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There's good news for collectors'...not only a new "Mint", (as in Fairfield Mint) but a Classic new release, a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette. This limited edition will not exceed 5000 issues, and is produced in the large 1:12 scale. The Fairfield Mint, based in Stamford, CT has contracted with Solido for the production of this model. It is hand-assembled, with more than 130 parts. Scott Luntz and Eric Greenberg are the two principals behind the Fairfield Mints' efforts. Both Luntz and Greenberg were DM employees and bring quite a bit of experience in die cast offerings to the table. The model itself certainly captures the look and feel of the original '58 Vette. As in most "Mint models, the doors, hood and trunk open. The front wheels turn for presentation positioning. The Corvette comes attached to a plastic platform for display. Four small screws attach the model, and secures it during shipping as well. Packaging was excellent, and our sample model arrived in perfect condition. The color is classic Corvette white with a silver side scoop. Paint was very good quality, and all accessory parts were fixed well in position. The goal of this Limited Edition was to faithfully produce the '58 Corvette. This certainly was accomplished, in a larger sense. The cost of this model is extremely reasonable, at a very fair $94US. So how much replication can $94 buy? Quite a bit, in this instance.
The detail is good on this model, but if you are a Bloomington Gold aficionado, you will notice some Corvette discrepancies. Due to the size of this beauty, it wouldn't take much to add the details. The most obvious correction is the engine color. The Fairfield Mint produced the 283 CID V-8 faithfully, but in silver, not he factory Corvette orange. When I showed the model to two Corvette owners, that was the most common complaint. But again, so much about this model is good to excellent, including affordability. I respect Vette owners penchant for absolute correctness, but the Fairfield 1958 Corvette reviews well, close-up or from a distance, considering the look and feel of the real thing.
Should you add this to one to your collection ? The large scale of 1:12 takes up some room, but this first offering could be the die cast buy of the year! If you collect Vettes, this model is a must, especially if you can invest in some additional detail.
(06/02/1997)
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