Location: Weligama, Sri Lanka
Tomica Premium Nissan Leopard 1:61 Scale
Credit: Lance K Müller
Nigel Editor's notes
DE ZILWA
Welcome to the first issue of CastHeads Magazine. This, we hope, will signal the beginning of an amazing journey through diecast models and diecast collecting.
The world of diecast has never seen better days with new brands, castings and models all pushing the boundaries of detailing. We collectors are the winners. I am a Bon e fide CastHead and I’m sure most of you are too if you’ve gotten this far in the magazine. Bear in mind this IS our first issue so please feel free to send in your suggestions I hope you enjoy this mag and the more to come nigel@castheads.com
Lance K MÜller
The world of miniature automotives has always held an unfathomable facination for me since I was gifted with a ‘dinky’ toy some three and half decades ago. It still does.
Through my hobby, I have met some amazing people, gotten my hands on some priceless little toys and get to relive my childhood one scale at a time.
This magazine is a culmination of all things diecast that I have experienced throughout my life and I want to share as much as I am able to with fellow collectors all over the world. So enjoy this ode to all things miniature.
lance@castheads.com
inthis
DIECASTING COUCH
Diecast releases have never been this good. Our wrap served up hot hot
CASTING REMARKS
Another F1 season two 4-time winners fighting for the championship, we look at Kyosho’s 1:64 Ferrari F1 cars
GARAGE TORQUE
ANTONEY CALISTES covers the latest from Tarmac Works
CUSTOMS OFFICE
The enigmatic IAN DIAZ re-shapes, re-tools and makes something good even better...
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
Getting into the diecast game here’s a few things to keep in mind.
Diecast Hall of Fame
DIECAST DISPATCH
Heart-breaker and pirate gives you the low down on WTH DLM means...
SPARE PARTS
There is more to diecast than toys
1:REVIEW
Tarmac Works is the rage right now, take a look at the few peices we have in hand
VALUE ADDED
Keeping an eye on the diecast investment portfolio
DIECASTING COUCH
New Releases & Hot Picks
Hot Wheels Audi RS Avant
One the most anticipated models in the 2018 Hot Wheels basic line is the ’17 Audi RS Avant which is slated to hit shelves in the Hot Wheels “M” case.
1995 Volkswagen Jetta A3
European model Greenlight Collectibles collectors have more to rejoice in 2018. GL will be releaseing a Volkswagen Jetta A3 in two colours come August 2018.
The 1:43 scale model will feature blue paintwork white 7-spoke wheels. The car will also be issued in white. Though this is a pre-production sample, we are sure to see the white one featured in their Fast and Furious lineup very soon as this model was driven by Jesse in the first movie in 2001.
Based off the real RS Avant and designed by the famous Ryu Asada (Instagram @hotwheels_ryu) who has kept it close to the real one as much as possible.
The car sports front and rear tampos, an HW RS 618 Euro number plate and Y5 wheels in bright shearing red. That’s not all, this is going to be a Super Treasure Hunt ($TH) with dark red Spectraflame paint, QUATTRO embossing on the front grille, and the 2017-introduced RRA wheels.
From the back of the card: With sporty fenders and striking air vents, the '17 Audi RS6 Avant proves that true beauty goes much deeper than good looks. A 4.0 litre V8, triptronic gearbox, and permanent four–wheel drive turn this hot wagon into an all–out road hugging speed machine!
Civic
Civic Type R (FK9) TCR
JDM Fa crazy ov and JAS collecti deliver
JDM Fans especially die-hard Civic Fans are going to go crazy over the new partnership between TSM Models and JAS Racing. The trend it seems for 2018 diecast collecting is a tie up between brands and race teams to deliver some pretty awesome castings.
TSM has already squeezed the new Civics out of MiniGT in 1:64 and we are loving them, dressing it up with JSM’s exclusive livery is just going to knock many people’s socks o ff
T SM h a MiniGT with J S pe op le
DIECASTING COUCH
New Releases & Hot Picks
COLLECTORS ARE EAGERLY AWAITING THE NEWEST RELEASES FROM TOMYTEC AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DISAPPOINT.
