New arrivals in 2020 Pt 1

The 305 Whizzwheels version of the Mini Marcos is lacking a passenger seat but has more paint than any others I have seen for a long time! I have no idea when I'll find another seat, though. So I expect it will be around for a long time.

This Land Rover has been in a drawer for several years but I finally found a girl handing out leaflets at a reasonable price.

Another collection is completed with the arrival of this 214 Ford Thunderbird. It looks pretty normal but is the scarce version with smooth wheels but no 1959 on the rear plate. There are three versions of each of the 214 and 215 models: smooth 1959, smooth blank and fixed shaped blank.

Having sold the lovely dark grey E Type I had to get another one. These are one of my favourites. Although they were only issued with the plum red top, I do like the black version of the canopy that Mr Flowers sells.

This pretty well-weathered Austin Cambridge is the 201M edition and was advertised as 'white'. I had assumed it was cream or grey, colours I know about. It turns up, though, in a sort of green-grey-brown shade which is entirely different. I have no idea where this comes from and it may be a sample which found its way into the playground. All quite original so I'll see what others have to say about it.

As well as the dark grey E Type, I also sold the later Whizzwheels 374 version of the bigger 335 2+2 model in red. This is a replacement of the 4.2 version which was not around for long and of which most versions are yellow. It was superseded by the V12 5.3 model, also apparently entirely in yellow. 

On the subject of red and yellow I bought my umpteenth Renault Floride in the belief that it had closed vents only to discover that it hadn't when it arrived. Someone will have to put me out of my misery soon and find me one with closed vents as I am failing miserably to identify them from people's photos. This one is a bit messy but it does have a lemon plastic interior instead of the cream colour of all my other models in red.

A small dark blue-grey elephant has finally, after a long search, completed my Daktari Gift Set 14. A box would be nice but they're simply not to be found. This is an impressive set which is almost all original - just the lion's glasses are replacements. I have made this by extending the Gift Set 7 that I had in an original box and now realise that I need to replace the Land Rover with one with cast wheels which is what would have been fitted when this Gift Set 14 was issued. The Giraffe Transporter, Kew Fargo Truck are also unique to this set, along with the elephant. The elephant is by far the hardest to find, though!

The Jeep FC-150 was around for a long time in the Corgi catalogues, starting without suspension or interior and finishing up with both and cast wheels as well as a plastic canopy. This version with shaped wheels can be found with either lemon or red interior. I am not sure whether both can be found in cast wheel editions.

Another rare Land Rover here - a Pony Club Gift Set 15 model with Whizzwheels and a red interior. Similar to the deep green 438 edition, most were fitted with lemon interiors so these red versions are quite sought after. 

Another little model which looks pretty common but is actually quite scarce, this Austin Seven has what I term a Type 1c base - with a narrow front section to the base and the earlier text layout. With the fixed shaped wheels, this edition will have been likely only to have been produced for a short period in 1962.

  

I didn't notice at first and it was only when I was preparing to advertise this 203 Vauxhall Velox that I noticed the lack of silver paint. Anywhere. I am familiar with some models which did not get the two streaks on the bonnet but this is the first I have encountered with none at all!

With the Vauxhall came a nice little Hillman Husky 206M with a decent motor.

From the same collection as the Vauxhall and Hillman came these two fine 208M Jaguar 2.4s. Very minimal wear to either model and they are quite special with good motors too. Although not obvious from this view, the two cars are slightly different shades, one being noticeably richer and brighter than the other. 

I love this Buick Riviera in the pale blue finish. The colour does tend to show every little flaw to the paintwork so it is a true delight to find one like this which is near immaculate. I am very unlikely to part with this in a hurry. I can see that it is going to have its photo taken rather a lot.

Corgi Toys @ 60: Two tone and Bloodhound missiles

It would be the case that early 1959 issues were destined to have short lives. All those issued in January and these, issued in February, were withdrawn in less than two years. 

Firstly, the Powers That Be decided that interest in their original launch models could be revived and sales extended a little further if they were given a new 'two-tone' look. Whereas the original issues can be found in a range of colours, these six appeared in just these colours. 

You'll see that some of the paint schemes are more accurate than others!

