Meet the 406 Land Rover

 

This delightful late model 406 Land Rover arrived here in the village today. It has barely a mark on it and was simply irresistible when I spotted it at a very modest price last week.

This joins the ranks of another dozen 406 models currently available, or 13 if you include the 406S! The first one shown below is also quite unusual being fitted with smooth wheels but having the later type of body without 'handles' at the rear.

Generally there are just two types for each of the three colours: smooth wheels with 'handles' and shaped wheels without 'handles' - until, of course, someone comes up with a fourth variation! The only models issued in boxes were the yellow/black and blue/cream ones and they did not have canopies. The green models were issued with a 102 Pony Trailer in Gift Set 2 and these did have a tan tin canopy.

You can view my catalogue at this link or buy any models from this link

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am trying to reduce my dependence upon Ebay in promoting my Corgi activities and stock for sale and I am, therefore, slowly changing my listings to just one for each main model, with the variations, related models and special editions available from my own store where I don't have to pay so much in fees. Similarly, customers will not have to pay as much either as I am reducing my own store prices to ensure they're more competitive.

Mechanical model colours update

 

I have recently updated the table of colours which I have found on early Corgi issues.

The orange Austin Cambridge, red Riley Pathfinder and turquoise Hillman Imp are particularly rare as Mechanical issues. All the non-mechanical issues in 'M' colours are rare as these were only produced when the last of the already-painted bodies for an intended Mechanical model were paired with a normal issue base when the friction motor bases were discontinued.

If you have any other variations, do let me know. I have just added the blue 200 Ford Consul.

Another unusual Studebaker Golden Hawk

 

This picture was all I had to go on but the price for the four models was very low, with little apparent interest from anyone on Ebay a few days ago. Looking at the Studebaker, Chevrolet and Jaguar, I suspected some repainting. Quite good repainting, maybe, but still that I would perhaps only find the Ford to be original. I might well have moved on and left them to the restorer community but I was also intrigued by the Studebaker which might have been a nice example of the 211M edition so set a fairly high bid limit as that one would worth it alone.

I won the auction for a very modest £38 including postage and wondered what would arrive in the post.

The Studebaker was in superb condition but it's not the 211M! Something much more special!

The base is the 211S base which might seem very dodgy but I knew about a small number of models that had been made. They were a batch of 211 bodies that were painted in the 211M colour scheme but for which the M base and friction motors were no long available, production having being discontinued. The 211S was the first 'S' model by some considerable time and there would have been the new bases in early 1960 so the odd compilation is understandable, although one might have expected an interior and suspension to be provided too. I haven't take one of these apart but it must be the case that there is a different method for retaining the axle than applies in the usual 211S base. Peering through the window I can see the support pillars for an interior and twin prongs for suspension wires are present and I think a small addition has been made to limit the movement of the axles.

There really are not many of these around. It is entirely original and a genuine rarity. 

As if that wasn't enough of a delight, the Jaguar was not a repaint but a scarce dull, deeper red variation of the 213S model which is already scarce with smooth wheels, the vast majority having shaped wheels. The 213S was released in March 1961 and shaped wheels were fitted to new issues from July 1961 so these smooth wheels will have only been fitted during the first few months of production, probably just the first batch issued.

The duller red shade I had not encountered before but it is quite distinctly different. This particular model needs a bell for the roof architecture but it is otherwise excellent, with an original aerial and door transfers intact.

The Chevrolet Impala is not some child's attempt at a two-tone version but what I guess is the result of the model being left in bright sunshine for a long time. It has some casting flaws but is otherwise as near-pristine as the other models in this collection of models which clearly were not much played with, if at all. There's not much I can do about the paintwork, unfortunately, but maybe someone would like a pink and salmon version!

Finally there is the early edition of the Ford Zephyr Estate. This has lovely paintwork but the windows have suffered - not from the usual exterior marks and scratches models often pick up but these marks are inside! There is a piece of white plastic about the size of the rear seat base which is free to rattle about and generally cause trouble. I've no idea how that got in there, with no route through to the inside from the base or wheel arches for something of those dimensions. So I have to assume that this made its way inside during production.

So, an odd collection indeed, but every one is interesting in its own way, as so often is the case with Corgis. They are all available to buy, although prices for the Studebaker and Jaguar will be high as they form part of my own collection now and you'll need to pay what I would have to pay for another!

Corgi Model Club: an unusual Studebaker Golden Hawk

 

Here is the latest addition to what is now a substantial range of Corgi models from the Corgi Model Club, the 211S Studebaker Golden Hawk.

This is very close to a copy of the late edition which was painted in metallic gold, a slightly less common edition than the very shiny gold or silver-plated models that had been fitted with an interior and suspension. I say very close because this is a marvellous copy, with nothing that I can see to distinguish it from an original in the casting or as I look at it here. There is, though, one difference: you will not find an original with free-spinning wheels.

