Hey Guys,
I'm a little at a loss here. I have pics here of 3 blue Willys Tjets.
Now I know with camera flash the shade or hue may be different from pic to pic, but the original blue Willys was a fairly medium to darker shade of blue. Now as you can see, the lighter one is definitely an Aurora Willys ( or a nice casting of), because of the identical mold lines and nostrils. The third pic is another one, that falls between somewhere, that's definely lighter due to the lighting of the pic. Would anyone have any thoughts or ideas here.
Number 2, the lighter one ( looks almost translucent) I haven't yet seem in person, it's enroute from Oregon. Thanks for any info for what seems differences :confused:

Now before we jump to any conclusions, I too thought that maybe it was MM version of the Tjet Willys (see pic) but no, mold lines are different, scoop is different, fenders are different, grill is slimmer, etc....
Thanks for looking !

My thought on this is possibly a change in plastics used by Aurora in the early seventies when they were moving to a more translucent plyable plastic. I recall a yellow AMX like this I bought a a kid back in 71-72. Plastic was definitely not of the old style rigid form.
Thoughts???

Color variations are a given from era to era and year to year.

First one looks like the early darker blue. The tail lamp red paint is long gone. She's been around for a while. Note how you can see through the driver window and out the pass front fender. Correct factory Gasser stance.

Second one is what I call a "later". Note the huge flash warble in the driver "A" pillar. I presume this is a mold flaw as molds had to be replaced. Tail lights might be retouched they look heavy or blobbed from here.

Third one has the front post whacked. Obvious by the more level stance and the closed up front fender gap. Also note how the rear tire is more forward in its well while the front looks more centered. Another tell that the posts have been tinkered with. Rear wells look tampered also. Nicked and they appear as a widened elipse rather than a sharper arc. Granted untampered cars have shrinkage problems generally caused by environmental factors and things do wander a bit.

Flashing also varies hugely across the ages. The early QC was clearly better. Some rigs have more flash than a drunk chick at Mardi Gras. Some dont.

I always try to keep in mind that along with slight formulation changes, production era and origin, and what day of the week it was made; there is quite a variety.

I've noted that "rubberieness" also. A later thing. Something different for sure as it doesnt polish back as nicely and when re-cooked as repair plastic has a consistency like cottage cheese and requires a different solvent ratio to get it to lay out. Along that theme the translucent white base plastic of the cigar box cars is virtually incompatible with the colored body plastic. Again it should be noted that age and environment play a monster roll in the condition of any plastic.

Bill,
Thanks for the reply and the keen eye. I generally prefer the older more rigid styrene plastics, but this Willys (# 2 pic) I couldn't pass up. Really clean, though definitely of that later era. Production for Willys was from '69 - '72. Seems reminiscent of the A/FX style softer plastics. I think it be a cool piece.

Don't forget about the Cigarbox/Speedline bodies. They would have the shorter front post as well as sloppier molding and colors/plastic that aren't always consistent with T-Jets. Mine also has the funky looking rear wheelwell and it's still in the package.

hey krazcustoms,

Yes, there were variations of the Willys for the Cigarbox as well as Speedline lines, but they were in totally different colors, none of which was blue. Now...since you mentioned that, there was one product line around this time that Aurora made a blue Willys besides the T-jet line, and that was for the Super Speedsters, a late resurgence of their Speedlines with Cigarbox chassis. Though literature states most lacked clear windows. Doubt if this is one.