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Volume 1 Issue #21 It's been more then active this week with sales starting to pick up in our store, and over the Net! Seems the holiday spirit is starting right before Halloween! There have been quite a few collections bought this week and more are coming! Folks are either looking to fill in on material they want, or are selling off to finance something else! Either way, it makes for little time to write our WHWN! Breaking NEWS as I write this is that F.M. is introducing a SIX car "MUSCLE CARS SERIES" with a new model due out every 4 months! (That's 2 YEARS to complete a 6 car set.) SUPPOSEDLY, you have to start with the FIRST model to be able to get all SIX with a special DISPLAY! No colors yet available but the models include a THIRD color of the 1969 Camaro, (you mean a little retooling couldn't get us a 1968?!) Part # B11ZJ40, a REPAINT of the 1970 HEMI-CUDA, (not known presently if it is the hardtop or convertible), Part # B11ZJ41, a 1970 MUSTANG BOSS 429!!!!! Part # B11ZJ42, a 1970 PONTIAC TRANS-AM, (White with Blue Stripes!), Part #B11ZJ43, a 1964 PONTIAC GTO Part # B11ZJ44, and last, but not least, is a 1971 Chevrolet CHEVELLE SS Part # B11ZJ45! The Display case is Part # DIX3805! It is nice to see some NEW SUPERCARS being released by F.M., but I would seriously doubt that they will follow through on you having to buy each one in this series in order to get it! If you can hold your money in your pocket, I'm more then sure you will see them offered on the NET auctions, and DISCOUNTED by the many "PRP" dealers out there. Seems EVERYTHING shows up sooner or later on the Net auctions! F.M. is also about to re-issue its 1941 Lincoln in yet another color combination! Different from the original FOMOCO Blue Lincoln issue, the new one will be a lighter metallic blue color with matching steering wheel and a single color interior and boot, as compared to the brown steering wheel and 2 tone interior of the original! Announced release date is Nov. 11, and this will be well received by most collectors. The '41 Lincoln was one of F.M.'s best renderings. Only wish that had the foresight to change it over to a true removable cloth top. As with the others, 24K Gold interior hardware is featured! The Grand Corvette was a big topic again this week with more then a few customers and D4C members reporting that the model has more then its share of problems! The major complaint seems to be the doors either not lining up, or unable to stay shut. From the folks that have complained to me, seems that F.M. will be seeing a lot of returns on this. What has happened to their QUALITY control on these? The 1/24 scale models have been improving over the last year or so, (not including the 2000 P.B. car), but seems they really dropped the ball on this one. I think a little research is needed by F.M. into taking care of their customers by having EVERY piece thoroughly checked to make sure all is perfect. At a GRAND, it sure leaves a customer pondering as to weather they would buy the next model, (the 1960 Mercedes Benz), if these problems persist. 
Currently about HALF
the issue has been sold! Returns have NOT been brisk since
collectors who PLUNK down their money just don't want to give
this model up! (Could it be that their love of this model
overshadows its faults?) Speaking of the Corvette, I just
received my INVITATION to buy the new 1957 "GRAND" Corvette! I
must say, F.M. did a very nice job of presenting this! In case
you haven't seen it, I have a few scans here of the cover, and a
NEW list of Gallery stores, (comes inside invitation), including
2 new store in Las Vegas and Texas!
That list is a BIG cutback
from the over 50 RETAIL locations they had at one time! I guess
it's just a sign of the times as the internet and "PRP" dealers
are DEFINITELY eating into F.M.'s RETAIL sales! From some of the
RUMORS I hear, this program may be in trouble, and the next
sales year will be the key to it staying or being rescinded!
