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Ones I wish I would have made it.; Pre-productions found on Vectis.
Topic Started: Mar 23 2015, 11:25 AM (2,373 Views)
cody6268
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Minivan
It seems finding prepros that never were produced is a very interesting thing to do. It seems that nearly all that I have found were extremely cool, but for some reason never caught on at the corporate level.


While doing a search on Bing for the Matchbox Snow Trac, during a break from my college work, I happened upon an image of a MOY Crossley fitted with snow tracks, which never made production. This led me to even more that never made it that I would have loved to have had. This led me to the MOY AMC AMX (I'm assuming this was for sometime during the Tyco or Mattel era, as the AMC AMX wasn't old enough to be a classic during the Lesney or Universal eras) and another Crossley ,a tractor cab. '


Crossley Half Track

http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot.aspx?LotId=478237&Section=251&Start=40


AMC AMX

http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot.aspx?LotId=478220&Section=251&Start=40


Crossley Tractor Unit


http://www.vectis.co.uk/Page/ViewLot.aspx?LotId=478236&Section=251&Start=40

I'm wondering, does anyone have a list of at least some the pre-pros that were never produced but that exist as prototypes?
Edited by cody6268, Mar 23 2015, 11:38 AM.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Can't speak to MOY, but one model I've seen pics of was a 90s Dodge Stealth. I think I know why it didn't make production, it was rather bland and uneventful, but that car still deserves a day in the diecast sun. I vaguely recall the Black Beauty from the Green Hornet TV show as well.
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Douglas
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SUV
Somebody on another board showed this a number of years ago, I don't remember who, possibly one of the earlier Mbx Ambassadors, ever since I wished Mbx had made it. I didn't save the pic then, but was lucky to find the model in google images.
A mock up of a fire engine using the Dodge dump truck cab.
Posted Image



Coincidentally, a couple years ago I found this custom in a junk box at a train show, "Squad 51" the maker used the old Mbx Dodge Wrecker cab, and the HWs rear section from the Rescue Ranger.
Posted Image
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the_weatherman
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Compact
juantoo3
Mar 23 2015, 12:55 PM
Can't speak to MOY, but one model I've seen pics of was a 90s Dodge Stealth. I think I know why it didn't make production, it was rather bland and uneventful, but that car still deserves a day in the diecast sun. I vaguely recall the Black Beauty from the Green Hornet TV show as well.
Funny you ask juantoo3, our good forum friend Dean answered that a couple years ago here on the garage:

http://swiftysgarage.net/topic/6887605/1/

Seems that Dodge wanted to revoke permission because they felt the casting was too wide, and rather than make a revised casting, Matchbox scrapped the whole project.
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cody6268
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Minivan
That Dodge Power Wagon is beyond cool! Too bad it never made production! It is European, as the Matchbox Power Wagon casting, as I was told earlier, isn't a US Power Wagon, but a British made version, made in Kew, England, thus the "Kew" badge on the grille in the place of the D-400 (which I was told what the casting is by yet another collector), and the same "Kew" badging on the sides of the quarter panel.


Sometimes I wonder why Mattel has to come up with such absurd things. If they're out of ideas, then why not look at the prototypes that didn't go past the idea stage!

After the show-accurate Squad 51, Universal made a version not unlike the custom you show. It had a late '70s Dodge cab though, and a copy of the HW Emergency Squad as the back end. I'd always buy a custom if I found one neglected in a flea market or show dump bin. Imagine the work that went into that custom!
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

the_weatherman
Mar 23 2015, 07:04 PM
juantoo3
Mar 23 2015, 12:55 PM
Can't speak to MOY, but one model I've seen pics of was a 90s Dodge Stealth. I think I know why it didn't make production, it was rather bland and uneventful, but that car still deserves a day in the diecast sun. I vaguely recall the Black Beauty from the Green Hornet TV show as well.
Funny you ask juantoo3, our good forum friend Dean answered that a couple years ago here on the garage:

http://swiftysgarage.net/topic/6887605/1/

Seems that Dodge wanted to revoke permission because they felt the casting was too wide, and rather than make a revised casting, Matchbox scrapped the whole project.
Thank you for the reminder!
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Sirentoys
Fullsize
There are many many models that didnt get made. Even more if you count marking versions.

Here are a few of mine.

