Jada Toys 1:32 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline




Well, this is one interesting casting for sure, and to see it in the Fast and Furious line is even stranger.  Once again thank the Cuban culture for giving us classic cars in the recent Fast and Furious film and while the 1961 Impala is the pristine car for Dom, his brother's 1947 Fleetline is another story.





The Fleetline debut in 1941 as a new Chevrolet car-line with more streamline look that made the running boards almost non-existent and the fenders flowing with the rest of the car.  The beginning of World War II made the Fleetline cars more for military duty with green paint and no chrome anywhere on the car.  Production resumed in 1946 where the Fleetline still looked great even when post-war cars started to come out.  Now to Cuba's car culture Cuba was part of the U.S. until Castro's revolution ended ties with the U.S. for decades until 2017.   What the U.S. left behind was classic 1940's and 1950's automobiles from the U.S. auto companies that hard-working Cubans try to keep running for decades.  Even with modern European vehicles sold in Cuba most still wanted to keep the classic 1950's Detroit Iron running, and that range from rebuilding (if possible; remember they cannot get parts easily outside Cuba at the time) or sticking a diesel truck motor in the engine bay.  It's an amazing sight to behold seeing these classics relics still cruising along the Cuban roads.






Now this 1947 Fleetline from the set is an unfinished car and a unique one for Jada Toys to make.  It lacks anything in the front:  hood, fenders, grille, bumper, even headlights.  The doors are missing as well; strangely the trunk still remains intact.  Rust is predominant on the body, especially on the lower section and 5-spoke mag wheels (most likely from sea salt from the ocean).  The rust design of the wheels is nicely done, as is the sections of the body including dirt spots as well.  While not recognizable from the front the rear fenders and trunklid still remind you that this is a 1947 Chevrolet Fleetline.  The interior shows off a two bench seat layout without any safety belts or harness, though it does have a roll cage.  The shifter and three pedals are detailed on the floor, while the two-spoke steering wheel is just ahead of the flat dashboard with simple controls and layout.  In the 1:32 version the rear seat is taken over by the pullback motor hump.






What is extremely amazing is the detailing of the front-end: most Jada Toys vehicles that i've seen have a hood that opens to show off a mostly engine pan design, no detailed engine block whatsoever.  Here where the fenders are completely removed Jada has no choice but to detail the motor and the results are amazing.  The front has the radiator wedged in the front frame rails and connecting to the engine with upper and lower radiator hoses.  The drive belt with detailed alternator is nicely done and upper portions of the engine have a fine coat of dust.  The engine block is done in a 3D format with detailed distributor cap (you'll have to make your own wires), exhaust manifold that connects slightly off with the rest of the exhaust system underneath, and the green intake connects to a filter and cooler-less turbo on the right-side of the engine.  Even the black firewall has the detailed master cylinder for the brakes, the ignition coil, and a fine coat of dirt.  While I may not like rough-looking rat rods much this one is a unique take that combines the best of an automobile in its working restoration state that includes a detailed motor, mind the rust and dirt.









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