Car Of The Day: June 14, 2012

Today's car of the day comes from craftymore's collection and is Zylmex's 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am Funny Car.

The Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002. The Firebird was introduced the same year as the automaker's platform-sharing model, the Chevrolet Camaro. This coincided with the release of the 1967 Mercury Cougar, which shared its platform with another pony car, the Ford Mustang.
The vehicles were powered by various four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and V8 engines sourced from several GM divisions. While primarily Pontiac-powered until 1977, Firebirds were built with several different engines from nearly every GM division until 1982 when GM began to discontinue engines it felt were unneeded and either spread successful designs from individual divisions among all divisions or use new engines of corporate architecture.

The Firebird and Camaro were completely redesigned for the 1982 model year, with the windshield slope set at 62 degrees, (about 3 degrees steeper than anything GM had ever tried before), and for the first time, a large, glass-dominated hatchback that required no metal structure to support it. Two concealed pop-up headlights, a first on the F-Body cars, were the primary characteristic that distinguished the 3rd Gen Firebird from its both its Camaro sibling and its prior form; (a styling characteristic carried into the 4th Gen's design). In addition to being about 500 lbs (227 kg) lighter than the previous 2nd Gen design, the 3rd Generation Firebird was the most aerodynamic product GM had ever released. Wind tunnels were used to form the new F-Body platform's shape, and Pontiac took full advantage of it. The aerodynamic developments extended to the finned aluminum wheels with smooth hubcaps and a functional rear spoiler.[/quote]

Received this cool Zee from Noirguru.  It was mint on card and liberated for cotd. TY Jermaine.

Truck Of The Day: April 29, 2012

Today's car of the day is Zylmex's 1972 Datsun 620.

The popular and economical Datsun/Nissan compact pickup truck was produced in Japan from 1955 and imported to the United States, Australia, Finland, the Middle East, South Africa, and various European countries. Modern versions of this vehicle are still in production around the world, currently known as the Frontier & Navara.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Datsun 620

Another model acquired at this year's Keystone CARnival, this is a model that has eluded my grasp for many years.  I'm in dire need of an upgraded model, but at least I finally have one.  Much like most real pickups, this one has spent considerable time being used and abused by previous owners.  One can only imagine how many imaginary loads this one has hauled over the decades, but much like many of its real world counterparts this one has been relegated to my scrapyard diorama.  The wheels are bent.  The paint's mostly missing.  The windows are cloudy.  The roof's dented.  And yet, the motor probably still fires.  The real ones were resistant to everything except Northeast winters.  The body would rust off long before the engine would quit.

In February 1972, the Datsun 620 truck was released and was in production until 1979. It was a regular cab truck (a King Cab version was released in 1977) and two types of wheelbases were offered, and it consisted of six models of pickup seating, it was related to the delivery van offered only in Japan. There was also the U620, which was a crew cab "Utility" version. It used a shorter bed to allow full seating for four people. The U620 was essentially a 620 pickup from the doors forward, with the bed and rear end being the only difference. The 620 continued to use the Nissan L engine.

The 1972-1973 models were powered by the L16 engine (96 hp), the 1974 model used the L18 engine (100 hp), and the 1975-1979 models used the L20B engine (110 hp). In overseas markets the 620 was equipped with the J15. The standard transmissions were the F4W63 4-speed (1972-1973) and F4W71 4-speed (1974-1979). In 1977, the optional FS5W71B 5-speed transmission became available. The 3N71 3-speed automatic became available as an option in mid-1972. This was the first series to offer an automatic transmission as an option (all model series before the 620 only had manual transmissions). Final drive gearing was 4.375:1. Side badges were "DATSUN 1600" or simply "DATSUN". The grille badge was two colored stripes (one red and one blue, respectively) behind the word "DATSUN". Nissan continued the strong rhythms and styling of its previous vehicles, with a shoulder "wing line" or "Bullet Side" accent running alongside the vehicle. The 620 was known for its durability and weather resistance despite its small size along with an engine known for reliability. As a result, the 620 was competing with the larger American pickup trucks, which in turn gave Datsun a strong reputation in the United States. A number of innovations were introduced with the 620: first long-bed (1975), first extended-cab (1977), front disc brakes (1978), and electronic ignition (1978).

