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Truck Of The Day: June 12, 2017; Matchbox '68 Mercedes-Benz T2 (Dusseldorf)
Topic Started: Jun 12 2017, 09:10 PM (603 Views)
Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
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Today's truck of the day is Matchbox's Mercedes-Benz T2 (Dusseldorf) Scaffold truck. The pre-facelift truck dates from 1967-81. The model was initially released in 1969 as a regular wheeled model, updated to Superfast in 1970 and in 1972 was replaced by the VW Beetle based flying bug.

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This model is from Chris.P's collection. Its still got all of its scaffolding because I bought it as an adult!

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This was a light truck. The T2 name shouldn't be confused with VW's T2. The Mercedes T2 were made in many countries but the parent factory was in Dusseldorf - hence its name.

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Wikipedia
 
In 1967, the T2 was introduced as a successor to the L 319 / L 406 series.

The T2 was available as a box van, a flat-bed light truck (with single or double cab), or a minibus. In 1981 the T2 received a facelift, the most visible differences were the new radiator grille, which now was a moulding of black plastic. In the early 1970s, T2 was also offered branded as a Hanomag-Henschel. In Brazil and some other South American countries it was built with a turbo system.

Production of flat-bed trucks of the first generation ended after 19 year construction period, after approximately 450,000 vehicles had been produced, in 1986.


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When the updated model was introduced the older one, which was still in production was referred to as the T2 alt (old)

The T2 name was an internal series name. The actual vehicles were sold/badged as 406, 407, 508, 608 etc. A D at the end signified a diesel engine.

They ranged from 3.5 -6.8 tons gross. They had petrol engines, based on the car engines, 2.0-2.3L and diesels 2.0 - 5.6L

For more information and pictures of the real truck, please visit: : Mercedes Benz T2

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For more a video of the real range, please visit: : Mercedes Benz T2 video
Its in German but is subtitled. Snappy music too!

This was a popular model and was one of the last regular wheeled ones to be introduced to the range. It wasn't in the range for long but survivors are quite easily found albeit without a full set of scaffolding.

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All were silver with a red base/grille apart from a few pre-production models, in yellow, that escaped the factory.

The model was no.11 in the range. (of 75) Although there is a Mercedes badge on the front the base description makes no mention of it.

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Its a good chunky model with plenty of play value for children of the 60s, like me! Its no interior detail and has Matchbox's trademark dark green tinted windows to hide the lack of an interior. The silver paint shows the very fine detail of the casting.

In the 60s Mercedes trucks were a rare sight on British roads. This must have been spotted and measured up in Germany? Its got German pattern number plates front and rear.

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Who else made this model...

Majorette made a crew cabbed dropside truck. Often found in a municipal orange.

Corgi made a bus version (O 309) in their Juniors range.
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Pegers
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Pony Car
this one looks as sturdy as the real one.
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Swifty
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The Mustang II is a Mustang too!
This is the first example I've seen with all the scaffolding intact. :thumbup:
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chris.p
Compact
My childhood original has lost its scaffolding. I think I turned the truck into a furniture van?

I used to have a lot of model railways. Trucks like this were well suited to it.

Chris
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ivantt
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New casting? Quick! Take it apart!
Really nice. Nice closeups.
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pjedsel
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Muscle Car
Late to the game with this one - thanks for the additional background information on the real truck - those are always interesting and add to the collecting of these wonderful to these wonderful toys. I still have mine from my kid days and it still has the scaffolding :D I don't think I even noticed that the Mercedes name was not on the baseplate. And I do chuckle when these old Matchbox models appear that had no interior and we didn't think a whole lot about it and now...we are disappointed when a model is released without the interior. Think it speaks how times have changed over the years as many of the commercial models from back then, such as this truck, were released without an interior -
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microbuss
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SUV
oh I want one that come with the scaffolding!

I don't think this made it to the SuperFast lines
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atombaum
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The Quest Continues
Real nice job on the presentation of this one - including the history of the prototype. I consider myself an MB know-it-all, and didn't know about the internal T2 designation. Also never noticed the lack of the MB name on the base. Still have my original complete with all scaffold pieces. I believe this did make it into Superfast form. Just searched, and sure enough, it did, for those contractors with little time to spare. Excellent.
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pjedsel
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Muscle Car
microbuss
Jun 28 2017, 10:02 AM
oh I want one that come with the scaffolding!

I don't think this made it to the SuperFast lines
Yes - it did make it to the Superfast line but not for long. Only a year or two in the same colors/deco as the regular wheels version and sadly replaced with the Flying Bug. :(
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microbuss
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SUV
pjedsel
Jun 29 2017, 12:10 AM
microbuss
Jun 28 2017, 10:02 AM
oh I want one that come with the scaffolding!

I don't think this made it to the SuperFast lines
Yes - it did make it to the Superfast line but not for long. Only a year or two in the same colors/deco as the regular wheels version and sadly replaced with the Flying Bug. :(
kool
well I knows when I sees this at Toy Shows the Scaffolding will be missing!
but its very high dollar too ugh
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