 The recent addition to my collection of the Corvette Mako Shark model
by Playart provides for an interesting comparison of the three examples
of this famous concept car in small-scale. The real concept car was a Bill
Mitchell design, introduced in 1962 for General Motors. As the story of
the real Mako Shark of 1962 has been told much better than I can, I will
provide a link to an excellent first-person account by Larry
Shinoda.
The three toy versions demonstrate the changes seen in small-scale diecast
models over the past 30 years. The Playart model dates from the 1970's and
is really quite good. At the same time, the cheap wheels and simple paint
make it much more toy-like. It is however, the only example to feature the
unique double-bubble roof that was used on the real car. It also features
a metal body and base and would prove a sturdy toy as it was intended to
do.
 The Motor Max example is more recent and shows how good the under $1
toy car can be today. The casting is quite nice and nearly as accurate as
the more expensive collector models. Cheaper wheels again detract from the
overall look. In many ways, brands like Motor Max and Welly are the Playarts
of today. The interior and side exhaust of the Motor Max version are superior
to the earlier Playart. With better paint and wheels, the Motor Max model
could look very nice indeed.
The Racing Champions model is double the price of the Motor Max and has
excellent detail. The paint is much closer to the real car although the
blue is too dark. Detailed tampos and better wheels give this model those
special touches that draw collectors attention. These sold for $2-3 so they
were also an excellent value. The quality of the paint makes a dramatic
difference and if the Playart or Motor Max models had this same paint, they
would be almost as good. Correctly sized wheels and tires are also critical
to the look and RC attempted to match the wheels of the real car.
For the collector of classic diecast models, the Playart has a great toy-like
feel and look while still capturing the essence of the real car. The Motor
Max offers that same play-value today, at a very modest price. For just
a bit more, the Racing Champions model is much closer to a true scale miniature
but would be more fragile as a toy. If you are like me, you will want all
three versions of Corvette's first Mako Shark concept. |
Corvette Mako Shark concept - Playart
Corvette Mako Shark concept - Motor Max
Corvette Mako Shark concept - Racing Champions
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