CastHeads Magazine Volume 4 Issue 1 by castheadsmagazine

MAGAZINE

MR HOT WHEELS

BRUCE PASCAL

#GIRLSCOLLECTCARSTOO

CLARA COVAL

ART & SOUL OF MODEL COLLECTING

THE SHINY CUSTOMS OF

SHANDY FARCHEZY

THE LIFE LIKE DRAWINGS OF

MICHELLE JAKEIJ

WORLDWIDE EXCLUSIVE

NEW MODEL FROM SOLIDO

CASTHEADS ORIGINS • THE JADA TOYS STORY • THE SCHUCO TUBRO RSR • GT SPIRIT 'VETTE • MERCEDES VS BMW • AND MUCH MORE

WE THE

Story behind the cover This was drawn by Eddie Castro, art director at May Cheong Group in charge of Maisto and Bburago. It shows the different types of people who populate the diecast world.

Honda NSX Liberty Walks 1:18 GT Spirit Photo and design by Frank Zinkewitz for Castheads Magazine

Editors Notes Happy New Year! We don’t need to ask about the last. I guess 2020 will be the year everyone will want to forget to a certain degree. For collectors it has been a roller coaster ride, delayed shipments, closed borders, increased shipping rates, white knuckled disappointment and so much more. But the brands played their part and we saw some stunning releases, that kept us engaged and scrambling to look for more display space in our homes. In this issue we go back to the essence of what CastHeads Magazine is all about which is not just the wonderful, beautiful models we get plied with monthly but also a look at the people who bring a little excitement to the hobby with their creativity and innovation, ideas, and dreams and most of all are the ‘soul’ of CastHeads around the world. We are honored to be a part of this global community and we are honored to be able to experience some of the sheer epic-ness of what these people do. This issue we look at what creativity and passion can overcome, the joy the hobby can bring and of course a fine slice of some beautiful cars you need to add to your garage. Happy New Year, we hope 2021 will be better than the last!

Nigel

FINALLY. 2020 is done and dusted. But in all honesty, it has been a decent year for Castheads Magazine. We have reached more people, worked with more brands and celebrated two years of doing this for collectors everywhere. Also the New Normal will carry in to 2021, we look forward to a better world. 2020 allowed the Planet to "breathe" a little, it also allowed many to reconnect with their hobbies and pastimes, older generations to pass on those interests to young ones, and slowed down the pace just a little. Made many people realize and do things they have been putting on the back-burner for far too long. We look forward at 2021 in hope and unadulterated positivity that it will be better for every human being (and of course plant and animal) across this Earth. We wish you and your family nothing but joy, good health and may all your wishes come true.

Lánce_

in this issue DIECASTING COUCH Looking at some goodies for you

ROAD ROCKET SCHUCO PORSCHE 934 TURBO RSR

Drop Top & Roll GT Spirit Porsche 944

SPOTLIGHT MICHELLE JAKELJ (SLOVENIA)

spotlight bruce pascal (US)

GET 'VETTE GT SPIRIT CHEVY CORVETTE C8

First look solido ford mustang shelby gt500

HOT WHEELS LED ZEPPELIN SET REVIEW

The jada toys story

107

Tarmac works garage torque

teutonic showdown mercedes benz S65 amg vs bmw alpina b12 6.0

113

WE'VE COME A LONG WAY BABY THE CASTHEADS STORY

Spotlight SHANDY FARCHEZY (INDONESIA)

119

FROM THE IMAGINARIUM OF KHYZL SALEEM GT SPIRIT HURATACH

SPOTLIGHT CLARA COVAL (BRAZIL)

124

THE SCHUCO SAGA ONE OF EUROPE'S OLDEST DIECAST BRANDS

LB Silhouette Works GT Nissan 35GT-RR JPS 1:64 MiniGT Photo by Lance Muller for Castheads Magazine

PARTNERS

GIFT GUIDE HOT PICKS Tomica Limited Vintage Neo

DIECASTING COUCH

The Honda NSX was an already formidable vehicle and in 1997, they decided to make it even more so. The Type S-Zero was offered exclusively for customers who wanted a weekend track day car to live their racing dreams. The "Zero" designation was to denote the fact that this car had some extreme weight reduction. This car would shoot 0-60mph in an impressive 5.5 secs and top out at around 175mph.

Honda NSX TypeS-Zero

Scale 1:64 Status: March 2021

Tomica Premium

Toyota Soarer Coupé This is the second gen Soarer (Z20) which was produced from 1986 to about mid 1991. It came in several different flavours and was quite popular among young buyers. Tomica presents this model in both the dark grey and pearl white variants.

MSZ Metal Speed Zone

Scale 1:63 Status: January 2021

McLaren Senna The model was an homage to Ayrton Senna, who was one of the greatest F1 drivers from McLaren Motors. MSZ makes a great, albeit decently detailed, toy for your kids that is action packed with pull-back action, opening doors, unlock/ engine sounds, and working lights. Great selection of toys to introduce to the next generation of car enthusiasts. Scale 1:32 Status: Available

Hobby Japan

Toyota GR Yaris RZ The Yaris was considered a wallflower model till Toyota and Gazoo Racing got together to unveil the GR Yaris models. These models comes many variants, and the RZ is the top-end icing on the cake. Combining superb handling, acceleration, coupled with comfort and sports handling, its become quite the hot hatch. Hobby Japan presents the model in 3 colours and rally concept livery. Scale 1:64 Status: Early 2021

GIFT GUIDE HOT PICKS

DIECASTING COUCH

Jada Toys

1989 Ford Mustang GT 5.0 Foxbody Mustangs was one of those classic muscle car revivals that tore apart the faithful. While it looked nothing like the 60s classics, the updated models appealed to younger demo that needed faster but smaller cars. The 1989 Ford Mustang had a 5L V8 225hp engined shoehorned into a smaller frame that made it both fast and fun to drive. The first set was in Candy Blue and Matte Black and now Jada Toys releases the second round of these Mustangs in four more delicious duo tones, White, blue, black and this red. Scale 1:24 Status: Coming Soon 2021

Schuco Modelle

Porsche 356A Skiurlaub In 1948 the first mass-production sports car of the Porsche brand - the 356. During the time of its production, from 1948 to 1965, more than 76,000 356s were produced in the different variants such as coupé, hardtop coupé, convertible and speedster.

#32508

With the 356, Porsche established its reputation as a producer of high-quality, elegant and highly efficient sports cars. The Porsche 356 is now one of the soughtafter sports car classics and, whether as a model or the original, is an inspiration with its timeless, attractive design. Scale 1:18 Status: Available

LEONARDO & 1962 VOLKSWAGEN BUS FULLY LICENSED 1:24 SCALE DIECAST WITH OPENING PARTS AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR GLOBAL RESELLERS

@JADATOYS WWW.JADATOYS.COM

Trademarks, design patents and copyrights are used with the approval of the owner Volkswagen AG

Majorette

Aston Martin Vantage GT8 The Aston Martin Vantage GTE (also known as the Aston Martin Vantage AMR) is an endurance Grand Tourer developed by Aston Martin Racing, the motorsports arm of the British automobile manufacturer, Aston Martin. It is based on the Aston Martin Vantage (2018), and is the successor of the Aston Martin Vantage GT2, and its later derivatives. The car was launched on the 22nd of November 2017, alongside its road-going counterpart in London. The car is noted to be capable of being converted from Group GTE specification to Group GT3 specification. Scale 1:64ish Status: January 2021

diecasting couch

GIFT GUIDE HOT PICKS

GIFT GUIDE HOT PICKS MiniGT

Solido Models

Porsche 356 Pre-A - Panamericana Race 1953 M.lippmann #162 Manfredo Lippmann was already somewhat of an racing notary in South America and had participated in a few outings, and Guatemala's first licensed helicopter pilot. He was instrumental in forming the Asociación Guatemalteca de Caminos (Eng. Guatemalan Association of Roads). He took part in the 1953 race in his 356 Super, and even though didn't finish, went on record as the only driver to do so alone. The Solido model is true to the original livery and is sure to adorn many a racing enthusiasts cabinet very soon.

