Well, I told Stutz I would look for some Politoys I though I had in my collection but I didn't have any. It turns out I did have 3 Polistil rally cars (rather crudely rendered). All are approx 1/43 scale. Don't know if there is a relationship between Polistil and Politoys or not.

Mercedes 450SLC from Paris-Dakar

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k158/pwschuh/DSCN7437.jpg





Mercedes 450 from Safari Rally

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k158/pwschuh/DSCN7434.jpg






Sunbeam Talbot from Monte Carlo rally (with a very impressive front spoiler)

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k158/pwschuh/DSCN7435.jpg

nice ones.

The difference between Politoys and Polistil has been dicussed before. I can't remember if it was ranchero or someone else who gave information about the two companies. I do know that Polistil was the newer company.

Thanks for posting the pics PWSchuh. It's nice to see a variety of cars.

That spoiler looks like what they put on the tanks in WWII to knock down the hedge-rows!

That spoiler looks like what they put on the tanks in WWII to knock down the hedge-rows!

I overlooked that pic Lummox. It looks more like a cow catcher on steam locomotive to me.

I could n't find a photo of a Sunbeam Talbot with a front air dam this big but it does it remind me somewhat of the front air dam on the Audi Sport Quattros. Here is a quick example but you'll find larger ones, especially on Pikes Peak cars:

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/littlewheel/VWaudi/quattroS1-1.JPG

I could n't find a photo of a Sunbeam Talbot with a front air dam this big but it does it remind me somewhat of the front air dam on the Audi Sport Quattros. Here is a quick example but you'll find larger ones, especially on Pikes Peak cars:

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/littlewheel/VWaudi/quattroS1-1.JPG

This car is definitely my favorite of the four cars!

http://www2.odn.ne.jp/littlewheel/VWaudi/quattroS1-1.JPG

This IS especially nice.
Weren't these cars just unstopable rally cars?
Especially in the snow?
Wasn't it the very first 4wd rally car?

I overlooked that pic Lummox. It looks more like a cow catcher on steam locomotive to me.

Yeah it does to me too, I think I was trying to be overly ...dramatic...or...something... ;)

Yeah it does to me too, I think I was trying to be overly ...dramatic...or...something... ;)

Soooo kay! :thumbsup: I heard you get that way sometimes! :p

Politoys initially were marketed in the odd scale of 1/41 in the early '60s. They were also odd in that the composition was a plastic (which could and did warp). The models were similar to the French plastic Norev & Miniluxe brand toys. The quality 1/43 scale die cast metal models arrived in about 1965 and these were the "500" series cars - those are the models that now fascinate us. The company name changed to "Polistil" in about 1970 and the series identification became letters - like "E" for "export". The quality varied over the years but was never as good as the original "500" series. The scales varied too (including 1/24, 1/18 and 1/16) and there was a nice series called "Penny" which were in approximately 1/64 scale to compete with Majorette. In the late '80s or early '90s Polistil was making decent 1/43 scale promotional models for European car manufacturers - as I remember Fiat and maybe Volvo. The US toy company Tonka eventually bought Polistil somewhere around 1990 or so and I don't know what has happened since. - ranchero -

This car is definitely my favorite of the four cars!

Well, it wasn't meant to be compared with the other three. This is a built Starter resin kit with exceptional detail for the adult modeler, while that other three really were built as children's toys. The Audi, even as an unbiuilt kit, goes for like $50. The Polistil toys can be hard to find nowadays, but when you find them, they don't sell for very much.

This IS especially nice.
Weren't these cars just unstopable rally cars?
Especially in the snow?
Wasn't it the very first 4wd rally car?

They were unstoppable for drivers like Michelle Mouton and Walter Rohrl and a few others who firgured out how to drive them. They were exceptionally ill-handling beasts but had great power and traction.

And yes, they were they cars that started the 4-wheel drive revolution in rallying.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/SMS369/2007-8Aug205.jpg
Here are the only 2 small scale items I have from this company.A Penny Maserati Frua and a Polistil Aston Martin Lola.Quality sure did go down with the speedwheels although scale seems consistent.
(I wouldnt miss these 2 if a good trade for a loose 2003 HW custom Fleetside or cash offer was made)