TG57Roadmaster

Okay Brian, Here's one for your bud; I found it in a shop near here today. It's not perfect but I assume it's the Yonewaza (sp) he was talking about. They have it at $60 but will take $50...is it worth it? What may have been the red light on top is missing, but what's with the rod sticking thru the roof? Was it some twirly thing? I have 6 good shots of it, should anyone be interested. Tom Gibson

Hi Brian, Is that one creamy-dreamy original or what?! I think the Buy It Now price is a little steep, and Shell Beige isn't one of my fave colors for '57, but I lust after original, unrestored cars. My own '57 Model 73 Roadmaster Riviera Sedan (the Roadmistress) is half original, and there's just something about the patina of wear that really appeals to me. Also, I don't have pallets of cash laying around to lavish on her. She makes the circuit, lately at a recent AACA Roanoke Show, and will be appearing in Asheville, NC at the AACA Show in July. One look at her 17 years ago was all it took. As to the convertible you mentioned, it's rumored that it will be at the Spring Charlotte AutoFair Buick Show at Lowe's Motor Speedway...I sure hope so! Maybe Jay Leno will swoop down and use it for a bookend with his other '57 Rdmstr cvt! Truly, Tom Gibson

Greetings Buick fans, Here are a few more ideas for your bookshelf. In every car show I go to, I carry in my car the RED BOOK, a value guide for used & new car dealers. It's a small, pocket-sized book crammed full of data; Serial #'s by factory/assembly plants, engine & tire sizes, new for the year features, weights, wheelbases, FOB & used car prices...really too much to list. I keep them in the trunk in a cigar box & they're INVALUABLE for on the spot research; like having a mini travelling encyclopedia. I have them from 1979-1926 (each one covers @ 7 model years, so you only need 7 or 8 overlapping issues to cover many decades). We actually changed the BCA judging manual some years ago re tire sizes for a '47 Roadmaster, based on info in the Red Book. For many years, they even include front end pix of all models for easy identification & include domestic, foreign & truck data. You can find find them on ebay & at swap meets for not much money. Attached is a page from a '51 Red Book covering '50 & '49 Buicks. Look what you can learn from them! The only ones that matter are the ones that cover the 3-month period (@300 pages); the thinner monthly issues only have prices and are not good for reference. Natch' you'll want the other books mentioned above, but I disagree about MOTOR's Flat Rate Manuals; it doesn't hurt to have a few around to give you an idea of how long a typical job will take when you start turning wrenches on your car. Also, pick up the shop manual updates that affected the running changes made each year for any given model; they're usually bound at the end of the model year, but you can find them separately as well. You'll be surprized what you'll find in them. Lastly, consider investing in the Salesman's Fact Book for your year of car; they can be pricey, but are chock full of important data. The earliest one I have is for 1934, plus a '40 & a '57. Expect to pay $100-300 (OUCH), but they really are worth it. There's much, much more out there than you'd expect, and as the saying goes, Knowledge is Power. Happy Collecting! Tom Gibson

You're right, Brian, the BUGLE used that image for their December 2000 issue, for which I was really honored & flattered. Too bad C.A. didn't have your SUDA Buick included in the '59 GM issue; tins are way cool, I just wish I could afford more of them! Tom Gibson

Hi Brian, That's a sweet Buick you have there. I only have 2 tins, a mint '58 Olds Super 88 cvt (7.5"long) and the '59 Bandai Fleetwood in decent shape in gold. The latest issue of Collectible Automobile features '59 GM cars, with a nice listing of toys in the back of the mag, including some tins. You should email them pix of your Electra. As for the painted chrome trim, have you thought about stripping the paint off & using Bare Metal Foil? It's a very good product, quite forgiving, for rechroming metal, wood or plastic. I've used it with great success to pick out the chrome detail on otherwise plain 1:43rd scale models, like the '58 Series 75 Limo in the Xmas card attached. Tom Gibson

Thanks Brian, I'll have to keep my eyes out for one of the '59's. Here are a couple more pix, this time me beside our '56 Mercury Custom (aged 8 months), then one in late '61, with our new baby sis', Kathy; I'm holding a '60 Ford promo. Seems like it's ALWAYS been about the cars! Thanks again to the "expert"; he really knows his stuff. Tom Gibson

Many thanks to VMCCA and Dave Stucker for correcting and updating the formerly mis-captioned photo to which I referred. The accompanying article does much to shed light on a fascinating period of our automotive heritage...now when you look up 1911 Glidden Tour on the web, you get a real history lesson! Sincerely, Tom Gibson

Greetings, Maybe your '59 Buick buddy can clue me in to the tin toy I'm sleeping with on Xmas Eve, then holding in my hand on Xmas day. I think it's the holidays of 1959, but may be 1960, tho' I doubt it. It's definitely a '59 Buick Flattop (I checked it out with a photo lupe), and that's my brother LLoyd with me...I remember the quilt well, it's too bad about his head being left out of the other shot. What an awesome display your friend has created! Tom Gibson Anderson, SC

