flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Corgi 1:24 scale Mercedes-Benz 500SL, with wizardry andrew e 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 More to collect andrew e 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 1 minute ago, flat4alfa said: Corgi 1:24 scale 500SL, with wizardry I had one of those, had a honking horn and flashing lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 14 minutes ago, Datsuncog said: As far as I know, the C257 Mercedes never made it into production. Like so many others shown in the 1985 catalogue, it appears to be a resin prototype. I'd love to know whether its non-appearance was down to technical reasons (was the 'magic top' mechanism too easy to break? Unable to comply with new toy safety regs?) or financial reasons - the management buy-out of the Corgi factory from Mettoy's bankruptcy only the year before had left them fairly squeezed, so was it just a step too far to bring in another new casting, especially one which would require extra time and parts to manufacture? The Toyota Supra and the Mercedes 207D panel van were both new for '85 castings, as were the Turbos range. The Supra didn't last long in the range, and the Turbos were brought in specifically to be cheap, simple volume sellers with good profit margin that could bridge the gap between the Juniors range and the bigger, more expensive 1/36 line-up. I'd like to have seen the previewed Toyota Corolla TE71 in the Turbos range, rather than the AE86 which eventually appeared. You can see on the photos it’s was obviously a very clunky affair. Cost would probably have been a deciding factor. Datsuncog 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsuncog Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 It's possible that in better times, Corgi might have chanced its release - but with hard times knocking, Corgi top brass might have seen it as too much of a risk to pull the lever on full production. Especially if it was going to be a good whack more expensive than the rest of the range, and also looked a bit shit. Kids ain't that stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 4 hours ago, sierraman said: In the 1985 Corgi catalogue there’s a 1/36 Mercedes Magic Top 500SEC, never seen one, was it actually made? I went down the 500SL route, R129... sorry I need new glasses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenmil Socket Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 12 minutes ago, sierraman said: I had one of those, had a honking horn and flashing lights. I had a Ferrari F40 with a working alarm with a fob! sierraman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenmil Socket Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Chevy from the Cogbox dismantled awaiting inspiration. AndyW201, MiniMinorMk3, FakeConcern and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Anyway, back on track Perhaps the use of 'Magic Top' became too much of a licencing headache? Some bright spark at Corgi visited the German motor show and came back all excited? The Mercedes 500 C126 Magic Top by the Buchmann brothers (bb Auto), offered for 1982. 10 examples built at an eye-watering price of $150k Datsuncog, AndyW201, MiniMinorMk3 and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsuncog Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 2 minutes ago, flat4alfa said: too much of a licencing headache? Actually, that's a possibility too - I hadn't realised that 'Magic Top' was a real-life thing, rather than just a mildly daft name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Neo did a resin 1:43 model for 1986 AndyW201, FakeConcern and MiniMinorMk3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 FakeConcern 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 On 01/04/2024 at 18:39, FakeConcern said: I'm sure many people have decided to convert a Corgi Mini Van missing its doors into a Pickup. That looks great. I've got one of those, a Dinky, but I didn't do the conversion myself, mainly because I wouldn't be able to drink enough booze first before starting, like this modeller did FakeConcern, Tenmil Socket, danthecapriman and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 48 minutes ago, flat4alfa said: Anyway, back on track Perhaps the use of 'Magic Top' because too much of a licencing headache? Some bright spark at Corgi visited the German motor show and came back excited The Mercedes 500 C126 Magic Top by the Buchmann brothers (bb Auto), offered for 1982. 10 examples built at an eye-watering price of $150k It’s the sort of thing you could imagine a Columbian cocaine baron driving in Miami Vice. bunglebus and eddyramrod 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 There is this idea though Quote Corgi Prototype using Corgi 450 Mini Van. Part of the property of Marcel Van Cleemput. The accompanying framed photograph was acquired directly from Marcel Van Cleemput Sold at auction for £3000. Save £2900 by doing it yourself. MiniMinorMk3, AndyW201, Datsuncog and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 4 minutes ago, sierraman said: It’s the sort of thing you could imagine a Columbian cocaine baron driving in Miami Vice. This 1986 example one was imported to UK 2011. Currently on a SORN, last V5C issue was February this year. I hope it was someone on here. All you need to worry about is sorting the matching outfit. Then drive it about Sheffield, like a star sierraman and MiniMinorMk3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 5 hours ago, sierraman said: In the 1985 Corgi catalogue there’s a 1/36 Mercedes Magic Top 500SEC, never seen one, was it actually made? Going back in time to stillborn Corgi Catalogue entries, that enticed at the time (and perhaps still do) The 1969 Corgi Catalogue showed a Corgi 507 Chrysler Imperial Bermuda Taxi that never went into production At least one pre-production survives FakeConcern, sierraman and eddyramrod 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiniMinorMk3 Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 2 hours ago, quicksilver said: That's a Matchbox 1/64. They were definitely made with the flip-over roof as I had one and was fascinated by the mechanism. I'm not aware Corgi ever did anything similar. I doubt that would have had a flip top roof as the firt SL to have a folding metal top was the W230. The R129 just had a coventional metal hard top with a soft top hidden under the cover. However it was the first to have the flip up roll bar. 4 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said: Not sure but I did find this pre-production model a couple of weeks ago of the standard version. 