Most of us will never fill our garage with our dream cars. But you can definitely fill your walls and halls with your diecast car collection. It’s not exactly the same thing, sure, but until you strike it rich, it’s a great way to celebrate the cars you covet.
Whether you’ve got a substantial collection already or you’re new to the game, these 10 cars are must-haves.
Photo: Philly Mint
It should come as no surprise that hot rods and muscle cars are among the more popular diecast models. As in real life, the Ford Mustang is an excellent choice, and the 1967 Ford Mustang Coupe from Greenlight Toys is a beautiful rendition.
Photo: Diecast Society
Most of us will never be able to afford a real Ferrari—a diecast replica, however, is within reason. And the meticulous craftsmanship of the Hot Wheels Elite Ferrari LaFerrari, in a bright and brilliant red, is a thing to behold for diecast diehards.
Photo: Ghost Models
Every gearhead dreams of flying across the track at full speed. That’s why an INDYCAR model is an essential part of every diecast collection. Hard to go wrong here, but we’re particularly fond of this 1990 Al Unser Jr. throwback, especially with the 25th anniversary of his 1992 Indy 500 win coming up.
Photo: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Shop
Diecast cars rose in popularity shortly after the end of WWII, so it’s no surprise that military vehicles have been a big subset of the market. You can go bigger with helicopters, tanks, and bigger rigs, but this U.S. Army Truck from Summit Racing Equipment is a simple, clean design that we love.
Photo: 2CollectCola
The rise in popularity of diecast cars inspired countless brand names to get in on the fun, from airlines and oil companies to fast food and department stores. One of the most iconic and enduring diecast brands, though, is Coca-Cola, which produced hundreds of models like this 1940 Ford Sedan Delivery Van.
Photo: Pro Energy Products
Speaking of iconic, one of the most legendary movie vehicles of all time translated into a very popular toy, especially for children of the 80s and 90s. With all respect to modern-day iterations of Batman’s main ride, we love this 1989 Batmobile by Jada Toys the most.
Photo: Summit Racing Equipment
Not all heroes wear capes, but all diecast car collections are incomplete without at least one police vehicle. The contemporary Dodge Charger is an excellent choice, but we can’t go against the 1975 Chips Dodge Monaco Brougham Pursuit Car when it comes to fighting pretend crime.
Photo: Monster Jam Superstore
Every collection needs a monster or two—monster truck, that is. Anyone that’s seen these bad boys running in real life knows that Grave Digger reigns supreme, which is why we recommend the Hot Wheels Grave Digger model. (Just please don’t run over your other cars too much.)
Photo: Diecast Indonesia
When the rest of your collection breaks down, it’s always smart to have a tow truck handy. There are plenty of makes and models that’ll suit you well, but we’d recommend any option from the Peterbilt 379 Tow Truck to get the job done.
Photo: NASCAR Superstore
We may be a little bit biased on this one, but we couldn’t make a list like this without including one of our own NASCAR paint schemes. Dale Jr. is a popular pick year in and year out, so this Dale Earnhardt Jr. Action Racing 2015 Chevrolet car will look quite striking on your shelf.
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