[Bill the Engineer]

I realize that the Golden Wheel copy of the mid-1990's 1/24 RC Monte Carlo casting isn't most collector's cup-of-tea. They copied the body contours so well, then blew the appearance with laughably large bumps for the hood and trunk latches. However, I have an eye for the odd-balls and off-beat models of which these are well qualified. I now have 5 of these models.

From what I have been able to piece together, these models were originally created for the toy isles of places like Wal-Mart and Target. The graphics are almost always laughable in some way or other, since the designer's were trying to skirt trademark issues. Later they were offered as corporate trade show and convention premiums marketed to companies and organizations. Some were issued as banks with a coin slot under the spoiler and a locking door on the baseplate. Others don't have that feature. I have shown the blank white model I purchased previously in an earlier thread. Below are the new additions. (Note that the Pepsi models were a 2-for-1.)

The Pepsi models are both banks with the coin slot. "EDDIE WINNER" was intended to be a made-up driver's name. However, it turns out that there is a real Eddie Winner who is a collegiate track-and-field athlite.

The Automotive Recyclers Association model was a trade show model, and is covered with the names of all of the yards in Arizona. Personally I find the concept hilarious, but then a lot of race cars end up there...

The Lennox Live model is another trade show model for Lennox affiliates in 2005. This casting carried on long after the model became outdated. Again I find it hilarious that the number on the roof is upside-down.

The Golden Wheel models beside the RC casting of the same vintage.

So, if anyone has any other Golden Wheel promo or trade show models they want to tempt me with... I'm listening.

Bill

 

[VietnamVet67]

I realize that the Golden Wheel copy of the mid-1990's 1/24 RC Monte Carlo casting isn't most collector's cup-of-tea. They copied the body contours so well, then blew the appearance with laughably large bumps for the hood and trunk latches. However, I have an eye for the odd-balls and off-beat models of which these are well qualified. I now have 5 of these models.

From what I have been able to piece together, these models were originally created for the toy isles of places like Wal-Mart and Target. The graphics are almost always laughable in some way or other, since the designer's were trying to skirt trademark issues. Later they were offered as corporate trade show and convention premiums marketed to companies and organizations. Some were issued as banks with a coin slot under the spoiler and a locking door on the baseplate. Others don't have that feature. I have shown the blank white model I purchased previously in an earlier thread. Below are the new additions. (Note that the Pepsi models were a 2-for-1.)

View attachment 731005

View attachment 731006

View attachment 731007

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The Pepsi models are both banks with the coin slot. "EDDIE WINNER" was intended to be a made-up driver's name. However, it turns out that there is a real Eddie Winner who is a collegiate track-and-field athlite.

View attachment 731009

View attachment 731010

The Automotive Recyclers Association model was a trade show model, and is covered with the names of all of the yards in Arizona. Personally I find the concept hilarious, but then a lot of race cars end up there...

View attachment 731011

View attachment 731012

The Lennox Live model is another trade show model for Lennox affiliates in 2005. This casting carried on long after the model became outdated. Again I find it hilarious that the number on the roof is upside-down.

View attachment 731013

The Golden Wheel models beside the RC casting of the same vintage.

So, if anyone has any other Golden Wheel promo or trade show models they want to tempt me with... I'm listening.

Bill

Never knew they existed but I think they don't look too bad. Will be on the lookout in my travels.

 

[kshook]

That is a cool collection Bill !!! Thanks for the info on cars I never knew about

 

[Bandit33]

That is pretty neat Bill. Thanks for the info on the cars.

 

[Mike KB-41]

Neat stuff, thanks for sharing.

 

[Bill the Engineer]

One more Golden Wheel Monte Carlo promo arrived today. This one is for Trimble and only has company logos on it without any racing markings. Trimble makes GPS guidance systems for agricultural, construction and military vehicles. I don't have information as to when it was made nor how it was distributed. Makes me wonder what else is out there though.

Again there is something laughable on this one, that is if you don't choke on your coffee first. This Monte Carlo is doing its best to masquerade as a Ford!

 

[Mike KB-41]

Sharp!!

