Innehållsförteckning för June 2023 från Diecast Collector

RAMSAY’S 18TH EDITION HAS GONE DIGITAL! NOW in its 18th edition, Ramsay’s British Diecast Model Toys Catalogue is brought to you by a team of experts who have scoured thousands of auction results over the past three years to ensure you have all the updated market value prices. For the first time, you can now download sections of the catalogue directly to your desktop computer, mobile phone or tablet. Split into 5 special editions covering Corgi, Dinky/French Dinky, Matchbox and smaller manufacturers such as Timpo, Tri-ang and Chad Valley it’s never been easier to put a value on your prized diecast collection. With over 19,000 listings, this catalogue remains the benchmark for all price guides, and is a must from anyone collecting diecast models. Each special edition is priced at £4.99…

COLLECTABLE farm and construction model specialist, Universal Hobbies, has released the stunning Valtra Q305 at 1/32 scale in two limited edition colourways. Both models are strictly limited to just 1,000 examples of each. The model shown here is No UH6468 Valtra Q305 Unlimited Titanium Edition and the second release is No UH6477 Valtra Q305 Olive Green - both comprise 125 parts and are packed with features. With foldable mirrors, front and rear UH couplings with adjustable third point linkage, and the Q305 logo tampo-printed on the headlights, the detailing is exquisite, with a fully-fitted cab. Each version is priced at 89.00€ and more images can be found at www.universalhobbies.biz, or get in touch with your preferred Universal Hobbies retailer for more information and to place a pre-order.…

AS mentioned in Francisco Mota’s article about Ferraris racing at Le Mans in this issue (pages 26 to 30), Ferrari’s brand new endurance racing prototype will soon be here in model form too. Look Smart has confirmed that it will be modelling the stunning 499P as it was presented at the car’s unveiling on 29th October 2022. With reference No LSRD159, the new model will be available very soon. For more details, check out Look Smart’s dedicated web page at https://looksmartmodels.com/product/ferrari-499p-143/. The car made its competition debut at the Sebring 1000 Miles in March, the first round of the 2023 World Endurance Championship, and scored an impressive third place. There are two cars entered for the centenary Le Mans 24 Hours in June too, as well as a full season…

7 BUMPER PAGES! BE QUICK OFF THE MARK AND GET SOME SUPER STYLISH ENGINEERING FROM SOLIDO 1/18 scale SOLIDO 1990 ALPINA B6 3.5S Blue PRICE: £55.99 REF NO: 1801520 www.solido.com ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH + Co. KG, founded in 1965, is a family-owned, medium-sized company and still headed by Burkard Bovensiepen, but now with his sons, Andreas and Florian. The engineering and the production of high-end automobiles based on BMW models is the core of the company’s business. ALPINA creates exclusive automobiles for a small circle of connoisseurs who appreciate the extraordinary in terms of automotive enjoyment. Tradition and authenticity are important values of the brand. Every single BMW ALPINA is fitted with an individual production plaque in the interior along with an ALPINA specific VIN, which classifies the car as…

Three very different cars, all with a common connection through their colour. Two of them – the Volvo and Alpine – are very recent OttOmobile releases, whilst the third of the trio arrived in late 2022. VOLVO 850 R SEDAN - 1996 (OT427) Designed by the legendary and long-serving Volvo designer, Jan Wilsgaard, the 850 was introduced as a saloon in 1991 and estate in 1993, both remaining in production until 1996. The 850 brought with it a host of engineering features that were new to Volvo production, including front-wheel-drive, with a transverse 5-cylinder engine, and integrated side impact protection system (SIPS). Introduced in 1996, the 850 R was a late series successor to theT-5R marketed in a limited range of paint colours and an extensive list of trim upgrades…

Way back in 1935, a purpose-built factory was constructed in Oakcroft Road, Tolworth, north Surrey. In the same year, Ron Godfrey, of the partnership Godfrey and Nash (GN Cars) approached Major Edward Halford to propose the development of a new sports car. After exhibiting a prototype in late 1935, the company was formed in 1936 with Guy Robins, formerly of Trojan, joining as the third partner. The name was derived from the first letters of the three men who founded it – Major Edward Halford, Guy Robins and Henry Ronald Godfrey. Together, they took over the premises in Tolworth, and the cars they designed and produced were heavily influenced by Godfrey’s previous involvement with both the GN company and Frazer Nash. The first Meadows-engined HRG was about half the cost…

