Diecast Mecca and More

VOL 2 ISSUE 9
APRIL 2014
„70‟s MUSCLE CAR EDITION (mostly)
Diecast Mecca and More
Cool cars you can afford…well, the diecast anyway
Welcome to Diecast Mecca
One more month and car shows start again.
It has been a really long winter and I can‟t
wait to get out and see everyone‟s ride. This
edition of Diecast Mecca and More is all about
70‟s muscle. “Cars I Really Like” is all about
“Project Six Pack”, one of my favorite cars of
all time. “Show To Go” is about Megaspeed
Toronto with 3 pages of photos. “Cars of the
Stars” features the GTO Judge used in the
movie “Dazed and Confused”, one of my
favorite movies. “Cars in Barns” looks at a
very sad Plymouth Scamp and “Classic Car
ads” looks at the 70 Super Bee – one great
car. Hope you enjoy this issue of Diecast
Mecca and More. Hope to see you out soon
at the car shows. I am hoping they will start
by the end of April, but it all depends on how
quickly the ground dries up. See you soon.
Cars I Really Like – “Project SixPack”
One of my favorite cars, Project Six Pack still
lives today. This car set many NHRA records
in the 70‟s until it “retired”. Known for its very
different “lace” paint scheme, Project Six
Pack was one fast car. Once retired, owner
Ted Struse attempted to use it as a daily
driver, but it was too fast and didn‟t handle
well. Then in 2009, the car was completely
restored with the help from the original and
only owner Ted Struse and the “who‟s who”
of drag racing. The newly restored car made
.
its debut at Carlisle All Chrysler Nationals in
2009.
In 2010, it sold at Barrett-Jackson
Scottsdale for $110,000 and then again in 2014
for 99,000. This is my diecast and it‟s an exact
replica of the famous car, right down to the
purple “beep beep” horn. This limited edition
diecast has hood pins and a lift off hood and
great paint, including the crazy “lace” pattern.
Great diecast car.
In This Issue:
Cars I really like

Project Six-Pack

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

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‟70 Cougar Eliminator
‟70 Dodge Coronet Hemi
‟70 Dodge Dart Swinger 340
‟72 Plymouth Duster
‟71 Plymouth Cuda
‟72 Chevelle

