It’s good to tick one off the “Most Wanted” list, like I managed to do with this one. Most of you will know the 1/64 Tomica Fiat X1/9. But the 1/43 Dallara version from Tomica Dandy is much less well known, and oh so hard to find. At least for the kind of money that I’m willing to pay.
The 1:1 cars weren’t a dime a dozen either. In 1975 the X1/9 was chosen by Dallara to enter the World Championship for Makes in the Group 5 Special Production class. The Dallara Icsunonove (the Italian pronunciation of “X1/9") featured a modified X1/9 engine with a custom 16-valve cylinder-head and fundamental suspension and body/monocoque alterations, the most obvious of which are the massively flared wheel-arches and the oversized rear wing.
Almost every part of the car was redesigned with one goal: to outperform the opposition. Heart of the project was the 4 valve/cylinder fuel injected engine that in the 1300 cc version produced an astonishing 192bhp@9700rpm, while the 1600 cc had ~210bhp@~1000rpm less.
This was a silhouette formula allowing for maximum mechanical and weight reduction mods. – yet keeping the car’s production body outline.
Few production components remained. To reduce weight, suspension uprights were cast from magnesium alloy, lower suspension arms were specially fabricated including lightweight radius arms.
The Tomica Dandy model offers the usual thrills of opening everything and a solid metal construction with working suspension. Even that special 16V head is visible!
And it comes standard with a barely tamed Racing Driver! It can be easily removed if that’s not your thing, but I like the little guy. Now, if you are a little like me you will think: Why doesn’t Tomica make models like this anymore?
Well, you can stop thinking now. Tomica will launch the new “Premium RS” line later this year! 1/43 scale models with opening everything. For 3500 Yen. And if that’s not good news, I don’t know what is.