[REVIEW] Tomica Nissan Bluebird U

Land of the Rising Sun-day, Tomica time is here again. Today we examine a representative of the high quality many associate with the brand. This is Tomica 62-1, the Nissan Bluebird U (SSS-E). This casting entered the range in February 1973, remaining until March 1977, and is nothing short of excellent:

The Tomica line hit the market as an upstart with something to prove, and they did it with this casting. There is an amazing amount of fine line casting detail, including an impossibly precise “Bluebird” emblem cast into the rear fenders. Scale is claimed to be 1:60, likely accurate, and proportion appears to be similarly accurate. As one expects, there is crisp glazing, snappy (but weighted different than later models) door action, and springy suspensions, traits we no doubt all enjoy. This example exists in many small variations, mostly with “old wheels”, and all in various blue/purple shades. From all angles, this is a real gem:

Doors open to reveal a detailed interior and accurate steering wheel:

Front and rear have similar quality, with detailed grille and rear panel, and a tow hook for play value:

The base is metal, standard for the time, and contains technical and identifying detail while adding heft:

I am definitely happy to have this casting in my collection. This model marks roughly the midpoint in this batch unboxed reviews, and I don’t mind this one being unboxed, as I get to see it more:

And some 1:1s from youtube, pinterest, carsot.com, along with a couple US-spec Datsun 610 coupes from youtube and racem.org. Yes, these were sold in NA for a short time, and are insanely rare today. I like these large (for the market) upmarket Japanese coupes from the 70s, something I saw as weird and awkward when I was a kid now seems cool and stylish. I also like how the “old wheels” look similar to the hubcaps on these cars:

And a bonus for those paying attention and who are interested in vintage Tomica - my duplicate Tomica sale will be next weekend, likely posted on Sunday. There will be 19 models available, seen here: