Please Welcome San Lemkuil

["Melnik, Daniel T (Dan)" <dmelnik@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Rodger & Gabby!
Funny you should ask that question!!....I have been wondering if I
should/should not mention to our IML members that I had an active (small,
mail-order type) business selling model cars (mostly diecast and 90% 1/43
scale. I say "had" as due to work/time/etc constraints I am currently now
mostly "Inactive" as far as the business goes.....but since there are very
few Imperial diecasts made I hesitated to mention it at all even though I am
sure our members, being basically 'car nuts' like I am, might be interested
in other types of car 'models'.......anyway, to answer your question
regarding a '66 LeBaron model, there are a few out there (very few!)and only
one close to what you want that I know of. I will have to check some of my
old catalogs to be sure but the GORGI company made a '65 convertible 1/43
scale diecast that even came with a miniature set of golf clubs/bag. The
color was a medium red with a white conv. top (top was down). I actually got
one myself some years ago for about $50.00 and it was NOT in the best of
shape and didn't include the golf stuff. The last one I saw for sale (ebay
is a good place to check, and I must admit I have not checkd in a year or
two) was in VERY good condition w/golf bag, and was just over $100.00.
Again, this was some time ago and I don't know if the diecast world has had
its $$$$ go down or through the roof lately. (If you do find one and you
don't want it yourself, please let me know! ) I will do the same for you!
There is another company that made a '58 Southampton, I believe, which was
about $180-200.00 new (or Mint-In-Box) but I didn't spend the $$$ to get any
of those for resale and so have zero in my stock. Thats the ONLY ones i know
about. I had looked for a few years for ANY company that had a 1966 Imperial
(any model) in diecast but had no luck. The closest I found was the Corgi
1965 I mentioned. 
At one time when I was into the reselling of these miniature cars, I had a
company make a special model for us which we sold at a toy show in LasVegas
(at the then Bally's Hotel)....There is a minimum number of cars that a
company will make for anyone which means you have to guarantee a minimum
amount of $$ up front since the company obviously wants to sell them all
immediately, and not have to wait  years to sell off a 100 or 200 models.
It's a lot more work than you might think and some 'legal' stuff is involved
depending on the model being made PLUS the cost of having someone make up
the MASTER and all the pieces associated with it, in order to 'cast' the
model pieces and then paint/assemble them all. It's actually
fasinating-aggrivating-satisfying-stressful-rewarding, all in one.

I was going to ask the old contacts at these companies if they would make a
model for me ( our business name was, appropriately enough, Basket Case
Collectibles) and eventually look into having a series of JUST Imperials
made. However, I wonder how many of these coould actually be sold to members
since I know that many people would rather spend their $$$ on their
full-size cars instead of a small model.

Anyway, it's something I guess I'll have to ask the entire IML and see if
the interest is there for miniature Imperial models, and then try and figure
which ones to initially get made. (This may never pan out since there is a
up-front cost of about $10-15,000.00 plus a 'master' involved in something
like this).

Since I have a few hundred diecast still in my stock I was going to
inventory everything and hope that someone who is starting a similiar
busines...or just a collector.....would have the $$$ to buy the whole thing!
Then, when I joined the IML I figured I would list all the Imperials (or at
least the CHRYSLERS) asap and see if any members were interested in them. 
        Boy!! did I get long-winded and off the track or what????!
        Sprry!....I will keep my eyes (all 4 of them) open for a '65 Corgi
for you!
        Regards,
        Dan Melnik /dmelnik@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> From:         FltSgt@xxxxxxx[SMTP:FltSgt@xxxxxxx]
> Reply To:     mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent:         Wednesday, March 06, 2002 10:41 AM
> To:   mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject:      Re: IML: Please Welcome San Lemkuil
> 
> Stan
> 
> I would like to have a 1/43 rd dicast 66 Le Baron.  Got any leads ?
> 
>                                            Rodger & Gabby
> 
>