2. I now have the list for the Supreme Hero’s Premium Die cast line for 2015:
MB867 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4
MB872 BMW X5
MB762 ’78 Dodge Monaco Police
MB771 Ford E-350 Ambulance
MB780 ’63 Cadillac Ambulance
MB885 Renault Master Ambulance
MB689 Ford Crown Victoria
MB911 Toyota Tacoma (Life Guard)
MB906 ’63 Mack Model B
MB796 Hazard Squad
MB877 International Pumper
MB938 Ford F-350 Superlift Brush Fire Truck
MB755 Pierce Dash
MB801 International Workstar Brush Truck
MB857 Chevy Suburban
These are some PrePro’s from my collection. The top row is the 64 ½ Mustang that was never released from the 50th Anniversary Collection. The next row is the Merryweather Fire Engine in olive green along with the Extending Ladder Fire Engine and Airport Fire Pumper (Toy Fair PrePro). The next row has the silver & yellow Rover 3500 pre-productions. The bottom row has a beautiful yellow Hairy Hustler along with hand painted red Nissan 300ZX, Jaguar XJ220, and Camaro Z-28…all with gold spiral wheels!
Undersea Squid Sub Gift Set & 9-Pack found at Target while the Mission Force Police & Space Sets were found at Osco Drug and the blister carded models were purchased from Wal-Mart. All in the western Chicago area.
Above: G-10 Fire Station Gift Set (red roof & US labels)
This issue I’m featuring Fire Stations from the mid 60’s. The red roof Fire Station was the regular issue. It came three ways…MF-1 with just the building or G-10 Gift set with four models included. And later the G-5 gift set which appears to be the harder variation to obtain. You will notice below I have a picture from the 1964 catalog. It features the never released Ambulance Depot. This building was to feature a green roof. For reasons I don’t know (If someone can shed some light on this) this item was not produced. But the green roof buildings were. So they were used as fire stations. You will notice the box art shows the green roof as well. The MF-1 was priced at $3.00…..we can only dream of those prices!!!
These Fire Stations are from the Steve Gloss collection. Thank you, Steve for letting me photograph them.
This is a trial page I’m setting up to see if anyone is interested in sending me pictures of models (cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc…) that you would love to see as a Matchbox. They can be classics or new, it doesn’t matter to me. Since the design team will read this report, us collector’s just might come up with a model or two that they never thought of. I will post as many pictures that I can in each report. Thank you…..
In my last report, I featured models created by Fabrice Declercq. Those little beauties were really nice. Here is another one he did as well…….. Now the code 3 issue is a fairly heated topic among some of us collectors. When models are done for personal use and not resold, it’s like having a hobby within the hobby and I totally endorse the rescuing of models that were damaged over the years. Lately, there has been a wide selection of rare, preproductions, and Brazilian issues being sold on e-bay that are repaints and are listed as such. The problem is that they are done so well that in several years nobody is going to be able to tell the difference between a repaint and the actual rare item. I believe this is going to hurt the hobby as well as someone’s pocketbook!! I have the opinion that if I don’t have the model, there is no substitute for the real thing. I welcome your comments on this subject.
Surprised to see that teh range Rover Evoque is not being used in the premium line, but then it will have to go some to beat the majorette version which is stunning, with working susension AND opening parts, all for a price point that cheaper than Matchbox, so if they can do it, whats Mattels excuse ?
What I want to know is why Canada is so neglected regarding MBX distribution. There are 6 Walmarts I go to and the pegs have been empty since January. What gives?
The Blockade Buster recolor looks good; the black treads/tan body combination is well done. It's still probably not a model I'll be buying, but it looks nice just the same.
On the other hand, the Mack Model B is one I'll be hunting for to add to my collection. I can't wait to find that one.
I like the idea of the “Models we would love to see made.” Here's my two cents on the vehicles currently up:
The Polaris 700 Twin is cool, but since the Trail Tracker is essentially a genericized version of the vehicle, I don't think it will be made any time soon.
I love the Tucker, but because Hot Wheels makes a very nice version of that car, I don't see it making it into the Matchbox lineup either.
It would be great to see the '71 Riviera get the Matchbox treatment. Hot Wheels also makes this vehicle, but it is released only extremely lowered or extremely lifted. I'd love to see a stock version of this car.
Thanks for the report.
As far as repaints go if you buy them do the work and keep the finished product it's fine in my opinion. I have bought many models that I lost over the years their not true repos but their mine. There are many models I still would love to have but even the beat up models are now out of reach so I'm glad I was able to pick up some of my favs.
Yes, this is an ever growing concern and that is why many collectors are reluctant to collecting
These unique little jewels
Yes same here, seems like HW is lost when it comes to canada?
The Riviera would be a nice addition to the line. I think this section of my reports might give them good ideas.
That is a good question….. I will ask Mattel that very question for you. But maybe you should ask Wal-Mart why they are leaving valuable peg space open for so long??? Distribution is so spotty when it comes to the large chain stores. Even here in Illinois one store has the newest batch while the another one within 5 miles hasn't restocked in months. You would think that when an item gets low it is automatically reordered and restocked. My wife is a department manager at my local Wal-Mart. I will ask her to direct me to the Toy Dept. Manager so I can ask him how Matchbox are ordered. If he agrees to talk to me I will post his comments in one of my upcoming reports.
Since the Range Rover Evoque is not ready to be introduced into the line up, it can't be used for the premium line as of yet. Since all models for this line have to be picked out well in advance of their release, I would assume MBX can't include a casting that may not be ready for the basic core line, let alone the Supreme Hero's Series.