First up is the Mazda RX-7 (FD3-S) to commemorate on the 40 th Anniversary of the launch of the first Mazda RX-7 in 1978 and 50 years since the introduction of the 1967 Cosmo Sports.
The car will be released in September in Competition Mica Yellow (TLV-N174a) and Silver Stone Metallic (TLV-N174b) for the standard line, and Vintage Red for the special Japanese Car Era edition. It sports chrome wheels and side mirrors (which will have to be installed).
easing some 8 . The
Tomica fans have more to rejoice! Tomica Premium and Basics will also be releasing some long-awailted models in August 2018. The Tomica Premium Ferrari Testarossa will be available in white and red with pop-up headlights! The basic line will release the La Ferrari in black and red.
Next up is the 1977 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-EX (TLV-N111c) from the limited Golden Cars line up that was release in 1980. The attention to detail is amazing. With metallic special paint in gold, the cars sports fog lamps that have to be installed.
This year JADA is bringing the noise with a line-up of JDM Retros including the much loved Toyota 2000GT in 1:24 Scale.
c ars spor t s l amps
mica
Tomica
CASTING REMARKS
by Nigel J De Zilwa
KYOSHO CHAMPIONS
“the intricacy and detail of something so small is impeccable beyonds words, Kyosho for the win”
The start of a new Formula 1 Season is always an exciting prospect. Weekends are spent screaming at the TV, calls of strategy being made to friends, sullen social media posts and the occasional euphoria of victory when my favourite team Ferrari, takes the chequered flag.
Unfortunately, due to Ferrari and F1’s licensing regulations and fees, its pretty much the same when buying F1 Diecast Models. There's wallet screams, strategic bank calls, sullen facial modes and the occasional euphoria of finding a good deal.
My recent roam around Amcorp Mall in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia yielded most of the above.
Being a lover of food and cars Malaysia is a regular place to head to for the holidays, this year I discovered Amcorp Mall and most of my Malaysian friends were severely reprimanded for not showing me this wonderland before.
It was here I discovered a motherload of Hobby Shops and never in my life have I spent so much time being undecided and maybe a little unhinged. It was just too much.
I did experience many moments of euphoria (maybe too many) and one of them was the discovery and purchase of my first Kyosho Diecast model.
A Ferrari 1:64 scale, F300 F1 car in a blister pack of 10 pieces. Specifically, the one that Eddie Irwin drove, I did want the car Schumi drove, but it wasn’t available.
Three weeks later I’m back in Sri Lanka with the blister pack torn open and pieces of my F1 car strewn across the desk. Due to its size, clumsiness can ruin anything, it meant either bent or broken part... I was sweating buckets.
DESIGNER(S) Rory Byrne
CHASSIS Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite structure
Ferrari
The hardest part was aligning the wheel’s shaft to the undercarriage so that the plastic seat section clips into place. A nightmare that lasted 20 clumsy minutes.
When I finally pieced it altogether I realised what other Kyosho owners were raving about. The intricacy and detail of something so small is impeccable beyond words, Kyosho for the win.
From its printed rubber tires to miniscule branding it looks the business sitting on a raised platform with the model number proudly on display. The form is perfect, you can easily imagine what the airflow over the body is like, the casting mimics the lines of the real car exceptionally well.
Everything is proportionate nothing out of place, except of course the original Tobacco branding isn’t there.
For me this is a pretty sweet casting in the grander scheme of diecasts and I think I’m smitten.
SUSPENSION Double-wishbone pushrod suspension (front) Double-wishbone pushrod suspension (rear)
ENGINE Ferrari Tipo047/B/C 80-degree V10
TRANSMISSION Ferrari seven-speed longitudinal semi-automatic sequential
FUEL Shell
TYRES Goodyear
GARAGE
We’ve been going nuts over Tarmac’s tooling of the AMG GT4 and obviously Merc Exec’s feel the same way too. Hence, the commisioning of a very exclusive piece, celebrating the opening of the Mercedes ME Store in Hong Kong.
