CastHeads Magazine Volume 4 Issue 6

THIRD ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

MODEL CAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE BEST E-MAGAZINE 2020

JUNE 2021

MAGAZINE ART & SOUL OF MODEL COLLECTING

BRINGING HOME JIM CLICK BOOM THE TROOPS FORD PERFORMANCE COLLECTION

RÖHL BABY RÖHL

BUILD UP PORSCHE 911 BOXTER ENGINE

YEARS OF GREAT STORIES ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

CASTED

by JADA TOYS

AMERICA’S SILVER ARROW

GARAGE TORQUE

by TARMAC WORKS

REDLINE

by TSM Models

Solido 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I 1:18 scale Nigel J De Zilwa For Castheads Magazine

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EDITOR’S NOTES Happy cake day as the new terminology goes, but we are excited to be closing another year and opening another chapter in our CastHeads story. Not only is this month special because of our anniversary but we also got to print this issue thanks to collaborations with some key friends.

Which means we are now a printed magazine as well as one that can be picked up at hobby shops across France, Germany and Austria.

It is a momentous occasion for us. And, so far, this year has been rewarding. WHICH MEANS we will be around for a little longer, continuing to bring you our own special entertainment. Now, if you are reading a printed copy of this congratulations, you are one of the first to get their hands on this limited edition print run.

Of course, we hope this will not be the first and the last, and if you have any thoughts, please feel free to email us at info@castheadsmagazine.com As always, it is a great pleasure putting the magazine together for you, and we sincerely hope you enjoy it! And please feel free, to subscribe to everything Castheads-related too online, it’s all free!

Third time’s the charm, they say. And in our third year of being a digital magazine, we are now going out of the matrix and having a real world issue, which is fantastic.

It gives us something tangible to hold and feel, something that we work tirelessly on, through rain and shine, pandemic or Act of God, to get across to our readers.

There are so many things happening behind the screen/desk/scenes/dioramas that we just can’t wait to tell you all, but as with everything, there is a time and place.

Now is the time to celebrate our third anniversary and say an immense THANK YOU to many, many people who have helped and enabled us to get to this very point.

Some of you are holding this magazine and, hopefully, reading this sitting comfortably at home surrounded by family and scale models. Stay safe and mask up at other times!

Tell us what you think of our inaugural printed magazine and...

Take care of yourselves and your planet.

Nigel

_ e c n á L

www.castheadsmagazine.com castheadsmag

castheads

castheadsmag

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inside this action-

packed issue

PARTNERS

Contributing Writers: Nigel J De Zilwa | Lance K Müller | Scott Nadeau • Photographers Lance K Müller | Nigel J De Zilwa Scott Nadeau | Alberto Jorge Rodriguez | Patrick Pchalek | Frank Zinkewitz • Creative Direction / Design Lance K Müller & Nigel J De Zilwa

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DIECASTING COUCH WHAT’S AVAILABLE AND WHAT’S ON THE WAY

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Diecast highlight The rise and fall of the celica gt four

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TSM REDLINE Bentley supersports and bmws

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The cast of castheads Deus ex machina

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Casting remarks Majorette 2021 metal series

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Tarmac works garage torque rwb tsunameeeeee

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Casting remarks Hot wheels walmart exclusives

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Feature article jim click - a dealer in performance

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Casting remarks Oxford aviatioN

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Feature article Modern warfare

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Casting remarks Schuco x tarmac works collab

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diecartist trekkster__t

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Feature article America’s silver arrow

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Feature article dtm spotlight

96

Builder’s block franzis 911 boxter engine 1/4 scale

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ian’s customs werks Diecast custom tutorials

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Feature article master. Genius . legendary Walter rÖhrl Feature article wolf in sheep’s clothing

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lald dossier With scott nadeau

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Casted by jada The most beautiful car in the world

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Diecast highlight The luftboxes by schuco

100 Spare parts

Dream customs displays

102 Spare parts

monoblock wheels

107

Castheads couture Puma bmw m motorsports and mercedes amg F1

• A Publication of Castheads (Pvt) Limited. © 2021 All Rights Reserved • castheads@gmail.com • www.castheadsmagazine.com All images are owned by Castheads (Pvt) Limited or by their brand owners. Used with permission.

DIECASTING COUCH

HOT PICKS FOR YOU

Hot Wheels

LB-Silhouette Works GT 35GT-RR Ver.2 Liberty Walk, the ultrahip Japanese aftermarket tuner/bodykit maker finally joins the Hot Wheels pantheon with two models in 2021.

The first one being this Nissan GT-R R35. Finished in a sweet electric blue with neatly finished fascia, details that belie a mainline and properly blacked out wheel and features plastic headlights, it’s nice to see Hot Wheels upping their game in the mainlines.

We also know that this casting is going to show up soon in a premium assortment and it’s going to be one of most sought after castings in 2021.

Scale 1:64 Status: Available

Matchbox - Best of Europe

1962 VW Beetle

The march on Europe by Matchbox continues with the Best of Europe assortment, featuring some of the continent’s most beloved models being released in 2021.

This 1962 VW Beetle is part of the Germany collection that which also includes a Mk 1 Golf, a Type 2 T3 Transporter Crew Cab and other interesting models. The Beetle is finished in what we assume is Poppy Red. The chassis sits on a light grey plastic base and the interior is finished in beige plastic.

The Smooth Disc wheels actually fits the model perfectly.

Scale 1:64 Status: Available

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THE BRAND NEW COLLECTION OF

F9: THE FAST SAGA

MODELS NOW RACING TO YOU!

1:24 & 1:32 scale diecast models with opening parts

Order now through our global resellers

© Universal City Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved Jada Toys, Inc. © 2021

@jadatoys WWW.jadaTOYS.com

DIECASTING COUCH

HOT PICKS FOR YOU

Jada Toys

1972 Plymouth GTX While government emission and fuel efficiency regulations in the early 70s were killing off muscle cars, one automaker quietly kept its options open for buyers to still get their kicks on Route 66 (and other routes) with some deliciously awesome cars.

One of these were the Plymouth GTX that came with either a 440 four barrel, 440 three barrel “Six Pack” 0r a 426 HEMI. Jada offers the model in Vitamin C glossy paint with some sick 6-spoke chrome wheels. The hood opens to reveal a black engine bay with a massive bright red air intake cover.

Scale 1:24 Status: Available

Majorette

Porsche 917 2021 has been a bumper year for Majorette with the release of quite a few new models in it’s line-up. One of the most anticipated castings is a Porsche 917 with a rear opening.

Painted in the 1970 Le Mans winning #23 red and white of German driver Hans Herrman and British racer Richard Attwood,

Schuco

MercedesBenz Rennwagen Schnelltransporter

Scale 1:64 Status: Available

We are always excited for transporters, especially larger scales that are finely detailed. We use them not only as collectibles, but also as displays for our other era-specific models.

Great news from Schuco to have a 1:43 scaled transporter from the 1950s.

This model was known as the “Blue Wonder” both for its paint job as well as the fact that had an engine transplanted from a 300SL. It was specifically made to carry race cars across Europe and use the Autobahn to do so.

Scale 1:43 Status: Available

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Saab 9-5 Sportcombi Aero 1:18

Saab 9-3 Viggen Coupé 1:18

Subaru Forester STi 1:18

Saab 9-5 Sportcombi 2011 1:18

Subaru Brat 1:18

Volvo C70 Coupé 1:18

www.dnacollectibles.com DNA-Collectibles |

dna_collectibles |

DNACollectibles

DIECASTING COUCH HOT PICKS FOR YOU

Solido

Aston-Martin BD5 Vantage The “Vantage” version included a higher-performance package for the DB5. The Weber carbs and new camshafts pushed the horsepower to somewhere in the region of 325 at about 5000 rpm. This increase in power sacrificed more than a little drive-ability and only 85 version were built.

Solido releases this in their Series 100 through their Club Solido. Clad in British Racing Green, it features painted - instead of plastic - lights, opening doors and wheels that roll. It’s packaged in a vintage box that hearkens back to the early days of Solido.

Scale 1:43 Status: Available

GT Spirit

RWB Hong Kong #9 This model is highly anticipated by collectors of everything RWB. The 993-based model is called the “Illest Asia SuperNine” a collab between the edgy lifestyle brand and the tuner.

It features a blue/white livery, vintage-style yellow lights and with the distinctive deep dish thick rear wheels and front featuring turbo fan-capped front wheels.

Scale 1:18 Status: Available

Otto Mobile

Nissan NISMO 270R (S14) By the early 90s, NISMO had already has built a reputation for making bonkers cars for Nissan, both on and off the track.

So when the S14 platform debuted in 1994, they already had some plans for it. The S14 Silvia/200SX model was already a performance coupe, which was then given the NISMO treatment and it became a highlight of their 10th anniversary. Only 50 units were built.

The horses were increased to 270 (hence the numerals) and performance enhancers made this a 5-second speed demon.

Otto Mobile perfectly matches the real-world model in glossy black paint and silver accents. The model is limited to 2,000 pieces worldwide.

Scale 1:18 Status: Available

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TSM REDLINE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

MINIGT 1:64 #208

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT3 M SPORT TEAM BENTLEY #107

MINIGT delivers a selection of high-performance models this time to the Castheads Garage. The first is the Bentley Continental GT3 raced by M-Sport Team Bentley in the 2019 Total 24 Hours of Spa. The 107 car was piloted by an experienced team of Jules Gounon, Steven Kane and Jordan Pepper.

Next is the exotic, more road-friendly Continental GT in an extremely attentiongrabbing St James Red with a blacked-out treatment on the many of the intakes, grilles and of course those dashing wheels.

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MINIGT 1:64 #216

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL GT ST JAMES RED

MINIGT 1:64 #191

LB-Silhouette WORKS GT NISSAN 35GT-RR Ver.1

MINIGT 1:64 #191

BMW M3 AC SCHNITZER S3 SPORT

This awesome foursome also contains the venerable BMW M3 tuned and dolled up by AC Schnitzer, a well-know German tuner.

