Innehållsförteckning för May 2023 från Diecast Collector

MATTEL is commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Matchbox brand and seven decades of diecast adventures by reflecting on its legacy and looking to the future. To celebrate, the brand is introducing a line of special limited-edition vehicles, paying tribute to Matchbox’s heritage of inventing highly detailed and realistic vehicles that have inspired generations of kids while remaining a trusted brand for collectors. The celebratory line will include special 70th anniversary diecast vehicles, featured in seven different assortments across the Matchbox range, all honouring the anniversary with special platinum details. These selections are a combination of collector favourites and iconic vehicles spanning seven decades and regions around the world. Individual 70th anniversary diecast vehicles will be rolling into retail throughout the year and will be available throughout Matchbox’s 2023 diecast…

FOLLOWING on from the popularity of Toy Collectors Price Guide 2023, the team have been looking back over the past ten years and have produced Toy Collectors Price Guide - The Full Collection. Six digital special editions cover the most popular toy collecting subjects and include trains, diecast, TV and film related toys, plus a large selection of other childhood favourites. The guides are produced and published in association with monthly magazines Collectors Gazette and Diecast Collector, and contain thousands of items listed with corresponding colour pictures and descriptions. Editor, Cathy Herron says “We’ve trawled thousands of auction results and catalogues from the past ten years to bring you unrivalled price guides of vintage toys. With detailed descriptions and clear colour photographs of every item, the Toy Collectors Price Guide…

WHEN Corgi released the first casting from its impressive new 1/48 scale Typhoon tooling recently, there was a small mistake made during production of the model, which resulted in the cockpit interior being left unpainted. Tiger Hobbies has rectified this, with new paint and added detail, for no extra cost over the RRP of £179.99. Detail added includes, pilot, oxygen mask, hose, straps painted, and general weathering of the flight suit. Cockpit coaming is painted black and detailed with white. The area behind the ejection set is painted black and detailed in grey for the boxes and hoses, canopy shut lines painted black, ejection seat painted and detailed, painted correct colour, straps and head rest in two shades of grey, and mechanism in red. Additionally, the jet cans inside have…

1/18 scale SUN STAR 1972 Datsun 240Z PRICE: £112.99 REF NO: H3511 www.ayrey.co.uk SOLD in its home market in Japan as the Fairlady Z, the Datsun 240Z is the first generation of Z GT 3-door two-seat coupés (followed by the 260Z and the 280Z), produced by Nissan Motors, Ltd. of Japan from 1969 until 1978. Incidentally, if you ever wondered why the Datsun brand was changed to Nissan, it is because Datsun was actually a brand name used for all of Nissan's export vehicles, but the parent company decided to go worldwide with its own name in 1986. The name Datsun was acquired by Nissan in 1934 when it took control of the DAT Motorcar Co., which had called its smaller cars Datson. Nissan just changed the name slightly. Aiming…

There is no doubt that, when to comes to Mazda’s MX-5 and RX-7, my enthusiasm is not, for once, a minority or fringe opinion. With the MX-5 in particular, worldwide sales success and a dedicated enthusiast following has assured the model as going down in automotive history of one of the most successful series production sports convertibles ever made. Maybe it is that ‘tingle feeling’ of nostalgia that nudges recalls of pretty Lotus Elans of the '60s and '70s that does it. Mazda’s smooth, but subtle styling, loaded with clean flowing curve lines evokes the wholesome traditional British sports cars of the 1950s and '60s. Whatever the reason though, the MX-5 as a convertible and the RX-7 as a coupé certainly hit the spot for me. As do OttOmobile’s models…

Back in 1965, I was a totally car-obsessed 15 year old, and nothing fed my obsession more than upstart newcomer CAR magazine, which took a liberating, irreverent Swinging Sixties view to motoring, in contrast to the then more conservative outlook of Motor and Autocar. If CAR didn't like a Big Three BMC, Ford or Vauxhall car, or any other make for that matter, coming under its critical eye, it wasn’t afraid to say so in print. There was one make, however, it never seemed to have a bad word for, itself a recent new kid on the block, a maker of exotic Italian GTs called Lamborghini. And when, in June 1969, in the magnificent crime caper The Italian Job starring Michael Caine, an orange Lamborghini Miura enjoyed its brief moment…

