Wishful Thinking
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08/28/2003
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- I do hope everybody is getting settled in after
the most recent shake-up in our online community. I swore off
web-site eulogies after David's Wheels did the Bela Lugosi thing and
came back from the dead. But it seems all the GTR folks are finding
places to hang out they feel comfortable with. Things change, and
things stay the same. And all because we all have this fascination
with little toy cars.
Now is the time of year when we get hints and drabbles of information
about what is going to be coming out in the next year. Already there
is considerable buzz about the prospect of 100 first editions, and the
Batman models in the Hot Wheels line. The first pictures of the
Charger and the Nova look like sure winners. Other companies as well
have big plans for the next year.
All this activity gets me thinking about the cars I want to see
available in 1:64. Every time I look at a book or magazine about
cars. I read it with a pen and paper ready to write down the names of
cars I wish I had in my collection. At one point my list was over 500
names long. Often, to pass the time, I make lists of cars in
different categories that I wish some one would make. Over the past
few years I've had good luck moving cars from my wish list to my
collection. The Lancia Stratos and the Cunningham were both on my
wish list once. Then Mattel produced them. The Tucker and the stock
Nash Metropolitan will be coming off soon, thanks to Playing Mantis.
And with all the newer companies in the market, Jada, Muscle Machines,
etc., the potential for moving more cars off my wish list is greater
still. So here is a sampling, a current most wanted, if you will, of
some of the cars I am waiting to see. And if some company designers
happen to see this and get some ideas, more power to you.
First, from the days of the horseless carriage, I want the Mercer
Raceabout, America's first factory hot rod. The Mercer was a coupe
stripped down to the bare minimum in the classic American formula for
speed: big engine and light weight. This thing is cool if only for
the monocle style windshield clamped to the steering column.
Honorable mentions in this category include the Thompson Flyer and the
Rolls Royce Silver Ghost.
Moving up a generation, I want an Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B, an elegant and
sleek design, and fast. This same car, with roof and fenders removed
was Alfa's gran prix racer for a decade. Honorable mention here goes
to the Bugatti type 35 gran prix and the original La Salle, which was
a groundbreaking design that GM had intended to be a budget Cadillac.
Looking at pre-war race cars, I want one of the C Type Auto Unions
that were so unbeatable in the thirties, followed by their rivals, the
Mercedes 125 gran prix cars. These formula one beasts were driven by
the likes of Wolfgang Von Tripps, and Tazio Nuvolari, and owned the
racing world in their time.
Post-war, I would like the Aston Martin DB3R that was driven to
victory at Le Mans by Carroll Shelby, just edging out in my
preferences, the Mercedes 300SLR and the Maserati A6GCS.
More racers I would like to see made, include the Chevy powered
Scarab, the Jaguar engined Lister and the Type 61 birdcage Maserati.
These cars were all brutally fast and they all had to be Driven! The
technology that today seems to drive the car all by itself didn't
exist back then.
He Gent! you ask, where are the American cars? well, most of the Yank
Tanks on my list have already been made. (Thank you Johnny Lightning).
But of those that haven't, the Studebaker Avanti tops my list. A
beautiful car, and a unique car that still turns heads where ever it
may go.
My greatest interest now, is in the classic American show and concept
cars, such as the Buick Y-Job, and the GM Firebird series. The Buick
Wildcat and the Olds L-88. The Johnny Lightning Lincoln Futura has
merely whetted my appetite for more of these dream cars.
While I love muscle cars and hot rods, it is difficult now to find
something that hasn't already been done. Still, I would love to see a
76 Malibu Classic, and convertible versions of some cars we've already
got, and of course station wagons, one of the hottest trends in
rodding right now. And let's see some more hot-rodded Chevys and
Mopars. You can make a rod out of something besides a Ford, now and
then.
I'm of the opinion that a lot of great sports cars haven't been done
yet. How about a TVR Chimaera, or a Morgan Aero 8? Who is going to be
the first out with the new Maserati, and the American Panoz Esperante?
Since Mattel has the Ferrari license, there are some Cavalino
Rapante's I want to see made. I know many of you don't care for all
those Maranello Stallions, but who could object to a 246 Dino, a 512
Boxer Berlinetta, or a (sigh), 250 California Spyder?
And I set the supercars in a class by themselves. When will we see a
Pagani Zonda, a Mercedes-McLaren SLR, or a Porsche Carerra 10? But
top of this list is the one that got away in 1995, the McLaren F1.
I'll take a GTR Longtail, if you please.
OK, so this is getting long and I haven't even scratched the surface.
This doesn't include all the Specials and One-Offs, and the customs
and rods I've encountered over the years. And each year I get to take
a few more cars off my wish list, but I add a whole lot more. Just
one of the things that makes this hobby so frustrating.....and fun.
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- Keep it in scale.
- The Southern Gent--Raymond McKee
Contact the Gent directly at
ramckee@mindspring.com
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