Introducing Lamley readers to the far flung corners of the diecast world is firmly in my remit, and recently I’ve been picking up on some of the more desirable models coming out of China. Last month it was the Hongqi CA770 from XCartoys, this time it’s the Toyota Hilux of the rather poorly named Jackiekim.
The Hilux itself is a true hero vehicle. The indestructable face of a thousand building sites, farmyards, forests, sand dunes and battlefields, the Hilux has been plugging away since the first generation N10 model was introduced in 1968. The versatility of the Hilux is near legendary, and famously Top Gear proved just how indestructable they can be by attempting to kill a 1988 N50 model over the course of two episodes. After the truck was driven into all manner of things, flooded, burnt and finally left in the middle of a tower block demolition, the truck was repaired with only basic tools and miraculously still managed to start and drive.
Hiluxes have done emergency work, driven to the North and South Poles, won the Dakar Rally and had a war named after them: the 1980s Toyota War between Libya and Chad, so called because huge amounts of Hiluxes (and Landcruisers) were utilised as Technicals by the Chadian Military.
The Hilux replicated by Jackiekim is a 6th generation truck, with decals identifying it as being the 2.7 litre petrol model. The first thing you notice is just how neat the box is. A smart, matt black thing with a flocked plastic insert inside for the truck to nestle in.
The diecast itself is pretty damn impressive. Weighty, with a screw on metal base, rubber tyres and pretty crisp details, it’s very well constructed. There’s quality issues with some decals being poorly aligned, but otherwise it’s very cool. It comes with some scale oil barrels, which immediately gave me an idea for a diorama, and no doubt the screw on base will give customisers the chance to let their creativity loose.
And to top it all off it was £10. £10!! Insane value for money. Metal for money is important, and this thing succeeds in providing a solid, attractive model for a superb price.
Like XCartoys, Jackiekim have a growing catalogue of 1/64 releases with a few military trucks amongst them that have really caught my eye. A few of them have gone on my wish list, and no doubt they’ll be on Lamley as soon as I manage to snag them.
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(Find the Jackiekim Hilux on Ebay)
A true legend. The pickup adored by the rich and poor!
The everyman pickup!
Nice and fluid read my friend!
❤
I own a 95 full bed 3.4 and 97 full bed 2.7 T100. They are for real trucks that I can take anywhere and carry as much as I need, including standard size building materials. The 2.7 is my daily driver and I am at over 295k and only replaced the clutch and starter over the past 2 decades. There are no better trucks for doing truck things other than pulling. I pulled a trailer with a friends car with my 2.7 across texas. That is probably why I needed to replace the clutch after 200k. I still wonder at the new rangers and colorados that could have been made as good or better than my old toyota’s, but instead were made to be overpriced poser trucks.
Another detail that I noticed is that the spare tire underneath the car is actually rubber as well!