CONTENTS of the print edition
Model Auto Review 228
Publication 7 December 200804 Cars in colour (captions page 06) 07 Christmas Chris Sweetman, UK 08 First Continentals Dave Turner, UK 10 AVRE 5 Graeme Watt, UK 11 Mikansue Morris John Hanson, UK • DG MG PB 12 Whitley Maz Woolley, UK 14 Daimler Louis Panuse, USA 16-17 Cars 18 Letters 19 Competitions • Parker N Maz Woolley, UK 20 Bentley Flying Spur Malcolm Smith, UK 24 Truckstop • More square shape Ford F-150s Robert Gunn, UK 26 Club News Collated by Rod Ward • Emergency • Captions to page 29 29 Buses and emergency vehicles
EDITORIAL
by Rod WardWHAT A YEAR THAT WAS!
This time last year most pundits had already detected signs of future financial problems, but few predicted just how bad it would get. Most model car makers have curtailed their plans and advised future price rises, despite falls in raw materials prices to levels not seen for years. Even firms with full order books are having delays, due to problems in international markets affecting shipping and distribution. Everyone who told you that you were wasting your money buying model cars, and should invest in the stock market, will now wish they had followed your example. MAR’s readership is of an age that scorns the ‘easy credit’ philosophy; we were told if you can’t afford it, save up for it. We don’t need to build a mountain of debt to enjoy life. We can amuse ourselves by chopping a model, or just revisiting the collection. Reading a good book (or re-reading your MAR back numbers) is more satisfying than a ‘shopping experience’ in a mall full of shoddy imported goods. When everyone realises they don’t need ‘retail therapy’ and can entertain themselves, the economy will start to recover.
CORGI TO BREAK EVEN
Corgi, bought by Hornby for £7.5m, has produced ‘modest’ sales for its new owner, but hopes to break even on £7m of sales in the year to March 2009 (± 350,000 units). They hope to add £4m in new revenue in the next three years.
SEASONS GREETINGS
Our winter publication ‘gap’ is here; the next copy of MAR will be here in about seven weeks instead of the usual four or five weeks. MAR 229 will be sent out in mid-January 2009. In the meantime this issue includes some particularly interesting features to tide you over the festive period, so all that remains is to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2009...
AUTO REVIEW
The latest Auto Review book is now available, on Fast Boats. This book will be of interest to all those who have Fred Käsmann’s two books on the World Land Speed Record in the Auto Review series. Many of the same designers and drivers were involved in attempts on the World Water Speed Record (and a number of the drivers died in the attempt). There are many overlaps with and sidelights on the motor vehicle world in the book, which also describes fast boats which benefited from WWSR experience, such as MTBs, PT-Boats, RAF launches etc.
Here is the latest appeal for material I can include in future Auto Review books: future titles include Standard, Daimler (plus BSA and Lanchester), Vauxhall, Humber, Wolseley, Sunbeam (plus Talbot), British tractors and traction engines, ‘aviatrices’ (famous lady pilots), Armstrong-Siddeley, Alvis, Aston Martin, Lagonda and many others. If you have illustrations (adverts, brochures, your own photographs etc) or personal anecdotes you can offer, please send them to me as soon as possible for inclusion in these publications.
IMPORTANT!
Credit card payments
This note is particularly addressed to those MAR subscribers on automatic renewal, but it applies to all credit card transactions. We MUST have the 3-digit security code from the back of your credit card in order to process a ‘secure’ charge. The credit card processing centre charges us an additional fee for any ‘insecure’ charge (ie without the 3-digit security code). We will have to pass on any such charge in future, so please ensure we have your 3-digit card security code. You can send the code to us by email, phone, fax or mail. Please DO IT NOW!
BROOKLIN PLANS FOR 2009
Here are Brooklin’s planned releases for 2009. There are some really interesting subjects... Please note that there will be a price rise from January; all standard models will cost £60.00, limited editions and two tones will cost £64.00, and US Model Mint £62.00 (trucks £66.00). BRK124X will only be built to order, so order by 7 January, or you’ll miss it. As usual there will be a number of deletions from the catalogue after December; if you are missing any, order them NOW!
