May

Each month, I go through the most recent e-mails I've received and pick a few to share with you. I try to personally respond to every e-mail I receive, but I also post a few here in my Q&A column.

Just wated to tell you that your web page is fantastic..
I wanted to know is a die-cast vehicle signed by the actor/actress worth
anything?
I met Randolph Mantooth and he signed the Hot Wheels die-cast Squad 51 for
me..
I'm still trying to find rare die-cast TV vehicles to add to my collecton..
Hard to find the 1:64 scale of the Monkeemobile and Starsky's Torino...
I did get the Torino with the black Lincoln.. the Lincoln is the wrong car from
the TV show...I did buy about 6 of them..
Thanks for a great web page and the hard work you do on it for all of us to
enjoy...

Ronnie

Thanks for the kinds words Ronnie. The topic of autographed items is an interesting one. Having an autographed Squad 51 Vehicle signed by Randy Mantooth or, say, The A-Team Van signed by Mr. T would be an awesome addition to anyone's collection. But the problem with the VALUE of these autographs is verification that the autograph is authentic. I would never buy an autographed piece unless there was some sort of certification from a reputable company. I would prefer to obtain autographs in person. I have autographs from Adam West and George Barris. And be careful about having a celebrity autograph a rare or valuable item, sometimes that can actually REDUCE the value of the item because it would no longer be considered mint.

Thanks for writing Alexandre. Nice website. I wish could read Spanish. I have received confirmation that RC2 will definitely be releasing a 1:18 scale die-cast K.I.T.T. A release date hasn't been announced yet.

As for customizing a Batmobile from a Lincoln Futura, it's been done. The Batmobile that was seen in my little April Fool's Joke was customized from the Futura by a member of the Hobby Talk Bulletin Board. He showed the process step-by-step. Unfortunately, the transformation requires skills I don't quite possess.

IF POSSIBLE CAN YOU E-MAIL ME SOME ADDRESSES OF DIFFERENT TV AND FILM DIE-CAST COMPANIES ?. THANK YOU. I HAVE JUST STARTED TO COLLECT THESE TYPE OF CARS. I WOULD LIKE TO GET SOME CATALOGUES IF POSSIBLE.

I don't have mailing addresses of any die-cast companies, but I do have a list of websites. I'm sure if you were to visit the following websites, you could request catalogues or any other information via e-mail:

The Firebird Esprit from The Rockford Files was, at one time, mentioned as a possible release from RC2 in 1:18 scale. I have not heard anything recently about its release. I've heard from several sources that various makes of Firebird were used on the show throughout its run, but I hope RC2 picks ONE and does it. It would be nice if they followed up a 1:18 scale version with a 1:64 scale version. As always, keep an eye on my website for any news of this release.

Don't know if you ever saw this one, but it was the movie that the Cannonball Run idea was stolen from, called The Gumball Rally. If you saw it, I know that you'd knock one of the top ten off the list. I did see the "honorable mention" list at the bottom, but found your list to be VERY good, but for this one exception.

Find it...The Gumball Rally, you will love it.

Thanks for the cool site!

Jeff in Sacramento

I'm embarrassed to admit that there are quite a few car chase movies I haven't seen yet. I really need to get around to renting the original The Italian Job, Ronin, Vanishing Point, The Great Race, and yes, The Gumball Rally. It is on my must-see list Jeff. Thanks for writing.

Hello, another question. Did the two vehicles from The Simpsons family camper and Homer's nuclear waste van from Hot Wheels used in the series? - Timothy Ellis

As far as I know, the vehicles that Hot Wheels produced are not based on anything that appeared on The Simpsons. Maybe a van can be spotted on the grounds of the Nuclear Plant, but the "family camper" looks nothing like the family camper featured on one of my favorite episodes of The Simpsons. This is just another case of a die-cast company getting a license and slapping tampos on existing castings, therefore earning them the distinction of producing two of the WORST entertainment die-casts I've ever seen. (See Top 10 Worst List.)

Hi

First of all, great collection!

I was doing a search on Megaforce and luckily happened upon your site. Great to see all the old vehicles and just curious, I came across the Megaforce set years ago and bought the dune buggy. Where did you get yours and what is the value if I were to try and track them down today.

Thanks
Steve S.

First of all, I don't own any of the Megaforce die-cast vehicles you see on my site. I've never seen the TV show and barely remember it being on TV. Since I've started this website, many people have contributed photos of rare and valuable die-cast vehicles to display on my site, and I thank them for that. Megaforce vehicles RARELY appear on eBay, but that would be your best bet to determine the value of a piece. Go to eBay and do a search under "completed items" and you will see what items sold for recently (if any).

Your e-mails really make my day. Please keep them coming. Click on the e-mail link in the left column and I'll do my best to find the answer for you.

Q&A Archive:

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