Glossy black paint job and chrome wheels. The models are completed with the inclusion of the red Nissan GT-R tuned and dressed up by Liberty Walk. These and more available on the MINIGT website, www.minigt.com.

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CASTING REMARKS HOT PICKS FOR YOU

FULL METAL JACKET Packaging is slowly taking the centre stage with more and more newer brands offering up nicer, sustainable and longer-use ways for collectors to store their cars. Already quite a few brands have thought of some clever ways to keep their storage looking cool; some have gone the vintage route and Majorette have come up with a metal series like line with storage tins! This might be a gold idea for collectors.

The castings are nothing new, featuring two classic Mustangs, two classic Celicas, one VW street food bus and my least favourite casting, a Renault 2CV. The tins are not sophisticated, have a simple design and do not have a moulded insert hold your car in place, so the car moves about inside the tin when transported. Not very mobile.

FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK

FORD MUSTANG FASTBACK POLICE CAR First one to get popped open was the police car. The weight caught me off guard and so did the silver paint job and glossy clear coat. So, it looks ZAMAC but still painted and clear coated, looking quite dapper. Rolls really smooth on our Dream Customs motion blur pads and because of the weight comes off the pad nice and stable.

Same as the cop version except with orange windows and lights and American Drag Race flames painted on the sides and the bonnet. Tried to get it to drift on the Dream Customs pad but the wheels are rubberised so instead of drifting, the car just takes a sharp turn. The orange headlights give it a mad villain look, like the last thing you want filling up your rear view and stable.

CASTING REMARKS

HOT PICKS FOR YOU

VW T2 FOOD TRUCK

A new casting that came out a few series ago, featuring an open-able rear with folded serving tray. It’s also got those generic food visuals designers pull from the internet when doing a favour for a friend’s menu design. But the metal base on these cars gives them such great weight. And because they are low key in design, they make really great work desk cars. The luminous green interior also pairs well with the exterior colour.

RENAULT 2CV This is a popular casting in Majorette’s line-up, and, this time, they did one we really like.

As it is, the design is very hard to fall in love with, but the car has been part of pop culture and for

what its worth, has remained familiar in our minds for years.

This version, though, is very nice with sporty black wheels and the French Flag painted on either side. All the models in this line feature an opening part, which is usually the doors. In this case, the hood.

TOYOTA CELICA GT RALLYE

This is one of our favourite castings, given a slight upgrade.

The Toyota Celica GT in question has one of the nicest body shapes to come out of the 70s Japanese car boom that exploded across the world.

And of course, with the plastic headlights, rear painted lights, textured grill opening doors and suspension, Majorette has one of the best castings of the Celica. This release is even nicer because it has been expanded into a Rallye version with extra fog lights on the front, an air dam and white multi-spoke rally type wheels.

TOYOTA CELICA GT

The normal version done in this beautiful clear coat finish wearing the same shoes as its sibling but not getting the same sort of admiring eye.

Sadly, as much as this is a lovely casting, it is massively overshadowed by the rally version in the same set, and we predict this might be a bit of a peg warmer, through no fault of its own. Just a case of having a more successful sibling.

Who gets taken out on dates and photoshoots more often. Maybe Majorette could have gone with a nice RUBICON or a even a GT-R35 version (very biased choice).

WE LOVE THE TINS! It’s a cool idea and really great way to store your cars; true, you can’t pocket them and carry them around but they are stylish for stacking up on your table.

CASTING REMARKS HOT PICKS FOR YOU

HOT WHEELS

EXCLUSIVES How does a collector on an island in an Asian SubContinent region or even Europe get their hands on a Hot Wheels Walmart Exclusive? Welcome to the underground! You thought the wheels roll, but did you know the wheels have been rolling international economies through some of the hardest global crisis?

Every day, hundreds of thousands of USD are changing hands, and Hot Wheels are traded worldwide to some of the furthest corners of the globe.

Wherever there is a post office, surely a Hot Wheels package will pass through.

So, what we have is exclusives from 2019 and 2020 slowly trickling down to the rest of the world this year. One such set to look out for and get your mittens on is this Exotics Walmart Exclusives. Six beautiful exotic cars that lie in limbo between mainline and car culture detail.

LAMBORGHINI HURACÁN LP620-2 SUPER TROFEO

This casting has seen many colours and numbers on the blue cards and has become quite the king of variations. This Walmart exclusive colour is the nicest

we’ve seen so far. Well painted headlights and livery, great gold paint on the body work. But that is all. Everything else is basic. But the gold paint just makes it look so sleek and expensive.

McLAREN P1

If you don’t have any P1s in your collection already, and you are not into variations, maybe a pick up of this of this would be a good add to the collection. Honestly, there is nothing wrong with it but, we also don’t see why it warrants being a exclusive. Honest review? It’s nice.

CASTING REMARKS

HOT PICKS FOR YOU

A simple rear means it gets some treatment. But we wish the rear light was more pronounced. A brighter red would have made a difference.

FORD GT

MINI GT has announced the release of their FORD GT casting, slated for later this year, but, in the meantime, Hot Wheels holds the best casted FORD GT, in our opinion, in 1/64 scale, and this beautiful ice white exclusive is a good example of why. We love the simple speed graphics done in silver. As always, we wish for more detail on the rear.

2014 CORVETTE STINGRAY

Easily the big winner in this series. If you are a collector who likes exquisite paint jobs, this metallic emerald green will tune your fancy. It really makes all the difference. And unlike, the P1, it isn’t a flat colour. It’s got the shiny speckle in the paint that lifts the colour. This is a must-have in the American Muscle collection!

BENTLEY CONTINENTAL SUPERSPORT

Because its Bentley it gets the rear light treatment much like the McLaren…. Hmmmm hierarchy in the model world? It is obvious, though, how that can change the entire look of the car. Another nice solid casting and one that isn’t so easy to come by. This is a nice deep black with the Supersport go fast line in Silver front to back. It also comes with a ‘100 Extraordinary Years’ jubilee logo for Bentley on the card so this one might be a keeper or good to get an extra. You just never know.

PORSCHE 934 RSR TURBO

This one needs to see a customiser and get some details painted on to this bad boy super fast. Another nice speckle paint job, although you can’t see the speckles as prominently as the ‘VETTE because of the brighter colour. In certain light, it looks super stunning.

Gold lace wheels complete the ensemble. Does the collection need another Porsche? The answer is always yes.

LANCIA DELTA INTEGRALE Absolutely brand spanking new, this casting is the absolute must have. Its flying off the pegs and much like the year’s earlier Ford GT40 drop getting one of these is going to be really hard even with a black color variant out at the moment. This is also part of an increased effort of Hot Wheels to release more motor-sport themed cars. As a casting, well this is just stunning. This is pleasing many motorsport and rally fans and we can’t wait to see more.

CASTING REMARKS HOT PICKS FOR YOU

REPORTING FOR DUTY

WING COMMANDER CHARLES GREEN 121 SQUADRON RAF, HOLMSLEY SOUTH JUNE 1944 It was just too interesting a piece of History to let go with a simple review, and although stuck for time with the marketing team breathing down my neck to have this special issue release ASAP, I did the research and managed to track down some interesting facts.

LOCATION : HOLMSLEY SOUTH This was an airbase that was used by both the UK and US forces as part of the Allied offensive to push back on German Forces. It wasn’t a welldocumented airfield and was kept in the shadows, used as a airbase that could launch lighting strikes and be used as a transport ground. During various parts of the years of its operation it played host and launch pad for various squadrons many of them being used to disrupt the invading forces, their military support and food lines.

OXFORD AVIATION 1:72

Stabbers in the Sky The Rhodesian RAF 266 Squadron was the Europeans version of the Kamikaze fighters. These guys would go into the thick of battle riding Hawker Typhoons armed to the teeth and destroy every enemy thing they could see, and, with their Typhoons they became very good at it. Unfortunately, the downside to this low-flying warfare is that you are susceptible to everything being thrown at you, including grenade covered sheep. Which meant a lot of Rhodesian lives lost.

121 Eagle, Over.

In the midst of all of this madness, there were three squadrons that were flown by American Mercenaries (who were enlisted into the USAAF with full distinctions when they returned).

These guys were the inglorious bastards of the sky, designed to torment and disrupt the enemy. At their disposal they had

Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes.

Known as the Eagle Squadrons, they were supported by other Squadrons around the UK. One such squadron was at Holmsley South, flying Typhoons.

And one of them was led by Wing Commander Charles Green, a Rhodesian Pilot who also flew for the 266 Squadron.

This wonderful piece of diecast history built by Oxford Models has the bubbleshaped cockpit that slid backwards to open, which came on the newer Typhoons. The older models were so hard to eject from that pilots preferred to attempt crash landing instead of dying to eject. The front rotor is fixed and now I know the feeling collectors get when their wheels don’t roll.

It does not have the drop bombs, which is a shame because that was what these Typhoons were famed for. Lighting strike bombing. But the wing-mounted canons are making me severely nervous. The stand pitches the plane at angle so that if looks like it’s flying to you.

CASTING REMARKS

HOT PICKS FOR YOU

T2 LOW RIDER The first round of the much eagerly awaited ‘low rider’ collab from Tarmac Works and Schuco have hit the shelves, and they are supremely delicious (if, you are into eating diecast materials).

Seriously though, they look stunning.

However, we feel the Jägermeister is this rounds winner and that may not necessarily be the Gulf Beetles fault.

Both castings are great, heavier than what we are used to from Tarmac Works -- must be the weight of Schuco as well.

The body cast on the bus is perfect plus the colour combination and branding is spectacular. The green paint is done super well, at least on the one we got along with the orange highlights its just so good.

The green wheels look like it’s a chase model, and we are torn between liking the idea of keeping the wheels (that roll) stock or whether they should have had something more modern. But this is why the Gulf Beetle looks poorly; next to the VW van it lacks lustre.

Definitely a winner for 2021 releases, and we certainly suggest getting this.

