July 2025 1:64 Scale at the Cottage!

Just some fun quick pics. I have been coming up here all my life and this is the first time I have "played" with 1:64 diecast cars here in over 40 years!! I guess things don't change that much. 😆

Hot Wheels 1:64 (Boulevard): Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43

The Toyota Land Cruiser FJ43 is a variant of the classic FJ40 Land Cruiser, featuring a slightly longer wheelbase and more cargo space. It was produced from 1960 to 1984 and is known for its ruggedness and off-road capability. While not officially imported into the US, it's a popular model among collectors and enthusiasts.

Hot Wheels 1:64 (Fast & Furious): Hummer H1

The Hummer H1 is a full-size four-wheel-drive utility vehicle based on the M998 Humvee, which was developed by AM General when it was a subsidiary of American Motors Corporation (AMC). Originally designed strictly for military use, the off-road vehicle was released to the civilian market.

The civilian version was produced from 1992 through 2006 and was the first of what became the Hummer line. AM General built both the H1 and the Humvee in its Mishawaka, Indiana, facility. GM stopped marketing the H1 in the 2006 model year, but AM General continued production of the military Humvee versions through 2018.

M2 Machines 1:64: 1974 Chevrolet K5 Blazer

The Chevrolet K5 Blazer is a full-size sport-utility vehicle (SUV) that was marketed by Chevrolet from the 1969 to 1994 model years. A variant of the C/K truck line, the K5 Blazer is a shortened version of the half-ton pickup line. For its first two generations, the model line was a half-cab pickup truck fitted with a removable rear top (effectively making it a three-door station wagon); the final generation was fitted with permanent rear bodywork. Initially offered solely as a 4x4, the K5 Blazer was also marketed with a rear-wheel drive configuration.

Alongside the longer-wheelbase Chevrolet/GMC Suburban wagon-style SUV (offered with three rows of seating and second-row doors), the K5 Blazer was marketed by GMC from 1970 to 1991 as the GMC Jimmy (reflecting a shorthand nickname for the brand). Though the K5 prefix was used on Chevrolet badging until 1988, GM never internally referred the Blazer/Jimmy as such. Following the 1983 release of the S-Series Blazer/Jimmy, to avoid market confusion, GM officially changed the model lines to "Chevrolet Full-Size Blazer" and "GMC K-Jimmy" (after 1986, V-Jimmy), though they are often unofficially still addressed as "K5" to avoid confusion.

For 1992, General Motors redesigned its entire full-size SUV lineup, with GMC renaming the Jimmy as the GMC Yukon. The full-size Blazer was replaced for 1995, as the Chevrolet Tahoe inaugurated a shorter-wheelbase variant of the Suburban. Currently, GM markets the Tahoe and Yukon alongside the Cadillac Escalade, and later resurrected the "Blazer" name for a midsize crossover SUV while Kia now uses the "K5" name for an unrelated midsize sedan.

DCT 1:64: Peugeot 206

The Peugeot 206 is a supermini car (B-segment) designed and produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot since May 1998 as a replacement to the Peugeot 205. Developed under the codename T1, it was released in September 1998 in hatchback form, which was followed by coupé cabriolet (206 CC) in September 2000, station wagon (206 SW) in September 2001, and a sedan version (206 SD, which is an abbreviation of the Iranian word sandogh-dar, "sedan", made, produced and sold in Iran) in September 2005, before being replaced by the 207 in April 2006.

Its facelifted version was initially launched in South America in September 2008, and in China in November 2008, in hatchback, sedan and station wagon body styles, and marketed as the 207 Compact, and as the 207 respectively. This version was subsequently launched in Europe in February 2009, only in hatchback form and marketed as the 206+. In South America, where it was assembled in Argentina as well as Brazil, it continued to be offered as the 207 Compact until January 2017, and also in China, both under the 207 nameplate and as the Citroën C2.

The 206 is the best-selling Peugeot model of all time with 8,358,217 cars sold by 2012. As of April 2024, the facelifted version of the car (called the 207i) remained in production under license in Iran by IKCO. In 2020, the 206 had been counted as the thirtieth most long-lived single generation car by Autocar magazine.

 

DCT 1:64: Peugeot 505 Station Wagon

The Peugeot 505 is a large family car produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot from 1979 to 1992 in Sochaux, France. It was also manufactured in various other countries including Argentina (by Sevel from 1981 to 1995), China, Thailand, Indonesia and Nigeria. The 505 was Peugeot's last rear-wheel drive car.

