Willys Jeepster the first crossover? ... Everyone likes Jeeps and they were the real deal in leading the way to today’s SUVs and AWD vehicles. But did you know Jeep made a crossover, sort of? In 1948 the Jeepster debuted as a car that looked much like a Jeep/car/truck combo, with a convertible top. What... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Ixo’s 1970 Saviem JM 21/240 Michelin truck
Michelin tire truck a big win for Bib … Who doesn’t recognize, and like, the Michelin Man? He’s probably even more famous than the Pillsbury Dough Boy, although I’ve never heard Bibendum (Bib for short) giggle. Well, IXO loves him too and has come up with an unusual Michelin tire truck, especially for the North... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Ixo’s 1937 Bugatti Type 57G Le Mans winner
Bugatti was racy from the get-go at Le Mans ... In the early years, a lot of competitors, and winners, in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race were from France. Many of those makes are legendary, but many also are gone. One that remains is Bugatti, now known as a super car maker... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: Whitebox’s Valiant Acapulco
1960s Valiant Acapulco a simple car, no matter the year ... We all have our first car stories, but in 1963 my dad brought home our first new car, at least in my lifetime. It was a white 1963 Plymouth Valiant convertible with black soft top and red vinyl interior and a push-button automatic transmission.... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: NEO’s 1935 Stout Scarab
1935 Stout Scarab, the first minivan ... I’ve seen two Stout Scarabs in my life, one up close and personal, one in a museum. Both were amazing. The Scarab was a minivan before anyone even thought of minivans. It’s a rounded aerodynamic bug of a car, before the world was aware of the VW Beetle,... Continue Reading →
NEO’s 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air
Often overlooked '56 Chevy Bel Air gets its due ... Whose family didn’t own a 1950s Chevy when the entire country was seeing the U.S.A. from their Chevrolet? Our family had a green 1955 Chevy 210, the mid-level model that ultimately became the Biscayne. That car ran forever and was still an attractive hardtop (ok,... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: NEO’s 1959 Chevy El Camino
Chevrolet's first El Camino blends car, truck ... Today the blending of cars and trucks seems natural as SUVs and crossovers have become the preferred mode of personal transportation in the United States. But in the late 1950s and early 1960s such a thought was downright odd. Ford stirred the beast first when it created the Ranchero and... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: NEO’s 1932 Packard 902 Standard Eight Coupe
1932 Packard's beauty shines through in resin model ... You know you’re mature when you remember seeing Packards for sale at the corner used car lots and driving around the neighborhood, and mine was not a ritzy area. But for those of us who grew up in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Packard was still a... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: NEO’s Willys Jeep Station Wagon
Willys Jeep Wagon looks sharp in Michigan State Police trim ... Everyone likes the old Jeeps, the original Willys models that looked like World War II era army Jeeps, all boxy and plain and ready to take on any rugged terrain that muddied their way. Now NEO delivers a handsome 1/43 scale navy blue Michigan State... Continue Reading →
Die-cast: BoS Models’ Buick Flxible Premier Ambulance
A beautiful Buick ambulance in 1/18 scale ... Every kid of the 1950s and 1960s remembers the extremely long brightly colored ambulances of the day, either from seeing them as they ran our city’s streets with lights flashing and sirens blaring, or from TV shows of the day. Cadillac ambulances with their big tailfins were popular to... Continue Reading →