A few will be available online through the website www.tarmacworks.com but expect them to be snapped up. Who can resist wanting this gun metal grey beast with jungle green highlights right down to the gloss black multi spoke rims. Do you want one?
This June expect to see hardcore Subaru WRK fans rush to the nearest TARMAC WORKS Dealer! This is going to be bigger than the first FnF movie. We’ve heard many complaints and maybe a few prayers, this year TW is going to make some dreams come true.
that?
Upsize and Large Fries with
Justwheneveryone has b eengettingus ed to lovingthe
Just when everyone has been getting used to loving the new Evolution X, it got bigger. But no one is complaining, turns out the Evolution X Rally Finland 2010 1:43 scale, is just as popular.
Release Date May 15 2018
It can’t come soon enough. The whole diecast community is waiting for this insanely detailed Pandem GTR a collab between Tarmac Works and Ignition Model COMING SOON!
Credit: Ian Diaz
S OFFICE
IAN DIAz breaks it down for us
Growing up in the 80’s, there was little or no choice for car models. That was often the case for most of us.
If you saw the A-Team van on TV and wanted it badly, then the only van (or what resembles a van) from the toy basket would be taken out and covered in black using crayons, markers, shoe polish or sneakily dunked in to the tin of black paint from the storeroom when no one was around. Little did we realize, that was our fi rst custom.
The inspiration, the want to create came from within. As we grew up, eventually other interests and hobbies took priority. 'Life' happened.
Now as adults, some of us recall those days with our diecast cars, and it brings a surge of happy memories. Now armed with freedom, resources and a never-ending variety of models to choose from, we become 'Collectors'. As a collector, you probably looked at cars in movies, on
race tracks or in real life and wished, 'I hope Hot Wheels will make that...!' Well, that’s where my customizing journey started.
Having used a paint gun & compressor before, I thought 'why not mix it up?' Needless to say, my fi rst few results were disastrous. Still I saw the potential of what can be created if you do get everything right. It took me a few runs before I made my fi rst full custom. In the three years since, I have started creating customs that I never thought possible. I take pride in the fact that every single thing I know about customizing, is self-taught.
A custom to me is a car that has had its original color changed and
“Customizing is an artrt, an art, n g and patience
i s ke y”
above. Adding details to a car, such as head/tail lights and grille are considered mods. Mods are a great way to start off for anyone who wants to give their car collection life.
Hotwheels RX-7 Mainliner in Marlboro Livery
CUSTOMS OFFICE
by Ian Diaz
It's amazing how a detailed front grille and headlights can bring a car to life. and if you do it right it becomes addictive!
There are many do's & don’ts when it comes to painting. If you are a novice, read up before you start and use a test car. Once con fi dent and you are pleased with the results then move on to the project car. It will be a trial & error game, so be patient.
Customizing is an art, and patience is key.
After doing basic customs, I started wanting cars that were not made by any manufacturer. Like Letty's Charger (F&F7) Han's RX7 & Sean's Evo 9 (Tokyo Drift) so I set about making them. Using metal putty for body work, plastic and metal for body kits, hours of sanding combined to result in some amazing castings.
make a replica of Sri Lankan racing legend Dilantha Malagamuwa's Lamborghini Huracan. I chose the car which he won the Asian leg of the championship. This was an Ideal situation, as he is the ambassador for the 'Little Hearts’ fundraiser, in aid of building a critical care center for children with heart illnesses.
I had the car personally autographed by Mr Malagamuwa, and it was auctioned on my Facebook page. All proceeds were handed over to little hearts fund. Eventually I made several of his cars, which now form part of my collection.
Still on the trail for something new and unique I ended up creating cars with built in features. They are: Nissan R34 with its own speaker system, Another R34 with working headlights and street glow, Transformers 'Barricade' with fl ashing lights and fi nally a VW fl atbed with independently switchable headlights, tail lights, Bay light and working crank shaft pulley.