First airing in 1977, the TV series was incredibly popular and, so much so that, there’s a good chance that you may well already be humming the famous Laurie Johnson-penned theme tune. Created by Brian Clemens, who had been one of the driving forces behind The Avengers, the show is reportedly to have been planned to be called The A-Squad originally. Produced for London Weekend Television (LWT), The Professionals aired on the ITV network from 1977 to 1983. Spanning five series, a total of 57 episodes were made, filmed between 1977 and 1981. Focusing on a fictitious law enforcement department known as CI5 (a cross between the real life MI5 and CID), the storyline was that it was to use any means deemed appropriate to deal with crimes of a…

I’ll start with a quote from the excellent Lonestar, The Toy Company and Its Model Cars, by our very own Andrew Ralston, as it’s the perfect intro. “At the time of their launch, in 1969, these cheap, simple toys were priced at only 1s 3d in the old British currency, and they were claimed to be the smallest scale models on the market. The name of the series, the simplicity of the designs, the bright paint colours, the catalogue illustrations - all these aspects point to the fact that the range was designed with very young children in mind.” I may have been a very young child at the time, but the impression made by this range and the memories created that have lasted my entire life since, clearly point…

Since my last update in the January issue. I’ve now received the next 4 instalments, taking us up to 80 of the 96, so we’re definitely approaching the home stretch now. And as if to illustrate that point, with the latest delivery we received the first significant part of the bodywork – the all important front nose section that also incorporates the cockpit area. Also included was the token spare wheel (as per the regulations at the time), which is carried under the rear deck, and the brake cooling ducts. The spare wheel comes with a non-prototypical strap arrangement, but I have already seen plenty of much better arrangements on social media, where some seriously talented individuals are modifying the build as they go along. I modified mine a little,…

DATE: 5th March 2023 TITLE: Sunstar 1/24 Scale No 2928 1948 AEC RT #117 Hounslow RT852 SOLD FOR: £335.00 BIDS: 19 One of the most sought-after models by SunStar of the AEC RT in its large 1/24 scale series. Released in 2011, amazingly this model is still as new in the box, with the wing mirrors still unopened in their separate packet. The model is, obviously, mint. The packaging shows signs of some storage wear, but is still in excellent condition. Wearing fleet number RT852, the bus is modelled on route 117 to Hounslow. DATE: 9th February 2023 TITLE: Fernel Corgi Toys Monte Carlo Rally Game SOLD FOR: £824.00 BIDS: 28 Vintage Fernel Corgi Toys Monte Carlo Rally game with a pair of No 226 Morris Mini Minor in burgundy.…

The Morris FG/Austin S200 truck of the 1960s (later marketed under the BMC and Leyland names) had a distinctive appearance that set it apart from other similar commercial vehicles. The design of the cab, which the makers described as “angle planned”, meant that the doors were hinged at the rear and angled in such a way that they did not protrude onto the pavement when opened. In addition, there were extra window panels below the windscreen to allow better visibility when parking. There have been relatively few diecast models of this prototype, with the notable exception of the 1/76 Base Toys range and one or two others from Spain. The Spanish interest in this particular truck is easily explained by the fact that BMC had an arrangement with a Spanish…

One of the old Sunday broadsheets used to claim that “All Human Life is There” when the content of its pages concentrated mostly on the scurrilous and untrustworthy aspects of humanity. You could look forward to Sunday lunch while delighting in news of a vicar running off with the organist's wife and the money from the church roof appeal, or shudder at the horrors carried out by East End gangsters on the South London competition. Another branch of the media (possibly BBC's Panorama) was, we were told, “Your window on the world” despite being, quite obviously, their window on the world. At the time, my window showed me some fruit trees, a shed, a wall, more trees (poplars), the occasional train and a lot of sky with 'planes in it.…

THE next model in the Corgi Model Club collection that should be about to begin to arrive with early subscribers by the time that you read this, is No 327 MGB GT. Complete with a suitcase in the boot, this classic British sports car is another great replica, and ready to whisk you away for a trip down Memory Lane, should you feel so inclined. As ever, this latest model in the Corgi Model Club collection will be delivered to those who are up to date (i.e. those who last received No 245 Buick Riviera). For anyone who'd like to catch up and receive these latest models faster, you can find out more by calling customer services on 0333 030 77 44 or by emailing the team at enquiries@corgimodelclub.com. Even…

