I’ve been collecting Danbury Mint die-cast cars for years now. I have complete collections of the Corvettes and Mustangs they offered plus a few other models. Sad to see them go out of business. Too bad they couldn’t bring it back home and make a go of it. See my article “When You Just have to have that Classic/Muscle Car?…Think Small!!!!”
The Vettes
The Mustangs
I recently ordered their last car – the 1935 coupe, even though it doesn’t match my collection.
Up against an industry-wide trend of rising costs and difficulties dealing with overseas factories, Danbury Mint – the company best known among gearheads for its high-quality, 1:24 scale, shelf-topping classic cars – has exited the die-cast car business.
“Like Packard, Duesenberg and Pontiac, so too has our journey come to an end,” wrote the Danbury Mint’s Die-cast Product Manager, Art McKenna. “For more than 20 years, the Danbury Mint has been proud to offer what many deem to be the finest 1:24 scale replicas in the world. Unfortunately, our last 1:24 scale replica has rolled off the assembly line.”
McKenna said the decision to discontinue the die-cast car line came after the factory in China that produced the models for the company closed. Two years ago, the Danbury Mint’s main factory in China closed, leaving it with only its secondary factory to produce a limited lineup of die-cast cars. No reason was given for either factory’s closing. “We didn’t own the factory, so we couldn’t control much of what happened,” McKenna said.
Pricing of the models also appeared to play a role in the decision. In a letter that McKenna sent to members of the Danbury Mint’s Classic Car Preview Society late last year, he noted that the company was no longer able to cost-effectively produce enough models for that program. Retail prices for the company’s die-cast cars had also sharply risen over the last couple of years from about $150 to about $250.
While the Danbury Mint was founded in 1969, it didn’t begin producing collectible die-cast vehicles until the late 1980s, starting out with a range of sporty Full Classics like the Duesenberg SSJ and Packard V-12 LeBaron Speedster. McKenna said that over the next quarter century, the company produced hundreds of different vehicles, but that they wanted to make their last die-cast car release – a 1935 Ford DeLuxe three-window coupe – an all-new design and not merely a re-paint of a previous design. Limited to 2,500 pieces, the coupe has already sold out.
Die-cast cars were only a part of Danbury Mint’s overall offerings, however, so the company will remain in business selling sports collectibles, coins, and figurines.
– See more at: http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2014/04/09/danbury-mint-discontinues-diecast-car-line-after-more-than-a-quarter-century/?refer=news#sthash.vJODwAKd.dpuf
Thanks for reading.
Tim
1986 Silver Screen Danbury Mint Porcelain Doll Shirley Temple Wee Willie Winkie http://t.co/axc2glAQRg via @eBay http://t.co/N0jxjBxa7t
#cars #chevy http://t.co/u6b0eaiSBP 1975 Corvette Chevrolet Convertible Danbury Mint 1:24 DieCast Model Car In … http://t.co/O8J0etmJEm
You just never know what you are going to find at a garage sale.
I was running some errands this pass weekend that included a trip to my local Ace Hardware store. As I entered the parking lot of the hardware store, I noticed a “garage sale” sign outside the local self-storage located across the street.
I don’t often attend garage sales unless I know ahead of time what I need might be there and that I can pick it up cheap. However, it was beautiful Southern Arizona morning so I walked across the street and wandered around the storage buildings. It was a good size storage lot a bit more like a swap-meet, with some guy cooking burgers on his small home grill and selling bottled water. Not much interested me and I was about to exist, when I saw notices some car parts in the far corner. No self-respecting car gal/guy wouldn’t pass up at least a quick glance at old car parts.
There was no one around and no prices, so maybe it wasn’t part of the garage sale. Looks to be a 1955 Chevy front clip.
It had some re-bar temp braces on the back side to keep it from betting out of alignment.
DETROIT – The all-new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is the most capable in the history of the track-oriented model. The Z06 was first offered as an option package in 1963, directed at those who intended to use their Corvettes on a track.
The Z06 since has been offered in four of the Corvette’s seven production generations, each elevating the Corvette’s track capability:
Second generation (1963) – Developed under famed Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, the first Z06 package offered enhanced handling and braking capability with an available, larger fuel tank that reduced the need for refueling during a race. Power came from a fuel-injected small block V-8 engine, supported by a four-speed manual transmission and Positraction rear axle. Only 199 were built.
Fifth generation (2001-2004) – Combining a lower curb weight with higher horsepower, the fifth-generation Corvette Z06 was one of the fastest production cars on a track – a capability confirmed with a sub-8-minute lap around the Nürburgring. It was built on a unique fixed-roof hardtop body, with several lightweighting elements, such as thinner glass, a titanium exhaust system and more. Its unique LS6 small block engine delivered up to 405 horsepower through a six-speed manual transmission with specific, performance-optimized gearing. A total of 28,388 were built.
