Very orange and very expensive

Some nice people in Yorkshire have asked me to sell their little orange Mini. I knew these were quite scarce and even my very battered examples often sell for £50 so I realised that this was something a little special, despite the annoying Whizzwheels.

It did come as some surprise, however, to see just how much one of these in A+ condition with a pretty good late box was worth. QDT had one for £450 a few years ago. The buyer paid £335 which would have finished up as a cheque for not far off £450 by the time the usual auction fees, tax and delivery had been added.

So this is one little valuable item indeed.

I have to say, though, that I didn't know why.  The 204 Whizzwheels Mini was first issued in February 1972, accompanied at the time by the Chevrolet Camaro, Mini Marcos and Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray Whizzwheels editions, all of which had seriously short production periods and are now some of the most expensive to buy in good condition. None quite make the heights of the Mini's figures (ignoring for now the blue Mini Marcos which probably would if ever one were to appear).

I can only imagine that the production numbers for the Mini in this short space of time have had to be divided between the three different bases (matt black, glossier black and silver), the different colours (metallic blue, non-metallic blue, orange with a black roof and all orange), the different screens (clear or tinted), the different interiors (yellow or red) and, yes, even different wheel styles (4 or 5 spoke). 

OK. Now I understand. In theory that could lead to 96 different models but I am pretty sure that some of these combinations don't exist. Let's say there would be just 20 editions. Even for a production run of a quite massive 100,000 (for those times) that would be a mere 5,000 of each of the different models. Naturally some would be rather more and some rather less but my best guess as to the maximum that could possibly have been made of this particular (more 'normal') model would be 10,000. That is not very many at all. It's very likely that it is a lot less and other people have done the same sums at some time and that, friends, must be why we're now talking about such high price for this little orange car.

Collectors also like Minis. And complete collections. So they'll need this one. Available now. At a price.

Can you help me find an orange mini?

Can anyone out there help me? 

I need to track down an orange Mini for someone's 60th birthday in a few weeks' time. It doesn't have to be in perfect condition. The windows can be plain or tinted. The roof, ideally, should be orange but I may have to consider a black one. This is a Corgi Whizzwheels model #204 from 1972 or a little later.

Get in touch with me at design@corgi-toys.net please if you have one or know of one for sale. I may even buy a Dinky or Spot-On as an alternative if necessary.

One in the back and one in the front

Never mind How do you get to Wales in a Mini? I am beginning to wonder just how many different versions of this Mini Corgi made in Wales in the early 1970s. Bearing in mind that their 1970 catalogue features the very popular 334 with opening everything and looking pretty spectacular as a model, as well as the redoubtable 226, still going albeit in metallic deep purple, bearing all that in mind you do wonder why they needed 204 which did nothing and looked pretty bad with Whizzwheels.

Someone had decreed, though, that Whizzwheels were the future of everything and so 204 would be The Corgi Mini in 1972. Except it wasn't and no-one bought any when the other two were still on most shop shelves. You can hear the little shop keeper now. 'Ere sonny, you don't want that one. Look, I've got these lovely metallic green or blue Mini Mannificks. Or you can 'ave a nice purple one but don't 'ee be blowing too hard on it or the paint will come off.'

So in 1973 they effectively disappeared again, most emerging in old stock sales over the years between now and then. The funny thing is, though, just how many different versions there are for such a short period of production. There are five main colours: orange, orange with a black roof, blue, blue with a black roof and metallic blue. As if that's not enough, you'll find tinted windows (and I'm guessing that they were spread pretty much across all the colours) and the orange one(s) came with yellow or red seats. I think that makes a dozen models you''ll need to find for your collection to be vaguely complete.

I say 'vaguely' because there are also silver or black bases but I am taking the view that they came with one or other of the variations mentioned already. There are, however, what look like different castings even amongst this short run. The all orange one looks to have a much less well defined badge and at the rear a smaller gap between roof and window and slightly different window frame detailing. The more I look at them , though, the less certain I am about a different casting and that may just be thicker paint and some optical illusions caused by the tinted windows and black roof.

This particular example of the orange one with black roof and tinted windows has seen better days but is still quite unusual. These may be little loved and rather messy Corgis but they're well worth some close examination and even tatty ones can be of good value.

Morris Blue and Austin Yellow

204 Morris Mini Minor in blue with tinted windows

In discussion with another collector last week there was mention of the blue Whizzwheels Mini with a black roof. I've never seen one and he hadn't either and we were wondering whether this really has ever existed. It did make me take another look at one or two items, though, and I found an orange #204 with a black roof on Quality Diecast's site. It had a silly price tag so it must be pretty scarce. They didn't have a blue one, however, so that is still a bit of a mystery.

What they did display, however, was another orange #204, with no black roof but it did have a greenish tint on the windows. Now, some while ago I acquired a #204 in blue and wondered what the coloured windows were all about, putting it down to some enthusiastic use of a felt tip by some child. Now I see that it is a genuine variation (and I've adjusted the price accordingly!) That was close, someone could have snapped up a real bargain before.

To my knowledge this trick of replacing the windows with a tinted style has not occurred on any other model. Was there a box of the perspex moulds along the production line and workers just added them at random or did they switch from clear to tinted at a particular point in time? And this black roof business would have required a separate process along the way at a time when they were pretty much cutting costs wherever possible. Odd. If you see a blue one with a black roof do let me know.

Whilst on the subject of minis, this lovely pale yellow Austin Seven #225 arrived this week. It looks great with the flat wheels and red seats and is really quite unusual. Despite a few small chips, it looks very good - the photograph seems to magnify its faults rather unfairly. This may be destined to be one of my Not Selling This In A Hurry models that I get attached to!

225 Austin Seven in pale yellow

204 Morris Mini Minor in orange with tinted windows

204 Morris Mini Minor in orange and black

It really does seem quite strange to be discovering all these little differences so many years later. As it may turn out that I might have to rely on my Corgi Toys to keep me afloat over the next year or two it is just as well that this is a job that I can honestly say I really do enjoy.

With acknowledgements to QDT for the orange mini photographs.

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

Matching trousers

I had some corduroy trousers in this colour in 1969 which may have been not too distant in either shade or time to Corgi's colour choice for an MGC GT. There were two colours: a black and yellow and this, more friendly but just as odd, orange. Both had black interiors and were, I believe, the only model that came with a black suit case.

Both are quite rare and this is the least common of the two. My stock example is in good condition with just a few marks on the paintwork but otherwise looking very fresh. It is almost the same cast as the MGBGT #327 but with a bulge at the front in the bonnet.

The introduction of the MGB V8 rather spoilt the MGC's chances and Corgi probably jumped the gun with this as by the time it came out the V8 was already being promoted and not a great deal more was heard of the interesting but flawed C. Not many of these were sold and, in fact, quite a few finished up ignominiously added to Car Transporter sets.