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Stock #28751 |
CB's Die Cast Review: April 25, 2001 |
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2001 First Editions™ #14
Mattel has
released a model of the 1971 Plymouth GTX in the First Editions series.
I know this is a basic line car, but I was expecting more. The last two
muscle cars modeled in the basic line from that era, the `70 Road Runner
and `70 Chevelle SS, were exceptional pieces of craftsmanship when they
first appeared. The 1970 Plymouth GTX looks good at a glance, but
under closer inspection it doesn't measure up to the other two models.
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Plymouth introduced the GTX package as the top of the line option for the
Belvedere in 1967. Basically, this package consisted of a big block
motor with the police and taxi options added. The Road Runner also
was a package option, and when the Belvedere was dropped after 1970, the
Road Runner and GTX continued as actual models in the Plymouth line, as did
the Satellite, which earlier was spawned from the Belvedere. The
model year 1971 brought sweeping changes to the body styling, featuring
a more streamlined aircraft-inspired appearance. The `71 GTX
was arguably the most powerful Chrysler of the time, with the 440 block
and six barrel carburetor generating 375 horsepower and traversing the quarter
mile from standing still in under fifteen seconds.
Having already produced the 1971 GTX in 1:43 scale for the Collectibles line,
Mattel repeated the task for the 1:64 basic line. While the First Editions
model does not feature the level of detail found in the larger model, I was
pleased to see the car modeled to scale overall, without blown motors,
exaggerated exhausts and the like. The die-cast body is painted lime
green enamel and features moderate relief. The chassis is chromed plastic,
and includes the taillights, rear bumper and side rocker panels.
The headlights / front grill also is chromed plastic, and appears to be a
separate component from the chassis. The interior is black plastic,
with moderate detail on the dashboard and front seat area, and light detail
in the back. The glass is blue-tinted plastic and features a Hot Wheels
logo cast into the rear window, eliminating the need for the trademark tampo
on the body. The hood bulge is tamped in black. The car rides on
standard five-spokes and is manufactured in Malaysia.
This is the First Editions car I was most looking forward to seeing, and now that
it's here, I have mixed feelings about it. While the model scales out well
to the prototype, the detail is not as strong as it could be in a number of
areas. The window trim and door lines blend together, suggesting doors
that are not completely defined. The headlights are concave instead of
convex, so they appear to be sockets instead of lenses. Thankfully, the
model debuted with the standard five spoke wheels -- but must every muscle car
come equipped with fat slicks now? And a paint mask for the hood would
have been better than a large tampo, which never covers as well.