I wish a had a dollar for every time I've dreamed of finding a toy shop like Terry Bond did. Literally DREAMED about it! The closest I came was in a shop on the square in a small town in Belgium in 1970; picked up the Matchbox Santa Fe Railroad Engine in it's original box. Then, in about 1990, I found an even older version (more brass painted on the funnels, etc.) at a local antique mall for 5 bucks. Talk about the dealer not knowing what they had! Tom Gibson

This is something you might enjoy, as well. Tom Gibson

Are you also going to include in your event the fabulous REO Royale, designed by Amos Northup? It's a pity he died so young. I recently came across a gorgeous '31 Conv. Coupe ad in a 1931 FORTUNE Magazine issue. Tom Gibson Anderson, SC

The Standard Catalog of American Cars shows this exact auto, a 1922 Lexington Thoroughbred Touring Car, on page 794 of the 1985 First Edition. It's unmistakable, with the seven raked hood louvers and unique curved runningboards fore & aft. Thanks to the others for pointing the way to the Lexington. Tom Gibson, Anderson, SC

Hmmm, That's an intriguing handle you got there good buddie...can't help you with the Lincoln, but are you into Le Paquebot Normandie, perchance? Tom Gibson. Anderson, SC

Hi Barry, For the history of the Continental cars, consult the ultra comprehensive "Standard Catalog of American Cars" in original & revised editions, authored by Beverly Rae Kimes, renowned automotive historian, available by Krause Publications. You'll find the '33-'34 Continental, manufactured in Grand Rapids, MI; in '33, their models included the Beacon, the Flyer & the Ace. The Beacon, a 4-cyl. car had a 2-pass. roadster on a 101.5" wheelbase, & the Flyer, a 6-cyl., had a 2-pass. roadster on a 107" wheelbase. The 6-cyl. Ace (114' WLB) had no open models. By '34, no doubt because of the Depression, the model line consisted of only the Beacon 4-cyl. with a coupe, 2 & 4 door sedans & a Deluxe 4-door sedan. At the end of '34, Continental went back to being an engine supplier to "assembled car" manufacturers, also supplying a variety of industrial engines. My Great-uncle Bill, still kicking at 92, had a bunch of Continental industrial engines in an old, unused church that he bought in L'Anse, MI, to store his stuff when he sold his auto parts store in that town many years ago. Also in that church was a '23 Dort sedan (Flint, MI) that I'm still hoping to acquire from him. Wish me luck. See also; Norman DeVaux of DeVaux-Hall Motors. The Standard Catalog pictures a '33 Beacon roadster. Hope this helps, Tom Gibson, Anderson, SC

Greetings, Does anyone out there have production figures for '55 Chevy trucks; specifically Series 3600, 6 cylinder, 123.25-inch wheelbase, GVW 6900 lbs, chassis/cab J models? Also, is there a book with year-by-year production numbers, like Consumer Guide's various auto encyclopedias? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Tom Gibson

Joe, Your best bet on promo history is to get in touch with Dennis Doty, who writes for the excellent Collectible Automobile Magazine. He covers scale models for them & is a walking encyclopedia of scale model history. I don't have a phone # for him, but go to C.A.'s website & I'm sure you'll be able to reach him. Happy collecting, Tom Gibson, Anderson, SC

Gosh, I wish I'd had a governess...even if she did have to schlep around in an old repainted Bug! I don't remember how those 'Stangs came boxed originally, tho' I do recall seeing an ad for them in the past 10 years or so. Whether it's a garage or not, we all know the original packaging increases the value of any item considerably. She needs to find that box; enquiring minds like mine won't rest till we know! TG

Steve, Thanks again for the kind words. I've never met, but have heard of Munchkin Motors. My brother & I both got those Mustangs for Christmas in 1966, sold thru local Ford dealers for $9.95, if memory serves. I wrecked both of them, but picked up the mint example you see at the 1984 Miami Toy Show---for $150! (Almost mint, it's missing one of the dual exhaust pipes). Have no idea what they're worth now. They had a '66 Mustang coupe in orange, as well, for Christmas of '65, but I think the '67 fastback is cooler. I've always loved the early attempt at fiber optics with the head & taillights served by the lightbulb on the chassis, with thick clear plastic tubes snaking their way to front & rear. Talk about your Modern Marvels, 60's style! Next time you're at Hershey, check out Bob Hooper at Dominion Models, strictly 1/43rd scale. He has a great website at www.dominionmodels.com; good prices & lots of variety in many price ranges. Tom Gibson

