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October 2006
Occasionally 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.
  
Hey Joe!
I have enjoyed your web site for a few years now, and thought you would
like to know about my Star Car Association. And seems how you are in
California (LA area?) and did stand up comedy, I figured we would get a
long if you wanted to visit my Batcave. We have over 20 cars in our
club including:
66 Batmobile
89 Batmobile
Black Beauty
Herbie
KITT
Starsky & Hutch
General Lee
BTTF Delorean
Magnum Ferrari
Mach 5
Ecto-1
Bandit Trans-am
Men in Black 1 car
Gotham PD car
Tango and Cash Truck
Mad Max Interceptor
Christine
We are planning a big get together (we have had a few smaller get
togethers, but want to get a group photo with all of the cars) sometime
this year. We are still in need of a KARR, A-team van, Monkeemobile,
well, you have the wish list on your site....!)
Here are a few photos if you want to post them on your site. I am
hoping to "find" new members in the Los Angeles area, and multiples of
cars we have all ready are fine, so if one member can't come to an event,
we can call the #2 car!
Most of us will rent out our cars to events that need just one car, and
we like to do children's charity events as well. Thanks for a great site.
I will continue with my 1:1 scale collection!
We are working on a web site so stay tuned!
Nate Truman
Paramount Pictures
The Insider/Entertainment Tonight
Hi Nate,
Man, I'm jealous. I've always had a dream of
owning a 1:1 scale replica of a famous car. Maybe someday. I lived
in the LA area in '89-'90, but currently live in the Detroit area although
I try to visit whenever I can. I may visit LA in the spring, I'll let you
know. I'd love to see these cars in person.
Hopefully, by posting your e-mail and photos
here it'll generate more interest in your club. Were any of your club's
cars used in the movie Benchwarmers? Jon Lovitz's character
owned a KITT and a Batmobile.
Keep in touch.
- Joe
Nate's reply:
Hey Joe,
I went back and realized I read right over how you left LA! Sorry
about that!
The bench warmer batmobile is a replica built by Bob Butts that George
Barris owns. I try not to take any work from GB, even though my car
KILLS his on the details! He also supplied the KITT.
Today at Paramount I found a Robocop cruiser, so I left him a
card. Two new cars in a week, is a good week! Feel free to add the
photos and the letter. I have found many star cars around the
country, but I am mainly looking for LA based cars that are immediately
recognizable ala Batmobile, Monkeemobile, etc.
I have found a few guys with screen-used cars, but they were in the
background or something or just ordinary cars, and that isn't what our
group is going for. We would rather have a replica Chitty Chitty
Bang Bang car, than the screen used Ferrari that Tom Cruise drove in
Vanilla Sky. If you have to put up a sign to tell people what it is,
it doesn't fit our "M.O."! Here is a link of some more photos of my car
if you want to check it out!
Hi. I visit your site often to
check up on new information on the Pixar Cars. I found this
on eBay if you would like to post it: New Lighting McQueen Radiator
Springs paint job 1:24 scale.
Thanks
Brandon Jordan
Cool item, Brandon. I love Lightning McQueen's alternative paint
job. I do believe this version is plastic, though, and I tend to
stick with cars that are made of die-cast metal. I'm looking forward
to the next wave of Hot Wheels Cars line, which will include this
version of Lightning in 1:64 scale.
 
Hi Joe,
How are you doing ? I'm doing good and my collection is growing
every day. I have a question about a picture you took back in ' 04
at the Star Cars Museum. You took a picture of Herbie and next to Herbie
is the race car used in Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo. Do you
have the picture of that car? Do you have a photo of it by itself?
If you do, could you send me a copy by e-mail? Thank you Joe and I'll be
sure to send photos of my collection. Here are 2 photos of my
custom JL Ecto-1 (above.) Take care.
Cheers!
- Jason
Wow, you have a good eye, Jason. I was told by a staff person at the
Star Cars Museum in Gatlinburg, Tennessee that the car was from the film
Le Mans starring Steve McQueen. But after getting your e-mail, I
searched online for stills from Le Mans and couldn't find it.
Then I searched stills from Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo and BAM,
there is the car. I knew the car looked familiar to me, but I assumed the
staff person knew what he was talking about. Nice job. Below is a photo
of the car (left) from the museum compared to a still from the film:
 
Hello. My name is Mackey Wright.
