lesney matchbox 45a Vauxhall victor

Moko Lesney Matchbox 45a Vauxhall victor

1958 saw the Lesney model of the 45a Vauxhall victor join the Matchbox 1-75 series. Like the later 22b Cresta it was a very American looking car that in real life did not last for long as they suffered severe rusting due to the damp British climate.
The first issue was painted red, It had 8.5 x 18 grey metal wheels on dome head axles with crimped ends and a flat black baseplate, Silver trim was hand applied to the grille, headlights and front & rear bumpers.
Very soon the body colour was changed to yellow and after a short run the casting was modified when a brace was added that ran along the bottom of the dashboard and the braces on the rear rivet post were enlarged. These first two issues without the dashboard casting are extremely rare and are among the top ten rarest 1-75's. The red painted issue being the most desirable of the two and by far the most valuable.

Later the wheels were changed to grey plastic and the bonnet (hood) interior was modified again when two additional ejector rings were added, Around this time the baseplate colour was changed to gloss black and the silver trim was applied by mask spraying.
Axles with rounded ends made an appearance and shortly after windows were fitted, the first windows were clear plastic but were not in use for long until they were changed to green tinted plastic. The bonnet interior was modified yet again and soon the braces on the rear rivet post were widened so they ran the full width of the body.

On the later issues the silver trim was often omitted from the rear bumper and towards the end of the models run the wheels were changed to silver plastic and finally to black plastic. The silver wheeled version is not common and the black wheeled one is quite a hard to find variation.
The Victor stayed in the range until 1965 when it was replaced by the 45b Ford Corsair, Knowing how badly the Victor suffered from rust the model probably lasted longer than most of the real cars. It was packaged in 'B', 'C' and 'D' type boxes.

Updated: 16-11-10, Jason (Nearlymint) from the forum has found an unlisted yellow Victor without dashboad brace but this one has the row of 4 pips cast under the bonnet. It has been added to the listing at number 3.

above: the hard to find issue with 36 tread black plastic wheels.

above: a close up of the 36 tread wheels.

above: left, without dashboard brace. right, with dashboard brace.

photograph courtesy Jan Naessens

above: the recently discovered Victor without dashboard brace but with the 4
pips cast in has been added to the listing at number 3

photograph courtesy Jason (Nearlymint)

above: type 2 had the dashboard brace cast in

above: a late issue Victor without the central ring cast into
the bonnet has recently come to light, any info on other
examples of this model would be greatly appreciated

above: an early yellow Victor without dashboard brace but
with the 4 pips cast under the bonnet, this new bonnet type
is listed as type 1a simply to keep the listing in order

code number	general	wheel type	axle type	window type	baseplate colour	rear rivet post	bonnet type	silver trim
code 1	red body	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	none	flat black	post type 1	bonnet 1	front & rear by hand
code 2	yellow body	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	none	flat black	post type 1	bonnet 1	front & rear by hand
code 3 NEW	yellow body	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	none	flat black	post type 1	bonnet 1a	front & rear by hand
code 4	yellow body	8.5 x 18 grey metal	dome head crimped	none	flat black	post type 2	bonnet 2	front & rear by hand
code 5	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	none	flat black	post type 2	bonnet 2	front & rear by hand
code 6	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	none	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 2	front & rear by hand
code 7	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	none	flat black	post type 2	bonnet 3	front & rear by hand
code 8	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	none	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 3	front & rear by hand
code 9	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	none	flat black	post type 2	bonnet 3	front & rear mask sprayed
code 10	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head crimped	none	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 3	front & rear mask sprayed
code 11	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	none	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 3	front & rear by hand
code 12	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	none	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 3	front & rear mask sprayed
code 13	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	clear plastic	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 3	front & rear mask sprayed
code 14	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	clear plastic	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 15	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 16	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 2	bonnet 4	front only mask sprayed
code 17	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 18	yellow body	8 x 18 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front only mask sprayed
code 19	yellow body	9 x 20 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 20	yellow body	9 x 20 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front only mask sprayed
code 21	yellow body	9 x 24 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 22	yellow body	9 x 24 grey plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front only mask sprayed
code 23	yellow body	9 x 24 silver plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 24	yellow body	9 x 24 silver plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front only mask sprayed
code 25	yellow body	8 x 18 black plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 26	yellow body	8 x 18 black plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front only mask sprayed
code 27	yellow body	9 x 36 black plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front & rear mask sprayed
code 28	yellow body	9 x 36 black plastic	dome head rounded	green plastic	gloss black	post type 3	bonnet 4	front only mask sprayed

box types	notes
B2	none
B3	none
B4	Vauxhall "Victor"
B4	Vauxhall Victor
B5	Vauxhall Victor
C	Vauxhall Victor
D1	one black side one blue
D2	one black side one blue

values

red body with type 1 bonnet, metal wheels £3000+

yellow with type 1 bonnet, metal wheels £300+

yellow with type 2 bonnet metal wheels, no windows £30

yellow, grey plastic wheels, no windows £40

yellow, grey plastic wheels, clear windows £40

yellow, grey plastic wheels, green windows £30

yellow, silver plastic wheels, green windows £50

yellow, black plastic wheels, green windows £80

values are for mint models in mint boxes

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