First Ford Crown Victoria that was to be in the collectibles range

Posted Image

Posted Image

Ford Crown Vic and Tahoe that were to be in the First Editions series

Posted Image

Packaging
Posted Image



Ford E-350 in HO scale intended to be in the Collectibles range
Blank white
Posted Image

Blank Blue test
Posted Image

MB 50th
Posted Image

Posted Image

Las Vegas - with River Point Station Expedition for reference
Posted Image

1/64 Ford E-350 Ambulance resin
Posted Image

Posted Image

Impala Resin
Posted Image

Crown Vic Resin Mold
Posted Image

Cancelled Series 22 Premiere
Denver
Posted Image

Philadelphia
Posted Image

I also hve many photos of models planned and not made but they aren't mine.
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poorvanner
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*In Memory Of*
Matchbox did a bunch of pre-pro's that never were made.
If memory serves correctly, these were done for the Real Talkers line.
Posted ImageDSCN6076 by Brian Walker, on Flickr

Speaker grills in the base:
Posted ImageDSCN6077 by Brian Walker, on Flickr

A little large than the regular line:
Posted ImageDSCN6078 by Brian Walker, on Flickr

But, one of my most favorite is this one. This casting was released, just not quite like this.
Posted ImageSupervan-1 by Brian Walker, on Flickr
The story was that Ford originally had Supervan II built without a wing, so the pre-pro's were made also without a wing. Then, Ford stuck the wing on, and a couple of designers were sent out on an early morning run, to meet with the van in a parking lot to do some quick measurements. The one that ended up released had the wing.
Edited by poorvanner, Jul 24 2017, 11:25 AM.
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b2young
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Sad firefighter
cody6268
Mar 23 2015, 08:45 PM
After the show-accurate Squad 51, Universal made a version not unlike the custom you show. It had a late '70s Dodge cab though, and a copy of the HW Emergency Squad as the back end. I'd always buy a custom if I found one neglected in a flea market or show dump bin. Imagine the work that went into that custom!
The Universal (LJN and Imperial branded, as well) wasn't quite a copy of the HW Rescue Ranger....the LJN Universal version was a bit closer to the rig used on the show (the show was a Universal property, after all).

Posted Image

Posted Image
Short of watching Emergency! for weeks and recording shows so I can grab a screen shot of the Squad from above, I've not been able to find any photos of what the top of the Squads looked like; I presume LJN/Universal were more accurate than HW, but the venerable HW Rescue Ranger is still one of my favorite HW of all time. The version of the HW model in this pic is "Emergency Unit 50"...I guess at the time they couldn't get the license for "Squad 51"..... Matchbox (after Mattel bought it) came out with the Real Talkin' Beach Rescue and Forest Rescue trucks, both of which definitely copied the HW Rescue Ranger....

Hoseman has shown a very nice Squad 51 prepro that never got produced; the one shown at the top of this thread would have been one of my favorite Matchbox rigs had it made it to stores.

I just posted a pic of a couple of my Dodge tow trucks I destroyed trying to make into a fire truck; I wish I had the smarts to do what that person did using the Hot Wheels Rescue Ranger.....would've been MUCH better than what I tried.
Edited by b2young, Mar 24 2015, 12:22 PM.
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jedimario
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RAWR
Sirentoys
Mar 23 2015, 10:20 PM
Las Vegas - with River Point Station Expedition for reference
Posted Image
My apologies for going off on a tangent here, but can you provide some more information on this Expedition?
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b2young
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Sad firefighter
It just occurred to me that Universal City Studios, once they bought the LJN molds (?), may never have produced them decorated in Universal's Emergency! liveries.....which seems really odd to me. The set has a Ward LaFrance pumper AND the more realistic Dodge rescue truck, yet Universal owned the TV show so should have been able to release a really wonderful tribute to the show.

Why, oh why, didn't they do that?
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b2young
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Sad firefighter
Well, I found that Hoseman's pre-pro Squad 51 (seen in "The other Squad 51" thread) was not released AS Squad 51...but the tool was used in the "Real Talkin'" series, twice:

As a "Forest Service" "Forest Rescue" rig:
Posted Image

The other version is in orange, as a "Beach Rescue" lifeguard truck, exactly the same casting. Note this casting definitely copied the Hot Wheels Rescue Ranger design, though with a few major differences. See Sammy's better expose of this casting in that Squad 51 thread.
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Douglas
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SUV
b2young
Mar 24 2015, 12:50 PM
It just occurred to me that Universal City Studios, once they bought the LJN molds (?), may never have produced them decorated in Universal's Emergency! liveries.....which seems really odd to me. The set has a Ward LaFrance pumper AND the more realistic Dodge rescue truck, yet Universal owned the TV show so should have been able to release a really wonderful tribute to the show.

Why, oh why, didn't they do that?
Blair, I think you may be confusing companies there, or I maybe confused on what you're saying, but as far as I know Universal City Studios marked on the bases was probably just to show the licensing of the toy from the film company, where as Universal Toys is a different company that manufactured toys.

I may have been mistaken in the past on those being Universal castings, it seems that Universal Toys had acquired 80% of LJN in 1978, which I'm wondering if this was later than the LJN first release of the "Emergency" models, but I have no idea when those toys were released, and more confusing, I don't know if LJN actually made the toys themselves, maybe Universal did end up making them for them anyway before the acquisition .....anybody know?