I saw your website and I was wondering if
you were selling any of your toys. There are really pretty cars on The
Fast and The Furious section.
Thank you again.
Mackey Wright
Thanks for your e-mail Mackey. Unfortunately, nothing you see in my
website is currently for sale. But I have to agree with you. RC2
put out some really beautiful and colorful cars from The Fast & The
Furious movies.
Hi Joe,
Back in 2001 I think the Johnny Lightning company made a very special
Supercar from the 1960's puppet TV series of the same name made by
Gerry Anderson of Thunderbirds Fame.
It came in a white plain box
with the K.B toys Logo on it. The model itself was painted in
red metallic, and very rare, only 1000 made. Now here is the
longshot question: Would you know where I can obtain one of
these great little models for my own collection of Supercars? Do you
own one in your collection? I know you would not sell it.
I just want information of where I can buy one and who were the
customers for this model. Can you help please?
Kind regards, Derek (in the UK
and Benny Hill fan)
P.S I am not going to
resell it on ebay no way.
I must have one!
Sorry Derek, but I do not own one. Looking at the box (pictured
above) it seems this was an exclusive to KBToys.com. If they're not
showing up on eBay, I would try
www.hobbytalk.com where you can post messages to die-hard Johnny
Lightning collectors. Maybe someone can point you in the right
direction.
I read on your website
that there is a die-cast Family Truckster from National
Lampoon's Vacation. It said it was expected in stores in June
2004. I have never seen it and I'm interested in buying one. Can you
tell me if this vehicle exists as a die-cast model? If so, where can
I get it? Please respond. THANK YOU!
- Bugeye60
I sure get a lot of e-mail about this particular Star Car.
Although this car was on RC2's to-do list at one point as a 1:18 scale
release, it has since gotten canceled. I hope they choose to revisit
this car due to its popularity with collectors.
Corgi's 2006 Batmobile 1/43 offerings originally included a model
that greatly resembled a souped-up variant of the 1989 movie Batmobile,
from a comic called Batman : Child Of Dreams. It has
since been cancelled. It's still shown in their PDF download catalog
as 2000 BMBV5. IMO, it would have been a major cool design for
Batman Returns. I know 1/43 is not your primary collecting
size, and that this one is not a movie one per se, but I figured
other 1989 movie fans may have spied it, and would want to know it's
not coming out after all.- Robert Morris
Thanks for the news Robert. It's
a shame this one got canceled. It's one of the coolest versions
of the Batmobile I've ever seen. Corgi has been doing such a
great job on this line of Batmobiles. I've been so tempted to
collect them, but I just don't have the room to display them.
Hello Joe! Whaddaya Know? Hope you are well
mate. Check out this link to AICN for a few sneak pics at the
car to be featured in Tarantino's 'Death Proof' segment of
GRINDHOUSE....
Take care mate.
Omer Sheriff, London UK
Thanks for the link Omer. I'm really looking forward to seeing
this movie.
Joe,
I posted this info on the board a while back with some pre-production
sample pics. Joe's Diecast Shack just posted some pics of the
finished product. Along with the other great Shelbys, they are
offering the GT-500E "Eleanor" in a variety of colors along with the
charcoal grey with black stripes. I really can't get over the
detail on these things. The wheels are accurate and the cars
feature an opening hood along with opening doors. When is the last
time we have seen both of those features in a 1/64 die-cast, let
alone tv/movie related diecast? Here are a few pics courtesy of Joe's
Diecast Shack.
Chris
Thanks for the heads-up Chris. Even though it's not an
officially-licensed movie car, it's definitely worth adding to anyone's
movie car collection.
Hello Joe,
I've enjoyed your site for quite some time as a fellow movie, 1/18
scale die-cast (reaching close to 400 cars) and overall car nut. I've
noticed you've been going on some road trips lately. In case you've
never gone, might I suggest a road trip to Auburn Indiana for the Kruse
International Car Auction. They always have several celebrity and
movie cars for sale each year (The Batmobile and Speed Racer are almost
annually) plus 5,000+ other cars and a huge swap meet catering to car
nuts. They even have a parade.
