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Bert Finds the Matchbox; A Nostalgia Trip
Topic Started: Oct 22 2015, 10:00 PM (23,065 Views)
Douglas
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guy64
Apr 20 2016, 06:43 PM
Let's take a break from ugly round things...

Posted Image

This Concept 1 came with a storybook that had very thick cardboard pages. We got it on sale as I recall. I've never seen it in this color as a regular issue, and I wasn't able to find it in the BAMCA database. (Doesn't mean it's not there somewhere, I just couldn't find it.)

It's a nice color of green, but the casting has some issues. Tooling wear is beginning to appear as casting lines running under the headlights and into the bottom corners of the wind shield. The rear wheel arches are not completely formed, either. Too bad, given the great choices of glass, interior and body colors. Still we were glad to find this less common Concept 1 version (especially on sale).
I thought the Pleasant Books came with exclusive designs, but not sure about that, although it seems like they did a light green one in the ROW range at one time, although the shade may have been different, and maybe it had some different detailing.

I got my books on sale as well. :D
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guy64
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Thanks, Doug!

The "Pleasant Books"? That's what they were called? I don't remember. When I was a kid I didn't care to get books all that much, but if I'd been given a book with a MB car attached to it, that definitely would have been pleasant.
Edited by guy64, Apr 21 2016, 07:27 PM.
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guy64
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I seldom drink the stuff, but...

Posted Image

... the Coca Cola brand insignia always makes for a pretty... thing, whatever you put it on. What other signage can evoke summer and Christmas at the same time?

"Well kid, I'm betting summer and Christmas aren't all that hard to put together for anybody below the equator."

That's right, Officer. Our friends "down under" can relate... :wave:
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Attachments: 8784MBVWCCConcept1_58c.jpg (38.39 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 12:56 AM.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey...it's got RR wheels!
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guy64
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Yup! Fancy wheels/tires, and there's a '60s Bug that came with it.
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guy64
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Far be it from Coca-Cola to neglect their brand...

Posted Image

This (old) New Beetle cabrio is nicely done, part of a CC 5-pack.

It's not as elaborately pretty as the previous entry, but it is tasteful. (Swidt?) The white body sets off the red logo nicely, and the gray interior looks good without distracting from the logo as a red interior might. The wind shield frame is painted (tamped, maybe), not left transparent, which makes a radical difference in the model's overall look. Wheels are generic, but a good choice; much better than a certain diabolical design, the sight of which would leave a bad taste in our mouths. (Swidta?)

Although it is labelled as "Volkswagen Concept 1 Convertible" on the card, the casting appears to be a representation of the production car, as evidenced by the slightly longer front end and more prominent bumpers. The scale of 1/61 is the same as the earlier casting of the genuine Concept 1 hard top, but the body of this convertible is noticeably narrower. Whatever it's actual scale, I think it's definitely closer to 1/64 than the concept car model, which has to be bigger than 1/61.

At least, Bert thinks the C1 is bigger than 1/61.

"Oh yeah, way to put me out on the limb, kid!"

Don't worry too much, Officer. I have a feeling your opinion of the Concept 1's scale may be closer to reality.

"Well, my street cred is at stake! I expect you to get on it with some serious research, pronto!"

Sure, Officer, as soon as we have our next photo shoot. :rolleyes:
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Attachments: 8785MBVWCoinvertibleCC_61c.jpg (32.94 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 01:18 AM.
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Hobie-wan
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Yep, definitely production with that fog light arrangement, long turn signals, and squarish mirrors.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

:D
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guy64
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We call this a "Safety Beetle"...

Posted Image

So called because, being a Beetle, it wasn't safe to not bring it home. I mean, it's a Bug. (A wife-unit thing.) It's definitely not as pretty as the CC Bugs seen above. In fact, given the deco and the... ahem, wheels, I might have left it on the peg. We didn't have very many examples of this casting when I did get it, so there's that too. And I may have had intentions of removing tamps and re-wheeling and doing other stuff to it I'll probably never get around to.

Trouble is, I sometimes buy a casting I like with an ugly deco job thinking I'll repaint it or whatever. If I don't do that within a month or so of buying the thing I lose track of it. Before I remember the piece, years may have gone by, and the "collectible factor" has kicked in. Gaaahhh! :wacko:

Oh well. MB did paint (or tamp) the windshield frame and the interior color works with the silver body. Not sure what the graphics are meant to evoke (Atomic Matchbox?), but we can be sure it's a Beetle. (Did they think we wouldn't figure that out?) One nice thing about the casting design is how MB gave it clear headlights (part of the wind shield, I think) so there's no need for headlight tamps. Good Job, MB! :thumbup:

"Kid, you haven't mentioned the... uh..."

