Tag Archives: WordPress Gallery

May Update is Up, Up and Away!

Posted on by

Our May meeting was lots of fun. Slightly smaller crowd that last month, but still lots of laughin’, reminiscin’ and braggin’ took place.

By the way, I’ve updated our About page to include info on Suncoast Diecasters membership. Please check it out.

Okay, now you can get to the photos!

May 2018

When the Incredible Hulk has a rupture...

When the Incredible Hulk has a rupture…

The Hulk is from the DCU, right? Heh. Kidding, of course. Once again, Big Tractor Mike brought in a wonderful scale-correct display of farming equipment, some of which has been highly customized by Michael. Oh, yes, there are more photos. But first…

…Ed shares some choice models in his collection:

(L) Top Eliminator [1978, w' "AC" logo]; (R) Vetty Funny [1983]

(L) Top Eliminator [1978, w’ “AC” logo]; (R) Vetty Funny [1983]

Formula 5000 [L - 1977 Super Chromes; R - 1977 Mainline]

Formula 5000 [L – 1977 Super Chromes; R – 1977 Mainline]

(L) Monte Carlo Stocker [1979]; (R) Ice-'T' [1977/8]

(L) Monte Carlo Stocker [1979]; (R) Ice-‘T’ [1977/8]

Here is the most beautiful of the models that Ed asked me to showcase, the ’69 Chevy Camaro Convertible. If you look closely at the photos (and you should be doing so anyway), you’ll note that the model is far more detailed than a typical off-the-peg model. However, I’m unable to ID the specific series. It’s not listed in the 100% Hot Wheels series. It may be part of the 100% Preferred GM Performance Parts series, but I can’t prove this as there’s no photo in the listing.

'69 Chevy Camaro Convertible: Wholly unidentified.

’69 Chevy Camaro Convertible: Wholly unidentified.

(In case you’re wondering why I didn’t just ask Ed when I took the photo, it’s because I turned the toy over, saw what I thought was the Vintage series logo on the base, on said to  myself, Well, that was easy.)

And here’s my favorite of the set, Sir Rodney Roadster, a pseudo-fantasy vehicle based on the Lotus Seven S4. I say “pseudo-fantasy” because it seems some liberties were taken with the design. Fact: I never heard of this model until about fifteen-ish years ago, and it was by accident. At a local shop I spotted some gimmicky Hot Wheels merchandise, little yoyo-like things. Each consisted of a “tire” about 2½” in diameter, with a teensy HW model inside. Pulling the string caused the car to race around inside the tire. So I bought one, seeing as I’d probably never own any other version of Sir Rod here.

Sir Rodney Roadster [1977] [Collector # KAR 120C]

Sir Rodney Roadster [1977] [Collector # KAR 120C]

Here, finally, are the afore-promised photos of BTM’s farm display. And look at them; they’re beautiful!

Okay, more kidding. These thumbnails are teasers; click on any one, and you’ll open a gallery of delightfully larger images which you may left/right through at your leisure. (There’s no info for this machines because BTM is still having e-mail trouble, and neither of us took notes during the meeting.)

By the way, I have chosen a Find of the Month model … but I’m not telling you which one it is. I want you to think about the photos in this update, and make your best guess.

Or you could, you know, just view it on Twitter.

And with two days left in May, I shall cry a hearty Victoryyy!

See you at our June meeting!

~WM

March 2018: The O’Ken Show!

Posted on by

I could not be at our March meeting, as I was attending a friend’s engagement party. So I delegated photography duty to Original Ken.

He took several great pics. Not much info on the individual models, however, so let’s get right to the photos!

March 2018

But, before we get to the photos, we are pleased to announce this year’s Port Richey Diecast Show. It’s on Sunday, April 8th, and the rest of the info is on these images:

This year's show is in color.

This year’s show is in color.

Not to scale. (The hall is actually much larger than shown here.)

Not to scale. (The hall is actually much larger than shown here.)

I’m still exploring the WordPress gallery options. Although this is a different layout, it functions the same as last month’s version: Select any preview to bring up a larger image, and arrow your way to the left or right.

0201803_001
0201803_002
0201803_003
0201803_004
0201803_005
0201803_006
0201803_007
0201803_008
0201803_009
0201803_010

See you at our April meeting!

~WM

February, featuring fabulous fotos!

Posted on by

Alliteration, boys and girls. It’s known as alliteration.

Thus, with such a delightfully educational intro, let’s get right to the photos!

February 2018

We start off with this great Baja Breaker variation (courtesy Big Tractor Mike; photo by Original Ken). This is “Motocross Team”, part of the Scene Machines series.

1979 was a very creative year.

1979 was a very creative year.

Next is this 1978 Holden Pick-Up (courtesy Big Tractor Mike; photo by Original Ken).

...Which is *not* 1977's '56 Hi-Tail Hauler(!).

…Which is *not* 1977’s ’56 Hi-Tail Hauler(!).

I have to say, I am very impressed by the level of detail on these bikes.

They even went so far as to give them different numbers.

They even went so far as to give them different numbers.

O’Ken goes big-time with this 1/24th-scale John Force funny car by Winner’s Circle from BTM. Unboxing it for these photos was quite a project. I think it took Ken about ten minutes!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The chassis and everything else is plastic; the body shell is surprisingly heavy metal.

And now presenting: Another New Feature! BTM asked me if it was possible to have the post photos (which I’ve standardized to 550 pixels wide) link to larger versions. There are in fact several methods; but the easiest option seems to be to use something WordPress offers: the Gallery.

Now, generally speaking, each of these posts, with its collection of photos, can be considered a gallery. But WordPress’ gallery function is a browser script which provides an interactive display. In fact, the slideshow, which I first used in August of 2017, is a variation in the gallery settings. I created larger photos here, some as wide as 1,000 pixels. I then chose various display settings (in this case, three columns of circular previews), and inserted the gallery.

To view the larger images, simply click on any preview. This will open the gallery to that image. You can then go from one photo to the next using the left and right arrows (screen or keyboard). To exit the gallery, click the X near the upper right corner, or press the Escape key. Enjoy! (And post your opinions on this new feature in the Comments.)

0201802-013
0201802-014
0201802-015
0201802-016
0201802-017
0201802-018
0201802-019
0201802-020
0201802-021

BTM has been having trouble with his e-mail, so I’ll have to wait for him to post info about these models in the comments.

As I’ve mentioned before, when it comes to our Find of the Month item, often one model just stands out; yet sometimes I have to choose between two. I have in fact done dual FotMs. But this meeting was unique, in that I honestly was equally impressed with all the models.I have chosen to forego “multiple” FotMs, because I think that’s a bad precedent. So I carefully reviewed the photos, and one finally began to draw me in. So, for its working gate, its real metal chains, and its beautiful hand-cut wood siding, this custom by Doug for BTM is Suncoast Diecasters‘ Find of the Month(*) for February 2018.

Not your typical Woodie.

Not your typical Woodie.

See you at our March meeting!

~WM