The following is a presentation for purchases of opportunity, not necessarily of necessity. Although it can be argued both for and against the absolute need to collect unnecessary diecast.
Greenlight’s Hitch & Tow series (Midnight Drags notwithstanding, of course), provides a spatial conundrum I’m sure many of us face. On one hand, the tow vehicle is usually a very cool version of a familiar casting. On the other, the trailer does nothing more than take up space in a shoebox already packed to the brim with similar accessories. The Hollywood H&Ts are the worst offenders, in my opinion, as they pair two very slick releases with a cargo trailer plastered with the show or movie’s likeness. Maybe for those with a keen sense of customizing do they serve a higher purpose, but for me, they’re just fodder for an abandoned trailer graveyard scene.
So why am I here right now fractionally bashing something I just spent good coin on?
Because when it comes to a good deal, it’s hard for me to activate the part of my brain that reasons and instead I’m clicking “Buy and Continue Shopping with Seller.” And thus I’ve gotten off the bus at a station I didn’t plan on visiting with an oversized package of future baggie and bin dwellers waiting for me. Bollocks.
Find all the unnecessary Hitch & Tows on eBay.
But wait! As I wait for my son to figure out how to fall asleep on his own during the first night of sleep training, I might as well do something I don’t often get to right away – or at all for that matter – crack ‘em! It should be known that I currently have three very large containers of Greenlight in the garage awaiting surgical removal from their clamshells.
A quick run-down of what I got for those in the back.
R16 1981 Ford LTD Country Squire & Pop-Up Camper Trailer
R7 2015 Ford Explorer NYC Dept. of Parks & Rec and small Cargo Trailer (2)
R19 2019 Chevy Silverado and Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery Emergency Response Unit Trailer
Hollywood:
R4 NCIS 2015 Ram 1500 and 1970 Challenger R/T w/Enclosed Car Hauler
R5 Terminator 1977 Dodge Ramcharger and 1977 Monaco w/Flatbed Trailer
R6 Dallas 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire and 1978 Chevrolet Corvette w/Enclosed Car Hauler
R6 Vanishing Point 2018 Ram 2500 and 1970 Challenger R/T w/Enclosed Car Hauler
And finally a Hobby Exclusive Acme Parnelli Jones’ 1969 Mustang Boss 302 with an F-350 Ramp Truck. I already have the Mustang loose and I don’t care for the fragility of the Ramp Truck bed so that purchase was probably better off left as a listing.
After about 30 minutes of expertly, and quietly may I add, removing all pieces from their plastic caskets, it was time to take a closer look. As expected, I was only slightly more impressed when they were in hand.
When it comes to pickups and muscle cars, you can’t beat the Rams and the Challengers. Having both the 1500 and 2500 for comparison showed the castings were as similar as they were different. As for the Challengers, while they’re both 1970 R/T models, the taillight treatment is different for both. I haven’t had a chance to check the other 383 Challengers in my collection, so I’m not sure what the reasoning is. And no, I don’t really have 383 Challengers. I just wish, and I’ve said this countless times, that Greenlight would ditch those God-awful whyde [sic] tires and fit some more appropriate rollers.
Even though they’re two simple color schemes, I can’t get enough of the two Ford wagons. Just be careful, as the front clip is prone to popping off. That casting is going to look great parked up next to the sedan when it debuts. Oh, and one came with a 1978 Corvette (not pictured because it’s too awesome) and the other a pop-up camper. Exciting.
The NYC Parks & Rec Explorer is presumably driven by an enthusiastic Leslie Knope or whatever her real life counterpart is. I’ve skipped it for literal years, so when the chance to get a pair for a song and dance came along, I did my best Michigan J. Frog and earned my BOGO.
The Bayway Refinery Incident Commander is a nice commercial use of the new Silverado casting. That’s all I have to say about that. Oh wait, Greenlight spelled Chevrolet wrong on the base and covered it up with a very obvious sticker that looks like it was printed with an 80s-era label maker.
Having the two LeMans side by side allows you to see there is more to the two models than just one being a long roof. The front fenders are far more sculpted on the sedan anddd that’s about it. I still have the single sedan packaged so maybe I’ll offload that at some point, too. Also, I’ve really loosened my parameters for fictitious police liveries. Case in point, I have most of the Dukes of Hazzard classic coppers.
Which brings me to the belles of the ball…the Terminator Twosome of the Dodge Ramcharger and the Dodge Monaco in Metropolitan Police uniform. Sadly, I had to glue the gnarly brush bar back onto the Charga’ post pictures, but overall, I’m happy to have them and even happier I didn’t have to pay a premium.
That was far more words than I had originally intended to devote to this completely unneeded mail call. Perhaps with my devotion of more time to typing out my late night thoughts, I’ve detoured around checking the current listings on my diecast outlets. Nah, I’ll just take a quick peek before I close my eyes for the evening…
I’m sure there are plenty of similar stories out there. Feel free to share them in the comments.
My apologies for the low quality pictures. If this post only marginally annoyed you, consider following me on Facebook or Instagram.
I love that pop-up tent trailer. I typically don’t buy Greenlight because of how fragile it is, but I’m tempted to make an exception for that camper.
Great models (if you don’t mind spending your hard-earned on miriad tiny variations) but how much are we and the planet paying for all that bulky plastic? In my experience these hefty clamshell things do not always protect the models, I’m trying to think of a better way, and welcome suggestions. Even after all that plastic has been used up, paid for, (and can it be recycled?) I’d rather have a box with expert artwork to protect the amazing engineering of these models – and look good on the shelf. Clamshells are useless, space-consuming, non-eco-friendly and ugly. IMO