SOLIDO 1/43 TUCKER IN METALLIC BLUE

The 1948 Tucker has arrived, initially in metallic blue or metallic red, although six other colours are promised over the next three months, with all eight colours being available as a 'set' in the autumn.

While the general shape of this distinctive car has been well captured, with well executed windscreen wipers, the interior looks a little basic, particularly the dashborad area. pleasing touch is the front passenger window being shown slightly open. This is good value for its 1/43 scale

MATCHBOX ACCESSORY PACK NO.2 THE BEDFORD CAR TRANSPORTER

Accessory Pack No.2, released in 1957, was an articulated Bedford Car Transporter. This model was able to carry four Matchbox cars, two on the lower deck and two on the upper. In these early days of Matchbox toys there were no hinged deck or ramps, so there was no obvious way of loading and unloading cars on the upper deck. The Bedford Car Transporter is the most interesting of the Matchbox Accessory Packs as far as variations are concerned, not least because it exists in a rare colour version and was also the Accessory pack model which had the longest production run (and therefore more opportunity for variations).

The first version had metal wheels fifted in common with other Matchbox vehicles of the time, although the wheels were larger than those fiftted to any other model, excepting the Yesteryear series. The sides of the transporter trailer were decorated with the words “Matchbox” Car Transporter’ applied with a printing process unlike other Matchbox models (which had decals at this time). Earlier issues had the lettering much wider spaced than later versions, the overall length being 50mm rather than 37mm.

A WORLD OF BUS TOYS AND MODELS

Whether you are interested in toy vehicles or real buses, this book offers a feast for the eyes. An astounding array of model buses from some 20 nations - diecast, plastic, tin-plate, and cardboard - awaits you; the material is extremely captivating. But beware, if you do not already collect model buses, you may find yourself doing so after perusing this book. Also included are many antique and rare models one doesn't see all the time. Granted, not every model is included and the survey could be a little stronger regarding models from the former Soviet Union. Nevertheless, this book has a lot to offer and I heartily recommend it to anyone with more than a passing interest in buses. --Daniel L. Berek Buy it now

KYOSHO 1/18 BMC MIN COOPER S - WINNER RALLY MONTE CARLO 1965

A model of an historic Mini for fans of the marque here. The real vehicle, crewed by T. Makinen and P. Easter, was able, despite trying weather conditions, to win five out of six special trails, winning the Rally. Only 35 out of 237 cars finished. This is a good rendition. Buy it now

THE ERF LORRY OR STAKE TRUCK

The ERF Lorry (20a) was a simple open back truck, known in the USA as a stake truck. It ranged in colour from deep maroon to dark red, and in its final very short run in 1959 it was fifted with grey plastic wheels instead of metal wheels, making this variant one of the rarest. The first issue was reputedly trimmed in gold (though I have never actually seen one), but all subsequent releases had silver trim. A colour trial model has been found in light green without a brace cast between the cab and the body.

For many years collectors sought another rare version with a spare wheel painted in the body colour lodged behind the cab. This appears to be a genuine variation, although it is difficult to decide whether this was a short-lived intentional version or whether loose wheels somehow got lodged in the gap during the feltling stage and no-one bothered to remove the rogue wheel before painting tool place.

The final variation linked to this model concerns the silvertrim. This was applied by mask spray, but interestingly the replacement model (20b) had the silver trim applied by hand to the earliest release.--Model Collector

AUTO ART 1/43 LAMBORGHINI GALLARDO - ITALIAN POLICE

If you travel the highways of southern Italy, keep a look out in the rear view mirror for this motor. It's capable of 192mph, from its four valve V90 5 litre 500 hp engine. This car was a gift from the factory. An unusual but welcome addition to the police collection. Buy it now.

VANGUARDS 1/43 JAGUAR XJ SUPER V8 - RADIANCE RED

This model's rich exterior colour certainly suits this vehicle type, as would the interior leather effect, if it was toned down. Interiors need colour variation. The car the model depicts is Jaguar's top of the range variant, with a 400 BHP supercharged V8 engine.

A remarkable car: a large comfortable 4-door luxury saloon that, thanks to its 400 bhp supercharged V8 can out-perform many sports cars, the XJ Super V8 is yours for a mere £70,000. Features include a detailed luxury interior, photo-etched chrome parts, detailed wheels, hubs and tyres, and working suspension. Limited edition model with cerfiticate. Buy it now.

SUN STAR 1/18th SCALE - 1971 MUSTANG BOSS 351

This is from the US Collectibles range, and the interior detail could be improved. However, the sleek lines of this car have been well captured, and the paint finish is excellent. Buy it now.

MATCHBOX REGULAR WHEELS - COMMER TV SERVICE VAN

In July 1963 another Commer Q25 van was added to the line as a derivative of the 47b Ice Cream Van. The TV Series Van (62b) was replacement for the general service truck and it came complete with three with three plastic television sets, a ladder, an aerial and a working rear roller shutter door.

During most of its five year life it advertised ‘Rentaset’ in red script lettering but just before it was replaced, green ‘RADIO RENTALS’ advertisements were substituted. The windows were always of green plastic but whereas earlier models had the black painted baseplate connected to the body by means of base clips, front and rear, later releases included a river at the front.