At the beginning of the year, Mattel released a version of the classic Hot Wheels Twin Mill casting featuring braille dots over the body and base, in partnership with the National Federation of the Blind, promoting an inclusive play experience. It is now finding its way into UK toy stores, supermarkets and specialist retailers. Officially named as“HW BRAILLE RACER – TWIN MILL”, this is technically a new (adapted) casting, as it has its own page at Hot Wheels Wiki Fandom – hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/HWBraille_Racer_-_Twin_Mill. The design is accredited to Fraser Campbell and it comes in at No 85/250 of the 2023 Mainline series, and is ⅘ of the 2023 Experimotors group. The car is presented in an all-white finish – even the wheels and tyres are too, separated only by a thin…

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 290 BUS UPSCALE Following on from the project introduced in September 2022 issue’s Workbench, I can finally reveal the finished project, ready for shipping back to its owner, Martyn Pring at Shamrock Trains (www.shamrocktrains.com). It is to become part of an ambitious project to replicate the cover of the 1957 Meccano catalogue in O gauge. The image features several early Dinky diecasts. To make the bus more in line with the cars in terms…

Styled by Pininfarina – officially accredited to its designer, Leonardo Fioravanti – Ferrari’s beautiful 365 GTB/4 (its official name) is more commonly known as the Daytona, a moniker that Ferrari does not accept to this day. Introduced at the 1968 Paris Auto Salon, the marque was still riding high on the honours of an impressive 1-2-3 finish at the 1967 Daytona 24 Hours and, for some reason, the media at the time applied this to the new car – and the name stuck. Unlike its obvious rival at the time, Lamborghini’s stunning mid-engined Miura, the new Ferrari was a more traditional front-engined design, powered by a 4.4-litre development of theV12 used in its predecessor, the 275 GTB/4. This was mated to a 5-speed gearbox and Fioravanti’s bold ‘edgy’ styling marked…

Number 35 in the Lesney-era Superfast range brought us a very realistic fire appliance, a complete fantasy car and a rather unrealistic, but still attractive, animal transport truck. MERRYWEATHER FIRE ENGINE Catalogue: 1970-74 Box Styles: F, G, I The Merryweather Marquis was based on an AEC chassis with bodywork incorporating the Ergomatic cab. The designers at Lesney were obviously big fans of the Leyland/AEC Ergomatic cab, as this was one of six vehicles in the 1970 Matchbox catalogue to be based on it. (The others were PipeTruck, Horse Box, 8-Wheel Tipper, Site HutTruck and Leyland Petrol Tanker.) Unusually for a Matchbox model of this era, the fire engine featured a plastic base and no interior. The reason for the plastic base was to incorporate the rear pump detail plus the…

DATE: 9th April 2023 TITLE: Matchbox Superfast Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow China Issue SOLD FOR: £470.00 BIDS: 31 A rare and hard-to-find version of the Matchbox Superfast Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, made in China for the Chinese market in the 1990s. Finished in black throughout, with chrome-effect grille and bumpers, plus a black-painted baseplate and grey plastic interior, the model is 100% original, complete and generally mint (there is some roughness to the factory paint finish mainly to the bonnet/hood). The model is loose (unboxed). DATE: 17th March 2023 TITLE: Dinky Toys No 135 Triumph 2000 promotional model SOLD FOR: £415.00 BIDS: 32 From the seller’s late grandfather’s collection of Dinky Toys purchased from the UK, South Africa and Canada. This is a promotional dealership model of the Dinky Toys No 135…

One of the nice things about owning a Bentley, even an old one, is the courtesy car you get when your beloved T-Series goes in for a service. At least that is what Tony Crivelli was telling himself as the workshop manager was explaining the space-age controls and touch-screen of the Continental GT-V8-S that was to be his for two days. After five minutes of instructions he didn't understand, Tony said, "Please, Don, I just want it to go, stop and not hurt me." Don nodded and told him all he needed to know, but added "Any problems, call me. Any time, Mr Crivelli. I know it’s not what you're used to." Tony gave a smile of gratitude. "It’s not a Bentley. That’s what I'm used to. You too, I…

