While visiting Steve Legel’s collection again this past month, found he had a SongBird brochure so took some photos and have posted them on the SongBird page.
update on July 24: After posting the above brochure and requesting photos of white and baby blue SongBirds, I received an email the following day of an owner with a white SongBird. He also sent a photo so have posted that on the webpage now.
But none for the 1955 Tbird this year. This is it’s “55th Anniversary Year” and no new models of it. Would have thought that some manufacturer would have released a new version by now.
May saw two models released, one by Majorette, their ’57 in red with no graphics. Always a nice model if you can find one.
The other is a totally new model, a blue 1956 with no continental kit. It’s by Suntoys of China and has been found in Dollar Tree stores on the West Coast and back east. Size is approx. 1/64 scale.
So that you can get back to the Thunderbird diecast site without back tracking with your browser
Thunderbird diecast site
Finally picked up a book just about the Solido models. Found info that I didn’t know about the models. Solido issued two types of the 55 tbird, one in 1956 with white rubber tires, no figure. It’s 2nd release was in 1959, slightly larger and came with a human figure. The tires are black rubber now. Interesting book to pick up. There were numerous colors listed for both releases but the author didn’t verify that all colors were original manufacture, only that changes could easily have occurred to Solido models over the years.
While browsing thru photos I’ve saved off of eb** for the last few years, I did come across another model of the Mark II that appears to be from the same era as the Solidos and Teknos but has some better detailing than either of the tbird models by those companies. I’m on the search as to who made it. I’ve left a photo on the Continental scale model page.
Stay safe and warm with loved ones this weekend.
Updated the Continental page with one of the Model Power new models.
Recently added a new page to my diecasts lists. Though not a Thunderbird, I do have an interest in the Mark II and have sporadically added to my scale models of it. The page is still in its infancy while I come across the old packed models and check out some resources in the old LCOC magazines that discussed scale models of the Mark II.
Worked last night on getting photos of the current Lemax 55 “sports car” on the site. Special thanks to Marty for sending me good clear photos of the model.
Also working on an addition to the Ford station wagon page in the Thunderbird Etc… pages, adding in a list of scale models of the 57 Ford wagon. Plus a new page in the scale models for Continental Mark II models. Yes, branching out some to cover some of the other scale models I have on hand.
Working on my inventory and came across some of the last Rios I picked up. This was a set of Rios produced in either 1998 or 1999, not sure of when but I picked them up in 1999. I suspect limited in production but they are made in Italy so not sure of numbers made. The set consists of two reds and one white. One of the reds comes with a driver, Chuck Daigh. At the moment can not remember what they cost new. They show up on ebay infrequently. The white one has different style wheels from the other two. Now to find some old photograph of the 56s being raced back then. I might already have one in my files to go along with these models. I’ve had the models since they started showing up here in the states, but just now photographing them as I didn’t have a digital camera back then.
Click to visit homepage for Thunderbird Diecasts
Inventoried some more boxes and found a couple more models to display so took their pictures and replaced the ones I had on the site.
Also took some photos of the Letreset tbird models – seem to have 6 variations of them now. Those are on the site now too. The Letreset models were rather cheap models available in the mid to late 80s. 50 cents comes to mind, not a lot of detail on them. They have sort of a semi continental kit molded into the bumper but no fender vent, non-porthole hardtop and the words Letreset International beside the body long stripe. Chassis are unmarked. other than Made in China. Some say they are manufactured by Summer.
