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Stock #24395 |
CB's Die Cast Review: September 30, 2000 |
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2000 First Editions #26
Shoe Box,
the First Editions offering based on the 1950 Ford, has recently become easier
to find in most areas of the country. More popular than first thought, it is becoming a
favorite of collectors and customizers alike.
This will be a popular casting, mostly because of the potential customizing that can be done.
The car has good heft in spite of the plastic chassis, so it should perform well for the kids.
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The 1950 Ford featured the innovations that were introduced in the prior year such as
independent front suspension, smooth-sided integration of the body and fenders and rear quarter
side windows that opened. Sales of the 1949 model helped Ford increase their profits by an 88%
margin, which was a sorely needed boost in the postwar years. Healthy sales in 1949 and beyond
allowed Ford to reorganize and expand operations, and started a period of prosperity for the
corporation that lasted 30 years.
The First Editions model has retained most of the features of the full-sized automobile.
Noticeable modifications include a slightly chopped roofline, as well as larger rear wheel wells.
Details on the die-cast body, painted taxicab yellow enamel, are faithful to the prototype.
The blown engine protrudes through an opening in the hood, and if you look into the opening
you can see some of the engine detail that is mostly obscured. The engine, front grill and
interior are molded into one chromed plastic insert. The chassis is formed of black plastic,
and most of the underbody detail is nondescript. The dual rear muffler-tailpipes extend beyond
the body and are visible when viewing the rear of the car. The glass is tinted in a garish deep
magenta hue that makes it difficult to see the interior details.
Noticing that there were additional motor details that were nearly hidden from view, we decided
to disassemble one of the models. We found that there is indeed additional engine relief.
We also discovered a diamond tread pattern on the floor of the chassis, which is impossible to
see given the current makeup of the car. Hopefully in the future, the casting will be released
with clear windows to allow some of the details to be seen.
Shoe Box rides on those nifty second-generation chrome wire lace wheels that were introduced
on the Chaparral 2 in 1998. The car really looks good with these wheels. Current versions of
the car are arriving with a new 2000 version of a five-star-spoke thin-tire wheel that looks awful
compared to the wire version. Obtain the original issue of the car if you have a choice.
There are flame decorations tamped on either side of the car that extend from the front wheel well.
The colors fade from red to maroon on this example, but there have been reports of pink-to-maroon
and salmon-to-maroon fades as well. Since these are toys, this could be due to wide tolerances
in the printing inks. This will become clearer as the circulation of the car increases. As usual
with initial releases, the car is manufactured in Malaysia.
