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So, you think you have the last word on the GTO Judge with DM’s 1969 version? I did. Then my friend Vinny DiMezza told me about GMP’s 1970 convertible. Since I was very impressed with the 1987 Buick GN, I decided to give this image a tumble. Considering how well done the Buick was, I expected the same level of quality. I got that—and more. The under-hood detailing is second to none, with all of the decals, wires, hoses and plumbing we expect these days. But, to take a look, you better have good fingernails, or one of those FM “model tools,” because the seams on the hood, doors, and trunk are tighter than a crab’s behind.
Interior detailing, which you can really appreciate because the car’s a convertible, is also up to par, with removable floor mats thrown in, as on the Buick GN. But remember those hard plastic seats? Not this time—they’re made of soft vinyl. Somebody at GMP must be actually listening to the collectors. By the way, the doors hinge like a real car (the DM GTO image, due to older technology, has doglegs). There are also movable sun visors. Need I mention the seat backs tilt? Look in the trunk. No carpet, a jack, and a loose, full-sized spare—hey, this is a muscle car, remember? You want a carpeted trunk? Get a Cadillac.
Turn the image over and look at the undercarriage. Or, hold it over your head and look up at it, as though under a garage lift. The detailing is so good, you could be looking at the 1:1 car, less some road dirt. Still no working suspensions though, even though the booklet says the image has them. I don’t consider this a major flaw, however, as long as the stance is correct.
You get, along with the vinyl mats, a soft, top-down boot, as well as a hard plastic, top-up roof. I’d like to see cloth tops though. The exterior finish is beautifully applied. But where are the front, side marker light lenses? Paint seems like a letdown on an otherwise slam-dunk image like this.
GMP provides an informative booklet, with facts on the 1:1 car, as well as care and handling instructions. There’s no CoA but is it really necessary? The GMP stamp on the image should be all the authentication you need.
With an extensive background in other scale images, GMP can certainly be considered a major player in the die cast car arena. We’ve come to expect quality from GMP’s 1:24 images and that’s what you get—at a nice price point. They seem to be listening to collectors and don’t stint on the details. By virtue of the literature they provide in the booklet, and on the box, GMP also seems to be cognizant of the fact that actual muscle car owners will be buying these 1:24 images. I’m really interested in future releases coming down the proverbial pike. Cool images, decent prices, and beautiful presentations—sounds like the formula for success to me.
(04/14/2004)
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