Sadly, for the Gulf Beetle, it has been outshone by its cousin. First things first though. We are looking at a very cool little low rider Volks with Fuchs style wheels. But the GULF livery seems stained and a little worn out in baby blue. And, its probably collectors are saturated with the livery and we say this while still acknowledging that we have a great casting here and that the Beetle looks good as a low rider.

For hardcore GULF fans, this will be a killer version to get in the scale. The lights look so realistic, especially the headlights with the protruding silver housing. The buffers stick out a bit -something to watch out for when doing some dusting and cleaning. Beetles fans, get your VDub now!

BEETLE LOWRIDER

FEATURE ARTICLE

SILVER ARROW

AMERICA’S

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Truth be told, I really thought I was at the top of my motorsport game until I got back into collecting model cars as a adult.

Formula 1? “Love it” Le Mans? “Revere it” WRC? “Know it” IMSA? “Say what now?” Apparently, there is much more out there. For me, though,

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

IMSA stands for the International Motor Sport Association, North America’s governing body for motor sport affiliated to the FiA. They have different race classes, and a lot of them revolve around endurance-based race settings, and this is where many manufacturers put their cars through the ultimate driving test.

Unboxing this Corvette from GT Spirit was a breathtaking experience; it is truly a beautiful design, and the model is well tooled. Every curve, every sharp edge, every performance part fitted on to the body has been tooled perfectly, and the car is a stunning piece to look at.

GT SPIRIT CORVETTE C8 IMSA SCALE: 1/18

that’s one of the exciting things I can say about diecast collecting: opportunity to learn about the facets of motorsport.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

The car’s pointed nose and sharp features really do make it look like a titanium arrow head just waiting to launch itself towards the target of a chequered flag.

This is a really awesome racing machine to add to the race cupboard.

These Corvettes show up in what is known as the GT LM Class or Grand Touring Endurance (Le Mans), where the technical regulations are the same as Le Mans, so, really, these cars are Le Mans-ready. They also must be production cars that have of course been engineered to deliver high performance. The usual suspects that take part in this particular class are Vettes, Ford GTs, Ferrari, Porsche and, of course Grand Touring Pro’s BMW.

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

On the right-hand side of the car, you will find that the petrol cap has the brand name printed on it. That is slick detail.

No 4 is driven by American Driver Tommy Milner and UK drivers Nick Tandy and Alexader Sims and it has seen quite a few successes since 2015, winning the GTLM in 2016 and many more races after.

The Corvette C8 is a beautiful model and GT Spirit have done a very impressive job with it all round. Its simply perfect and I can’t add further about how beautiful this model is.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Master.

Genius.

Legendary.

WALTER

RÖHRL There is no way you have not heard the name Walter Röhrl. He is a born perfectionist and one of the greatest rally drivers to drift this God-given planet. Don’t fret. There are enough videos of this legend thundering through rally courses in various stages of his life. And, as brand ambassador and factory driver for Porsche, Porsche AG themselves have plenty of media on the man Niki Lauda called a ‘Genius on Wheels’.

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Master.

Genius.

There are very few motorsport athlete’s who share the same prestige and success as Walter Röhrl. This is a gentleman who very famously said in an interview that he didn’t drive for money or fame or even the victory -- no, he drove for perfection. Every time he took the wheel, he wanted to see how he could be better than the last time. This is what a master does, he refines his skill repeatedly to perfection. Perfection that brought him 14 World Rally Championship victories, 31 podiums and a class victory at LeMans to boot.

There are two ways to winning in motorsport. One way is to drive flat out as much as possible and the other is to be able to pace yourself and your car right down to the millisecond. The latter state is more consistent for victories.

A perfect example of this today is Lewis Hamilton. His race is never just down to speed; it is also related to how well his tyres are managed. In rallying, the whole car takes a beating, especially in an era where comfort and safety were laughed at.

So, to remain consistent, Walter Röhrl would pace his car in a way that saved the car. Less abuse meant less damage meant less time spent stopped for repairs. Walter and his team would observe other cars’ damage and assessed the areas he needed to go slower to save the car from extensive crippling damage. And, he would know where to go flat out.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Legendary

Röhrl x911

Walter’s close relationship with Porsche remains solid to this day. He is both brand ambassador/factory driver at Porsche and played a crucial part in the development of the Porsche 959, Porsche Carrera GT and the 918 Spyder.

He is also involved in the Porsche Driving School Programme and of course represents Porsche’s interests in the media. His legendary status went even further with him being the only non-F1 driver to be inducted into the FIA Motorsport Hall Of Fame.

This was a special car commissioned

by Walter Röhrl that embodied everything about motorsport WRC and racing machines. In collaboration with Diez Classic, a 1974 911 G Model was restored to Group 4 regulations and has 911 Walter Rohrl Signatures. This car has been brought to life for collectors in two scales by Schuco who continue to dominate in the Porsche model sector with their straight hot sauce models. The 1:43 scale version, which we got, is a resin version, which, by far, is one of the best in scale details.

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Inside the car, which is very hard to see, you can make out tiny bucket seats, what looks like an a/c unit, tiny manual gear lever and of course, full body roll bar and hood support. The side mirror can snap off easily so handle with care but most certainly take it out of the acrylic display box and enjoy the details like reinforcement straps on the windscreens or if you have the time, you can count each signature under a magnifying glass to make sure all 911 signatures are there.

But knowing Mr. Walter, they probably are.

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

THE WOLF IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING MERCEDES BENZ 190 EVO II ASTRAL SILVER FROM SOLIDO

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

One day, a close friend of mine turned up to school in a car his dad had just purchased and had given him to take for a ride. The fact that it was a Mercedes Benz in the 90’s and we were at that age where you needed to show off ensured that the whole clique would pile into the car and of course make a big show of it. When we hit open road, my friend said ‘check this

out’ dropped it a gear and launched a sedan full of adolescent boys screaming in glee through space. I was 16 when I first met the 190E Evolution 2.5 litre Mercedes.

Today, it sits on my table as a reminisce about all the cars I have grown up with. This was definitely one of the memorable ones and turned out to be quite the icon.

Model number W201 was a plucky entry-level sedan that catered to the growing upper middle-class, affordable

Mercedes comfort and reliability.

You got to show the neighbours life wasn’t so bad; a real sheep of a car.

Then, Mercedes took an AMG power unit, limited slip differential, an upgraded to 2.5 litre engine, a few sporty pieces of interior and slipped it into the sheep. The sheep proceeded to then destroy competition, prowl the Autobahn, and lead the pack at the Nürburgring driven by Ayrton Senna.

This is one of the best versions of this model in scale and what’s pretty exceptional is the perfect paint job these guys have managed to finish with. The paint code follows the original car that came in two colours for this specific

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

model, which is Almandine Red and Astral Silver. Guess which one we have here? Careful detail to the interior has been applied as well with tartan covered bucket seats, wood finish centre console, the extra dials that came with the car to monitor oil temp, stopwatch and voltmeter, perfect for waking up late and getting to work on time.

The pictures speak a thousand more words as to why you should make this a piece in your collection.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

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The Live and Let Diecast

DOSSIER:

with SCOTT NADEAU

VIRTUAL EVENTS TAKE CENTRE STAGE After a bit of a hiatus, the Isolation Island Concours d’Elegance kicked off once again for the 2021 calendar year. There were some exciting rule changes this time around, the most exciting of which was the opportunity to submit three entries instead of one per round.

The judges also decided to add new additional classes. First was Redline Fever, which finally allowed for 1/64 scale collectors to participate.

The other was Dream Cars in Scale; ineligible, for a Best of Show award, but allowed for collectors with many, many zeros in their checking accounts to bring out the biggest guns in their collections.

Earlier this month, Chairman Andy Reid and Chief Judge Jay Ward announced the class winners on the Concours’ Facebook page.

Best of show goes to Patrick Pchalek for his Audi Quattro S1 or more correct E2 - the winning car of the 1985 Rallye San Remo with the driver Walter Röhrl and co-driver Christian Geistdörfer.

There were several friends of CastHeads Magazine that got to go home with some hardware.

Nick Müller won two classes with a ‘65 Shelby GT350 R Mustang and Walter Röhrl’s Fiat 131.

Marcus McLaren won the inaugural Redline Fever class with a restored Hot Wheels McLaren M6A. It was Patrick Pchalek who took home the Best of Show award for his Audi Quattro S1 by AutoArt, plus the class award for the Porsche class and a Judge’s Award for photography.

Now that the pandemic has calmed down a bit over here in the States, full-scale Concours events across the country are making their big comeback. The Isolation Island judges will be focusing their energy on these events over the summer,

but look for another round of our favourite scale-model Concours this fall!

The winner in class 6 LA VITA VELOCE: ALL ITALIAN CARS 1921-1988 is Nick Müller for his CMR 1:43 SCALE 1980 Fiat 131 Rally “Röhrl- Geistdörfer”.

The winner for Class 10 REDLINE FEVER: Hot Wheels and matchbox style cars is Marcus McLaren for his McLaren M6A

SCOTT NADEAU is a collector and model car blogger, who founded the hit group “Live and Let Diecast” which resides on all social media platforms including DRIVETRIBE. He sits and shoots the breeze with CastHeads.

CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

Most Beautiful in the Car World The

CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

One

of the good things about a personal opinion is almost anybody is entitled to have one.

One that I hold dear is that the Toyota 2000GT is one of the most beautiful cars ever designed or built.

The Ferrari 250 GTO and the Jaguar E-Type follow close behind, but in that trifecta of automobiles that combine flowing form with the utter joy of driving, the T2KGT (sorry, typing out Toyota 2000GT can get a little tedious) is miles (or kilometres) ahead.

After the devastation of WWII, the rebirth of the Japanese economy owed much to their art of combining value, build quality and cost, not much for their design aesthetic, though most of their designs were clean and functional.

Up until about the early 60s, they were known to make automobiles that were easy to run, cheap to run and ran for a very long time. Design was not part of the equation. We now consider some of the Japanese cars of that era to be classics, but at that time, they were conservative and “boring”.

