Lesney Matchbox 19d Lotus racing car

Moko Lesney Matchbox 19d Lotus racing car

The Lesney model of the 19d Lotus was introduced into the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1965 and it can usually be found painted in a dark green,
A run was issued coloured orange for the gift set 'G-4 race n rally' but the orange version went on to be sold in regular 1-75 boxes,

The lotus had a silver plated baseplate and dome head axles with rounded ends which was fitted with 8mm yellow plastic wheels,
The tyres on the front axle were smaller than the ones fitted to the rear although it is not uncommon to find the tyres fitted on the wrong axles, ie larger to the front and small to the rear.
It was enhanced by the addition of a set of decals or on the later issues labels bearing the racing number '3' and a yellow stripe, mixed labels / decals is a known variation.
A white plastic driver was fitted but comes loose quite easily so is not uncommon to find the lotus driverless.

There are a few casting variations,
One was to the body, This was the addition of decal locating ridges to the bonnet (hood) and to the sides to assist in aligning the decals / labels.
The other casting variations were to ther baseplate.
The first was the lengthening of the brace between the exhaust pipes.
Then the text on the baseplate was altered so the words "matchbox" and "made in" were increased in size,
At the same time ring shaped extensions were added to the axle carrier ends just behind the wheels to space the wheels away from the body,

It was packaged in box types 'E' and 'F' and altered to superfast wheels in 1969/70.
Although it's not a hard to find model the orange version is not as common as the green version.
Updated: 14-04-11, Jon (Biggles) has recently shown us a new and unrecorded base variation with mixed text and axle rings, This has been listed as code 1a

above: left, no axle extension rings. right with extension rings

above: front, mixed size baseplate text. rear same size baseplate text

above: left short exhaust bracket. right longer exhaust bracket

Update, Jon (Biggles) from the forum has recently discovered
this unusual casting variation which has mixed text with axle
rings which was previously unrecorded, To keep the variation
table in the same order this has been listed as code number 1a.
This also raises the question of the existence of an orange Lotus
fitted with this type of baseplate.
photo courtesy Jon (Biggles)

code number	general	decal/ label	decal guides	axle rings / base text	exhaust bracket
code 1	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	with guides	with rings, small text	short bracket
code 1a NEW	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	with guides	with rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 2	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	with guides	with rings, small text	longer bracket
code 3	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	with guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 4	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	no guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 5	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	mixed	no guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 6	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	label	with guides	with rings, small text	longer bracket
code 7	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	label	with guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 8	green, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	label	no guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 9	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	with guides	no rings, mixed text	short bracket
code 10	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	with guides	with rings, small text	longer bracket
code 11	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	with guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 12	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	decal	no guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 13	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	mixed	no guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 14	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	label	with guides	with rings, small text	longer bracket
code 15	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	label	with guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket
code 16	orange, plated base, yellow wheels, 12.5 x 72 and 14 x 72 tyres	label	no guides	no rings, mixed text	longer bracket

box types	notes
E1	two blue sides "new model"
E1	light blue sides
E3	light blue sides
E4	light blue sides
E4R	light blue sides
F2	A Lesney Product
F2	Lesney Products& Co Ltd London England

values

green body £25

orange body £50

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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