DIECASTING COUCH

HKS Toyota GR Supra 2019 SEMA Presentation The model was used to showcase the HKS widebody kits developed for the very first time in November 2019. Previously they had participated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This is a prototype model with approval pending so the final model may have a few changes. Scale 1:64 Status: 2021

S1802803 | Scale 1:18 Status: Early 2021

TSM Models - True Scale Models

Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Speedster Lava Red These Aston Martins were sort of a Swan Song for the outgoing Vanquish S models. They came in four flavours, a shooting brake, coupe, convertible and speedster. While 3 of these types are limited to 99 models, the speedster was limited to just 28 versions.

GT Spirit

McLaren GT The upcoming McLaren GT is what the manufacturer imagines a Grand Tourer should be in the new millennium. The car reshapes our ideas into a whole new class of its own. Ultra modern technology, unique design and engineering applications, coupled with superlux comfort and accouterments make this a truly special tourer. And the colour combo is just breathtaking. This is a must-have for 2021.

TSM presents the Speedster variant in this gorgeous Lava Red with matching interior. This model's final approval is pending and there might be a few changes, but its on pre-order on their website. Scale 1:43 Status: Early 2021

GT299 | Scale 1:18 Status: Early 2021

Corgi Toys Otto Mobile

BMW E39 M5

The E39 M5 was introduced in 1998 and even at that time had impressive numbers for what was essentially, a daily driver. It was the first M5 to have a V8, pushing close to 394 horses and towards a limited speed of 250kmph, but an unrestricted M5 reached almost 300kmph in testing. Also it sold almost 20k throughout its run from 1998-2003. And who doesn't love a BMW M model in their collection. Otto Models presents this model in the pre-facelift version in Stirling Gray with the M Wheels and sublime styling. OT747 | Scale 1:18 Status: Early 2021

James Bond Rolls Royce Phantom III 'Goldfinger The Rolls Royce Phantom III was introduced in the late 30s and saw production till about 1940. The vehicle had impressive figures even at that time The 7.32L V12 gave a top speed of 87½ mph (140 km/h) and a 0-60 mph (0–96 km/h) time of 16.8 seconds. The model used in the movie, by the titular character Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe) was a 1938 version in black and yellow Sedanca de Ville with a body by Coachbuilder Barke. He used it as it was a great model to smuggle gold around Europe for his nefarious purposes. The model is a great addition to any 007 fans collection. Scale 1:36 Status: Available

GIFT GUIDE HOT PICKS

DIECASTING COUCH

Hot Wheels Basic

X-34 Landspeeder We first set our eyes on the Landspeeder in A New Hope way back in 1977. Luke uses it to traverse between various locations in Tantooine. The X-34 was a civilian model and was made for use in harsher environments and capable of being used in rough terrain.

This is the first time Hot Wheels releases this as a mainline in, as it was featured in its premium Star Wars Starships collection earlier. It would be a great addition to any Star Wars fan's collection. Scale: 1:64 Status: Released

Amalgam Collection

Ferrari 330 P4 - 1967 Le Mans - Race Weathered Le Mans is a grueling race even today, and in the 60s, it took its heavy toll on both man and machine. The cars that arrived (many didn't) showed the scars that received in taking on the 13.6km track for 24 hours.

Amalgam designers and craftsmen perfectly capture the exact stains, damages and tears on the original car as it arrived at the finish line in 1967. Painstaking attention to every detail. Only 100 of these will ever be made.

Scale: 1:18 Available for pre-order

ADVERTORIAL

UNIQUE PORSCHE WORLD OF EXPERIENCE FROM MAJORETTE

Produced by: iScale GmbH • Große Elbstraße 162 • D-22767 Hamburg • Germany • www.iscale.eu Discover the Magic of Miniatures

CarLoverDiecast • www.cldc.store

Over the years of publishing this magazine, we have received many gifts and customs. We proudly display these whenever we can and anywhere we can. So it was a pleasant surprise to receive this very unusual piece from Nelson de Abrew, or better known as Poraman. He's a customiser from South Africa who we featured in one of our earliest issues.

It was a custom designed trolley featuring stacks of Castheads Magazines! He managed to send this via post the moment international postal services which were closed were resumed.

The new Porsche Edition from Majorette fascinates young and old. It is a highlight for collectors all over the world and also ensures fun in the children's room. The metal miniatures on a scale of 1:64 and the playsets are characterized by great attention to details and represent design and a sophisticated lifestyle.

We thank him for this amazing gift.

Poraman being a little shy

Feature-packed storage box for your diecast collection. The new carry case is inspired by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The storage box is shaped like a racing car and features rolling wheels. The body can be removed so that you can store up to nince vehicles from your own collection. A particular highlight is the built-in sound effect: press a button on the radiator grille to play two realistic Porsche engine sounds. The carry case also comes with a small die-cast model of the Porsche 911 GT RS. It is the perfect accessory for transporting your collectables and makes an ideal addition to any Majorette collection.

The Porsche Experience Center offers plenty of driving fun under professional conditions. The Creatix play set with a width of over one meter is based on a real Porsche Experience Center. Here fans can test their vehicles on the challenging on- and off-road courses. On the building itself there is a charging station for electrically powered Porsches, a lifting platform for quick repairs and a washing facility. Test drivers can put their skills to the test on the on-road track with

launcher, banked curve and high-speed track. The handling course in the middle of the station offers a slalom track and a drift circle. The SUV models can be tested on the off-road parcours, which is equipped with an inclined plane, a staircase, a seesaw and a moat. You can start playing right away with the five Porsche vehicles included in the box.

Nothing like a Cabriolet to signal blue skies, seaside drives and a trip to the supermarket for hair styling products that can withstand 80 Kmph winds. The 924 which subsequently became the 944 was Porsche’s eagerness to expand the line away from just having 911’s in production.

GT Spirit isn’t shy to doing Cabriolet’s and it’s always a pleasure when they do. Because being a sealed body resin manufacturer most of GT Sprit’s nicely done interiors stay sealed inside for collectors to just peer through windows. But with a Cabriolet the enjoyment is real. And of course, in true GT Spirit form no expense is spared to bring the realism to the interior of the 944. Another nice choice in this whole package is the choice of color. It really took me through a sea of 80’s pop music in my head that included the word blue. Like Madonna’s ‘True Blue’ for example. It is amazing how some colors really suit a car. And. in this case the choice of blue really resonates with the car’s angles and lines taking advantage of some of the design features that were included in this model like the molded unibody bumpers for example.