While other automakers had E-Types, 3000GTs and 250 GTOs that were getting eyeballs and

footfalls, the Japanese companies knew they needed halo cars that made people want to visit shop floors (this was before you could build your own car from a device that fit on to your palm).

Enter Yamaha Motor Company (whose parent company was well known as a piano maker long before they were a bike maker). They had a R&D centre that was working with Nissan on developing a sports car, but that didn’t pan out. They also believed that a GT, or Grand Tourer, coupé would be a better offering than traditional 2+2 sedans.

So they shopped some of the technology and designs to Toyota, who had a reputation for being kinda old-school among the manufacturers.

Guess what, Toyota showed interest in going ahead with a design for a sporty coupé that could compete with the European and American marques and their GTs. The quest for the T2KGT started in late September, 1965. Jiro Kawano, Toyota’s racing manager, was named Project Manager.

The design team comprised engineers Shinichi Yamazaki, Hidemasa Takagi, test driver Eizo Matsuda, design assistant/ development driver Shihomi Hosoya and Shoichi Saito overlooking the work. Most of the concept exterior styling was handled by Toyota industrial designer Satoru Nozaki.

CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

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CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

They put quite a bit of effort into the engine details.

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CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

The details on the dash is quite decent for this model.

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CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

The team, filled with experts in build quality, technical know-how and design principles, started putting together a masterpiece.

of details, but nice to see the speedometer and the rev counter there instead of black soulless sea of plastic.

The exterior oozed style, the interior had a touch of elegance reserved for more upmarket models with a dash worthy of a grand tourer, and the internals were piece of art.

Open up the engine hood and you are created with a decently detailed engine, metal and plastic combined to give you a sense of a multi-piece of work instead of it just being another painted plastic mould.

There are many fine examples of the T2KGT in different scales by many manufacturers. Jada Toys started working on this 1:24 scale model way back in 2017. We posted the 3D print sample in the first issue of Castheads Magazine (Page 7, June 2018), as it was a highly anticipated model in their JDM Tuners line-up. It has taken roughly 3 years for this model to get to us (thank you, Jada!).

And boy oh boy its a stunning model at what we believe is a bang-for-buck price point.

Let’s get one thing straight, For me, as a collector, I do not subscribe to the “Diecast Brand Snobbery” as a model, it well made, deserves every review it gets, and this model from Jada Toys deserves it in spades.

This is a 1967 Japan Spec model with the steering on the right. The eye-popping fire-engine red has a glossy sheen that fits higherend models. The chrome bits are both matte and gloss (mostly plastic, but thats a minute point).

The opening doors, engine hood and rear door feel solid and not soft or shaky like others. Interior is fine, doesn’t have oodles 38

It’s also available in a glossy black and a white in racing livery (oh yes, the actualy T2KGT has serious racing chops and used to race in endurance as well as SCCA with Carroll Shelby’s team).

Overall, I am happy with this rendition of The Most Beautiful Car in The World, and that it has made its way to us.

CASTED BY JADA HOT PICKS FOR YOU

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DIECAST DISPATCH HOT PICKS FOR YOU

Die Luftbox *The Airbox

Transporter. Bus. Camper. Bulli.

Bread loaf. Splittie. Volksie Bus. These are a but a few of the names given to the VW T1,T2, and T3 throughout its long and rather remarkable existence. Powered by air-cooled flat fours, they tended to run forever and ever.

It’s also famous for having some of the most culture-changing advertising apart from the Beetle.

The marketing of these vehicles was given over to DDB (Doyle Dane Bernbach, the agency behind legendary campaigns for the Beetle that has now become synonymous

with intelligent and out-of-the-box (pun intended) advertising.

It’s also worth noting that both founders of Castheads Magazine come from ad industry backgrounds; they have come across these benchmarks in advertising at one time or another and they have been inspired by them in more ways than one.

Over the next few pages, we have decided to recreate these masterpieces using the three-set 1:43 scale VW Transporter “Die Luftgekühlten” from Schuco.

Al the ads featured are copyright © Volkswagen of America, Inc

The first box.

The first gen Volkswagen Type 2 (we’ll just called it the VW T1 hereafter as typing that every few sentences is a nightmare) first rolled into the world in 1950. It came in two versions, the kombi and the commercial. But to this day, remains one of those vehicles that are universally changeable to anything you want to use it for. From share taxis in Nigeria and Brazil, to flatbed trucks, hearses, fire engines to rail-going draisines (a light vehicle used for railway maintenance).

The T1 was built from 1950 to 1967 in Europe and the United States, but kept on going till 1975 in Brazil).

The advertising for the model was funny, and tongue-in-cheek. The print ads carried headlines like “This station wagon seats 8. Sometimes” or Ein unzuverlässiges auto könnte hier nicht landen (an unreliable car could not land here) stated an ad in Germany, “Sua familia gosta muito de televisão?” which

probably is quite funny in Portuguese or “do you have the right kind of wife for it?”. There are a smörgåsbord of these ads in various languages across the world, and all of them tend to be tinged by a wry sense of humor. Surprising for a staid German brand eh?

Scuhco presents the model in a duo tone paint scheme with pastel white over Adriatic blue. Wrap around bumpers and the 11-window combi version.

The sec The T2 hit roads across the world in 1967. VW started manufacturing them in Mexico and Argentina apart from Brazil, as the market for them had gone through the proverbial canvas roof. It lost that split windshield and had fewer windows

than its predecessor. It was also heavier, and most of the electrics, suspension and other bits were overhauled.

During the late 60s and 70s, this vehicle gained an immense following.

It was a favourite run about among the squares as well as the counter culture flower power babies. Many were painted in bright colours and had curtains and cushy interiors. This type of advertising continued in the same vein as the

Al the ads featured are copyright © Volkswagen of America, Inc

ond box previous model. One German ad said, “Der Neue. Wir haben alles an ihm so bequem wie möglich gemacht”, which hinted at the upgraded comfort level, while another urged people to “Take the bus” and yet another, when introducing the 1979 model

asked boldly “Who needs it? Throughout the lifespan of this model, DDB continued to churn clever ads across the world.

The Schuco model is the pre-facelift model with the low indicator lights in the

front and smaller lights in the back. The duo tone paint scheme continues in the T2 with a nice orient blue and alabaster white combo.

With the release of the T3, the van got sexier, boxier and more funner.

The third-generation Type 2 first put rubber to tarmac in 1979. It was known variously as the Transporter (not named after the Jason Statham movie) or Caravelle in Europe and Microbus in South Africa,it was released in the North American market with the oh so creative name of ÒVanagonÓ.

Al the ads featured are copyright © Volkswagen of America, Inc

The air-cooled flat-four continued for quite a few years till they started introducing the water-cooled engines, as the power output had to be increased to adjust for the size and weight changes.

The ads for the model declared that it was The Porsche 911 of Vans and putting one next to a Type 2 T1 stated After 20 years, we finally got it right.

The cheekiness continued unabated.

The Schuco model has the period correct 'Damuso' white over Capri blue. It also completes the fascinating threesome. The set is limited to just 500 pieces worldwide.

DIECAST HIGHLIGHT CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

THE RISE & FALL TOYOTA CELICA GT FOUR (ST205)

DIECAST HIGHLIGHT

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

The World Rally Championships remains one of the worlds more gruelling races, both for the drivers as well as their cars. Through the years, many cars came and went, like the astounding Renault Alpines, Ford Escorts and Fiat Arbarths. But the Lancias dominated the global races for a long time and were considered some of the most kicka** motors to put rubber to dirt, mud, snow, gravel and tarmac.

The European domination of the WRC faced a new challenge in the early 1990s. Japanese manufacturers started getting into the game, as they believed that it would surely raise their profile in the world stage with having their models compete with Europe’s finest. Toyota, Subaru and Mitsubishi entered the fray with their tailor-made Celicas, Imprezas and Lancer Evolutions respectively.

The Toyotas dominated the first four years of the 90s with their Celica GT Fours (ST165, ST185 and the ST205). The ST165 saw almost 13 series wins and Carlos Sainz

won the WRC Driver’s Title in 1990.

The ST185 saw a whopping 15 WRC wins and being the #3 overall winner the W2L series. Its drivers, Carlos Sainz, Juha Kankkunen and Didiier Auriol won Driver’s Titles in 1992, 1993 and 1994 respectively.

That’s not all, they were also awarded WRC Manufacturer’s titles in 1993 and 1994.

Enough about the pedigree of the Celica GT-Fours, as I am sure most of you can get this info at the touch of a button or flick of a finger. But what I want to talk to you about is the story behind the real car that this scaled down version is based on, the car that participated in the 39th Tour De Corse in 1995.

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DIECAST HIGHLIGHT CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

- Charles Dickens - A Tale of Two Cities -

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DIECAST HIGHLIGHT

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

This truly is a story for the ages.

Toyota Team Europe was at the top of their game. Coming from victories across the board, drivers’ titles and well as manufacturer titles under their belt, it was indeed the best of times. It was also not the best. The ST205 was technologically more advanced to the previous model, but also complex to handle.

The Celica ST205 was driven by veteran duo of Denis Giraudet and Didier Auriol. Didier was fresh from his 1994 win of the Corsican rally as well as the Monte Carlo rally with Bernard Occelli and in Toyota Celica GT-Fours.

So TTE had to keep the winning streak going. They also had many restrictions in place with cars asking to be limited, as not to cause too many accidents from most of them being overpowered in the previous seasons. So in their wisdom, the engineers devised a ingenious system. A set of hidden elastic washers would compress to open the turbo restrictor plates, which when tightened down, managed to raise the intake by about 0.5cm, which allowed the car to increase its power by almost 50bhp!

Now the beady eyed FIA regulators checked and rechecked all the engines after each race, and nothing was found. That is until the Rallye Catalunya a few months and races later, that one of them noticed a hairline fracture and had the engine was total dismantled.

Then, it all unravelled.

