#1054 - LONE STAR - RANGE ROVER, CADILLAC ELDORADO & JAGUAR (Nr. 71, 72 & 79) (1976 and 1979)

As time goes by, we have seen websites dealing with die-cast models disappear. Great and free sources of information are lost and there is no way to get them back. However, one website that is still operative, since more than 20 years is: www.robertnewson.co.uk/articles/LoneStarImpy/index.html

There you can read the history and a chronological scroll of events, improvements, production, subseries and all related to Lone Star. The article goes back to 2003, when this brand was featured in the Diecast Collector magazine, and a sudden interest woke up. Taking this website as a reference, I mad a list of the models released and I summarised the history of the company, for me to keep track of the models I have and to which series do they belong.

Lone Star has been always rare to spot as they were not so popular as Corgi, Matchbox or Dinky in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. What I didn´t know if that Lone Star was more focused in toy guns and other toys, while diecast vehicles were only offered intermittently, even updating or revamping casts as they were not so actual anymore.

The company was founded in 1939 by Bob Mills and Sidney Ambridge in Palmers Green, London. Originally, they manufacted diecasting machines, and so the complete name of the company from 1940 onwards was Die Casting Machine Tools Ltd. (short: DCMT). There is evidence that many diecast firms after the war, including Matchbox, Modern Products and Kemlows used DCMT machinery and that both Matchbox founders Jack Odell and Rodney Smith worked for the company before starting their own business. One of the most popular models of DCMT was the M55 diecasting machine.

As they saw the commercial success of companies using their machines, they also started producing their first toys in 1946, so shortly after the three cited above. Initially, DCMT were only manufacturers, and the company The Crescent Toys Ltd. was acting as a distributor. These very first models included the Crescent Jaguar Saloon, hugely popular at the time. They also copied some casts from Tootsietoys. This situation remained until January of 1950, where they decided to stop the contract with Crescent and distribute their own products directly to wholesalers. They changed the name to Slikka Toy during approximately one year, and, in 1951, they changed it again to Lone Star. They had already many toy guns, and this second and final name was chosen because it was already registered and in use for several cowboy outfit sets. Business was going great and they opened new factories in other placed in England, such as Hertfordshire.

Theis most famous vehicle lines were the Roadmasters (1956-1969), Impy (1966-1968), Flyers and Commercials (1970-1972, although some were revamped later) and Impy Super Models (1976-1980).

The Roadmasters debuted in 1956 with a series of sport cars and classic cars in 1:35 scale. They were fragile, because the base and wheels were made of plastic. With the years, there were more models and other scales (such as thirteen models in 1:50, large scale trucks and planes in 1:250 scale). They didn´t have much success.

The Impys were a new trial to compete against the established manufacturers, and have nothing in common with the Roadmasters. They started in 1966 and despite the small scale, Lone Star wanted to include a lot of features, that is, windows, interior, suspension, jewelled headlights, steering wheels and practicable parts (more parts than Corgi or Matchbox, often doors, bonnet and trunk). The price was slightly higher than the similar models, but the toy itself was also a bit bigger in size (3 inches long). With the time, the features were cut, while the concurrence were adding more and more features while keeping the price tag stable. Lone Star was broadly advertised in children´s press and collectors magazines.

Unfortunately, the models are not very well casted and proportions do not match with the real models.

Other names used for the line were Lone Star Roadmaster Impy Super Cars.

Each model was typically available in more than one colour.

1966 Models (priced 2s11d)

• Nr.10 Jaguar Mk.X (1:64)
• Nr.11 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (named Gran Turismo Coupe, probably due to a missing license) (1:58)
• Nr.12 1963 Chrysler Imperial (1:73)
• Nr.13 Ford Thunderbird (unreleased) 
• Nr.14 Ford Zodiac Mk.III Estate (1:59)
• Nr.15 Volkswagen Microbus (1:59)
• Nr.16 Motorway Police Patrol Car (nr. 14 or nr. 12 with siren and POLICE decoration) / Variants: Mercedes 220E (nr.17 in dark green “POLIZEI” for Germany, “POLIS” Mercedes for Sweden and “POLITIE” Chrysler for the Netherlands).
• Nr.17 Mercedes 220E (1:63) 
• Nr.18 Ford Corsair (1:58)