To our readers, fans, followers, partners, and every one across the world. May the new year be enlightening and uplifting. From all of us at

GT SPIRITPORSCHE 944 S2 Cabriolet

DROP TOP & ROLL

944 TURBO S

When riding around with the top down in a car as sleek as this, you need the right custom plates.

For a Porsche collector, this is a must have in the collection. 1. Because it represents Porsche’s desire to be a serious sports car brand while maintaining their cult status of being the creators of the 911. 2. After getting it wrong with the V-Dub powered 914 and the following AUDI powered 924 this was finally a car with a Porsche engine that had a massive bite to it. A 2.5 Liter water cooled in-line 4 cylinder derived from Porsche’s very own V8 was used, along with dumping the engine in front of a rear wheeled chassis. Result. This particular model by GT Spirit is the S2 with a souped up 3.0-liter engine and a naturally aspirated 16 valved engine capable of doing quite a bit of damage in the 200 Hp category. Finally, Porsche had a worthy road raging contender in the sports car category and now you can own one in a beautiful blue by GT Spirit.

Living it up like Miami in a sky blue Porsche with light grey interior. We love how this car just screams "Eighties!!"

2020 saw a nice little mainline set from Hot Wheels celebrating Porsche’s. One of the cars released is this fantastic gold colored 944 Turbo S. Attention to detail has been quite good considering how Hot Wheels will drop certain details to reduce the cost of production. Front and back light tampos have been applied. Of course, the car has flip headlights, so the tampos on the front are for the park and indicator lights. The rear lights are nicely demarcated into the same tile arrangement as the car in real life. The overall shape of the car is a great mold and Hot Wheels have really done a nice number on the mainline version. I do hope they extend this model into one of their car culture series and give it a bit more tender loving car in the production department.

VVHTF

Lance Müller chats to the legendary Hot Wheels collector

Bruce Pascal *Very Very Hard to Find. Usually reserved for Hot Wheels that are extremely rare or difficult to get your hands on. But for Bruce, it seems like a cakewalk every time. LEFT: Bruce in his custom designed office

of the Hot Wheels history. Eventually I coauthored a book and to this day made many meaningful friends who were part of the Hot Wheels story.

Bruce Pascal is considered a “celebrity” among Hot Wheels collector community around the world. His passion for collecting both vintage and VVHTF models and having one of the most expensive models has elevated him to the legendary status. He has had documentaries done by various media outlets, and also authored the Hot Wheels Prototypes (with Michael Zarnock) in 2011.

Along the way I purchased directly from employees items well beyond just the cars – wood models, blueprints, slides, tools for Hot Wheels, artwork, prototypes and more.

If you need any further introduction, you really aren’t an ardent Hot Wheels collector… but we aim to change that. He’s also an amazingly amiable person to talk to, always happy to connect with other collectors and talk about his passion, tiny diecast models.

We know that everybody asks you about THE Pink Beach Bomb, but what other model(s) hold a special place in your heart?

Hot Wheels Prototypes by Bruce Pascal and Michael Zarnock. 2011. Available on Amazon

Hi Bruce, thank you for having this chat with us. Its always great to connect with a truly passionate collector whose done quite a lot for the community over the years. And his extensively curated collection has managed to save a lot of Hot Wheels prototypes and ideas from oblivion as some of them might have been destroyed or thrown away, erasing them from history.

Tell us, how did you get into collecting and where has it taken you?

The legendary Rear Loading Beach Bomb in electric pink, aka the most expensive Hot Wheel

I was lucky to be born in the year 1961, making me the perfect age for when Hot Wheels came out in 1968! At the age of 7 I remember getting my first Hot Wheels and setting up the orange track with my brothers and friends. We would play for hours watching

the cars go around the track and through the super charger. For some reason the aqua Moving Van was my favorite at that time, perhaps I liked the way the cab and trailer were connected. For a few years these were by far my favorite toys, only to be put away when I was about 10 years old in a cigar box. Onwards I went to baseball cards, bikes and collecting coins. In late 1999 my Mother called me and asked me to come by for she was cleaning the house. She handed me a cigar box filled with toys, and then great memories came back as I opened the box and saw the great colors of blue, green, red, gold and more. I had always loved how the paint was translucent on Hot Wheels, and not enamel like on old Matchbox cars. Walking with a friend that afternoon I showed him the box. Not knowing he was a collector he offered me $200 for the contents. I declined and that was the start of my entering the hobby. I would be a collector too I decided, and within 30 days was running ads in local papers seeking childhood collections.

Then six months later I read an article about a Pink Rear Loading Beach Bomb Hot Wheels for sale, the king of the Hot Wheels hobby. After three months of negotiations, I became the owner. Then my journey really began and I didn’t even anticipate to what degree.

Original gas station banner from the late 60s

Realizing that this rare piece came from a retired employee, I wondered if other retired employees of Mattel perhaps had cars in their basements and garages. I started an excel spread sheet of names of former employees I got from meeting the head of Mattel alumni, and after about 100 calls one man said he had an old Mattel employee directory. Bingo! Now my list grew to over 2,000 names (eventually it hit almost 4,000 names of people involved with Mattel and Hot Wheels). Every evening I would try to track down these former employees and interview them and get their story of how they were part

Besides the Pink RLBB the most interesting other cars I have are the 1968 Over Chrome cars, used for television commercials and for executives. These special shiny cars were barrel plated and then painted, so they look like Christmas ornaments. The shine is incredible, and even the bases are shiny. They are very rare, with less than 5-6 each known in any color or casting. I originally purchased 6 of these in 2001, and at the time didn’t know what they were. Like the US Mint making Proof Coins, these are the “Proof Cars” of Mattel.

Very rare “Overchrome“ 1968 Custom Camaro in antifreeze color used for TV commercials

There is a urban legend that you have more prototypes in your collection that even Mattel, is that true?

Bruce with Bryan Benedict, Senior Design Manager at Hot Wheels

Mattel has a pretty good archives that I am proud to say I sold and traded items with and for. But most of the effort they have is to collect cars they sold, and Mattel does not actively try to collect prototypes of the cars they made. By far collectors have the vast majority in their hands. I am pretty sure I have the largest diverse collection of original artwork and blueprints from the Redline era (1968-1977) and am always searching for more to add.

ABOVE: Drawer full of 1980s models and variations RIGHT: Showcase of vintage models, approval samples and woodblock models

There is a urban legend that you have more prototypes in your collection that even Mattel, is that true? What would you say to a newbie collector.

I always enjoy working with Mattel and its employees. It is an exciting company with a rich heritage. Being invited to several events with Mattel, including the Indy 500, a dinner at the Petersen Museum, The Mexico Convention and the Indianapolis Museum Show became highlights of my collecting journey.

My advice for young collectors is to specialize in collecting what you like, not just like collecting without a purpose or goal. Learn as much as you can about what you purchase – who designed the car, what other editions are made, and how rare. It is better to have in your collection 100 great items then 3,000 very common items. Having so many items later becomes a burden of storage and less enjoyment with a collection stored in bins. Newly completed warehouse with a collection of vintage Hot Wheels and Americana memorabilia plus his 1:1 real car collection

We have a lot of people who get into collecting thinking its a good investment, what would your advice be to them?

Some suggestions are collecting only Fords, Dodge or some car you love. Collect only a certain color. A certain year. But then learn all you can.