Jan LDM64a 1951 Bentley Mk VI blue (Ivo Peters) Jan BC005 1937 Buick Special 4 door Phaeton 40C Jan ROD21 1955 Ford Prefect Pro Street Rod Feb BRK97a 1955 Dodge Coronet two tone livery Feb US37 1952 Studebaker R-5 pickup Feb US37s 1952 Studebaker R-5 pickup Studebaker Feb RE25a 1970 Volvo 164 maroon (new colour) Feb BRK151 1956 Pontiac Chieftain 870 four door station wagon Feb LDM63a 1938 AC 16/80 Sports top down red Feb ROD22 1936 Stout Scarab Surfer Wagon Mar BRK124x 1966 Ford Mustang GT350-H Hertz Ltd Mar LDM71 1957 Wolseley 1500 Mar IPV 32 1971 Vauxhall Victor 3.3 estate Kent police Apr BC006 1937 Buick Special plain back Model 47 Apr LDM31A 1947 Bristol 400 black with extra detail Apr RE6b 1964 Volvo Pv544 red with extra detail May BRK152 1954 Mercury Monterey 2 door hardtop May LDM72 1958 Riley 2.6 saloon May BC007 1939 Buick Century four door Model 61 May LDM73 1965 Triumph Herald 13/60 Estate May IPV33 1976 Ford Cortina Mk IV Essex Police Jun BRK153 1936 Hudson Terraplane Convertible Jun US34 1950 Rogers goose-neck lowboy + steel Jun US35 Rogers goose-neck lowboy + train axles Jun RE9b 1957 Volvo Amazon 120 dark blue Jul BRK154 1958 Chevrolet Yeoman 4-dr station wagon Jul LDM69a 1948 Bedford PC van British Rail Jul ROD23 1965 Rover P5 pro street rod Jul BRK155 1958 Buick Roadmaster 75 4 door sedan Jul LDM74 1937 Riley 1.5 Continental 4 door saloon Jul IPV34 1950 Humber Super Snipe Norfolk HQ police Aug BC008 1934 Buick four door Phaeton Model 98C Aug LDM49a 1951 Triumph Mayflower blue new colour Aug RE7a 1953 Volvo Pv445 Duett white/blue Aug CSV10 1959 Chevrolet station wagon Fire Chief Sept BRK156 1937 Oldsmobile L-37 Touring Sedan Sept LDM75 Bentley: new subject to be confirmed Oct BRK157 1959 Desoto Fireflite 4 dr station wagon Oct RE19a 1953 Volvo Pv444 maroon new colour Oct LDM76 1955 Sunbeam Rapier Mk I two tone Oct BRK158 1954 Studebaker Commander two door coupe two tone: rework Nov BC009 1937 Buick Special Convertible Model 46C Nov BRK159 1939 Mercury Coupe Convertible Rework Nov LDM77 1957 Riley 1.5 saloon Nov IPV35 1937 Buick Special Texas Police Dec BC010 1934 Buick Limousine Model 90-L Dec LDM7a 1954 Zephyr Zodiac new colour, extra detail From 1 January 2009 these models will be deleted: BROOKLIN BRK18c 1948 Packard Custom Clipper BRK67A 1961 Chrysler Imperial BRK97 1955 Dodge Coronet four door BRK109 Car Trailer BRK110 1952 Chrysler Imperial Newport BRK113 1954 Hudson Hornet BRK117 1939 Mercury 99 Sedan Coupe BRK119 1950 Packard Deluxe Eight BRK135 1955 Hudson Hornet four door BRK146 1933 Stutz LANSDOWNE LDM7 1954 Zephyr Zodiac LDM31 1947 Bristol LDM49 1951 Triumph Mayflower LDM63 1938 AC 16/80 LDM64 1950 Bentley Mk IV ROBEDDIE RE6A 1964 Volvo PV544 RE7 1953 Volvo PV445 RE9A 1957 Volvo Amazon RE19 1953 Volvo PV444 RE25 1970 Volvo 164
Parker N Scale Car Kits
By Maz WoolleyFierce competition between model makers seems to be encouraging makers to diversify and to produce models in several scales. This trend has reached Parker Models, already known for its 1:76 white metal kits. They have just launched a range of 1:148 (British N scale) kits in competition with the established players in this scale such as Fleetline. It is interesting that Parker models have chosen four subjects which are not in their 1:76 range. They should all look good posed with the new Oxford N scale Routemaster. They are:
NG01 1953-56 Austin A30
NG02 1954-57 Rover P4 75
NG03 1961-70 Jaguar Mk X
NG04 1963-70 Rover P6The price, including p&p, is £3.50 each, which seems reasonable to me. Most other current N scale British vehicle kits are solid castings and not particularly accurate. This A30 sets a high standard, capturing the car well. There is no dashboard or steering wheel, but I don’t think they will be missed. I finished my model in maroon, as seen in period adverts. See page 05 for a colour picture of my built and painted example.