Max Mosley, the then FIA president, is quoted to have said the team’s illegal turbo restrictor was “the most sophisticated device I’ve ever seen in 30 years of motor sports.”

The team was disqualified, the drivers (though were not held accountable) lost their standings and the Toyota team got itself handed a 12-month ban. This was the downfall of one of the greatest rally teams in history. The Tour de Corse in 1995 remained the last wins for the Celica GT Four ST205.

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DIECAST HIGHLIGHT CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

I am not going to talk about the build quality of the Otto Mobile Celica GT Four ST205 #1 (which is great) or the attention to detail (which is also great) or the little titbit that only 3,000 pie.ces were made. Model code is OT302.

The antennae is buyer installable, and with my shaky fingers, I wasn’t going to attempt it. The livery is beautiful. It’s inspired by the Castol corporate colours quite possibly mixed patterns found on Japanese Kabuki masks1.

The only thing I am going to talk about is the fact that you are getting a model of a car that has a unique history. A tale that can be shared, retold and, maybe, one day, passed on to legend.

Didier and Denis driving their Toyota Celica GT Four ST205 #1 through the winding roads of the 39th Tour de Corse. The rally has been held since 1956. It is also known as the “Ten Thousand Turns Rally” due to the hairpin turns found on the course.

DIECAST HIGHLIGHT

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

1 That is purely speculation on the part of the masks on my part, as I see similarities. Should track down the designers one day.

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CastOF CastHeads THE

The two meanings almost write themselves when we say the ‘Cast’ of CastHeads.

One, these are the people who share their precious time and talent within these pages for your enjoyment, and two, they have been solid supporters who have encouraged us and helped us grow with their amazing contribution of talent+passion+creativity.

Together they love to share the world of diecast and model collecting to you through their eyes and words.

They are the Art and Soul of the magazine.

This is the cast of CastHeads Magazine!

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THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Tünde Daniel @girlslovescars

This young lady has a passion for cars that has taken her on amazing journeys, which she shares through her YouTube Vlog Channel ‘GirlsLovesCars’. To add to her car accolades, she also works as a designer for AUDI AG having worked on the R8 project. Since the pandemic has limited the journeys, Tünde has turned her attention to model cars and very graciously shares her space GirlsLovesCars with CastHeads Magazine. We are honoured to work with an actual car designer who also loves to weave the story behind the car in her reviews.

How did you hear about CHM? I saw them for the first time on Instagram. I liked the pictures they posted and soon after we got in contact and started our collaboration

What do you love about the diecast community?

I love that, in this community there, are no frontiers. People from all over the word can share their passion for diecast cars no matter how old they are or where they are coming from. I like that this community is also very diverse, but of course my wish would be to get more girl collectors on stage.

Hopes for the community?

I hope it will grow and expand over the years! It would be also nice to have an annual world show or exhibition where you can meet in person and where the brands can meet with the collectors or present the latest products, like a real car show.

Thoughts on World peace?

First, I thought this was not a serious question, knowing Nigel`s humour, but I can take it seriously... :D

I believe that communities like us unite people in the online space regardless of ethnicity or religion, which is a huge step towards world peace.

I think our changing world with the COVID19 catastrophe can force people to realise what really matters in life. If a lot of people wake up and realise that this is the time now to change how we have been destroying ourselves and our planet, maybe it is not too late to find peace and start fresh.

Current favourite model, by who and why?

It is difficult because there are so many great companies out there.

Recently, I learned about MINIGT models which blew my mind with their precise detailing and their special model selections!

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THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Matthias Ratzisberger @futurediecastbros Meet Matthias! Officially car crazy and trying to break a world record.

Matthias runs the group FutureDieCast Bros on Social media, which brings all the latest and greatest diecast news to one location. He is a scout and connector, who is responsible for bringing us together with some amazing brands that we are working with right now and for more to come.

For example, he brought us face to face with the awesome brand FRANZIS, which is being featured in this issue with some insane models. A great collaborative partner and loads of fun.

How did you hear about CHM? I heard about Castheads from Instagram. They had interesting pictures. Then I messaged them and started chatting, soon becoming very good friends.

What do you love about the diecast community?

I love it because it has many good people from all over the world. Language is not a problem for Diecast collectors. People are always sharing, and there are so many different kinds of people; some make custom (what) and some shoot nice photos. And everyone helps each other.

Everybody love toys, everybody loves cars and things. Maybe use it to bring peace Current favourite model, by who and why?

I don’t have one, I have many many. My favourite brand now is MINIGT; they make interesting models of good quality and price.

Hopes for the community?

That one day, everybody will have a place to talk, share ideas and connect with each other and a place where many Diecast brands come and listen to collectors on what they want to have.

There are a lot of places now, but one centralised place would be great.

Thoughts on World peace?

Ah want world peace now for everybody. And maybe diecast toys is a good thing for world peace.

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THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Patrick Pchalek @wonderbunk

This guy’s Instagram is explosive! He has a wonderful ability of storytelling with his photography creating amazing scenes both with model cars and figures often combining the two, achieving mind-blowing results.

Without missing a beat, Patrick will envision his image the minute he sees his subject.

For a pictorial fantasy wonderland that involves car models and collector figures, his Instagram ‘Wonderbunk’ is truly an eye-popping treat.

We are blessed to have his talent to make our models come alive.

How did you hear about CHM? I was scrolling through various hashtags and soon found them. I started to tag them in pictures and here we are now. :)

What do you love about the diecast community?

No matter what kind of scale or brand or whatever your diecast interest is, we’re all connected by the fact that we love cars and their miniatures.

Hopes for the community?

I hope that when the worldwide community keeps standing together especially in these crazy times.

cars and models. That’s a small step to de-construct prejudices and make a better world.

Current favourite model, by who and why?

I’m a RWB addict so I really like the GT-Spirit 1/18 versions. Overall, one of my absolute favourite models is the 1/18 AutoArt Audi Quattro S1 because I have a weak spot for the raw rally machines of the 80s.

Thoughts on World peace?

World peace is a noble wish, and it should be one of our top goals. Personally, I think we can change the world step by step with communities like the diecast scene. I met awesome people from all over the world and none of us ever cared about personal beliefs, politics and religion...we just wanted to talk about 59

THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Frank Zinkewitz @franks showcars Another visionary we are supremely blessed to be working with. Frank is a fantastic graphics designer/digital artiste, awesome photographer and wizard at photo manipulation. We love his fiery attitude to get awesome work done, which is synonymous with the way we like to do things. He has amazing ideas, he does amazing graphics art with his photos and works with quite a few big names in the model car industry. He is a solid partner and always great to bounce ideas off him.

How did you hear about CHM? I know somebody that knew somebody that introduced you to me. But seriously, of course I heard about Castheads everywhere in each corner of this amazing community.

What do you love about the diecast community?

First of all, I love the passion and the enthusiasm. Since I have a lot of passion for model cars myself, I am sincerely happy that I have

found people that feel the same way to exchange ideas and chat with. In the relatively short time that I am now a member of the virtual community, I was not only welcomed with open arms, but was also able to experience incomparable moments of joy, made close friendships and I have made incredible contacts.

I haven’t experienced anything like it and I’m so happy and thankful to be part of this wonderful appreciative and so sympathetic nerdy diecast community.

Hopes for the community?

I hope that the community will keep this openness and love I was just talking about.

That’s why I try to add some passion and joy with my pictures and do my best to contribute and support wherever I can to keep this community as awesome and strong as it is.

Current favourite model, by who and why?

There is no such thing as only ONE favourite model.

Each model has its unique stories, details and strengths.

So, if it comes to emotion, I am in love with my finish line models, specifically the unique individualised ones by Jochen Kieslich.

I’ve got so many CMC and Exoto models, which are in my collection if it comes to rare classical models, absolute perfection, details and technical sophistication.

If it comes to amazement and inspiration, I do love the creativeness and model pallet of Solido and Jada, which constantly inspire me and trigger my creativeness.

I could continue forever with reasons why I do love every single one of my models and with countless reasons why also brands like Schuco and GT-Spirit do have a big spot in my collectors heart.

I seriously got love for every single brand creating model cars. It simply brings joy to every persons heart, young or old, and paints a huge smile in their faces. I am certain of that!

I even feel bad now that I haven’t mentioned all the other brands I do keep in my showcases… Do I still have some lines left?

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THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Scott Nadeau @liveandletdiecast One of the nicest guys we have met in the community and also one of the most driven.

continue to make gold standard contributions to us and the Cast Head community.

I love meeting different types of collectors and learning about them through the cars they enjoy.

He has successfully navigated his community Live and Let Diecast through social media and DriveTribe, picking up some talented writers and photographers along the way.

How did you hear about CHM?

Hopes for the community?

You guys started following LaLD on Instagram. I checked out the magazine and loved the way it looked: the layout, the writing, the photography. It was clear that CHM and LaLD shared the same passion and goals for the collector community.

I hope the community continues to grow and inspire one another. I hope we keep finding each other through social media and continue to build friendships.

What do you love about the diecast community?

World peace would be nice, but we need to learn how to both leave each other alone yet come together in times of need.

Needless to say, that the content on Live and Let Diecast is lit!! Ever since collaborating Scott, has been on our Talk Show several times and now has a regular opinion piece in the magazine, perfect for us because he is one of the most respected names in the community.

Great sense of humour, fantastic taste in cars and the type of passion that can run with us.

Scott has made and will

I thing I love most about the community is there are so many different types of collectors you can meet and learn from. Talented photographers inspired me to get into taking better pictures. Artistic customizers encouraged me to strip and repaint cars and swap the wheels to get whatever look I wanted.

Thoughts on World peace?

Current favourite model, by who and why?

Shit, do I have to pick ONE favourite model?

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THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Ian Diasz @meiandiaz

This gentleman has been with us from the beginning of the magazine writing the first Customs Office article and encouraging us in every way to pursue perfection.

A master miniature craftsman himself, Ian has done some amazing customs that have travelled the world and sat on the actual cars that inspire him and his work. He has also done crazy customs by pairing 1/64 scale cars with lights, speakers and movable parts.

