lesney matchbox 38a Karrier bantam refuse truck

Moko Lesney Matchbox 38a Karrier bantam refuse truck

Lesney introduced the "Chelsea" bodied Karrier bantam refuse truck into the Matchbox 1-75 series in 1957.
The first version was painted a muddy brown and it seems to turn up quite frequently in Holland. It had grey metal wheels on dome head axles with crimped ends. It had hand applied silver trim to the grille, headlights and front bumper and it was enhanced with orange-yellow or yellow "cleansing department" decals to the sides.
The muddy brown paint was quickly dropped in favour of grey and the reason was probably because the decals did not adhere to the brown paint very well.
Next two ridges were added to the sides to help the employees locate the decals in the correct position. Then there was an odd run that was issued with the older type flat head axles, Although this is unusual other models issued at this point in time are known to have this anomaly.
Soon afterwards the gap between the back of the cab and the refuse container was filled in.
Next the wheels were changed from grey metal to the smaller 8 x 18 grey plastic and soon afterwards the axle crimping was changed to axles with rounded ends.

Next the model was given a change of livery when the grey paint was changed for a much brighter silver and as the silver versions no longer needed silver trim so it was omitted from these last few issues.
The first very short run of silver bodied bantams was issued with 9 x 20 silver plastic wheels and this version is by far the rarest and is very rarely seen.
The next issue had grey plastic wheels and the final run had another casting modification when two ridges were added to the sides of the body which were presumbly there to stop the back door casting from coming adrift, Strangely it is usually the silver painted bantams that turn up without the doors so maybe it was the shiny silver paint had less grip on the door casting.
The grey issues are common, the silver ones are less common, the brown issue is quite rare but the silver body with silver wheels is the rarest.
One odd variation was seen to have the last body type in silver but with grey metal wheels on crimped axles, This variation does not fit in with the timeline so it must be assumed to be a pre production or something so has not been added to the variation table.
The bantam was packaged in 'B' and 'C' type boxes, it was replaced by the 38b Vauxhall victor in mid 1963.

above: three colour variations plus an error piece with the decals in the wrong position.

above: another error piece without decals.

code number	general	silver trim	wheel type	axle type	body type
code 1	grey brown body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	flat head crimped	body 1
code 2	grey brown body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	body 1
code 3	bright grey brown body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	body 1
code 4	grey body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	body 1
code 5	grey body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	flat head crimped	body 2
code 6	grey body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	body 2
code 7	bright grey body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	body 2
code 8	grey body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	body 3
code 9	grey body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	body 3
code 10	grey body, decals	mask sprayed, grille, headlights & bumper	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	body 3
code 11	grey body, decals	hand applied, grille, headlights & bumper	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	body 3
code 12	grey body, decals	mask sprayed, grille, headlights & bumper	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	body 3
code 13	silver body, decals	none	9 x 20 silver plastic	dome head rounded	body 3
code 14	silver body, decals	none	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	body 3
code 15	silver body, decals	none	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	body 4

box types	notes
B2	none
B3	none
B4	lower case letters
B4	upper case letters
B5	none
C	none

values

brown body, grey metal wheels £150+

grey body, grey metal wheels £35

grey body, grey plastic wheels £35

silver body, grey plastic wheels £60

silver body, silver plastic wheels £500+

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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above: a later mid sixties Karrier with a one piece windscreen