Club News
Collated by Rod WardThe South Hants Model Auto Club is known for having members who are active in our world of model cars, organising displays at classic car shows or writing for various publications. It is surprising, therefore, that Sue Leake, editor of their publication Wheel Nuts, is down to four contributors on just eight pages. ‘Unless there are more contributions there will not be a December issue’ she says. So finally the same problem besetting all editors hits the SHMAC as well. Wheel Bearings, the Maidenhead Static Model Club newsletter, gets around the problem with a dazzling patchwork of snappy little news pieces, nostalgic features and advertisements, making up a very satisfactory and colourful mixture. Smalltalk, the newsletter of the Wessex Model and Toy Collectors, eschews colour, and is one of the few still A4 size (the others are A5). Editor Barry Lloyd only has three contributors apart from himself, so he is in the same boat as Sue. ‘How about YOU writing something to go in next time?’ he asks. Keith Allen (not Lily’s dad?) the new editor of Showcase, the West Australian Model Collectors Club magazine, has really got the bit between his teeth. He has reduced the text size and increased the number of pictures, packing in loads of information. He had to be advised by the committee that there is a limit on the number of pages, due to postage costs! I see from The Cape Model Collector, organ of Cape Model and Toy Club, that they have managed to gain six new members. They note that ‘the 1:76 war is hotting up’ with three players (Corgi, Classix and Base Toys) but fail to mention the biggest player, Oxford. More South African publicity needed?
Christmas
With Chris Sweetman(To see pictures of the models described, see the print edition of Model Auto Review 228)
IN this issue of MAR I’ll show you some models and figures relating to this festive period. The best places to find them may not be your usual collecting haunts but DIY or garden centres; even specialist cake shops. With a few set pieces you can bring your collection into the festive spirit to add to the usual Christmas tree and the Nativity set.
Maisto’s Christmas Decorations
A few years ago, out Christmas shopping at a local DIY centre I found some toy cars spruced up as Christmas decorations, variations on Maisto’s 1:36-ish series; Dodge Viper RT/10 in red, Plymouth Prowler in purple and VW Beetle 1303 cabriolet in green. The pull-back motor usually provided is omitted, because in their new guise they are designed to hang from a Christmas tree from a gold braided hanging loop. In the Dodge and Plymouth models the loop is secured to their delicate windscreens. On the Beetle the loop is threaded though a ring screwed into Santa’s right arm! I have never used the hanging loops, given the weight of these models. The safest way to display them is on their wheels! All the models feature Father Christmas and one passenger. In the VW and the Prowler Santa is driving and the Dodge is driven by a teddy bear. The passenger in the Prowler is a pixie lad, perhaps one of Santa’s little helpers being taken for a spin! In the VW Santa is treating Rudolf to a drive. The packaging resembles a present wrapped for Christmas with clear panels to the top and front to facilitate viewing the contents. So another way to display them is to leave them in their boxes!Christmas Company Citroen H Van
This model is highly sought-after and a perfect replica to display at Christmas. It is based on the 1:43 Tomica Dandy Citroen H van but was released by Honey under their Christmas Company brand in white with Christmas Company decals on the sides and front of the roof. An address on the front doors is tampo printed. It is nicely finished and was released in 1986, but perhaps the main interest centres on the box, which refers to Christmas and on an inside flap a dedication. Here it is in full complete with spelling mistakes and punctuation errors:'Do you remember? Life used to be so much fun when we were kids. We’d play for hours and never got tired and the tintoy was always there it was there when we played alone. It was there when we played with friends. It made our tears go away. The warmness of the handmaid tintoys are the warmness of those who made them. Each one is filled with love, joy, and dreams we once had. The warmness of the tintoys brings back the memories of those happy days. Close your eyes … let it take you back to those warm, loving days. From Honey’s staff with love'.
