Well, that was fast. Just a few days after unveiling the BRE Datsun as an RLC exclusive, the HWC site has just announced that it will go on sale this Tuesday, October 15th, at 9am West Coast Time.
We have also learned a little more about what it will look like. Frankly, a lot like the Vintage Racing model from a couple of years ago. With some slight differences, the deco will be the same to replicate the actual John Morton 510, but the red on the RLC model is now spectraflame, it will have a mirrored chassis, and of course, Neo-Classic Redlines in place of real riders. A comparison:
So who is in?
Of course that is a question that is not as simple as it appears. I think a lot of Lamley readers are in. Our love for j-tin is shared by many, and we are sure a whole hell of a lot of you are as excited as we are. But getting one will not be easy for a lot of you.
First off, you have to be a member of the Redline Club. Memberships for 2013 are closed, so if you want to join, the earliest you can is 2014. More importantly, memberships and the RLC exclusive models are only available to collectors in the United States.
I understand that opening memberships to overseas collectors is a bit of a logistical nightmare for Mattel, but I hope they figure out a way to do it. We at Lamley love our overseas friends, and to be honest, I think the passion about the brand and the hobby by collectors on other continents far exceeds what we see here, and Mattel can embrace that more.
But unfortunately that hasn't changed, and this fantastic RLC model is not available to everyone who wants one.
For that reason, if you are a US-based RLC member, and are only interested in one, or not interested at all in the BRE, we ask that, if possible, you buy your max of two. Then contact us here at Lamley (lamleygroup@gmail.com) and let us know you have an extra, and we will put you in contact with a collector who wants one and is willing to cover your costs and then some.
And Lamley friends overseas, email us as well to let us know you are interested in a BRE Datsun. We will keep a list on a first come, first serve basis, and if we are able to get a hold of extras, we will put you in contact with the collector that has them. All we ask is that you be ready to cover the cost of the model ($9.99), shipping to the RLC member (usually $5-$6), shipping to you (whatever that cost is), and a little extra ($5) for the seller's troubles. If you are willing to do that, shoot us an email.
We hope at least a few of these can get into the hands of the collectors that want them, no matter where they live. This is a bit of an experiment, so we ask for patience on all fronts. Plus, we have NO IDEA when this model will actually ship. Almost all RLC models have been backordered, so we may have to wait as long as sometime next year. But we will keep the list until that point.
What do you think?