The 620 was redesigned slightly for 1978, with changes to grille and front bumper. A 4-door crew cab variant was offered in some markets.

Car Of The Day: March 28, 2012

Today's car of the day is Zylmex's 1988 Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 GR.

The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in July 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under licence outside France. It used TU/XU petrol and XUD diesel engines.
The 405 was voted European Car of the Year for 1988 by the largest number of votes in the history of the contest. About 2.5 million vehicles have been sold worldwide in left-hand and right-hand-drive versions, as a berline (saloon) and break (estate).

No coupé was offered to the public, unlike the 504 and 406, as only two examples of the purpose-built 405 Turbo-16 (not to be confused with 405 T16) were made.

The appearance of the car bears similarities to those of the Alfa Romeo 164, launched the same year and also styled by Pininfarina.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 GR

One of the definitive French rally racers.  This one was also done my Majorette.  Black doesn't photograph well- this car has better detail than what's shown.

The most famous motorsport version of the 405, the rallying 405 Turbo 16 GR, was very different from the road-going 405. It was built in a coupe body style in mid-engine configuration, had constant four wheel drive with electronically adjustable center differential like the 205 T16, as it was based on the same technology. At least four were produced, competing in hill climbs and the Paris-Dakar rally. Today, three are in the official Peugeot museum, and the other is in a private collection.

1988: Finnish driver Ari Vatanen set a new record in the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb (an award winning film of the drive titled Climb Dance was made by Jean Louis Mourey). Kankkunen and Piironen win the Paris-Dakar Rally in the 405 T16 GR.

1989: Victory in the Paris-Dakar rally by the Vatanen-Ickx team in a 405 T16 GR.

1990: Victory in the Paris-Dakar rally by the Vatanen-Berglund team in a 405 T16 GR.

Racing 405s much closer in specification to the road-going models were campaigned for several years in European touring car racing during the early to mid 1990s, most notably in the British Touring Car Championship and the French Supertourisme Championship. In Britain, the 405 did not achieve much success, but the car won the French series in both 1994 and 1995, in the hands of Laurent Aïello.

Ambulance Of The Day: March 10, 2012

Today's car of the day is Zylmex's 1977 Chevrolet Chevy Van Ambulance.

The Chevrolet and GMC G-Series vans were made by General Motors for North America. They are in the same vehicle class as the Ford Econoline van and the Dodge Ram Van.
The term "Chevrolet van" also refers to the entire series of vans sold by Chevrolet. The first Chevrolet van was released in 1961 on the Corvair platform, and the latest Chevrolet van in production is the Chevrolet Express.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Chevrolet Van

The late '70s was when ambulances in the USA started transitioning from the traditional car-based units that often doubled as hearses to the van-based units we're familiar with today.

In 1971, ChevyVan received a major redesign, moving the engine forward of the driver with a short nose and hood. The van was constructed of a unibody style frame and employed stronger truck style hubs and brakes with dual A-Arm independent front suspension. The major restyle followed the engine-forward design of the competing 1968 Ford Econoline. Suspension and steering parts came from the Chevrolet/GMC C-series pickup trucks. GMC now marketed their vans under the VanDura name. These models between 78 and 96 were popular with Van conversions such as Curtis and Starcraft.

For 1997, the Chevrolet and GMC vans were replaced with the next-generation Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana. They adopted aerodynamic styling, and the extended 15 passenger version rode on a longer wheelbase, rather than just an extended body. These vans were built on a stronger truck frame versus the previous generation's unibody construction. A left-side door was made available for the declining passenger van market.

