Scamold British racing cars from the late 1940s
#1
Posted 12 April 2012 - 16:51
T54
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#2
Posted 15 April 2012 - 01:52
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Edited by fivestar, 15 April 2012 - 01:55.
#3
Posted 15 April 2012 - 21:19
#4
Posted 15 April 2012 - 23:10
Did the model originally come with twin rear wheels or was it a conversion?
Edited by fivestar, 15 April 2012 - 23:14.
#5
Posted 16 April 2012 - 15:58
They only made 3 models:
101 = ERA
103 = Maserati
105 = Alta
Someone recast them in white metal around 1994 and Traffic Models cars did them in resin a few years ago.
#6
Posted 19 April 2012 - 00:51
Thanks for the info. I had all three at one time but tin stole my heart and a good part of my wallet's contents, so I had to let go of most of my die-cast collection...
But I kept some.
#7
Posted 23 April 2012 - 09:46
Peter,
Thanks for the info. I had all three at one time but tin stole my heart and a good part of my wallet's contents, so I had to let go of most of my die-cast collection...
But I kept some.
Philippe
I love the condition of the Tootsietoys, they are usually horribly chipped.
I don't think it would break the bank to add a set of Scamold cars to the collection, but I guess a problem these days is spotting a new one unless it comes in great packaging like the Alta...
Peter
#8
Posted 24 April 2012 - 21:42
Does anyone know what the Autocar connection was? Was it simply an advert or was there more of a tie-in than that?
Edited by D-Type, 25 April 2012 - 10:50.
#9
Posted 26 April 2012 - 13:51
Believe it. At one time I had all three of them with the same advert card, but the bags were partially open and falling apart so I sold them with most of my die-cast collection over 20 years ago. These bags are not polyethylene, they are extremely fragile and brittle material, more like super thin Mica. I think that as I said in the opening post, they are cellophane.
I am a purist and know the difference between bogus and the real thing...
I bet that if you look into old issues of the Autocar, you might find these items given as promos for something like a subscription to the magazine.
Edited by T54, 26 April 2012 - 13:53.
#10
Posted 26 April 2012 - 21:23
I can try to upload the photos, if someone is interested in them.
#11
Posted 27 April 2012 - 08:54
Philippe,Duncan,
Believe it. At one time I had all three of them with the same advert card, but the bags were partially open and falling apart so I sold them with most of my die-cast collection over 20 years ago. These bags are not polyethylene, they are extremely fragile and brittle material, more like super thin Mica. I think that as I said in the opening post, they are cellophane.
I am a purist and know the difference between bogus and the real thing...
I bet that if you look into old issues of the Autocar, you might find these items given as promos for something like a subscription to the magazine.
I wasn't questioning what you've said. The bag simply looks too clear to be sixty years old. I missed the reference to cellophane in your first post and assumed polythene. Cellophane would fit the 1951 date. As you say, it is fragile and brittle.
I would still like to know what the connection with The Autocar was. I don't think producing these exclusively for a promotion would generate the volume to support a production run, but I know nothing about the publishing business. Taking an existing model and re-branding it for a promotion is more likely. Selling the models through The Autocar is also a possibility. Including an advert for The Autocar in the standard model sold in the shops could have happened, but is unlikely. Have you come across any models complete with instructions that do not include the advert for The Autocar?
Aldo,
I for one would be interested to see the photos.
#12
Posted 27 April 2012 - 11:51
I have to query where these models were sold anyway? There would have been very few shops likely to sell such models at the time, I'm beginning to think maybe sports car dealers and "high end" department stores? It would be interesting to know whether outlets would have existed at race meetings to sell such things. I was told when the Goodwood revival started that there would be no trade stands because there would have been none back in the day. Was that true? Didn't take 'em long to change their minds anyway!However The Autocar would probably have had a stand and it is not inconceivable that these models may have been sold there.
#13
Posted 01 May 2012 - 00:39
Why not? I had all three cars (the Maserati, ERA and this Alta), packaged the same way, with the same card.I doubt that it would have been an Autocar promotion as such.
It is good to be skeptical without evidence, but, think of it, I sold the other two cars WITHOUT the cards and kept them, just found them in my accumulation of worthless junk and here is your absolute proof that the cars were indeed packed as a promo of some sort for the Autocar:
The picture above shows the three differently colored cards for the three different cars.
The second pictures shows the back of the card with the description of each car.
If this is not proof enough, I give up the fight!
#14
Posted 01 May 2012 - 10:14
David
#15
Posted 01 May 2012 - 11:58
Why not? I had all three cars (the Maserati, ERA and this Alta), packaged the same way, with the same card.
It is good to be skeptical without evidence, but, think of it, I sold the other two cars WITHOUT the cards and kept them, just found them in my accumulation of worthless junk and here is your absolute proof that the cars were indeed packed as a promo of some sort for the Autocar:
I think we are at cross purposes, due to the way I expressed it. When I said it probably wasn't an Autocar promo I really meant that it wasn't a give away as an inducement to purchase a subscription because I doubt that sort of thing would have happened in the UK at that time. Maybe something along the lines of collecting vouchers from several weeks' copies of Tha Autocar to claim your free model? But yes definitely a promo!
#16
Posted 01 May 2012 - 15:54
This is almost certainly what took place. I wonder how many have survived in the same condition as my Alta, packed in the cellophane...
David, "bingo!"
Indeed it looks like the Scamold model was the inspiration as one can see the articulation for the front suspension in the casting...