If only I could write syrupy prose like that.
But whoever wrote it certainly had a passion for toy cars in their childhood.Kenna Austin Junior Forty
The Rolls-Royce of pedal cars was the Austin Junior Forty, which would have been on top of the Christmas wants list for many a lad in the 1950s and early 1960s. So if Santa forget to deliver you a Joycar all those years ago, how about treating yourself to a miniature version from Kenna? This is a perfect 1:43 white metal model of this fabulous pedal car. Mine is dark red with an off white interior and steering wheel, with plated bumpers, grille and hubcaps just like the 1:1 version. There is even the famous Flying A bonnet emblem, and JOY 1 number plates. It came packaged in a re-cycled 35mm film canister! Nice idea, Pete Kenna!Preiser Christmas Figures
Miniatures of Father Christmas have been made in many scales and materials over the years, many featuring in MAR. In the 1990s Preiser released a hard plastic 1:43 Santa complete with a child and three sacks stuffed full of pressies. It is available all year under reference 65335, a perfect Christmas match with the Honey H van.Other Accessories
These came from a variety of sources. The snowman was rescued from among my wife’s cake decorations and the Christmas tree came from a dolls house fair. The figures on sledges were unpackaged items from a toy fair. The vendor told me that they are made by Model Power. A garden centre last Christmas yielded some fine trees covered in snow and a string of working miniature Christmas lights, all made by Lemax, who seem to have a display in just about every DIY and garden centre at Christmas time and I am sure that there is something that would fit your favourite scale. The baseboard was made from an offcut from Ikea and the snow is from Games Workshop’s scenic modelling range. I hope this feature has inspired you to go out and find those special accessories for Christmas.It just leaves me to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
And Christmas greetings from everyone at MAR to our regular online readership. Remember that the print edition has about 30 times more information than we can include here, plus hundreds of illustrations in every issue. If you have never seen it, send for a sample offer via the shopping basket on this website, perhaps while buying something from Modelauto Ltd - maybe even a couple of Auto Review books as Christmas presents (for yourself?)
Auto Review Books By Zeteo Publishing
Latest title: FAST BOATS: £5.95 Post and packing free £1.00 per book UK, at cost airmail elsewhere 02 Leyland Lorries John Hanson £2.95 03 Comic Character Cars Don Elliott £2.95 04 Scooters Dave Turner £2.95 06 Big Fords: Zodiac etc Dave Turner £2.95 07 The Motor Caravan John Hanson £2.95 10 More Scooters Dave Turner £2.95 12 World Land Speed Record to 1948 F Käsmann £3.95 13 Ford Mustang Dave Turner £3.95 14 World Land Speed Record 1948 onwards F Käsmann £3.95 15 Lone Star Toys Andrew Ralston £3.95 17 Vehicles of the RAC John Bingham £3.95 31 A Mini Album Rod Ward £5.95 32 The Spitfire Story Rod Ward £5.95 33 Holiday Coach Excursions Rod Ward £5.95 34 A Century of Caravanning Rod Ward £5.95 35 On 3 Wheels; three wheeler cars Rod Ward £5.95 36 Taxi: Purpose built cabs in Britain Rod Ward £5.95 37 Land Rover Album Rod Ward £5.95 38 Classic Airships Rod Ward £5.95 39 Jaguar Album Rod Ward £5.95 40 MG Album Rod Ward £5.95 41 Triumph Album Rod Ward £5.95 42 Electric vehicles Rod Ward £5.95 43 Riley Album Rod Ward £5.95 44 Fast Boats (incl water speed record) Rod Ward NEW £5.95 Future publications: 45 Jowett (with an appendix on other Yorkshire-made vehicles) Rod Ward Jan 09 £5.95 46 British Motorcycle Manufacturers Rod Ward Feb 09 £5.95 47 Standard Cars Rod Ward Mar 2009 £5.95 48 Daimler Cars Rod Ward Apr 2009 £5.95 49 Vauxhall Album Rod Ward May 2009 £5.95 50 Humber Cars Rod Ward July 2009 £5.95 51 Wolseley Album Rod Ward Aug 2009 £5.95 52 Sunbeam Album Rod Ward Sept 2009 £5.95 53 Tractors & Traction Engines Rod Ward Oct 2009 £5.95
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