DERBYSHIRE-based promotional model vehicle specialist, Search Impex, has announced the release of a 1/50 scale DAF XF 530 Super Space MY2017 (6x2) tractor unit with Pharma Specification 3-axle, Gray & Adams / Carrier Temperature Controlled trailer, customised in the livery of Trans-Bridge Freight Services Ltd. This is the first time that Trans-Bridge Freight Services has commissioned an official production run of models. These have been produced exclusively for Search Impex by much-respected model truck manufacturer, WSI Models, as a certificated limited edition (155 pieces). Established in 1991, Trans-Bridge Freight Services is a privately-owned company and currently employs around 50 people at its HQ in Chadderton, near Manchester, and at its depot in Antrim, Northern Ireland. The company has become established as a well-respected logistics supplier to numerous blue-chip healthcare and…

THIS year's event took place on the 1st to 5th February, in three huge adjoining halls of the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre in Paris. Besides the wealth of mouthwatering 1:1 cars, for which the event is famous, there was plenty to interest and tempt we model enthusiasts. This year, there was the usual wide selection and though a few faces from pre-Covid times were missing, new ones were there next to regulars like the Galerie du Jouet Ancien, who specialise in top-condition obsolete toys and models, and Virus Collection, with its wide range. There were several manufacturers exhibiting this time, with Ixo for example, showcasing its 1/8 Collections range – the editor is of course chronicling the building of the Porsche 917 from this series (see page 59 for…

1/24 scale AUTOMODELLO 1988 Pontiac Fiero GT PRICE: US$249.95 REF NO: 24P010 www.automodello.com PONTIAC'S Fiero was the USA’s first mid-engined production car, built by the company in pursuit of its attempt to re-establish a sporty image. It was originally envisaged as a 6-cylinder compact sports car, but General Motors’ corporate management feared this would create unnecessary competition for the Chevrolet Corvette. Pontiac’s engineers were able to re-sell the idea to top management, as an economical 2-seater commuter car that happened to look a bit sporty. A very tight development budget inevitably meant major design compromises and the use of many components from other GM production vehicles. The engine was downsized to a 151 cu.in. (2.5 litre) 4-cylinder with a mediocre power output of 97 bhp, but when coupled with its…

The Aston Martin charisma packages superbly powerful automotive engineering, styling and build quality together into exemplarily elegant and prestigious touring cars. This is all achieved without having to resort to flamboyant, aggressive or eccentric styling and marketing. THE PASSION With a company history that makes fascinating reading embracing more influential names from industry and the world of finance and investment in its story than most automotive marques, it is a paradigm of modern times. To the onlooking world though, the marque simply evokes strong mental images now spanning from British Royal patronage to big screen star roles. For me, as an auto enthusiast, Aston Martin has been a roller coaster relationship. From the classic heydays of the DB1 to DB6 models, between 1948 and 1970, through what I frankly find…

Corgi Toys was launched in 1956 by the Mettoy Toy Company, which had been producing toys since 1934. The first six Corgi cars were all saloon cars, but within a year the range had significantly evolved to include Bedford Tractors and Mobilgas Petrol Tankers. The expanded range even led to the creation of the Corgi Model Club and the first ever Corgi catalogue came out in 1957. The Corgi Toys name became synonymous with quality diecasts, often with revolutionary designs and features that kept the company to the fore for over four decades. These days the original models are highly collectable, not to mention valuable if kept in mint condition with that all-important box. Now, there is a new kind of Corgi Model Club. After a test issue with the…

I guess nobody actually knows how much Marlboro has invested over the years in motorsport, probably not even the brand owners from Phillip Morris will have that number. The only figure I could find was that of US$1 billion invested in Scuderia Ferrari F1 team, between 2005 and 2010. However, these were only five years and for a single team. Much, much more was spent in the sport, since the brand was first seen in F1 in 1972, until it left the scene, as late as 2021. Before tobacco advertising started to be banned, seriously reducing the support this brand gave to many teams and drivers, the chevron-style logo was part of the scenery for most of the time you watched some kind of car racing. Starting in the seventies,…