2005 C5 Z06
Sixth generation (2006-2013) – The sixth-generation Corvette Z06 featured its own, bespoke aluminum frame that was 136 pounds lighter than the steel frame on standard Corvette models. Under the hood, the 505-horsepower LS7 7.0L small block featured racing-derived technologies, including titanium connecting rods and a dry-sump oiling system. The Z07 Performance Package added carbon-ceramic matrix brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, enabling the Z06 to run the Nürburgring in 7:22.68. A total of 27,979 were built, including 740 with the Z07 performance package.
2006 C6 Z06 They look soooo good in Black!!!
Seventh generation (2015) – The new 2015 Corvette Z06 is the most capable production Corvette ever. Developed in conjunction with the Corvette C7.R race car, it incorporates racing technology to deliver greater aerodynamic downforce, cornering grip and braking performance. With the available Z07 Performance Package – again fitted with Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires and enhanced braking capability with carbon ceramic-matrix brakes – the new Z06 is faster on a track than the Corvette ZR1, in preliminary testing.
2014 C7 Z06
1963 Z06: Duntov’s legacy
The first Z06 was an option package on the iconic 1963 “split-window” Corvette, developed by Corvette’s legendary engineer and racing advocate Zora Arkus-Duntov. He successfully lobbied for the 1963 Corvette to offer a package for customers who intended to race the new car.
For those in the know, checking the RPO Z06 box on the Corvette’s order sheet added a thicker, 24mm (0.94-inch) front stabilizer bar, larger-diameter shock absorbers and springs that were nearly twice as stiff as standard parts. The Z06 package also featured:
upgraded brake components, including sintered-metal brake linings, which stood up to heat and resisted wear better than conventional material
a dual-circuit master cylinder and vacuum brake booster to enhance safety and reduce braking effort
These components would become industry standards but were still rare in regular-production vehicles of the era.
Possibly most significant for racing, the Z06 option could be combined with a larger, 36.5-gallon fiberglass fuel tank that allowed racers to stay on the track longer. Z06-equipped models quickly became known as “big tank” or “tanker” Corvettes and were originally limited to coupe models because the larger tank wouldn’t fit convertibles. Later, Chevrolet revised the package, making the regular 20-gallon fuel tank standard and the big tank an option. The change allowed the Z06 package to be ordered on a convertible. Only one is believed to have been built. The package originally added more than 40 percent to the Corvette’s base price. Aluminum knock-off wheels were also offered.
There was one engine available with the Z06 package – the 360-horsepower L84-code 327-cubic-inch small block, which featured an advanced mechanical fuel injection system. Corvette was a pioneer in fuel injection, having introduced it in 1957. A four-speed manual transmission and Positraction rear axle were also standard equipment.
In that pre-Internet era, few Corvette customers – even those with racing intentions – knew of the Z06 package. It wasn’t advertised, making word of mouth the primary source of information. Because most were purchased and used for racing, the attrition rate was comparatively high. Remaining, documented examples – especially the big-tank cars – are highly collectable.
2001-2004 Z06: Breaking the 8-minute Nürburgring lap
During the Corvette’s fifth generation, the Z06 name was reintroduced as a special 2001 model that took Corvette performance farther than it had ever been. Engineers started with the Corvette’s unique, limited-production hardtop body, which featured a fixed-roof design that was stiffer and lighter than the hatchback coupe. The car was further lightened with a titanium exhaust system, thinner glass, lighter wheels, conventional tires – in place of the standard run-flat tires – less sound-deadening material, a fixed radio antenna instead of a power antenna, and even a smaller, lighter battery.
The results shaved about 100 pounds off the weight of a conventional coupe model. The car also introduced rear-brake cooling ducts integrated in the rear fenders, which would become a signature styling cue.
On the other side of the power-to-weight equation is horsepower and to that end, the 2001 Z06 used an exclusive LS6 version of the Gen III small block engine. If featured unique internal parts, including a “hotter” camshaft and higher-compression pistons, and an enhanced cylinder block design for greater bay-to-bay breathing, helping it produce 385 horsepower. Further enhancements contributed to an increase to 405 horsepower in 2002. The engine was backed by a six-speed manual transmission with Z06-specific gear ratios.
Like the original 1963 Z06, the fifth-generation car included chassis and suspension components optimized for the track. Its exclusive FE4 suspension package featured larger-diameter, hollow stabilizer bars that also had thicker walls for greater stiffness; larger-diameter shock absorbers compared to standard models, quicker steering – 2.46 turns lock to lock vs. 2.66 on other models – and a larger wheel-and-tire package, featuring Goodyear Eagle F1 SC tires mounted on lighter, stiffer forged aluminum wheels.
