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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 27 2017, 05:08 PM (514 Views) | |
| atombaum | Jul 27 2017, 05:08 PM Post #1 |
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The Quest Continues
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With the exception of the 9-C Merryweather fire truck (row 6, position 3) these vehicles (and the case) are from my childhood. The photo quality is not that good. Should have pushed back the plastic. Everything is complete (including tractor treads), but some tires are loose. Recall having fun with the construction vehicles on the Matchbox City layout. The beige UNIMOG was the only color variation I ever saw until years later.
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| Medic Dan | Jul 27 2017, 06:37 PM Post #2 |
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Compact
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Looks like you took good care of them! Thanks for sharing them. |
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| 64impala | Jul 27 2017, 06:44 PM Post #3 |
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Fullsize
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very neat, thanks for sharing! That yellow and blue tractor (3rd down the far left) looks really cool. |
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| Pegers | Jul 27 2017, 08:18 PM Post #4 |
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Pony Car
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yes,you did take great care of your prized toys. |
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| Douglas | Jul 28 2017, 03:12 PM Post #5 |
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SUV
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Ahhh yes, the working vehicles, my favorites old and new, of course the old like your collection, may have had just a bit more play value than the Matchbox offerings of today, guess they do what they can for the price range though. Definitely treasures, there is nothing like having your childhood toys that bring up the fond playtime memories.
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| microbuss | Jul 28 2017, 03:17 PM Post #6 |
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SUV
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I just got a similar one but it has the hose on top & is called Crash Tender |
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| pjedsel | Jul 29 2017, 12:09 AM Post #7 |
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Muscle Car
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Those are in wonderful condition - nice to have Matchbox from those "olden" days. The yellow and blue tractor is a Ford - those tend to loose their wheels very easily.
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| microbuss | Jul 29 2017, 12:11 AM Post #8 |
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SUV
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ok duuuh its the one in the bottom right corner I needs to see!
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| b2young | Jul 30 2017, 12:37 PM Post #9 |
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Sad firefighter
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Just to add fuel to the fire, there are 7 base variations (that I know of) to the No. 63 "Foamite" crash tender; for the most part, from what I've gathered of them (all but one of the bases), the only difference(s) are the configuration of the bases and the springs (or lack thereof). The hardest to find (for me so far) is the Stannard "Code 5" vary with 4 struts each side of the chassis and transparent green plastic springs front and back axles. The bodies (everything above the base/chassis) don't seem to have any casting differences. (Anybody with an extra of that variation willing to part with it, please let me know..... )
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| microbuss | Jul 30 2017, 04:03 PM Post #10 |
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SUV
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got a pic of it? |
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| atombaum | Jul 30 2017, 04:12 PM Post #11 |
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The Quest Continues
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yuk yuk
Unable to find an online example of the green springs. I think you already have this variation. According to Stannard, this is B7 ![]()
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| Douglas | Jul 30 2017, 04:45 PM Post #12 |
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SUV
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Jeff, from the condition of your fire fighting apparatus you must not have had too many accidents or other calls for your crew in your childhood Matchbox world, mine were well used, maybe the most used, I'm sure I annoyed my family with my siren noises back then.
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| atombaum | Jul 30 2017, 05:42 PM Post #13 |
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The Quest Continues
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Hey Doug, Indeed! I had any number of "easy going" play sessions in my room on the bedspread, but the cars never made it outside, and crashes and/or pushing them along the floor "to see how fast they would go" was nothing I engaged in - until Hot Wheels came along and shattered the kid-diecast paradigm. Besides that, my parents had invested in wall-to-wall carpeting so there were no smooth surfaces to run them on. Actually had to go to grandma's to play with the Hot Wheels on the kitchen floor - until my uncle gave me the orange track and Super Charger to play with at home. Sorry for Hot Wheels content here. Weird factoid: I actually found a MBX #20C 1964 Chevy taxi (yellow) in my front lawn one time. It was in excellent shape, and I have no idea where it came from, so I ended up with three of those.