Thank you for your candid answers to the questions. We look forward to connecting with you more and receiving some of your priceless insight into the world of vintage Hot Wheels and memorabilia You can follow Bruce on his Insta @PinkBeachBomb

And most important, find other collectors and join together whether at conventions or Facebook pages. The completed Japan-only Hot Wheels Red Box collection from the late 1970s

WORLD E XCLUSIVE F IRS T L OOK AT SOL IDO'S NE W S S S S S SN A K E

F ORD SHELBY MUS TANG G T 500 SLI T HERING I T 'S WAY T OWA RDS YOUR COLLEC T ION IN E A RLY 202 1! We are proud to be the first to present you the world premiere of the brand new 2021 model from Solido: The Ford Shelby Mustang GT500, here in the red version with white racing stripes. The Mustang is one of the greatest muscle car icons of all time, and not just thanks to over 10 million copies sold. With the Shelby GT500, Carroll Shelby also created a car in the 1960s whose name made the challengers on the quarter mile sweat in fear. Nothing has changed since then. Only the distance on the quarter mile is done in a significantly shorter time these days if you are sitting in one of these beasts.

Because the new fastest car in the company‘s history (yes even faster than the Ford GT) with its 771 hp, which is about twice as much as the original from Carroll Shelby, does the sprint in less than 11 seconds! What is there to say about the Solido model? It is wonderful! In our opinion, the shape is perfect. The details - especially in the interior - are flawless and you can literally feel a touch of the legendary real model looking at the marvelous 1/18 scaled representation.

P HO T O S & T E X T B Y F R A NK Z INK E W I T Z

T he p ain t w or k and t he ligh t s o f t he G T 5 00 le a v e no t hing t o be de s ir ed.

T he b ac k v ie w w i t h t he s t r ik ing l ar ge r e ar s poiler t y pic al o f t he G T 5 00 i s e s pe ci all y w or t h a clo s er look .

F a s cin a t ing a t t en t ion t o de t ail in t he in t er ior o f t he br and ne w S olido F or d S helb y Mu s t ang G T 5 00.

T he l ar ge t w o -p ar t r adi a t or gr ille w i t h t he ic onic C obr a in t he c en t er i s modeled in gr e a t de t ail.

T he m a s c uline line s o f t he G T 5 00 ar e s uppor t ed b y t he be au t i f ul w hi t e r acing s t r ipe s .

THE

JADA

Jada Toys took the diecast scene in America in late 1999 with surprise and wonder. The presented models and themes from places that up to then, wasn't looked at by other brands. Then everybody took notice of Jada Toys. Story by Scott Nadeau | Layout by Lance K Müller

PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999

Today they're a part of the SimbaDickie group, but Jada was actually started by a husband and wife team back in 1999. Jack and May Li started a diecast car company and made a huge splash onto the scene with their iconic DUB City line. Fast and Furious inspired car culture was everywhere in the early 2000's, and the DUB City cars from Jada nailed it. These models featured 20" or larger rims scaled down to perfection. A boomin' system was equally important as a set of rims, so most of Jada's cars featured an opening trunk full of subs. right:

street low 1967 Chevrolet Impala

LEFT:

Jada's philosophy is broken down into four pillars. The first of which is variety: Jada wants to create toys for both boys and girls alike, both young and old. They also pride themselves in quality and safety. Jada performs stringent testing on all of their products to meet all quality assurance standards set forth by the industry.

DUB CITY Cadillac Escalade from 2002

RIDE LOW AND SLOW Jada followed up this successful line up with two other doozies: Street Low American Lowriders and Big Time Muscle. The latter was probably the most successful of the two, with classic American Muscle cars getting Jada's signature style of lowered suspensions with bigass rims and wide tires.

FURIOUS GROWTH

ABOVE:

JDM TUNERS 1971 Nissan Skyline 2000 Gt-R TOP RIGHT:

BIGTIME MUSCLE 1969 Chevrolet Camaro "EARTHSHAKER" Today, Jada goes hand in hand with the Fast and Furious franchise, bringing collectors almost every iconic car from the movies in just about every scale. They've got 1:55 scale cars that hang on the pegs all the way up to 1:10 scale RC cars, and even some collector oriented 1:18 scale cars.

below:

Above RIGHT:

FAST & FURIOUS ASSORTMENT

JADA HEAT 1951 Mercury Fire Chief

Coinciding with that, Jada believes their pricing strategy should reflect that commitment to quality. Finally, Jada commits themselves to be a global player not only in the diecast game, but in the toy industry as a whole.

RIGHT:

METAL NANO FIGS MARVEL

TEUTONIC SHOWDOWN

BOTTOM:

GIRLMAZING JEEP WRANGLER R/C

GIRL POWER TOYS

We all know girls love cars too, so Jada launched a Hello Kitty line up of both RC cars and ones to roll yourself. They followed that up with an entire RC car brand dedicated to girls with GirlMazing.

TOP:

HELLO KITTY NISSAN SKYLINE GT-R R34

RIGHT:

HOLLYWOOD RIDES LIGHTNING MCQUEEN FROM CARS 3

THEY TAKIN' OVER Speaking of Hello Kitty, Jada continued to scoop up licenses for their expanding portfolio. They got Lightning McQueen and all his friends from Radiator Springs. They had licenses for Transformers, the Marvel Universe, and Jurassic World. Jada even secured a deal with kids' YouTube star Ryan from Ryan's World to bring toys and vehicles from that brand to the pegs. It goes to show Jada isn't slowing down anytime soon. LEFT:

RYAN kaji, ryan's world wunderkind

S wabian Muscle vs Bavarian Brawn Who Will Be on Top? Story & Layout by Lance K Müller

BMW Alpina B12 6.0 (E38) At the beginning of the nineties, the boys (and girls) from Bavaria rolled out the BMW E38 platform. The BMW 7-series sat at the very top of their brand and was the choice of ride for corporate bigwigs, the newly minted bourgeoisie as well at the blooming former iron-curtain “traders” that started following the end of the Cold War. The Beamer was large, sleek and represented the mixing of style, elegance and technology. The E38 was the first car available with curtain airbags. It was also the first European car to offer satellite navigation and the first BMW to offer an in-built television.

It was also the first 7 series to offer diesels, for cheaper running. It was so popular that James Bond drove a pre-facelift model in the 1997 film Tomorrow Never Dies. The highest spec was the 750i and the 750iL with V12 engines that had 5.4L on tap and could push this barge 0-62 mph (100km/h) in a very respectable 6.6 seconds

to a top speed of (electronically limited of course) 155mph (250 km/h). Now remember these are factory specs. Then it was Alpina’s turn to take this smooth suave bad boy to a true bad ass. First was the built engine sipping 6.0L and then belching out 425 hp making it the largest and most powerful naturally aspirated engine ever made by the manufacturer. Reduced the 0-to figures to 5.9 secs and increased the speed to about 181 mph (291 km/h).

It was great to get our hands on the model from Otto Models. They presented us with the post face-lift 1999 Alpina B12 6.0 in the very sensual Alpina Blue Metallic II. The interior is Nappa leather in Champagne and the wood trip surrounds the dash fascia, center console and stack. The staggered multi-spoke Alpina alloy wheels rolls (yes it does) on nice low-profiles. OT359 www.otto-models.com

Mercedes Benz S65 AMG The S Klasse models out of Mercedes has always been apex predators in the large luxury sedan market for decades, and the S600 was the Great White Shark of roads everywhere. From captains of industry to decadent despots rode around them from first world democracies to the developing world Coconut Republics. The S600 introduced the W220 platform in the late 90s and early naughties wiretap tier models.