1967 Models (priced 3s) and Accessories

• Nr.19 Volvo 1800S
• Nr.20 VW Microbus ambulance (based on nr.15 with slight changes in the interior and siren) / variant with POLITIE for the Dutch market.
• Nr.21 Fiat 2300S Coupe (scale 1:59)
• Nr.22 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud Convertible
• Nr.23 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 Spider
• Nr.24 Foden 8-wheel tipper
• Nr.25 International tractor
• Nr.26 Foden Petrol Tanker (announced as Foden Bulk Sugar Transporter) (Same as 24 with Tanker “Mobile”, rare variant “SHELL”)
• Nr.27 Ford Taunus 12M
• Nr.28 Peugeot 404
• Nr.29 Cement Mixer Lorry (announced 1967, but was unavailable until 1969)
• Nr.30 Merryweather Fire Engine
• Nr.31 Ford Transit Breakdown Lorry “ESSO”

• Nr.401 Car Lifting Ramp, price 3s 11d
• Nr.402 Lock-Up Garage, price 1s 6d 
• Nr.403 Service Station (unreleased)

1968 Models (priced 3s6d) and Accessories

• Nr.32 Fire Chief version of the Ford Corsair (with siren and FIRE CHIEF decoration) / variant: FEUERWEHR for Germany
• Nr.33 BLH Austin-Western Model 220 Mobile Crane
• Nr.34 Euclid 82-80 Twin Power Crawler Tractor 
• Nr.35 Articulated Flat Truck (unreleased) 
• Nr.36 Lotus Europa (announced but unavailable until 1969)

• Nr.404 'Mobil' Petrol Pump Island with canopy and a 'Mobil' forecourt sign (prized 4s9d)
• Nr.405, a new two-tier Service Station (unreleased)

The Flyers was a series conceived in 1968, that is why the Impy models from that year are all repaints, but released in 1969. In 1968, the Hot Wheels range was introduced in most markets, so every other company had to react to it. The new Flyers started with the old Impys in new wheels (although these were rebranded as Lone Star Commercials. They mounted new ultra-thin axles with a plastic piece on top to implement the suspension. The wheels were designed new and the base was screwed instead of rivetted. The steering feature was completely removed. Some tracks were also available. All these actions made Lone Star the fastest competitor in Britain to adapt to the new hot wheels trend (around 6 months ahead of Matchbox´s Superfast and 9 months ahead of Corgi Rockets). The price continued to be a disadvantage.

Flyers lost the jeweled headlights, but got more attractive painting and decorations. They were promoted as a cereal giveaway. On every package was one of six models available and a leaflet catalogue. 

1969 Flyers models (priced 3s6d) 

The 18 Flyers models comprised the 16 cars from the Impy series and two new additions.

• Nr. 36 Lotus Europa (appeared late in 1969) 
• Nr. 9 Maserati Mistral GT Coupe (spelled 'Mistrale') (1970)
• Nr. 29 Foden eight-wheel “Lucas Battteries” (not Flyer, but Commercial)

One new Commercial appeared in 1969 as no.29, using the Foden eight-wheel cab/chassis with a new plastic body representing a canvas side type of box van.  This had 'Lucas Batteries' transfers, changed in 1970 to 'Express Freight' labels.  Later there was a special issue of this model for Japan with labels in Japanese characters which translate (I am told) as 'National Railway Container'.

• Nr. 403 Fire Station (same as lock-up Garage) with small variations. Probably unreleased.
• Nr. 414 Same with a fire engine and fire chief's car. Probably unreleased.

