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The Franklin Mint 1955 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton Pickup is such a thorough disappointment, that it is hard to even review this release. There is so little that is right with this wrecker, that one has to believe that it is a miscalculated aberration, in the wake of several very wonderful FM releases. To begin with, the single, fixed mount boom is static. A spindled rope, which then runs to the back of the boom, is non-functioning. The sling is also badly replicated, adding to the TONKA-like appearance of the truck. The safety chains are way out of scale (much too big.) The spare tire wheel (secured within the boom structure, looks like a toy wheel. Its center hub hasn't even been hollowed out. The front bumper push frame is made of brown painted plastic. It, off course, should have been made of wood.
The interior, in red and white plastic, is closer to "precision" than the rest of this replica. Though, the side window frames are too wide and the side glass is also missing. Engine detail conforms to what is minimally acceptable in current diecasts. Paint and decaling are excellent, as well as being up to standard.
FM was hopefully not serious about passing off this diecast to discriminating collectors, but in fact wanted to capture the toy truck market. It should be priced accordingly. The irony is that FM probably spent several hundred thousand dollars bringing this aberration to market. There is much to admire from FM, and certainly upcoming releases will redeem their place in this market. The issue price is $120.
(10/18/1998)
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