As it happens I have been searching for one of these with smooth fixed wheels for many years. All I have found so far is a repainted one which has appeared twice; once with QDT and again on Ebay. It's been done well but has the usual 'additional elements' that restorers find so hard to resist when they have that paintbrush in their hand.

This re-issue is otherwise very faithful indeed with no silver on the rear panel nor red on the lights. Perhaps the silver on the bumpers fore and aft is a little 'heavy'-looking but that is really extremely minor and probably no different to another issued model than the only one I've got at the moment to compare it with.

In the box you get the now familiar thin plastic sheet wrapped around the car and the usual certificate.

Try as hard as I might, I cannot see anything other than the wheels to distinguish this on display.

Are those side lights just a tiny bit fatter?

Could that rear badge be a little too low?

It all looks very good to me. I was looking for an original in better condition than mine (as well as the possibly non-existent smooth wheel variant) but this will do fine in the meantime!

Another super bit of work from the designers at the Club and their distant manufacturers.

New items in stock for September.

There were no new issues in September 1963 so my next Corgi Toys @ 60 post will be in a few weeks time. So I thought I would share some recent arrivals here in the village and tell you about some changes to my sales outlets.

A delightful model from the initial launch range, the Ford Consul in mushroom.

Waiting for a suitable trailer is this fawn Land Rover from Gift Set 2. I want to pair this with a similar coloured Pony Trailer, one with fixed shaped wheels, the scarcer edition as most appear to have free spinning wheels.

From a late Gift Set 4 in 1972 comes the last 1:43 scale tractor from Corgi pulling a trailer with a pile of hay and two very funny looking characters on top. There should be some fences, sheep and a dog too which I need to find to complete this. This is the last time Farmer George will be seen too. This set didn't last long and the kids were dropped too in the 1973 Gift Set 5.

The Renault 16 has one of the shortest production periods of all Corgis, issued first as a saloon in February 1969 only to be replaced by the blue Whizzwheels edition in May 1970. It looks lovely if you can find one with good paintwork, which is very susceptible to chips. Remarkably, within that short period there are two different base types This one has RENAULT 16. The one below has RENAULT 16TS. The blue one has RENAULT 16 "TS".

The colour of the ring holding the rear hook in place also changes from red to grey.

Here's the blue one with 'pepperpot' Whizzwheels. You may be lucky and find a few with the later '4 crown' style but this didn't last much longer than the purple one, being deleted itself in 1973. I always have to smile when opening the bonnet and finding the original cast wheel spare!

The old Plymouth was the first model to get an interior (excluding open top models) and this too had two types of base - one has grey and this one has cream.

You need to look underneath this Ford Consul to see that it is a 200 and not a 200M! I like these examples where there will have been a few painted castings lying around when the friction motor type was discontinued and so they had a tin base fitted and put in a 200 box and sent to the dealers for some lucky kid to find.

The first model with suspension was this Renault Floride. This is a later edition with shaped wheels and not easy to find now. (I had hoped it would turn out to be one with free-spinning wheels which is much less common, but I shall have to keep looking for that one!)

Both the Chevrolet Impalas above are the less common editions with shaped wheels rather than cast wheels. Because these two were around in the catalogues for many years, cast wheels became dominant, in marked contrast to another of my favourites, the Taxi edition and saloon which were extremely short-lived and for which cast wheels are scarce to see.

You can find these on my web site and in my own online store. Some may be on Ebay but I am finding Ebay a bit expensive now, having rather more items listed than I am entitled to have without charges. Accordingly I am cutting back what is listed there substantially, with the aim of just one item to represent an issue with a request that people visit my online store for similar models to that shown. Now that they permit 24 photos per item, I can also add some photos of other models. Ebay's fees on sale are also quite substantial and, whilst it is by far the most popular place for collectors to seek models, I am hoping that I can encourage more and more to come to my place where I'll offer lower prices and get to keep the payments made by people.

This does mean I shall be publishing a few more posts to promote my items but I will try to make sure they're still entertaining and interesting too!

Tractors

I've been looking at tractors. I knew there were some variations but I had not really looked very closely before or made much of an effort to review them. The Corgi agricultural range is small but really nice and well-made - well, at least, the models from the 1950s and 60s are. Things went downhill rapidly in the 1970s but we'll leave that for another day.

First there is the Massey Ferguson 65 tractor, issued in May 1959.

At first it has a black steering wheel and metal wheels. The very first also had gold lettering and a red seat.

Later it gets plastic wheels and a slightly pink shade for the previously cream parts. Most you'll find will have silver or, more rarely, cream painted seats.

The trailer also has similar variations for the wheels.

The early trailer had metal wheels and the pin holding the mechanism in place on the chassis has its head on the right side.