Today I am the proud owner /customizer of a Falken-themed Porsche 911 (signed by racing legend Peter Dumbreck) and Strakka Racing Mercedes AMG GT3 (signed by Owner Nick Leventis & Lewis Williamson) Drift) so I set about them metal for p lastic and metal for bod y kits, hours of sandin g combined to resul t s ome amaz i ng cast i ngs
g ood paintwork opened up a whole new level of custo
That paired up with relevant decals made from scratch and good paintwork opened up a whole new level of customs.
The months saw a burst in mov franchise my favorit a the commu means ma car w auct for cha
The following months saw a burst in movie related customs. Fast and furious franchise being my favorite.
Also, I also saw an opportunity to help the community by means making a car that would be auctioned for charity.
I decided to
Hotwheels Lamborghini Huracan Super Trofeo
CUSTOMS OFFICE
The best part of this is, these racing companies now own customs I made of their racecars. On a larger scale I have made a few other customs as well, Noteworthy being, for Lotus Driving Academy & Falken Tires. Castheads were kind enough to provide me with their Falken themed desktop diorama, which is a fi tting resting place for my prized Porsche.
Hotwheels Mustang Transformers Barracaide custom with working light bar
L-R Hotwheels Falken-themed Porsche, Volkswagen T2 Pickup, BMW M4 and Nissan Skyline GT-R R32
Hotwheels Lotus Driving Academy custom
“How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice. “You must be,” said the Cat, “or you wouldn’t have come here.”
Down The Rabbit Hole
OF DIECAST COLLECTING
Sit down and have some tea.
Tarry a while. I would like, if you may, take you on a trip and show you all the wonderful possibilities and the beauty of getting into Diecast Model Car collecting.
Prologue
Once upon a time I met a man named Sam Smith on Facebook through his online toy store and I bought my first Tomica and my first 1:64 since childhood. One and a half years later my collections of model cars have grown to over 200 in varying scales, shapes and colors.
I have been asked by many peers why I collect ‘toy cars’ at my age and I reply with a firm hand gesture. I love cars and for me being a diecast collector is the best way to get close to and admire the colors and shapes of all the cars I have romanticed over in the past or present.
Chapter 1 Which cake to choose?
There are many scales of diecast car models to choose from. The most common scales start at 1:64 (64 times smaller than the actual object) to 1:18 although there are both larger and smaller scales just not as common.
The most common brand in the 1:64 scale is Hotwheels, so much so that other brands in the same size are reffered to as ‘HotWheel size’ cars. 1:18 Scales being larger have more
detailing some models going up to the point of having actual leather seats, working seatbelts and RECARO seats. But, unless you have unlimted space and money collecting 1:18s can be challenging with some models reaching almost LKR 50,000/- in Sri Lanka (fun family dinner conversation).
Fortunately the guys doing smaller scales have seen the hunger and are now throwing nice meaty steaks or thick carrots at us. Life has never been this good.
Down The Rabbit Hole
OF DIECAST COLLECTING
There are hundreds of brands to choose from with varying detail at varying prices that will have you starving the entire family for weeks wearing only two sets of clothes for the month.
The more known ones in the region being HotWheels, Matchbox, Tomica, MiniGT, Tarmac Works, Kinsmart, Maisto, Bburago, Greenlight and JonnyLightening. There are others but these top the list.
Once you have reached your 100 th Hotwheel or Tomica the winds of change kick in. Don’t worry however much you think you’ll stick to one brand you’re doomed falling down the rabbit hole.
You will be tempted to buy everything you see till you have no money left and then you’ll miss out on things you actually want.
The easiest way to start is to narrow it down by scale. Look at your monthly spend on your hobby and decide whether you’d like to go for a 1:18 once a month or would your budget bend towards more the 1:64 scale. Remember to take display space into account as well. I personally reccommend starting off with 1:64 scale cars.
