> Collection: Sunstar Diecast

Sun Star, also written Sunstar, built its reputation on two very different fronts: the big American cars of the 1950s and 1960s, and rally machines. Every Sun Star diecast is pressure-cast in metal, with plastic used only for the finer detail parts, and the range sits almost entirely at 1:18 scale. At Nice Car Collection, collectors can explore a selection of Sun Star diecast cars and detailed model replicas, including classic American cars and rally machines. Of the 296 Sun Star models we carry, 261 are 1:18, the scale most serious collectors build a shelf around.

Top American Classics from Sun Star Models

This is the heart of the catalogue, and what stands out is the run of bodies almost nobody else tools up for. The 1959 Pontiac Bonneville comes as a convertible and a hardtop. It sits alongside the 1959 Oldsmobile 98 and 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham. There is also a 1958 Lincoln Continental MKIII finished as John F. Kennedy's car. The oldest piece is the 1938 Buick Y-Job, designed by Harley Earl and recognized as the industry's first concept car.

Opening convertible tops and two-tone interiors are the signature of this line, and the build quality carries through to the chrome trim and the dashboards. Sunstar is best known for reaching further back than most brands, with brass-era Buicks from 1904 and 1908 in the same range. Every product listing carries photos of the model. A few other American pieces are worth knowing:

• 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyline and the 1960 Ford Thunderbird
• 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7G and the 1970 Buick GSX
• 1971 Ford Mustang Mach 1 and Boss 351
• 1931 Ford Model A Coupe and the 1985 Camaro IROC-Z

Rally and Classic Racing Diecast Cars

Sun Star is one of very few manufacturers covering world rally cars at 1:18. The catalogue includes Colin McRae's Subaru Impreza WRC07 from the 2007 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Two Ken Block cars follow: the Impreza WRC06 from Gymkhana 2008, and the Ford Escort RS1800 from the Colin McRae Forest Stages. He ran it with co-driver Alex Gelsomino. Jim Clark's Lotus 49 and Emerson Fittipaldi's Lotus 72D complete the racing and rally models, in original factory livery.

Lowriders, Coupes and Movie Cars

The brand also steps well outside its usual lanes. The 1961 Chevrolet Impala convertible is built as a working lowrider with movable suspension, offered in black and purple. The 1965 Chevrolet C-10 pickup gets the same low-slung treatment. The 1985 Toyota Corolla Levin AE86 is the Japanese coupe in the range. For film collectors, the 1963 Ford Galaxie 500/XL hardtop is a replica of the car seen in Fast Five, and it joins our Fast and Furious collection.

Which Sun Star Diecast Models Are in Stock?

Sun Star works in limited runs, and much of the back catalogue is discontinued. Of the 296 references we list, 115 are currently in stock and 181 have sold out. Most 1:18 cars sit between $90 and $190, fair value for money against comparable collectible replicas. Once a run is gone it is not reissued, so buy early. Shop the Sunstar diecast range online or visit the Nice Car Collection store, with shipping anywhere in Canada from Yamachiche.