1970 Flyers models (price: 3s9d)

• Nr. 37 Ford GT40 (never released) 
• Nr. 38 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (new cast), a more up to date car than the old Corvette, which was still no.11. The model was spoiled by ill-fitting doors.  
• Nr. 39 Ford Mustang.
• Nr. 40 Cadillac did not appear till 1976, by which time it had lost its planned opening doors, bonnet and boot.  
• Nr.8 Ford Capri (never issued, listed in the catalogue without illustration)
• Nr.13 Toyota 2000GT (never issued, listed in the catalogue without illustration) coloured plated finish similar to Corgi Rockets or standard paint.

1971 Flyers models (new wheel model with five spokes) (price: 4s6d)

New wheels and the Firenza

• Nr. 13 Toyota 2000GT
• Nr. 38 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
• Nr. 39 Ford Mustang
• Nr. 8 Ford Capri
• Nr. 7 Vauxhall Firenza (launched together with the real model, several colours and “Budget Rent a Car” version) (priced 5s or 25p). There is also a variant with the steering wheel to the left, in which Vauxhall has been casted off the base and the rear part of the body for the Canadian market.

1972 New Commercials

The commercials got new wheels on 1972, except the tractor and the crane.

• Nr. 41 Builders Supply Lorry (with plastic girders)
• Nr. 42 Foden S50 Half Cab “Tilcon” (variant of Nr. 24)
• Nr. 43 Routemaster Bus (shown in the catalogue but not sold as Commercial, but with Nr. 1259)
• Nr. 44 Marine Transport Lorry (with plastic speedboat)
• Nr. 8 Ford Capri (for the third year in a row, it went unproduced)

After 1972, the company could not continue with the production as until that time. The founder Bob Mills died in June 1973. What followed was no match for what they had done in the past. There were no changes in the products offered until 1975.

That year, some Commercial models were simplified to keep the prices as low as possible. Many plastic parts replaced metallic ones, some parts were redesigned to fit several models, and 8-wheelers turned 6-wheelers. The same happened to the flyers, where practicable parts disappeared, windows became black and plastic was used on the bases and accessories. Nr. 40 Cadillac Eldorado was finally added to the collection.

1975 was the last year for the Commercials, as they were replaced in 1976 by the Impy Trucks These are the trucks I have shown in this blog before: generic, sharing common parts, not very interesting for collectors. 

The same happened to the Flyers in 1976. From 1978 on, the Impy car range was simplified to a greater extent: no opening parts, black windows, no interior, plastic base…

• Nr. 71 Range Rover
• Nr. 72 Cadillac Eldorado (previously Nr. 40)
• Nr. 73 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (previously Nr. 38)
• Nr. 74 Toyota 2000GT (previously Nr. 13)
• Nr. 75 Police Range Rover (also Ambulance in set with Police version)
• Nr. 76 GT Rally (Chevrolet Corvette previously Nr. 11)

In 1979, the line was extended: 

• Nr. 77 Jaguar XJ6 (previously Nr. 10)
• Nr. 78  Maserati (previously Nr. 9)
• Nr. 79 Ford Mustang (previously Nr. 39)
• Nr. 80 Lotus (previously Nr. 36)
• Nr. 81 Volvo 262 Coupé (new)
• Nr. 82 Mercedes (new)

The production and the business continued decreasing over the years. In 1983, the company went into receivership and the toy division sold. The production moved to Asia in 1988.

FACTS AND FIGURES: 

• Name: RANGE ROVER, CADILLAC ELDORADO & JAGUAR (Nr. 71, 72  & 79) 
• Scale: Approximately 1:55-1:64
• Year: 1976 (Nr. 71 & 72) and 1979 (Nr. 79)
• Company: Lone Star (Great Britain)
• Size: approx. 8 cm

#1028 HEIMO - PLASTIC PVC BARBAPAPA (1979)

I don´t recall the series, never saw it on TV or had any merchandising as a kid, I knew them later, as an adult, so let's go directly to the toys.

The original release by Heimo comprised 9 pieces. 5 "male" and 4 "female" Barbapapas. The ladies can be recognised as they carry a kind of bun (hairstyle) at the top of their heads.

• Barbapapa (Pink) (waving hello?)
  
• Barbahelle (Blue) (scratching head?)
• Barbabravo (Red) (with bowling ball?)
  