THE eagerly-awaited brace of new, exclusive Northcord Model Company Alexander-Dennis Enviro400 MMC buses from Model Buses Collection (MBC) are due imminently. Once again, Northcord has created two stunning examples including the very special edition MBC packaging and certificate, included with each model. No ukbus 0067 Stagecoach London “Spirit of London” and ukbus 0068 ADL Demonstrator are priced at £65.00 each, or £115.00 if bought together, representing a saving of over 10%. All models incur a £4.90 UK shipping cost (check the website for other options) and, if buying the pair together, the cost is the same as shipping for one model, representing even more savings! MBC continues to raise essential funds for the “Stagecoach London’s MacMillan Cancer Support Fund”, where profits from The Spirit of London 7/7 Commemoration Model will…

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 324 Marcos 1800 GT with Volvo Engine. Featuring an opening bonnet, just like the original Corgi Toys release, this is another great replica. This is going to be a first for the Corgi Model Club, because the model can come with one of eight different numbered versions, from 2 to 9. The numbers will be sent already fixed to the bonnet, boot and doors, but which number you get will be completely random. It’s going to be interesting to see which numbers are the most common and which are the most scarce. Additionally, the Corgi Model Club has just confirmed the…

THIS year’s Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show with Discovery, to give it its full title, took place over the long weekend of 24th–26th March, at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre. As usual, there were plenty of models on offer to tempt us collectors, mainly in the large Autojumble area. Some 12 specialist dealers, mostly with large stands, plus models and toys on more general stands, offered the same level of choice we’d find at a medium-size toyfair, and with similarly competitive prices, overall. One particularly eyecatching and tempting array was a collection of Land Rovers, from the early Dinky examples through to the later Corgis and Britains, all at £5.00 apiece. Just below these was a rather larger child’s car version that looked very competently home-built. Of course, this…

1/43 scale GLM 1954 Chrysler Concept 'La Comtesse' PRICE: US$159.00 dirn44@googlemail.com or dannefer@att.net COLLECTORS of high-quality 'Stateside' machinery, Cadillacs especially, will be familiar with the GLM range. Highly-detailed resin models, built in limited quantities, they are deservedly popular, despite their three-figure price tags. Two American enthusiasts, friends Tom Dirnberger and Dale Dannefer, have persuaded GLM to make either specific models or special colours of planned new releases. We have been fortunate enough to obtain a few of these over the last year or two, and have just picked up the very latest Dirnberger and Dannefer models, a pair of 1954 Chrysler concept cars, the 'Le Comte' (see below right) and 'La Comtesse' (reviewed here). By 1954, the American economy was growing back to prosperity following World War II, and two cars…

Captivated by the matte finish paintwork of this AMG Coupé, I wanted to know more about its full specification. My background research revealed that, as well as illustrating, yet again, just how thorough GT Spirit’s attention to detail and how meticulous its modelling is, the actual edition itself was something pretty special. MERCEDES-BENZ C63 AMG EDITION 507 - 2014 (GT381) The W204 C63 series was launched, as a saloon and estate, in 2007. The Coupé followed soon after. All three body types were subsequently premiered at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, as production run finale‘AMG Edition 507’s. These modified C63 models were, even by AMG standards, something awesome to the point of fearsome, being available only in limited numbers through 2013 and until the end of C63 production in…

Ferrari 499P is the name of the prototype the marque will race at this year’s centennial edition of the most famous race in the world, the Le Mans 24 hours. There are no shortage of landmarks to commemorate this year, not least from Ferrari itself. It’s exactly 50 years since the firm from Maranello last entered a works team in the top category, and with a real chance of taking the trophy home. It is also the 70th anniversary since Ferrari won its first World Sportscar Championship title. It is also the 60th anniversary of a mid-engined car first winning overall at Le Mans – the 1963 Ferrari 250 P. The new car runs under the Hypercar rules and was completely developed by Ferrari itself, unlike other rivals that preferred…

Carrying on from the previous instalment, in the April issue, we now move into 1967. If you thought that we might be able to take a breather after the bumper year last time out, I have to inform you that there were even more released during 1967. So much so that I’ve had to split this year into two parts again. We begin the year, of course, with the January releases – it’s a slowish start, with just two on the books by the end of that month. There were two releases this month - No 264 Oldsmobile Toronado and No 67 Ford ‘5000’ Super Major Tractor. The Olds featured headlight units that swivelled up and down, operated by a small thumbwheel on the underside, and the Ford tractor had…

