PLEASE NOTE: I will no longer be altering the variation codes. All new discoveries will be inserted in to their correct place in the timeline and given a suffix.
So a new variation that would be nearest to variation 4 would become the new 4a, etc.

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Moko Lesney Matchbox 43a Hillman Minx



In 1958 Lesneys Matchbox 1-75 series saw the Hillman Minx join the range. The first issue was painted green and it had grey metal wheels on dome head axles with crimped ends, It had hand applied silver trim to the headlights, grille and to the front and rear bumpers and the rear lights were trimmed with red.
The baseplate was painted flat black and it was equipped with the mandatory tow hook.
The green Minx is quite a hard one to find but like some of the other early issues in rare colours it does seem to turn up in Holland quite often.
The model was quickly recoloured to blue-grey body with an off white roof and boot lid (trunk).
It kept the metal wheels and one issue was fitted with flat head axles but this is not unusual as other models assembled at this time were also fitted with the earlier type flat head axles.
Grey plastic wheels were fitted briefly before the model was recoloured again to a much brighter turquoise with a cream roof & boot lid. at this time the method of assembly was changed where the earlier models had the trim applied before the baseplate was fitted the later issues had the trim applied after the baseplate was fitted so the trim to the rear bumper now had a gap in the center where the tow hook obstructed the bumper. The turquoise issues can be found with a gloss or flat black baseplate and the final issue had dome head axles with rounded ends.
There were two areas of modification to the casting, Firstly the roof which had a smooth interior on the early issues was altered when a row of five pips was added to the inside of the windscreen opening and three pips were added to the inside edge of the rear window, Soon two ejector rings were added to the inside edge of the windscreen.
The rear rivet post was also altered very late in the models life where the early post had two triangular braces cast in one on either side the flinal issue had a larger thicker brace which completely encircled the rivet post.
Although the Minx in general is not that common a model the blue-grey versions is the easiest to find, the turquoise is quite hard to find and the green version is rare.
The Minx was packaged in 'B' and 'C' type boxes, After a four year run it was replaced by the 43b Aveling Barford tractor shovel in mid 1962.

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The first three green Minxes
Photo courtesy Christine Macaluso

above: the rare green minx.

above: three different roof interiors and two rear rivet posts.


trim code trim type
trim 1 grille, headlights, front & rear bumpers
trim 2 as above, rear bumper in 2 halves

code number general baseplate wheel type axle type rivet post roof interior trim type
code 1 green body, silver & red trim flat black 10 x 18 grey metal dome head crimped post 1 roof 1 trim 1
code 2 green body, silver & red trim flat black 10 x 18 grey metal dome head crimped post 1 roof 2 trim 1
code 3 green body, silver & red trim flat black 10 x 18 grey metal dome head crimped post 1 roof 3 trim 1
code 4 blue-grey body, off white roof, silver & red trim flat black 10 x 18 grey metal dome head crimped post 1 roof 1 trim 1
code 5 blue-grey body, off white roof, silver & red trim flat black 10 x 18 grey metal dome head crimped post 1 roof 2 trim 1
code 6 blue-grey body, off white roof, silver & red trim flat black 10 x 18 grey metal dome head crimped post 1 roof 3 trim 1
code 7 blue-grey body, off white roof, silver & red trim flat black 10 x 18 grey metal flat head crimped post 1 roof 3 trim 1
code 8 blue-grey body, off white roof, silver & red trim flat black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head crimped post 1 roof 3 trim 1
code 9 blue-grey body, off white roof, silver & red trim flat black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head crimped post 1 roof 3 trim 2
code 10 turquoise body, cream roof, silver & red trim flat black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head crimped post 1 roof 3 trim 2
code 11 turquoise body, cream roof, silver & red trim gloss black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head crimped post 1 roof 3 trim 2
code 12 turquoise body, cream roof, silver & red trim flat black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head rounded post 1 roof 3 trim 2
code 13 turquoise body, cream roof, silver & red trim gloss black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head rounded post 1 roof 3 trim 2
code 14 turquoise body, cream roof, silver & red trim flat black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head rounded post 1 roof 3 trim 2
code 15 turquoise body, cream roof, silver & red trim gloss black 9.5 x 20 grey plastic dome head rounded post 2 roof 3 trim 2

box types notes
B2 none
B3 none
B4 Hillman "Minx"
B4 Hillman Minx
B5 medium model number shown
B5 large model number shown
C none

values

green body metal wheels £300+

blue-grey body metal wheels £40

blue-grey body grey plastic wheels £60

turquoise body grey plastic wheels £80+

values are for mint models in mint boxes
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