Later trailers had plastic wheels and the pin head is on the left side. It is unlikely that the change of pin direction and wheel type happened at the same time so a third variation is possible although I do not know which change came first.

I also find there to be a distinct colour difference between the metal and plastic wheels on both the tractors and trailers with the metal ones being a brighter red and the plastic slightly deeper red.

Next came a Fordson Power Major Tractor and a plough, in May 1961.

It is always 'Fordson' blue and is first issued with pale orange metal wheels.

The plough has three linkage points and can only be used with this tractor. It can be quite difficult to fit but can then be very nicely lifted and lowered using a lever by the seat, operating very realistically. There is also a tin hook fitted to the first Fordson - the same type and size as can be found on Land Rovers and various other trucks at the time.

Later models have much brighter orange, plastic wheels.

Model #50 Fordson Power Major has headlamps at the side of the radiator. In December 1964 there is the same name on the transfer but now the Fordson tractor has its headlamps inset in a redesigned front end.

The new one, #60, also has a much more realistic traction rod-controlled steering and a redesigned rear linkage section, a much simpler device to which a new plough could be more easily attached. The tin hook also is replaced by a smarter type with the same lever controlling its release.

The #60 Fordson Power Major always has plastic wheels and was issued with a driver.

At the same time #61 Plough was issued which is the same basic design for the chassis and shares as before but now in blue and shiny chrome with no upper linkage. [Note that in this illustration one share is missing - there should be four.]

Normally, Ferguson tractors had the red wheels and Fordson tractors had orange wheels but you will find examples where the reverse is true. These are quite scarce and worth looking out for.

July 1966 sees the arrival of the Massey Ferguson 165 tractor. This is a good-looking model but, like its predecessor, Massey-Ferguson still miss out on the 'extras' as the only feature this one gets is a slightly pointless whirring noise from the front axle when it is pushed along. It does have a new driver, though.

The rear hook is very simple so this would not be suitable for ploughing tasks.

January 1967 brings the new tractor from the 'Ford' stable - the Ford 5000 Super Major.

This is a nicely detailed model and Ford must have been more generous to Corgi as it gets jewelled headlamps and steering as well as silver plated exhaust and other bits. However, they cannot have been that generous as the steering reverts to the dreadfully ugly pivoting axle type. No doubt a lot simpler to manufacture but it made it much more difficult for us to criticise Dinky Toys' sad steering style when Corgi come up with this! Especially as we had such fond memories still at the time of the Bentley Continental, Mercedes 220SE and Ecurie Ecosse Racing Car Transporter!

The Massey Ferguson did get a shovel #53 (April 1960) and a fork #57 (May 1963) attachment on the 65 model and a shovel #69 (March 1967) on the 165 model and it could pull some additional items: a more substantial Tipping Trailer with two extra side inserts as #62 in February 1965, a Beast Carrier #58 in November 1965 and a Disc Harrow #71, quite a surprise issue in July 1967.

There are so many variations of the shovels and fork that they will have to wait for another article! there was only one Disc Harrow, though. Even this had a special feature - the lever would raise or lower the main axle.

In September 1969 we see the first of three very detailed models, the Ford 5000 Super Major with a Hydraulic scoop attachment at the side.

Lots of detail including all the hydraulic hoses and an operation box.

In March 1970 Massey Ferguson finally get something a bit special with the addition of a mechanical saw attachment to the 165 model.

The saw element actually rotates when the tractor goes along, driven by a most inventive spring which acts like a gear against a toothed inner edge to the tyre and translates the wheel rotation to the saw unit. Quite extraordinary. [This should have a driver.]

Finally, in January 1972, a rear-mounted trenching bucket is the 'new' attachment to give extra life to the Ford 5000 Super Major.

You will see, of course, that it is merely the device used in the 1969 model with a couple of stabilisers added and fitted at the back instead of the side. All these last three models had a short life and sold only in modest volumes, farming in the 70s not having the appeal it had had in the early 60s. The last one, in particular, had a very short production period before being withdrawn in 1973 and is something I now need to replace in my own collection.

In June 1973 the last 1:43 scale tractor (with an attachment) is issued and you can see it is a very poor model indeed. It does still have young Farmer George inside but that's about all that can be said for it.

May 1974 sees it get a shovel attachment but, with most of Corgi's output now in the larger 1:36 scale, this is an odd release.

September 1976 sees the introduction of the David Brown tractor in the larger scale. The 1:43 story doesn't end there, though, as, remarkably, in April 1980 the Massey Ferguson reappears six years after its initial release and now in orange! With white wheels it is also part of a 'Block' Construction Set with the 'Block' logo on the roof of the tractor. Farmer George, though, retired and is not seen again.

Seeing these last desperate efforts, one can hardly blame him.