12 minutes ago, flat4alfa said: Going back in time to stillborn Corgi Catalogue entries, that enticed at the time (and perhaps still do) The 1969 Corgi Catalogue showed a Corgi 507 Chrysler Imperial Bermuda Taxi that never went into production At least one pre-production survives Follow up to the 430 Ford Thunderbird Bermuda Taxi. 22 minutes ago, flat4alfa said: This 1986 example one was imported to UK 2011. Currently on a SORN, last V5C issue was February this year. I hope it was someone on here. All you need to worry about is sorting the matching outfit. Then drive it about Sheffield, like a star That looks more like the ort of thing you'd find new money driving who'd made a bit on the stock market and moved out of Basildon to Colchester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Brentwood. MiniMinorMk3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsuncog Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 52 minutes ago, flat4alfa said: There is this idea though Sold at auction for £3000. Save £2900 by doing it yourself. That's awesome; looks like it would have done well going up against the 'Wild Honey' Austin or 'Glo-Worm' Capri on the hall carpet quarter-mile strip. A good way to wring another couple of years' sales out of an older casting, I guess; though I dunno if the pearl-clutching Mary Whitehouse brigade would have approved of Corgi selling toys with 'Stripteaser' written down the side... bunglebus, sierraman and Snake Charmer 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicksilver Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 31 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said: I doubt that would have had a flip top roof as the firt SL to have a folding metal top was the W230. The R129 just had a coventional metal hard top with a soft top hidden under the cover. However it was the first to have the flip up roll bar. Very little evidence online but I've finally found mention of it - it was part of the short-lived Flip Top series. It had a plastic roof with solid windows and an interior and windscreen moulded into the underside. The bootlid could be lifted up and the roof rotated to display it as either a hardtop or a convertible. https://www.hobbydb.com/marketplaces/hobbydb/catalog_items/mercedes-benz-500-sl-16e399ef-961d-4e27-8e52-56b55fff1a3e MiniMinorMk3, Tenmil Socket, AndyW201 and 2 others 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 I had that one, the corvette and the Testarossa, sold them all like a fool years ago. I have since picked up another Corvette but the last ones including the mustang are very hard to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quicksilver Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 8 minutes ago, sierraman said: I had that one, the corvette and the Testarossa, sold them all like a fool years ago. I have since picked up another Corvette but the last ones including the mustang are very hard to find. I didn't know there were more. The Merc is the only one listed on HobbyDB and the others must be very rare as I can't find any reference to them anywhere. I have no idea what happened to it but it probably found a new home in my Shitefest '16 toy giveaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenmil Socket Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 2 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said: Chevy from the Cogbox dismantled awaiting inspiration. The camera on my iPhone is shite, apologies... the irony how the stickers said Flash! 😆 Before After Datsuncog, FakeConcern, andrew e and 7 others 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 8 hours ago, flat4alfa said: too much of a licencing headache? It wasn't licencing problems that cancelled the Corgi Dan Dare releases. It was the cancelling of the entire show... A proposed television series to be shown on ITV with actor James Fox (or Gareth Hunt) set to take on the role of Dan Dare, while apparently Rodney Bewes would play Digby. Canned due to lack of finance during the shake-up at ITV, that ended ATV. Storyboards, artwork and models were produced and studio time was booked - during a strike that took months to resolve. More info here https://downthetubes.net/british-comics-reference/british-comic-characters-and-strips-profiled/british-comic-characters-profiled-dan-dare/the-lost-dan-dare-tv-series/ Van Cleemput saved this one too, the Dan Dare flying car from the 1981 catalogue Last sold in 2014 for £5000 This document was 'Discovered in the office of Marcel Van Cleemput' which gives an indication that licencing perhaps wasn't going to be a problem There was also this contraption, auctioned in 2020 for £2100, which was a little over its top estimate of £60... Which was later released by Corgi in 2000 as the Royal Mail MCII vehicle Who's got one of those then? andrew e 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flat4alfa Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 Remember Corgi 859 Mr. McHenry's Trike As a boy I had one of these. Zebedee would raise out of the rear box by turning the knob. It also came with a leaflet and a pull cord Ok, well... There was a prototype made for a Tom & Jerry variation Jerry would raise with an ice cream, stolen from an entrepreneurial Tom. MiniMinorMk3, FakeConcern, Datsuncog and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 1 hour ago, quicksilver said: I didn't know there were more. The Merc is the only one listed on HobbyDB and the others must be very rare as I can't find any reference to them anywhere. I have no idea what happened to it but it probably found a new home in my Shitefest '16 toy giveaway. The Mustang and I think the Porsche 968 came later on, I’ve never seen one in the flesh. I’m not even sure they were retailed in the U.K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsuncog Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 40 minutes ago, flat4alfa said: Remember Corgi 859 Mr. McHenry's Trike Yup, there was one of them in with a load of lethally sharp broken Dinkys and Lesney King Size in my primary school classroom - it vaguely annoyed me, though I couldn't be sure why. Never seen the Tom & Jerry prototype before - possibly it made sense as they already had the casting and there were already a couple of licenced character vehicles featuring the cat 'n' mouse in the Juniors range. I had this earlier version of 'Jerry's Banger', for a short while anyway. I also had this half-assed 'Wacky Races' effort when I was a kid - apparently it's not all that common, though probably not really valuable. FakeConcern, MiniMinorMk3, flat4alfa and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Datsuncog Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 1 hour ago, flat4alfa said: There was also this contraption, auctioned in 2020 for £2100, which was a little over its top estimate of £60... Whoever designed Catatonia's singles sleeves in the late 1990s must have known about that one, somehow. RoadworkUK, flat4alfa, andrew e and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddyramrod Posted April 23 Share Posted April 23 3 hours ago, flat4alfa said: This 1986 example one was imported to UK 2011. Currently on a SORN, last V5C issue was February this year. I hope it was someone on here. All you need to worry about is sorting the matching outfit. Then drive it about Sheffield, like a star Oh how about that... Mine 11 years ago. Spottedlaurel, flat4alfa, FakeConcern and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.thumb.gif.98a2e9a71acfe798d4291192383f1555.gif)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now