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Last Updated: Sep 9, 2008 - 2:11:40 PM |
"Plymouth is out to win you over." That was the company motto in the
late sixties and in 1967, Plymouth won over many consumers when they
introduced their top of the line Belvedere, the GTX.
The GTX was
Plymouths first real endeavor into muscle mania, marking their claim to
muscle car stardom and attracting big buyers to Mopar madness. The 2
door mid-category muscle car, available in Hardtop and Convertible
forms, appeared almost innocent, but boasted enough devilish accents -
such as dual hood scoops, racing stripes, dual chrome exhaust tips, a
pit stop gas cap & redline tires wrapped around Magnum wheels -
which alluded to the fire that burned within. There was a fire burning
all right, in the form of the Super Commando 440, the GTX’s standard
power plant. The Super Commando 440ci engine was rated at a scorching
375hp and torque output was measured at a hammering 480 lb/ft of
combustion. If you wanted to turn up the heat a notch to "Inferno", for
an extra $564 you could opt for the hellacious 426 Hemi in your GTX.
But only a few speed demons could handle that kind of heat, as Hemi
production in the GTX made for only 108 units in 1967. But the GTX was
designed to be a performer, and with either the Super Commando or Hemi
incinerating Plymouths fire, the GTX was always one to blaze the
blacktop.
The Plymouth GTX scorched it’s mark in 1967 both
off and on the track. With the 426 Hemi breathing under the hood, the
GTX proved its ¼ mile muscle car dominance in a furious 13.5 seconds at
a whiplash-inducing 105mph. Names like the "King" Richard Petty &
Ronnie Sox of Sox & Martin drove the GTX to superstar status on the
larger circuits in 67. In fact, Petty had 27 wins and took home the
Grand National championship behind the wheel of his 67 Belvedere GTX.
The Plymouth GTX was a winning deal. Mated to either a heavy-duty
4-speed gearbox or a fast shifting Torque Flight automatic, the 67 GTX
with the 426 Hemi or 440 Super Commando was one of 67’s fastest and
best all around muscle cars. Plymouth made the GTX a complete package,
focusing not only on the fiery soul of this devil, but also paying
close attention to how this monster restrained it’s wrath. The GTX
benefited from a heavy-duty suspension package that was taken directly
from Chryslers Police program. Beefed up torsion bars, over sized anti
sway bars, bigger brakes and a Sure-Grip differential with a 3:23 to 1
rear axle gave any driver the confidence he needed while unleashing a
nasty case of road rage. By nature, the Plymouth GTX was fast &
furious, and a helluva lot of fun!! The only thing fire proof to
Plymouths blazing GTX was your wallet. At a mere $3000 plus the $564
for the Hemi option, it wasn’t necessary to burn your house down for
the insurance money so you could afford a GTX. Plymouth made the GTX
very attainable and in doing so, they met their goal by winning you
over.
Another company is out to win you over, Highway 61, and
they too are setting the world on fire. Not only are they ablaze with
their "mad" level of detail, but the 1/18 scale replicas being produced
by Highway 61 are being sold at price points never before achieved by a
high detail oriented organization. They know how to reach the
collector, and their latest attempt has hit a bulls-eye with their
replica of the 1967 Plymouth GTX. Highway 61 has released the Plymouth
GTX in 3 different color trims: Blue, Black, and Yellow. The Blue &
Black GTX’s come with the standard 440 Super Commando, and the Yellow
GTX comes with the optional 426 Hemi. The detail on all 3 of these cars
is mind blowing. Highway 61 has not only put its efforts into the
diecast itself, but they’ve even done an outstanding job on the
packaging of these little cars. The boxes are windowed on the front,
left and right sides to give you a better view of the car should you
decide to not open it. Also included is a mirrored insert on the base
to show off the GTX’s detailed undercarriage. But if you’re like me,
this one will NOT be staying in the box. Further inspection is demanded.
Upon
said inspection, you’ll be guaranteed to enjoy some fantastic intricate
details. Right out of the box, the paint job on the GTX is noticeably
done flawlessly. The Yellow GTX has the dual hood scoops with dual hood
& trunk black racing stripes & a black vinyl top. Other
noticeable external details include the hood ornament, passenger side
functioning antenna, pit stop gas cap, and a well-done application of
chrome trim. So far Highway 61 has done an outstanding job of capturing
one of the top muscle cars of the late sixties, but this is only a
tease as to what’s to come.
As we raise the hood on the GTX, we
see that the bar for detail on a diecast replica has too been raised,
once again. The hood hinges on the GTX function like the real deal with
miniature teethed gears that interlock with each other and springs that
provide tension to keep the hood up. You can feel the tension working
as you lower the hood. Unreal. But let’s leave the hood up for a minute
to further examine the soul of this GTX. The Yellow GTX comes packed
with the optional 426 Hemi, and like the rest of the GTX, this too has
been executed with a mind-boggling amount of realism. It’s wired and
painted with a chrome air cleaner lid and chrome valve covers. The
washer bottle is detailed with a line that runs from the bottle to the
firewall and the battery is wired for power on demand. Paint details
are very precise along the firewall including the master cylinder and
it even has the heater hoses. The underside of the hood is painted
black and decals can be found on the air cleaner & radiator. You
can almost hear the inferno blazing deep inside this little Hemi.
Open
the doors and be welcomed into a lavishly detailed replica of the GTX’s
command center. The doors function realistically, opening into the
front fenders. Opening the door on the driver’s side, you’ll
immediately notice a legible VIN plate. The rest of the interior is
adorned with carpeting, soft simulated vinyl black bucket seats
accented with a molded in design, a finished headliner with dome light,
sill plates, working visors, an opening glove box, and other accents
such as a legible speedometer and gauges, a 4 speed, and radio. Pop
open the trunk and you’ll find that Highway 61 doesn’t overlook a
thing. It’s all here from the trunk mat, to the rear seat support.
There’s a jack which is actually part of the trunk mold, but detailed
nicely with a little paint. There’s even a label on the underside of
the trunk lid for jack instructions. Lower the trunk and take notice of
how well done the taillights and taillight panel are done. The Plymouth
& GTX badges are crisp and clear.
Raise the GTX up on your
virtual hydraulic lift (your hand..LOL!!) and bear witness to probably
the magnum opus on this GTX replica, authentically and masterfully
replicated primer and paint overspray. Another neat addition is the
turning driveshaft that functions as you rotate the rear tires. The
remainder of the undercarriage is nicely done with a functioning
suspension system, painted gas tank and chromed exhaust tips. Turn this
bad boy over and rest it on it’s 4 Firestone red line tires wrapped
around a set of Magnum 500 wheels. Look closely and you’ll even see the
valve stems on the wheels.
The 67 Plymouth GTX from Highway 61
is a knockout sure-fire masterpiece bound to impress any diecast, or
muscle car enthusiast. The GTX is a must have, so it’s sure to be a big
hit and sell out rapidly. If there’s one diecast worth having in all
available paint variations, it’s the Highway 61 67 Plymouth GTX. With
the help of Highway 61, Plymouth is out to win you over…..Again.
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