Full Review & comparison, diecast model car series

"Australian Cars - The Collection" is a new series of magazines and models offered through Australian newsagents, or via subscription. From 10 June 2024 there’s a new issue every two weeks and it’ll cover iconic Australian automotive history via 1:43 scale diecast models of classic muscle cars to family sedans and much more - brands such as Holden, Ford, Chrysler and even Toyota and Bedford.
EDIT: The red Monaro model in this video scales pretty well to the real car (calculating back from published GMH dimensions). Length, width, height and wheelbase are all within a millimetre of what they should be. Overall width, the model is about 1.5mm wider than it should be, and the front and rear tracks are also just a few mm too wide.
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The first 12 models in the series are:
• Holden Monaro HK GTS 327 (1968)
• Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T E49 (1972)
• Ford XC Falcon Cobra (1978)
• Holden EH Special Sedan (1964)
• Ford XY Falcon GT (1970)
• Chrysler Valiant S-Series (1963)
• Ford Falcon XA GT-HO Phase IV (1972)
• Holden Sandman (1975)
• Holden HQ Monaro GTS 350 (1973)
• Ford XK Falcon (1960)
• Toyota Land Cruiser HJ75 (1985)
• Holden LX Torana A9X (1977)
Subscription A - Classic OFFER
• Gift 1: Delivery 1: Collector’s Binder
• Gift 2: Delivery 2: Holden VK Commodore
• Gift 3: Delivery 5: Holden 48-25
• Gift 4: Delivery 7: Holden LX Torana
• Gift 5: Delivery 9: Bedford WTB
Subscription B - Premium OFFER (all of the gifts of the Classic Offer plus)
• Premium Gift 1: Delivery 7: Bedford Dormobile
• Premium Gift 2: Delivery 15: Super Coach Greyhound
• Premium Gift 3: Delivery 23: Regent III RT

[@RoverIAC]

It'll be interesting to see what year they put on the HQ GTS 350 coupe because it was released in '71 but didn't get the stipes till late 73 or 74.

[@davidkelsey2864]

I picked up the Monaro last week purely by chance walking past a local newsagent. She said the guy before me bought a huge pile of the Monaros. Obvious what he plans to do with them!

[@wixy500]

Yep... Lucky he left one for you!

[@wixy500]

FYI, I popped into my local newsagent today, asked they guy behind the counter how sales of these were going, and he said 'really good' but didn't go into numbers. I decided to buy 2 more (for use as donors for race car conversions), and he reached down into a box full of them he had behind the counter, with a spare unopened box near by! Would love to know the production numbers...

[@pauljolly8687]

That EH and HQ looked awful although they were only briefly glimpsed.

[@someoneunseen5168]

Half the 'collectors' nowadays are just investors.

[@smiddysmidton8313]

I was pretty impressed by these , look like very good value at $25 first one an absolute steal at $7

[@wixy500]

Agreed!

[@someoneunseen5168]

Quite similar to the autoart model but not quite as well finished.

[@crazenby1]

For the last couple of years ive dreamed of a newsangency australian 1.43 model car collection and now there is one!!

[@darrenbrear]

Excellent video and I am starting to collect these cars I’m going to get them all in this collection

[@richarda2248]

I work for the company that made the weird tachometer housing. The tooling was on a shelf out the back until we repurposed it a few yers ago.

[@wixy500]

You're talking the angled circle bit?

[@richarda2248]

@@wixy500 that’s the one…

[@davidbarwick2078]

Would subscibe if they did a model of The Australian Six featured at the Australian Motor Museum. Also would kill for a HQ Monaro LS Coupe.

[@T0nyGTSt]

$25 is very very cheap given the real price of IXO 1:43 cars get to $50-$75 depending on rarity - to me these are great if you want to collect a few you want... also i have no problem with people ebaying them... every newsagent you go to has a HEAP of them... they will build a LOT of the 1st editions...

[@briansdiecastthailandstoth6747]

Great to see Aussie cars...Good review and subbed to you mate...

[@wixy500]

It is! You're welcome, and thanks :)

[@theaustralianconundrum]

@@wixy500 Die cast cars????? I can drive the digital version in 4K on an 86" UHD TV and it's intricate detail is far better than any die cast model and Forza Motorsport costs AU$100.00 and it's car physics are excellent. Any "model" anything now is just a kiddies toy from back before we had computers. How childish??? Buy an Xbox Series X for a few hundred dollars and go for a fang around real world circuits.

[@wixy500]

@@theaustralianconundrum You do what you prefer, I'll stick with what I enjoy.

[@someoneunseen5168]

​@@theaustralianconundrumone might say the models are tangible products and you,sir, have the toy.

[@MetalMania3DTV-TAS-AUS]

Nice 😊

[@drewzerna4087]

I just want that VK BT1!

[@bodgiesteve8849]

Yeah, I bought the red HK for $7. Bargin, though the book is pretty basic (good for kids). Those other models are pretty good, I've not seen them before. It's a copy of the one featured in the book. Put a magnifing glass on the red one. The 327 badge looks fantastic.

[@fastbackseventyseven3553]

these actually look not bad for the price...I hate the idea of having model cars lying around the place so it's not for me but if you're a collector then I'd give them a go!