• Barbazoo (Yellow) (with red bird)
  
• Barbabo (Black) (with palette)
  
• Barbalala (Green) (open arms)
  
• Barbabella (Violet) (sneezing?)
• Barbasophie (Orange) (with book)
  
• Barbamama (Black) (with flowers)
  

The figures are unmarked, what makes me wonder if they are original Heimo or not. The German brand is one of the most bootleged ever, and other original Heimo figures I own are marked with a round stamp on the back of the figures, but the stamp cannot be read, maybe it is a Walt Disney certification (all stamps are in Disney characters). It could also be that some are original Heimo and other aren't. See, for example, the following two Barbasophie. They are quite different from each other. The one on the left is better painted, I would say. Are both Heimo? both bootlegs? one Heimo and the other a bootleg?

I present here 5 figures, plus another one that I found later. There is still three missing that I expect to get sometime in the future.

 

Plastoy also launched a series of Barbapapa PVC figures in 2003.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: BARBAPAPA
• Year: 1979
• Company: Heimo (Germany)
• Size of the figures: Around 3 cm

#1000 GUISVAL - RENAULT 5 (Nr. 14) and RENAULT 5 RALLYE (Nr. 51) (1979, 1981 and 1983)

This car is one of the best-selling cars in the history of automobiles in Spain, and also one of the most successful die-cast models made by Guisval. It was also reproduced by the most important die-cast manufacturers at the time: Matchbox, Majorette, Polistil… the Guisval version, although not so well finished, it is still beautiful, especially in some of its variants.

The car first appeared in 1975 catalogue, in orange with the classic first generation wheels, but I do not have this model. It is very interesting that Guisval changed the colour only after 10 years, so most of the versions you’ll find of the basic version are orange.

 

For example, the second generation from 1979 came with chromed base, and the third from 1983 with black metallic base, but otherwise, they are difficult to tell between the two. The third version is generally darker than the second one. Note the models in the pictures. Note that this model depicted individually is different from the one in the group picture as it has two round holes in the base, while the other has the two frames which came later. Also the colour of the windshields is different, so I guess there are many variants out there to be catalogued, as it happens with models that had very long runs.

Finally, in 1985, the colour was changed to light blue, and it still kept its metallic base in black. Up to then, it always kept the number 14 in the Campeon series.

The rally version is one of my favorites, and I keep it since I was a child. It came with that mud flaps in red plastic that is so representative of Guisval models. This version ran partially in parallel to the previous one, so it carried a different number in the series, and it was 51. The first version appeared in 1980 and was released in yellow with decals. This reference also lived long, and first in 1987, it changed the base to plastic, and the decals to stickers, but the base colour remained.

Having practicable doors, it was never available in the Club series, but some R5s were part of sets like this one here, in which a yellow body was released in the standard version and not the rallye one.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: RENAULT 5 (Nr. 14) and RENAULT 5 RALLYE (Nr. 51)
  
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: 1979, 1981 and 1983
• Company: Guisval (Spain)
• Size: Around 6 cm long

#973 SHOGUN WARRIORS – 3 INCHES/COLLECTOR’S SERIES GREAT MAZINGA, POSEIDON and COMBATTRA (1979)

 
Mattel imported and sold under his name several series of robots made in Japan by the end of the 70s. They represent famous robots from popular anime series of the time.

The figures shown here are the smallest produced (Collector’s series), and have around 3 inches of height. There were other 5 inches (Die-Cast Metal), 6 inches (Two-in-One) and up to 24 inches (Jumbo). All but these have spring loaded missile (or fist) launchers, and therefore included small accessories that are easily lost.

This series I present today were sold in individual cardboard boxes with window and inlay.

