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| Car of the Day: January 21, 2016; Mini Dinky '64 Cadillac Coupe DeVille | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jan 21 2016, 05:23 AM (1,067 Views) | |
| Dean-o-mite | Jan 21 2016, 05:23 AM Post #1 |
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Muscle Car
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![]() Today's car of the day is Mini Dinky's 1964 Cadillac Coupe DeVille. ![]()
![]() For more information and pictures of the real car please visit: Cadillac DeVille ![]() ![]() The Mini-Dinky Cadillac Coupe DeVille was at one time, a car I didn't think I'd ever find within my price range. I actually can't remember where or how I got this one finally, but it was a good balance of condition and affordability. I'd still really like to add the white one to my collection someday, but in the meantime, I am happy just to have one at all. I thought the red "tail lights" and black license plates were custom additions by a previous owner, but in researching, I'm finding that all of them I've seen online have it. They are original to the model, even though the real cars did not have red lenses in those locations. ![]() ![]()
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| zzziippyyy | Jan 21 2016, 06:25 AM Post #2 |
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Drive it like you stole it!
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I love the play wear on this fantastic model, thanks for sharing |
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| JBH6666 | Jan 21 2016, 09:54 AM Post #3 |
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Fullsize
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I ended up having to get 3 of these cars to get one intact. The first 2 suffered from metal fatigue. You could see the spiderwebs coming, followed by the inability of the hood and trunk to open. Eventually the hood and trunk just crumbled. It's a great casting- well scaled but plagued by bad metal. I'm noticing the same thing happening on several Racing Champions Mint Edition cars I bought in the late 90's/ early 2000's. |
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| Hobie-wan | Jan 21 2016, 10:49 AM Post #4 |
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SUV
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The proportions on that just look right for it to look like the big beast it is. |
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| ivantt | Jan 21 2016, 04:21 PM Post #5 |
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New casting? Quick! Take it apart!
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The shape and lines look very correct. Pity that these are hard to find and save, The finish reminds me of the way some ACTUAL old Caddies look driving around out here, without wheel covers, of course. |
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| Dean-o-mite | Jan 21 2016, 05:27 PM Post #6 |
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Muscle Car
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Metal fatigue has been notorious in Mini-Dinky models, Racing Champions & Guisval, but I have a couple of crumbling Ertl American Muscle cars, and even a couple of my older Greenlight models are starting to show signs that a catastrophic failure is inevitable. Metal fatigue stinks! |
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| pjedsel | Jan 21 2016, 05:59 PM Post #7 |
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Muscle Car
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Nice one Dean. I have the white version - bought way back when as a brand new toy! Sadly in my most recent inspection of it, I am seeing signs of fatigue along the driver's side and hood. Most of my Mini Dinky models have held up over the years - years ago I got two Chevy II's in the mail in a pile of pieces - I see I have a couple of my Racing Champions police cars showing signs as well - ![]()
Edited by pjedsel, Jan 21 2016, 06:36 PM.
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| JeepXJLover | Jan 22 2016, 01:01 AM Post #8 |
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Minivan
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Very nice model. Has diecast metal fatigue been discussed in depth elsewhere here on the garage? I've seen it mentioned here and there. I was wondering what signs were. I have about a dozen Racing Champions and I don't know what to look for. |
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| Dean-o-mite | Jan 22 2016, 06:49 AM Post #9 |
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Muscle Car
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The signs of metal fatigue are cracking of the metal and paint, and gradual separation of the body from the base as the bad metal starts to expand and deform. Many will start to look bloated like they've been overinflated, with the sides expanding, leaving gaps between the bottom of the doorsills, and the base. I'd say only 2% or less of Racing Champions have the syndrome (for every car with metal fatigue, there are 50-100 others that are fine (but with the 'disease,' there's no way to know if a model will show signs later in life, such as a Mini Dinky that looks to be fine for 40 to 50 fifty years, and then starts to show signs of failure). Once cracked and weakened, they are susceptible to breaking apart into pieces if dropped or handled roughly. The only brand I have had actually fall apart from metal fatigue, all by itself without any dropping / touching / bumping, etc, has been Guisval of Spain, and although I'd say their rate of occurrence exceeds Racing Champions, I'd still estimate less than 5%. Here are pictures of a Greenlight starting to develop metal fatigue. I took these pictures prior to you asking, or else I'd have included a shot of the base, to show the expansion gaps that have developed between the sides of the body and the base. Note the cracks in the fenders, both inside and outside the engine compartment, and fine cracks along both sides and along the grille. Totally sucks knowing it will only get worse from here. ![]() ![]() |
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| Hobie-wan | Jan 23 2016, 02:23 AM Post #10 |
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SUV
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Here's a Racing Champions Bel Aire that I ended up with in a lot. These are probably the 2 most dramatic pictures I took before I just put it out of its misery and put the plastic bits and wheels in the parts bins for later use. Sucks that it was disintegrating, but at least I haden't bought the lot specifically for this car or anything. The hood snapped free while the car was on the way to me. ![]() That's a 1.5 mm or so gap between the base and the edge of the car. You could see all the way through like that. The cracks aren't too bad on the door yet, but the base was toast. ![]() So yeah, once the problem starts, you'll be able to tell pretty easily. |
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| JeepXJLover | Jan 24 2016, 11:57 PM Post #11 |
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Minivan
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Thank you both for the detailed photos and additional information. I do not think I have ever had a car do anything close to those unless it was exposed to water. |
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| cody6268 | Jan 25 2016, 04:47 PM Post #12 |
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Minivan
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Zinc Pest is what's scaring me from owning a Mini Dinky. I really want the International Crawler with the 5-in-1 loader bucket. Given the fact it isn't as common as I thought, and since I've never seen a piece of Mini Dinky construction equipment have it, guess I might as well get it. I really like this Cadillac! One to add to my list. |
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| pjedsel | Jan 25 2016, 06:37 PM Post #13 |
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Muscle Car
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It does seem to affect the cars more than the construction pieces. I am thinking since the construction pieces came a little later they might have used a different metal compound not as prone to crumbling. I just sold my Ford Corsair to a collector in Germany and it made the trip with no problem. At one time I had thought about selling my white Cadillac but now hesitant to do so since it has developed the "fatigue bug".
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| jurcpa | Feb 2 2016, 05:58 AM Post #14 |
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Fullsize
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mini dinky are beauty,rare and mega nice,amazing,many thanks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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3:36 AM Jul 11
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Nice one Dean. I have the white version - bought way back when as a brand new toy!
Sadly in my most recent inspection of it, I am seeing signs of fatigue along the driver's side and hood. Most of my Mini Dinky models have held up over the years - years ago I got two Chevy II's in the mail in a pile of pieces - I see I have a couple of my Racing Champions police cars showing signs as well - 






3:36 AM Jul 11