In 1976, I was 25 years old and, with some passionate friends, we created in Mulhouse (Alsace) a miniature model collectors club. At that time, there was only one specialised magazine in France, called Modélisme. But some seasoned collectors subscribed to English magazines, which were much more complete. I remember very well Modeller’s World, the magazine of the much-missed Mike Richardson, where you could discover marvels and the first special models in kit form or ready-made. I was always fascinated by English trucks and my attention was drawn by an advertisement from the craftsman Motorkits with a drawing of a small Dennis Pax tanker. This model limited to 100 copies was offered only ready-made at the price of £65. At that time it was a large sum, well beyond my…

A probably inevitable consequence of Rolls-Royce’s status as perhaps the world’s most prestigious luxury car maker, is that it has always attracted weird and wonderful custom projects from people wanting to go one step further in demonstrating their wealth. The arrival, in 1965, of the Silver Shadow range saw the debut of unitary-bodied Rolls-Royces, a significant change from the previous scenario where separate chassis offered the ability to accommodate completely new bodywork designs, and subsequent coachbuilt designs tended to be recognisable as modified Shadows. This article briefly describes three highly-detailed, 1/43 scale resin models of conversions of 1979-80 saloons, both incorporating features from the Shadow II facelift in February 1977 with larger rubber-faced bumpers, a front spoiler, and a simplified frontal appearance – headlight wipers were added in July 1978.…

After the war, there were many surplus vehicles together with equipment and many of these were adapted for different uses. I remember an American Dodge van that was used by a local grocer for deliveries. All these ex-army vehicles were from the 1930s or '40s. But as the army recovered from the war, new vehicles were commissioned. At the forefront were the Austin and Bedford companies, alongside others like Humber, Foden and Scammell. As a result, the Dinky Toys military series also started to be updated in 1954 with the models being to a bigger scale than the pre-war series. One of the new Dinky Toys army series was the No 621 3-Ton Army Wagon, introduced in June 1954. The model was reviewed in the Dinky News in the July…

The Chevrolet Corvair, powered by a rear-mounted air-cooled engine, was General Motors’ response to the growing popularity of the VW Beetle in the USA. The Corvair range was in production between 1960 and 1969 in spite of being condemned, rightly or wrongly, by consumer protection campaigner Ralph Nader as being‘unsafe at any speed’. Nevertheless, the Corvair Monza coupe helped drive up sales by giving the car a sportier image – as one automotive historian has put it, the Monza turned Chevrolet’s unorthodox sixties import-fighter into a performance-minded compact. Most contemporary Corvair models by makers such as French Dinky, Corgi and Lone Star are based on the four-door sedan, but the two pictured here are two-door Monza coupes. The red and black car represents the first generation of Corvair styling and…

SPARK has announced a whole raft of vintage Formula 1 releases for upcoming production, including this pair of sublime BRM P139 models. Depicting the drives of John Surtees (#14, 1969 German Grand Prix practice, No S2344) and George Eaton (#21, 1970 South African Grand Prix, No S2347), both models will be priced at £69.99. For details of the full range and availability of these and other models, visit the official Spark website at www.sparkmodel.com, or contact your preferred retailer.…

1/18 scale TECNOMODEL Porsche 962C Le Mans 1991 #17 Larrauri/Pareja/Brun PRICE: £278.99 REF NO: TEC 18271B www.ayrey.co.uk WHEN we saw this model on display in the Tecnomodel booth at the recent Spielwarenmesse, in Nuremberg, it was instantly admired (see the April issue, page 33). Now, with the chance to get our hands on this for close-up inspection, we were not going to pass up this opportunity. Porsche’s 962 was a development of the company’s incredibly successful 956. When the latter was launched, it couldn't race in the USA due to the driver’s feet being ahead of the axle line, so Porsche designed the 962 so that the car could race there too. The design then evolved further and became the 956’s replacement in Europe too, being designated the 962C for racing…