Edited by atombaum, Jul 30 2017, 07:54 PM.
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| Dexter 2.0 | Jul 30 2017, 06:28 PM Post #14 |
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Midsize
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Wow, so old and in so good condition ! |
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| b2young | Jul 30 2017, 08:33 PM Post #15 |
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Sad firefighter
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In Atombaum's top photo just imagine a clear (see-through-ish) green plastic piece flexed in a v-shape (apex toward the base of the vehicle) and each wheel could 'flex' against the legs of the "v" creating the spring action. Now picture one of those in place of the 'rocker' under the front (top) axle--the pictured rocker is a solid peaked-roof-shaped block/extension of the base with it's apex touching the middle of the axle, which allows the wheels to 'rock' up and down rolling over bumps, etc. Then picture another of those green springs attached to the base under the rear (bottom) axle, attached via that hole that the round plug is plugging. All four wheels can react to bumps just like the real thing. In the pictured model, only the front axle wheels can show "spring" action. In other words, and in answer to your question, no, I don't have a photo of the base I'm missing. I may have a pic of the other green-spring variation in Photobucket, but I've been away a couple of weeks and don't know if PB is still allowing existing users the 'grace period' of posting externally without paying the $399 annual fees..... I just reminded myself that you could be familiar with the more common white plastic spring models....if so, picture those white plastic springs being translucent green. Edited by b2young, Jul 30 2017, 08:37 PM.
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| microbuss | Jul 30 2017, 08:55 PM Post #16 |
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SUV
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ah thanks Now I knows what mine is missing ![]() signs & ladder Which are probably impossible to get
Edited by microbuss, Jul 30 2017, 08:57 PM.
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| atombaum | Jul 31 2017, 05:59 AM Post #17 |
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The Quest Continues
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Signs, ladder, and hoses, but not as impossible as one might think. Found this last night on ...![]() Also try these UK vendors. http://www.model-supplies.co.uk/matchbox_1.htm http://www.modelcarparts.com/categorie/matchbox-1-75 BTW, the nozzle looks bent. It should stick straight out. Keep us posted if you decide to get a set.
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| microbuss | Jul 31 2017, 09:58 AM Post #18 |
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SUV
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no credit card!
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| atombaum | Jul 31 2017, 01:29 PM Post #19 |
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The Quest Continues
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I used Paypal. |
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| microbuss | Jul 31 2017, 06:14 PM Post #20 |
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SUV
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don't even have that either!
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| b2young | Aug 2 2017, 10:49 AM Post #21 |
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Sad firefighter
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I often search ebay for the #63 Foamite--looking for the one variation (according to Stannard) I don't have--and yesterday I noticed 3 or 4 different sellers offering the model with very similarly-bent nozzles. I tried to imagine how one would bend that part like that (mostly they seem to break off rather than bend to a 90-degree angle). I just cannot picture what manner of 'play' could bend that metal just so. I currently have 14 examples of that model, and none of them have such a radical bend, but a few have broken tips or the entire nozzle busted off (leaving the rotating piece intact), including the one I've had since my childhood. If I were an ebay seller, I would NOT charge $30 or more for one with such a clear bit of damage, yet there are sellers asking premium prices for very poor-condition examples. They apparently think it's "rare", even though on any given day there are more than 50 of them available on ebay alone. That ain't rare in my book. Like many of us, I have examples of 'well-loved' Matchbox from my childhood....but at some point I discarded some of the "worst" of the "worst" because I literally destroyed the model(s) with hammers or matches.....