Featuring a V12 biturbo engine, it could hurtle this behemoth to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.3 seconds and 100 mph (161 km/h) in 9.7 seconds. Some said that it beat a Ferrari 575 Maranello in the quarter mile (that is one race I’d spend a lot of money to view). At the height of its power, the 5.5L engine blew 493 horses. That’s till AMG got their hands on it. >>

Now we already have an amazing fresh-off-the-factory spec list. But AMG need to elevate it to multiverse levels. Output was bumped to 604 hp via its twin-turbocharged V12. It was also surprisingly fuelefficient for such a large car. 17mpg (or 7.5 liters per KM) was actually pretty decent for a vehicle sporting not only 12 cylinders but also weighed a few tons. Otto Models graced us with the 2004 model year in menacing

Obsidian Black Metallic. Even the color sounded ominous. Beige Nappa leather interior, a representation of the same offered in the actual model. The black dash is separated by its beige part by wooden trim, which also is found on the center stack and central gear column. Low profile tires wrapped around forged 5-spoke AMG A220 titanium wheels. And they roll, if you ever get the urge to push them around the room (though we recommend not). OT846 www.otto-models.com

THE VERDICT

Sitting here trying to decide what to recommend you buy. Both these models have their stories. Both are halo models in their respective model range and have their appeal. If you are lover of German automotive art, then the Alpina is your cup of tea. If you like your German cars with some oomph, then it has to be the S65 AMG. But a true aficionado of Deutsche auto engineering, design, style… will have both.

Facing off each other. Constantly staring each other down from a display cabinet, wall shelf or somewhere prominent. These aren’t models for hiding away. These need to be shown off and bragged about, and now you can tell the story behind them, the moment someone asks you. You can thank us later.

Got a different opinion? Share it with us on our FB page @CastheadsMag we would love to hear from you.

STIRLING WORK the of

Shandy

Story by Lance K Müller

Once in awhile, you come across a person, a diecast customizer, who’s spin on what a custom should be is beyond the fantastical, and not even remotely down the usual track>

>One such person is Shandy Farchezy from West Java in Indonesia. An jewelry and precious metals engraver by trade, Shandy applies his exquisite skills to creating some of the most outstanding pieces that we have seen so far. These are more pieces of art than custom decants. And some of his pieces have ended up in the collection of famous collectors across the world. Moving on to our chat with Shandy>>>

LM: You engrave other things besides jewelry and diecast? SF: Yes of course... I prefer metal for engraving, such as watches, Zippo lighter cases, knives, bicycles, motorcycle tanks, and others LM: Such a wide variety. How has the diecast community responded towards your designs? SF: They really admire and really appreciate my work, which makes me even more excited. Even when I wanted to take part in a diecast competition, the judges forbade me because my work was too valuable for art.

LM: Hello Shandy, its nice to have this chat with you after all this time. So what have you been up to over the last few months? SF: Still busy working on some orders from home and abroad... most orders about this little toy hot wheels LM: Glad its keeping you busy, now tell me when did you get started engraving diecast models? SF: The beginning of the pandemic outbreak that hit Indonesia about a year ago, before that I worked in other media such as motorbikes, knives, Zippos and others LM: Great you decided to branch in to other things. Now tell me where do you get your design influence? SF: There are some that I made myself and some designs from my beloved wife, we support each other.

LM: Very cool to hear. How do you approach a design? SF: According to customer demand, and I customize the shape of the car LM: What is the piece that is closest to your heart and made you the proudest? SF: When my work was bought by the biggest Hot Wheels collector Bruce Pascal and he really admired it and reordered some... it made us so like friends and he gave names to my future son who will be born in a while LM: Wow, that a great piece of info to know. You have won a few international awards, what is the one that made you the happiest? SF: The happiest thing I feel is when someone holds my work in their hand and says "wow". I immediately felt successful with my hard work.

LM Are you excited that these designs are getting the attention of collectors? SF: Yes of course, and I am ready to fulfill their request in making works LM What are you looking forward to 2021? SF:I want a good competition for me to participate in the diecast world because I see some potential emerging as I am working on and I want to share my knowledge and experience with them

Thank you for having this chat with us Shandy, really nice of you to share your story with us. Please follow his work on IG @shandy_fachrezy and take a gander at that amazing work.

#Girls

The global scale/diecast collecting is or has been predominantly a male pursuit. The ladies who are active in their communities are few and far in between with a majority of the others playing a supporting role to their male counterparts. Thought the lifespan of this magazine, we have aimed to not only highlight the ladies who are part of this hobby, but also others who have contributed to car culture in general throughout history. We firmly believe that ladies should be a major part of this growing hobby.

And who better to lead the charge for the next generation of enthusiasts than a precocious 8-year old girl who’s an avid Hot Wheels collector and spokesperson for the hobby Clarinha (Clara) Coval hails from Brazil, a nation that is Hot Wheels mad as its Northern neighbors. She loves to collect, and share her collection with others through her IG and YouTube videos. She explains what they are and the story behind them. Her parents, Roberto and Cristine, help with her photos, managing her social media, videos and generally expand her hobby.

Collect Cars too! Story and layout by Lance K Müller

Her parents took her to a car show when she was bit younger, and whilst being thrilled at being around cars, she wasn’t too happy. When inquired why, she had asked why there were a lot of men and boys but not too many girls around. According to her father, she had asked;

n e m o w f “I , e v i r d n a c t ' n a c y h w y a l p s ig rl " ? s r a c h wit We think they should. On that we agree wholeheartedly.

We love the idea that Clara is promoting a tangible hobby at such a young age, while many of her age group is happy with an electronic device and watching “other” kids playing with toys. We are also proud that she is promoting a hobby usually reserved for boys to other girls. We asked Clara if she had a message for little girls who wanted to start collecting toy cars, and this is what she had to say;

“Playing with cars is really cool. Parents shouldn’t discourage their daughters playing with them. I have a lot of fun with my car collection and my dolls. However, I would like to see more girls collecting cars.” Such a positive message. We hope to see more little girls like Clara get into this hobby, and who knows where they go from there.

A Big thank-you to Clara's parents, Roberto and Cristiane, for allowing us to feature her in the magazine, and supporting her hobby.

s l r i G # lect l o C Too! s r Ca

You can follow her IG page @clarinhacoval and on youtube.com/ClarinhaCoval (most of the content is in Portuguese, but the language of scale models is universal.

Let's start using this hashtag and sharing the positive message across the world. Let's make this hobby open to everyone across the world

In the mid-seventies, in order to be able to offer a Porsche racing car capable of winning according to the FIA regulations of Group 4 and the associated competitions of the German Motor Racing Championship, the American IMSA GT series and the World Sportscar Championship, the Porsche 934 was developed. At the same time, the Zuffenhausen company also developed the Porsche 935 for Group 5 and the Porsche 936 for Group 6 of the World Sportscar Championship. While the 935 and 936 were originally only intended for use by the Porsche works team, the Porsche 934 was also to be offered to private racing stables. Because of the Group 4 regulations, only very limited changes to the bodywork relative to a production car were allowed. Thus, the riveted wing extensions and the front skirt extended close to the ground and with large air inlets are the most visible characteristics distinguishing the car from the Porsche 930 Turbo on which it is based. Schuco is going to produce in a limited edition of 911 pieces a miniature model of this Porsche 934 RSR to a scale of 1:18. The painstakingly hand-produced Schuco model has numerous functions and, with its many racing details, is an invitation to a real voyage of discovery through the racing technology of the 1970s.