More news has it that by Christmas the "GRAND" 1960 Mercedes
Benz will be available at your local Gallery store! The reported
1967 Corvette that has been mentioned as the third in this
series is now NOT the car being produced. A '67 Corvette,
perhaps another re-paint is said to be in the works! Has anyone
noticed that the paperwork for the clearcast '67 Corvette
pictures a "complete" red model. Could this be a portent of
things to come? More as words from Mohamed filter out of the
"Oval Office"!Where is the 1/12 scale 1907 Rolls Royce that was such a tempting piece when it was exhibited at the D4C annual meeting at TFM? I was lucky enough to go over that piece carefully, and it was indeed an amazing model with well over 700 parts. The detailing was superb, and will definitely be on everyone's want list. Here's a HOT PICK for you, the SIGNED SHELBY Mustang is OFFICIALLY SOLD OUT from mail order! I understand that a little over 100 of these are left in the RETAIL department, (Gallery Stores), and after that they will be GONE for good! FYI, one JUST sold on e-Bay and brought $585.00! After all these years that F.M. has had these available, it appears that this model will become the WINNER we had all hoped for YEARS ago. Interesting to note that it has taken almost 3 years for this 3500 mintage model to sell out! With a sales record like that, I DOUBT that we will be seeing anymore "SIGNED" models from F.M.! Although I would presume that there was a LOT of profit built into this release, so one will never know for sure! A real NEAT thing to do now would be to market a Shelby in "HERTZ" colors, as done by, I believe "Lane", in 1/18th scale. A change of wheels and a few other modifications and F.M. has a 1966 WINNER on its hands! It would be kind of NEAT to see this come out as a L.E. of the exact amount sold to HERTZ! I do remember these on the streets of N.Y.C. back then, and at "National Speedway" on Long Island! Think back, then you could rent it for $59.95 for the day! Big money then, half a diecast today! 
I just love these. Currently on e-Bay, Item #482524454, is
a one of three known 1963 F.M. BLACK Fiberglass Corvette! As
this is written, it has already hit the $2500.00 plateau, and I
hear REGIS will be having a question regarding this on "Who
Wants To Be a Millionaire"! If you haven't seen it, I have the
scans here for all to see. Seems there really is a market for
these "PROTOTYPE" models! Also available on e-bay is another
"DANBURY 58 PLYMOUTH BELVEDERE RED/WHITE #2 oF 10, Item
#481747859". If you remember just over a month ago the #1
model, (redone by modeler Paul Hettick), sold on e-Bay for
$1550.00! This model has DAYS to go, and is already at $405.00,
and will command a MUCH higher price! Seems COLLECTOR demand for
both "FACTORY" and "HAND-BUILT MINT" cars has really caught on!I don't have time this issue to go over all of the last weeks auctions, but I can tell you that a F.M. RED 1957 Chevrolet convertible sold for $1500.00 on the D4C without box or papers! The 1896 Ford Quadricycle hit a new record when one sold on e-bay for $510.00, (now this was a REAL SLEEPER!). An Airstream in MIB condition brought $561.99 on e-Bay. The Bonnie and Clyde Bullet Hole cars are now selling at $250.00 on the Net auctions with some bids just barely over $200 offered, (the sellers are NOT selling at these depressed rates). The 1973 L.E.Mercedes Benz sold on D4C for $335.00 (thank you!) and $380.00 a few days apart, ( Legacy Motors is now the MARKET MAKER on these with approximately 50 available!). The 1982 L. E, Corvette sold for $600.00, while a 1986 Pace Car with no papers brought $695.00! A 1955 Ford Sunliner sold for $500.00 on e-Bay, as a Hershey's Truck brought $399.00. The aqua 1956 Ford T-Bird was hammered sold at $247.50, and a 1941 FOMOCO Lincoln getting $552.00! One last word here to my friendly competition. I didn't INVENT anything here on the Net, never stated I did, and neither have you! (although the way you put things, sounds vaguely like Mr. Gore inventing the internet!) I DO know the dictionary meaning of NEW and MINT and as far as I'm concerned, the CUSTOMERS will make up their minds as to what they want to collect! I don't need a grading system because I only offer new and mint models on my website, (and as I state, all others are sold on various internet auctions). Somehow words seem to convey a better Description then a mere GOOD, EXCELLENT, or MINT can ever hope to accomplish. I agree I was " never a FM dealer so you really aren't qualified to comment on large scale shipping procedures or trends with new models." I don't want to be an authorized F.M. dealer with all the constraints you went through. I just happen to handle MORE models then MOST do, and give an HONEST account of things as I see them! Your entitled to your opinion and so am I,---Sport! No need to delve into this any further, although I can, and will if called upon to do so! I hope to be a little less hurried for the next WHWN, but with over 400 new models coming in this week and orders, a 12 hour day just isn't enough, also e-mail problems have been an ongoing recurrence for the last 2 weeks! If I haven't answered some folks, please write again as we are starting to get a handle on this problem! Until next issue, enjoy the hobby and keep well! Regards, Roy Return To www.franklindanbury.com The "WHAT'S HOT, WHAT'S NOT!" Archive |
roy@franklindanbury.com |
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