Car Of The Day: January 25, 2012

Today's car of the day is Zymex's 1985 Pontiac Fiero.

The Pontiac Fiero is a mid-engined sports car that was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1984 to 1988. The Fiero—meaning "proud" in Italian and "wild", "fierce", or "ferocious" in Spanish—was designed by George Milidrag and Hulki Aldikacti as a Pontiac sports car. The Fiero was the first two-seater Pontiac since the 1926 to 1938 coupes, and also the first and only mass-produced mid-engine sports car by a U.S. manufacturer. Many technologies incorporated in the Fiero design such as plastic body panels were radical for its time. Alternative names considered for the car were Sprint, P3000, Pegasus, Fiamma, Sunfire, and Firebird XP. The Fiero 2M4 (2-seat, Mid-engine, 4-cylinder) was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1984. The 1984 Fiero was the Official Pace Car of the Indianapolis 500 for 1984, beating out the new 1984 Chevrolet Corvette for the honor.

370,168 Fieros were produced over the relatively short production run of five years; by comparison, 163,000 Toyota MR2s were sold in its first five years. At the time, its reputation suffered from criticisms over performance, reliability and safety issues. Today however, compared to less adventurous attempts at two-seaters such as the Ford EXP, the unique style of the Fiero compared to other American cars has left it a cult following as a collectible car. It remains a popular chassis for rebodies and electric conversions.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Pontiac Fiero

The Pontiac Fiero has been covered extensively in 1/64 scale with models from Hot Wheels, Matchbox (racing), Majorette (racing), Ertl, Zylmex, and MotorMax Fresh Cherries.  This one and the Fresh Cherries casting are the two best, and I think if this was given premium wheels and upgrade paint & tampos it would be the hands down winner.

Already selling the Corvette, General Motors management and accountants were opposed to investing in a second two-seater sports car. But in 1979, during the oil crisis, management saw a market opportunity for a fuel-efficient sporty commuter car, and design work on the Fiero commenced. To this end, it was fitted with a fuel efficient version of GM's 2.5 L four-cylinder "Iron Duke" engine capable of 27 mpg-US (8.7 L/100 km; 32 mpg-imp) in the city and 40 mpg-US (5.9 L/100 km; 48 mpg-imp) on the highway with the economy-ratio transmission option. These figures are U.S. Environmental Protection Agency test-circuit results, published by Pontiac, and confirmed from multiple sources. It was impressive mileage for a 2.5-liter engine of the period, and still good by today's standards, but the three-speed automatic reduced highway mileage to only 32 mpg-US (7.4 L/100 km; 38 mpg-imp). With respect to fuel economy, the Fiero would appeal to a market niche for which the Corvette with its V8 engine was unsuitable.

A mid-engine layout was chosen as a way to reduce both aerodynamic drag and vehicle weight to improve fuel efficiency, and also for its handling, traction, and braking benefits. The sports car potential of the mid-engine layout was not fully realized when the Fiero debuted. In line with its market position, the tires, brakes, and some suspension components were carried over from other GM economy cars (like the Chevrolet Citation and Chevrolet Chevette) so the Fiero could be priced appropriately. As a result, the handling and cornering abilities of the initial Fiero were merely on par with other contemporary sporty coupes (Road & Track 1985). The public had high expectations for the Fiero with its mid-engine layout and futuristic styling, which resembles more exotic mid-engine sports cars costing much more. While initially garnering good reviews for its handling (Motor Trend 1984), the Fiero soon received disappointing reviews, as the automotive critics expected higher performance from a mid-engine two-seater. Despite the critical press, the Fiero sold extremely well and Pontiac operated three shifts at the factory during 1984, and could not keep up with initial demand.

The sharing of suspension components with other GM cars meant the rear suspension and powertrain was almost identical to that of the Chevrolet Citation and Pontiac Phoenix; the Fiero even included rear tie rod ends attached to a "steering knuckle", although these were hard-mounted to the engine cradle and only used for maintaining the rear tire alignment. The front suspension was derived from the Chevrolet Chevette, and Chevette enthusiasts found that they could upgrade their undersized front brakes and rotors using Fiero parts.

