I have no idea whether there is a letter code assigned to this case, but I do know this is the fourth Moving Parts mix of the year.
And it is good to know, because there has been an onslaught of new opening parts stuff from Matchbox this year. Moving Parts is the basic line, Superfast the premium, and I think you can count all the moving parts on the Real Working Rigs as well.
A new line means all new castings, and the fourth mix of Opening Parts has three, with three recolors mixed in. The Buick is a Matchbox wheelhouse hit, the Custom Ford a definite departure style-wise, and the Renault Trezor an exciting curiosity, that will get mixed reviews based on collector’s opinions on plastic parts. Pretty damn clever that one.
Here is the Unboxing and Showcase. Photos to come.
I really like the Buick and Ford. I feel they’ll probably hard to find, even by Moving Parts standards. Our Walmart hasn’t restocked them since the first batch. The Trezor is destined to be a pegwarmer. It looks pretty weird, and the entire canopy is opaque–no windows at all. It almost looks like something from an off-brand.
The recolors aren’t bad at all. I have never seen a 1/1 X-Terra in that weird blue color it debuted in, but lots of yellow ones. Blue looks a lot better than purple on the Pontiac. Blue looks good on the VW as well.
Very nice castings, but very disappointing dull grey bases. Classic car castings really need their chrome treatment. I may have to pass on these due to that. I can’t justify the cost if I don’t love the execution of the model.
“Mix 2 has only shown up in Austrailia…”
And there’s the problem.
The recolors look fantastic. I’m just as excited about those as the new castings.
Just a note about the ’36 Ford Phaeton:
This is not just a random custom ’36 Ford – it is designed very closely after an absolute icon of early custom car history, the So Cal Plating Truck, based on a ’35 Ford Phaeton with ’36 Ford front sheet metal. It’s almost as iconic as the ’51 Mercury that Barris built for Bob Hirohata, known today among custom car fans as the Hirohata Merc. Although the Matchbox ’36 Ford Phaeton is not an exact replica, it can’t be denied that it’s clearly inspired by the So Cal Plating truck, with all the characteristic features like the stretched chassis, DuVall windshield, padded top, custom grille and seafoam green color.
I just wish Matchbox would use chrome again instead of grey. Should be no problem, as Hot Wheels can do it with their mainline cars, too.
Looks like at least one of the current Matchbox designers is an enthusiast for traditional custom cars. I’m sure there’s more cool stuff to come.
For more information about the So Cal Plating Truck, check out these links:
kustomrama.com/wiki/Southern_C…ing_Company%27s_1935_Ford
public.fotki.com/Rikster/11_ca…935-/so-cal-plating-truc/
customcarchronicle.com/early-c…ating-truck/#.XE3pGWlCebg
Powergrabs now at poundland. Batch G and M found .L24 and L35.2018. May vary?…..👍😀
Last year I heard or saw something about a Matchbox brand ’80s Buick Riviera and the Renault Trezor when I viewed an online video of a Matchbox convention held I believe in Las Vegas or perhaps it was somewhere in California but lately when I occasionally checked out the 2019 Matchbox line up on wiki I found no reference to those automobiles I just mentioned and I begin to assume that licensing issues arose and that Matchbox would not be able to manufacture die cast Rivieras & Trezors but it turns out that I made an incorrect assumption so therefore these are die cast Matchbox vehicles I wish to have but I have to be honest with myself I may not see them in stores (or at least local stores) anytime soon especially since I reside in Canada. Incidentally and on a bit of a side note a month ago or so it was at a local Wal Mart that I was able to purchase a Matchbox brand ’75 Chevy Caprice Classic which I yearned to purchase.