Our favourite being a VW T2 transporter in Falken Livery with a working engine.

Now, he graciously shares his knowledge and skill in our pages to help those interested in customising to get started in his new section Ian’s Custom Werks.

A true friend and creative genius!

How did you hear about CHM? For me, this is more of a ‘How do you know Lance & Nigel’ question. It’s been amazing to witness two likeable fellow collectors whose passion for the hobby saw them join forces to create this fantastic brand.

What do you love about the diecast community?

The diversity. Its reach covers the globe, and has people from all walks of life. Automotivethemed, its gender base is predominantly male, but I am glad to see that’s changing.

It is fantastic to see a greater female presence in the community, as there is now in motorsport.

Hopes for the community?

As hobbyists, we must be able to contribute to those in need. For example, if you are a customiser, you could make a stunning custom and auction it off for charity.

There is no better feeling than to know your hobby has helped better someone else’s life, even in the smallest way.

Thoughts on World peace?

We all wish for it and support it. But greed and lack of empathy is everywhere. Perhaps, common ground is one way to deal with it. One of the few things every single leader has wanted, owned or played with at some point in their lives are diecast cars?

Are we on to something?

Only time will tell .

Current favourite model, by who and why?

Impossible to favour a single one, given the variety that’s available! That said, as a customizer, I prefer working with Hot wheels castings.

Designers - the late Ryu Asada and Jun Imai.

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THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Nigel J De Zilwa @castheadsmag

They say... he was born with a handbrake lever in his hand. Some say he has petrol in his arteries, we say close, its Red Bull.

Meet the co-founder of CastHeads Magazine Nigel J De Zilwa and petrol-head turned CastHead. Which is how he coined the term. He met his partner in crime on a Social Media group and the partnership blossomed from there.

They would take long walks on the beach shooting pictures of scale models, watch sunsets together to catch the perfect light to shoot cars and take long morning drives to shoot scale models.

model collectors. As for Nigel, he’s living the dream surrounded by fast Italians, Muscle-y Americans and European attention to detail.

For world peace to happen people need to be more considerate and thoughtful of others

What do you love about the diecast community?

The Le Mans Porsches coming out from Solido are mind blowing and I love the entire selection my greatest wish would be to own them all.

I love the diversity, If governments practiced and encouraged the same principles the we would have a world full of people who understand the bigger picture. We are all one, sharing one planet with billions of scale models on it.

Current favourite model, by who and why?

Hopes for the community?

More understanding for one another, more encouragement which is what we try to do with Magazine, and of course equality.

Almost four years later Nigel leads the creatives on CastHeads Magazine which was the brainchild of the two and together have made Thoughts on World an entertaining source peace? for diecast and scale

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THE CAST of CASTHEADS ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

THE CAST of CASTHEADS

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Lance K Müller @castheadsmag

Lover of Hawaiian shirts, high-end timepieces and most of all, lover of all things diecast and scale models, Lance is one half of the OG Castheads team and part of the amazing collective of people making this media platform, one of the fastest-growing outlets dedicated to scale models in the world.

He loves talking to people and making connections with them so he gets to deal with all types of individuals from around the world and across many time zones, on a daily basis.

He is also a collector of almost any scale, and a car culture addict. He loves his rolling wheels, two, three, or four.

What do you love about the diecast community?

One thing, its a mad global family with all types of people. From crazy uncles

to that bro you can’t get along, or the cousin that shows off every new model he buys, but still invite to xmas lunch. Also there are all strata of people who share one love... irie Hopes for the community?

That we keep growing, passing on the love of collecting and finding meaning in the scale world as well as the real world.

That we get to show off as many people as we can.

Thoughts on World peace?

Current favourite model, by who and why?

I love the Toyota 2000GT and the latest to hit the market is the Majorette version with its details and opening parts just like the Tomica Premium. Can’t wait to see where MJT goes with the casting...the options are finite, just like the model, but most of them are oh so tasty. And they listened to collectors and changed the wheels from the pre-release version, to the one you see below, I think the first by a major model/toy maker.

Achievable... through the propagation of the art of diecast and scale model collecting. I mean honestly, would you have time for warmongering or politicking if you were busy with your collection and talking to other people from across the world? I think not. We might have mini bidding wars but it would be an utopia.

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GARAGE TORQUE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

RWB TSUNA MEEEEE EEEEEEE EEEEEEE EEEEEEE

If you are a huge RWB fan then it’s time to create more space in your fan cupboard.

Because in the coming few months Tarmac Works is going to be brutal to your wallet. They have a string of releases in the RWB catalogue, and these are the ones you should be looking out for.

TARMAC RWB

Based on the famous Jeans livery worn by the Porsche 956 LH at LeMans and driven

by Ayrton Senna, this tribute to Tarmac Works will be dropping very soon and will feature removable aero wheel covers. This will feature the large Aero wing and is based on a Porsche 993.

TIFFANY RWB

Famous for its iconic blue, this RWB gets dunked in a coat of Tiffany’s bluest aqua.

Which is a beautiful colour.

But, our eyes rotate towards those gorgeous black and burnt bronze lace wheels that complement the blue perfectly.

GARAGE TORQUE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

WAIKATO RWB Probably named so coming from RWB New Zealand. We are beside ourselves with joy because this livery tributes the old Rothmans livery we have seen on countless porches over the last 4 decades. This is going to sit right at home with all your similar livered Porsches.

TARMAC WORKS TW007

This is probably one of the most beautiful RWBs we have seen in a long time. Simple, stylish and all black, this is an understated beauty that has left the norm and settled for something less loud, but much classier. Titled TW007, this is Taiwan’s 7th RWB to hit their car scene hence the name TW007. We can’t wait to get our hands on this and add it to the collection.

FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

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FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Jim Click A DEALER IN PERFORMANCE

SALESMAN When you lay your eyes upon this beautiful Lotus Racing coloured GT40, your mind automatically goes to the racing legend Jim Clark. But, in my search for a good story, it turns out that this car had nothing to do with Jim Clark but had everything to do with a super smart FORD Dealership and race team owner Jim Click. In the 60’s and 70’s, many car dealership owners either raced or sponsored their own teams and Jim Click was a FORD man with a passion for Cobras and GT40s.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Unfortunately due to reasons unknown, this car along with several other super rare and notable Fords from the Jim Click collection came up for sale and were estimated to be worth a whopping 3.7 to 4.2 million dollars. A car that has had several owners and been used in many races mind you. Fortunately you can have one of your own for less than $100 from Solido, and it looks incredible.

There was a time when the word ‘budget’ would be mentioned and many elitist model car owners would run for the hills. There was an unspoken rule that expensive meant better -- times, however, have changed.

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

This year we are going to see a very revamped and charged brand as Solido steadily picks up points among collectors for the increase in quality.

This GT40 is the perfect example of that increase in quality. The paint job is perfect with a metallic green gloss and silver speckles in the paint to give it that extra shine. The yellow highlights are dark and rich, the rivets

that hold all the plexiglass in place are aligned and visible instead of the invisible bumps that used to pass off as rivets. The interior surpasses itself with fantastic details right down to including ac vets, something that could have been easily ignored.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

I am a huge GT40 fan and have been blessed with the ability to own more than one scale model, and I have to say that this one is a must have. It looks beautiful, the colours represent a motorsport legacy, the very same actual car was a race car with mileage behind it, NOT used as a museum piece, and it deserves to be remembered.

Now that Solido have gotten their quality up with great prices, all they need to do is bring more interesting cars like this to life in scale.

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MODERN WARFARE

When we were told that Solido was re-launching its military line, we were all excited and eager to see what would come of it. Would we see some old Panzer tanks, some Willys jeeps, we had many expectations.

But, we were slightly wrong. Soldio has taken a right turn at the design department and instead of giving us the usual World War stuff, we got some modern machines with war on the mind.

They come in acrylic boxes at 1:48 scale, which is really helpful because they have lots and lots of tiny fiddly bits like hooks and tows and really dainty antennas that can easily come off when dusting or shifting from place to place, which makes the protection already put in place really vital.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

M270/A1 ROCKET LAUNCHER Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin TYPE: Multiple Launch Rocket System Made In: US Rate of Fire: 12 Rounds per 40 Seconds Maximum Range: 300Km 80

This is not something you want to drop on your foot at all. It is freaking heavy and very nice. Lots of nice little details around from handles to antennas. But the coolest feature and something you would expect from a rocket launcher, the launcher turns and raises up on hydraulics, so you can have it armed and ready on your war shelf. Lights are painted on, and80 some of the accessories are moulded to the body; maybe Solido would do a more premium version with detachable bits.

Like the shovel, for example.

The tracks are quite cool with two individual gear wheels, six individual large rollers and two smaller alignment rollers at the top with a rubber track engulfing the set. The tracks do move a little stiffly but to be honest I didn’t give it a big push because I really didn’t want to damage this in anyway because it is such a fantastic display model. Solido say they have plans to replace the rubber tracks with a metal chain in future; maybe I’ll give that one an extra go.

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

M1115 HUMVEE Finally a scale model Humvee that actually looks like a Humvee and what it was originally designed for, war. This rhino styled vehicle was moved in to replace the ageing Willys jeep on which the US army had relied on for so long.

The landscape of war was changing.

From the 90’s onwards, the US found themselves in a changed theatre and the Humvee blasted on to the scene ready to be the army’s beast of burden to date.

The M1115 modelled by Solido is the Humvee’s 5th Generation model that has

more tactical gear and armour plating for the increase urban combat roles it was called in to play. The machine gun turret at the top rotates as do the wheels, and the windows have massive extruding frames to accommodate the thick bullet proof glass. Really loving these new military machines.

Manufacturer: AM GENERAL TYPE: Light armoured car Made In: US Maximum SPEED: 113KmPH

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

M60/A1 heavy tank

Manufacturer: Chrysler defence engineering TYPE: MAIN battle tank Made In: US MAIN GUN: 105MM SECONDARY GUN: .50 CAL BROWNING MACHINE GUN 82

This is the big daddy of America Tanks and has been in service from 1959.