As a bonus, over the last few years they have built a huge car museum
that includes the Batmobile, Batplane, Catwoman, A Team Van, Knight
Rider, Fonzie's Bike, and the General Lee just to name a few. The
museum itself has the largest military collection in the world from WWI,
WWII, Vietnam, along with Race Cars, Vintage Carriages, Casper Hot
Rods, Corvette museums and a vintage TV museum. Plus down the Road is
the historic Duesenberg Auburn Cord Museum. I go every year. It's a
must see, and it's a ball.
Also, don't let up on the toy companies. They need to be reminded
that movie and TV die-cast vehicles are a really strong market and there
are so many vehicles that need to be made. It seems harder and harder
to find any of these items anymore at your local chain stores and hobby
shops. Without the internet I'd be lost. Thanks for helping keep the
hobby alive.
Fellow Nut Adam Hintz
Thanks for the info Adam. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend
this year, but I'll sure make an effort to attend next year. It
sounds like a lot of fun.
Joe,
Now that I've looked your site over a bit more I can see that Mattel
has indeed made a few TV and Movie cars. One thing I see that you
don't have are the old puppet show Thunderbirds by Matchbox. I
think there were done in the early `90s. Did you also notice that
the photo of the Matchbox Days Of Thunder cars that you have are
actually Racing Champion Cars packaged in Matchbox packaging? That was
the only time in Matchbox history that another brand was used in place
of an actual Matchbox casting?
Talk to you soon.
Actually, Michael, I have an entire page dedicated to
Thunderbirds. You must've somehow overlooked it. Click
HERE to view it. And that is an
interesting tidbit about the Days of Thunder cars. I was VERY
confused when I was putting together the page showcasing cars from that
film.
Dear Mr. Johnson,
Hi. My name is Bruce. I live in St. Clair, MO., which is 60 miles
away from St. Louis (where I used to live). I am 45 years old and an
avid car collector, like yourself. I have many of the same cars that
you have in your collection. I have been e-mailing a gentlemen at
Johnny Lightning/Hollywood on Wheels, pertaining to a list of TV and
Movie cars that I am interested in, along with photos.
I have searched the Web, recorded movies and TV shows, taken
pictures off the TV and e-mailed them to him, but I have been unable
to find photos of the following list (listed below). Hopefully you
know where to find photos of these vehicles on the Web or other links
since I have been searching for a long time for them. Thank you for
your cooperation and possible search for these photos so that they get
forwarded to Hollywood on Wheels for our collections. From one
collector to another. Here is the list:
- Sabrina Duncan's Red Pinto (Charlie's Angels)
- Kelly Garrett's Yellow Mustang (Charlie's Angels)
- Steve Urkel's Red and White car (Family Matters)
- Rooster's Purple Lincoln Continental (Baretta)
- Dalton's Red Buick (Road House)
- Dr. Elizabeth Clay Red Jeep (Road House)
- MacGyver's Tan and Brown pickup (MacGyver)
- Code R (old TV show) Jeep (Martin Kove)
- Code R (old TV show) Helicopter (Martin Kove)
- Code R (old TV show) Boat (Martin Kove)
- Night Shift Silver Cadillac (Michael Keaton)
- Night Shift Black Hearse (Michael Keaton)
- Rocky Yellow and Black motorcycle (Sylvestor Stallone)
- Mother Juggs and Speed Red and White Ambulance (Bill Cosby)
I hope you like the list which I sent and if you come up with any
photos please reply back to this email.
Thank you,
Bruce
The best reference website I've found for photos of cars
from television and film is
http://www.imcdb.org/index.php I use it often.
 
Hi again Joe.
Sorry to trouble you with a query
again but I was wondering whether you have anything from the Chicken
Little movie in your collection or if anything was ever done from
the movie in 1:64 or similar. I am aware of a radio controlled
Cluckmobile and a 3 wheeled vehicle done by Tomy but cannot locate
anything else on ebay.
Thanks for a great website.
I'm sorry Mark, but other than those buses from Tomy (pictured above)
I'm not aware of any die-cast vehicles from the film Chicken Little.
If anyone can correct me, please send me an e-mail.
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:
9/03 10/03
11/03 12/03 1/04
2/04 3/04
4/04 5/04
6/04 7/04
8/04 9/04
10/04 1/05
2/05 3/05
4/05
5&6/05 7/05
8/05 9/05
10/05 12/05
3/06
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