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Some American pre-WWII autos were splendid examples of automotive style, originality and, in certain cases, grace. They carried the hopes and dreams of many of the era’s working class in an elegant and timeless manner. This image could legitimately be proclaimed as such a car. Color choice, once again, plays a major role in the statement that this diecast makes when we first see it and again with each subsequent glance. Even the names of the color shades themselves, Squadron Grey and Mariner Blue, hint at what this country was later to glimpse in the so-called, “Big War”. Squadron Grey seems to conjure up images of Republic P-47 Thunderbolts and North American P-51 Mustangs flying in their respective formations in the grey clouds over Europe. And wouldn’t Mariner Blue turn your mind’s eye toward the waves of open blue ocean that was the Pacific Theater of Operations? Squadron Grey is a slightly metallic color. It had a somewhat defiant attitude in the 40’s. The coupe’s roof, painted in that rebellious shade, over the more conservative dark blue, surely gave rise to many an eyebrow, I can just imagine.
DM has continually amazed me with their color and car choice picks and what they do with existing tooling to maximize their collector coverage range and affect ultimate customer appeal. To take, as a base, an already popular convertible ’41 Cabriolet, albeit an older image issued in 1997, and offer yet one more facet of the gorgeous model in the form of a hard top, floats my boat but good. And there are enough substantive changes to keep the replica fresh, updated and new. Wheel covers/hubcaps have been changed. The convertible sports full wheel covers while the hard top, if you look close enough, reveals hub caps on body-colored wheels with chrome trim rings. DM got the additional gold-stripe ring outside the hub cap perimeter correct. There is now an integral antenna that went with the coupe while an external antenna was part of the convertible package. DM did the research correctly. Outside rearview mirrors are on metal wire bases, extended outward from the body slightly more than the drop top version. The Deluxe Coupe does not feature chrome front fender rakes as the convertible did, and again, DM scores a bullseye. I am amazed, though, at the extent of chrome detailing surrounding the windows, windshield and backlight windows. Engine bay and interior differences were involved in getting the coupe release right. Did Danbury get that right as well? Let’s look.
The coupe now features an “Overflow Return Tank” just above the firewall-mounted battery that was not present on the ragtop. There’s a fuel bowl in the fuel line now as it enters the carb and even that line is more scaled. In fact all the plug wires, battery cables and fuel and fluid tubes are scaled so realistically that you have to squint hard to perfectly see them; model miniaturization at its finest. The trunks are the same internally. Both feature removable spares, have jack and jacking tools displayed and the pre-requisite tool pouch. They even have the photo-etched metal twin sliding prop rods to hold up the lid. But the bumpers vary, the hard top has slightly better license plates and the trunk hinges, externally mounted, are different and far more realistic. Oh, and the coupe has a front mounted plate as well. I mentioned the bumpers. The coupe has an additional center bumper rider and the popular-for-the-day chrome wide mouth exhaust tip. Up front, the coupe sports dual, cool fog lamps. Positively racy, DM! And, excuse me, what do we have here? Look closely at the hood ornament, No, closer. See it? The mascot now is two-piece. The chrome flows into a clear plastic assimulation. An unexpected and almost overlooked detail that DM went above and beyond on.
The interiors differ as much as the rest of the car and quite honestly, I think I like the coupe more than the ‘vert. Here’s why. The convertible had vinyl covered flooring. I guess Chevy felt that an open car might be subject to rain and the clean-up would be easier. But the coupe has some nice carpet. And while the previous model came with genuine leather seating up front, the coupe has fantastically detailed cloth that looks and feels terrific. Both cars showcase the internal door hinges and t-tiny little lock buttons but the coupe’s are metal and scaled in better.
Ok, there are a couple of elements that do not appear on the coupe as carry-overs from the flop top. No more moving windshield wipers and no more removable fender skirts. Most may say big deal and you know what? Me too. This image is a throw-back, in my mind’s eye, to what was so splendid about the early forties cars and what I remember from my parents days of automotive bliss. This car was on their list of ‘desires’ if not ‘must haves’. At DM’s cost of admission, move it from your desire list to your must have, it’s absolutely special!
(03/29/2006)
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