Great Mazinga

The characters were basically the same for all series (with some variations). There were also vehicles. For the collector’s series, the characters included were:

• Great Mazinga
• Poseidon
• Combattra
• Dragun
• Grandizer
• Gaiking

A second release would add:

• Dangard
• Leopaldon
• Voltes V
• 17

Poseidon

The collectors series were later sold in a different kind of package “Mini GoDaikins”, and they are identical except for a Taiwan instead of Japan marking on the back and metallic stickers. Some are very rare, while others are much more common. As always, only complete und unbroken toys are really valuable, and some of the references in this toyline are really fragile. See the little antennas of Combattra, or Mazinga head’s spikes, they are often missing! Also stickers are important. The Poseidon in the pictures is missing its head sticker, that it why it looks so strange.

The Shogun Warriors toylines with firing missiles were discontinued in 1980 due to safety regulations, but this line continued for a few years more. Because of this, and also because they were cheaper than the others, there are much easier to find nowadays. They were very popular in Central Europe.

Combattra

I’d definitely like to get all 10!

ReAction recently released a series of articulated figures inspired in this old Mattel collection.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: GREAT MAZINGA, POSEIDON and COMBATTRA [COLLECTOR’S SERIES] (3 INCHES)
• Toy Line: SHOGUN WARRIORS
• Year: 1979
• Company: Mattel (U.S.A./Japan)
• Size of the figures: Around 7 cm (3-3.5 inches)

#875 GOULA - COLEGIO (Ref. 600) (Around 1979)

As a kid I had a construction set from this brand. Now it is lost, but I would really like to find it and play with it, right now. Unfortunately, it was probably thrown away years ago, so I won't be able to do this.

Instead, I found this nice set in a flea market several years ago, the pieces are similar, although in the set I was referring to, there were basically building parts with a few cars, people and even some trees. On the contrary, this set includes only school or class furniture and people, but still the style of the manufacturer cannot be mistaken. The wood is very light coloured (light brown) and many pieces have some colour applied in one side, always in basic/plain colours.

Both the set I owned as a kid, and this one I have now belong to a celebrated series called "Construcción Urbis". They were the classic contruction block set, maybe in a smaller size than the usual game (probably to keep the prices as low as possible), and with dedicated sets including particular pieces not available in other sets. The series was divided in several subgroups according to the size of the box: Urbis, Urbis-2, Urbis-3... up to Urbis-5, which included the biggest boxes with the highest amount of pieces. Some sets were also available in bags.

Note for example this curious school class. The blocks have the shapes of desks, chairs an blackboards, and this pieces, of course were especific to this set. There are also some figures included, but they are made of plastic. It would be much more expensive to produce them in wood, but earlier versions of this game had wooden figures, in a less realistic style, and curiously, the teacher was a nun (something not very unusual at the time in Spain). The figures are slightly flat, in the tin soldiers style. My set is probably missing two pupils (at least compared with the picture in the box cover).

Note the nice sculpt of the different furniture: teacher´s desk (with platform), blackboard, pupil´s desk... it is a very interesting construction set, maybe also intended to be a toy for girls?

Among the boxes in this Urbis series and this size, which I think it was the smallest one (17x11 cm), the references were:

• 600 Colegio (School)
• 601 Granja (Farm)
• 602 Fuerte (Fort)
• 603 Garajes (Garages)
• 604 Estación (Train Station)
• 605 Aeropuerto (Airport)
• 606 Zoo
• 607 Castillo (Castle)

And now a few lines about the manufacturer. The company which made this toy is Goula, a Spanish company that is still active, although now it is part of a bigger concern, as it is Diset.

Theirofficial website (http://www.goula.es/content/sobre-goula-15) tells us the story of a family business run since 1942. The brand name comes from the surname of the founder Josep Goula from Vic (near Barcelona).

The business probably derived from a carpenter´s workshop especialized in Christmas decoration goods. Soon they started producing wooden toys for children (around 1950) and since then, they have been participating in the Toy Fair in Nurenberg every year.

Currently their toys still use wood, but sometimes combined with other materials, like cloth or cardboard. The design is still being made in Barcelona, although nothing is said about production...

Goula is part of the Diset group and is the leader manufacturer in wooden toys in Spain. It exports to more than 60 countries. Great! I wonder if they ever thought about reissuing these Urbis sets. Do you think they would have any commercial success nowadays?