Then, there is the choice of brand... In ascending order of detail and price the most common 1:64 scale brands available in Sri Lanka are Hotwheels, Tomica, Bburago (terrible wheels), Green Light, Tarmac Works and M2.
Chapter 2
Follow your gut... Pt. 1
Hobbies are usually very perosnal and collections are more often based on personal taste. So, dont get caught up with others people’s collections and purchases which is very easy to do especially on the local groups.
Choose your own way
Once, you’ve figured out scale and brand then the next choice will be makes and models. You could go all American or do you prefer the street racers of Japan? This is where your fantasy garage begins.
You can also collect models based on brand & racing liveries. My favs are Falken, K&N, Gulf and Texaco.
If you like a particular model or casting, then you can amass many variations of it. These are a few Toyota 2000GTs from Hotwheels
The World’s Largest Collection
Down The Rabbit Hole
Another theme in my collection is famous cars from TV and Cinema. And, both Hotwheels and GreenLight serve up severe portions every year. This is an interetsing collector path to take because there are some really great castings out there that won’t break the bank.
Left to Right - Mr. Miyagi’s 1947 Ford Super Convertible, Starsky & Hutch Gran Torino, The Batmobile, The Pontiac LeMans and Trans-Ams from Smokey & the Bandit.
Chapter 3 -
Value Added Madness
As you fall deeper down the rabbit hole you will find out that some models and brands appreciate in value some considerably faster than others. Something to keep an eye on. Hotwheels, Tomica, Greenlight and Tarmac Works are four brands within reasonable budget with models that will definetely appreciate in the future.
DIECAST COLLECTORS OF SRI LANKA (DCSL) www.facebook.com/groups/diecastcollectorsofsrilanka SRI LANKAN HOT WHEELS COLLECTORS (SLHWC) www.facebook.com/groups/SLHWC
MINATURE MODEL CLUB SL www.facebook.com/miniaturemodelclub
MALAYSIA
DIE-CAST GROUP MALAYSIA www.facebook.com/groups/diecastgroupmalaysia
1:43 MALAYSIA COLLECTORS /www.facebook.com/groups/143Msia HOTWHEEL COLLECTORS PENANG www.facebook.com/groups/hwcpenang
DIECAST HOTWHEELS AUCTION AND SALES MALAYSIA (DHAM) www.facebook.com/groups/173278469811983/
SINGAPORE
1:64 DIECAST CARS SG www.facebook.com/groups/1051819264929930 HOT WHEELS COLLECTORS SINGAPORE (HWCS) www.facebook.com/groups/1591490274509948
SINGAPORE MATCHBOX DIECAST COLLECTORS www.facebook.com/groups/523578721153122/
Chapter 4 - Through the Google Glass
Spend time doing research. Online is obviously the easiest and fortunately Facebook provides a very good meeting place for like minded people. In groups like this you’ll pick important info, make new contacts and get exposed to an online buy/sell/trade community that is quite vibrant.
Chapter 5- To Show or Not to Show?
As your collection grows (which it will rapidly) you will need to start thinking about storage and display whether you decide to release them out into the open or keep them packed in. Also, there is very active Diecastograhpy and Dioram building community built around the hobby which is another great way to display collections.
In Conclusion
Get ready embark on an amazing journey of diecast collecting as it gets larger you find yourself tumbling or even hiding in many holes.
The End
GLOBAL NEWS
For 10 Years, the Model Car Hall of Fame has gathered together enthusiasts from across the scale vehicle world to celebrate all the best in the hobby.
You, the enthusiast community, nominates hundreds of your favorite brands, models and collectors each year for 26 di ff erent awards like Model Builder of the Year, Collector of the Year, Model of the Year and Brand of the Year.
is that it’s fun!
Our model category alone includes scales all the way from ⅛ to 1/87 and smaller, four scales of Slot Car Categories, Model Farm Toys and Model Trucks.
With the help of our talented selection committee comprised of model car designers, slot car racers and magazine editors sharing hundreds of years of combined experience, we’ve inducted more than 170 notables into the Hall of Fame.
