Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]

Announcements (Updated: July 11, 2018)

Welcome to Swifty's Garage!


Thanks to all of you for making this board what it is today!


Attention new members: We would like to welcome you personally, so please introduce yourself. Click here: INTRODUCTIONS


For all the latest news and announcements, please click here: PA System



Thank you - The Swifty's Garage Team




This board is best viewed at 1024 x 768 Resolution

Car of the Week:


Matchbox 1968 Ford F-100


Click Here: Matchbox '68 Ford F-100
Welcome to Swifty's Garage. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.

Thank You,
The Swifty's Garage Team


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features.

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Monroe Handler Mustang II Hatchbacks; Zylmex Versus Hot Wheels
Topic Started: May 9 2013, 09:01 PM (2,175 Views)
GothicCarsUrban
Member Avatar
SUV
Posted Image

For those unfamiliar with the 1/1, here is a quote taken in part from a 1970s Hot Rod magazine and sourced here. The Monroe Handler had some mutual connection to Hot Wheels, as well as to Dan Gurney, BRE Datsun and Roush Racing.

Spoiler: click to toggle


And now for the diecasts:

Zylmex P351 Cobra Street Racer

The casting has the general shape of a Mustang II hatchback, appears close to true 1/64 scale, and has the added features of opening doors & taillights molded as a separate piece of red plastic. Paper decals with COBRA lettering on the hood and an inaccurate graphics design, an excess of mold lines, an all-chrome plastic front end and the generic Hot Wheels basic wheel-styled early Zylmex wheels let it down, but the casting would have undoubtedly satisfied any child or Mustang enthusiast of the 1970s, especially considering Zylmex's brand placement as dime-store toys instead of accurate replicas like Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Corgi and even Playart. On the other hand, the details of the Monroe body kit, special racing seats, rear-seat delete, provision for a license-plate space and lack of a rear bumper are redeeming qualities.

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Hot Wheels Boulevard 1978 Ford Mustang II

While this casting is leaps and bounds beyond the genericized Zylmex casting of the 1970s, it also has its faults. But here we start with its positive qualities... decals and body kit detail are spot-on, there are smoked windows and a rear-window louver, real rubber tires on Centerline-style wheels, quarter-window louvers molded as part of the glass insert, open T-tops, a bit more interior detail, a prototypically accurate Ford blue interior color, and full-detail tampoed taillights, along with perfectly executed lines compared to pics of the 1/1 and well-built Revell model kits, make this casting a must-have for Mustang, show rod, general Ford and Malaise Era fans alike. The main issues are a lack of dashboard, headlight, air intake and opening part detail, and the casting appearing as a screaming yellow blob in photographs, but who's complaining at an average price of $2.99 at a big-box store or eBay, or a little bit less/more depending on which toy show vendor or diecast specialist you buy from.

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

The Zylmex's redeeming qualities are mainly in nostalgia and low survival rate of minor-make diecast, whereas the Hot Wheels casting is an all-around winner. Both are worth owning if you are into Mustangs, show rods, Malaise Era cars or Ford.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
W_Body_Geek
Minivan
LOVE. Love the real car. Have the HW version. Good writeup. Didn't know there was another release of this one.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
GothicCarsUrban
Member Avatar
SUV
W_Body_Geek
May 9 2013, 09:12 PM
LOVE. Love the real car. Have the HW version. Good writeup. Didn't know there was another release of this one.
Thanks! Like all Zylmexes, the P351 "Cobra Street Racer" was sold cheap, played with hard, and few survived, let alone into fair condition with largely intact decals as seen here.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
pjedsel
Member Avatar
Muscle Car
I have the Zylmex version - it is "rude and crude" and 100% Zylmex. :D In their day you could find them on the pegs of just about every drug store, grocery store, etc. We enjoyed buying them, playing with them and yes, even collecting them. I know there are quite a few Zylmex models in my collection from Synder's Drug Store in St. Paul, MN from the late '70's. I do not have the Hot Wheels version and do not plan to get it. For one thing my focus in collecting has changed greatly in the past few years and I do longer "buy a bit of anything and everything". :D
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Swifty
Member Avatar
The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
Great review of these models - I like both!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
GothicCarsUrban
Member Avatar
SUV
Thanks, John and Swifty.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
JustDavid
Member Avatar
SUV
Good write-up...I actually prefer the Zylmex over the HW.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
69Stang
Member Avatar
Station Wagon
Cool, I had never seen the Zylmexe before, and I did not even know the current version was based on a real 1:1. Nice research and good pics as well.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Inspection Station: Reviews · Next Topic »
Add Reply



March's Picture of The Month Contest



Congratulations DinoMom for winning March's contest!



April's Picture of The Month Contest



Congratulations carsdownunder for winning April's contest!






Powered By

This board is best viewed at 1024 x 768 Resolution


eXTReMe Tracker