Flower wheels? I mentioned them, though not by name. Aren't they obvious? Besides, I was trying to be positive.

"I get it. Hey! looks like hi-pro FWs again!"

Yes, and oddly enough, flower wheels with taller tires don't look quite so bad to me as the low-pros. Must be a "visual emphasis" thing.

"Now don't go getting all psycho/arty-schmarty/theoretical on me, kid. I was almost starting to like you."
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Attachments: 8787MBVWNBeetleConvc.jpg (38 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 01:21 AM.
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Hobie-wan
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They were playing off the VW "turbonium" ad campaign with that tampo. There were shirts too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWKFPQ7fO2M
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guy64
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One last New Beetle (for a while)...

Posted Image

Nothing wrong with this one except the wheels. But, they're hi-pros again so, minimum damage, flower wheel-wise.

Ok, the usual slight bigness, too, scale-wise. But other than that, the realistic color, matching windshield frame, tan interior... why, it's almost as if Matchbox intended this model to be a model, just like the old days!

"It's realistic all right. Just like me!"

Yes Officer, it doesn't get any more realistic than you."
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Attachments: 8788MBNBeetleConv_61c.jpg (30.34 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 01:24 AM.
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guy64
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M'kay, what is happening with Photobucket? Anybody else having trouble viewing the images in this thread? I've changed NOTHING in my PB account, but now most of the images won't display. Instead a window that says "Oops! Your image was linked incorrectly blah-blah..." is all I see. (I think the 1st image in this thread still works.) Is this a PB thing or a Swifty's thing?

Of course, it's a PB thing. Dump 'em, is what I just may do someday! ;)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 01:25 AM.
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juantoo3
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

guy64
Apr 25 2016, 09:05 PM
M'kay, what is happening with Photobucket? Anybody else having trouble viewing the images in this thread? I've changed NOTHING in my PB account, but now most of the images won't display. Instead a window that says "Oops! Your image was linked incorrectly blah-blah..." is all I see. (I think the 1st image in this thread still works.) Is this a PB thing or a Swifty's thing?
Yeppir...been noticing that most of the evening. My guess is a PB thing.
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guy64
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Weird thing is, I back-tracked all the way to page 8 and the images work on those pages. Grrrr...

I tried going to PB and looking at individual pix in my albums. Can't do that on some of the pix. Shows me the same "Oops" window. Some images work, though, and those seem to be showing here as well. Definitely an internal PB problem.

"Kid, call those idiots and get them to fix this! STAT!"

I'm sure they're working on it already, Officer.

UPDATE! As of 10:00 PM PDT, looks like things are back to normal.

"Kid, does 'normal' mean things are working again?"

Well, for the time being, yes, Officer.

"I still think you should dump PB, kid." ;)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 01:26 AM.
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guy64
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Another sought-after model from the B-day cases...

Posted Image

I'd given up on finding this one, it seemed to be escaping me (with the help of scalpers, no doubt). But my sister nonchalantly picked one up as if it was nothing at all.

Called "Postal Service Delivery Truck" on the card, the BAMCA site lists it as "Grumman Postal Service Delivery Truck". It's stated to be 1/68 scale, but seeing the model next to Bert makes me wonder. I see gaggles of the real thing when I visit the Post Office (once a week, at least) and the real ones don't look that big. Could MB have meant 1/58? That would seem to be more in line with how it looks, Bert-wise.

"Bert-wise? BERT-wise? Is that how you're referring to my indispensable role as 'Scale Reference Coordinator' now?"

Shorthand, Officer. "Scale Reference Coordinator" is a pretty big handle for somebody only 1.1875" tall. (And that's including your "cushion".)

"Better watch it kid, or I'll bring up the you-know-whats on this truck."

The flower wheels? They're hardly noticeable when left un-tamped as with this example. The "Camaro" 5-spokes on some versions are also left black.

"Yeah, well, you're just gloating 'cuz that's prototypic."

Hey, If we must be subjected to flower wheels, they might as well be hidden.
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Attachments: 8792MBUSPStruck_68c.jpg (34.71 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 01:29 AM.
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guy64
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What could be the most recent use of ribbed tires of any vehicle Bert has seen...