By 1985, the oil crisis was a thing of the past and demand developed for a Fiero having more engine power and better sports car performance. Pontiac responded by introducing the GT model which included upgraded suspension tuning, wider tires, and a V6 engine having 43 horsepower (32 kW) more than the base four-cylinder. In 1986, the GT model was restyled to look even more sleek.

Numerous changes were made to the 1988 Fiero. The most significant was a completely redesigned suspension (and parts of the space frame) to realize the potential of the mid-engine layout. Now unique to the Fiero, the new suspension included new two piece brake calipers and upgraded brake rotors for 1988. The available I4 and V6 engines benefited from evolutionary improvements, but the planned availability of turbochargers and newer DOHC engines did not happen before production ended.

Officially, production ended because of an internal GM forecast of insufficient future profits due to an expected decrease in overall demand for two-seater sports cars, however this decision was commensurate with heavy media coverage of Fiero engine fires. GM's forecast may have been a year premature, as the actual sales in 1988 were lower than prior years but still double the forecast.

Car Of The Day: January 8, 2012

Today's car of the day is Zylmex's 1985 Toyota MR2.

The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Central Motors, a part of Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan. There are three different generations of the MR2: 1984–1989, with angular, origami-like lines, 1990–1999, which had styling that some compared to Ferrari sports cars, and 2000–2007, which somewhat resembled the Porsche Boxster. It was designed to be small, with an economical powerplant, but sporty in style and handling. Basic design elements, such as MacPherson strut front and rear suspensions and transverse-mounted inline-four engines, are common to all three generations of MR2, though each generation differs greatly from the next in particulars.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Toyota MR2

This is a recent purchase from Pegers (thanks Dan!).  I have one of these from my childhood, and it's actually in really good shape and didn't need to be replaced.  However, the one I had as a child came as part of a belt, and there's a big piece of velcro glued to the bottom of the car.  I've never removed it and really don't plan to do so.  It's not often you can point to a car in your collection and say 'I got that one for Christmas...attached to a belt!'

The small and light MR2 was something no one had expected from Toyota, known for their economical and practical family cars. The two-seat MR2 was definitely not practical as a family car and nor was it intended to be, having been designed instead with style and sport as priorities. The moniker 'Mid-engined Runabout, 2 Seater' was more than a marketing tool - it was the fundamental design philosophy. The folded angular lines evoked origami paper sculpture. Other cars with a similar design concept including the Lancia Beta Montecarlo, Fiat X 1/9 and the exotic Lancia Stratos were all produced in the 70s and early 80s. The most important features of the MR2 were its light body (as low as 2,095 lb (950 kg) in Japan and 2,350 lb (1066 kg) in the US), superior handling and lightly powered, small-displacement engine. The car is often referred to as the AW11, referring to the chassis code of the most common 1.6-litre, A-engined versions.

Some rumors have persisted that the MR2 was designed by Lotus. This is a reference to the Lotus M90 (a.k.a. the X100) project, but this was scrapped after a single prototype was built. This used the same engine and gearbox as the MR2. At the time, Toyota, along with the Chapman family was a major share holder in Lotus, but General Motors later acquired majority control. However, the MR2's suspension and handling were designed by Toyota with the help of Lotus engineer Roger Becker. Toyota's cooperation with Lotus during the prototype phase can be seen in the AW11, and it owes much to Lotus's legendary sports cars of the 1960s and 1970s.