By the end of its production run, the fifth-generation-based Corvette Z06 was already benefitting from technology used on the successful Corvette Racing program, including lightweight carbon fiber. A special 2004 24 Hours of Le Mans Commemorative Edition – acknowledging Corvette Racing’s historic 1-2 class finish at the famous 24-hour endurance race – used a carbon fiber hood to shave 10 pounds off the nose of the car, enhancing its balance.
The 2004 Corvette Z06 proved its capability on the global stage, when it became one of the first production cars at the time to run Germany’s famous Nürburgring road course in less than 8 minutes (7:56).
2006-2013 Z06: A foundation for success
The groundbreaking sixth-generation Corvette Z06 elevated Corvette to compete with the world’s most-capable supercars. A power-to-weight ratio of 6.2:1 was one of the best in the world, helping it run from 0 to 60 mph in about 3.7 seconds, through the quarter-mile in the low-11-second range and achieve a top speed of more than 190 mph.
The foundation of the Z06 was its own, dedicated aluminum chassis – the first unique frame for a special model Corvette.
The Z06’s aluminum frame was 136 pounds lighter than the comparable steel frame used in standard models and even incorporated a magnesium engine cradle, contributing to a curb weight of only 3,130 pounds. Mounted on that cradle was another leap in technology: The LS7 small block engine. Displacing 7.0L (427 cubic inches), it was the largest engine offered in the Corvette in more than 30 years – and the most powerful engine in Corvette’s history until the introduction of the Corvette ZR1.
The LS7 used airflow and lightweight technology, including titanium connecting rods and a dry-sump oiling system, derived from the Corvette Racing program to produce 505 horsepower.
Along with its unique frame and LS7 engine, the sixth-generation Corvette Z06 also featured:
More rigid fixed-roof body style
Wider front and rear fenders – including carbon fiber front fenders
Unique rear spoiler and front splitter
Front and rear brake-cooling ducts – including signature integrated rear-fender inlets
Specific, lightweight 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels, with 275/35ZR18 front tires and 325/30ZR19 rear tires
Large 14-inch (355 mm) front brake rotors with six-piston calipers and 13.4-inch (340 mm) rear rotors with four-piston calipers
Unique stabilizer bars, spring rates and shocks.
The ultimate Corvette Z06 with the Z07 Performance Package incorporated a number of components used on the 205-mph Corvette ZR1, including carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires, additional carbon fiber exterior components and Magnetic Selective Ride Control. In 2012, a Z07-equipped Corvette lapped the Nürburgring in 7:22.68.
2015 Z06: The most capable ever
The new 2015 Corvette Z06 is the first Z06 to offer a supercharged engine, an automatic transmission and, thanks to a stiffer aluminum frame, a removable roof panel. It is also the most track-capable Corvette, ever.
It was developed in conjunction with the Corvette C7.R race car with technology proven through Corvette Racing, the most successful program in the Tudor United Sports Car Challenge series, formerly the American Le Mans Series.
A new, supercharged 6.2L engine, rated at an estimated 625 horsepower (466 kW), powers the Z06. It is also one of the industry’s only supercars to offer the choice of two transmissions – a seven-speed manual and an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission. Developed by General Motors, the paddle-shift eight-speed offers full manual control, delivering quick, seamless shifts that rival the world’s best dual-clutch/semi-automatic transmissions.
An available, carbon fiber aero package adds a carbon fiber front splitter with aviation-style winglets, carbon fiber rocker panels and a larger rear spoiler with a fixed wickerbill – a small, vertical tab at the edge of the spoiler that significantly increases downforce.
The available Z07 package adds larger winglets, an adjustable, see-through center section on the rear spoiler, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires and carbon ceramic-matrix brakes. With this package, the Corvette Z06 will deliver the most aerodynamic downforce of any GM production car.
The 2015 Corvette Z06 goes on sale in early 2015.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4.5 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design, and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
From what I can see at this time the 1.5 millionth car is being uncovered as it was laying beneath the Spyder. Here is an update from NCM:
“When we started digging around the Black Spyder, we found a piece of white fiberglass underneath it and we continued to expose that until we saw that it was the 1.5 Millionth car,” said Mike Murphy, CEO of Scott, Murphy and Daniel Construction. “We had no idea where it was, we just happened upon it. We hope when we move the white car we find the red car that way, because we’ve just not had any luck detecting where it is.” Murphy indicated that they have utilized metal detectors as well as probing rods, and that they remove layers of dirt as they probe but have not had a lot of luck so far.
On Monday, the team worked to continue removing dirt from around the Spyder, then in the early evening decided to carefully pull the car out of the remaining dirt.
