Date:         Tue, 18 Apr 1995 12:13:51 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Erik Soule"  <erik@henries.nsc.com>
Subject:      Re: Franklin Mint Microbus

Joel, In the "Funny you should mention it Department"...

I hate the Franklin Mint and all similar organizations. I vowed never to have a 
piece of their crap in my house, ever. I hate nick-nacks and bogus collectables.

Then last week for my birthday, what should arrive in the mail.... You guessed 
it, my wife bought me the Franklin Mint 1962 23 window bus. I went "Oh dear, you
shouldn't have" and was really expecting the worst.

Joel, its incredible. (And my wife doesn't read this list, so I don't need to 
make her feel good here). It's _heavy_! What looks like metal and chrome is (not
chromed plastic). Very accurate and good attention to detail. All doors open, 
functional steering, retractable cloth sunroof, soft rubber tires and seats 
(middle one folds). Very high quality paint job. Smallest doorhandles I've ever 
seen in my life. Fully detailed engine/exhaust/undercarriage. Speedo and fuel 
gauge, gear shift and 3 peddles. Sliding driver and passenger windows. European 
model with orange/red tailights, euro-bumpers w/o overriders. All deluxe trim 
and jailbars (but no rubber trim inserts on deluxe aluminum bumper and body 
trim).

I figured it must have been expensive, but whoa, now I know. I guess that means 
she loves me and plans on keeping me around for a while.

I still hate the Franklin Mint concept, but in this case you do get an 
incredible model. I have been to tons of VW shows over the past 10 years up and 
down the west coast and have never seen a model this good at any of the toy 
booths. Although I have a '65 21-window, mine was originally the sealing wax red
like the model.

Not as much fun as the real one, but the model does brighten up the living room,
and enlightens newbies to my house to the coolness of VW busses.

-Erik.

In message <9504181718.AA05617@lenti.med.umn.edu>  writes:
> well, i got another sucker-letter in the mail today from Franklin Mint,
> wanting me to buy their Classic Microbus, for ONLY 5 equal payments of
> $27* each (*Plus my state sales tax and a one-time shipping charge of $4.95),
> with the first payment due prior to shipment.  "all orders subject to
> acceptance". HA!
> 
> even got a letter on vw letterhead, from Stiftung AutoMuseum Volkswagen,
> Dieselstrasse 35 - 3180 Wolfsburg 1. Dr. Bernd Wiersch.
> 
> is this the "sales increase" vw was talking about? :)
> 
> anyhoo, was anybody stupi ... er, Dedicated (yeah, that's it!) enough to
> buy this thing? :)  i'm kinda curious as to the quality/etc.
> 
> not that i would buy it, mind you. not at that price, anyway. just curious.
> 
> joel


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