As a power plant, Toyota chose to use the naturally aspirated 4A-GE 1,587 cc straight-4 engine, a dual overhead-cam, four-valve-per-cylinder motor. This engine was also equipped with DENSO electronic port fuel injection and a variable intake geometry ("T-VIS"), giving the engine a maximum power output of 112 hp (84 kW) in the US, 128 hp (95 kW) in the UK, 116 or 124 PS (85 or 91 kW; 114 or 122 hp) in Europe (with or without catalytic converter), 118 hp (88 kW) in Australia and 130 PS (96 kW; 128 hp) in Japan. Japanese models were later downrated to 120 PS (88 kW; 118 hp). The engine had already been introduced earlier on the AE86 Corolla, gathering a lot of positive publicity. A five-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed automatic was optional. Road tests delivered 0-60 mph times in the mid- to high-8 second range, and 1/4 mile times in the mid- to high-16 second range, significantly faster than the four-cylinder Pontiac Fiero or Fiat X1/9. In the home market, the AW10 base model was offered, which used the more economical 1452 cc 3A-U engine rated at 61 kilowatts (82 hp), but it attracted few buyers.

In 1987 (1988 for the US market), Toyota introduced a supercharged engine for the MR2. Based on the same block and head, the 4A-GZE was equipped with a small Roots-type supercharger and a Denso intercooler. T-VIS was eliminated and the compression ratio was lowered to 8:1. It produced 145 horsepower (108 kW) and 140 foot-pounds (190 N·m) and accelerated the small car from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 6.5 to 7.0s. The supercharger was belt-driven but actuated by an electromagnetic clutch, so that it would not be driven except when needed, increasing fuel economy. Curb weight increased to as much as 2,494 pounds (1,131 kg) for supercharged models, due to the weight of the supercharger equipment and a new, stronger transmission. A fuel selector switch was also added in some markets, to allow the car to run on regular unleaded if required to. In addition to the new engine, the MR2 SC was also equipped with stiffer springs, and received special "tear-drop" aluminium wheels. The engine cover had two raised vents (only one of which was functional) that visually distinguished it from the normally aspirated models. It was also labeled "Supercharged" on the rear trunk and body mouldings behind both doors. This model was never offered in European or Australian markets, although some cars were privately imported.

Car Of The Day: December 29, 2011

Today's car of the day is Zylmex's 1954 Chevrolet Panel Truck.

General Motors' first major redesign post-World War II, the Advance Design series was billed as a bigger, stronger, and sleeker design. First available on Saturday June 28, 1947, these trucks were sold with various minor changes over the years until March 25, 1955, when the Task Force Series trucks replaced the aging Advance Design model.

From 1947 until 1955, Chevrolet trucks were number one in sales in the United States.

While GMC used this front end, and to a slightly lesser extent the cab, on all of its trucks except for the Cab Overs, there are three main sizes of this truck. The half-, three-quarter-, and full ton capacities in short and long wheelbase.

For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Chevrolet Panel Van

This one was recently acquired from Pegers (thanks Dan!).  Bunkerjim posted his M*A*S*H set a few months back and I really liked it, and this was the piece I liked best out of the set.

1954 - Only year for significant design changes. Windshield now curved one-piece glass without center vertical dividing strip. Revised steering wheel. Revised dashboard. Cargo bed rails, previously angled, now horizontal. Tail lights round instead of rectangular. Grille changed from five horizontal slats to crossbar design commonly referred to as a "bull nose" grille, similar to modern Dodge truck grille. Engine now 235 in² straight-6. Serial number codes unchanged from 1953. Hydramatic automatic transmission is available for the first time as a paid for option.

Chevrolet trucks & panels of the 1950s are popular.  Johnny Lightning also did the 1954 Chevy panel, but the Zylmex here is superior in almost every way.

The Two Seat Commuter Car Phenomenon

In the 1980s, the US auto industry was still recovering from the fuel crises of the 1970s.  A lot of planning went into making cars smaller, just as gas prices hit all time lows.  One of the more interesting phenomena to hit dealerships of the 1980s was the two-seater commuter car.  There had been two seat cars before (the original Thunderbird, the Corvette, the Shelby Mustangs), and there had even been two seat economy cars before (the AMC Gremlin offered this as an option- to very few takers), but this was different.  From the onset, these cars were purpose designed to be two seat economy cars.

