Corgi Chevrolet Impalas

 

You will, of course, be familiar with this recent issue of the wonderful #248 Chevrolet Impala, the second edition of the saloon model, this time in a butterscotch and cream flavour, as opposed to pale blue or salmon. What you will not be familiar with, however, is the finish on this delightful example, which really should be described as Impala à la Pearson, having being expertly polished so that what the Club sent us by way of a strange satin-finished model (and attempted to assert that this was how it was intended to be issued to boot!) now looks much more like it should.

My 'satin finish' Club edition placed next to Chris Pearson's shows the difference clearly.

Mr Pearson also likes to replace the rivets with something that better matches the originals.

Mr Pearson tells me that his Aunt Iris worked at the Corgi factory from 1958 to 1983 and he would sometimes accompany her as a child and he recalls seeing a number of 'prototypes', not that he would have known they would have been prototypes at the time. One was the #481 Chevrolet Police Patrol Car with a white lower section. The other was the #482 Chevrolet Fire Chief Car but with a black lower section.

As luck would have it, the two issued models can simply be taken apart and the sections swapped and there we have very nice copies of the 'prototypes'! It has since occurred to me that what he saw at the factory may just have been some 'mistakes' or someone having fun with the two halves with #481 and #482 probably rolling down the production line at similar times in 1965/66. I feel this is more likely, certainly for the Fire Chief model.

My research indicates that the Fire Chief car is unlikely to have existed in the 1959-style. In 1959, General Motors completely broke the mould with a wildly low, wide, and aggressive space-age design. The massive protruding rear "batwings" and sprawling trunk lines made it a styling masterpiece, but highly impractical for utilitarian city fleets. Because of the extreme rear fins, municipal fire and police departments overwhelmingly rejected the 1959 Impala sedan for official duty.

 Instead, the rare 1959 Chevrolets that did make it into fire service were almost exclusively 1959 Chevrolet Brookwood or Kingswood Station Wagons (which flattened out the wild fins to carry ladders and equipment), or stripped-down, lower-trim Biscayne sedans. Corgi took considerable artistic license by reusing their existing, highly popular 1959 Impala civilian saloon diecast mould (originally released in late 1959 as Corgi #223) to create the Fire Chief edition.

I have been able to find just one example of the 1959 style Impala in genuine use as a police car, this image, courtesy of the Ypsilanti, Michigan Community archives at https://www.reddit.com/r/ypsi

Nevertheless, the two variants that Mr Pearson very kindly sent me are very well constructed and fun to add to my own collection. I have always been a fan of the Impalas (although not the final throes of vehicles for kennel services or poodle display).

Here they are for your admiration.

Lastly, I am not at all sure now that there was ever such a thing as the 1959 Impala as a taxi in either all yellow or the later yellow and red, other than, perhaps, much more recently, in Cuba! It was the Police car that came first, in December 1959, and I can see that there will have been some evidence of a vehicle they could reproduce. After that, I do believe it was a matter of making the most from an excellent casting.

One might say that the Corgi Model Club are doing the same, and I am not referring necessarily to the Impalas here. Take a look at their forthcoming issues:

R345 MGC GT

R303S Mercedes-Benz 300SL Open Top Roadster (cream edition)

R246 Chrysler Imperial (Kingfisher blue edition)

R275 Rover 2000TC (white edition)

R302 MGA (teal edition)

R318 Lotus Elan S2 (copper edition)

There is also a store-only issue of an MGA in off-white in October by way of celebration of Corgi's 70th anniversary. I quite like the idea of a variation of one of the early models for this purpose but with the teal edition already in the pipeline at about the same time I feel they would have been better advised to choose one of the actual 1956 releases, not this one, which was May 1957, nearly a year later. There is, of course, a fair case to be made of economy of scale, using resources in several different ways but the frequency we see now does make me wonder whether all is well back at the Corgi ranch. I know that just about everybody who reads this has enjoyed collecting diecast models but I am not so sure there is such a certainty of a continuing robust market for people collecting new diecast models.

It will be quite nice to see fresh-looking examples of the Chrysler, Rover and MGA, the Chrysler and MGA being extremely hard to find in any condition. The Rover is not that common either. So I can see that the Club provide a way for people to fill missing spaces. I am also quite content with the production of models that were not actually issued, such as the Lotus Elan in copper and the MGA in off white. These are interesting and could be collectible as a group on their own although, having said that, it could be argued that every Club issue would fall into this category as none are ever quite right!