 

[Bill the Engineer]

Two more Golden Wheel 1/24 Monte Carlo banks arrived These are two Kellogg's sponsored Supermarket promos from 1997 and 1998. They may actually be the among the first releases of this casting since the 1996 Racing Champions model designs are used. (Unsure if they bought the obsolete dies/molds or just copied them.) Each of these cars only have the Kellogg's and Goodyear graphics. The 1997 model does not have the Chevy bow tie logo, while the 1998 version does. The packaging of the 1998 model has a hastily applied "Authorized by Chevrolet" sticker on the outside of the clear packaging at the rear window, likely indicating late approval. There are no minor sponsors on the cars.

They went up on the wall to display. I have rearranged things slightly to put all of the Golden Wheel castings together separated from the others.

 

[Bill the Engineer]

The Golden wheel cars together.

 

[Texas3]

The 5's look good

 

[Mike KB-41]

Very nice

 

[Bill the Engineer]

Attempting to keep all of the Golden Wheel posts in one thread.

Another 1/24 Golden Wheel Monte Carlo promo arrived today. This one is for the Canadian chain store "Giant Tiger". It is actually decorated to look like the real car pictured on the bottom of the box, so this one isn't just something made up. Some nice painted details include the window webbing and silver lug nuts. It's a bank much like the Kellogg's and Pepsi cars, but you don't notice unless you look for the slot.

I wonder how many other Golden Wheel promos are out there waiting to be found.

 

[kWobubba]

Those are cool. I’ve got that blue Kellogg’s one. Picked it up at food city back in the day


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[Bill the Engineer]

Yet another 3rd party Golden Wheels 1/24 promo arrived today based upon the plain white model that I described when I began these posts. This one is for LiftMaster and is an "economy" promo with added graphics by a third party promotional item company. (Hoping to figure out which one eventually.) It appears to have been issued in the early 2000's prior to LiftMaster sponsoring a real racer. The graphics on this model appear to be adhesive backed clear vinyl labels.

I attempted to contact LiftMaster inquiring about this model, but have not yet received a reply.

Once again, whoever designed the graphics didn't have a basic understanding of how NASCAR cars are decorated. It would have been better if they had put the "1" on the doors and the "LiftMaster RACING" on the hood. Yet another unique model for the Golden Wheel collection up on the wall.

Still looking for other Golden Wheel / 3rd party promos. I am aware of the existence of versions for Dollar Tree, Cooper/Sylvania, AAMCO and USBank, but I am certain many more exist. The body casting may also have been used by another company that fitted it with a friction drive, but I am yet to verify it.

 

[Bill the Engineer]

I found another one! This is a 2013 promo for ESCO made by Crown Premiums using the same old Monte Carlo dies from Golden Wheel. ESCO is/was a company that re-manufactures gas station equipment like fuel pumps and payment systems. This is the only one I have seen. According to the seller, it was only offered to ESCO customers. The car is near mint, but unfortunately the box was trashed. I took photos of the box before it went into the trash can. Another one goes up on the wall. I have all of the Golden Wheel cars grouped together in one place.

BTW, I recently purchased the same casting used for two different Menards Signature Series cars. I'll post photos as soon as they arrive.

 

[Texas3]

Nice add!!

 

[Bill the Engineer]

I was going through some old postings here and discovered that the Golden Wheel casting I collect was used multiple times by Menards. So far I have found two versions, #27 PEAK released in 2016 and #27 Dutch Boy released in 2017. I know that Menards switched to a different casting by 2018 which I'm not going to pursue. However there is still a yellow and green Monte Carlo with Quaker State graphics that hasn't turned up yet. That one and the Dollar Tree car are the only two that I know I still need to find. There are likely others still that I haven't come across yet.

 

[z24black]

First time that I see all of those odds car , I know that they are show or promo car but those must be rare since I never saw them before . Congrats on this sweet odd collection

 

[Bill the Engineer]

New arrival! Just received the third of the trio of Menard's cars using the Golden Wheel #3601 casting. Menard's switched to a newer casting in 2018 so this completes that group. The same 1996 Monte Carlo casting is used to represent an Impala (2015) and an SS (2016 and 2017).

Another 3rd party promo coming soon. Watch this space.

 

[Bill the Engineer]

As promised, here is the new (to me) 3rd party promo that arrived today. It was a special for the Kroger supermarket Meat and Seafood Department. The seller did not have any background info about it, but it may have been an employees only promotion of some kind. It was produced by GMK International. At this point I do not know what the significance of the "80" number is if any. There is another identical one on FB Marketplace in Ohio but the seller does not ship so I had to pass.