1:87 for $1.67

[mononguy63]

Interestingly, I recently came across an entire shelf of the Malibu International cars at the local Hobbytown USA. They were priced at over $3 apiece, as I recall. Remembering all the threads about them on this forum (and purchasing/receiving as Christmas gifts several myself) I had to walk away chuckling.

[MisterBeasley]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grayfox1119

Hey Mr. B, is the old Banana Bucket Ice Cream place still there at the junction of rts 4 + 225? I was stationed at the Nike Missile Site ( Fire Control Area ) nearby , back in 1959-1961, and then later down rt 62 in Lincoln at another Missile site until 1962.

The ice cream place has been called "Bedford Farms" ever since 1980 when I moved here. It just re-opened for the 2006 season. On a warm summer evening, the clientele is a true slice of New England - young couples with strollers, seniors, cyclists, teens and groups of school kids in baseball or soccer uniforms. The ice cream place further up 225 in Carlisle was bought by the Kimball Farms place in Littleton, but it hasn't changed either. The original Kimballs now has paddleboats and mini-golf along with the ice cream, I think.

Might be an interesting thing to model off in the corner of the layout somewhere...

[Soo Line fan]

I posted this list of the Malibu / Wal-Mart cars in another thread. Perhaps someone may find it useful.

VW Beattle
VW Bus
VW Karmann Ghia
Ford Thunderbird
Shelby Cobra
Porsche Cabrio
Porsche Carrerra GT
Porsche Cayenne
Chevy Camaro
Chevy Belair
Pontiac Firebird
BMW 5 Series
Dodge Viper
Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing

Welcome to Wal-Mart!

Jim

[bcawthon]

Guys, what you have found is all you're going to find. The Malibu International cars have been dumped in Wal-Mart by a special arrangement.

High Speed, the manufacturer, produced the Model Power Minis until Model Power terminated the relationship due to breach of contract (Model Power hs since renewed but don't be looking for the new 442, '63 T-Bird or Mustang at Wal-Mart - this time High Speed has guaranteed U.S. exclusivity to Model Power). In any event, High Speed had a lot of leftover models and arranged with Malibu International, which is a wholly owned operation of 21st Century Toys, to sell them through an exclusive agreement with Wal-Mart.

The German models were originally produced for Schuco of Germany. As newer models were introduced (and there are a number of newer ones), the older ones went into mass distribution in Germany, where they pay even less than $1.67 for them because they are packed in a blister pack instead of a nice plastic box.

Those '55 Chevys, in addition to being a bit heavy, are not protypical for use as an auto rack load. Auto racks didn't come into common use on U.S. railways until 1959. The 1963 T-Bird or 1969 Olds 442 will make a much better load, even though they will still be heavy.

Those VWs are actually a later model, but you can still stock up on them. By 1960, Volkswagen was outselling some American brands and had about 5% of the total light vehicle market.

By the way, MisterBeasley, that T-Bird you got is the modern version, not the 1950s model. If you want the 1950s version, you need to get the '56 Thunderbird from Busch.

Bill C.

[bryanbell]

There has been several threads about these over the last couple of months. I started hitting every WalMart I came across and in the last couple of months I've gotten:
Porsche Cayenne Turbo; Porsche Carrera GT; 1959 Porsche 356B; 1965 Shelby Cobra; BMW 5 Series; Dodge Viper; VW Kafer; VW Bus T1 Samba; Pontiac Firebird; Ford Thunderbird and 1956 Chevy. I think I now have close to 30 because I have found most of them in different colors.
I also just found at a local WalMart the Athearn John Deere tractors that other people have been finding for several months. I cleaned them out of the 4620's that they had.

Bryan

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MisterBeasley

Is that an old VW microbus from the Arlo Guthrie days, like with shovels and rakes and implements of destruction? If so, then I've got to go haunt more Wal-Marts.

Not to mention the 27 8X10 glossy color photographs with the circles and arrows on the back of each one to be used as evidence against us.....

[Anonymous]

Im glad someone started this up.

A few weeks ago I went to my local walmart and walked out with 3 of them. Im still looking for cars from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Unfortunatly Ive been to about to 3 of them. One only had all the modern cars (90s on), the others had modern and a few repeats.

Hopefully if I go to Rockford with friends on Saturday I know there is a Super Walmart out there if I can try 2 convince my friend that I need to stop at Walmart for something (For some reason I cant get him to like railroading), I want to check out their selection.

I know someone on Ebay was selling a 1:87 1969 Indy 500 pace from Malibu models, but it was going way too high for me. If I could find it for $1.67 Id b really happy!

DON

P.S. I wi***he company would have a working website! Id like to know what other models they have instead of searching at many Walmarts.

[underworld]

If you keep checking, you'll find different stock of these wonderful cars. I think the first time I saw them at Walmart was about two years ago. The assortment has changed but they always seem to have the VWs and the older American cars. They also have a nice assortment of 1/43 for $1.97.

underworld

aka The Violet

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

There were 24 Nike missile batteries protecting Balto and DC during those days but that is beside the topic. (Additional Nikes were in the North east, Detroit and possibly other sites)

I have a load of 10 of the yellow chevies in a Accurail Double Deck autorack. (The RTR version) the model car with the load is quite heavy. There was quite a few folks some time back hunting for these cars. It took me 6 walmarts over 3 months.

Beats spending 8.00 a car at the LHS. However my growing fleet of 18 wheelers and assoicated heavys require me to consider passenger cars models more carefully.

[grayfox1119]

Hey Mr. B, is the old Banana Bucket Ice Cream place still there at the junction of rts 4 + 225? I was stationed at the Nike Missile Site ( Fire Control Area ) nearby , back in 1959-1961, and then later down rt 62 in Lincoln at another Missile site until 1962.

[Anonymous]

MisterBeasly , in the Wal-mart round these parts, I found that VERY VW Microbus, complete with shovels, rakes and implements of destruction exactly one aisle away from all the "other" aisles of toys, next to the one where they keep picture frames. You know, the kind you might need for 8x10 color GLOSSY photographs ! Course you may have to dig through a half a ton a garbage to get to them.
Its funny you should bring that up, cause when I first saw the VW that was the first thing that came to mind.

[MisterBeasley]

Is that an old VW microbus from the Arlo Guthrie days, like with shovels and rakes and implements of destruction? If so, then I've got to go haunt more Wal-Marts.

[GAPPLEG]

So far I've bought 20 or so of these at Wal-marts in my area, the one I really wanted and finally found was the VW bus.

[myred02]

Well, they have alot of those at my Wal-Mart. They're a pretty good deal for what you're getting. I got an old Shelby, a Porsche Carrera GT, a Dodge Viper, and a Pontiac Firebird. I case you're wondering, I have an exotic car dealership across from a classic car dealership on my layout. [8D]

-Brandon

[MisterBeasley]

I found some 1:87 autos at Wal-Mart this week while on a business trip. I got cars from the 50's and 60's (55 Chevy Bel-Air, 69 Camaro and a T-bird.) I guess you just have to be lucky to find these. There were newer ones, too, for those who model more recent times.