#1010 EDOCAR – VW 1300 MUSICAR “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” (1989)

 

What I found about Edocar was already explained in a previous entry, that you can review here. This time I am presenting a single model which has the special feature of singing Happy Birthday using the same mechanism than Majorette’s Sonic Flashers.

The model, of course, it is produced by MC Toy in a color which is specific for Edocar, and the decoration is somewhat colourful although not especially remarkable. Most MC Toy models have better tampographies. The windows are black to hide the electrical circuit that produces the music. It was sold in a blister pack.

Back to the musical feature, Happy Birthday was not the only melody available, there were other models which reproduced the tune of “Tulips from Amsterdam”, the theme of “Alfred J. Kwack” or the jingle of Coca-Cola. Edocar and Coca-Cola have a special relation about which I will write in another occasion.

What I dislike about this toys is that, once the battery is empty, there is no easy way to replace them. Also the batteries corrode, and at some point, they will spoil the toy, not to mention that many of these toys ended in the waste bin contaminating earth and water. Remember to remove batteries from the toys if you are going to store them for a long time!

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: VW 1300 Musicar „Happy Birthday“
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: 1989
• Company: Edocar (Netherlands, China)
• Size: approx. 3’’ or 7 cm

#515 EDOCAR – BUICK LESARRE STOCK CAR (Nr. 14), CHEVROLET’57 (Nr. 17), JAGUAR XJ-S V12 (Nr. 28) and PORSCHE 365A (Nr. 33) (1986 and 1990)

Here are my four Edocar models. These are all I own. They are quite rare (at least were I lived) and I cannot remember where my father bought them for me.

In any case, Edocar was trademark property of two companies: Edor Benelux NL BV and Fred Beherr BV that offered die-cast models between 1986 and 2007. They did not manufacture the models themselves, but bought to other Asian companies and sold them in Europe under their own brand.

According to Wikipedia, Edocar was the distributor of Matchbox-Lesney toys until 1985, and from 1986, they changed to distribute several Asian brands in Europe. Why, we don’t know.

The most important supplier of miniatures was MC Toy (later Maisto), but other companies also produced toys for Edocar: Yat Ming (mostly in the very early years), Hartoy, Real Toy, Tiger Wheels and Golden Wheels (all these in the later years). Apparently, there is only one model designed and produced exclusively by Edocar, and it is a Lancia 037 Rally.

Three out of four models shown here are actually early models, from the first series that Edocar marketed, at that was called Edocar Mini Series (short EM Series). The EM-Series comprised 50 models, numbered 1 to 50. Mine are numbers 14, 17 and 28. Numbers 14 and 28 are original MC Toy/ Maisto models, and they are marked “Macau” in the (plastic) baseplate, while number 17 is a Yat Ming manufacture, is marked “Hong Kong” and the baseplate is metallic.

The fourth model is also early, but a few years newer. It has a copyright from 1990, and it is also a MC Toy cast.

It is important to mention that Edocar models were made in exclusive colours, different to their Asian counterparts. For example, that Porsche made by MC Toy was metallic grey, while for Edocar, it was made in red.

But that was not their only series. Also from those first years, are the EA (Edocar Ancient, in 1:43 Scale), EC (Edocar-Color, with temperature-changing paint). This are actually lines from MC Toy, as I explained in entry #391. In that same entry I already showed the same Porsche 365A (Nr. 33).

Other lines were EB (with pull-back motors), AK (Alfred J. Kwack-Series), AS (Alarm-Series), TP (Trailer-Pack), ST (Super-Trailer), GS (Gift-Set), VC (Vehicle-Collection), AC (Accessories) and CC or CM (Coca-Cola).

In 1999, the series range was expanded with several new ones, and the numbering system was also changed.

In 1999, Edocar models were available in 13 European countries, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Edor Benelux NL BV declared insolvency in 2007, but there was a last batch of cars models that reached the markets distributed by Loyal Bright from Hong Kong.

