Corgi Toy 1967-68 Catalogue

The word mazak appears in The Corgi Story on the first page. I missed that at the time and I had to look it up when I discovered it on the base on some models a few weeks ago. The main focus now is on some big models - in size as well as fame. The cover has the ridiculously big Lincoln Continental which I never actually wanted at the time and only now keep in stock with some reluctance. It is simply too big and looks crazy with the other models as I illustrated in a previous article.

Joining the TV and Film fame set are a couple of new Bond cars, the silver #270 Aston, now with a slightly reshaped rear end to look a little more like the DB5 it should have been and a Toyota 2000GT. Both these are still 'available later' and it is the gold one that remains on sale when the catalogue is issued. Batman's Batmobile has a boat attachment and then there's some Green Hornet affair. I do not remember either the car or the TV series or film it was associated with and still don't have much of a clue, I'm afraid, nor examples of either in stock. They seem to command extremely high prices for such a common model.

Completing the 'fame' models on the first few pages of this catalogue are The Man From U.N.C.L.E's Thrush Buster, The Avengers Gift Set 40 and, looking quite sad now in comparison, The Saint's Volvo P1800. (The Volvo, though, will continue to be available long after some of the others disappear!)

The new 'normal' model is the Jaguar E Type 2+2, oddly illustrated in dark pink in the catalogue but mercifully released initially in the red as in a drawing or in a very nice metallic blue. This was another 'big' model, though, in comparison to most. Not as bad as the Lincoln but you still had to keep the #307 and #335 E types away from each other.

In the 'Available Later' category in 1967 were the Austin Mini Countryman (interestingly, without surfer or roofrack!), the Lancia Fulvia Zagato (illustrated in gold) and the Citroen Le Dandy Coupé and MGC GT in blue and white. I have never seen the MGC GT in those colours and the Citroen is very rare in two-tone.

The Kits have disappeared but there are several Racing Sets and combinations now. 

The Daktari Land Rover is illustrated in white, not the green it actually appears in - the white being issued later as the Lions of Longleat set.

Whilst #9022 Daimler was 'Available Later' in the 1966 catalogue, #9021 Daimler is now 'Available Later' in this one. Odd.

Cast wheels appear on #339 Mini Cooper and #264 Oldsmobile Toronado. Many of the newer illustrations are now very realistic and I am sure most of photographs with some post-processing effects - like the speed lines on the axles of the competition cars.Some old stagers are still clearly drawn, however, and re-used for yet another year!

Mazak?

312 Marcos Mantis

Here is a very attractive model, the Marcos Mantis #312 from 1971 with Whizzwheels that actually look good. The tyres are still annoying black plastic but this is some improvement, at least.

With doors that open and close and stay almost in line, a pleasant interior and great metallic red finish this is one from the later days that is nice to have.

On the baseplate there are the words Mazak die-cast. Another collector with a large stock notes that the earliest this appeared was on the first Ford Cortina released in November 1970 and there are some views that Corgi had to seek another die-cast firm to produce items while they were reorganising things following the major fire a bit earlier. The Marcos was released in August 1971 but release dates don't necessarily follow manufacture dates that closely.

I'll see what appears on some other later models that are coming in. Mazak is the name of the alloy of metals that is used for this sort of die-cast work.

I have just published a post about a couple of very poor productions from Mazak: the C111 Mercedes-Benz and Reliant Bond Bug 700ES but I've also got a very good Cortina Mk III GXL with the same brand on the base so not everything with that name is bad.

313 Ford Cortina GXL

One more query on the Marcos. It does seem quite big. I thought Marcos were smallish sports cars but this is a very substantial saloon when you place it next to others, like the Cortina. It's bigger than an Oldsmobile Toronado, for instance. Now that doesn't make sense so I need to look more closely at the scale thing one day.

More as and when others appear.

Any colour you like as long as it's orange

388 Mercedes-Benz C111

389 Reliant Bond Bug 700ES

These really are not the best of Corgi's models but the paint doesn't exactly help. It's thick and extremely orange. They are both from early 1971 and each has a unique way of opening doors. The Mercedes has what became known as 'gull wings' and they can still be seen today. The whole of the Reliant top part opens at the push of a button at the back. 

Both models are in excellent condition but neither were at all popular and get a bit frowned upon by collectors. That's not just the dreadful plastic Whizzwheels but the casting appears to be different and far less well defined than traditional Corgi standards brought before. These are both 'Mazak' models, on which there's a separate post following.

345 MGC GT

Now, from 1969, the short-lived MGC GT with spoked wheels. It's still orange but a lot nicer! I also have a beautiful yellow and black version with original box too.

345 MGC GT Competition