No. 9 Melling 1982 Ford Thunderbird · Action Historical Series
DCCE Registry Record 000001 documents the Action 1:24 Historical Series replica of the 1982 Ford Thunderbird Bill Elliott drove to his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Riverside on November 20, 1983.
A concise identification of the physical collectible, the vehicle or event it represents, and why it matters.
Released by Action in 2003, this 1:24 Historical Series diecast reproduces the No. 9 Melling 1982 Ford Thunderbird associated with Bill Elliott’s first NASCAR Cup Series victory. The 1982 designation identifies the represented vehicle model year; the race itself took place in 1983.
Released in 2003, this 1:24 scale diecast was produced by Action to commemorate Bill Elliott's first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Riverside in 1983. DCCE currently documents one version: the standard painted diecast version, with 5,196 produced.
Manufacturer
Action
Scale
1:24
Documented versions
1
Product lines
Action Historical Series
Production quantities documented
1 of 1 versions
#
Version
Product line
Product number
Finish
Autograph
Body configuration
Window configuration
Production
DIN
Evidence
1
Action Historical Series standard release
Action Historical Series
102744
Standard painted diecast
Not autographed
Standard non-bank diecast
Clear Window Car (CWC)
5,196
Not yet documented
Supported
THE STORY
The race, the season, and the legacy.
A deeper account of the featured moment, its season context, and why it became a collectible.
By the final race of the 1983 NASCAR Winston Cup season, Bill Elliott and Melling Racing had established the No. 9 Ford as one of the series’ most consistent front-runners. Elliott had accumulated repeated top-five and top-ten finishes, but he was still seeking his first victory in NASCAR’s top division.
The breakthrough came on November 20, 1983, in the Winston Western 500 at Riverside International Raceway↗. Darrell Waltrip, Tim Richmond, and Benny Parsons combined to lead 98 of the race’s 119 laps, but Elliott passed Parsons on Lap 115 and led the final five laps. The victory was Elliott’s first in 115 Cup starts and the first Cup win for team owner Harry Melling.
The win completed a breakthrough 1983 Winston Cup season↗ in which Elliott made 30 starts, earned one victory, recorded 12 top-five finishes and 22 top-ten finishes, and placed third in the championship standings. That consistency established Elliott and Melling Racing as championship contenders before their multi-win seasons later in the decade.
Action later selected the Riverside milestone for the Bill Elliott–Harry Melling Historical Series. The release connects the physical diecast to the breakthrough race, the Melling team, the sponsor identity, and the 1982 Ford Thunderbird it commemorates.
HISTORICAL TIMELINE
Key dates in the vehicle, victory, diecast release, and permanent record.
Vehicle year, event date, collectible release, and Registry milestones are recorded separately and presented in chronological order.
Year
Represented vehicle
Represented vehicle model year
The diecast represents a 1982 Ford Thunderbird body, kept distinct from the 1983 race date.
verified
Exact date
Historical event
Bill Elliott earns his first Cup victory
Elliott wins the season-ending Winston Western 500 at Riverside International Raceway.
Identity, production, and documented release details.
Each field follows the same collector-facing structure: a precise label, the documented value, its evidence status, and an explanation when the distinction matters.
Historical identity
The represented vehicle, event, date, venue, and historical importance.
Represented vehicle1982 Ford ThunderbirdVerified
The vehicle model year is distinct from the 1983 race year.
Commemorated race1983 Winston Western 500VerifiedRace dateNovember 20, 1983VerifiedTrackRiverside International RacewayVerifiedHistorical significanceBill Elliott's first NASCAR Cup Series victoryVerified
Diecast identity
The manufacturer, product number, scale, and collectible release year.
Diecast manufacturerAction Racing CollectiblesSupportedManufacturer product number102744Supported
Repeated by a specialist retailer; primary Action documentation remains sought.
Documented finishes, edition quantities, and version-specific distinctions.
Reported production5,196Supported
Consistent across surviving examples and specialist listings; manufacturer production documentation remains open.
Physical construction
Opening features, chassis details, steering, suspension, and other functions.
Body configurationStandard non-bank diecastSupported
Supported by the surviving example and specialist product listing; primary Action documentation remains sought.
