Lesney Matchbox 19b MGA sports car

Moko Lesney Matchbox 19b MGA sports car

In 1958 the Lesney model of the MGA replaced the MG midget at number 19 in the Matchbox 1-75 range,
It was painted off white but shades can vary from white to almost a cream colour and it had a red baseplate which had the seats which were also painted red cast into the upper face,
It was attached to the body by two round rivets and being that it was a sports car the model was not fitted with a tow hook.

It was fitted with a brown painted driver which was fixed in place by a stud in the drivers backside fitting into a hole in the base of the seat seat but the method of attachment was not very satisfactory because the MGA is often found with the driver missing even on the most lightly playworn examples.
Gold trim was applied to the grille and front and rear bumpers of the first issue but this was soon changed for silver trim and the tail lights were usually picked out in red but on some models the red trim can be missed,
It always had dome head axles, early models had crimped ends and later ones rounded ends.
It was originally fitted with 9.5 x 18 grey metal wheels but this wassoon changed and issues are usually found with 9 x 20 grey or rarely with silver plastic wheels,

There was only one minor casting variation concerning the driver,
The early issue drivers had a steering column on the steering wheel and later drivers had no steering column,
The issue with gold trim or the silver plastic wheeled version are both quite hard to find although this is not exactly a common model in any variation, The metal wheeled version is hard to find and the grey wheeled version is the most common.
The MGA was packaged in 'B' or later 'C' type boxes and was deleted in 1962 when it was replaced by the 19c Aston Martin DBR 5.

above: silver or gold trim can be found on this model.

above: left, silver wheels: center, unlisted GPW with gold trim.

above: with or without steering column

code number	general	grille & bumpers	wheel type	axle type	steering column
code 1	off white bidy, red base, brown driver, red tail lights	gold	9.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	with column
code 2	off white bidy, red base, brown driver, red tail lights	silver	9.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	with column
code 3	off white bidy, red base, brown driver, red tail lights	silver	9 x 20 grey plastic	dome head crimped	with column
code 4	off white bidy, red base, brown driver, red tail lights	silver	9 x 20 grey plastic	dome head crimped	without column
code 5	off white bidy, red base, brown driver, red tail lights	silver	9 x 20 grey plastic	dome head rounded	without column
code 6	off white bidy, red base, brown driver, red tail lights	silver	9 x 20 silver plastic	dome head rounded	without column

box types	notes
B2	(box as 19a)
B3	box shows 19a
B4	M.G.
B5	MG "A" Sports car
C	M.G.

values

metal wheels, gold trim £200+

metal wheels,silver trim £60

grey plastic wheels,silver trim £45

silver wheels £250

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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