It's October 1966 and Corgi release what will turn out to be their greatest selling model, the Batmobile.
This illustration may not be strictly accurate because the October 1966 issue was a matt black model with gold wheels featuring red bat logos. It came on an inner tray which contained the 'secret instructions' and the missiles which could be fired from the tubes behind the cockpit. The first aerial was an almost transparent plastic and the cockpit was an aqua blue colour.
In production for many years, until 1983(!), you can imagine that it underwent considerable changes and variations are many. These include:
Tyres
Wheels
Right filled-in door
Tail fin tips and taillights
Nostrils on the bat nose
Aerial
Canopy : aqua, light aqua, aqua green, clear, green, purple, light purple & light blue
Underside
Turbine exhaust nozzle
Batdoor Sticker
Horn indicators
Beacon
The slot for the chain cutter blade until 1979
The slot for the chain cutter blade after 1979
Rocket
Headlight color
Seats with a purple color
Instructions
Badge
Envelope
Batman
Robin
There was just the one variation in the first matt issue, however, and that is the aerial, with a silver plastic being fitted on some models.
In around March 1967 a gloss black edition replaces the matt and this is where the variations listed above start to be found. Later it gets a hook at the back to accommodate better the BatBoat.
I am not an expert on this model. Indeed, the only one I have ever owned is the one shown below which was briefly in my possession from the estate of the late Percy Wilford, before being acquired for a vast sum a few years ago. Should you wish to read chapter & verse on this model I thoroughly recommend this chap's pages, available at this link.
In October 1966 you may have been lucky to have been given an All Winners Gift Set 46. Note the number - 46, not 45.
You will see that this original box is numbered 46 and displays its content on the original card print. With the cars was a pack of bollards, the same as those included in the Lotus Racing Set which, of course this set's presentation closely resembles.
This composition was short-lived, however, and just two months later, not only was the Jaguar E Type exchanged for the James Bond Aston Martin but also the number of the set was changed to Gift Set 45!
The Great Book of Corgi has the content of Gift Set 46 in October 1966 as having a 264 Oldsmobile Toronado rather than the 325 Ford Mustang but I am pretty sure this is incorrect. The Oldsmobile was not actually issued until January 1967. It will appear later, as well as several other changes.
These two sets confuse most people and that is a shame as they are always so expensive but few, whether those buying or selling, seem to know what they are really paying so much money for.
I shall return to these Gift Sets in a couple of months!