Window configurationClear Window Car (CWC)Supported
Supported by surviving example photography; primary Action documentation remains sought.
Documented versions
Every 1:24 release uses the same governed field order so collectors can compare versions without guessing what a missing field means.
VERSION 1 OF 1DCCE-RV-0000001
Supported
Action Historical Series standard release
Release identity
Product number
102744
Manufacturer
Action
Product line
Action Historical Series
Scale
1:24
Finish
Standard painted diecast
Autograph status
Not autographed
Release year
2003
Edition information
Production quantity
5,196 produced
Production evidence
Supported
Supported
DIN serialization
Not yet documented
DIN location
Not yet documented
Edition type
Limited production edition
Exclusivity
General release
Physical construction
HoodOpens
Supported
Opening feature recorded from collector observation; primary manufacturer documentation remains sought.
TrunkFixed
Supported
Opening feature recorded from collector observation; primary manufacturer documentation remains sought.
Roof flapsNot yet documented
Under research
SteeringNot yet documented
Under research
SuspensionNot yet documented
Under research
Window netNot yet documented
Under research
Seat beltsNot yet documented
Under research
Body configurationNot yet documented
Under research
Window configurationClear Window Car (CWC)
Supported
Clear glazing is visible in the surviving example photography; primary manufacturer documentation remains sought.
ChassisNot yet documented
Under research
BodyNot yet documented
Under research
TiresNot yet documented
Under research
WheelsNot yet documented
Under research
Packaging & identifiers
Packaging
Bill Elliott–Harry Melling Historical Series window box with Certificate of Authenticity
Certificate of authenticity
Included
Evidence & distinguishing notes
Version evidence status
Supported
Supported
The single documented 1:24 version is the standard painted Historical Series release.
THE DIECAST ARCHIVE
Surviving documents and artifacts tied to the physical collectible.
The Essential Release and Version Details section states the fact. The Collectible explains it. The Diecast Archive preserves the surviving artifact.
Packaging & Markings
Boxes, labels, certificates, baseplates, chassis markings, barcodes, and other physical identifiers.
Photographsupported
DCCE-RR-000001-EV-03
Surviving boxed example
Cataloged source
Reviewed secondary documentation
What this establishes
A surviving example visually confirms the car, clear-window presentation, Historical Series packaging, Action branding, and Certificate of Authenticity. The standard non-bank classification is supported by the documented example and specialist product listing. Marketplace photography remains yellow-governed research evidence.
OPEN ARCHIVE REQUESTS
Documents and details DCCE is still seeking.
Research notes for unresolved diecast documentation and archival questions.
open
Can the 5,196-unit production quantity be confirmed by an Action catalog, dealer sheet, box label, or manufacturer report?
open
What was the original MSRP and exact 2003 release date?
open
What UPC or barcode was assigned to product 102744?
open
Are there documented prototypes, samples, autographed issues, or packaging revisions?
open
Can primary Action catalog or packaging documentation explicitly confirm the standard non-bank body and Clear Window Car classification?
EVIDENCE & SOURCES
The evidence supporting this permanent record.
Sources verify the article's factual claims. The Diecast Archive separately catalogs surviving documents and physical artifacts.
The status, stewardship, and open research behind this record.
This section documents the public editorial state of the permanent record. It does not repeat collectible specifications or the complete source list.
Permanent record IDDCCE-RR-000001
This identifier remains stable through future revisions.
Article statusPublished
The current publication state of this DCCE record.
Current revision1.1
The public editorial revision of this article.
Last reviewedJuly 19, 2026
The most recent governed review recorded by DCCE.
Overall confidenceResearch ongoing
Based on source quality, independence, and agreement. Editorial score: 55/100.
Research completenessCore record established
1 documented version, 4 evidence records, and 5 open research questions.
Editorial stewardship
DCCE Editorial Team
DCCE preserves the permanent record identifier while publishing governed revisions as stronger evidence, corrected facts, or improved documentation become available.
Article maintainer
DCCE Editorial Team
Contributor credit
Evidence and photography contributors are credited with the specific items they supplied.