According to the manufacturer, 1,351,254 505s were produced between 1978 and 1992 with 1,116,868 of these being saloons/sedans.

DCT 1:64: Volvo C30

The Volvo C30 is a three-door, front-engine, front-wheel-drive premium compact hatchback manufactured and marketed by Volvo Cars from 2006 to 2013, in a single generation. Powered by inline-four and straight-five engines, the C30 is a variant of the Volvo S40/V50/C70 range, sharing the same Ford C1/Volvo P1 platform. Volvo marketed the C30 as a premium hatchback / sports coupe.

The C30's rear styling and frameless glass rear hatch recall Volvo's earlier P1800 ES and Volvo 480.

Shadow 1:64: BMW M5 E60

The BMW M5 E60, produced from 2005 to 2010, is a high-performance sedan known for its unique V10 engine, derived from BMW's Formula 1 involvement. This generation, the fifth in the M5 lineup, is celebrated for its powerful engine, engaging driving dynamics, and distinctive styling, marking a high point in BMW's performance history.

DCT (Shadow) 1:64: Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm

The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm is a high-performance, track-focused version of the Giulia sedan, known for its lightweight design and enhanced aerodynamics. It was introduced in 2020 as a limited-production model, celebrating Alfa Romeo's 110th anniversary. The GTAm distinguishes itself from the standard Giulia and the Giulia GTA with features like a large carbon fiber rear wing, a stripped-down interior with racing seats, and the removal of rear seats.

 

Shadow 1:64: BMW 850CSi

The BMW E31 is the first generation of the BMW 8 Series. It is a grand tourer built by BMW from 1990 to 1999 as a 2-door coupé, powered by either a V8 or V12 engine. Whilst it did supplant the original E24 based 6 Series in 1990, it was not a direct successor, but a new model class with a substantially higher price and performance than the 6 Series.

As a top-of-the-range variant of the 8 Series, the 850CSi took over from the prototype M8 variant. The 850CSi used the same engine as the 850i, which was tuned so significantly that BMW assigned it a new engine code: S70B56. The modifications included Bosch Motronic 1.7 fuel injection, a capacity increase to 5,576 cc (5.6 L) and power increase to 280 kW (381 PS) at 5,300 rpm and 550 N⋅m (406 lbf⋅ft) of torque at 4,000 rpm. Road & Track recorded a 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) time for the 850CSi of 5.9 seconds.

The 850CSi's modified suspension included stiffer springs and dampers that reduced the car's ride height. The recirculating ball steering ratio was dropped 15% over the standard E31 setup. The model also sported staggered throwing star wheels. The front and rear bumpers were reshaped for improved aerodynamic performance. Four round stainless steel exhaust tips replaced the square tips found on other models. The 6-speed manual gearbox was the only transmission option. In Europe, all 850CSi's came with four-wheel steering (AHK - Aktive Hinterachs-Kinematik, Active rear axle Kinematics), upgraded and ventilated brakes with floating front discs, rear differential oil cooler, engine oil cooler, two-tone interior, sports seats, and reshaped mirrors. In the United States, the cars instead received "BMW Motorsport" writing on the doorhandles.

Production ended in late 1996 because the S70 engine could not be modified to comply with new emission regulations without substantial re-engineering.

MoreArt 1:64 Scale Dioramas

I purchased two MoreArt Dioramas last week.

Fortunately they are affordable and will be content with all I have purchased so far. If I want another I would rather just build my own custom one in colder months (winter). These are nice for photos and as I have discovered, taking photos of these little toy cars is a very common phenomena. It turns out many of us like to document our collection, as you can see in this blog. The blog is mainly about the documenting for me and not to build any kind of audience (see, after 11 years, this blog has no followers/members...😁

Traxxas Blast 24" RC Boat & TFL Hobby Outboard Project Update

Going to the cottage for a week and I will fibreglass the holes on the deck (near stern), transom and one side (where a water output was). Primed with some paint. The deck will be metallic blue and the hull white using the same paint as seen on the cockpit section (all needs sanding and a second coat). Also, the "windshield" will be black along with the helmet visors. The helmets will match the deck (blue) and some other small details will likely be painted...eventually.

I think I needed to prime it to get motivated to finish it. It has been sitting for six weeks (due to summer = outdoor activities!!!). 

 

I think it looks nicer than before the priming and painting.