There are also minor casting changes concerning the ladder rests. Though most vans had black wheels, both variations were available with grey wheels in very small numbers. This is sometimes a difficult model to find complete because the small parts were originally part of one plastic red moulding on a sprue. As soon as they were separated, it was easy for the small television in particular to be lost as they were carried loose in the black of the van whereas the ladder and aerial could be clipped to the roof of the van.--Model Collector

1:18 1938 MERCEDES BENZ 770K CABRIOLET

The 1938 Mercedes Benz 770 SK Pullman limo was the first Grand Mercedes to feature an oval tubular frame, independent suspension and hydraulic brakes. This evolutionary 770 was strtched 40 centimeters to 6 meters in length, its wheelbase was 3.88 meters. Since its debut in the autumn of 1930 at the Paris Automobile Show, the sensational appointments and exquisite finish helped the 770 to find itself in the fleets of many aristocratic courts and government leaders around the world. It was big and sold for big money (the price was equivalent to that of a single-family home in Germany). When equipped with armor plating (a much requested option as those who rode inside became less popular), the vehicle weighed as much as 4,800 kilograms, which required a supercharger to be added to the straight-eight 7.6 liter engine, boosting the motor's outoput to 230 horsepower. By 1938, the supercharger had become standard equipment and could produce a top speed of 170 kilometers per hour; however, the armored versions were limited to 80 km/h because of the bulletproof cell-type tires. Buy it now.

NISSAN BLUE 1600SSS 1970 SAFARI RALLY WINNER

A very good model, the casting capturing the car's shape and look perfectly, and with a high level of added detail and decoration. If you are a collector of rally cars, this will be a fine addition to your collection to your collection. Limited edition of 2760. See more

VANGUARDS HISTORIC RALLY SET

This superb 2-piece set features rally versions of the Allardette Anglia and the Mini Cooper S, both of which are sponsored by Lledo PLC.

The Allardette Anglia is a 1964 version with a race-tuned 1500cc engine. It took two years and £30k to be built by owner/driver Martin Fox. Martin who has been driving for five years, and hos co-driver Kate Honey take part in rallies all over Europe as part of the Motoring News Demon Tweeks Historic Championship, which is the largest of its kind in the world.

The Mini Cooper S, co-driven by Sam Sullivan, is owned and driven by Stella Morris who had it specially built from scratch up to rally specification at of £20k. Both teams have achieved enormous success, perhaps this is due to the winning male/female combination of each team. The Allardette is currently a top ten car in the Championship.

1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 190SL

1955 Mercedes 190SL Soft Top Diecast Model Black 1/18 Die Cast Car By Welly

The 190SL (Sports & Light) intentionally resembled a scaled-down 300SL roadster, complete with horizontal grille, wheelwell "eyebrows," and alloy doors, hood and trunk. In 1955, the 190SL was priced at $3,998, a bit less than half the cost of a 300SL. It was promoted as a sports-touring car as opposed to a true sports car primarily due to limited power. The 190SL enjoyed an eight-year lifespan from 1955-1963, with remarkably few changes to the original 1955 design.

1:18 1936 CORD 810 DIECAST MODEL

1936 Cord 810 Diecast Model White 1/18 Die Cast Car By Signature Models

Designed by Gordon Miller Buehrig as the Baby Duesenberg, the Cord was hailed as being advanced for its time, both in design and technical features, but its appeal proved to be too short-lived and too late to save the company on its last gasps from the Depression. After six months of debating the proposed design, Duesenberg's boss, E.L. Cord, left Buehrig just four months to build the cars needed for the 1935 New York Auto Show, where it was awarded the title of the most beautiful car; luckily, however, no one at the show bothered to raise the hood because the engines were not ready. Buehrig was praised for beaking all the rule sin auto design. The Cord was the frist American car to feature hidden pop-up headlights, hidde door hinges and a one-piece rear-hinged hood. The Cord's most distinctive styling feature was its so-called coffin-nose hood with its seven wrap-around chromed ribs or louvers, making it the first water-cooled car to dispense with the front grille and radiator shell.

Other advanced features included front-wheel-drive, a four-speed semi-automatic transmission and a V-8 built to order by aircraft engine manufacturer Lycoming, also part of E.L. Cord's empire. The leading edge of the Cord's front wheels actually preceded the hood because of the transmission placement ahead of the engine, making the car appear as though it was leaping forward even when standing still, and making it well balanced. The interior was equally stunning, dominated by an instrument panel reminiscent of an airplane. At both ends of the dashboard were small cranks to raise or lower the hidden headlights given that power-assisted motors were not yet available.

However, the car's appeal proved to be its downfall with the company taking production short cuts to meet the unprecedented orders; the quality problems were eventually fixed but too late to save the marque and E.L. Cord's other automotive ventures, the Auburn and Deusenberg. The last Cord came off the assembly line August 7, 1937.

MINICHAMPS 1/43 AUDI R8R - 2000 LE MANS - 2nd PLACE, JOEST RACING

The team car, carrying race number 9, which had yellow identification markings and was driven by Aiello/McNish/Ortelli. The Minichamps model is accurately reproduced in size and shape.

MINICHAMPS 1/43 AUDI R8R - 2000 LE MANS - 1ST PLACE, JOEST RACING

The winning car entered by Team Joest, carrird race number 8 and was driven to victory by Biela/Kristensen/Pirro. The car sported red identification marking on the nose, rear wing and on the cockpit surround. The cae was powered by a 3.6 litre V8, with a reputed power output of 610 bhp. The model is a limited edition of 4,999 pieces.

VANGUARDS 1/43 FORD LOTUS CORTINA MKII

Undoubtedly, the first inter-continental rally, The London to Sydney Marathon was a true worldwide spectacle uniting drivers and enthusiasts from the 11 countries who entered, and marked the beginning of international rally-mania as it is enjoyed today. The indisputable star was the number 48 Lotus Cortina, driven by arguably then Europe’s finest Rally Driver Roger Clark and co-driver Anderson for the Ford Works Team, which led 8,500 of the event’s 10,000 miles.