AUSTIN-HEALEY SPRITE LE MANS

In 1967 and 1968, a ford GT40 won the gruelling Le Mans 24-Hour race. On both occasions the only British car to finish was the Austin-Healey Sprite. In 1968, the 1.3 litre Sprite, driven by Enever and Poole, covered 2,121 miles at an average speed of 94.7 mph. to finish 15th. This magnificent achievement owes much to design, preparation, brilliant driving and pit control. for Le Mans the car appeared with a special streamined body but the basic specification closely follows the standard version. The engine is a 1,275 c.c. four-cylinder unit with two carburettors, developing 64hp. giving a maximum speed of around 95 mph.

Corgi No.11 Austin-Healey Sprite Le Mans

CITROEN SAFARI

Advanced technical specification allied to an extremely robust estate car body make the Citroen Safari ideal transport on or off the motorways. This version of the famous French Citroen DS shares the self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension of the saloon car and is powered by a 4-cylinder engine with twin-choke carburettor developing 109 h.p. Drive is to the front wheels, a feature which ensures unaccommodation and, with the aid of a roof-rack, more gear can be carried outside the car. Cruising speed is in the mid-eighties.

Cogi No.2 Citroen Safari

VOLKSWAGEN POLICE CAR

Its compact dimension, performace and reputation for all-weather reliability make the VW Beetle a popular member of the fleets of Continental police forces. Of the engine variants available most police services use the 1300 and 1200 model with an output of 40 h.p. The Volkswagen engine is a rear-mounted air-cooled unit, and it is the latter feature which makes it so suitable in extremes of temperature. Although the VW was designed before the Second World War, its specification is by no means out of date today. The suspension is independent at front and rear and the horizontally-opposed engine is robust, smooth and economical.

Corgi No.3 Volkswagen 1200 Police Car

JAMES BOND ASTON MARTIN DB5

How to turn a normal--if highly potent-sports car into a secret agent's specialised transport is demonstrated in James Bond's Aston Martin. The boffins in 007's department took the famous David Brown high-performance tourer and incorporated gadgets, gimmicks and death-dealing devices which enable Bond to defeat the villains of SMERSH. The most spectacular idea is the ejector seat which will, at the touch of a button, nearly and efficiently dispose of an unwelcome passenger through a trapdoor in the roof. In spite of its special equipment, however, the Aston remains a normal car in outward appearance.

CADILLAC ELDORADO

One of the world's most luxurious-and expensive cars-the Cadillac Eldorado must also be one of the biggest. It is 18 ft 5 in long 6 ft 8 in wide and 4 ft 6 in high. The Eldorado is powered by a 7.7-litre V8-cylinder engine developing 375 h.p. Maxinum speed is approximately 125 m.p.h. Front wheel drive is unsual feature resulting in a great deal of unobstructed legroom for both front and rear-seat passengers. This two-door coupe is luxuriously trimmed and appointed and has, of course, automatic transmission and front disc brakes as standard.

This is a diecast car from Corgi No.9 Cadillac Edorado, issued 1968-1971, white and black body, chrome whizzwheels, red interior, opening bonnet.

HOW AND WHERE TO BUY QUALITY DIECAST COLLECTIBLES CARS

Author by : Gregg Hall

In today's online market, there are many ways for the average Joe to buy and sell goods which have added options to the former yard sale generation. Ebay has skyrocketed the possibilities in which consumers can both seek out and get rid of various item from purses to houses to small collectibles. Auction prices are set by sellers and revised accordingly as supply and demand warrants. It is astounding how many items a simple search will provide, even on a focused area such as diecast cars. Since the popularity of diecast cars is increasing exponentially with the new designs that the marketplace is offering, the online demand for the products has increased proportionally. One can find many opportunities to build a collection simply by logging on to Ebay. Alternatively, one can sell parts or entire collections through the same venue. All it takes is a computer, digital camera, and a little know how to become a successful diecast merchant on the internet.