The Ford EXP & Mercury LN7 were the first to hit the market in 1981 (as 1982 models), and the bizarre frog’s eye headlights ensured that these cars looked like absolutely nothing else on the road.  The LN7 was dropped after two model years and approximately 40,000 sales.  While the EXP would soldier on through 1988 (eventually being replaced by the all new Ford Probe in 1989), and sales did recover a bit with the 1986 restyle that eliminated the frog’s eye headlight treatment, the EXP never met sales expectations, selling a mere 225,000 examples in seven model years (this total includes the 40,000 LN7s).  Ertl and Zylmex offered the first generation EXP in small scale- the only examples of this car in 1/64.

The Pontiac Fiero was Pontiac’s way of getting around management’s refusal to grant the division a true sports car (for fear it would cannibalize sales from the Corvette).  So they decided to develop a sporty two-seater economy car instead.  And the futuristic styling proved to be a hit with car buyers, as almost 400,000 were sold in the five years the car was available.  The real problem was the car could not deliver the performance to match its looks.  With the Iron Duke 2.5 liter motor the Fiero was a sloth, and the car’s handling won very little praise due to the fact most of it was made from off the shelf parts used in the Citation and Chevette to save money.  By the time Pontiac corrected the performance and handling issues, GM had already decided to pull the plug on the project.  This was a very popular subject for diecast manufacturers with Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Majorette, Welly, Zylmex, Rhino, Road Champs (opening rear hood/trunk), Blue Box, Faie, and others offering models of the car when new, and lastly, a model from the MotorMax Fresh Cherries line issued long after the real car’s expiration date.

The Honda CR-X was a Civic based two-seat hatchback launched for the 1984 model year.  Sportier styling and better performance than the regular Civic helped the reputation of this car and it’s slowly approaching cult status.  This is likely the most collectible of the cars listed.  That said, real examples of the car often trade for less than $500 as evidenced by the frequency they are raced on the LeMons racing circuit (a race series designed for any car costing the drivers less than $500).  Perhaps most importantly to this article, this is also the model that achieved the best gas mileage- published claims of 57 MPG (highway) have been recorded for this car.

In the mid 1990s Honda replaced the CR-X with the Civic del Sol, a two-seat roadster based on the Civic.  This was not an overly successful model for Honda, but a modifiable small-scale example exists by X-Concepts.

The Toyota MR2 deserves an honorable mention as the original intent was to provide a sporty car that delivered great gas mileage.  Somewhere along the way Toyota turned the MR2 into a true sports car before its introduction, but considering it is a two-seater and delivers great gas mileage, we’re including it in this article as well.  This was by far the longest lasting car of the bunch, lasting through three generations and only being discontinued for good in 2007 and more than twenty years on the market.  Replicas were made in small scale by Matchbox, Zylmex, Road Champs, Tomica, and others.  The second generation was made by Hot Wheels, and the final generation was replicated by Yat Ming, Jada, Muscle Machines and others.

Ford EXP:

Ertl
Zylmex


Pontiac Fiero:

Hot Wheels

Matchbox
Majorette
MotorMax Fresh Cherries

Blue Box

Welly
Road Champs
Soma
Zylmex
Rhino

The Fiero GT was only modeled by Hot Wheels, and only as the generic “Camo” armored, well-armed, and lifted 4x4 military vehicle.  A fiberglass sports car would be an absurd choice of vehicle for armoring, and an even more bizarre choice for combat.

Honda CRX:

Zylmex
Johnny Lightning
Tomica Limited Vintage Neo
Summer
Mega Toys


Honda Civic del Sol:

X-Concepts


Toyota MR2 (1st generation):

Matchbox
Tomica
Road Champs
Zylmex


Toyota MR2 (2nd generation):

Hot Wheels
Summer


Toyota MR2 (3rd generation):

Yat Ming

Jada
Muscle Machines