65a unlisted variation

[Diecast]

This 65a Metalic Blue models one is unlisted on Nicks site of variations that is the one with crimped axles and a Flat Black base plate both are Metalic Blue models.
George T.

I have digged out in my spare models the variation of metallic blue Jag with crimped axles and a flat black base. Thanks George for good tip.
Antonin

[Diecast]

Another one with one central ejector ring, but it has mask sprayed front bumper, grille, 4 x headlights & rear bumper, tail lights, number plate
Antonin

[kwakers]

Very nice variations with the flat black base, and also that single roof ejector ring. Thanks Antonin and George for those Great pictures. I had never found one of these blue Jags with silver rear number plate in circulation in our stores, so had to buy one from our Tinman just 2 years ago out of his collection. Knowing there are variations of it now will keep me searching for others as I see them.
I do have Nick's variation 3 with no number plate and crimped axles in 2 different non-metallic blues. The first is a darker blue, while the other is a lighter medium blue, both bought many years ago. If you look at Nick's site, 2 of his seem different colors in his pictures, but they were never side by side to compare like mine. I do not have a riveted axle model to compare them to, so I have no idea which is in fact the 'stock' non metallic blue. Antonin is right, that riveted axle non metallic blue variation is the one that is toughest to find. I am still looking for one after all these years. My two blues are very different colors from each other, not just minor shade differences.
Just like George has said here, we bought our single models to have an example of each color and wheel type early on. We then started buying lots of models from stores as spares that had been discontinued like this one in the early 60s. Only upon arriving home and comparing details and colors on them did we accidentally find they were different than those initially in our collections. Because our early U.S. guides did not go into casting details as well as Stannard in 1985, we are left still searching for a few we never would have known about when these toys were in our stores. kwakers

[Diecast]

Hi Dick

Just to remember, I have mentioned it by Hugh´s Missing variations yet.
There is a lot of trim variations:

a) hand applied silver trim to bumper, hand applied red trim to tail lights
b) mask sprayed silver trim to bumper, hand applied red trim to tail lights
c) mask sprayed silver trim to bumper, large number plate & tail lights
d) mask sprayed silver trim to bumper, small number plate & tail lights
e) mask sprayed silver trim to bumper & tail lights
f) mask sprayed silver trim to bumper

Antonin

[kwakers]

A Very nice lineup Antonin, and very correct in timeline of trim practices. I enjoy being able to add variations after all these years, but I also understand that not all collectors have the same detailed interests as some of us veteran collectors. It is a pleasure though to be able to share our findings and facts here so that there can be some corrections and additions while we are still actively searching them out. Nick's listings will be the most accurate anywhere because of the fun we Forum members have as we share our favorite Lesneys here.......kwakers

[nickjones]

Antonin, When you get time send me all of your known variations and I'll get the page updated.
Thank you.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

A Very nice lineup Antonin, and very correct in timeline of trim practices. I enjoy being able to add variations after all these years, but I also understand that not all collectors have the same detailed interests as some of us veteran collectors. It is a pleasure though to be able to share our findings and facts here so that there can be some corrections and additions while we are still actively searching them out. Nick's listings will be the most accurate anywhere because of the fun we Forum members have as we share our favorite Lesneys here.......kwakers

I wonder if the collectors such as Nick who have started such a task in cataloguing the "Matchbox" product lines, ever considered a time when they thought their work would be complete. Taking on a task with any companies toys or models requires a lot of time and hard work, but when it comes to Lesney and the way they produced their lines and subjected many of those lines to constant improvements with re-tooling etc, is an even bigger task.

Since Nick's code listing was first created, it is clear there are still plenty of models being discovered that are not listed and as more collectors come forward with their findings and share them with us on such forums as this one, then even more models will have to be processed, verified and added to the listing.

The overall enjoyment of this forum's members in showing their finds and the enjoyment the resident experts experience towards most of these finds is great and can only benefit new collectors later-on when they join the forum.

Nick for all his hard work will obviously still have a lot of work in front of him, but while he still enjoys doing what he does towards our hobby with the forum and his code listing, he should be constantly thanked and I agree with "Kwakers" that the code listing is good at the moment, but I am sure it will be much better in the near future with the updates and hopefully the most accurate of its kind, looked upon as a serious reference work by others.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[nickjones]

I wonder if the collectors such as Nick who have started such a task in cataloguing the "Matchbox" product lines, ever considered a time when they thought their work would be complete.
GHOSTHUNTER.

Hi Ghostie, well, to be honest I thought that when I built my first website "vintagematchboxtoys" back in 1998, And now here we are on it's third or fourth incarnation and I still have tons to add, But Hugh's work on the "missing 1-75 variations" is showing that I finally have the majority of variations listed, yes admittedly there are some that need serious attention but I think we are getting there at last.
After the winter update I will "lock" the codes, Any further variations discovered will be added to the end of the table. I know quite a few people are unhappy that the codes are constantly changing so this will be a good time to finally do it...

[mike]

I wonder if the collectors such as Nick who have started such a task in cataloguing the "Matchbox" product lines, ever considered a time when they thought their work would be complete.
GHOSTHUNTER.

Hi Ghostie, well, to be honest I thought that when I built my first website "vintagematchboxtoys" back in 1998, And now here we are on it's third or fourth incarnation and I still have tons to add, But Hugh's work on the "missing 1-75 variations" is showing that I finally have the majority of variations listed, yes admittedly there are some that need serious attention but I think we are getting there at last.
After the winter update I will "lock" the codes, Any further variations discovered will be added to the end of the table. I know quite a few people are unhappy that the codes are constantly changing so this will be a good time to finally do it...

Please Nick.
Code list does not changing.
I have a lot of time and effort spent trying.

Maybe just change with additional letter.
Such as:
Code 3-a
Code 9-d
Code 25-g

I hope you understand my English.
Greetings Mike & Nico

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Locking the 'CODES' is a good idea providing even this is flexible in as much as collectors coming forward with variations insisting you open the 'CODES' and add their models to it!

This will have to be done if enough top collectors (the likes of "Kwakers", "Kerbside", "ChFalkensteiner" and others), convince you a certain variation exists and will have to go in between two firmly established Coded models!!

You may have to up the number of examples to be found to make the model acceptable and a valid variation, but why am I telling you all this, your the Master, you have thought of all this I am sure, before hand, haven't you...

GHOSTHUNTER.