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: COLEGIO (Ref. 600)
• Year: Around 1979
• Company: Goula (Spain)

#818 JUGUETES EURA S.A. – DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO PANZA (1979)

The cartoons directed by Cruz Delgado based on the masterpiece of Miguel de Cervantes was a major success in the Spanish Television in 1979 (when it was aired for the first time), and, of course, some merchandising items were made to make more money licensing toy figures, books and all kind of things for children.

These two figures are one example, maybe the best known toy made out of the Don Quijote cartoon. The two PVC figures were originally made by Juguetes Eura S.A., a company that also had the rights to produce Peyo’s Smurfs in PVC, although in 1980, this license was lost because Schleich had bought the rights worldwide for that same series, and they had to stop producing them. The whole story is told in The Cursed Country.

The thing is that Juguetes Eura, would later become Comics Figuras S.L. (also known as Comics Spain). Both companies have the same founders and the same address. The new company was founded in 1982, also by Ramón Magriña and Eulalia Camps, as a matter of fact, EURA is formed with the initial letters of the names of the two founders: EU (Eulalia) and RA (Ramón).

The topic with the Smurfs has been extensively studied, but the other figures are somehow forgotten. Eura did not only made these… they also had figures from La Abeja Maya (Biene Maja), Asterix, Barbapapas, several Disney characters and more… and their quality is quite interesting.

Back to Don Quijote, there were four figures made of this series. Don Quijote and Sancho Panza, plus the same two characters riding their Horse (Rocinante) and Donkey (Rucio), respectively. The riding characters could be removed from their mounts.

Don Quijote (standing) came with a very small and fragile sword that could be attached to his belt.

The same figures were later available marked with “Comics Spain”. Each figure was available with and without plastic base to improve the stability, but I cannot say if some were earlier than others, or which brand (Eura or Comics Spain) do each one have.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: DON QUIJOTE and SANCHO PANZA
• Year: 1979
• Company: Juguetes Eura S.A. (Spain)
• Size of the figures: Around 10 and 6 cm tall

#814 BARAVELLI / BGM / GIODI – PORSCHE 911 S (Around 1979)

This is a rare Porsche 911 in a scale close to 1:64 (3 inches size). It is quite rough in its details, and has plastic base and dark windows, and, of course, no interior.

So, qualitatively, it is not a great toy, but still a very interesting one due to its maker: Baravelli.

There is very little information about this brand out there. The logo of the company is a circle with a three-pointed star inside with the letters B G M, which according to the Dutch Wikipedia comes from “Baravelli Giordani MAM”, although I cannot recognize MAM as an acronym (sorry, I don’t speak Italian). Other sources say BGM may come from “Baravelli Giodi Miniatura”.

I have seen many carded models marketed as “Giodi” that seem to be the exact same model that I am showing today, so I am almost certain that Baravelli (or BGM) and Giodi are the same company. Actually, Giodi could be a short name for Giordani.

The company produced, as you can see in the pictures, cars in the budget range during the 70s. If the Wikipedia is right, the company got absorved by polistil by the late 70s when the competition was growing both in the internal and the external markets.

What I knew of this brand is that they were used as giveaways in Ferrero’s Kinder Surprise. Not in the standard eggs, but in the bigger Maxi Eggs. Apparently, and according to my Kinder Surprise catalogue, there were two series from Giodi: VIP and VIP 2. The first one came in cardboard boxes with plastic windows, while the second one in cardboard boxes without windows. How they fitted inside the eggs, I don´t know.

According to this source, the “serie VIP. 1” had 12 references: BMW 520i, Cadillac Eldorado, Jaguar, Rolls Royce, Volvo, Lancia, Renault, Porsche, Mercedes; Stratos, Ferrari and Rover. They came without any stickers applied but a small sheet of plastic stickers to be applied by the happy owner of the car.

The “serie VIP  2” has also several references, although only three are mentioned: Mercedes 450 SL, Rolls Royce Silver Shadow and Porsche 911 Turbo. Possibly there were more of them. Each one came with 1 sticker (the brand emblem) applied on the hood of the car. That Porsche is exactly the one I am showing in my pictures.