Photos by Patrick Pchalek

The silhouette of a certified masterpiece

The devil's in the details and boy is this devilish

Racing DNA in every rivet and bolt

Take a long, longing look at that derrière

Michelle Jakelj @realisticcarpaintings

Hi there my name is Michelle and if someone told me to describe myself in at least words as I can I would say something like this: I am a 21 years old girl that was born with obsession for cars which she can't express in any other way then by spending hours and hours next to a painting, next to a car which she wants to make as perfect and realistic as she sees it in her eyes. Every car has it's flaws. But it has something beautiful as well, cars and driving means a lot to car lovers and sometimes we all have day that we can't go out and drive our cars or there is one dream car (as for me Eleanor) which you can only dream about, and what better way to dream about it that to have a painting of it on the wall (then you can say to your friends you own one).

And this is the same way this all started for me. I just wanted to draw myself my Eleanor. I didn't start with her, I started with a new 2016 Mustang back then and I was practicing every free hour and most of the nights to make myself come this far to make something I love to do my full time job. Well I haven't painted my Elanor yet but I still painted so many amazing cars and met so many amazing people and I will forever be grateful for that.

I started doing it as a 16 years old girl which was so happy that she was old enough to finally be able to legally drive cars and all she ever wanted to do is spend as many hours as possible next to cars. And right now 5 years later I can finally say you can do anything you want to do if you just do it with love, the same type of love I have for cars. Nothing is impossible, even owning an Eleanor (even if only on a painting).

GET 'VETTE W i th this swe et C hevro let C o r vet te C 8 by GT Spi r i t

T he f ront e nd is visua l l y stu nni ng

The 8th iteration of the iconic Chevrolet Corvette was eagerly awaited and when it was unveiled in 2019,managed to divide the fans like no other 'vette before it. Some celebrated the international feel of the car while other decried the loss of its American heritage. But what we can all agree is that this was once again THE halo car of the august brand that has been around for generations. Do we love it? We can neither confirm no deny, but of one thing we are sure, that this manages to keep the model as iconic as ever. GT835 www.gts-models.com

T he at tention to deta i l is ou tsta ndi ng

D ef i ni te l y a conte nted fo r the re a r of the ye a r

Photos by Fra nk Z inkew i t z

I Can’t Quit You, Baby, so I’m gonna put you down for awhile.

I said, I can’t quit you, baby, I guess I gotta put you down for awhile. Said you messed up my happy home, made me mistreat my only child.

Led Zeppelin - I

In the days of my youth, I was told what it was

to be a man,

Now I've reached the age,

I've tried to do all those things the best I can, No matter how I try. I find my way to do the same old jam

Good Times Bad Times – I Led Zeppelin

On January 12th the band Led Zeppelin celebrates the birthday of a debut that spun the world out of control and re-invented what it means to rock. These guys were the rock n roll lifestyle, with madness and mayhem left in their wake for other rock legend wannabes to follow or emulate. And in a weird kind of way, how true do the starting words of Good Times Bad Times reflect the nature of the modern model collector.

1/5 HAULIN’ GAS

The first in the collectible set of POP CULTURE HOTWHEELS featuring Led Zeppelin which is arguably one of the best rock bands that have crossed the planet. The first in the series of five is the HAULIN’ GAS with the cover art of the bands debut album which features an artwork of the horrific accident of the Hindenburg Zeppelin Crash in 1937, New Jersey. I love that the Card Art is the album cover complete with the record label logo (Atlantic) at the lower right corner. The authenticity of this collectible is just to cool for both music lover and diecast collector. The album art on the vehicle is also stunning. The representation of the raw crude print dots from that era of print that made up the shadows and shades gloss black against gloss silver. I’m giving this series a “Whole Lotta Love!!!”

Ramble on And now's the time, the time is now To sing my song

I'm goin' 'round the world, I got to find my girl

On my way

I've been this way ten years to the day

Ramble on

Gotta find the queen of all my dreams

Ramble On Led Zeppelin

Jimmy Page described putting this album together as “quite insane”. Recording all over the US, overdubbing, re recording tweaking, re tweaking, in different locations had left the band saturated with the songs and sound. The end result was the sale of 3 million copies in a few months, debuting at No. 15 on the Billboard charts eventually going to No.1 and spawning the evergreen Led Zep anthem ‘Whole Lotta Love’ which still receives insane global airplay and streaming to date!

2/5 Super Van

No.2 in the series and the second album that propelled the band into the stratosphere of fame. Card and Van Art features the second Album art which is a copy of the first in a different shade and the inclusion of the band members heads superimposed on some pilots in a group photo. Although it looks pretty basic on the ALBUM the art on the Van is pretty slick and looks very period correct. That van was made for that artwork vibes. Since I’m a big ‘wheel’ buff, I really appreciate the multi-spoke silver rims wrapped up in a fat rubber tire that has been added to what is pretty much a mainstay in Pop Culture series. But with the Led Zeppelin art this Super Van looks stunning and is definitely one of those vans that would be worth recreating as a 1:1 if one had the time and money. This has to be my ‘pick’ in the set.

Everybody trying to tell me that you didn't mean me no good.

I've been trying, Lord, let me tell you, Let me tell you I really did the best I could.

I've been working from seven to eleven every night, I said It kinda makes my life a drag, drag, drag, drag.

“As the nights wore on the guitars came out and numbers were being written” – Jimmy Page talking about the third album which was conceived in a far more relaxed fashion than the last two. This was a true brainstorm / jam session that brought about various styles and influences that each person in the band had, to contribute. The result was a very eclectic sounding album which was the same with the album cover.

Lord, yeah, that ain't right... no no Since I've Been Loving You, 'M about to lose my worried mind. Since I’ve Been loving You Led Zeppelin

3/5 Combat Medic

The third album cover, and package was unique and vastly different to what the band had done earlier. Far more refined, using craft and art to deliver a revolving wheel cover which was conceived by Page inspired by a gardening catalogue. Intriguing you say, well here is that same art on the Hot Wheels Combat medic casting which could be called an intriguing pairing itself. Honestly, I would love to put these cars alongside actual vinyl albums and create and art installation. And, if you have any doubt as to how far reaching this bands influence in pop culture has gone look no further than the 3rd installation of SHREK that features many Led Zeppelin songs including the ‘Immigrant Song’ which is of this album.

It's been a long time since I rock and rolled It's been a long time since I did the Stroll

Oh let me get it back let me get it back Let me get it back baby where I come from

Rock and Roll Led Zeppelin

One of the deeper more poetic albums from Led Zeppelin came from a space of where the band wanted to the celebrity status to remain anonymous and let music take the center stage. Doused by critics as being too asinine at the time, the album has outlived the critics and remained an influential piece of work in both rock and poetry.