*The name "Buick Lesarre" is actually a spelling error on the plastic base, it should say "Buick LeSabre".

UPDATE: I bought on May 2015 one more Edocar model, although this one is much more modern, probably from the early 2000s or maybe late 90s. It has reference number 0124-5, but I don't know exactly which model it is, some kind of big van with the Sheriff star on the doors and blue sirens. Cool model.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: BUICK LESARRE STOCK CAR (Nr. 14), CHEVROLET’57 (Nr. 17), JAGUAR XJ-S V12 (Nr. 28) and PORSCHE 365A (Nr. 33)
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: 1986 and 1990
• Company: Edocar (Netherlands) / MC Toy, Maisto (Macau, China) / Yat Ming (Hong-Kong)
• Size: approx. 3’’ or 7 cm

#391 MC TOY / MAISTO / EDOCAR - VARIOUS PORSCHE MODELS IN 1:64 SCALE (1984 and 1990)

In this second chapter, we will go a bit deeper in the history of the company. In the previous entry, I told that the company was founded in 1967, and (supposedly) made die-cast scale cars until the mid to late 80s. I say supposedly, because I have never seen any of these older models. The one I know are models from 1984 and on.

Further details about these old cars say that they were toy oriented, but later became high quality. It is thought that MC Toy was paying licenses to reproduce some cars, and that’s why they’re so accurate. These casts were used for their own MC Toy brand, but also for other European and North-American manufacturers, like Edocar (Netherlands) or (later?) Guisval (Spain). These models can be either identical to MC Toy’s or have different colours.

Here's a sample of Edocar's Porsche 365A, identical to MC Toy's only in red instead of grey. There will be another entry dealing with Edocar models soon...

As said in the previous entry, MC Toy produced quality models, with excellent paintwork, interiors, windows and also good wheels and suspension. Their packages were also nicely done and beautifully decorated. At that time (end of the 80s), MC Toy launched a few series mainly in 1:64 scale (Mini Racers, Transfo-Colors, Turbo Tread, 3 Colour Magic Car…)  but also in 1:43 (The Superior, The Classic, Old Timer, Rally…)

Maisto would also release a lot of different series, and would also produce for other manufacturers like Tonka or Zylmex, or supermarket chains like Toys R’ Us or Kmart.

By the end of the 80s or maybe in the early 90s, MC Toys also started producing other bigger scales, like 1:24 or 1:18, that were sold under the Maisto brand. These models were also very accurate. Maisto was intended to be the high-quality class of MC Toy, but in 1992, all 1:64 cars started being produced with new plates in which we can see the Maisto logo and not MC Toy’s. Accoring to Capital Diecast Garage, exactly at that point, an arrangement with Zylmex came to an end, what also forced the change of brand. Instead of returning to the old MC Toy, they simply changed the logo and marketed the same old models with the new brand.

The next model (Porsche 956) is presented in itc MC Toy and Maisto versions, which differ only in the colour (blue MC Toy, Red Maisto) and in the plate (MC Toy is made in Macau, Maisto in China). Maybe they're actually made in the same factory since Macau passed from Portugal to China in 1999.

The next Porsche 959 probably belongs to a different series than Mini Racers, since it has practicable doors, something very rare in MC Toy's 1:64 scale models, and the rear lights are made of an extra separate plastic piece.

FACTS AND FIGURES:

• Name: Porsche 956 (Ref. 8442), Porsche 911 Turbo, Porsche 356A (Ref. 9003), Porsche 959 (Ref. 9009) and Porsche 911 Speedster (Ref. 9012)
• Scale: 1:64 (approx.)
• Year: The two first digits in the reference number indicates the year of design and manufacture, so: 1984 and 1990
• Company: MC Toy (U.S.A./ Macau/ China), Maisto (U.S.A./ China) and Edocar (Netherlands, China)
• Size: approx. 3’’ or 7 cm