here is a neat little model that just doesn't get the love it deserves. I wonder if it was a popular toy when it was released ? Whats kind of curious tho, is I dont see a lot of them come up for sale, even at toy shows they dont seem to abound.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/SteveCameron/DSC02327-1.jpg

the red mattallic model is finished in the same method as to the VW Saloon #15 in Red....a gold underlay was applied, then its final coat of red over gold to give it that superb sheen....here is a picture of the models base, if you look at the models outer edges, you can see the gold under coat :)

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/SteveCameron/DSC02326.jpg

got to lov a mini

The gold undercoat Mini looks very orange when parked besides a crimson no 15 VW1500.Lesney used silver undercoats too on some castings, which is how the famous silver no 12 LandRover safaris were created - workers pulling them off the line in undercoat to sell to collectors.
Lesney had to distort the shape of the real Mini to make this a good performer on Superfast track.I can remember as a child most of my friends preferred the purple Corgi Juniors Mini which was in fact a sprint version with the chopped roof.I had both but never particularly liked the Lesney, I even ran it over with my grandmother´s lawn mower the day I bought it because I thought it was ugly and wished that I had picked a different car that day :p

nice discussion. the silver/gray base of this model was a tough find, as with other silver/gray base models.
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1093/racingminisf29silverbasoe3.jpg
there is a little base lettering variation too.
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/8251/racingmini19basebt3.jpg

The original Honda (Civic I think) was about this small when they first came out.

Hey I always loved 'em!

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b228/PropMonster/Matchbox_1_75/1970-82/MatchboxSuperfast00042.jpg

i believe there were some minis that escaped with one gold side and one bronze side. factory goofs are fun. i have a blistered #15 bronze with an added side sicker, i’ll try and post it.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/teeeye81/matchies/DSC00571.jpg

Indeed a favorite.


Tom