Just a few of our inductees include Jay Leno, Carroll Shelby, Dale Earnhardt, Parnelli Jones and brands
We celebrate alongside a huge community of more than 4 million enthusiasts from 23 countries.
We all love cars, model cars, diecast and the community we share. We want to to see amazing models and meet all the great people collecting and building them.
by Lance K Müller
DIECAST DISPATCH WTF IS
Three li le le ers that stand for an idea that has divided the collector community for quite awhile. The term in an acronym
This term, though closely associated with the Matchbox collector com munity, has now crossed over to most collectors. The act of setting a toy free from its airtight environment makes many a collector’s hear skip a few beats… especially if the toy itself is highly sought after, a chase model, is hard-to-find or is a limited edition model.
DIECAST DISPATCH
S DLM?
for
“Diecast
Libera
diecast
on Movement”, the act of se ng a
toy free from its sealed blister pack.
There are valid points for both sides of the fence, or track. Kept in blister, some models can go for hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, while others argue that the true value is the model itself.
The most expensive Hot Wheel right now is a bright pink VW microbus from 1969 valued at a whopping $150,000 (yes that’s a hundred and fi y thousand US dollars) and it sits free on a shelf in the owner’s house.
There are downsides to freeing them. Without proper care, dust accumulates, displayed improperly, the axles may rust, but then again you get to really experience the joy.
Keeping the toys in the blister has its own rewards. No dust to worry about, or moisture creeping in and most of all they don’t get “borrowed” or lost. Easy to peg them up on a wall or pack them in a box and store it.
Pros of se ng your car free
You get the priceless joy of freeing something from its case. Playing with it, taking photographs, displaying it, showing it and hours of pride in seeing that shiny miniature version of something real in your hand.
Cons of DLMing.
The dust, the lack of space to display. The misplacing of said toys or having it permanently borrowed by a friend or member of the family. And not to men on the paint chips, bent axels and increase in accidental destruc on of the model.
Pros of keeping it in the blister
Cars stay fresh. No dust or grimy fingerprints and you get to hang it on walls or store in boxes safely. Will stay like that for many years depending on the condi on they are kept in.
Cons of keeping it carded
You may not get the chance to really enjoy the toy. Blisters and cars tend to yellow and crack. Paint gets rubbed off on the sides due to chafing.
But DLMing, or lack thereof, is strictly under the purview of the collector. There should be no pressure or shaming on whatever route a collector takes. In this instance, diff’rent strokes for diff’rent folks rings true. All collectors, no ma er what their inclina on should be welcomed in to the community without bias.
Next me, I will go through the many ways you can DLM your car safely so you can actually keep it in the blister for storage.
The Road Ferraris by Anthony
Pritchard
Nestling amongst the new and still ‘sealed’ in their packs TOP GEAR Magazines on the Editor’s table is this great peice of Motoring History complied into one giant book of details, rare pictures and extensive research into the road cars Ferrari built. From Enzo’s beginings with Alfa Romeo to his love for racing and the result today, all chronicled lovingly in this book.
From : BookXcess Malaysia Price: RM99.99
50 Years Old
Hotwheels has been hot since 1968 and the first edition cars known as the ‘Sweet 16’ hit the shelves in May making them the most valuable and collectible toy ever made. Never one to shy away from celebration, Hotwheels drops a special collection and they are drool worthy.
HW Casting Price Guide by
James Garbaczewski & Model Car Hall Of Fame
We are constantly advising collectors to always keep abreast of the value of your collection. You may never sell it but you might accidently give away something crazy valuble in a trade or garage sale. Worthwhile investment? Definetely! It covers all 50 Years of HW upto 2017 and is currently the most comprehensive Guide of HW Cars released from 2008-2017
and is curren
From : Ships from www.hobbydb.com USD49.95
From : Ship
GARAGE 64
1/64 Scale Customizers and Modders are going nuts for Garage 64. Coming out of Singapore these are creating some wheely good solutions. What’s even more wicked is the fact that you can buy their complete range of wheels in Sri Lanka from our fav hobby shop Collectique at Majestic City
1:REVIEW
by Antoney Calistes
It all began when I was hun ng for the Tomica mainline release of the AMG GT Green Beast. Being late to the party, Nigel managed to procure one for me, but not un l another friend introduced me to Tarmac Works’s Hobby64 version of the same around February.
