SMS88
09-14-2007, 12:57 PM
Christmas 1969 or Christmas 1970, (I was too young to remember which!), I was blessed with one of these in the same box design from my Great-Uncle Laurie.The box was great to open, the yellow plastic tray made wonderful crumpling noises in my hands as I fiddled with the elastic band to free the chassis.Then figuring how the chassis joined the body also took a minute or two :) .That very car is in these photos with the sticker on the baseplate
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug189.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug194.jpg
Surely the pinacle of Corgi design and production, the detail on this car is amazing.Even the authentic pattern rims have tyre valves cast, and the front rubber tyres are as far as I can remember, almost exclusive to this model (and the golden jacks Corvette if i remember correctly).The only weakness in the product is the roof radio aerial, which as on the early Batmobiles was very easily snapped off until the plastic was made more flexible c.1970. Even Marcel Van Cleemput´s own example in the Great Book of Corgi has it lost :wave: Sadly the conversion to Speedwheels came in 1970 - the green issue has lost the chassis and the fancy box, even the real rubber spare tyre has gone to be replaced by moulding onto the seats component
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug193.jpg
Some books suggest that an orange version was also produced although I have yet to see one or even a photograph of one. There was a one change during the rubber tyred production run. The Ghia logo had been used on the hood and on the baseplate without express permission of Ghia and when this was brought to Corgi´s attention the logo had to be deleted. On the hood, it was replaced with a fictional Corgi inspired logo, and on the baseplate it was merely blanked out (see below). The Ghia baseplate is easy to find with the fictional logo, as is the blanked baseplate. Cars with the Ghia badge on the hood are much rarer than those with the fictional logo, although there must be at least the initial run about with these (over 100,000 units, maybe 250,000).I have never seen a car with a blank baseplate and Ghia on the hood, but that doesnt mean they are not about. All in all a lovely model of an obscure Italian sportscar that is memorable mainly because of the Corgi Toy, I feel ;)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug192-1.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug187.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug189.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug194.jpg
Surely the pinacle of Corgi design and production, the detail on this car is amazing.Even the authentic pattern rims have tyre valves cast, and the front rubber tyres are as far as I can remember, almost exclusive to this model (and the golden jacks Corvette if i remember correctly).The only weakness in the product is the roof radio aerial, which as on the early Batmobiles was very easily snapped off until the plastic was made more flexible c.1970. Even Marcel Van Cleemput´s own example in the Great Book of Corgi has it lost :wave: Sadly the conversion to Speedwheels came in 1970 - the green issue has lost the chassis and the fancy box, even the real rubber spare tyre has gone to be replaced by moulding onto the seats component
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug193.jpg
Some books suggest that an orange version was also produced although I have yet to see one or even a photograph of one. There was a one change during the rubber tyred production run. The Ghia logo had been used on the hood and on the baseplate without express permission of Ghia and when this was brought to Corgi´s attention the logo had to be deleted. On the hood, it was replaced with a fictional Corgi inspired logo, and on the baseplate it was merely blanked out (see below). The Ghia baseplate is easy to find with the fictional logo, as is the blanked baseplate. Cars with the Ghia badge on the hood are much rarer than those with the fictional logo, although there must be at least the initial run about with these (over 100,000 units, maybe 250,000).I have never seen a car with a blank baseplate and Ghia on the hood, but that doesnt mean they are not about. All in all a lovely model of an obscure Italian sportscar that is memorable mainly because of the Corgi Toy, I feel ;)
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug192-1.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/toys/2007-8Aug187.jpg