first of 2014 & some

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Does this picture posted by "Fixer" show two body castings...look at the little 'Blob' (side repeater lamp), is one of them lower down!!

In fact they are both wrong, on the real car they are higher up, almost level with the top of the arch-edge!


Ghosty.

[fixer]

Here's mine Reg

i'll get me coat that minty one makes my one a bit

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Here's mine Reg

i'll get me coat that minty one makes my one a bit

Ah! Reg, remember this..."A bad model is better than no model at all"...

Ghosty.

[motorman]

Here's mine Reg

i'll get me coat that minty one makes my one a bit

Ah! Reg, remember this..."A bad model is better than no model at all"...

Ghosty.

I agree with Ghosty.

[motorman]

I have often wondered if the base of mine is bare mazak?

Any thoughts?

[fixer]

looks like it is Alex , here's a base shot of mine looks to have traces of being plated

[GHOSTHUNTER]

The actual 'Plated' look on these models baseplates is not the same 'Plated' finish as seen on 'Giftware' 'Yesteryears' or the bright Chromed plastic parts on later 'Superfast' models.

The effect on these models (The Iso Griffo above and others), is created by the mix of metals in the raw Mazac metal, one of those metals being an Alloy I.E. a trace of Alluminum (Alluminium), which sadly over time does tend to turn darker, with the general atmosphere and a certain amount of oxidisation. This is not unique to Matchbox as both Corgi and Dinky models suffer the same fate.

Had the baseplates been properly 'Chrome' effect plated, the models would look more accurate in many cases, but the cost would have been too high, the Alloy approach was more effective at the time when the models were new and once played with for a while, the look did not really matter that much to the kids playing with them!!!

Ghosty.

[motorman]

The actual 'Plated' look on these models baseplates is not the same 'Plated' finish as seen on 'Giftware' 'Yesteryears' or the bright Chromed plastic parts on later 'Superfast' models.

The effect on these models (The Iso Griffo above and others), is created by the mix of metals in the raw Mazac metal, one of those metals being an Alloy I.E. a trace of Alluminum (Alluminium), which sadly over time does tend to turn darker, with the general atmosphere and a certain amount of oxidisation. This is not unique to Matchbox as both Corgi and Dinky models suffer the same fate.

Had the baseplates been properly 'Chrome' effect plated, the models would look more accurate in many cases, but the cost would have been too high, the Alloy approach was more effective at the time when the models were new and once played with for a while, the look did not really matter that much to the kids playing with them!!!

Ghosty.

Thanks Kevin, having said that, do you think my base has been plated at some time or is it bare?

[GHOSTHUNTER]

I have to say it looks in the picture to be bare metal (Mazac/Mazak being the type of metal used, a more refined type of metal than 'Pig Iron' used in the 1940's -50's for toy cars etc), and is a common look on our models. I don't see any signs of actual 'Plating' by whatever means "Matchbox" had access to at the time of this models introduction.

Ghosty.

[motorman]

I have to say it looks in the picture to be bare metal (Mazac/Mazak being the type of metal used, a more refined type of metal than 'Pig Iron' used in the 1940's -50's for toy cars etc), and is a common look on our models. I don't see any signs of actual 'Plating' by whatever means "Matchbox" had access to at the time of this models introduction.

Ghosty.

In the hand the base looks very raw. I think it is bare mazak after all.