Lesney Matchbox 25d Ford Cortina MK ll

Moko Lesney Matchbox 25d Ford Cortina MK ll

The Lesney model of the Ford Cortina MK ll joined the Matchbox 1-75 series in mid 1968 when it replaced the Bedford BP petrol tanker.
The Cortina was always painted metallic brown and it had an ivory coloured plastic interior which included the tow hook in the molding.
The baseplate was silver plated and it included the grille and bumpers in the casting so the model did not need silver trim.
The wheels were 10 x 36 black plastic on dome head axles with rounded ends and the car had suspension to all four wheels and it featured Lesneys "Autosteer" system where the front wheels could be steered by pressing down on the side you wished to steer towards..
The windows were clear plastic which can be found with a round fixing hole on the early issues or an oval hole on the later ones and for added play value it had opening front doors which were spring loaded by a metal leaf spring mounted under the bonnet (hood).
The window fixing rivet inside the roof can be an unflattened round rivet, a flattened round rivet or later it was replaced by a domed locating stud.
There was only one other casting variation which can be found inside the boot where two studs were cast in just behind the rear wheels and this modification was carried out fairly early in the models life and was probably done to locate the interior and hold it in place while the model was being assembled. On all models the outline of the boot (trunk) can be either a raised ridge or it can be a groove, I believe this is just a difference between the various dies that were used to cast the model and it appears that all variations can be found with either type of boot outline.
The Cortina was included in the 1968 G-4 'Race n Rally' giftset where it was enhanced with a yellow plastic roofrack, These roofracks are sometimes sold with regular Cortinas in 1-75 boxes but I don't believe the model was ever sold this way originally.
The Cortina was converted to superfast wheels in 1970 and it kept its regular wheels colour of metallic brown, It was later recoloured to metallic blue. One unusual example was sold by Vectis which had regular wheels but in the superfast colour of metallic blue which did not appear on the superfast issue until some time after the regular wheeled baseplates had been deleted so this example must be considered to be a pre production issue.
The Ford was packaged in box types 'E' and 'F', There are no rare variations.

above: with yellow plastic roof rack from G-4 giftset.

above: boot outline can be a raised ridge or a groove.

above: with & without studs in boot.

above: the 3 types of window fixing rivet.

above: a period Lesney promotional photograph.

all variations can be found with grooved or raised boot outline

code number general wheel type window hole window rivet boot studs

code 1 metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior 10 x 36 black plastic round rivet 1 no studs

code 2 metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior 10 x 36 black plastic round rivet 1 with studs

code 3 metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior 10 x 36 black plastic round rivet 2 with studs

code 4 metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior 10 x 36 black plastic oval rivet 2 with studs

code 5 metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior 10 x 36 black plastic round rivet 3 with studs

code 6 metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior 10 x 36 black plastic oval rivet 3 with studs

box types	notes
E4R	light blue sides
F2	A Lesney Product
F2	A Lesney Product, trademark to end flap closers

values

all models £25

values are for mint models in mint boxes

price guide gallery

box gallery

picture gallery

code number	general	wheel type	window hole	window rivet	boot studs
code 1	metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior	10 x 36 black plastic	round	rivet 1	no studs
code 2	metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior	10 x 36 black plastic	round	rivet 1	with studs
code 3	metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior	10 x 36 black plastic	round	rivet 2	with studs
code 4	metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior	10 x 36 black plastic	oval	rivet 2	with studs
code 5	metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior	10 x 36 black plastic	round	rivet 3	with studs
code 6	metallic brown body, plated baseplate, clear windows, ivory interior	10 x 36 black plastic	oval	rivet 3	with studs