Sunday, August 31, 2014

Jaguar XK120: The Post-War Jag

Jaguar had intended to resume SS100 production after World War II, but the new era called for a new car.  The marque introduced the Jaguar XK120 in 1948. It featured a more aerodynamic form and more powerful.  The XK series also became a legend on the racing circuit.

Jaguar XK120 - Photo by Jlotman (Rod Hatfield) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

According to Wikipedia, in 1949, a Jaguar XK120 reached a record 132.6 miles per hour in speed runs at raceway in Belgium. It was a fast car for its time. Today, it is popular car among diecast car collectors.


Here is a video review of the Jaguar XK120:

Sunday, August 24, 2014

The First Ferrari - The Type 125S

The first Ferrari was the Type 125S.  It made its debut in 1947 and was powered by a 1.5 liter V-12 engine.  It won 6 of 14 races that year including the Grand Prix of Rome.

By Herranderssvensson (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

 The Ferrari 125S came in a Spyder Corsa version and a full-bodied roadster version.  The Roadster version is readily available as a die-cast car.




Here is a Ferrari 125s seting forth into traffic as part of a relay:

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Jaguar SS100 - The Foundation of a Sporting Marque

Jaguar was born as the Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922.  Success in building aerodynamic sidecars for motorcycles led them to creating beautiful coachwork for cars. In 1926, the company moved to a larger facility and was renamed the Swallow Sidecar and Coachbuilding Company.  They were soon making coachwork for the popular Austin Seven.

By Brian Snelson from Hockley, Essex, England (Jaguar SS100 motif) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
 Over the ensuing decade, the company evolved from making body work for chassis from Austin to getting chassis made for them to making complete cars.  In 1935, the company became known as SS Jaguar.  The SS 100 was their first bona fide sports car and it solidified the companies reputation. 


The SS Jaguar 100 was first made with a 2.6 liter engine that could do 0 to 60 in 12.3 seconds with a top speed of 94 miles per hour.  When more displacement was offered in the form of a 3.5 liter engine, the first cat leapt to a blistering 101 miles per hour with a 10.9 second 0 to 60 time.  The car  won the 1938 Alpine Rally.
Add captionBy Solander (User created) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons
Today, you can own a diecast replica of the car from Amazon.



Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Die-cast Test Drive: Maisto 1:24 Scale 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Model Review

Modern MOPAR Power and Looks Depicted in a Maisto Die-cast Model If you love modern muscle cars, you might enjoy this 1:24 scale die-cast model from Maisto. It captures the essence of a powerful MOPAR masterpiece in an affordable metal model for your desk. I'd love to have a modern muscle car. If I close my eyes, I can imagine the throaty rumble of an idling V-8. I can hear the engine roaring and see myself rushing onto the highway at alarming speed. Of course, as an adult, I can also envision hefty insurance premiums, expensive fill-ups, and the fines associated with a "super-speeder" ticket. Mid-life crisis cars aren't cheap. But, the vision and the dream always lurk in the recesses of my mind. That's why it was fun to recently pick up a 1:24 scale die-cast model of the powerful Dodge Challenger SRT8 on a whim. It adds a little flavor to the dream.



Criteria. We can all imagine what it would be like to drive a real Dodge Challenger SRT8. We can see it, taste it, smell it, and yearn for it. But, how does the Maisto 1:24 scale Dodge Challenger SRT8 stack up? Is it a good rendition of the real car? Is it well made? Is it a good value? Those are the questions that this review will strive to answer.



Accuracy. A quick Bing image search will reveal plenty of beautiful photographs of the real life 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. It's an exciting car. The Maisto Dodge Challenger SRT8 model captures much of that excitement. It's a $10 to $15 model. But, it captures the lines well. The model has the same classic 5-spoke muscle car wheels. The hood opens and the engine looks just like the engine of the real SRT8 right down to the hose leading from the air filter compartment to the engine. Since this is an inexpensive model, the entire engine compartment is just a molded piece of plastic that depicts the real engine compartment in relief. Paint is used sparingly but accurately. As you move along the body, you'll find that the door handles and fuel cap are merely impressions in the metal. On the real car, the fuel cap offers a shiny chrome contrast to the cars body. The interior compares well to pictures of the real car. The steering wheel, center console, and seats appear surprisingly accurate. The instrument cluster is represented by a sticker that shows a wider separation between the instruments than is pictured in the real car. For less than $20, the Maisto Dodge Challenger SRT8 is a great rendition of the popular muscle car.




Workmanship. The fit and finish of the Miasto SRT8 are very good for a mass produced die-cast model. The doors and hood fit well. The front wheels were steerable, but not with the steering wheel. The body and bumpers fit together well. The rear view mirrors were actually shiny, but in normal handling one of them came just a little loose. If this car were used by kids for actual play, the mirrors would probably come off easily. I didn't see any obvious flaws in the paint, decals, or stickers. If you look closely at the wheels, you might think you detect a hint of flashing (excess plastic), but even using a magnifying glass it isn't obvious. This model is surprisingly well made.



Value. The Maisto 1:24 scale Dodge Challenger SRT8 successfully evokes the image and style of it's real life namesake. It's well detailed and doesn't have any disturbing flaws. Overall, I believe this Maisto model is a good value for the money. It looks great on a desk or a shelf. Most importantly, you can grab it, close your eyes, and dream of burning rubber.