Corgi Toys @ 60 Many upgrades and a Lotus-Climax Racing Car

 With Christmas fast approaching, your local Corgi dealer had a huge number of new models available to order. I say 'new' but actually only one was a really new issue. So let's see what's in the December 1964 list.

Nearly new issues #60 and #61 are reworking of the Fordson 'Power Major' Tractor and Plough. The Fordson is very similar to the #55 issue but with headlamps now incorporated within the radiator grille. It also gets better steering and a driver. The plough looks very different from #56, now in blue with chrome-plated shares and it has lost the attachment pieces which were very fiddly to work with before. Now it simply rests on the rear element of the tractor.

Another model that is not really new is the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, issued in both roadster mode as 303S and with a  hard top as 304S. The difference here is the type of wheel. The details published by Corgi talk about the model getting 'spoked' wheels. My experience has been that these models with spoked wheels are extremely scarce. Models with cast spoke effect wheels are not common but definitely much easier to find and it may be that these are what the Corgi information was meant to refer to.

The next 'nearly new' release this month 60 years ago is #309, the Aston Martin Competition Model. It's the 218 model with a fresh turquoise-green and cream paint finish, jewelled headlamps and flags on the bonnet.

The first editions had an open vent on the bonnet. Racing number decals were put on the doors and could be 1,3 or 7. Later editions had a closed vent.

Another existing model revised is the Minivan, #450. This is the Police Minivan from a few months earlier now as just the van. Always in an accurate for the time but rather dull shade of green this can be found with three variations of the treatment of the grille. The 'correct' and normal edition has the simple van style of grille in the same colour as the rest of the van. Variations are models with silver paint on the grille and those where the Austin Countryman grille has been inserted. This has a different window unit which does not have the rear cross-hatched section of the Police version. It also does not stay in production for long enough to get cast wheels.

There may be variations in the text on the base MINI VAN and MINI-VAN.

Two gift sets were issued in December 1964.

Gift Set16 now has three racing cars with suspension, 150S, 152S and 154 replacing the previous content. The box and packing remains the same and I think the Ecurie Ecosse transporter itself is the same. It does get a lighter blue finish and different colour interior but I doubt that coincides with the upgrade of the set.

The Riviera Gift Set 31 does introduce a new model and that's the Dolphin Boat on its Wincheon Trailer. The boat doesn't appear on its own until 1965. The set features a Buick Riviera towing the Boat on a red trailer with a Captain at the wheel of the boat and a girl on a surfboard being pulled along behind the boat.

The Boat and trailer seems never the change but you'll find different Buicks in the set. Most of the original 1964 sets had a solid pale blue Buick with spoked wheels and this would have had a 'clutch' type of hook which grabs the tow ring of the trailer. Later editions have a different 'button' style of hook and there metallic blue or, much later metallic turquoise-blue models were used with cast wheels. A solid pale blue Buick with cast wheels would be a very scarce variety to find.

The girl is always wearing a red swimsuit in the original sets but replacements with a blue swimsuit are available. The 'rope' is a thin black plastic, similar to that sued for the Police Minivan a few months earlier and just as difficult to affix.

Finally a really new issue! This is the Lotus-Climax Formula 1 Racing Car. Whilst I have seen one of these with RN2 decals it is my view that this would be a factory sample or something someone has changed. The normal model has RN1 decals and will always be in British Racing Green with a driver with blue helmet. The tyres at the front are normal car size but those at the rear are bigger 'Land Rover' type.

The Corgi Model Club: Lotus-Climax F1 Racing Car

 

The fifth new 'old' Corgi is now being sent out to those who have ordered it in the UK. It is another remarkably good reproduction and I cannot see anything to distinguish this from the original (apart from the very shiny axles and Made in China on the base!)

As I have remarked for previous issues, this is almost too perfect. One almost needs to find a blemish in the casting or crack in the Racing Number transfers! 

Above is my original. This has exhausts that point up slightly whereas the new one has them parallel. I suspect that that is a result of time and play on mine. The only other difference I can detect is the slightly better defined eye protection / goggles on the driver.

The packing is a rather too shiny, but otherwise accurate, box with the usual 'CE' data on one panel. There is a stiff piece of card that wraps around the front and a piece of polystyrene-like material to protect the rear end.

The flaps are annoying and I really would prefer that the production people revert to the original box style. These flaps incorporate two slits which provide a locking effect but this, in turn, makes them extremely difficult to open without damage in the area of the slits. I can understand that they like cars to stay in the boxes whilst being moved around and the simpler style of folding flaps are more likely to come undone but just how much a problem is this in reality?

The only other item in the large box in which this is delivered is the square Certificate of 'Authenticity'.

I am inclined to take issue with this text but somewhat reluctant as one would assume that the people involved with this project know a lot more than I do. However, it states that this model was 'deleted in 1975' whereas I have always considered that the 158 model replaced it in 1969. I wonder whether the producers have simply noted that a 'Lotus-Climax' was produced through to the 1970s and it would be the last of the model with this name that ended in 1975. I have 1973 as the end date for the 158 model but larger scale models followed.

My certificate is numbered 004254 which would seem to imply that a significant quantity of these has been produced and there is no clear maximum being produced. Even 4000+ collectors, if they really have started at 000001, must be encouraging for this venture.