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Car Lovers Find Diecast Models of All Your Favorites

Die-cast toys are created using a popular industrial production method. Molten metal is forced into mold cavities, which are then turned into die castings. Most castings use non-ferrous metals like lead, pewter, copper, magnesium, zinc, aluminum, and tin. The method is prized for its accuracy and quality, specifically with regard to small parts. Though it is known for numerous applications, die-casting is famous for its contribution to the collectible model and toy markets.

Because of its incredible accuracy, die-casting is able to produce model toys that maintain dimensional consistency. That is, they are highly-detailed, much smaller scale replicas of the original vehicles, often a car, truck, train, plane, or motor cycle. Models are typically made from one of the aforementioned metals along with rubber, plastic, and sometimes glass.

Die-cast models first became popular in the early 20th century. Companies like Dinky Toys (UK) and Tootsies Toys (US) produced simple miniatures of popular vehicles types like the van and the bus. Many of these toys were made with cheap alloys that would crack after only a few years, which is why die-cast models made before the Second World War are hard to find. The problem was addressed with the introduction of a new, purer alloy called Zamak (mostly Zinc).

When the war ended, a British manufacturing company named Lesney began distributing die-cast toys on a large scale. One of their first lines of miniature vehicles became an instant hit. They called the set Matchbox and sold them in different series. For example, the Matchbox 1-75 line had 75 different vehicles in the series. The point was to try to collect them all.  They were called “matchbox cars” because they were sold in small boxes that resembled matchboxes.

The Matchbox line of cars and vehicles was largely responsible for the popularity of die-cast toys and collectibles during the 1950s. Though they were a worldwide hit, most die-cast companies were located in either the U.K. or the U.S. By the end of the Fifties, die-cast companies were competing in a crowded marketplace.

The popularity of the die-cast miniatures showed no signs of waning through the 1960s. In fact, a new line of model vehicles from toy maker Mattel challenged Matchbox as the world’s top die-cast toys. They were called Hot Wheels and they were a sleeker, more stylish alternative to the twenty-year-old Matchbox line.

At the same time, companies began to produce new die-cast vehicles to give away to clients as promotional items. A major shift in the target audience occurred when industry insiders reported that some adults were purchasing these models as collectibles. Many of them had played with miniature models as children and they were willing to spend considerable sums of money on replicas.  

Scale

Unlike plastic model kits, most die-cast vehicles come preassembled. Their price is often based on their size or scale. For example, the typical Matchbox or Hot Wheels car is 1:64 scale and quite affordable. By comparison, a larger model like the 1:12 scale is not intended for children. Often about 14 or 15 inches long, their level of detail is unparalleled in the die-cast model market. This typically means real glass in the windows, rubber in the tires, and an incredibly realistic interior. Let us take a moment to review our favorite American models.

Since die-cast toys reached the height of their popularity during the 1950s, many of the most famous models are based on classic cars from the Fifties.

Elvis Presley’s 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Pink

Few vehicles have had as much of an influence on music history as the 1955 Pink Cadillac owned by the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Not only did Elvis sing about the car in his own songs, but legendary vocalists like Aretha Franklin and Bruce Springsteen have taken a turn. The car was famously painted pink (Cadillac did not offer the car in that color) and was given from Elvis to his mother Gladys as a gift shortly before she died.  It is the only one of Elvis’s many cars on permanent display at his former home, Graceland.

When it comes to die-cast models, the Franklin Mint released a gorgeous replica with steerable wheels, rubber tires, and a detailed interior and engine compartment. The model is 1:24 scale and is comes with a miniature guitar. It can be found online for around one hundred dollars.  

1957 Chevy Corvette Convertible

In addition to being one of the most eye-catching automobiles of the decade, the ’57 Chevrolet Corvette was also one of the fastest cars on the road. It was the premier sports car of its day with two-seats, a four-speed transmission, and an enormous 283 cubic inch fuel-injected engine.  The Corvette was available in both hardtop and folding soft top versions. Most surprising of all, perhaps, was the incredible influence the model had considering its scarcity. Fewer than 6400 until were manufactured. The car remains one of the most sought after die-cast models on the market.

1959 Chevy Impala

With its gull-wing rear-fender, tear drop tail lights, white-wall tires, and distinctive tailfins, few cars say 1950s America like the ‘59 Chevy Impala. Not only was it Chevrolet’s most expensive model, but it was also the bestselling automobile in the U.S. It is no wonder then that Impala is one of the most popular die-cast models in history. The 1:18 scale version is easy enough to find online and only costs thirty or forty dollar. The larger and more detailed 1:12 scale model, on the other hand, is much pricier and harder to find.

Hi guys, just showing you part of my die-cast Helicopters.

People all over the country have different hobbies. Some people collect model trains, some people collect books, baseball cards, movies, music, or bobble heads. One of the most popular hobbies around today is the collection of die cast cars. Die cast cars are popular because not only can the person with the hobby build the model that they have purchased but they can put that model in a glass case and display it at their house or office. They could also construct the model, frame it, and then sell it for a tiny profit.

Many people collect die cast cars as a hobby and enjoy attending model car shows where you can purchase old models and new model kits to work on. The die casting method is the use of metal and plastic. The metal that is used is zamak, which is an alloy of zinc and aluminum. Die cast toys come in scale models of fire trucks, police cars, airplanes, construction equipment, trains, buses, trucks, automobiles, and motorcycles.

These scale models can be assembled by the person purchasing them or can be purchased already assembled and ready for display. The fun part of the hobby is purchasing the kit and then assembling the model when you get home. You can build the car, paint it and then set it out for display. The die cast toy industry began in the 1940s in the United States and has grown in popularity ever since. Some of the most popular cars in the die cast world are Matchbox cars. Matchbox cars are incredibly small models of cars that kids enjoy playing with or collecting on a daily basis. One line of Matchbox cars, the 1-75, was named 1-75 because there are always 75 different vehicles in the line. Each car was packaged in its own box and the box looked like it was small enough to hold matches, hence the name Matchbox cars.

Mattel first introduced the Hot Wheels brand in 1968 because of the complaints that there were no toys for boys being produced by the company. Mattel is also famous for their Barbie doll collection for girls. Die cast cars became so popular that McDonald’s, Sears Roebuck, Kodak, and Texaco asked toy makers to make vehicles with their business name and likeness on them for advertising purposes and to sell to collectors in their popular stores.

Along with collecting die cast cars, manufacturing companies also produce racetracks, toy restaurants and toy filling stations for children to play with while using their model cars. The racetracks have become increasingly realistic over the years, with cars being electronically driven on the tracks by the players as well as being propelled from the starting line in a pin-ball like manner. Aside from the cars and the accessories, companies also provide carry cases for people to put their die cast cars in when traveling. So, if you are going on a family vacation and your son or daughter wants to bring their cars with them, the carry case can hold their cars perfectly.