Megaspeed

‟69 Super Bee and Pop can belly tank

‟66 Satellite vent window glass

“Dazed and Confused” ‟70 GTO Judge

‟71 Plymouth Scamp

‟70 Super Bee
Cool Cars You can Afford
Show to Go
Under Construction
Hard Parts
Cars of the Stars
Cars in Barns
Classic Car Ads
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
APRIL 2014
VOL 2 ISSUE 9
Cool Cars You Can Afford early 70s mucle
„70 Mercury Cougar Eliminator. Engine is a
302 with the “drag pack” and Hurst shifter.
Painted in Grabber Green, this Cougar is the
rare Eliminator model. Great Diecast with eyepopping paint.
‟71 „Cuda. You don‟t want me to tell you
the motor. This year only, „Cuda‟s came with
4 headlights and the “billboard” stripe. Great
“California Rake”.
‟70 Dodge Dart Swinger 340. 4 speed,
Hurst shifter, Dana rear end, Polyglass GT‟s
and the famous “Rallye” wheels.
This
“family muscle car” was always a really fast
car.
Although 1972 is not the most collectible
year for this „72 Chevelle, it still gives you the
old romantic car feeling. Loaded with a 454
ci, and customized with Foose wheels and
low profile tires.
‟70 Dodge Coronet Hemi Car. If you showed
up at the lights driving this car, people had no
idea what was under the hood, until you left
them in your dust.
This ‟72 Plymouth Duster is the 3rd
generation of Dusters. This prostock car
from back in the day was driven by Don
Carlton. Changed briefly to Motown Missle,
Motown suggested they change it back.
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
APRIL 2014
VOL 2 ISSUE 9
Show to Go – Megaspeed Toronto
This might be the winter that never ends here in the GTA, but indoor car shows are just what
you need to get you thinking of the upcoming cruise season. To help you remember what
warm weather was like, Megaspeed Toronto was held March 21, 22 and 23 at the
International Centre, Toronto. Lots of great cars and great stars. Danny Koker and Kevin
Mack were there and Danny even performed with his band on Friday night. American
Restoration star Rick Dale and his wife were there, as well as Ice-T and Coco. If that wasn‟t
enough entertainment for a car show, Megaspeed also featured Quinton Dodson from “Pimp
my Ride” and Lou Santiago from TV shows “Car Fix” and “Power Block”. Great cars
including my friend Doug‟s cool ‟34 Plymouth Roadster. This show comes to the GTA every
year. If you missed it this year, try to see it next year. It‟s just what a car guy needs.
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
VOL 2 ISSUE 9
APRIL 2014
Show to Go – Megaspeed Toronto
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
APRIL 2014
VOL 2 -ISSUE 9
Show to Go – Megaspeed Toronto
I decided to save the best for last. A beautiful ‟67 Plymouth GTX. Not that I need any, but this
car would inspire anyone who is just starting a project or even thinking about starting one.
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
APRIL 2014
VOL 2 ISSUE 9
Under Construction – ‟69 Super Bee and Pop Can “belly tank”
I am customizing this „69 Super Bee to look worn and torn. I am going for a Mad Max look,
like in the Road Warrior. I took the back glass out, removed the Super Bee grill, sanded the
paint to give it lots of wear and removed the back seat and door panels. The pop can “Belly
Tank” is my interpretation of the belly fuel tanks that were bolted to World War 2 fighter
planes like the P-51 Mustang and the P47 Thunderbolt.
After World War 2,
returning soldiers would find old airplanes
in junkyards, remove the belly tank and
with some other parts, created belly tank
racers at the Bonneville salt flats. My
Belly Tank has a Plymouth 318 as the
power plant along with some other parts.
I haven‟t added the frame and wheels yet,
but stay tuned to see what I come up with
Hard Parts – ‟66 Plymouth Satellite Draft Window Glass
These vent windows came from a
pair of ‟66 Plymouth Satellite
doors that we were parting out for
the GTX body work. The glass is
dirty, but no scratches or cracks.
Both window buttons are there,
but only one is shown in these
pictures. I packed these away in
cardboard because I plan on
holding on to these in case I need
extra vent windows while the
restoration is going on. So far, the
original GTX vent windows are
intact, but you never know what
can happen.
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
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VOL 2 ISSUE 9
APRIL 2014
Cars of the Stars – “Dazed and Confused” ‟70 GTO “Judge”
One of the best “reliving” the 70‟s movies is “Dazed and Confused” starring Matthew
McConaughey in his first big screen movie. The best part for me, though are all the cars
and this GTO Judge is great. Driven by the character Kevin Pickford, this car has the very
cool “orbit orange” paint with the pink side stripes. This car looks great, even though there
is lots of talk that this car and the other one they used were not “Judges”, but a GTO that
they customized into a “Judge”. When you see the opening scene, with Aerosmith‟s “Sweet
Emotion playing and this car wheels in, you know it's a cool car movie. Also available in
diecast 1:18 scale and “hot wheels” size. The mark of a popular car.
Cars in Barns – ‟71 Plymouth Scamp
This is a very sad picture I found
on the internet. A 1970 or ‟71
Plymouth Scamp. This car was
found in Lumby, British Columbia
in this condition. How did this car
end up wrapped around a tree?
The story goes that back in the mid
seventies, kids used to push cars
to the top of this hill and let them
roll down. This Scamp was one
that didn‟t make it. It was a six
cylinder, automatic in B7 blue with
a white vinyl roof and white
bumblebee stripe. Too far gone for
restoration
at
this
point
unfortunately.
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
VOL 2 ISSUE 9
APRIL 2014
Classic Car Ads– ‟70 Dodge Super Bee
Based on the Dodge Coronet, the Super Bee
was a low priced but powerful muscle car. The
name Super Bee was based on the car’s “B”
body design. For 1970, the new front bumper
featured two loops that Dodge referred to as
“Bumble Bee Wings”.
Available in 3 engine
sizes, 383, 426 and 440, the Super Bee was
one fast car. Prices started at $3,074.00 for the
smaller engine and a total of 15,506 were
produced in 1970. New for the 1970 production
year were a new type of bumble stripe, highback bucket seats, a steering column-mounted
ignition and a "pistol-grip" Hurst shifter on fourspeed model.
I found some interesting trivia about the Super
Bee. Apparently, Dodge created four concept
Super Bee convertibles. One of these cars, a
Hemi convertible with “In-Violet” paint is said to
exist in Ontario!!! I would love to see that car.
Unfortunately,
the fate of the other 3 is
unknown at this point. Love the Super Bee.
Hope you enjoyed this issue of Diecast
Mecca and More. All proceeds received
from “Diecast Mecca and More” are sent
to Sick Kids Hospital. The countdown is
on for the good dry weather and the
return of the cruises. Can‟t wait. As
always, we will continue to send monthly
issues of Diecast Mecca and More to
your email address. If you know anyone
who might want to receive a copy of
Diecast Mecca, please email me and I
will add them to the mailing list.
Our email address is:
nissanfleet@sympatico.ca
Thanks for reading,
Diecast Mecca and More. 905-725-0403
Eric Lee
905-725-0403