TARMAC WOR HOBBY6
I immediately knew they were on to something as soon as I laid eyes on them.
y knew to som th
three months, 15 cars and an empty wallet later, I haven’t looked back. Tarmac Works is here to stay and they have my resounding vote of con fi dence…and money! Diecast collectors now have a 1:64 scale line that is uncannily detailed, and yet at a very compe vely poised price point which at least in my case, jus fi es an impulse purchase with no regrets.
Pictures don’t do ju s ce t o th li ve ri es o n th
luna cs about.
What I ini ally assumed to be a paint blotch on the door handle of an Audi R8 LMS turned out to be an inten onal painted arrow that served as a guide. Mark my words, you will end up combing through your Tarmac Works pieces with a magnifying glass to fully absorb all the detail that’s been painstakingly cra ed onto these 1:64 scale beau es. The detail is not just limited to decals and liveries.
RKS Y64 RKS Y64 64
While most of the releases comprise of the same cas ngs but with di ff erent paint jobs and liveries, you will appreciate that most of these race cars are modeled accurately a er vehicles based on actual championships. So rest assured, you are not ge ng an imaginary concept here. The base plaques also provide details on the race car, the race year and its driver(s) for that compe on. In fact the Global64 Civic TypeR actually has the rear screen detailed with
In some cases the wheels don’t roll smoothly, but I haven’t had that problem on any of mine so far. But let’s be honest, these are gorgeous, high-end, limited produc on pieces that are not meant to be played with. Any serious collector should be perfectly fi ne with just having them on display in the accompanying case and a ffi xed to their name plaque. Tarmac has con fi rmed that a second run of any of these releases will be an extremely rare occurrence, so it’s only fair that they be treated as such.
If you would like to start ge ng your feet wet with Tarmac works but are s ll weary to take the plunge, I would recommend that you instead start with Tarmac’s alterna ve line called Global64. A er which you can choose to expand your collec on if you’d like to get into Tarmac Works proper. Happy collec ng and thank you Tarmac!
Some Diecast cars appreciate in value over time.
Nissan GTR NISMO G
Nissan GTR NISMO GT3 Super GT300
Nigel’s Pick by Tarmac Works HOBBY 64
Lances’s Pick
Also featured on the cover, this Tarmac Works hottie was picked up by me, quite by accident in Malaysia from JL Hobby. I recently did a search on ebay and was shocked at how much it was going for online. An Indonesia Exclusive Model only 1248 of these have been produced, never to be made again which is why the demand has spiked the price up.
Scale - 1:64
Paid: LKR 3,570
Highest asking price on ebay: LKR 12,625/-
Ferrari F40 Collectors Series
One of the most valuable cars in my small but growing collection is my 1988 Collector’s Edition Hot Wheels Ferrari F40 with the opening back on a blue Speed Fleet card. What makes it ultra special is that it was a gift from a friend and at the same it its on an error card. The casting was new in 1988 and the card should have had a NEW MODEL stamp, which is missing.
Scale - 1:64
Paid: Gift
Highest asking price on ebay: LKR 6,400/-
Antoney’s Pick
Hot Wheels Elite 1989 Tim Burton Batmobile
While hunting for the ideal Hotwheels batmobile but not content with what was on offer I happened across this line. It's a pity that the Elite series has been discontinued for their detail and quality can really contend with the other big names in the 1:18 scale. One of my regrets is not getting more cars apart from the Tumbler in this series. Only 9989 models were produced and yes the number was intentional as an homage to the '89 movie! This is not to be confused with the Batman Returns release in the same line later. This here is a first issue folks. Let's respect it for that.
