Danbury Mint 1965 Ford Mustang GT Fastback

It took some time, but the wait was very well worth it. DM’s first 1965 rendition of the Mustang came to us in the form of the drag race-inspired A/FX fastback released in June of ’07. And though you may not consider this issue as high-tech as other DM works-of-art, it is nonetheless incredibly impressive. My immediate reaction came from the paint itself. More to the point, it’s the color. Hard as it is to capture in digital images, the Twilight Turquoise is stunning. The paint is deep and clear-coated to perfection. The delicate white striping on the lower body panels enhances the look even more dramatically. DM chose the double red line tires on Mustang’s styled-steel wheels and went beyond the pale to option the car out with turquoise and white interior.

It is their use of separately-fabricated and infinitesimally tiny parts that rises above the ordinary model builder to land the Danbury folks the well deserved accolades they routinely get. We all know the pains they go through to give us the engine detailing that adds so much realism to our models. But don’t overlook the ordinary and mundane nuances that increase the detail factor. As you fold the seatbacks forward, note the chrome latching mechanism. Appreciate the scaled and extending antenna, use of metal in making the hood latching pin and feast your eyes on the myriad of part content in metal lines, springs and linkage of the clutch and transmission assembly. In a word, outstanding!

The interior boasts a working rear seat craftsmanship that need not be overlooked either. Just like the real one, the seatback folds flat to make a rear floor for storage. Take notice of the floor mats front and rear while you’re at it and don’t miss the impeccable detailing in the belt ends, floor pedals, dash and steering wheel. Even the door sills are full of metal detailing. The trunk mat is realistic and the fabrication of the “Hi-Po” 289 under the hood is to die for! DM crafted up separate chrome pieces to represent the door and trunk look buttons, emblems and logos and added chrome exhaust ends, dual fog lights and chrome metal-foiled “Ford” lettering to the front of the hood.

The formulation of this exquisite model is beyond that of old tech and worthy of inclusion to any ‘precision’ description I’d care to honor. The choice of color, model and options are spot on. Production ceases forever on December 31st 2008 so get yours as soon as you can, you’ll be glad you did.

-Tony F Perrone