A rare find abroad

 

It was my birthday a few days ago and this arrived just in time! It is the very scarce export edition of the #464 Commer Police Van in really very good condition.

The first model was issued in June 1963 and had a device set in the chassis which could be moved so that it made and broke a circuit as the model was pushed along to light a lamp in the roof. This tended only to make the lamp flicker and was not that reliable so in February 1967 a new system was fitted which merely required to be switched on and had a flashing bulb fitted which turned itself on and off once it warmed up.

Somewhat strangely, the casting of the rear section was completely revised and this second edition of #464 has the word POLICE standing out with a border around the text, replacing the simple transfers.

It appears that it was only this second edition that was also available as an export edition in green. (I have not seen any first editions as export models and would be interested to know if any do actually exist. It would have been relatively easy to produce, requiring just a change of finish and a change of text on the transfers.) As it is, our friends abroad do seem to have had to put up with the immovable English word POLICE on the sides and they would have had no choice.

This is a scarce model and not easy to find, although having a friend in Germany made the job a little easier for me. As if it is not scarce enough already, Corgi changed the finish for the frame and lettering at some point and these were produced in either silver or, as illustrated here, white on the model I have acquired. Silver seems to be the more common colour from the few that I have found over the years, this being the first white one.

(I didn't have the rear section properly closed for these photos which is why it seems a little high at the front)

My particular model needs a box and, from what I can gather, the second issue can have either a normal #464 box or an interim one with a sticker or stamp announcing an improved flashing unit. The second edition would have a different instruction leaflet inside and I understand that the export edition will be in several languages too. That's going to be even harder to find! I may have to sell this with just the box first.

Someone paid well over £2000 (including fees)  some years ago for one of these. Admittedly that had the ring and instruction leaflet but it is still a lot of money.

I am happy to have this in my own collection and it will require a good sum to encourage me to part with it. I'm advertising it on my own site for £875. It will be rather more on Ebay and in order to take account of their fees of around 13% that will be around £1000. I'll not advertise there until I get a box, though, so if you do happen to want it quickly and can afford a nice contribution to my birthday account then get in touch.

Corgi Model Club update

 

To bring you up-to-date with the Corgi Model Club issues, I have just received the Oldsmobile Super 88 #235. This is a super version, very well reproduced and, whilst I notice that some people have been unsure about the colour, I find it pretty much identical to my original.

As always with the Club issues, the detail is far more accurate than Corgi could have achieved in the 1960s. I think someone does need to have a word with the Chinese, though, about the wheels which have never looked quite right on all the 'shaped wheel' models. You'd think that getting the profile right would have been relatively easy compared to all the bits that they have matched perfectly.

I have always been a fan of this very simple model that has no special features but was great to play with and reliable in that it didn't have anything to go wrong. I only had the metallic silver-blue model myself and was delighted to find this colour many decades later! 

Last month we had another use of the Impala casting, this time in Police Patrol finish. Again, it is a lovely version and just like my original.

The second edition Impalas have also been a favourite of mine and I am always on the look-out for the saloon and taxi editions with cast wheels, considerably scarcer than the shaped wheels which are themselves not that easy to find as production of the originals was very short. The Police and Fire editions, however, did last rather longer and in those cases it is the shaped wheel editions that are less common.

Two months ago saw the arrival of another use of the Mini casting. 

The RAC International Rally edition #333 is reproduced in its later 'Morris' badged form with cast wheels. The axle ends are a little big, I feel. As always, the detail is super but those plastic 'jewels' are simply not 'jewels' and let things down a bit.

We get a fortunately peelable label across the ends of a 225 Austin Seven box, reflecting well what was on the shelves at the time of the original issue.

Another favourite - there are so many interesting variations of the Mini-Cooper (never mind the Minis generally!) - so this group has been nice to receive and briefly review.