Ebay is the most reputable online auction service. It has many safeguards in place to protect both buyers and sellers and to preserve its good name. While using Ebay once may assume they are in pretty good hands. However, vigilance is always necessary in the online auction world. Obviously there are always "bad guys" who are out to get novice consumers and take advantage of their lack of experience. The people at Ebay go great lengths to ensure your protection such as shutting down phony auctions and people who bid fraudulently to increase the bid price. These safeguards are useful, but not perfect. For this reason one must always utilized common sense when buying or selling diecast cars on Ebay.

Another website devoted to selling cars is gomotorbids.com, a division of gomotorsports.com. This site operates a bit differently than Ebay in that the cars can only be bought, not sold. Due to this fact, the site is more of an online store with an auction format. The company owns all of the cars being sold and the operators of the website ensure that all sales are completed with accuracy and legitimacy. Also, all bids begin at one dollar, eliminating the "reserve" sometimes seen on Ebay to inflate bidding prices. This site boasts that the consumer will be satisfied with every sale on gomotorbids.com due to its policies and safeguards.

When faced with the decision of where to buy and sell diecast collectible cars, one must consider all options. Of course yard sale type business including trading with acquaintances is always an option, but not often feasible. It requires a lot of time and includes traveling to destinations in order to make purchases and/or sales. The alternate option of internet merchandise fits into the lives of many more collectors. It is a personal decision, but once made, collectors find themselves accomplishing their goals of both accumulating and selling diecast cars for display.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about this as well as a collectible cars at www.diecast-racing-collectibles.com

A WELL-KNOWN DIECAST CAR : THE GOLD STATE COACH

Author by : Youkonton Ratarasarn

After the Second World War ended in 1954, the condition of the economy of the World began to develop slowly. The ban of using zinc which was the main ingredient of making die-cast toys was dismissed. (The metal, at that time called Mazac Metal) The toy industries in England began to develop. A lot of toys had been made in the important circumstances. It made much more people turned to be interested and collected toys. One of that was The Gold State Coach. It was a toy or one of a replica toy that was a part to enlighten Britain to the golden era of die-cast toys.

The Royal Marriage Ceremony of the Queen Elizabeth II of the Great Britain was arranged on June 2, 1953 at the West Minster Church. The important ceremonial car was the Golden State Coach. It was assembled during a period of the King George III. The completion was delayed until 1762. The car was used during a period of King George VI



This replica of the Gold State Coach was assembled for the memory of the Royal Marriage Ceremony of the Queen Elizabeth II by many English leading toy companies such as Britain, Lesney, Crescent. However, the first company seemed to be Britain (founded in 1860) by using a Hollow-cast Lead technique (the style of a hollow forging).

In 1953 Britain (the name of toy company not the country) reproduced the Gold State Coach which produced before the World War II order to remember the Royal Marriage Ceremony of King George 6th in 1937.
A convoy of the Gold State Coach included the King’s coach with the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II sitting inside. There are eight horses drawn with four cavalry officers sitting on horsebacks lining on the left. The coach was 8 inches long. The convoy of coach was a 14 inches. Between horses and plated gold coach connected by steel wire. The horses and cavalrymen were painted by hand in black. At the same time it began to produce a smaller mode1 (No.1478 ) by scaling down and reduced horse drawn to 4. It was 6.25 inches long. All details were absolutely beautiful.

Besides Britain, Lesney (whose produced Matchbox during those period) also made two sizes of the Gold State Coach. The length of the big one was 15.75 inches and the smaller one was 4.5inches. There were both gold and silver. The horses and cavalrymen were painted by hand.

Thereafter 40 years, Lesney became Matchbox International in 1991 It had produced the Gold State Coach once again for the remembrance of the anniversary of 40 years of Queen Elizabeth II ascending the throne. It was one of the Matchbox’s Models of Yesteryear set. The collectors around the world knew in this matter. It was under a code YY-66 limited output (It was not mentioned the number of the output) A total length was 7 inches. The coach and horse drawn cart connected by the axis steel. The body of the car was gilded. It was kept in a window box. Its colour is very beautiful.

To collect thing, whatever it is, if we added the stories, it will increase the value and knowledge for us.