Jo-Han's 1965 Cadillac scale model, A miniature masterpiece of an automotive masterpiece!

I have always admired the styling of the 1965 Cadillac ever since it was introduced in October of 1964 as a seven year old boy. Back then, I asked my dad if he could buy me a toy model of the thing, but money was tight, and he either could not, or he would not. I knew that they made already built up promotional models in 1/25 scale plastic, and that is what I wanted more than anything, but to no avail at that time. I was too young to know how to build model kits at that time, so that was out of the question, too. My dad did get me a Japanese tin litho friction toy of a gold 1966 de Ville the following year, but the detail was not there, and I did not like it. I ended up trashing the toy.

I was finally able to get a Jo-Han annual model kit with my allowance money in the fall of 1966 of the redesigned again 1967 Cadillac Coupe de Ville at my local hobby shop, "Smitty's Hobbies" in the Manor Shopping Center in Lancaster, PA. That shop is long gone, now. I still really wanted the 1965, though.

As I grew into a teenager in the early to mid 1970's I started building and collecting model cars and kits of cars, thereof in earnest. Model kit companies started to re issue models and kits from the 1950's and 1960's of all different kinds of cars. Then Jo-Han Models got into the act in around 1974 with their re-issues of some of their stuff from the early '60's through the early 1970's in their "USA Oldies series line, which included their re-issue of their 1964 Cadillac coupe and convertible kits. A year off, but close.

At the time, I was going 1959 Cadillac crazy, and I had my driver's licence, and I had a chance to buy a REAL 1959 Caddy, but my dad would not let me, so I wrote to Jo-Han Models and asked them if they would re-issue their plastic model they did of their '59 Cadillac. Their response was that they sent me a comprehensive survey, asking me, as a collector, what models that I would be interested in seeing re-issued. That survey list had EVERY car model that they ever  made, going all the way back to 1955, and all the way up to the then new for 1977 model year cars. I was very excited to say the least.

That survey list included the 1965 Cadillac, and of course, I checked that one off, along with about half the cars they had listed there, including a 1956 De Soto Fireflite 4 door sedan, as well as others. The result of that survey was the formation of Ex-el Products, a division of Jo-Han Models. That company proceeded to re-issue their old dealer promotional models in a choice of different colors, in the amount of four different cars at a time in very limited quantities. I was  hoping they would re issue the 1965 Cadillac, but that never happened. So I put it out of my mind....

 That is, until 1983. That was the year I was able to fulfill my dream of buying, owning and driving a 1965 Cadillac. It was a very weather worn Hampton Blue Metallic Calais 2 door hardtop that I bought for $500.00, fixed it up, and had repainted in the original color. I had already started going to car shows and swap meets, looking for nice parts for this car. I  thought, why not look for original promotional models and/or kits of '65 Cadillacs, there. In the spring of 1984, at the big Carlisle meet, I found my first one. an old scratched up blue plastic one with a friction motor, but it was intact. I paid $35.00 for it.

 In the fall of '84, I went to the big Hershey AACA car show, and swap meet. There, I found at a vendor called "Grandpa's Attic", an off white, mint, still boxed 1965 Cadillac Coupe de Ville in absolutely perfect shape. That is the very model you see in these pictures here, right now. When I got it home, I tore it completely apart, spray painted it light metallic blue, and super detail painted the body and interior.

I had my real 1965 Cadillac for almost 25  years, and I enjoyed owning it very much,(We used it in our wedding in 1989) and once I was able to afford to buy my REAL dream car, a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air sport sedan, I sold the Cadillac to make room for the Chevy.

I still own this 1/25 scale Jo-Han model that I did up of my car, today, as it is one of my favorite models that I have in my collection.

In my opinion, of all the subsequent models that have been issued of this car by different companies, this Jo-Han model stands out as the most accurate in scale proportions, and the nicest in appearance.

In around 2008, I was finally able to fulfill my childhood dream of finding the original annual 1965 Cadillac model kit issued by Jo-Han models in 1964. It is only missing one stock clear red taillight insert and the custom clear red taillight inserts.But otherwise, it is all there, and in good buildable condition. A not too common kit that I found on eBay . Since these were only issued during the original model year run in 1964-'65, these kits and dealer promo models can command some crazy prices, as they are in high demand, today, where they are found in decent condition.

Jim.

"Buick '59." (As in the AMT 1/25 scale type!)

Here is an old model junkyard salvage job, that I got at the big AACA car show flea market area in the fall of 1984 for about $30.00. When I got it from the vendor, it had scars on it from having long custom fenderskirts that were glued onto the quarter panels. It also had some other holes in it from having the usual spotlights, antennae, and other useless  late 1950's era customizing garbage mounted on the thing. One roof pillar was cracked, and about ready to fall out. All and all, for an original 1959 3'n'1 kit, it was in darn good shape. Other than being missing one wheel cover, and the taillights, this model did not need all that much body filler work to bring it up to factory stock condition. I made my own wheel cover mold out of  Elmer's type glue, using one of the original wheel covers to make the mold. After the glue totally dried in about a day, I pulled the hubcap off the glue, and it left a perfect impression of the part in all it's fine detail. After the  glue mold was totally cured, in about a day, I filled it up with a casein type two part glue, and left this cure for about 3 days.  I was able to pop the new wheelcover out of the mold intact, and,"Walla!!", I had my fourth wheel cover, made out of all things, solidified casein glue. Just a note. Casein two part glue was an industrial electronically cured adhesive that was used in the woodworking industry up to the mid to late 1980's, when it was ruled illegal to make, sell, or use anymore in the United States, as one of it's main ingredients was formaldahyde, which according to our government has been proven hazardous to our health. So this type of glue is no longer available in the U.S. .

 Orthographic 3/4 driver's side front view.

  Passenger side view, showing right rear wheel cover that is made out of  casein glue that is normally electronically cured, but it was capable of air curing in about 3 days.

  Driver's side view.

 The chrome on this thing was,(is) in kind of crappy shape, so I just touched it up as best I could, back in 1984, when I got this model. It was not painted when I got it, so that made it easier for me to pretty much paint it whatever color I wanted, so  I used Testors light blue on it, and a dark flat blue for the interior. I hand painted on the exterior "chrome" trim using Testors silver. I had to black out the entire grille opening, first as the original chrome plating was really weak there. After the flat black was dry there,I went over,and repainted the grille "squares" silver, one at a time, very carefully, with a really small detail paint brush. I detailed this model the best I could at the time, considering that by that time, I did not have very much access as to how the interior of a 1959 Buick Invicta is supposed to be colored. I still think I did okay. I think I could probably do a better job today.

  This kit was only issued by AMT three times. The first time, of course was when it was issued new in the fall of 1958, for the new 1959 car model year. It was issued again, I was told, in 1963, as part of their "Craftsman Series" of kits of select cars. The final issue of this kit was as part of a Mexican road race series of cars they issued in 1969. It was able to be built stock. This  kit is what would be called a "curbside model" as it has no engine, or an opening hood, as was customary for the early  annual model car kits of American cars issued in the late 1950's. After this kit was issued in 1969, as the "Boondock Bomber" it has not been reissued since, as it is believed the molds for this kit were either lost or destroyed.

  I found the missing taillights I needed for this model, from my model car parts stash bin.

  Gotta love that GRILLE!!

  Dashboard detail.

 Just like the old Doowop song by the Medallions, "....Gonna get me a Buick '59!!"

Jim.