4/5 67 AUSTIN MINI VAN

This is absolutely perfect because this was the album that Led Zeppelin returned to the UK to record and was recorded in a supposedly haunted mansion which also in turn lends inspiration for some of the songs on the album. The fact that this return to the UK and the MINI combination shows that someone knows their Led Zeppelin history. This has to be one of the most ambiguous album covers dropped by a band this big. But there were several reasons it remained so. The ‘four symbols’ as the album was referred to on radio since it didn’t have name represented. The symbols are gothic sigils that represented the band. The feather represented Robert plant, the three rings was Bonham signifying strength, Jones’s symbol was the 3 leaves linked by a ring and finally ZOSO represented Page’s astrological chart split between Cancer and Capricorn with Scorpio rising. Deep.

Many have I loved, and many times been bitten Many times I've gazed along the open road

Many times I've lied, and many times I've listened Many times I've wondered how much there is to know Many dreams come true, and some have silver linings I live for my dream, and a pocket full of gold

Mellow is the man who knows what he's been missing Many, many men can't see the open road

Over the Hills and Far Away Led Zeppelin

1975 was a crazy year for an American Tour and it was one of the most successful US tours Led Zeppelin had, had netting around 5 million dollars in tickets sales. It was also an extremely wild one with plenty of shenanigans and pranks.

5/5 Highway Hauler

Led Zeppelin rocks the USA for the 10th time since 1969. In 1975 riots broke out it Boston even before the band came to town, they used an insane 70,000 Watts of underwear removing sound, their Limo was stoned in North Carolina, Plant caught the ‘flu’, they played to 120,000 audience in New York and hung out with Elvis Presley in Las Vegas. The Highway Hauler, a fitting end to the series and testament to one of the band’s greatest tours. On the fuel tank at the bottom of the Highway hauler on the side. You will see the stops for the entire tour. And, without doubt another great piece of card art. This is a very cool pop culture set and I would highly recommend this to both collectors and Led Zeppelin fans alike.

GARAGE

TORQUE

RWB Morelow

YAY! Another tin! We really love these Tarmac Work Tins. They make great backdrops and even better storage containers for all things diecast. We have been raving about these tins from the time they were announced to the GTR release and now the RWB Morelow. For those of you who have missed the great Tobacco branding wars of the 80’s The red and white design of the Morelow Branding is the same as the famous brand from Phillip Morris.

The wide rear of the RWB is unmistakably a nod to the sort of things that Akira Nakai likes. Like a SIR-MIX-ALOT of Porsches

During the 90’s, tobacco branding fell afoul of the authorities and led to a global ban on tobacco advertising especially in Motorsport because apparently youth saw these associations as cool and would start smoking. We are quite happy with the change to Morelow and it doesn’t make too much of a difference because what’s under all that livery is what we love and that is the RWB. Back to the tin, this has got

TORQUE

GARAGE to be one of the coolest packaging we have seen from absolutely any one and the fact that it is re-useable makes a HUGE difference. The Minnesota commissioned RWB is one of the last RWB’s coming out of TARMAC WORKS for 2020 and to be very honest, the model that we have RECEIVED did not have a single thing out place. Which leads us to believe that despite a few odd ones out the general QC problem that has plaguing TARMAC

Works is slowly ironing itself out. Which is really great news for fans. This model has been launched in two scale variants 1/64 and 1/43 but the 1/64 version is sold out on the store and will be available at the local dealer. The 1/43 version is still available on the Tarmac Works webstore. Now the big question will be, will the TINS appreciate as collectors’ items. Only time will tell, till then get them tins and look after them.

TAR MAC'S FIRST VOLVO In 2017 when we met Felix and the Tarmac Works team at the Mini Car Fest Malaysia we were discussing possible future cars for Tarmac Works to do, and the question of Volvo’s came up to which Felix answered a firm ‘in future’. The future is here, and Tarmac Works have dropped the first in a series of lined up Volvo releases. For the first impressions we believe the Volvo Model Car group are the best at judging Volvo models and right now this car is being voted the second-best Volvo Model release for 2020. And its no wonder why. It comes in the Tarmac works container pack which

means another cool car to add to the stack (actually we would like to get a scale container ship to put all of these in). Yes, there have been other Volvo releases, but this is a British Touring Car Championship car which is a racing highlight for Volvo. It comes from racing pedigree and its great to see Tarmac Works sticking to their guns focusing on race and track cars. The best news is that there are a few more Volvo’s scheduled for release and we wait excitingly to add them to our collection this year.

#21 Nissan GT-R G T3 Tarmac eMotorsports - GT World Challenge Asia eRacing Championship 2020

production and lack of market the idea was not a success and shelved, and we had to reconfigure what we wanted to do and how to do it. After a trip and diecast shopping spree in Malaysia I discovered a bigger diecast world and realized that maybe, we were riding the wrong Mustang. Inspired by a Tarmac Works NISSAN GTR Snap-ON livery car, with experience as a writer and graphic designer in publication and magazine design I had an epiphany. After a quick Google search confirmed my initial thinking, I called up Lance and said “Get your gear together we are launching CastHeads Magazine at the end of this month” I then sent him the very first cover design. At our first event invitation abroad and Lance tries to commandeer the first Tarmac Works RWB with his mind. Security watched him a lot that day.

It’s really going to be hard to package almost 3 years of madness into 3 pages along with pictures of our global shenanigans, but I’ll try. Once upon a time, two collectors bonded over the dislike of Hot Wheels hoarders and scalpers and proceeded to attempt to burn down the establishment. Which resulted in a joining of forces and the creation of a display company called CastHeads Displays. At the time we thought that it would be cool to create really nice looking displays for 1/64 scale models with the hopes of creating something bigger in the future of model car storage. Unfortunately, due to the cost of

Two designers and collectors with their prototypes of what could have been the beginning of the end of CastHeads. Great wall displays though.

With Jake Chua from JL Hobby has been instrumental in promoting the magazine and including CastHeads Magazine in all diecast events in Malaysia.

We then got involved with promoting the Malaysia Diecast Fest that same year and we became the media sponsors for the event working very closely with JL Hobby and the relevant teams assisting with asset design and social media support. It also helped the magazine grow its name in the diecast community. In 2019 we were invited to team up with the guys from KOREI Singapore. A group of customizers spearheading the community in Singapore and responsible for organizing the Singapore Diecast Expo. Once again CastHeads Magazine was invited to become media and design partner for the event which was a great honor and an opportunity not to be missed. So, with significant effort the CastHeads team made it to Singapore for the event and was happy to play a part in KOREI’s successful event as well as meeting up with some celebrities along the away.

L-R Nigel De Zilwa (CHM) Lance Muller (CHM) Christian Coujin (Rauf Welt Begriff) Pradeep Singh (KOREI) Peter Loo (KOREI) Edmund Wong (KOREI) at the Singapore Diecast Expo 2019

The Tarmac Works Mini Car Fest was our first invited event in Malaysia as CastHeads Magazine which is where we met with Jake from JL Hobby and we finally met Felix Kwong of Tarmac Works. Felix had been one of the first people we contacted and instead of shutting us down or palming us off instead helped us, promoted us and advised us as well as giving as great content to use for the magazine.

Felix Kwong creator of Tarmac Works, explaining to Nigel the importance of having the right physique for fitting t-shirts. While Nigel tries very hard not to breathe.

Lance explains scale to a Shazam model. It was the funniest thing to watch and we may never be able to return to BUGIS+ After a long hard day of expo’ing we need a golden elixir that could refresh us like no other.