Released in 2015, Jurassic World was the fourth film in the Jurassic Park series and was set 22 years after the first film. After the disaster of the original Jurassic Park, the concept of the safari park populated with cloned dinosaurs has been revived on the original site, as Jurassic World, and has been running successfully for several years. However, falling gate receipts mean that the park needs to attract more visitors by introducing additional species of dinosaurs, including some genetically-engineered hybrids. The most extreme of these is Indominus Rex, an incredibly ferocious and highly intelligent dinosaur cloned from a Tyrannosaurus Rex that manages to escape. However, this exciting scenario has minimal bearing on the model vehicles produced by Matchbox, which bore very little resemblance to any of those seen…

Number 34 in the Lesney-era 1-75 Superfast range was actually a Regular Wheels for the first two years, as the incredibly popular Volkswagen Camper was kept in the range until the replacement No 23 came along. Starting with a racing car, No 34 then progressed through two versions of a fictitious American muscle car and remained in the USA for Chevy Pro Stocker. FORMULA 1 RACING CAR Catalogue: 1971-75 Box Styles: G Formula 1 Racing Car may have replaced the old regular wheels Volkswagen Camper in the No 34 slot, but in spirit it really replaced No 19 Lotus Racing Car as the obligatory Grand Prix racer in the range. Initially painted in metallic pink, which was a very popular shade for Matchbox cars around this time, and wearing white,…

When I was young, being taken out in a car was a treat as it did not happen very often. We did not have a car but at least my grandfather did – an early Ford Popular. On one occasion, I was also taken out in an Austin Devon! At the time, most cars were of a pre-war style with running boards, but as the 1950s progressed, more modern cars appeared on the roads. These modern cars were modelled by toy manufacturers including Dinky Toys and each month new models joined the range. One of these cars was the Dinky Toys Austin Devon Saloon (No 40d), which was announced in the January 1949 Meccano Magazine. It is pictured in black and white, in the main Dinky Toys advert, in an…

EMAIL YOUR LETTERS AND QUESTIONS TO rick.wilson@warnersgroup.co.uk OR WRITE TO US The Editor, Diecast Collector, Warners Group Publications plc, The Maltings, West Street, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9PH. DIECAST-RELATED BOOKS AND A SPECIAL CORVETTE I have just received my copy of the March 2023 issue. I usually turn to the letters page first. I did not know about the Corgi book on cars, so that is one I will certainly look out for in the future. I have Mike and the Modelmakers, which I found in a second hand book shop a few years ago, but I still need to find those two Matchbox Annuals. The one with the red cover seems far more common than the one with the green cover. On the subject of models as investments. I am…

MATTEL has released a version of the classic Hot Wheels Twin Mill featuring braille dots over the body and base. This casting was created in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind and also features Braille text on the blister reading "HOT WHEELS TWIN MILL". Braille text on the sides and base of the actual model read "TWIN MILL". The base of the casting simply reads Twin Mill. The casting was officially announced under the generic name of Braille Twin Mill. Keep an eye out for these in the standard range displays at your Hot Wheels stockists. A second version has been rumoured to be following in polished chrome rather than white.…

1/43 scale AUTOCULT 1937 Tatra T82 Bus - Czech Republic PRICE: £151.99 REF NO: ATC 10011 www.ayrey.co.uk WHEN the T82 truck was being designed, the wishes of the military were specifically taken into account. The T82 was fitted with the proven chassis, in tubular construction, with the Tatra-typical pendulum axles and leaf suspension. The frame carried a 2.5-litre four-stroke boxer engine boxer, which was forcibly air-cooled by two fans and produced 55 hp. The power was transferred by eight forward and one reverse gear to the double-driven rear axle. The truck, which weighed just over three tons, was designed for a payload of two tons. The military, as the main customer, ordered the T82 mainly as a crew bus. However, the open truck, which was only equipped with a tarpaulin,…

