I’ve been complaining quite a lot of late about “scale issues” with the newest die-cast releases from all our favorite vendors. I keep saying “1:64 should mean 1:64” even though I know there’s a limit to what I can demand of toys. I’ve also been giving credit where its due, though; the die-cast output from Johnny Lightning and Greenlight seems to just keep getting better and better in terms of detail. So while I have my complaints, I’ve got little to complain about with these 2 new additions to the Diorama from each of those respective companies! I think these may be two of the best die-casts I’ve ever seen, and its perfectly timed considering this post follows my looooong dissertation reflecting on the cars of the ‘80’s becoming classics!
One point I made in that post is that a lot of the best cars of the ‘80s weren’t cars, and here’s a perfect illustration! Check out these latest additions and tell me if you’ve seen anything done better recently!
’85 Toyota SR5 4×4 by Johnny Lightning
Designed to look exactly like the truck featured in the famous film Back To The Future, this model of the venerable and endlessly popular Toyota 4×4 pickup is detailed to a degree I’ve never seen from a bulk produced “toy.” The front and rear bumpers are separate pieces, the wheels are accurate, the tires are RWL rubber, and the inkjetting and detail is insane! Look at the KC light covers, the mud flaps, the license plate detail, and the printing on the tailgate; if you zapped a real SR5 with a shrinking ray until it could fit in the palm of your hand, would it look any different than this??
Scale-wise it it’s a little on the big side but not completely out of bounds, and I had a perfect place to put it; with a couple of other releases that are also a little big but nearly as detailed, another JL-a Jeep Wrangler with a “mud affect” paintjob-and a HW Premium Dodge Power Wagon. I don’t have any figures for the bed of the ‘yota yet, but you know I’m working on it!
These durable little trucks aren’t powerful by today’s standards but they are as popular today as they were when they were new! Finding a mid-80’s SR5 4×4 in decent condition with zero rust is almost impossible today since these trucks have been “loved to death” for decades, but if you do come across one at a price that’s even remotely reasonable, BUY IT! I have to confess, I’m keeping an eye out for one myself!
’88 Jeep Cherokee by Greenlight
Definitely one of the best rides of the 1980’s, the original “square body” Jeep Cherokee is a SUV you can’t go wrong with; reliable, durable, good looking and fun to drive, the only drawback to them is the crappy gas mileage, but that 4 litre AMC-derived inline-6 will just about last forever with proper care, and even if their build quality was less than perfect, there’s nothing so wrong with them that an enthusiast can’t fix. These are the kind of cars we miss in today’s world, and this Greenlight model is the best version of it I’ve ever seen! The detail on this thing is uncanny!
Now, Greenlight is one of the companies I’ve been carping about most in terms of their diecasts growing in size, but this release is actually a hair too small! It is sized more like a Tomica or a mid-60’s Matchbox, which is actually about perfect since it matches the Thunderjets, but being smaller than most other modern die-casts, makes it a little tricky to display. Even so, I think I found a good place for it…
Now, I know the diorama around the track is getting crowded, and soon I’m going to have to start removing some cars if I want to keep adding new ones, but once again, I made some room by scrunching up the traffic on Bear Valley Road and put this little Cherokee right beside my vintage Hot Wheels Pepsi truck, itself an artifact of the ‘80s! This is right at the edge of the layout, heading southbound past the track parking lot; obviously there’s good outdoor recreating south of town, since other cars traveling in that direction include the dirtbike hauling Holden “Ute” with a caravan in-tow (Lesney Matchboxes #60 and #31 respectively), the ’59 Bel-Air wagon with the canoe on top (Mattel Matchbox) and the Dodge Rampage (another ’80s classic) with the Honda 3-wheeler in the bed (Hot Wheels).
So there you go, “RADwood” fans: a pair of true 1980’s classics! I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t want a 1:1 copy of either of these classic trucks in their driveway, but having these detailed models has to be about the next best thing!
I agree that these were two great cars and the models are very cool. I would have had to get these as well and I longed for that 4X4 when I saw the movie. I think it’s cool to move and change things around, it keeps Drag City dynamic in all areas.