Scale - 1:18
Paid: US$ 55
Highest asking price on ebay: US$ 212
was m a
Tomica Nissan GT-R35
MINIATURE
A m e r i c a n a
EXPLORING THE MINUTE WORLD OF MICHAEL PAUL SMITH
CASTHEADS TALKS TO THE CREATOR OF ELGIN PARK, AN IDYLLIC VISION OF SMALL TOWN AMERICA. IN 1/24 SCALE.
"What started out as an exercise in model building and photography, ended up as a dream-like reconstruction of the town I grew up in. It's not an exact recreation, but it does capture the mood of my memories".
There are jaw-dropping moments in a collector’s life. Sometimes it’s finding that unicorn piece or stumbling across a mint-in-card redline or an expensive model for cheap at a flea market. Mine was coming across the Flickr photostream of Michael Paul Smith.
Michael’s photographs were astounding for that simple fact that they look so realistic as to be mistaken for real life. The composition and attention to detail is truly amazing in them. I looked at them all. His photos have been viewed a combined 98million times and has been featured in National Geographic, and stories have been done on him by CNN, London Times, New York Times and countless other media outlets.
I reached out to him and asked him if he’d be kind enough to me grant and interview and send me some pictures to be included in the inaugural issue. He replied in the most polite manner and sent me everything that I needed to do so.
That was my second jaw-dropping moment. He’s undoubtedly one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure of connecting with.
Michael Paul Smith’s life was and continues to be a colourful mosaic of odd jobs, experiences and learning curves. He’s done everything from being a mailman, house painter, to an art director in an advertising agency, where an epiphany by way of a stress-related heart attack, led him to change his life by getting back to his first love of building miniature
models. And thankfully for all of us who love the miniature world, he hasn’t looked back since.
His vision of creating an idyllic town, representing the best of what small town America embodies, stems from wanting to preserve, what he perceives, to have been one of the 20th Century’s best times. His collection of more than 300 1:24 scaled vintage models, hand-constructed buildings and accompaniments, and uncompromising attention to detail helps him achieve this is the most amazing way possible.
He also does this by using a point-and-shoot camera, no expensive lights, rigs, and almost next to no Photoshop beyond adjusting saturation to suit the time period. The photos are created using forced perspective, which was also used in the old days in movies to blend characters and scenery. Using a foldable table, Michael sets them up on streets and alongside buildings to get that authentic look using natural light as much as possible. He mentions advice he received from a model maker he worked under, “If you can't make it convincingly, then don't make it at all, because it will stick out like a sore thumb”.
Most of the model buildings, furniture, and other material in his miniature dioramas are all hand made. All of them. Using materials like Gatorboard, a Xacto knife and various paints and glues, Michael carefully crafts them so they match close as possible to what the actual scene may be like.
He has released two books, the first is an art book: Elgin Park - An Ideal American Town and the second book: Elgin Park - Visual Memories of Mid Century America in 1/24th Scale, contains more details like behind the scenes and how it was done sections. He’s also the subject of a short film and there are many YouTube videos of him and his work. He’s spoken about his passion at the New York Public Library and his miniatures has been featured in a exhibit on dioramas at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City and in Lille, France.
Talking about his labor of love, he says, “Elgin Park has been seen around the world in cultures that are vastly different from the American experience. Yet I receive e-mails from India, Japan, China, the Middle East, and Indonesia where the people writing to me say my photos make them feel as though they are coming HOME”.
“There is clearly a deeper story being told behind the photos that the viewers are responding to”.
“It delights me that this has happened.
Michael will often say things like “I'm just an old guy creating small things on my kitchen table.” It speaks volumes of the person behind the art.
It’s humbling to have an extraordinary person like him featured in the inaugural issue.
Please visit his Flickr www.flickr.com/people/24796741@N05/ to see more of his creations.
Bburago™ Jaguar XK120 Roadster 1:24 Scale
Shot on Samsung Note 5. Editing on Camera360
Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Bburago™ Jaguar XK120 Roadster 1:24 Scale Shot on Samsung Note 5. Editing on Camera360
Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