Of course, over time, the armour has gotten more complex and the guns have gotten bigger. Various improvements and upgrades have been made, but the engine has reliably remained the same. A V12 Twin Turbo diesel engine that knocks out about 750Hp. Sadly, in a Mustang or Challenger, those are impressive numbers, but when you have 10in steel armour and weigh 56.2 tons you are looking at 0-40 in about 10 mins and a top speed of 45 Kmph.

The diecast model is super sturdy and suitably heavy, if ever you experience the need to defend yourself, this would make a deadly projectile. With a bit of coaxing, the weapons turret can be rotated and the tracks, with a bit of pushing, can rotate like our earlier mentioned rocket launcher. I’m really enjoying checking these models out because it’s a really nice way to get to know some really inaccessible machines.

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

M1128 MGS STRYKER Incidentally, this is the last year of service for the MGS with its decommissioning scheduled for 2022.

But these eight-wheeled monster is a beast on wheel. Multiple guns, armourplating and wheels saw a lot of action, specially in Afghanistan. Surprisingly, the engine is made by Caterpillar, which is a C7 turbo diesel engine.

As a model from Solido, this is cracking.

Rotating weapons turret and wheels, the machine gun mounted at the top with the larger canon on the side. One of the

nicer things about this is the fact that some of the accessories though, nonremoveable, have been painted on the side. Like the shovel on the right.

Manufacturer : general dynamics land systems TYPE: AFV ASSAULT Made In : US WEAPONs: 105MM CANNON .50 CAL coaxial machine gun 2 grenade launchers Top speed: 60Kmp

DIECARTIST

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

THE

POPPIN’ PICS OF

trekkster__t 84

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The ’gram* is a wonderful place if you are a diecast lover.

It’s a rabbit hole that takes you to a wonderful selection of diecast collectors, crafters and people who make nice things with them. Troy is a playa. He enjoys playing with his little diecast cars, doesn’t matter if they are sought after vintage Redlines, blackwalls or recent releases. *Instagram for older people

So we got in touch with him and wanted Troy to share his story with you.

Hi, am Troy and I’ve been collecting diecast cars since I was 3 years old. The first car I ever owned was a Hot Wheels Redline Green Mantis that my dad won as a White Elephant gift at one of his work parties.

The collecting bug took a hold of me in the early 1990s when Hot Wheels came out with their 25th Anniversary line. I continued to collect almost everything that Hot Wheels had to offer for the next 10 years when I decided to dial it back a bit. There were just so many different series and variations that it was impossible to keep up.

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Today, the majority of my collection consists of Hot Wheels but I also collect new and vintage Matchbox, Majorette, Ertl, M2, Green Light, Johnny Lightning, Kinsmart, Tomica, Lone Star, Corgi, and Husky. I collect mostly 1/64 scale diecast but I also have a dozen or so 1/24 and 1/18 scale vehicles.

Photographing diecast models is a new thing for me. I joined the Live and Let Diecast group on DriveTribe about over a year ago and that is where I got my exposure to the hobby of diecast photography.

I started with posting some pictures of Lone Star cars that I

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had and thought maybe other people would be interested in seeing them. It took off from there. I joined Instagram shortly afterwards and I have been posting pictures of diecast cars on both platforms ever since.

Lately, I started recreating some of the vintage Hot Wheels accessory box art and random action shots using some of the redline Hot Wheel cars and accessories that I have accumulated over the years. I kind of went off on a tangent when I started combining the latest 2021 Hot Wheels castings with vintage track accessories. It has a time warp sort of feel to it.

It is great to see how much the diecast hobby has grown in recent years and how much potential it holds with every new diecast toy company jumping into the mix. I hope it continues to grow in leaps and bounds in the years to come.

You can find him and follow his work on the ‘gram @trekkster__t.

Remember to like us on the ‘gram too @castheads

DIECARTIST

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

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BMW M850i Coupé “Edition Golden Thunder” Opening Parts! Pull-back Action!

Visit our website to see a wide range of fully licensed vehicles in multiple scales, designs and colours

The BMW logo and the BMW wordmark are trademarks of BMW AG and are used under License.

Chengzhen International Limited www.msztoys.com

Follow us

sales09@caipotoys.com

+852 2312 0610

@mszdiecast

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

DEUTSCHE TOURENWAGEN MASTERS RACING THE GERMAN WAY DTM SEASON STARTS JUNE 2021

Take some of the best European Grand Tourers, soup them up to performance levels, put some fast race drivers in them and let the games begin! It’s DTM time again and we will see Audi, McLaren, BMW, AMG and Ferrari get stuck into a new season that spans across Europe starting the end of this month. To celebrate, we got together some super decent DTM models you should definitely get yourself.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Mattias Ekström

AUDI RS 5 AUDI SPORT TEAM ABT SPORTSLINE DTM 2015 3rd Place Winner Bburago | Scale 1/36

One of the few men who can lay claim to beating Michael Schumacher, this guy has won the ‘Race of Champions’ three times, DTM champion twice and a FIA World Rally Cross champion. He is also very popular with Audi having driven for throughout his DTM career.

This is his Audi R5 that was developed specifically by Audi to take part in the DTM series and of course tuned to race by ABT. Bburago has done a great job of executing this in 1/36 scale and dropping into a nice acrylic display class so that you can line up all their DTM cars.

For a 1/36 scale model, you can see the detail is pretty decent. From the silver side exhaust to the front air splitter to the rear air diffuser, a lot of care has been given to honouring the licensing requirements and making sure that they have a great collectible replica rolling your way with everything the 1:1 version has.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Augusto Farfus BMW M3 TEAM RBM DTM 2013 2nd Place Class Winner Bburago | Scale 1/36

Young guy Farfus is a long time BMW driver who competes regularly in endurance races having completed LeMans and Daytona while clinching a few wins for DTM. His hottest win came in 2013 at DTM which he was placed 2nd driving this green beast in 2013

BMW Motorsport to DTM is like Ferrari to Formula 1. It would be inconceivable if BMW ever pulled out of DTM, leaving a legacy of many race wins over the decades. Bburago has two BMW M3s under its DTM Race and Play wing. We just love the way these cars look.

For the price range and packaging which includes an acrylic display box the details are pretty good. Honestly, though, these DTM cars really look the business. I do wish Bburago expands their line into more DTM cars, including Ferrari since they already have the licence.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Gary Paffett AMG MERCEDES C-CLASS THOMAS SABO RACING DTM 2012 2nd Place Winner Bburago | Scale 1/36

Another one of DTM’s royalty when it comes to racing. Starting his career in 1998, it has spanned many years, and he has seen many podiums and championship wins. Of course with the ‘ups’ comes the downs and 2014 was one of those terrible years.

Of course, this 1\36 AMG that he drove to second place in 2012 is perfectly cast by Bburago complete with the cool sponsor branding of Thomas Sabo watches across the side of the car.

Great attention to detail, which is there to give you the whole experience.

We particularly love the livery on this for its clean and simple look. The sort of branding that goes well with an AMG. Gloss black paint and all the branding in place, the Bburago designers know their shit.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Bruno Spengler BMW M3 BMW BANK RACING DTM 2012 Champion Bburago | Scale 1/36

Hailing from Canada this guy was a bit like the bridegroom never the bride. During the latter part of his DTM career, he was offered a seat in an F1 car twice but nothing ever materialized.

He did however win the DTM Championship in 2012 driving this BMW.

This is a real cool-looking championship winner, dressed up in Matt Black running for team BMW Team Schnitzer is another iteration of the DTM M3s done by Bburago. Again the attention to detail is so commendable.

Compared to actual pictures of the car that we have looked at thoroughly, all we can find is very good replication of these wonderful machines. Show your support for DTM this season which kicks off at the end of this month by ordering your new Bburago DTM cars.

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FEATURE ARTICLE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Jamie Green

AUDI R5 HOFFMAN GROUP DTM 2017 3rd Place Winner MSZ Models | Scale 1/36

This is the new Audi R5 raced by the Hoffman Group. What’s surprising is that this model is being made by a Chinese brand called MSZ. And in addition to what seems to be a very good casting that can rival it’s more expensive friends, MSZ has thrown in a few more options for a safe bet. Like light-up led lights and pull back function.

Yes, it does sound like a kids toy, but it looks and feels like a collectible.

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Racing for Team Rosberg, Jamie Green has consistently shown he has the pace by placing in top 3 but like a Lemony Snicket, he ends up with unfortunate event during the race and must drop down the order. His best race was in 2017, where he was leading the charge until in the last few laps, he developed a gearbox problem and dropped down to third.

FEATURE ARTICLE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Daniel Juncadella AMG C36 COUPÉ ADAC RACING MSZ Models | Scale 1/36

This delightful matt black AMG C 36 Coupe is another great example of how MSZ is such a great model car option at the right price. What most people don’t realise is that because MSZ produces under license, their models are actually very good and have to keep to the licensee standards. Especially with regard to motorsports cars that have multiple branding partners to answer too.

This relatively young driver came through to DTM from the Macau racing scene, which is dominated

by GT3 and Formula 3 series.

But his skill and speed have earned himself a place as test driver for the Williams team in 2013 which, was around the same time he came into DTM.

Like the Audi R5, this comes with LED lights and a pull-back option, that really crosses it into the line of toy. But when comparing it to other brands that are considered collectibles, the quality is pretty close. Although we don’t think keeping this in the box for a rainy day is going to be a great investment.

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BUILDERS BLOCK CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Welcome to another Builders Block edition and this time we take a look at the coolest thing I have ever set my eyes on. It is so cool that you can buy these at the Porsche Museum itself.

To me, that alone is a great marketing line.

If it’s good enough for Porsche, then it is good enough for me. If you say you are a Porsche lover, then prove it to everyone and order this right now.

What? Is ‘this’? ‘This’ is a fully functioning, mostly transparent housing, 1:4 Porsche 911 Boxer Engine.