I really like Solido’s trend of pairing subjects modelled both in 1/43 and 1/18 - especially as those concurrent new models are variations on the theme rather than straightforward, duplicated replications differing only in scale. So with the current, regular, releases of its newly-tooled 1/43 models, Solido is certainly making an impact as each new monthly batch appear two by two. First though, a quick dip back to the end of last year with a pair that are just to hand along with the four most recent offerings - a pair that are very topical this month. MERCEDES-BENZ 560 SEC AMG WIDE BODY - 1990 Solido’s 1/43 diecast 1990 versionW126 560 SEC AMGs in Black Uni (S4310901) and Signal Red (S4310902) make fabulous complementary display items to go alongside…

Welly Toys was founded in 1979, in Hong Kong, and is known for producing low-priced diecast models sold mostly in discount stores. Initially the company made Matchbox-sized cars with low-friction wheels, but over the years has expanded into all sorts of vehicles in a variety of different scales. Welly is best known for toy cars in the oddball scale of 1/38, which often have pull-back-and-go motors fitted to them. During the 1980s, models of American-style semi-trailers were all the rage, with small-scale truck ranges such as Matchbox Convoy, Hot Wheels Steering Rigs, Corgi Super Juniors and Long Tomica proving very popular. Welly jumped on this bandwagon with its own range of articulated trucks called ‘Mighty Rigs’. This line consisted of twelve items (actually three subsets of four items) with the…

As a youngster, I used to spend whole days riding around London using the Red Bus Rover ticket, which I bought at Sidcup Garage bus depot, in Kent. It became a starting point for many a journey. This kick-started a lifelong fascination with bus depots and garages, so it was inevitable that they would feature fairly prominently in my collection to display my diecasts on. Although Kingsway Models did look at making a model of that very bus garage, it would have been a very wide display, so John Howe, the super-talented chap behind Kingsway, decided against it. But there are still plenty of his products in use in Wilson’s World, along with others, both kit-built and homemade. SUPERQUICK’S BUS DEPOT KIT Cast your minds back to early 2015, assuming…

PART FOUR In this final part of this series on Renault 4s, we look at some with special bodies. Up to now I have generally written about toys contemporary with the actual car, but in this part I have included more modern collectors’ models and hope you will agree they are quite interesting. VEREM (FRANCE) – PICK-UP Although Renault produced a pick-up version of the 4, as far as I am aware no toy version was made at the time – it was a comparatively rare derivative. Thus, to cover the pick-up I have to include a modern one. My example is byVerem – a company who make limited editions of Solido models. Solido has never made a Renault 4 pick-up, however. Universal Hobbies did though, so it may use…

One way of bringing your display to life is with figurines and accessories and we found an, at first glance, unlikely source for diecast collectors. Father and son duo, David and Guy Jessett, are very much into making their diecast figures as realistic as possible. So much so that every figure they make in white metal is replicated from a real person. Their company is Slot Track Scenics, based in Kineton, Warwickshire. It is very much a family firm and their company started 17 years ago. David and Guy enjoyed building up their own slot car layout, adding accessories and scenery. And then one day when Guy was about ten, he suggested to his dad that maybe they should try making accessories for other people – that might provide them…

A FRENZY OF FIATS AFTER months of putting up cabinets and moving others about, I have finally, sort of, got my 'model room' organised. It all started after finding two superb hand-built cabinets in a local charity shop, buying them first then deciding how they're going to fit into the room! Luckily I have an understanding wife who encourages me not only to buy more cabinets, but also in buying more models to fill them. As I was moving models about to fit, then trying to decide what goes where and whether to put certain ones in groups, etc., I came to the conclusion that I really had too many (how many models are too many?) as I was finding ones I'd forgotten I had. I said to my wife…

July 2023 Issue 309 Examining the recent model offerings from Corgi of the famous flying team’s iconic aircraft. PLUS… ■ Porsche 911 GT1-98 at Le Mans – 25th anniversary■ Majorette “13 Cabs”■ Jurassic Park by Tomica■ Ford Escort Mk 2■ First-time winners at the Canadian Grand Prix■ Bell X-1 supersonic research project■ It’s all in the detail – part 2■ Collecting by numbers – Superfast #35■ Auction results■ All the latest news■ Extensive selection of new model releases, reviewed by our team of experts July issue on sale 1st June or download the digital edition 7 DAYS EARLIER on 25th May at www.pocketmags.com/diecast-collector…