1968 Franklin Mint GT/CS and HCS

[Diesel Donna]

Am I the only one who didn't know that the Franklin Mint made a GT/CS AND a High Country Special model??? The gold and red ones are HCS and the blue is GT/CS. I saw lower priced ones one ebay.



http://www.franklinmint.com/1968-Mustang-High-Country-Special-Candy-Apple-Red-Ltd-Ed-P10754C202.aspx
http://www.franklinmint.com/1968-Mustang-California-Special-Limited-Edition-P10151C202.aspx
http://www.franklinmint.com/1968-Mustang-High-Country-Special-Sunlit-Gold-Ltd-Ed-P10755.aspx

~~~~Donna

 

[Doug]

I didn't know this either but I don't get around much.

Doug

 

[admin]

I had seen them, but just assumed they were reselling the models made by Green Light. (They were who created the first GT/CS & HCS models based on forum member 68gt390's car)

But looking at the photos on the Franklin Mint site I'm not so sure they're the same. I'll take a closer look tonight when I can have my Green Light version in my hands to compare. From memory the antenna seems different. I don't recall the GL version having it extended.

But did you read some of the reviews? They misspelled High Country Special! (leaving off the "h") Oops!

 

[Mosesatm]

They are not the same. The Franklin Mint cars are 1:24 scale I think, and the Greenlight cars are 1:18. The FM cars are also higher quality.

 

[admin]

Arlie, you're correct (as usual :wink I didn't even notice the size difference.... or the price difference until now!

Does anyone have one of these to comment on?

 

[Mosesatm]

Did you notice the price of the gold one?!!!

I have all 3.

 

[admin]

So even though they're smaller scale the quality of the FM is better than the GL?

Is the "h" missing on your HCS decal too?

 

[Mosesatm]

I'll take a look at them tonight and let you know the Franklin Mint's (FM) cars compare side to side with GreenLight's (GL) cars.

Edit:
I compared the Sunlit Gold cars and found that both cars have their unique idiosyncrasies.

The GL car has an odd beige and black interior in that the seat centers are black and the borders are beige. The red and blue cars are fine.

The GL car, being larger, has much better turn signal inserts in the hood and much, much better rear quarter reflectors, and wipers. In fact, the FM car's rear reflectors are the definition of pathetic.

They both have GT exhaust tips and the GL car has GT hub caps so one could argue that the GT tips may be correct on that car, but they certainly are not correct on the FM car since it has black hub caps.

The GL car has Marchal fogs and the FM car has lucas lights on posts (very well done).

The GL car has painted styled steel wheels but the FM car has chrome units.

The FM car has a spare tire in the trunk but the GL car has none.

The FM car has a much better battery.

The FM car has an angled air cleaner snorkle and the GL car has a straight one. I don't know which one is correct for a big block car.

The FM car has chrome front valance guards but the GL car has none.

The FM car has MUCH BETTER tail lights and the ducktail spoiler is much more upright and correct than the GL car.

After all that here's the thing that is an unforgivable sin on the part of The Franklin Mint. All 3 of the FM cars have '68 Shelby consoles, but they are very well done. They even have the embossed snake on the top!

So, all in all is one better than the other. Not in my opinion, until it comes to price, then the Greenlight car wins hands down.

Jon, all 3 of my FM cars are missing the "H".