I wrote about the previous issue - the #276 Oldsmobile Toronado some time ago. The next models due to come our way are as follows:

• #224 Bentley Continental in black over silver
• #803 Yellow Submarine (red hatch edition)
• #436 Citroen Safari ID19
• #266 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
• #406 Land Rover in yellow with black cab roof
• #492 VW European Police Car (Dutch export edition in white)
• #107 Bat Boat & Trailer (incl. connector piece)
• #334 BMC Mini-Cooper Manifique in green

I detect a considerable amount of influence on production by those fans of TV/Film-related issues! I guess that's also where the profits are with a wider audience than just those of us happy with fairly 'normal' vehicles. This particular group has no really new issues other than the Yellow Submarine, Chitty Chitty and the Bat Boat which must have meant a good saving on production costs, especially with the Bentley, Citroen, VW and Mini which required merely some fresh paint and a decal or two.

These also follow, as I am sure you will have noticed, three models that are re-workings of a previous release in each case.

I continue to receive these models but only now keep one or two of particular interest. I have several of the releases over the last few months available should anyone wish to have these at not a great deal more than cost price, including some matt black Batmobiles which will be more expensive although not as much as some seem to go for on Ebay at the moment.

Corgi Toys at 60: Simon Snorkel, Police Minivan, Jaguar E Type, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover

 

Lots of new models appeared in September 2024, after a quiet August.

First is the Simon Snorkel Fire Engine, a Corgi Major issue #1127. This was a remarkable model that stayed in the dealers' lists through to 1976, pretty much unchanged. The 1964 issue came in a thick card box with a lid, later replaced by a window box with shaped polystyrene holding the model inside. There were many, many sold and good models are easy to find today. The only early variations were the metal pipes which could be silver or gold. Later the wheels would be updated to the detailed commercial vehicle type.

Next is the first of two Public Address Land Rovers. This is the green one with red interior and 'Vote for Corgi' on the sides. In the back is a politician, fixed on a rotating base, with a microphone and there is a free-standing girl handing out leaflets. Amusingly, the politician gets changed for a clown in 1965 and the girl becomes a chimpanzee for the Chipperfields Circus version.

A nice variation can be found with a yellow interior and this can be found both with and without a tin hook at the back.

The next issue was quite a surprise and it's one that I missed as a child. I remember one of my first searches when starting to rebuild my collection in 2012 was for a blue Mercedes-Benz 220SE, using catalogue number #230. Only then did I realise that this edition was quite different. The obvious change is the lack of steering. That was such a shame as Corgi's steering was something I really liked but I have to assume that the intricate production necessary for the steering mechanism was making #230 an insufficiently profitable model. It is also possible that Mercedes-Benz had been in touch to tell them that they had the boot shape wrong as that gets revised.

 

In place of steering, we get two cases in the boot, one of the opening ones and one small flat case. The spare wheel is retained.

There is an interesting variation with either yellow or cream interior in the blue model.

The red model is a quite delightful metallic cerise and quite distinct from the flat colour of the previous model. This seems always to have the yellow interior but I guess it would be entirely feasible for some to have had cream - I just haven't seen or heard of any to date.

Whereas the #230 models can be found with window units that do and don't incorporate a centre pillar at the side, the #253 models do seem all to have this feature.

All the Mercedes-Benz 220SE models have small shaped wheels.

A lovely model that I didn't miss and was very pleased to own and play with was the E Type Jaguar, #312. This came in liquid pale gold. There are shades of more silver colour too. This was #307 given an extended life with the new finish, a driver, racing stripe and wire wheels. It was only the third model to get these nice wheels (following the Buick Riviera and Chevrolet Sting Ray).

I have heard of variations with some bases having one rivet whereas all I have ever seen have had two. I need more information about this as a variation.

The fifth new issue this month 60 years ago was the first Minivan from Corgi. This was nicely presented in a box containing a tray with illustration and with a police dog-handler and police dog on a lead. 

A few models were issued with a tray that did not have an illustration attached and the surface uncoloured.

There are many variations. Whilst all the early editions will have shaped wheels, later models get cast wheels. The base can have either AUSTIN MINI - VAN, AUSTIN MINI VAN or AUSTIN MINI COUNTRYMAN. Whereas the later plain van can be found with different treatment of the grille, this Police edition seems always to have the simple and unpainted grille.

with acknowledgements to Gerrit Leemburg for the image of a model found on Vinted for a song!

The interior window unit is slightly different to that fitted to the plain van which is issued a few months later and you may find these get interchanged, the police one having cross-hatching on the inside panel and the van doesn't have that section at all.

