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Stock #24389 |
CB's Die Cast Review: January 1, 2000 |
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2000 First Editions #6
Nine of the first 36 First
Editions for Year 2000 have been announced, and pictures of an additional nine cars have
been floating around the Web. Six of the cars actually were widely released before
the end of 1999, and one of them is the nifty looking Deuce Roadster.
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This little hot rod, which appears to be based on a 30's Ford, consists of a metal body
and chassis, with a plastic interior, clear plastic windshield and chromed plastic radiator
and hood scoop insert. The relief on the body and chassis are extremely well done,
with the intricate exhaust pipes cast as part of the chassis. The zinc-plated chassis
relief also includes oil pan, drive train, mufflers, radiator and suspension detail.
The body carries a beautiful coat of blue-tint zinc plating, and has taillights cast in back,
as well as door, hood and trunk lines cast throughout. There are no decorations tamped
on the car at all. A tiny HW logo is cast into the body low on the passenger side, just
behind the door.
The headlights are part of the chromed plastic insert, sitting at the height of the front
axle just inside each wheel. The air scoop has more detail than usual, including tiny
vents inside. The exposed portions of the motor also are part of the chromed plastic
piece. The interior is molded in black plastic, and employs the fold-up sides and
dashboard design. Pedals are molded into the floor. The roll bar, part of the
dashboard section, folds over the interior and locks into the body. A drag parachute
bag sits on the rear, and also is part of the interior part. The windshield is clear
plastic. The car rides on five-spoke wheels - standard wheels up front and extra large
slicks in the back, giving the car a slight rake. The car currently is manufactured
in Malaysia.
I like this car for a number of reasons. Besides the fact that it has an all-metal
design, I like the zinc plating on the body, which allows all of the intricate details to
show. In its current version, this car is a dream for one who loves to customize
Redlines, as the body finish is prepped perfectly for transparent paint to simulate a
Spectraflame finish. How long the car is produced in this configuration is anyone's
guess, since it is more expensive than the standard paint over non-plated metal. This
is the first car with a zinc-plated body since the Sol-Aire CX4 and some of the
Ultra Hots releases in the early 1980s, so enjoy it while it lasts.
