Table of contents for Summer 2022 in Die Cast X

How many is too many? That’s a question that I’ve been asking myself as my display cases are starting to burst from being way beyond maximum capacity. Perhaps its time to cull the collection; but then again, that’s not in my nature. Die cast collecting is an addiction, isn’t it? Welcome back to another feature-heavy issue of Die Cast X (DCX), where we dive deep into expanded looks at a wide variety of die casts that span a wide range of different vehicle genres and scales. From Jada’s ’71 Pontiac GTO and ’52 Chevrolet COE Flatbed to Maisto’s 2021 Ford Bronco, Eaglemoss’s Eleanor Mustang and more, we have a fun collection of die casts to share with you in this issue. We also visit Fireball Tim Lawrence for a cars…

One challenge for car lovers like ourselves is the size and expense of 1:1-sized cars. If we could collect real cars like we do die cast replicas, we’d need more than a few warehouses to store our collections. Luckily for us, die cast companies like Jada Toys endeavor to bring us some of our favorite rides in a much more manageable and affordable package. Jada’s Bigtime Muscle series of miniatures has been a reliable source for muscle car lovers. Released in three different scales including 1:64, 1:32 and 1:24, the Bigtime Muscle line covers muscle cars of all types including Chevelles, Corvettes, Mustangs, Cobras and more. We had the chance to examine one of the company’s latest releases, a 1971 Pontiac GTO in 1:24 scale. Before we check out the…

If you’ve been to any classic car shows lately, you have probably noticed that Cab Over Engine (COE) style trucks have been making a steady resurgence as of late. Seeing a fully customized example or one that has been fully restored is still relatively rare, but they are popping up at local shows more and more. We’re big fans of COE trucks, and we’re sure that if you got to see one up close, you’d love them as well. Their proportions seem cartoonish and their size is impressive. They just look plain cool. What’s not to like? Jada Toys agrees and has released a few COEs based on the 1952 Chevrolet platform under their Just Trucks line of die casts. In fact, Jada produces a few variations of the ’52…

01 CHERRY-BOMB COLLECTIBLES 1970 PANTHER PINK DODGE CHALLENGER This car is a limited edition made from a Highway 61 casting and loaded with detail. It is painted in a beautiful Panther Pink (FM3) with rally wheels and a Go Wing. The ’70 Challenger is equipped with a 440 Six Pack; only 1 of 5 factory-produced cars came with these options. This release is limited to only 402 pieces. Scale: 1:18 MSRP: $159.95 URL: cherrybombcollectibles.com 02 JADA NEXT LEVEL I LOVE THE…’80S 1989 FORD MUSTANG GT The “I Love The” collection is inspired by American design styles throughout the decades. Each 1:24 die cast vehicle is highly detailed and crafted to authentically reflect the styling cues from its respective decade. With fully functioning doors, hood and trunk and radical era-inspired decals,…

This can’t be a real car—or can it? As the product of a collaboration between Lamborghini and Playstation’s highly successful Gran Turismo videogame franchise, the V12 Vision Gran Turismo is a car like you’ve never seen before. Just take a look. It seriously looks like it’s not of this Earth. Lamborghini’s 2019 concept car made its physical debut ahead of the World Finals of the 2019 FIA Certified Gran Turismo Championships, which took place in Monte Carlo, Monaco, during the last weekend in November of that year. Created with the videogame in mind, the V12 Vision Gran Turismo not only lives on in real life, but virtually too within the Gran Turismo Sport videogame for Sony PlayStation 4. Yes, you too can take the V12 Vision Gran Turismo out for…

If you’ve frequented social media over the past couple of years, you have undoubtedly noticed the amazing die cast customization movement that has arisen. We think the trend of repainting, adding and creating parts to personalize your die cast is one of the most exciting things to happen to the die cast world in recent memory. The amazing work that die cast customizers perform on their miniatures can be awe-inspiring. There really are some talented artists among us die cast fans. If you’re interested in stepping into the world of die cast customization but don’t know where to start, we have good news for you. Maisto’s Assembly Line category of die casts is here to offer your first step into the customization world. For seasoned customizers, the line also offers…

Die Cast X loves to see our readers’ rare and customized die cast rides. If you have a rare collectible or custom die cast that you’d like to Show & Tell in a future issue of DCX, let us know by tagging us on Instagram with our handle, @diecastx! In this issue of Show & Tell, we asked our readers to send us pictures of some of the older pieces in their collections that they’ve managed to hold on to over the years. As you could probably imagine, we received a tremendous response. Read on to learn how and why these oldies but goodies managed to stay in their collections all this time. JACOB RHEE Location: Pooler, Georgia Brand: Hot Wheels Series: HIN D Force Model: Nissan Silvia S15 Scale:…

Which side of the die cast aisle do you stand on? Are you more of a fan of ultimate scale accuracy, or do you lean more toward creative and artistic interpretations of your favorite automobiles? You can plant us right smack dab on top of all of it. On one hand, we love seeing impossibly detailed replicas made to astonishing detail. On the other hand, we love seeing sculpted, squashed and stretched versions of our favorite rides, too. We love it all. This probably explains why our die cast collection keeps growing. One of the original brands that brought us exaggerated die casts is Muscle Machines. Their squat form and cartoony look is certainly hard to resist. There was a brief period of time when Muscle Machines was put on…

Die Cast X is all about die cast models, but every so often we’ll run into something worthy of your attention that doesn’t quite check the die cast box. We call these items “The X-Factor.” It’s what the X in Die Cast X stands for, after all. In this edition of The X-Factor, we’re excited to highlight highly detailed cars that you can actually drive. Intrigued? Read on! If you’ve ever wished that your realistically detailed die cast car could be driven, allow us to introduce you to Kyosho’s line of Mini-Z vehicles. While they aren’t made of die cast, they can easily rival—and in some cases even best—the detail found on even the most sought-after die casts. Straddling the line between detailed scale model and radio-controlled racer, Kyosho’s line…