February 1959 also saw changes to the Bedford CA model, the later single screen casting being used now with its revised front end and minor changes elsewhere, as well as a ribbed roof. The first issued model to get this mark II treatment was the 404 Dormobile. It can be found with a 50-50 scheme as well as a blue body and yellow roof. Each of those variations is scarce and good examples usually cost a fortune.

The Riley is conspicuous by its absence and would have been a lovely model in two-tone. I guess that the red 205, which lasted longer than most of these original issues, was selling well enough. The Standard Vanguard III had, of course, already got the two-tone treatment.

The other issue this month is a reappearance of the splendidly detailed and quite impressive Bloodhound missile, mounted on a khaki trolley. Some nice engineering clasps the missile nose and can be used to raise it whilst maintaining its horizontal aspect. Both items were included in Gift Set 4 and will be in Gift Set 6 later in the year, as well as being issued individually some time later.

It is an odd combination when towed by the RAF Land Rover, with which it is coupled in each Gift Set. The missile seems always to be white and the detachable side elements yellow. I have seen the rocket ends in red or just silver and the vanes or wings can be white but seems usually to be yellow.

M for Mechanical

I don't think the Rover 90 was the most popular of the 1956 range of first Corgi Toys and this example in utilitarian green with a 'Mechanical' motor was even less so. It was not something I remember anyone having or remarking that they really must get one.

Whilst the side profile looks right the front certainly isn't! That may have had something to do with the poor sales too. I had a very similar Rover 100 in 1972 that was a 1958 model - the side lights are in a different position and mine didn't have the 'Cyclops' lamp in the grill but the model still has something wrong about it.

These very early Corgis look a bit boring with their dull colours and lack of features. A Ford Consul,  Vauxhall Velox, Austin Cambridge and Standard Vanguard weren't the most desirable of motors either but the Riley Pathfinder was super and made up for the common others.

The Vauxhall is a lot brighter in a brave red colour. All these models illustrated are the rare 'Mechanical' versions and the motors still just work if you're careful. At not far off 60 years old now they have survived well and it would be a sin to do anything other than keep them clean from here on. There are one or two nice looking versions available but most are fetching terribly high prices. I am happy to get an original model with a bit of paint and with windows and wheels intact.

According to some lists I have prepared, the Austin Cambridge with a Mechanical motor has one of the lowest sales figures of all Corgi models at a very precise 10202. That may be a misprint as the others are all in the 100000 region and I can't see any reason why that one should be so much less. The prices, while high, are not significantly different either, varying more with condition than model.

The top one is #201M and in pretty poor condition, mostly due to the windows being badly scarred. The bottom one has much better perspex and a bit more paint but is just a #201.

Here's #206M, a Hillman Husky which looks as if it ought to be a hatchback but wasn't. It's a short Hillman Minx and you do have to wonder why on Earth anyone would buy a Husky when they could have a Minx. Maybe there was a big price difference, although there wouldn't be much justification as each had the same engines and most of the insides were shared.

I have featured #208M, the Jaguar 2.4 S Type before. It is a strange-looking model in most colours but works well in blue and this one is in jolly good condition. 

There is a Ford Consul 200M, a Morris Cowley #202M, a #207M Standard Vanguard and a #216M Autin A40 needed to complete the British saloons. They are not easy to track down unless you want to pay several hundred pounds. Oddly, the pristine, shiny and carefully photographed standing on a box examples that I've seen do little for me at all and I certainly am not inclined to fork out a month's rent on any of them. They just look too bright and it's almost as if I have to have a dull, used-looking one for some reason - and not just price. Those MIB affairs are anaemic and devoid of character in a way that I don't feel applies to later models. A mint #210 Citroen DS19, for instance, from 1957 would be great to have. Perhaps it's the colours they produced the others in that look so strange when so clean. I don't know, but I am sure I'll get over it and and if a shiny new pale green and red Standard Vanguard comes along I won't turn it away!

Two American cars joined the M range for a brief period - the Studebaker Golden Hawk #211M and #214M Ford Thunderbird - and I'm searching for examples of these.

Completing the M range were three Bedford vans, a KLG Plugs advertising one, a Personnel Carrier and a Fire Department van. I have the first but the other two are on my search list. They are really not the most attractive of models but their scarcity makes them quite desirable!