Danbury Mint 1960 Chevrolet

After all the hoopla over the deservedly nice WCPD Chevrolet, it is interesting and tempting to compare this DM offering with those marvelous '59 and '61 Impala's. From what I have read, the white DM version was a high watermark of features and accuracy (front ride height notwithstanding). This Horizon blue car has solved the stance problem and looks to be a very stunning car in its own right.

The blue paint is without flaw, it appears to be clear coated to a perfectly smooth finish, and the color is one of those subtle, yet surprisingly attractive, hues that make it stand out in the case despite all the red and white cars that tend to predominate. The light blue top has a very fine, high thread-count fabric overlay and a well proportioned thickness at the windshield header. It is the opposite of the heavy-handed top found on the Verdero green '69 GTO. All the chrome trim is beautifully scaled without a flaw anywhere to be seen.

Doors open, with a slight tug, on internal hinges, and close completely with an authoritative click and stay there. Head and taillights as well as front turn signals are separate lenses, and they look to be miniatures of the real parts. The wipers are P-E, windshield is clear without undue distortion, and the Chevrolet letters on the hood are individual pieces, as are the door locks. Lifting the trunk lid reveals nicely scaled hinges, a patterned mat, jacking-instruction decals, and a fixed spare with jack. The lock mechanism stands out if only due to its mismatched blue color. Does this register with you? This is all I could find wrong so far.

Stepping into the invitingly two-toned blue interior reminds me of any number of top-of-the-line, well-appointed cars of the period. Lots of chrome on the door panels and dash catch the eye. The steering wheel is well-proportioned, if angled a little high, and the instrument dials are legible. A factory A/C unit hangs from under the dash, but it has a greenish tint that is a bit disconcerting. I like that the front seat backs fold forward and inward, allowing operation with the doors closed. Sunvisors swivel easily. A feature that I look for, but find on few cars, is side and rear view mirrors that are angled so a scale driver could actually see backwards. Bravo!

Let's look under the hood. First there are the articulated hinges DM is using lately, and they work like a charm. I wish they were something other than bare metal, but I don't have a reference handy to suggest anything else. I encourage DM to keep developing this feature. The underside of the hood has an insulation pad held in place by a completely surrounding spring clip. The engine bay is replete with enough hoses, wires, cables and decals to satisfy the most detail demanding collector. Of special note are both battery cables and an Optikleen bottle full of blue liquid.

The view of the chassis is dominated by heavily engraved floor and trunk pans and the signature "X" frame Chevy used which dictated an exhaust routing that lead to sagging pipes and mufflers as the cars aged. Details include emergency brake cable and automatic transmission cooling lines. Working shocks and coils springs give us an authentic suspension. Rolling stock is no-name, but pleasant tires with properly wide whitewalls and deluxe wheel covers with spinners.

I knew I would like this car, but I did not expect to be nearly as thrilled with it as I am. A bonus for me was being able to order it without buying the hardtop first. Thank you, Danbury. I know there are more things to talk about, more details that others might find as intriguing, but I trust I have painted a clear enough picture of this handsome automobile to help other make up their minds about it.

I rate this car an unexaggerated 4 1/2 corks.