Here is a link to a brief bit of Matchbox history where LJN is mentioned,
http://www.shabbir.com/matchbox/univmb.html
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

b2young
Mar 24 2015, 12:06 PM
the LJN Universal version was a bit closer to the rig used on the show (the show was a Universal property, after all).
I think the only thing in common between Universal Diecast of Hong Kong and Universal Studios of California were the names. I don't believe there were any closer ties apart from licensing. Universal Diecast did not own, create or otherwise have any controlling interest in the TV series "Emergency!" (or any other TV series, for that matter).
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Dean-o-mite
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Muscle Car
jedimario
Mar 24 2015, 12:37 PM
My apologies for going off on a tangent here, but can you provide some more information on this Expedition?
River Point Station is the maker. They have a website with many different variations shown of their plastic HO scale Expedition.
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Sirentoys
Fullsize
Dean-o-mite
Mar 24 2015, 06:46 PM
jedimario
Mar 24 2015, 12:37 PM
My apologies for going off on a tangent here, but can you provide some more information on this Expedition?
River Point Station is the maker. They have a website with many different variations shown of their plastic HO scale Expedition.
riverpointstation.com

Plastic HO 1/87 scale models. Produced in limited quantities and very well done. The owner is more concerned with quality and accuracy than most.

http://www.riverpointstation.com/pages/suvs_index.html

http://www.riverpointstation.com/pages/vehicles.html

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Brian49
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Station Wagon
b2young
Mar 24 2015, 12:50 PM
It just occurred to me that Universal City Studios, once they bought the LJN molds (?), may never have produced them decorated in Universal's Emergency! liveries.....which seems really odd to me. The set has a Ward LaFrance pumper AND the more realistic Dodge rescue truck, yet Universal owned the TV show so should have been able to release a really wonderful tribute to the show.

Why, oh why, didn't they do that?
Blair,

When they where originally released they where part do the "Road stars" series and had "Emergency!" with some pictures from the show on the blister card. I don't know why they never had any tampos or decals on use models to help market the show.
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b2young
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Sad firefighter
Ah....I was most definitely confused by that copyright on the base of some of them. The 5-pack is marked "Imperial Toy Corporation"; the loose ones either say "LJN", or the "Universal City Studios c. LJN Toys Hong Kong", or simply "Made in Hong Kong". I don't know what the bases of any in the 5-pack say right now.

I wasn't confused about Universal City Studios being Universal Diecast....just wasn't spelling out all three words. And I did think it's weird that the TV/Movie Studio company would be manufacturing diecast toys...so there probably was a subconscious link in my head that conflated the two--Universal Diecast would have fit the mental explanation for the Studio being in the toy making biz. And then it was compounded by the pre-licensed(?) versions with only LJN or HK and the set marked "Imperial".....I'm so confused! And just a while ago I had a cup of coffee in my Universal City Fire Department mug...That I got years ago when we took my nephew there and rode the Backdraft ride (said nephew gave me the mug for Christmas that year).

That's one reason I joined Swifty's, because of the knowledge here. And to show off my toys, of course. Some times I think I know something and enjoy sharing that with everybody only to find out that I really didn't know it at all....until the community chimes in and expands my knowledge. Now I know more than ever about those toys. Thank you, my friends.

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b2young
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Sad firefighter
Oh, and Doug, the 5-pack (I guess it's more a "set") has a copyright of 1981, for what that's worth. And again, it's marked "Imperial Toy..."

I didn't see these on store pegs, 'cause if I'd have seen them on cards with the cast and "Emergency!" Branding they would have come home with me for sure. How did I ever miss these AND the Matchbox "Code Red" series in the stores?!
Oh yeah, I lived in the woods, 20 miles from the nearest highway, and the nearest towns with stores big enough to carry diecast were another couple hours away from there.
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David Tilley
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Crazy Matchbox guy
For those who do not know, Christian Falkensteiner has a prototype page on his Lesney listings of vehicles that never made production....

http://www.mboxcommunity.com/cfalkens/Matchbox/Catalog/LS/LS40-75/LSxxx/ChF-LSxxx.htm

There are some pretty cool vehicles here. The VW 181 that was shown in the Encyclopedia is also in Nigel Cooper's collection. I picked it up and had a good look at it while visiting with him last year. It would have made for a lovely model. Of course Mattel did eventually do one, but I would have liked one when I was younger too.
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cody6268
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Minivan
The Crown Fire Coach Snorkel makes No. 1 on my "wish they had made it" list. I've always wanted the prototype since I saw the prototype. Merryweather had been out of business for at least three or four years when the Code Red line was out, Merryweather never made a hydraulic platform (AKA Snorkel) and the real unit in the series was the Crown. Crown had made several Snorkels.

I like the VW "Thing" too. I like its style better than both HW and MB put out.


There's several though, that look like early stages of others. For example, the boat looks like it developed into the Police Launch. Also, that Car Carrier looks sort of like the one that was made, but the cars are removable. Let me guess, they feared kids trying to eat the cars.
Edited by cody6268, Mar 26 2015, 02:58 PM.
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