Quite often I look to themes involving synergy between the models I am reviewing. So for a change I deliberately went for contrast this time when dipping into OttOmobile's catalogue to showcase two of its most recent releases. SEAT LEON CUPRA R - 2010 (OT404) In 1990, SEAT became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group yet, whilst sharing many of the Group’s common platforms, the SEAT model range developed an increasingly individual range of body styles such that the Ibiza and Leon were arguably more akin to (and in direct competition with) Ford and Vauxhall/Opel models than those of VW-Audi. Consolidating this, SEAT established the Cupra as its top-line model trim badging until launching it as a standalone brand in 2018. For me then, OttOmobile’s new Leon, in…

With 2022 marking the platinum anniversaries of Queen Elizabeth II and BMC, it could also be said that the very first Corgi Toys, although first issued in 1956, came from an idea conceived in 1952. In 1953, the year of the Coronation, preparations were being made for production by the Mettoy Company (Playcraft Ltd) and the first models we available in 1956. The new range of diecast toys were to be called Corgi. The name was chosen as a result of a competition and for the following reasons – Corgi was the name of a sturdy little Welsh breed of dog (the toys were made in Swansea) and they were favoured by the Royal family, especially the new Queen. Compared with Dinky Toys, which had been going since before the…

With the predicted success of its ‘4’ family car, it was somewhat obvious to Renault that a light van version would work too. So, we now move on to look at models of the Renault 4 van, or Fourgonnette as it was also known. Before doing that I should perhaps explain that the Fourgonnette was introduced in 1961, at the same time as the car. It has one particularly interesting optional feature, its ‘girrafon’ or giraffe hatch, an opening above the rear door that allows longer loads to protrude outside if necessary. Two different lengths of van were available, the longer ones being built in Spain. In 1975, both versions were lengthened by 8 cms. Also, there was an option of a higher roof. With so much variation, I have…

I’ve been playing around with restoring old diecasts since my early teens. When I started a huge partwork project build from Ixo Collections (see opposite page for the latest update), it gave me this idea for this section to bring you tips as I focus on some other projects along the way too. ◼ DINKY NO 283 BOAC COACH Following on from the previous Workbench (March issue), its time to revisit another bus project that brings together two of my childhood obsessions – single-deck coaches and planespotting. Dinky Toys introduced its No 283 BOAC Coach in October 1956 and it lasted in production until 1963. The tooling was unchanged throughout that time, the only notable changes being to the finish of the baseplate and the tyres used. Modelled at roughly…

Since its creation back in the mid-1950s, Alpine has become a legend. With its light, agile, efficient and elegant sports cars, Alpine has consistently taken on, and often defeated, the most powerful and prestigious automotive manufacturers in the rallying and endurance racing worlds. The premium French sports car brand came back with a bang ten years ago, winning the five-race European Le Mans Series endurance championship with its A450 in 2013. Ahead of its return to road car manufacture with the launch of the reimagined A110 in 2016, the company worked with the hugely-popular Gran Turismo video game franchise to create something a bit special for the game's 6th incarnation, designed specifically for Sony's PlayStation 4 console. Alpine designed a futuristic racing car concept – the Alpine Vision Gran Turismo.…

FIVE rare diecast toy vans more than doubled their upper estimates of £800 each when they sold for £8,928 inclusive of charges at a specialist Toys, Die-cast Models & Juvenalia auction, held by Gildings Auctioneers, on February 22nd. The single-owner collection of rare Dinky Toys vans, dating from 1934-1935, had been discovered in a drawer by the original owner’s son. The standout lot was a pale green van with a Palethorpes ‘Royal Cambridge’ side advertising, which sold for £2,108. It was closely followed by a red ‘Ensign Cameras/Lukos Films’ van that sold for £1,984 and a green ‘Wakefield Castrol Motor Oil’ van (sold for £1,860). Completing the set, a yellow Kodak Film ‘Use to be Sure’ van sold for £1,736 and a blue Pickfords Removals & Storage van attracted bids…

PLUS… Rolls-Royce shooting brake and delivery van Renault 4 – part 4 The Corgi Years – 1967 part 2 Workbench Auction results Extensive selection of new model releases, reviewed by our team of experts June issue on sale 2nd May or download the digital edition 7 DAYS EARLIER on 25th April at www.pocketmags.com/diecast-collector…