Posted Image

Kinda generic? Dunno, but it talks to us! ;)

When the front end of the "Snack Truck" is pushed down, the truck's windows light up and it emits the voice of a man saying "Ice cream!" Then there's the sound of some kind of electronic chime music, then a kid says "Choc-lit! Tastes great!" These sounds don't always follow the same order. Sometimes the music starts things off, then either voice, or the kid may start first. Sometimes the kid is interrupted by the man, and we hear "Choc-lit--Ice cream!--Tastes great!" in a kid--man--kid pattern. Other patterns have been observed as well. The "music" has a sound quality that mimics perfectly the distorted, annoying, semi-raspy sound coming from the bullhorn of a real ice cream truck. As far as the sounds are concerned, MB nailed it.

I suppose it could be a loosely-interpreted GMC step van. If the scale was 1/64, it would be perfect, but we suspect it's a bit small for the kind of truck it is.

"Too bad when that battery runs down."

Well, Officer, it's held together by a single screw, so it may be possible to replace the battery. Besides, I tried it this afternoon and the original battery still works.

"Is that what all the racket was..."
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Attachments: 8811MBSnackTruckc.jpg (36.82 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 02:02 AM.
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cody6268
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Board book's name was "WASH ME" by Simon and Schuster, and was the shape of a license plate. I still have the car, but unlike the rest of the several of those Matchbox board books I had, I can't locate the book.

The Grumman LLV is a special model to me, as my father is a mailman. I've had mine since the late '90s--in fact, I think I have one of the first versions that came out. Bought it at Kaybee Toys at the mall when I was little.
Edited by cody6268, Apr 28 2016, 09:17 PM.
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guy64
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Thanks for the info, cody6268. Now that you mention it, I do remember the license plate look of the book.

Since your father is a mailman, it would be interesting to have his guess as to the actual scale of of the MB Grumman model.

"That's it kid, get the opinion of somebody with first-hand knowledge. Now you're thinking."

I try, Officer, I try.
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 02:03 AM.
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guy64
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Got this one early on...

Posted Image

... while it still had a metal roof, and a left side snorkel.

It's actually not the kind of vehicle I'm all that into. But it's 1/64 scale (per the base), so, gotta have at least one! :rolleyes:

"Kid, how much faith are you putting in that MB spec?"

Mm, well, isn't that what I have you for?

"I can't commit on this one, kid. Better get out the caliper."

But that's work...
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Attachments: 8846MBLRDefender_64c.jpg (32.95 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 02:04 AM.
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juantoo3
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Awww...go on Bert...I mean, Officer Bert...that Landy suits you!
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microbuss
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that ice cream truck is one I didn't get but I did get the hot dog truck
hot dogs! hot dogs! $1!
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guy64
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A re-do of an old favorite...

Posted Image

MB did well with their completely retooled Jaguar XKE, even if the scale is 1/61 (per the base) instead of 1/64. It is noticeably larger than the Lesney.

The original Lesney was one of my favorites, with its cast metal "wire" wheels, separate tires, and all-round coolness. But Mattel's apparent nod to the glory days of Lesney is cool in its own right. Yes there are issues, such as the excess bigness and chrome interior. Otoh, we like the racing mags with their "knock-off" hubs, which are chrome-tamped in all the right places. Plus, this model is more detailed overall than the original, and is a veritable case study in tasteful tampo use. Check out the headlights and bonnet trim!

"What's with the snowy-white cars lately, kid?"

Don't worry, Officer. There will be other hues for you to peruse.

"Kid, I think the heat's getting to you. Maybe you should have some blue Gatorade. We got plenty, y'know."
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Attachments: 8848MB61JagXKE_61c.jpg (30.78 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 02:07 AM.
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juantoo3
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Pretty kitty!
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guy64
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It's not metallic red, but still...

Posted Image

Red is a color that seems to fit the XKE. I think the first real one I ever saw was red. My dad was a die-hard GM guy, not much into "foreign" cars. But he sure liked this particular Jag. He told me more than once he thought it was the most beautiful car ever built. (That was in the '60s.) He liked the "retro" XK8 as well, going so far as to bring home a JL XK8 convertible. I think he enjoyed my "toy car" hobby.
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Attachments: 8851MB61JagXKE_61c.jpg (35.42 KB)
Edited by guy64, Jul 14 2017, 02:09 AM.
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microbuss
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saay a XKE was driven by Pryor & Wilder in Silver Streak B)
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