That’s right! You can build your own non-combustion engine and display for all your friends to greedily see. I mean, anyone can have Porsche scale models in all shapes and sizes but how many of them know where to get a scale model of the engine. Now you know thanks, to us.

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Seriously, though, isn’t this the most amazing, fun and crazy model build you’ve ever seen or eve close? I think it is, and I love it. For starters, the scale at the end of the build is going to be 1:4, so have a space prepared to display this.

BUILDERS BLOCK CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

It is a scale replica of the famous 1966 Porsche Boxster engine fitted in to the iconic 911. This kit has been made according to the original drawings and contains 290 pieces. The real good news: no glue needed.

However, you will need batteries.

That is because this is also a working model that shows you exactly how the engine runs, using LED lights to simulate Combustion. A module will play the engine revving sounds, and the belt drive fan wheel will rotate. A platform for display is also provided.

I really haven’t been this excited in a long time.

A really fun way to spend time with the kids or even get to know for yourself how the heart of your favourite machine works. It’s educational, inspiring and is going to look fantastic on the bookshelf amongst the books as a display piece. And, it’s far more affordable than owning the real thing.

This is not the only engine model that FRANZIS has and we hope and pray they will be adding more. This is by far one of the best things to get personally or as a birthday gift for someone who loves cars and car culture; this is seriously one of those value-for-money buys.

We will be doing a full build-up video of our sample, so please subscribe to our YouTube channel to know when it’s up.

In our next issue, we will also feature the build-up in pictures.

IAN’S CUSTOMS WERKS CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

If not, you will have to use a knife to pry it open. Proceed with caution, as a slip of the knife can result in a nasty injury!

Welcome to part two of my guide to customising basics.

Hope you have been keeping well. In this months issue we will be looking at dismantling a diecast car with the intent of repainting it. A reminder that this is my take on how to do it.

The casting used is a Majorette Porsche 911 GT3 RS. This time round you will need the following A power drill Metal use drill bit (size 8) A small knife 600 grit sandpaper Paint remover (Paint stripper) A small brush A small wire brush A small container Liquid-proof gloves

Most of the diecast cars have the body riveted to the base.

Removing it is the biggest hurdle for most people who intend customising, as the possibility of damaging the casting or injuring themselves is high.

In all honesty, there is no way around this. You will have to familiarise yourself with the use of a power drill. This is a skill that builds up with experience, so practice on several test cars.

To remove the base, you need to cut through the rivet points securing it. You will also need a size 8 (or appropriate, depending on the size of the rivet) ‘metal use’ drill bit.

Gently drill out the rivets until the head has completely disappeared. Make sure the drill bit is new and you drill slowly.

Keep the drill bit centred to the rivet.

Once done, you should be able to easily pull apart the base from the body.

Afterwards, remove the centre section (seats) and then the window section. Each manufacturer has different components fitted in different ways, so take your time when dismantling these. Some brands rivet their windows down too, so extreme caution is a must when working with these, as they are prone to scratches and split easily. Also, look out for any other plastic or rubber parts that are attached to the body and carefully remove them.

Reason being, Paint remover can easily damage these. Usually spoilers and head-tail lights. On cars with opening parts, it is fine to leave the spring mechanism in place, provided that all parts are metal.

STRIP!!!

The viscosity of the remover can vary from water like liquid, to a hair gel like paste. If it’s liquid, submerge the casting in it. If it’s thick, you may apply it on with a small brush. Depending on the strength of the remover, you will notice the paint on the casting bubbling up. Usually, within a couple of minutes, the paint would have lifted off from the surface.

On to stripping paint from diecast cars.

There are many ways of achieving this such as scraping, sanding, use of solvents and a combination of these. With experience my method is a combination of them all. First is preparation.

Once you have the metal casting separated, cover it entirely in paint remover. It is a solvent based liquid that comes in various viscosities.

Extreme caution must be exercised when handling it. Do not let it come in contact with your skin. For novices, use of gloves and eye protection is a must.

If the casting you are working on is a premium one, older Matchbox, or as in this case a Majorette, there’s a chance the paint will not come off easily. In such instances, you will have to scrape the body in several places with a knife.

This will allow the solvent to penetrate the layers of paint. Additionally, you may have to brush out the paint using the wire brush whilst dipping it in the remover.

Once the paint is off, take the casting out and pour boiling hot water over it to neutralise the effect of the solvent.

Take care not to inhale the fumes. Once cooled down, it is safe to touch. Scrub and wash down with soap and water using the wire brush.

Now, examine the casting. If you notice tiny bits of paint clinging to the casting, you can use a knife to scrape it off and/ or sand it down with a piece 600 grit sandpaper. Reapplying paint stripper should be your last resort.

Use in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors. Also, do not use near sources of heat and fire. During this process, if you notice a sudden burning sensation on your skin, immediately wash the area with warm water.

It is recommended that you lightly sand the casting with sandpaper. It will help smoothen out minor irregularities on the surface of the casting, which contributes to a good finish. Take your time to look for imperfections.

Now you are ready for the primer. We will look at this in the next issue, so in the meantime, if you have a compressor and paint gun or airbrush sitting somewhere gathering dust, its time to get them ready for action. Till then, stay safe, everyone!

SPARE PARTS CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

, s t h Lig ra, e m Ca ! y a l p s i D 100

SPARE PARTS

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

me of ction to so a f o h c es u to O 1/64 cas K t a A H le e p h o T e ome fine p them.

Enter the eal. They c e d h l t a f g re o , in e s k h n o t m lo are am Custo sier than a , a re always e re e a D m Is rs fa . to d d c e a e k lf p ll Co ouseor she and flat pac play case fantastic m play options assemble to m e it for that dis e th dis IKEA rial. brings out with a few olly uality mate h q re e w f h o ly T e . n that really d o ls a e t m f their mod that are no t have that little essence o t u u b b l, s a n n optio function ng. are a millio ri o b re a them 99.99% of

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SPARE PARTS CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Wheels Don’t

These 102

Roll!Bro!

SPARE PARTS

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Some context before we roll on to the product. In the beging, benegging, binnegging... Been egging...

In the early days of our journey, we used to be part of a collector group, and these were the days when highly detailed 1:64 models like Tarmac Works and MiniGT started to show up on the collectors’ radars.

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SPARE PARTS CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

These models usually came in a display case and the car was screwed to a base plate, looking very expensive. They were, $25 or more against $1-5 usually spent on a 1:64.

So on one occasion when one collector were showing off the recently purchased model, another collector asked, if the wheels on this expensive diecast model, that cost about $50 with

shipping to Sri Lanka, rolled.

And the owner commented, “Wheels don’t roll, bro.”

And thus our private joke was born. Whenever we posted an expensive 1:64 diecast or resin model, we used to add the tag #wheelsdontroll on our posts. Okay, context provision over, now let’s get into these (holy!) rollers!

When your custom project need some sexy rollers, one brand that comes to mind is Monoblock Wheels. They’ve got something for all your 1:64 projects, and some of the biggest variety we have seen so far. From wheel types to colours, to brands.

There is something for all your projects, be it European, muscle or JDM movers.

SPARE PARTS

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

And one of the best things is that they provide the axles to install them easily.

There is a lot of chatter about changing wheels not being true “customising” but I think for the majority of collectors, that’s about as much as they can do to a new model. So yeah.

you start ordering your wheel sets. And its a painless process and service is excellent.

The made-to-order process starts right from the time

Keep an eye on Ian’s Custom Werks in upcoming issues to

And they have upgraded their axle system even more to make it easier for your project.

You are provided with and an axle tube with two pins.

be shown on how its done.

We are looking forward to putting Monoblock Wheels on most of our custom projects moving forward (pun intended) and, yes, a wheel change is a custom project innit? Lance Find more of their wheels on www.ShopMonoblock.com 105

FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING for orders over US$ 150 or EUR 130* www.jlhobbymy.com | jlhobbymy@gmail.com | O FFIC I A L E X CL U S I V E DI S T R I BU T OR F OR

JLHobby

*Conditions Apply. 1 Not all models have opening parts..

Available in multiple colours and models with opening parts 1

CASTHEADS COUTURE

CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Melding the worlds of street style and racing, adding a dash of European top-line marques then serving it with a little bit of hype is the new BMW Motorsport and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 themed footwear and apparel from our favourite kit maker PUMA.

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CASTHEADS COUTURE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

BMW M Motorsport Street Printed Men’s Tee

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BBURAGO BMW M3 1:32 #1 BRUNO SPENGLER

The BMW M Motorsports collection is a striking selection of funky pattern that is both reminiscent of camouflage patterns used in test mules (aka pre production cars) and /// stripes of the logo. We like how the entire collection is a mix of the vintage graphic tees with a sense of ultra-modern styling that speaks volumes about the marque its based on. It runs the gamut from street smart to street sleek and we are loving it all.

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BMW M Motorsport Printed Men’s Street Pants

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BMW M Motorsport RS-Connect Motorsport Shoes

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CASTHEADS COUTURE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Mercedes AMG F1 Street Graphic Men’s T-shirt

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The AMG Petronas Formula One Team collections brings the colours and the shapes of the podium winning F1 cars to its line of fully functional, stylish and tech oozing clothes. The collection is peppered with sophisticated silhouettes, colourful designs, oh so sexy lines and something for every type of fan. Getting out in them is a must. www.puma.com

BBURAGO MERCEDES AMG C COUPÉ 1:32 #11 GARY PAFFET

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CASTHEADS COUTURE CASTHEADS EXCLUSIVE

Mercedes AMG F1 Street Woven Men’s Pants

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Mercedes RS-X³ Unisex Shoes

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Solido M60/A1Heavy Tank - Desert Camo 1:48 scale Lance K Müller For Castheads Magazine

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SERIES #1

7 G N I T C E L L O !

C E N O Y R R E O R F FUNN FO E V G N I N TU

AANNDD

FU

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S E S I R P R SU

TUNEUPS.MAJORETTE.COM