Tag Archives: AutoWorld

Diecast cars

Die-cast: AutoWorld’s 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

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Plenty of muscle on display with Chevelle SS …1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

Chevrolet’s 1967 Chevelle SS is a straightforward muscle car with equally straight, lean lines that reflect fine mid-‘60s styling.

AutoWorld has re-created a variety of Chevelles through the years, including a convertible version of the ’67 in 1/18 scale. Now comes the 1/24 scale model that easily fits into plastic modelers’ collections. Plus it takes up a little less shelf space than the larger scale.

High value is what this glossy tuxedo black die-cast model represents.1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS

The History

Most car guys know Chevelles and GTOs of this era as well as they know their favorite baseball player’s career stats. First-gen Chevelles debuted in 1964 and by 1967 the mid-size Chevy was among the most popular cars in the bowtie brigade’s lineup. About 63,000 were built in 1967, and the SS was top-of-the-heap. Today an SS can go in the neighborhood of $40,000 to $60 grand at better vintage auto auctions. Continue reading Die-cast: AutoWorld’s 1967 Chevrolet Chevelle SS →

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Diecast cars

Die-cast: 1970 Plymouth Superbird

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AutoWorld delivers detailed Superbird

The nearly fluorescent candy colors that Plymouth and Dodge bathed their late 1960s and early ’70s cars in still grab you when you catch a glimpse today. Heck, this bright neon green AutoWorld 1970 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird stirs memories of psychedelic pinwheels on TV’s then popular “Laugh-In.”Superbird-02

I’m dating myself and the collectors who’ll really appreciate this nicely detailed Superbird, complete with the cartoon Road Runner logo on its magnificent towering rear wing and another on the flat black headlight door on the car’s streamlined nose.

The Superbird was created to race in NASCAR and followed on the heels of Dodge’s Charger Daytona, which debuted in 1969. Both had a big rear wing to create down force and a wedge-shaped nose to aid aerodynamics and allow the car to slip through the air more quickly.

But at the time, to race a car, the automakers had to sell the same body style to the public, whereas now NASCAR’s racers are everything, but stock. So in 1970 Plymouth introduced the Road Runner-based Superbird for the racetrack and made 1,920 of the high-winged birds for the street. But it was one and done, the Superbird only flew out the showroom doors in 1970.

The details:

AutoWorld has mastered making U.S. muscle cars at very competitive prices so you can collect as many of your favorite makes as you want. Continue reading Die-cast: 1970 Plymouth Superbird →

Diecast cars

Die-cast: 1971 Plymouth Road Runner (NASCAR)

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AutoWorld’s Richard Petty Daytona 500 winner marks 120th Petty win

There was only one Elvis and there is only one Richard Petty. Both are Kings.mod2

With Petty, NASCAR, or better yet, stock car racing, was his kingdom and he rules it still, behind dark glasses and under a crowning cowboy hat with a feather cluster and medallion, sort of the racing version of a heavyweight boxing championship belt.

All racing fans know Petty and they know that any Plymouth in Petty blue with a giant white No. 43 on the roof, doors and trunk is a racing icon. That’s what AutoWorld’s newest 1:18 is, and a welcome addition to the diecast stock car market.

There’s no mistaking this 1971 Plymouth Road Runner for anything other than Richard Petty’s Daytona 500 winner from that year. It’s also the car he captured his third NASCAR title in, and his 120th win. Not surprisingly, AutoWorld does a fine job delivering an authentic looking die-cast stock car champion model. Continue reading Die-cast: 1971 Plymouth Road Runner (NASCAR) →

Diecast cars

Die-cast: AutoWorld Vette, Tang started on Road&Track covers

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Muscle cars are here to ‘pump you (your collection) up’

Ahhh, muscle cars, those high-horse brutes of the 1960s and early ’70s that lived the high life until the evil Oil Embargo forced us all to rethink power and gas guzzling, at least for a few years.Filename: MOD-DC0113_RoadandTrack.psd

These babies were stylish and fun, and AutoWorld knows it. It also knows us Boomers have a little more extra spending money than the youngsters, AND that we still love our muscle cars and the memories they invoke … dating, drag racing, dating, drive-in movies, dating!

There is much muscle metal to choose from, so why AutoWorld’s latest series? Simple … value and selection.

I’ve written about its Torino GT and AMC AMX before, and there are many others AutoWorld is making in 1:18 scale. But now comes a 1961 Corvette and 1965 Mustang Fastback, tied into Road & Track magazine, a little different twist, but with the same fine detail at collectible prices, $79.99. While many diecast car makers are creating models that cost north of $100, AutoWorld still is well below that mark. Continue reading Die-cast: AutoWorld Vette, Tang started on Road&Track covers →