ROUTE 66 - THE ROAD THAT BUILT AMERICA

A 2448 mile ribbon of highway that stretched from Chicago to the Pacific Ocean. Since its cration in 1926 Route 66 was the road of salvation for some, a treasure trove of popular culture for others and for the rest the ultimate motoring high! Many of America’s classic cars first felt tyre on tarmac on Route 66. Today it is still the road of discovery bringing miles of adventure and the freedom to go as you please.

This is 1939 Dodge Streamliner Route 66, finished in white and red.

LLEDO VANGUARDS: VW BEETLE

Similarly the Volkswagen Beetle has been uprated, this version being with the oval, split rear window. Again the shap of this familiar car has been beautifully captured, and all the trim has been detailed, particularly the aspects picked out in silver. This version is offered in blue and green.

LLEDO VANGUARDS: AUSTIN 7 MINI

The Austin 7 Mini now forms part of the Vanguard range, and as such has been upgraded with its chassis detail, chromed bumpers, headlights and radiator, plush door handles, petrol filler cap and other similar detail picked out in separate colours. This is a very pleasing model of the Mini, for we feel Lledo has captures the difficult shape perfectly. It is offered in red and blue.

HOT DOG WHEELS FROM HOT WHEELS

Believe it or not, the ‘Oscar Mayer Wienermobile’, looking very much like a Hot Dog sausage on wheels is actually a real vehicle and very much in the vein of the Tri-ang Macleans toothpaste van, the Worthington bottle car and the outspan orange car. These are custom built vehicles created to emulate the product being advertised and are used for publicity and promotional purposes. This is a real 'Hot Dog' vehicle. See more.

OLDIES BUT GOODIES: 1956 CHEVROLET CORVETTE

The 1956 Chevrolet Corvette comes in mettalic rust orange and white, the hood being detachable so that the model can be displayed with top off, thereby revealing more of the interior. The level of detail is very good, not least the wheels. See more

CORGI: THE ITALIAN JOB

It has to be the most famous Mini film of them all: The Italian Job. Not the first time from Corgi (an ‘Italian Job’ set was released with the Minis in 1/43rd scale), but now it is the 1/36th scale Minis that come in the familiar red, white and blue. Although now a few years old, this casting of the Mini has always looked good, and so this set is certain to prove popular. See more.

MATCHBOX: LAMBORGHINI COUNTACH

The Lamborghini issued by Lesney in the Matchbox range was the Lamborghini Countach (27e). When released in 1974 it was painted yellow and had an opening rear engine cover to reveal a detailed silver-plated engine. A No.3 label was positioned between the front headlights. The base was unpainted and the windows were purple.

The main body colour was changed in 1975 from yellow to red and, although shades of red exist, this color scheme was retained until the model was deleted from the range (to be replaced by the Swing-Wing Jet in 1981). The interior colours of light and dark grey, yellow, white and tan is easy to distinguish. The windows are subject to shades but the main colours are purple, red ,a mber, blue, smoky grey and clear.

When the label was replaced by tampo printing a lime colour became by far the most common although a number of models exist with green decoration.

MATCHBOX: LAMBORGHINI MARZAL

The Matchbox Lamborghini Mazal (20d) was one of the firat three Superfast models when it was released in the latter half of 1969. The models for general release was painted metallic red after several colour colour trial versions including one in metallic lime green. The cream interior common to all ‘1-75’ range models always appears to be yellow because of windows which are amber tinted. A few models had silver grey painted bases but most were left unpainted.
The metallic red colour scheme soon gave way to pink and subsequently to orange yellow versions.

40th ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION: 1911 MAXWELL ROADSTER

This delightful series continues with the 1911 Maxwell Roadster, beautifully decorated and finished in red with gold trim. The result is a very attractive model. Buy it now

DINKY COLLECTION: 1959 CADILLAC COUPE DE VILLE

This is from The Dinky Collection, being the Cadillac Coupe de Ville, in pink rear light clusters picked out in silver, with the lights in red, and improvment to the rear bumper. The colour scheme looks quite stunning, the model being set off by fine paintwork detailing, of both interior and exterior. See more

MATCHBOX: AMPHIBIOUS D.U.K.W

The DUKW (55a) was base upon a military vehicle which had been built in the USA, but which was used extensively by the British army in World War Two. The real vehicle was a 2.5 ton GMC Amphibian Truck which had been a secret weapon until June 1943. Its purpose was to transport supplies and soldiers from ships to the coast. It proved to be of great benefit during the Normandy landings and featured prominently in D-Day Commemorative television programmes. After the war it was put to good use in a variety of circumstances, not least for rescues in times of flood.

The phototype actual vehicle took just 38 days to complete and 'DUKW' were its code letters. It was known as a 'DUCK' works in the USA and by the soliders who used it in action during the invasion of Sicily. The Matchbox model had a smaller scale body when compared with the rest of the army vehicles in the '1-75' range and perhaps because of this it did not sell as well as the larger scale military vehicles.

Metal wheels were fitted to the first released to the first releases but subsequently either grey or black plastic wheels were used. It was the last Matchbox military model to be fitted with metal wheels. There are no casting variations with the DUKW and the only three recorded variations centre upon the three types of wheels. Only the black plastic wheels were fitted with rounded axles. The matal and grey plastic wheels always featured crimped axles. --Model Collector

MATCHBOX: SARACEN PERSONNEL CARRIER

The Saracen Personnel Carrier (54a) was a model of the standard armoured carrier used by the Royal Armoured Corps and the infantry. To enhance play value, the model featured a revolving turret. The only body variation involved the antenna base on the upper left side of the body, which looks like astep. Because of a damaged die it is missing on later models.

CORGI 1/50 THAMES TRADER 'CORGI COLLECTOR CLUB 1997'

Each year the members of the Corgi Collector Club are entitled to purchase a special model: the year of 1997, it is the Thames Trader box van in the 'house' colours of pale blue and yellow. The model is suitably inscribled with the Corgi logo, and 'Collector 1997'

MAISTO 1/18 FORD GT90 CONCEPT CAR

The Ford GT90 Concept Car has not been otherwise modelled, so it is good to see this version from Maisto in 1/18th scale. The unusual shape has been perfectly captured--note particularly the doors, which are a good fit, and indeed need to be given the overall look of the car.

The model displays a number of other workable features, such as steering, suspension, opening bonnet (to review a fully detailed engine), adjustable wind deflectors and adjustable seats. As one would expect, the lamps are made of plastic, the wheels are authentic, and the Ford badge appears appropriately positioned.

Whether the car will go beyond the 'concept' stage only time will tell, but as a piece of future motoring history, this model should be in every enthusiast's collection. See more.