Corgi Toys @ 60: Plymouth and the Police

 

The lovely Plymouth Suburban Sports gets a final run as #443 a US Mail edition. It looks very glamorous in bright blue and white with a red stripe and some impressive silver paint, especially at the front end.

You may remember that the Plymouth was the first model to get an interior way back in 1959. A little earlier this year it finally got some suspension and this is essentially the same car in a different finish.

June 1963's other new arrival on your local toy shop shelves was a Commer Police Van. This is the first sight of this Commer 3/4 ton model, which would later appear in many guises. It is also the second model to have flashing lights - something which made it a little special and great to play with, especially on dark evenings.

The flashing light was provided by a normal bulb and a device on the front axle which, when set in the 'ON' position, made contact with a cam on the axle. So the faster the van went, teh faster the flashes. The connection could be a bit temperamental as the suspension altered how the cam and plate interacted and contact could be so brief as to cause barely a glow on occasion. The battery was stored in the rear section of the van which could be removed by unlocking from the chassis.

This locking device would be put to great use in the Commer Construction Set we will see in a few months' time.

The chassis could also be combined with different rear units in that set so it was very worthwhile having this model as well as the set!

The device to make the contact, however, was not that good and an updated version of this model, still numbered 464, will appear in future. Just as for the Ambulance, which had the same system in its first version, it will be changed so that the current is always on but a flashing bulb will be required.

The Police Van has some variations as export editions were made with RiJKS POLITIE for the Dutch market - still in deep blue. I have also seen one with a CITY POLICE transfer but I am not sure how genuine this may have been. Perhaps US export editions might have had CITY POLICE but then they would be unlikely to have used Commer vans like this over there so I really can't be sure of that one. Excellent reproduction transfers are available so it is very easy to create the alternative too.

there will also be a dark green export edition but not in this style - it will be the later type so I shall not feature it here now.

The Corgi Model Club: Ford Zephyr Motorway Patrol

 

Here's the latest issue from the Corgi Model Club, the #419 Ford Zephyr Motorway Patrol car.

It is a nice model to hold and sits quite purposefully on the table, although the suspension wires holding the axles seemed to allow more movement than usual on my model before any resistance was felt. Apart from the size of the text on the front POLICE transfer, however, this model is really hard to fault.

It really is one of the best 'copies' so far in terms of accuracy. The wheels on all the free-spinning shaped wheel models produced still don't look quite the right design and this is accentuated by the very new-looking bright axle ends which are unfamiliar to collectors like me who seldom see perfect shop-fresh stock. That is a minor matter, however.

The font for CORGI TOYS on the base is a bit large this time. I don't remember it standing out as so obviously different with previous issues but I may just have missed that. However, as the base gives the whole game away anyway, I'm not too bothered about what's there.

In the package is the usual Certificate of Authenticity and a shiny but otherwise very good box with a single piece of foam to protect the blue lamp on the roof.

The original was issued in August 1960 but the original version of this example with shaped, free-spinning wheels would be more likely to have been produced at the factory a couple of years later. This was also the first Zephyr Estate to be issued. The saloon would not appear until February 1961. I expect that will also be on the list for future Club issues, requiring only a little adjustments to the casting. Having said that it may well be the case that the Chinese teams are so efficient that they can knock out a completely new cast faster than it would take to adjust an old one. 

Corgi Toys @ 60: Ford Zephyr Motorway Patrol

We hadn't had a motorway for very long and many children may never have had a chance to experience one when this model appeared in August 1960. This was the first Ford Zephyr Estate model, the private car version not appearing until February 1961.

It seems a simple model with just one version at first glance. However, there are a few to collect. The first issue has flat, fixed wheels and small light on the roof.

This may also be found with POLITIE for the Dutch market. Beware, though. Transfers are easy to change and the model retained the right-hand-drive interior!! Don't pay a fortune without some form of evidence of its authenticity.

Later it gets fixed shaped wheels but keeps the small blue light.

You may also find a RIJKSPOLITIE version!

At some point, I cannot find when, the model gets a larger roof light with a clear surround. It seems that these will usually, maybe always, have free spinning wheels too. That needs to be checked, however.

The colour may range from a quite thin, pure white through to a greasy cream and they seem to be in that order too but I have yet to establish any clear evidence for a specific, planned change of colour.