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1908 Thomas Flyer
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100th Anniversary Limited Edition
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LE - 0363/1908
New Mint in Box 1:24 scale
Made of diecast metal and some plastic parts.
Detailed interior, exterior, and engine compartment.
Dimensions approximately L-8 1/2" W-3 1/2", H-2 1/2 inches
Includes a wood display base.
Comes in the original factory box with a certificate of authenticity and hang tag.
Limited Edition – Discontinued and Out of Production
This extraordinary re-creation of the historic Thomas Flyer is being issued in a special Anniversary Edition forever limited to just 1,908 models. Includes a Certificate of Authenticity and informative reference material recapping the Thomas Flyer's history-making performance in the Great Race.
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Here is what Franklin Mint says about the car:
Definitive precision model of te car that won the Great Race of 1908 – just as it appeared when it crossed the finish line after 22,000 miles on the open road.It all began in Times Square on a cold February morning in 1908... Six of the finest cars from around the world set off on a race of colossal dimensions. Some 22,000 miles in all, over half of which were frozen roads, dirt paths and open fields – through Siberia, across Europe, to the finish line in Paris. And the winner: None other than the American entry – the Thomas Flyer, with Old Glory waving proudly from the back seat! Now, the greatest transcontinental racer ever can be yours on the 100th Anniversary of the Great Race that made it a legend!
To bring this icon to life, our engineers matched and re-created every detail of the history-making vehicle. From the hand crank that revved the four-cylinder engine to the spare tires lashed to the body. The interior is authentic, down to each foot pedal and gauge. We've even replicated the vintage-styled lanterns, storage box and the 45-star U.S. flag.
Flag-Waving Symbol of American Know-How!
Enhancing the appeal of this sensational model, a full array of true-to-life working features. Take it in your hands and test the operable steering, lift the hinged hood for a look at the engine compartment, notice the smooth play of the road wheels as you spin them… you can even turn the starter crank.
Your sensational 1:24 scale model is painted by hand and custom-finished to give the grit-and-grime appearance of the battle-hardened road warrior that crossed the finish line in Paris on July 30, 1908 after a 22,000-mile trek over the world's most rugged terrain. Franklin Mint Precision Models are always First Across the Finish Line! Your model comes complete with a custom display base with replica road surface, storage box secured to the running board, tread patterns matched to the original tires, and detailed recreation of the 4-cylinder engine that won the 22,000-mile Great Race. It was assembled by hand from over 100 separate parts, hand-painted and custom-finished and full complement of working features. Comes complete with Old Glory.
Erwin Ross Thomas was a railroad man who became an automobile enthusiast. Before becoming an automaker, he built bicycles. The first Thomas car, the Model 16, was built in 1901. During the following years, Thomas cars evolved from the single-cylinder model to larger and more expensive three- and four-cylinder machines. By 1905, Thomas was selling 400 cars a year and grossing more than a million dollars in sales. By the end of 1906, Thomas had built more than 1,000 cars and had orders for 1,500 more. The most famous Thomas motor car was the Thomas Flyer - the 1907 Model 60 that could top 60 mph with its four-cylinder engine, four-speed transmission and double-chain drive. Although it went out of business in 1913, the Thomas Motor Company will always be remembered for building one of the greatest cars of its day.
In the curious year that was 1908, in the middle of a time when the early automakers were seeking to define their cars as a leading force of a new millennium, Erwin Ross Thomas surprised and thrilled people around the globe with the Thomas Flyer - the reliable American automobile that would win the world's longest endurance race.
One hundred years have passed since the Thomas Flyer made history and to this day, there has never been another around-the-world auto race that compares with that incredible event in 1908. It all began on a cold February morning. Six of the finest cars from around the world had come together on Sunday, February 12th in Times Square, prepared to embark on a race of colossal dimensions - about 21,000 miles in total, with more than 12,000 of those miles over frozen roads, dirt paths and open fields.
Three of the cars were from France, one was from Germany, one from Italy and the final entrant was the Thomas Flyer from Buffalo, New York. Most of the others were specially built and prepared for the race, but the Thomas Flyer came from the showroom only three days before the starter's gun was fired.
From the very beginning, the Thomas Flyer was the class of the race. It was the first to reach Chicago, in a little over 13 days - and one of those days was spent in Buffalo at the Thomas factory, undergoing a last-minute refitting.
The route to the West Coast took the racers across the northern portion of the U.S. and the Thomas Flyer persevered through the mud and snow, reaching San Francisco 11 days ahead of the Italian Zust.
The next leg of the race called for the cars to be shipped to Alaska, where they would drive across the frozen Bering Strait. But lack of ice forced the Zust, De Dion and the Thomas Flyer to cross to Japan by ship, where they encountered difficult topography and a shortage of roads.
At this point, the De Dion withdrew, and the race was down to three cars - the German Protos, the Italian Zust and the American Thomas Flyer.
The racers clawed their way across Manchuria and Siberia. The Protos reached St. Petersburg first and rolled on to Berlin. It finally reached Paris on July 26 and was greeted by a silent French crowd. The Thomas arrived to a boisterous hero’s welcome four days later. The Thomas had covered 13,341 miles - 3,000 miles more than the Protos - and was declared the winner. The Zust finished third, staggering into Paris nearly two months later.
The Thomas Flyer had proved itself to be perhaps the greatest off-road racer of all time, but in spite of the amazing victory, the Thomas Motor Company went out of business five years later. After being bought and sold a few times, the famous Thomas Flyer arrived at Harrah's Automobile Collection in Reno, Nevada. There, it was restored to the condition in which it finished its race so many years ago.
Battered and buffeted but proud, the Thomas Flyer is a vital legacy from a distant age - an enduring champion that circled the globe to win fame and glory. It is a car that represents the industrial heritage and entrepreneurial spirit of a young America that was coming to grips with its sense of power and ultimate destiny. It was, without a doubt, one of the greatest cars of its day and one of the most memorable automobiles of all time.
The weight of die-cast can greatly vary on similar items. We do not attempt to make a profit on shipping and handling fees therefore we use a shipping calculator for the most accurate shipping costs. We do include the actual cost of a shipping container.
We are pleased to offer combined shipping rates for
multiple purchases.
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Check the accessories category for a current list of displays available.
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