Man, oh man... I miss Danbury Mint!

[Harry P.]

This is the last model I ever got from DM, a 1948 Chevy. The quality of the detail, the fit and finish, the paint, etc. speaks for itself. Check out the upholstery pattern, for example. DM had it going on... too bad they came to such a sad end. Nobody did 1/24 diecast models better.

 

[High octane]

That is beautiful Harry, really nice. I sometimes see Danbury MInts for sale at local swap meets or at a hobby shop. They're still around, but it's not like the good-old-days which I miss and still wish that I would've bought more when I had the chance. Oh well, life goes on.

[gino]

wow that's a real beauty harry !    here is my first diecast car purchased, always been one of my favs.   

I miss Danbury too !

[Rob Hall]

I've got a few Danbury Mint items in my stash...and a few Franklin Mint ones also.  

One thing I'm curious about--did any of the Mints ever do a '46-47 Ford Super Deluxe Sportsman woodie convertible?  I haven't seen a resin kit of one..  I found out last week that an uncle used to own one...interesting cars, been reading up on them.

[Tom Geiger]

I do have all the Danbury light commercial trucks... the 50s Chevy Good Humor truck, the US Postal Service Jeep,  US Mail Model AA truck,  Divco Bordens milk truck. Recently I bought a broken 1930s International Coke truck.  I plan on building something interesting from it.  I had a Ron Cash Divco resin body,but once I saw the Danbury model I realized there was no way I could ever duplicate it so I bought it!  

The one Danbury car that I wanted that never came out was the Hollingsworth '57 Nomad.  The prototype was finished but they never got the car to production.  Rick Hanmore said they gave the model to the owner of the current replica car as a thank you for giving them access to the car.  

Now what was interesting... I believe that both Danbury and Franklin cars came out of the same factory...

[Harry P.]

Check out the "Fleetline" script on the trunk lid...

[gino]

here is another.    lets just say Danbury's flyers were very enticing !

[Harry P.]

lets just say Danbury's flyers were very enticing !

Yes they were! Which is why I saved all of mine...

[gino]

wow that's a great idea !

[Ramfins59]

I've been fortunate to have been able to get quite a few of both Danbury and Franklin Mint 1950's cars that were never made in plastic on EBAY for very reasonable prices over the last 2 years.  They are outstanding cars and the 1/24 scale size does not bother me at all.  There are still a few out there that I have my eye on.

[ChrisBcritter]

I've inherited some and picked up others for cheap from flea markets and estate auctions - best deals were the '58 Packard Hawk and the '53 Buick woody for about $20 each in a lot with a few others. Really hope they don't start crumbling away on me... I wonder if someday there'll be a cottage industry making resin replacement bodies for these Franklin/Danbury cars to replace failed metal ones?

[om617]

That thing is beautiful. I sooo want the 48 Buick Roadmaster Sedanette but it`s getting very expensive. Very similar paint scheme on it too. 

[gtx6970]

I've got a few of them . ,,,from both Danbury and Franklin Mint.

 

A good friend of mine got on  the mailing list for them both back in the 80s. . They would send him a new car about every 3 months. And that went on for several years. Needless to say he had a bunch ,,  a WHOLE BUNCH of them.

He's been slowly selling them off on Ebay the past year or so . ,,at least the ones he wants to sell.

Some have done quite well price wise. I know of a few that darn near dinged $1000 mark

Edited March 29, 2016 by gtx6970

[Snake45]

Last month at a toy/train show I bought--for only a couple dollars more than I pay for M2s at Walmart--a Danbury Mint '68 El Camino. Usually with diecasts of any kind I have to do some detail painting (wheels, grille, taillights, etc.) to get them to where I'm satisfied with them on my shelf, but this is the first one where I couldn't find anything I HAVE to do to it. Don't particularly care for the color (black) but can live with it. Really nice!

At a previous show I got a '69 Corvette. I can't remember whether it's Danbury or Franklin Mint, but it's pretty nice too. Just did a quick Google search and evidently both Danbury and Franklin did '69 Vettes so will have to physically check it when I get home. It's a bright solid (nonmetallic) blue, almost a Richard Petty blue. It's also nice and won't take much detailing. But the Elky is definitely Danbury (checked last night).