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| atombaum | Aug 2 2017, 06:02 PM Post #22 |
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The Quest Continues
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Interesting observation! I just checked, and saw nozzles of varying angles on eBay too. Some look more radical than others. Maybe our concept of how rigid the metal is bears scrutiny. You would probably agree than many of these have fallen on the floor. Maybe the impact is enough to bend the nozzle. As you probably know, Stannard does not mention this variation. Only silver or gold nozzle."Who Knows? The Shadow Do, But He Ain't Been Talkin' Much Lately." (copyright pending) p.s. IMHO, those beaters should sell for WAY less. Maybe $10 for a dozen - including shipping. All of a sudden it seems like people think junk has the same value as "mint and boxed." I agree - it's just plain kooky. |
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| b2young | Aug 3 2017, 01:58 PM Post #23 |
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Sad firefighter
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Yeah, I guess a drop to the hard floor from a tabletop just might be enough to bend that nozzle. It is, after all, "white metal" or zinc-compound, soft by chemistry. (As you noted, Stannard doesn't mention what the nozzle is made of.....so it's possible some nozzles were "harder" to bend than others, or more brittle. And we'll probably never know..... )I've seen "custom" versions for sale on ebay....repainted/touched up with gold paint on the normally silver rear pump area, and the nozzle carefully painted to match. One is still up there, but the seller has dropped the admission that he repainted it (or maybe this seller bought that painted one and decided to get rid of it.....for the same price he paid the original customizer?) But, looking at the seller's good photos, it is obviously PAINTED with brilliant GOLD paint. To my knowledge, no model ever came out with that color, nor with the back/pump panel section any 'color' other than the same 'silver' of the base of all the models. Having seen many of the ones offered on ebay, and having several myself, I think Stannard (I don't have the guide, but have seen and perused the sections available online) is still the definitive source for variations on this model. In most cases of "silver" nozzle, the brass plating has simply rubbed off, leaving a "silver" nozzle--the original 'color' of the white-metal that makes up the nozzle piece; in many cases careful scrutiny can show places where there is still brass plating, showing the nozzle is only "silver" because the plating has been removed by kids' hands and years of play. I believe Stannard was right in declaring only the first (new model) casting came with a truly naked (ie: "silver") nozzle. However, it is also possible that un-brass-plated nozzles made it into later production runs, as is the nature of the older hand-pieced assembly processes. I have a couple that are, according to Stannard, the actual first production run with a genuine "silver" nozzle, as determined by the configuration of the base*. Consider that the more-common "gold" nozzles are simply "silver" nozzles coated/plated with the "brass" color; I base this statement on observation of several of the models in my possession. (I may be wrong on one or two of my beliefs, so if anyone can offer evidence to the contrary, I will be much obliged, as I want to be as accurate as I can in my catalog entries and what I say here at Swifty's.) *I don't know if the "first" issue's nozzle was "plated" to look like chrome--as many fire engines are noted for. "White metal" is generally dull, not shiny, and untreated white metal can corrode with a whitish scaly buildup. Perhaps the first nozzles were 'chrome-plated', like the later "brass" plating? But I also have brass-plated nozzles on a first-issue style base, that were sold in the "New Model" style box. If a 'brass' nozzle has had the plating rubbed off, you can often see some corrosion on the bare white metal areas, but also in hard-to-touch parts of the nozzle there will still be some of the original 'brass' plating. A good indicator if the 'silver' nozzle is simply de-plated is if there's still "brass" inside the mouth of the nozzle...where little hands can't possibly have enough contact to rub off the surface. |
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| Douglas | Aug 3 2017, 04:58 PM Post #24 |
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SUV
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Matchbox were definitely fun, no matter how we got to play with them. My childhood home had a basement with an asphalt tiled playroom so some of time was spent with my cars down there, but I often played upstairs on the carpet as well, although I had a few of those Roadway layouts I used a lot on the carpet, so it gave a little firmer surface to move the cars around on. I don't actually remember playing with them outside either, other than me and a buddy sitting on the front porch with our cases/shoeboxes of cars and trading now and then, but I'm sure we must have played with them a bit out there too, yeah, and then the orange track came into play for me as well, so I'm sure my Matchbox picked up a bit of wear from that too.
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3:38 AM Jul 11
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Those are in wonderful condition - nice to have Matchbox from those "olden" days.
The yellow and blue tractor is a Ford - those tend to loose their wheels very easily.
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3:38 AM Jul 11