (though only as the Canadian and German versions in LHD) if you're REALLY into Code 3'ing, considering it used the same body. You'd also have to completely re-do the grille. I also expect at least one Savoy Pursuit, which was especially popular in Minnesota (State Police) and also was used as an Orange County, CA Sheriff's Dept. car. The Belvedere and Savoy also saw extensive use as taxis...I was unaware that this thing, which I had believed a mere pamphlet, was in actuality 12 pages long!
http://www.mclellansautomotive.com/photos/B8322.jpg
Also, for Code 3'ers AND Ixo alike, be aware that the '59 Savoy was in use by a few NYC cab companies, usually with red flashes somewhere (could be the roof, pillars, or base of the fins). Dad, who grew up at that time, remembers these because they "stuck out" and were in general memorable. In essence, they were the successors to the old DeSoto Skyview cabs, which were also defined by red trim (they also played around with the '54 Dodge Coronet with red fenders, but to my knowledge, these didn't last long). Someone seeking an "oddball" NYC taxi (such as myself) would be wanting to make one of these.
Also Maz, have you gotten the Mercedes-Benz 220 yet? Thoughts?
A bit like this?
Sort of but not quite. When that came out, my Dad was all excited because he figured "oh good! here's the NYC taxi!" Turns out that's a Toronto taxi. The NYC Belvederes and Savoys usually had a red top only (as in the literal top of the roof) or red pillars only. A good number also had red flashes painted at the base of the fins, but were otherwise yellow. The yellow is also not deep or glossy enough for a NYC taxi finish, unfortunately. But it IS a great Toronto Taxi!
Gives everyone an idea of how good an Ixo Savoy could look as a 'code 3' NYC taxi though, doesn't it? If Ixo go ahead and produce one of these in an NYC taxi livery for their regular ranges, even better!
Apologies meant Lada Riva not Niva. Obviously an entirely different car , if you can call a 'Lada' a car .....
However
Found this titled 'The world is not enough' , maybe just maybe an issue in the future
Someone's trying to cash in. That one's not real. That model is made by a defunct Russian company called Tantal (you can tell by the hubcaps...it's been absorbed by Agat-Mossar).
Hilariously, the white tires bugged Dad, too. He'd take 'em off and paint 'em black!
Wasn't criticising on the Ford Ranch Wagon - just suggesting that the market is so starved of basic cars that I think it will be an EBay best seller. The Plymouth will go straight up to a very high premium on Ebay I suspect and unless they have ordered a lot of extra ones I think we will see Fabbri runing out of the first delivery pretty quickly and having to re-order several times to meet demand.
Finally US buyers who were so pleased with the IXO announcements of ex-Bond cars to come in their own premium ranges are getting restive waiting. It seems to me that IXO are running so hard they are simply not able to do all the work they hoped even for their own ranges. I think we will be in for a few more waits in between models yet.
In one of the swapmeets here I saw the whole stall with replacement parts for old Dinky and Corgi models. This included tyres (tires for you, D!), both in black and white, if I recall. Looks like there is the whole industry making parts for old toys!
I never did understand why 60's toy car manufacturers put white tyres on their models - as far as I know, completely white tyres were only ever seen on vehicles in the 20's.
Perhaps if the Savoy does well for Ixo, they might think about producing a 2 door Fury variant of it too - with a red and white paint job you have 'Christine' which I don't think has been modelled in 1.43 before. Without any 'Christine' references on the packaging it wouldn't even need any licencing by the movie makers, since it was a stock Chrysler car. It could be easily code 3'd by blacking out the windows and/or adding 'COB 241' licence plates.
Great photo off topic I know but I have to say 'Christine' is one of the coolest movie motors and I think often overlooked.