[Yenkocamaro]

I always liked Danbury cars, and was happiest with some of their famous Customs like George Barris's Hirohata Merc.

 

Cheers,

Lance

[Dave Van]

I have a few....and they are nice......but all bought 2nd had as I was never able to justify the cost new. 

At 50% or more I paid....worth it. 

[High octane]

I have a few....and they are nice......but all bought 2nd had as I was never able to justify the cost new. 

At 50% or more I paid....worth it. 

You can't justify the price of a new Danbury or Franklin Mint car? You couldn't build those cars for less could you, with all the working features and fine detailing?

[Dave Van]

You can't justify the price of a new Danbury or Franklin Mint car? You couldn't build those cars for less could you, with all the working features and fine detailing?

Remember that's just my OPINION.......I have not entered a decree or edict.  I COULD NOT PAY FULL PRICE.....and didn't because I waited. 

That's all......not put those down that paid full or mORE........Just my OPINION.   Deep breaths....

[Harry P.]

Just want to post one more. This 1956 Buick Riviera was the second-to-last DM model I ever got (the '48 Chevy was the last one). Check the detail on this model... things like weatherstripping detail around the doors and trunk, realistic, ptototypically-correct hood scissor hinges, detailed upholstery and trunk mat patterns, etc. Unfortunately one of the wipers fell off and is lost.

[Harry P.]

[MrObsessive]

Harry, that is one GORGEOUS '56 Buick!! I have a number of Danburys myself, and I'm a fan of diecast if they're not clunky and the shape is right. One of my faves that I've had since it was new is they're 1/12 scale '57 Chevy Convertible, which just about does everything except start up and run. I also once had their '56 Corvette in that scale, and the '65 Mustang convertible. 

A few years ago, I sold the 'Vette on eBay to a fellow in Great Britain who paid nearly twice what I bought it for (around $500)! I had also sold the Mustang, and regretted getting rid of it not long after. Well, after the first of this year, to give myself a nice present because things have gone so well on the job, I bought another 1/12 Mustang which was in near excellent shape for it's age now.

Sure I paid more than I originally bought it for, but there's no way I'll ever part with with this one now! Especially with Danbury being out of the diecast model biz.

For those interested, here's a video I made of the original 1/12 Mustang I had when I was selling it on eBay. Forgive my rather rough sounding voice as I was getting over a nasty cold at the time I shot this.

The only drawbacks to these large scale models with their myriads of working features.........things can break on 'em, and if you're just the average Joe with no modeling skills, you'd have no idea how to fix it. I've already had one of the top bows on the Chevy convertible break as one of the rivets came out. I made another one though and the top folds up and down just fine.

I'd sure like to see someone else get the tooling for those terrific models they did, but being that aspect of Danbury's was owned by the Chinese government, that looks to be just a pipe dream.  

I'm soon on the search for the 1/12 '56-'57 Corvette as I'd like to have that one again. I'm watching a couple on eBay which have been on there for quite some time (Buy It Now). I'm just waiting for the prices to come down (hopefully alot!), or one will turn up on a regular auction sometime down the road.

Edited March 30, 2016 by MrObsessive

[vamach1]

About four years ago I scored a bunch of FM and DM Mustangs in an online estate sales and paid about $25 per car.  Although I could have sold one of them for over $100, I took it apart and had a bunch of pieces resin cast.  Of course taking it part ruined it and there's no way I could put it back together.  It (a Boss 351) will end up in a junkyard diorama someday with other mostly plastic models that I used for just a few parts.

[Harry P.]

Bill... have you seen this one? Even more working features than the '57 Chevy.

[MrObsessive]

I DO remember that one Harry! I thought about getting that one but passed on it, and now its price is probably in the stratosphere now.

Is that the one where there were customer complaints about the tires or whitewalls disintegrating or something on some of them??

Edited March 30, 2016 by MrObsessive

[Harry P.]

I've never heard that, Bill. And on mine the whitewalls look as fresh as the day I got it.

I bought this one when new, paid $495. And you know what? I'm glad I bought it, even at that price... especially now that it's out of production. The value can only go up over the years. That Caddy is by far the best, most detailed, most impressive model DM ever made.