KromeBandits to create a limited edition CASTHEADS+KROMEBANDITS event car which was sold out in a matter of minutes online prior to the event. The event once again was a success, and the Customizers Awards was the start of something great for future events to come. It was amazing to see all the creativity that just flowed out of people and level of quality and detail that participants would go through to be awarded. It was also a very good example of what can be achieved when we all come together to create something for the community.

Below: An example of some of the talented customizers built into this Audi R8 Wynns

Shortly after this event the team is joined by a new director who takes on the role of IT Director making sure that our digital space gets better and better to serve our fans, centralizing our content and making sure

Top CastHeads+Krome Bandits Camaros waiting to be picked up by their new owners. Krome Bandits went all the way with brilliant packaging as well. Left: The CastHeads team looking super excited with the Bandit himself. It was great holding those cars Below: The work of Joe Kanno from Japan on display. He specializes in creating weathered and overgrown diorama’s Bottom: Joe Kanno down to judge the Customizers Competition at the Malaysia Diecast expo 2019 with Lance (center) and Nigel (right).

After a successful event in Singapore the magazine was growing in readers. Quickly the magazine was getting recognition and the model brands started to roll in with support. Today we are tied up, officially with a cross section of the biggest brands in the world within the model collecting community. All this thanks to the diecast community. And that is what this magazine is all about. Not just about the models but celebrating the community that has built itself around the love and passion for model collectibles. We celebrate the customizers who continue to astound us every single day with their incredible talent and amazing skill. We celebrate the amazing diorama builders and the painstaking work they do to create stunning worlds for their cars. We highlight the artistes who inspired by the design and art in cars. And we exhibit the stunning photography and image manipulation of diecast photography.

Top: Contenders and winners at the MDX19 Customizers competition. Awards designed by us

Building upon this mindset we approached the Malaysia Diecast Expo 2019 with an even bigger drive and presence, organizing customizing competitions and getting down international customizers to judge the event. Designing the events assets, ensuring coverage on social media it was a big collaboration and we loved every minute of it. To celebrate our involvement in the event we teamed up with the famous customizer outfit

that we stay on target to deliver fun diecast content for our fans. This includes two new shows on Insta TV and Youtube. 2020 was not a great year for many but we have grown and that’s shows how relevant we are going to be going into 2021, we have a lot of great stuff lined up and of course we will be full of content from all the amazing people we find through the year in the CastHeads Community.

Top: Another Joe Kanno masterpiece

Podium and race winning #45 Mercedes Benz AMG GT3 Tarmac eMotorsports - GT World Challenge Asia eRacing Championship 2020

Imaginearium From the

of Khyzyl Saleem

I am not one for collecting fantasy cars, but what goes on in the mind of Khyzyl Saleem is beyond fantasy. Its futuristic. KS is actually a graphic designer in England who in the world of cars and car fantasy is probably more popular and famous than Banksy. Saleem’s designs have had far reaching applications in game design and if you look at his work you would not find it hard to understand why. His work involves reimagining car design on existing cars, and he tries to change the tone and character of the car without removing it too far from the original piece. A perfect example is this GT SPIRIT HURATACH conception that looks like it was made for the Wolf on Bladerunner. It’s quite obvious that the base is a Lamborghini Countach (which is a shape he seems to like a lot) but other than for that, the car has been completely reworked to look completely different. Yet when you want to see it, you see a Countach. This is the genius of K.S. and the work that he does. His Instagram feed is full of pictures of cars you would throw money to own even in a smaller scale model format. It’s pretty cool of GT Spirit to take some of his works and turn them into tangible models that fans could own and display with pride and I hope that they continue to keep up the K.S. releases.

This is not the first time GT Spirit have released the HURATACH, previously released in black. This time round its been covered in the P-ZERO livery that was doing its rounds on many diecast models this year. Even Liberty Walks had an Aventador in these colors. It is apt though to be dressed up in these colors because the HURATACH looks like a wingless jet with wheels. In the future cars will look like this and the wheels will fold in and be able to fly. I’m pretty sure if this was around in the 80’s the DeLorean may not have had its famous Hollywood debut. Since this is a concept car, the interior looks like its based on the Countach with bright red seats to compliment the fighter liver and colors. Unfortunately, because the car is so low, and the windows space is almost nonexistent it’s pretty hard to see inside the car. But hey when it looks this good on the outside. Scrolling through Khyzyls Instagram you’ll find yourself hoping and praying GT Spirit will pick up more of his renditions to bring to life, I certainly have quite a few in my list.

The 100-Year Marvel Going through the official Schuco Saga book was really a brilliant case study into one of the most innovative brands that exist today. More often than not we take toys and their designs for granted and to be really honest most people don’t even know what goes on beyond the toy shop. No, all toys do not come from Santa’s workshop staffed by overworked and underpaid elves. In stark contrast toy makers have the same trials and tribulations as the next production line and some them make it some of them don’t. Schuco’s story is one of success, a brand that made it despite living through World Wars, recessions, and stiff competition. Through all these periods Schuco has challenged itself to reinvent products that fit the time and supply of raw materials as well as being at the forefront of toy technology and innovation with hundreds of patents in its name. Many of the toys we have seen in Enid Blyton books as children would have originated from Schuco’s catalogue.

The have taken wind up toys into an art form creating machine pieces and motors that last decades. This is German perfection applied to something as simple as toys. Today Schuco Toys is part of the larger Simba Dickie Group which has amassed a wonderful group of toy and model companies together under their umbrella. This has allowed Schuco to flourish and expand into previously untapped markets ready to fill the toy cupboards of hundreds of thousands of children and adults across the world with wider distribution and marketing. For model collectors this has been a god send, because Schuco does both Resin and Diecast Models with absolute precision and in limited release numbers so that the value of the models goes up. Attention to detail on diecast models are on the level of far higher priced brands with things like tiny little keys hanging out the ignition or tiny hinges that are the same on the 1:1 model. Tiny details that amount to perfection.

The book The Schuco Saga is a great way to get in touch with the brand and read more about this magical brand and all its achievements. Four men who steer the way forward for the brand Schuco. The last year and this one will certainly be a challenge, but these are the gentlemen up to the task.

The other great feature of Schuco’s portfolio is their access to some great German cars. An extensive collection of Mercedes, BMW, Volkswagen and Porsche amongst other European brands. Including service vehicles, trailers, trucks, utility vehicles etc. the list is endless. And it’s not just narrowed down to cars. Collectors have a choice of Aviation models, helicopters, military models all in different scales and finishes. When you have been in Business for 100 years you learn many new tricks. Even Schuco’s advertising has been nothing short of cutting-edge featuring celebrities like Muhammed Ali in ads conceptualized by ad greats. The use of art and photography to stir emotions, clever lines and calls to action, the brand did everything and pushed the envelope on many occasions to solidify the image of an excellent product. It is exciting to look at Schuco’s history to get a glimpse of what the future is like, and it looks pretty good the way things are going right now. We can certainly expect to see more brilliant collectors’ models and certainly more innovation leaving us with the exciting question…What’s next Schuco?

Porsche 911 Prior Design 1:18 GT Spirit Photo by Lance K Muller @jjsdiecastgarage

BMW E30 M3 1:18 - Solido Photo by Patrick Pchalek for Castheads Magazine

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