This doesn't apply to Matchbox cars, but here goes, You've got your collection displayed just the way you like it, but how do you share it (and that aspect of the hobby) with others? You can bring some of your stuff to a car club meeting, or have a party, or whatever. In my experience, some type of damage/unwanted handling always occurs. In 1989, I decided to make a Xmas card with my 1/43 cars. Went to the mall & got a Dept. 56 "Snow Village" house, set it up w/some cars on the dining room table & shot away w/ a Nikon 6006 35mm SLR. The result was an out of focus, but useable image that I sent out anyway. Just mounted the 4x6 pix on card stock. The problem was with the camera's lack of depth of field, and I resolved to correct it. I met a local photograper, just as crazy as I am, who said, "Bring your stuff in and we'll see what we can do." Using his larger format RB-67 camera & professional lighting, we had great results; full depth of field focus & astonishing detail. It was then (1990) I decided to create a line of Xmas cards to share with the hobby. (My original intention was to shoot real cars in winter conditions, but the logistics were nigh on to impossible to pull off). So began a series of 6 Christmas cards advertised in Hemmings, Old Cars Weekly, etc. They've sold all over the planet and have been a great way to share the joys of collecting scale model cars with others. They're all labors of love, and great fun to create. I've attached "Pop's Christmas Corner", perhaps my favorite, for your edification. One last note, PLEASE take pictures of your collections for insurance purposes & put them in a safe place. Over the years, we tend to forget how valuable our little treasures become, especially those that are out of production. It wouldn't hurt to make a list or computer file with price paid, current estimated (replacement) value, rare color, etc. Besides, when it's time to dust (even closed cases require it), you have a pictorial record of just what went where. See you at the next Toy & Model show! Tom Gibson

Okay kids, one more. Out of all the scale models available, perhaps my favorite is 1/43rd. I literally stumbled on the BEST way to show them off, again in Manhattan, about 1986. A store had changed hands & they were in the process of throwing out the old stuff. Among that refuse was this 1968 Timex Watch display case, in perfect condition. A friend helped me carry it home, and it's been a treasure ever since. It stands about 5.5 feet tall & fits perfectly with my Machine Age/Mid-Century decor. It's lit (round fluorescent bulb), it spins, & it holds 45 cars; to me, way better than a fish tank! These displays come in all different sizes, tabletop, round, square, free-standing, etc. Over the years, the best way I've found to locate them is to go to an old mom & pop drugstore and ask if they have any in back or in storage. As part of their agreement w/Timex (or whatever company), they paid for the display along with the first shipment of watches. As time went on, they eventually wound up in a back room, or upstairs, or the basement. I've found 2 different floor models (the one here reminds me of an old TV tube!), and 3 tabletop models. They're hard to find now, 'cause antique dealers snatch 'em up for antique mall booths. I'm sure I'm not the 1st to discover this method of display, but boy, I sure do love it; I never tire of it! "Hey, here comes the '54 Olds Starfire!" Happy Collecting! Tom Gibson

Steve, This post applies to all of us who struggle with ways to display our collections. As a "generalist", I collect whatever scale suits my fancy; it ranges from the very smallest to much larger, has to be a good rendition, and they come in all price ranges. I found this English china cabinet in 1985 when I lived in Manhattan; paid @ $325 for it. You can still find them under $400, depending on condition & suitability to your needs. I put a light inside, had an extra piece of glass cut (it came w/2 glass shelves), and had a mirror cut to fit. The result speaks for itself. Not only is it a beautiful (in my mind) piece of furniture, but it makes a great dust-free environment for display. Another display will follow. Tom Gibson

Thanks Steve, Yes, that Toyota Crown Wagon is 1/64th scale...hard to fathom given the detail. I was going to put it in my open-to-the-air (& dust) display, but it's too nice to let it get dusty. It'll have to go in a closed case. I've included a straight-on shot of that display here, in my old place. Under it is an English china cabinet from the late-30's, adapted to a car/automobilia display. It & another display idea will follow. Thanks for the good words! Tom Gibson tg57buic@bellsouth.net

After my lengthy previous post about Matchboxes, Tomy Pocket & Hot Wheels cars, I did a little digging and found some up-to-date info on Tomica products. Since 1970, they've been producing @ 1/64th scale die-casts, lately concentrating on vintage Japanese cars. Imagine my delight to find on ebay a really sweet 1/64th scale 1968 Toyopet Crown Station Wagon in their "Limited Vintage" series, listed from a dealer in Japan. It took 2 weeks to arrive, but was WELL worth the wait. NEVER in my 40+ years of collecting have I run across a more detailed, exquisite rendition of a car in that small scale. Individual teensy plastic headlights & taillights, chrome trim to the Nth degree; truly a marvel to behold. This might begin a whole new era of collecting for me, even tho' they're Japnese models. Toyota did import the real Crowns, starting in the late-50's, but focused mainly on the west coast market. I've enclosed my new beauty for your perusal & enjoyment. Happy collecting, Tom Gibson

Make sure you check out the April 2006 issue of Colletible Automobile, featuring '59-'63 Invictas. The back page has a gorgeous '60 Invicta Estate Wagon, Model 4635, 2-seats; production 3,471. The Pearl Fawn/Tahitian Beige beauty has the Custom bucket seat option. More '60 coverage is in the story, but how many wagons do you think came w/buckets?! My latest BCA Roster (2001) shows 1 Model 4635, with the same owner as in the CA article. I called CA's Editor, John Biel, to see if I could add the photo as an attachment here, and he declined, stating they'd prefer not to have their artwork floating @ the internet. So just go buy the mag, if you don't already subscribe. Tom Gibson