Friday 19 June 2015

The elusive models (and wheels or shades)

Having just completed the basic 'Oldies' list - the early models without interiors or suspension that seem to form a natural group of their own - I thought it would be a good time to look at what else is missing from the catalogue at this stage of the proceedings.

For those who don't follow my ramblings regularly, I set out a year or two ago to obtain reasonably decent versions of every Corgi Toy from 1956 through to around 1977 which appears to be when the last 1:43 was made in Great Britain. I am only concerned with the 1:43 scale (or thereabouts) and there are a number of groups I haven't looked for at this time. These include: military equipment, lorries and larger commercial items, Corgi Majors, Gift Sets, Batman, Green Hornet, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the like (although I do include James Bond's Aston Martin, The Saint's Volvo and the Monkeemobile for reasons I am not entirely sure I can justify!)

I do want to get all the colour variations, although I may not worry about minor shades too much. Some are exceedingly rare, as I referred to in an earlier post about the blue Chrysler, Mini Marcos and Simca. I doubt if I'll ever be lucky enough to encounter someone willing to sell things like that to me for any amount I can afford. I have been fortunate, though, in finding several nice people who have supplied photos of the rarities I am unlikely to find.

Whilst there is some documentation about the variations, I am none too sure I believe all that I read. I do believe what I see, though, and tend to have based my lists on what I have actually seen, even if I haven't been able to acquire them. There are several pretty reliable sites with good illustrations and write-ups but even these often differ! Toymart, for instance, seem to miss out a lot of quite common variations but include others I have only seen there. Another Andrew at Little Wheels has done a good job and, whilst he does suggest a few colours that I am not sure exist, he does also have an element of disregard for some of what is in the Great Book of Corgi which could have us all searching for shades that maybe never got past someone's imagination or a shop floor one-off. QDT have been pretty sound but, again, they are missing really rather a lot. I suppose they only show what they've picked up themselves so that is not meant to be critical and I have been particularly glad to find many examples only on their site of some scarce items.

I am not including the very scarce items that might have been produced to promote a business in Holland or some Mustard but I do include unique numbered items like the Hammonds Commer van. Basically I want my list to be of items that are essentially achievable. I mean, if I can get them on a very limited budget then anyone can. OK, that limited budget won'y get me the Pop Art Mini or several other items still missing but I know I can't have everything!

So here is the list of the basic items still to be acquired:

202 Morris Cowley Saloon (I only have the M version)
242 Fiat Ghia Jolly
256 VW1200 East Africa Safari with non-jewelled headlamps (?)
322 Rover 2000 International Rally in white and black
349 Mini Cooper 'Mostest' Pop Art
412 Bedford CA Ambulance Type 2 (with single front screen)
513 Citroen Safari Alpine Rescue

That's all that seems to be left in terms of unique models (the Rover may have the same number but has a differently styled front end).

There are some wheel variations I'd like:

245 Buick Riviera with spun wheels (?)
263 Marlin Rambler with spun wheels (?)
320 Ford Mustang with spun wheels
325 Ford Mustang with spun wheels
438 Land Rover in red with cast wheels
438 Land Rover Daktari edition with cast wheels
438 Land Rover Longleat edition with cast wheels
491 Ford Consul Cortina Estate in red with cast wheels

There are some that I really don't know whether they exist or not, like the Aston Martin Competition edition and Mercedes 300SL with spoked wheels, or the Buick and Marlin with spun wheels. I have to research this a bit more so there may be several others I need. Like I think the Chrysler Imperial was issued with spun wheels too. If not, I'll delete those items later.

Then come the main colour variations.That's why it's a big list still! This sheet should be filtered so that just those I haven't got are showing but if the filer hasn't worked then it will be the blue shaded ones that I am seeking.



Anyway, if you happen to have any and are not planning leaving them to your children or the State then do let me know. At best I can just get some photos, perhaps.


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