Two Eerily Similar M2 Machines HEMI 'Cudas

M2 collectors know about the Target-exclusive models that released early in the year when Target began to sell collector-focused diecast products in select stores. Those models were a moderate success; most of them have sold out by now, but there are still some hanging around, particularly the ones from the Auto-Wheels series. One of them is the silver HEMI 'Cuda shown here. It comes with a pre-installed set of wheels and tires but also includes three other sets of shoes and axles and a handy screwdriver for you to customize to your liking.

Never one to pass on a 'Cuda, I got it with the intention of swapping the original wheels with the redline Torque Thrusts (shown in this post here) included in the package. The truth is I never actually got around to doing so because these kits can be a pain to work on, and I wasn't in the mood for ripping apart my hands.

And just the other day, I ran into a strangely familiar 'Cuda. I liked the Spectrafrost-esque lime green paint. I loved the blacked-out Torque Thrusts wheels with the Redline tires. It called out to me as I stood there for a minute, debating on whether or not to take it. Then I remembered I had that Target-exclusive, with the exact same livery, stashed in the closet. Of course I had to get it and do a comparison. And that was all the motivation I needed to finally get down and get that silver one done.

So, the shiny one is not from the same series and is not a Target exclusive. As shown on the packaging, it's from the Auto Drivers series, which is M2's entry-level line. That means it has a plastic base, printed (instead of plastic) lights, no opening parts, and no extra sets of wheels. But ultimately, none of that matters because then you don't have all the quality issues that come with all the extra parts. Lower price for a better overall product? That's a win-win.

These two make a fine duo. I can't say enough about the wheels on this model. Just look at the deep dishes on the back. While M2 gets an F- for its lack of creativity in copying the design from a previous release, it aces the test with its execution. I'll take five more, please.

Greenlight's GL Muscle Series 14

I've been on a tear recently. After a brief dry spell from the holiday season, it seems stores have started to put out fresh new product on the pegs. Great for me, because I just found these three beauties the other night. They are from Greenlight, and they're from the GL Muscle series, which focuses on American sports cars, past and present.

The trio you see here are the '69 Chevrolet Yenko COPO Chevelle, '70 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442, and '71 Plymouth HEMI Cuda. The three others from this series are the '66 Shelby GT-350H, '11 Mopar Dodge Charger, and '12 Mopar Chrysler 300. All of them are stunners and are worth picking up, depending on your tastes. Today, I have these three to show you guys.

Priced at $6.99 each, they come in clamshell blisters with a collectible "trading" card, for those of you who are into that sort of thing. Me? I open them, keep the cars and toss everything else away. Which allows me to give them their much-deserved DLM treatment, like so:

We'll start with the HEMI Cuda because it's my favorite classic muscle car. This one comes in Violet, which is absolutely a great color. The HEMI vinyling is done in flat black and can be hard to see. I personally would've done it in white instead, but hey, who am I to complain?

Next, we have the Olds 442 in Custom Blue.

The color is the first thing that strikes you. White and yellow stripes finish off the look very well. And then you realize the 442 is a gorgeous car to begin with, so your hands will be itching to grab this one immediately. This particular example is based off the Goodyear Grabber vehicle, designed for off-road racing. That's what the trading card says. I honestly have no clue; I just know it looks pretty darn nice.

 

Last is the Yenko Chevelle in Daytona Yellow.

I saved the best one for last. This is my personal favorite of the three. I know Greenlight has released this model many times, but I've never found one until now. Now I understand why this one has a hard time staying on the pegs. If you're like me and you don't know a thing about classic cars, you might have only heard of Yenko from that one Fast & Furious movie with the Camaro. You don't have to know what it is to appreciate it. Killer looks.

Try as I might, I couldn't get the hood to open, so I don't have a photo for that. Nonetheless, I hope what you see here has convinced you to go out and look for some of these. The price tag is a bit on the steep side, but they're completely worth it.

Until next time!