[@T0nyGTSt]

as as FYI, these are the first 12 sku which will bring us to Q4 - a few real must haves there, eg. the Cruiser troop carrier is like a $60 ask from Japan Holden Monaro HK GTS 327 (1968) Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T E49 (1972) Ford XC Falcon Cobra (1978) Holden EH Special Sedan (1964) Ford XY Falcon GT (1970) Chrysler Valiant S-Series (1963) Ford Falcon XA GT-HO Phase IV (1972) Holden Sandman (1975) Holden HQ Monaro GTS 350 (1973) Ford XK Falcon (1960) Toyota Land Cruiser HJ75 (1985) Holden LX Torana A9X (1977)

[@wixy500]

Yep, got those illustrated in the video and also listed in the description mate, plus the "free gift" models for premium subscribers. But thanks! :) I'm looking forward to seeing what's number 13 and beyond

[@kylesoler4139]

I hope for more every day cars that were a part of australian car history too. Both an 80s and 90s Mitsubishi magna would be sweet, the 90s Magna wagon was one of the first big aussie automotive exports. Oh yeah any news on a New Zealand distributor?

[@wixy500]

Will be interesting to see what comes with model number 13 and beyond. The first magazine has Distribution in Aust and NZ as "Are Direct" so perhaps Google can find you something with that? Or reach out to the subscription website?

[@YOUTUBE_CREATORS903]

wait so you can buy all the cars separately at news agent without subscribing? cause is subscribing mean you just get exclusive models?

[@wixy500]

At the moment you can, but the newsagents will stop stocking them once demand falls and the only way you'll be able to get them is via subscription.

[@Gator1699]

HQ Monaro 71 4 on the floor worked maroon had a lot chicks in that. 253 Ausie

[@TheFrog767]

Thanks

[@seanswanson1909]

I only collect 1:18 scale cars, are they an option

[@wixy500]

Not in a collection that is specifically 1:43 scale. There are however some absolutely brilliant 1:18 scale Australian cars available in the market - go check your local (or online) model shop

[@DannyPearce-td9yz]

Good Collectables buy them for your kids.

[@wixy500]

Definitely - at $7 they make a great present and I'm sure some will end up in the sand pit! Just be aware there are a couple of small parts, like the side mirror, that could be a problem for really young ones.

[@RoverIAC]

full set of 60 works out at about $3500 over two and a half years.

[@wixy500]

How did you come to that figure? The models are $25 each (a little more if you subscribe).

[@RoverIAC]

​@@wixy500 oops, not sure, I guess I was being "creative" - should have been 60 Cars @ ($25 + $5 p.h.) = $1800 I think the 2.5 years at 2 models per month is still correct .... (t'was the two models per shipment what done me in) I think you would be hard-up getting a full set without taking a sub.

[@wixy500]

@@RoverIAC Haha, yes, 2 models per shipment was the catch. I agree with you about getting the full set, you'll need to subscribe as most newsagents won't continue stocking these once the initial interest falls off.

[@RoverIAC]

recalculated total is ...$1649.40 standard or $1829.40 Premium (extra 3 model busses) based on 30 deliveries.

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Bonus is detailed interior shine a light inside charger & monaro and im done buying.

[@andrewstackpool4911]

No GTR XU-1?

[@wixy500]

Not in the first 12, but I reckon it would be a safe bet there's at least one coming.

[@lesklower7281]

I have collected most of these car model collections the rally cars the James Bond cars and also other moel cars the big problem l am running out of room for them but now l am concentrating on Toyota models and other models made of different materials l may buy the first one but l wouldn't have the room for the complete collection l gave up on the James Bond car collection because it was going to go on forever

[@wixy500]

Yes, room can be a big problem! I heard the F1 Collection was like that, it just kept getting extended.

[@lesklower7281]

@@wixy500 l am still collecting if any thing comes up l will buy it my partner volunteers at a charity shop and l have picked up a couple models

[@lesklower7281]

@@wixy500 l am still collecting my partner volunteers at a charity shop and l have picked up a couple interesting models from a couple made of China as l mentioned l do like collecting car models made of different materials

[@shanewatt-no9bm]

If they're real die cast the boot,bonnet and doors would open. Under the bonnet there should be the engine , ffs

[@Eric-kn4yn]

Shane then you pay much more money 4 added detail.

[@4TheMotorist]

They all on evilbay now for stupid money.

[@wixy500]

Yep. I'm not sure how I feel about it - On one hand it makes me angry they are trying to profiteer, but on the other it's a free market and ultimately it's the buyer who determines the price.

[@user-qs4xw7ye5s]

The scale is wrong. Monaro is too narrow.

[@wixy500]

Actually, the model scales pretty well to the real car (calculating back from published GMH dimensions). Length, width and wheelbase are all within a millimetre of what they should be. Overall width, the model is about 1.5mm wider than it should be, and the front and rear tracks are also just a few mm too wide.

[@user-qs4xw7ye5s]

@wixy500 Compare the windscreen dimensions of the model to that of the photograph of the real car on the magazine. Completely wrong.

[@user-qs4xw7ye5s]

Grille dimensions are too short as well when compared to the photo. I will still get issue 2 as the Charger looks good.

[@wixy500]

I don't know what the windscreen dimensions are to compare, but yeah, the windscreen glass area of the model looks sort of top heavy. I've also just noticed the black stripe is in the wrong spot! Also, the windscreen wipers are gigantic on the model compared to the real car - compared to the photo, not the main image on the cover, as the main image is actually a digital illustration, not a photo.