“It was free everywhere except underneath there was a concrete slab wedged. We felt we had it in the best position, just like pulling a gun out of a holster. Everyone felt like it was best to take it so it wouldn’t bend and break if we’d had it exposed more,” Murphy said.
The team resumed recovery efforts early Tuesday morning, removing a large boulder that was lodged in the cabin of the Spyder and collecting bits and pieces of the car to help with any restoration or preservation efforts. The Spyder was removed from the depths of the hole around 9am CT, and is in worse shape than even the PPG Pace Car.
April Fool’s Day back in 1964 the Plymouth Barracuda was introduced.
1964 Barracuda
The base price for a ’64 ‘Cuda was about $2,500. The platform was the Valiant A-Body. The engine choices were between two variations of the Chrysler I6 (slant 6), either the 170 (2.8L) rated at 101 hp or the 255 (3.7L) with 140 hp. You could also get a V8, that was the 273 (4.5L) and with a two barrel carb it produced 180 hp.
Lot of Color Options!!!!
Same date back in 1970 the AMC proudly debuted what was perhaps the homeliest car of the era – the Gremlin.
1970 Gremlin. Fastback or ‘no back”
Again on April 1st, what was a innovated car for its time the Amphicar in 1961 was all car and part boat, was introduced. These babies are sought after aggressively.
Love the fins!!!
Engine – 1147 cc straight-4 (Triumph)
The Quandt Group made only 4000 between ’61-’68
Happy Birthday to Walter P. Chrysler who was born in 1875, on April 2nd. Wonder what he would have to say about government bailouts and Fiat?
Walter Chrysler
Regular production began of air-filled tires by Firestone on April 5, 1923.
Back in 1863 Mr. Henry Royce was born in Alwalton, England on March 27th.
Mr. Royce
The Royce 10
The Royce 10 was a 10 horse powered car. It was produced at the Trafford Park, Manchester plant in 1904 and sold fro 395 British pounds. You could a variety of ‘power plants’ for this first offering. Those included 15, 20 and 30 hp models. (They were named the Royce 15, Royce 20 and Royce 30.
On March 29, 1980 Audi debuts the first all wheel drive (4 WD) Quattro.
1980 Quattro – Not a bad looking car at that!!!
Thanks for reading.
Tim
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The 1984 Bugatti Type 105 is a 4-wheeled what if, the car isn’t real of course and is the work of designer Nikita Bridan, though it has to be said, Nikita did a great job of capturing early-80s automotive design. His backstory for the Bugatti Type 105 is below in full:
The Bugatti type 105 was the last attempt to restart the company by Roland Bugatti and its road cars. An attempt to create the first digital super car, it featured extensive computer assists and software to keep the car in control. During early prototype road tests, feedback from reviewers was horrible.
Citing a huge lack of feedback and a lack of consistency in the assists, led to the car having horrible dynamics.This eventually sealed the fate of the type 105, Bugatti laid dormant until the 110 EB.
I was sorting through the data on the AGCRMR site and took a look at the viewers for today.
It was very cool to see that car lovers from all over the world take time out of their busy day to stop by my blog and read some of the posts. So here’s a SHOUT OUT all the international car junkies that stopped by today.
So a HUGE “THANKS” to registered viewers:
Thanks/Merci – Canada!!
Graças – Portugal!!
Tack – Sweden!!
Merci – France!!
Gracias – Brazil!!
Thanks – England!!
Dzięki – Poland!!
Dank – Germany (where my son some born)!!!
Feel free to post up a note and just say “Hey” or find me on Facebook – Average Guys Car Restoration Mods and Racing (AGCRMR) and send me a few pics of your ride!!!! Doesn’t even have to be your ride (Pls NO JOY RIDING !!!)
Question of the Day: Is it a Joy Ride if you don’t smile while you are driving it?
BTW – these are registered viewers, not spam and we NEVER every share names nor personal data.
Another week gone and March Madness in upon us. Nope you are going to find any brackets here, just your Auto Factoids for the week.
Big day on the 17th of March. That’s when Geneva attendees were treated to the first of what would become world iconic car. The Porsche debuted back in 1949. Volkswagen or not it is still going strong.
1949 Publicity shot
Although Porsche was in production a few year before this debut. Most of the first Porsche’s contained Volkswagen parts, as the Beetle was the first car the Porsche built.
A few years before the Porsche debut (about 115 – 1834) Gottlieb Daimler was born in Germany on the 17th of March.
Two more March birthdays show up on a search. Those are for Rudolf Diesel in Paris in 1858 and Andy Granatelli in Dallas, TX in 1923, whom just passed way on Dec 29, 2013.
!!!)
