SX455 has learned that a new 1970 Cutlass SX is scheduled to be released in the near future. SX455 club president Bob Peters recently talked to Dave Nicholson (DetourDave) at DetoursDiecast about the new Cutlass SX Model.
SX455: We talked briefly last year when RC2 was working on the 1/18-scale Reef Turquoise 1970 Cutlass SX, what every happened to that model?
DetourDave: The model you are referring to unfortunately was canceled due to lack of pre-orders. A lot has happened since then. You may or may not have heard, but RC2 sold their plastic and diecast model car business to Tom Lowe, founder and former President of Playing Mantis (the company that brought back Johnny Lightning in the 90's and later sold it to RC2) and the founder and current President of Round 2, the parent company of AutoWorld, which up to this point has primarily produced slot cars. Round 2 is leasing all of RC2's molds as well as the rights to use the American Muscle name. All of RC2's molds have since been relocated to Round 2's factories and all future 1/18-scale American Muscle diecast models will be released under the AutoWorld brand.
SX455: So can tell us about this new 1970 Cutlass SX?
DetourDave: One of the models they're working on is a Burnished Gold 1970 Cutlass SX, which I helped them spec out. I just received some pre-production pictures and I thought I'd share them with you and the SX455 club. You'll see they went with the W25 hood for this release, which I know wasn't technically available from the factory on the SX, but RC2 had used this hood on an earlier release, and since it was available as a dealer installed option, I thought it would make a nice variation for this release.
SX455: That's great news! From the images it looks like their are some details that need to be worked on.
DetourDave: I think it looks really sharp with the black stripes and the black interior and black vinyl top - which clearly needs to be corrected. Along with other items I'm sure SX455 members could point out.
SX455:
I understand that you are working with SX455 member Jerry Wilson on the car details.
DetourDave: I really appreciate the help of the SX455 club. I have been trying to help AutoWorld in our free time to make these models as nice and as accurate as possible. While I have a fairly good general knowledge on many cars, I still feel it's best to run things by the experts whenever possible. Jerry Wilson's comments have proved that it's always good to put as many eyes on these samples as possible, as one person may pick up on something that another person overlooked, and even though a few of the items on the list have been caught - like that hideous vinyl top - there are a number of other items on Jerry's list that I missed.
SX455: Jerry Wilson provided SX455 with a list of the items that he noticed that needed to be corrected. I would like to share these with the readers.
- The color shows too much metallic - but appears to be closer to Nugget Gold (53) than Burnished Gold (58).
- It appears that the side trim has black paint on it. The original was all stainless and chromed pot metal.
- Wheel lip moldings (front and rear) are stainless - not body color.
- Rocket emblem on the deck lid has a circular hole at the bottom (for the lock).
-The "S" in the SX emblem on front fenders should be under the second "s" in Cutlass.
-Trim at the rear of the hood is stainless - not body color.
-Trim at top of fender (continuation of hood stainless) was chrome plated pot metal - not body color.
-Body color should not show under the front area of the hood.
-Rocket on the hood extension should have a dark red background - not silver.
-Power brake booster and master cylinder cover should be a different color - anodized color
- It appears that the size and shape of the grill emblem was designed for correct "Oldsmobile" . . . but incorrect "Cutlass" has been inserted.
-Consider adding two stickers under decklid - "jacking instructions" and "specialty wheel instructions."
-Is there a CS emblem on the door above the arm rest? If not, it should be the same size as the CS emblem on roof.
SX455: So what is the next step?
DetourDave: I will pass Jerry Wilson's comments on to my contact at AutoWorld, so hopefully they'll get forwarded on to China to be addressed.
SX455: OK sounds good. Keep us posted on the release. Thanks again to Jerry Wilson.
Dave Nicholson