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DM has given us a number of quarter mile race cars to date but this may well be the nicest denizen of the drags yet. In Grabber Blue with black hockey stick stripes, a flat black hood with a snorkel large enough to suck in a low flying seagull and an aluminum wing suitable for NASA use, this piece is period correct for, like, right now dude! The big blue oval gang would be righteously proud of this strip rocket. DM affixed all the up-to-date goodies needed to make a pass at 1320 feet in 8.40 seconds. That’s fast in anyone’s book boys and girls.
Borrowing little from their 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 technology, this model regales in the best engine, chassis and interior detailing offered anywhere in diecast precision today. While the body is similar and the door hinges are the internal spring units, everything else is new and fabricated specifically for the Boss Nine. DM fashioned an all-tubular race chassis that runs from the radiator and steering support links, through to and including the roll cage in the interior, to the drag link, torsion suspension and wheelie bars. The mammoth engine is based on a Boss 429 cubic inch monster motor fed by a tunnel ram manifold intake and two massive four barrels. Aside from the prerequisite plug wires and braided hoses, we are treated to magnificent fuel lines and throttle linkage. The fuel lines appear as minute black rubber hoses and the throttle linkage is made up of metal lines and photo-etched double pump linkage assemblies in the rear and on the driver’s side. This is the best such linkage I have seen to date. A metal overflow tube is used on the aluminum radiator that features twin photo-etched electric cooling fans. An oil cooler is parked next to the radiator and braided hoses run to the oil filter section of the big block. The alternator is held in place with a photo-etched bracket and a rubber belt connects it to the crankshaft pulley. A high-spark juice box is wired and metal brake fluid lines are plumbed. Take an extra minute to appreciate the front brake system when enjoying the engine view sans hood. The photo-etched brake rotors are drilled and they ride inside large calipers. Photo-etching is also used on the bottom of the motor for such things as an oil drain plug and transmission shift linkage. Totally cool. Metal springs are used for the coil-over shocks, front and back and the rear tires are positively gargantuan! Needless to say the rear of the car was tubbed to allow for such huge drag tires, albeit Street Pro variety.
The hood and rear deck lid/airfoil are held in place magnetically but hold onto them if you turn the car over. Lifting off the trunk section, you glimpse the properly cabled battery and fuel cell. The latter is plumbed from the electric fuel pump forward. Further toward the front, you will find a photo-etched Mustang and stereo speaker grill and a plumbed and ready Nitrous bottle. Ooo, Pony-Power! Open the doors for one of the better interiors in automotive diecast design today. Once past the foam-covered roll cage, careful not to hook the drag chute rip cord, we’re treated to a sparse, yet business-like interior fully functional for going way too fast. The dual race buckets sport fabric belts with photo-etched buckles, the NOS and extinguisher are plumbed and photo-etching brings foot pedals and door sills and gauge surrounds to life. Aluminum door panels and dash inserts add to the realism too. Even the visors fold down.
There is a ton of detail in every little corner of this model just waiting to be found. From the photo-etched Dzus clips on the hood to the liquid-like paint, this is a Ford-Lover’s, drag fan or detail-rich diecast aficionado’s dream.
DM has won a 9.9 on the Thrillometer from me on this little treasure.
With an order number of 489-001, the issue price is $115.
(04/08/2005)
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