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What a lousy inspection job. This diecast truck came with a missing headlight, missing hubcaps, misaligned hood and a very poor paint finish. Am I going to return it for a replacement? Heck, no! This model is the "Old Reliable" '40 Ford pickup that TFM did to resemble an old junker that's been rusting away out in the fields for years. In doing this piece, TFM went beyond ordinary detailing. Let's start at the front of this unusual model. Flanking the busted up grille is a yellowed headlight on one side and a missing headlight and bezel on the other. The wiring harness for the bulb hangs out of the empty socket. Specks of chrome show thru the rusty bumper and this detail is also used on the wheels. The dirty old flathead must have still been running when the old girl was parked, probably never to run again. Both cables are still connected to the 6-volt battery. A "2x4" is supplied to prop up the hood. In the pickup bed is a tranny, tool box, hammer, an old spare tire, a cinder block and a corroded engine block oozing oil all over the plywood bed.
The well-worn cab is another detailing wonder. The windshield and rear glass have realistic cracks in them. Basically, the whole interior is filthy, not having been cleaned in years. Horsehair(?) tufting spills out from the torn and beat up leatherette seat cushion and a duct tape patch is on the seatback. A couple of magazines rest on the seat. Strewn on the floor is an old winter hat, an empty Cola six pack and crushed cans. Some wires hang out of the empty holes in the dashboard where the radio and gauge cluster used to be.
The weathered brown (?) body is splattered with mud and applied in a fashion as if the truck was driven thru mud puddles. The tire treads are full of mud and the undercarriage is also spattered. There are many other details that I haven't mentioned (or seen yet...FH includes packets of dust, dirt and grime so you can mke an even bigger mess) but you have to hold it in your hands to fully appreciate it. At $105.00 + S&H, this unusual piece will be a conversation item in any collection. Kudoes to TFM for attempting this fine model, they've stepped up the bar. Oh, and the best part? The less I dust it, the better it will be. (10/08/1999)
(11/02/1999)
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