According to the guide, each of these models has a catalogue value of 100 Euro, something which I certainly doubt. They can be found on ebay for around 10 euros/piece

It is actually credible that Giodi/BGM/Baravelli might have been bought by Polistil, since at roughly the same time, Ferrero Maxi Eggs were also giving Polistil models away… at 1:43 scale.

UPDATE (June/2024): Mercedes 450 SEL. Unfortunately in bad shape.

FACTS and FIGURES:

• Name: PORSCHE 911 S, MERCEDES 450 SEL
• Scale: Around 1:64
• Year: Around 1979
• Company: Baravelli B.G.M/BGM Giodi (Italy)
• Size: approx. 7 cm

#789 MATCHBOX – RENAULT 5 TL, FORD MODEL A and VOLVO 760 (MB21, MB38 and MB62) (1978, 1979 and 1986)

These three boxed cars are copyrighted in 1981. The box design is the one used during those first years in the 80s, and the one I remember from my very earliest childhood days.

Matchbox cars in boxes are relatively easy to find, since there were so many of them sold over the years, so getting a few boxes is nothing particularly surprising. Trying to get all of them can be a real challenge.

From the three cars that I want to present today, the first one is the Renault 5 TL in its “RALLY LE CAR” decoration. It looks fine in white a green.

This model is copyrighted in 1978, and it is available in several colours, being the most common blue, grey, yellow, white. The blue model was the first one released by Matchbox in 1979, then changed to grey one year earlier, and then, again one year later, it was changed to this decoration here. The white and green version would be replaced two years later by a black one with rally decorations (quite colourful despite the base black). I have never seen the back model, I think it was relaced in the “last-minute” by a white one with the same decoration which is quite common. This would be the last standard release of the R5, available untl 1985 and substituted by the Breakdown van in 1986.

There are other versions that do not appear in the catalogue (the yellow one, for example) and other that do appear, although in another category. For example, there was a second grey version made with “Scrambler” written on the sides. This model seems to have been originally released with a small trailer carrying motorbikes, I am not sure if it was also available in this type of “single” boxes.

The second car is the Volvo 760 that first appeared in the 1986 catalogue, but still as a prototype (“upcoming releases”).
In the catalogue of 1987, we can see this same model I have here, in 1988 it changed from silver to gold, and then to burgundy in 1989. In 1990 the MB62 number is already assigned to another model, curiously a Volvo too, but a Volvo Container Truck.

The third and last model today is kind of special, as you can read in the box, it is a “Special Collectors’ Model” Ford Model A. The cast for this model has been used literally hundreds of times, since its debut in 1983’s catalogue. The first two versions are very well known, the first one is blue and has “Champion Spark Plugs” stickers on the sides, and the second one from 1984 has “Pepsi-Cola” advertisements on the sides. As it happened with other toys I already presented, this Ford A is actually a great item for displaying publicity and making promotional gifts out of it. It is an old car and any brand displayed on it would automatically get a very good image, like having a great tradition behind them and being established since a long time ago.

The story behind the “Special Collectors’ Model” is that Matchbox released many different Ford A’s in very short runs with different colours and brands. This one looks very good in yellow and blue and says: “James Neale & Sons – Limited – Makers of Fire Vehicle Equipment Since 1849”.

Here in matchboxforum there is a thread talking just about variations of this model. Apparently people out there are trying to get all of them, what requires an amazing effort. Those variations also appear is some collector’s guides (unfortunately, I do not have any). I am happy with this model and also with my old Pepsi van, and I do not think I would buy many more of these.

Despite the years that I noted in each paragraph, the copyrights for these vehicles in the bases are: 1978, 1979 and 1986.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: RENAULT 5 TL, FORD MODEL A and VOLVO 760 (MB21, MB38 and MB62)
• Scale: Approx. 1:64
• Year: 1978, 1979 and 1986
• Company: Matchbox (Great Britain)
• Size: approx. 7 cm