69c Rolls Royce Silver Shadow

[johnboy]

There is a tiny difference on the baseplate braces on the 69c, visible through the boot. I've only got a couple of these models, both with narrow arches and thin wheels, so there may be more differences out there, but one of mine has triangular ends to the braces and the other is a simple "L" shape.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hello johnboy we meet again.

The reason for the inner baseplate variation on your 69c Silver Shadow is because the very first issue from 1969, had a long seat component with a lot more plastic between the back of the rear seat and the arm extension to the tow hook.

If you are lucky enough to have the first version, you will find that the tow hook does not push back as far and as easily as tow hooks do, on later versions.

Again by looking in the open boot, you can see a lot of seat coloured plastic down the sides of the hinge openings, again only found on the very first issue.

The baseplate was designed with those little straight guides for positioning of this longer seat component at the back, but in reality, they were not needed, as the seat component sits comfortably anyway and is not lose in a way it needed extra guides.

The seat moulding was retooled to lose all that extra plastic at the rear shortly after the model was launched, but the baseplate kept the straight guides for a number of models before the guides became angled, but they serve no purpose with the shorter seat component and could have been removed completely.

I do not have access to my own 69c Silver Shadow models at the moment for some pictures of exactly what I am talking about, but have found an old picture showing it from underneath and if you look carefully you can see the dark orange seat plastic inside the rear arch on only one model, Version 1, on the right, but not on Version 1A, on the left.

Regards,
GHOSTHUNTER.

[johnboy]

Thanks for the detailed explanation gh! There's so much to learn and so little time to do it in I tend to show any differences that I find, (no matter how small they are & assuming I can't easily see them mentioned elsewhere) because it can lead to some interesting follow up posts.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi johnboy,

My Rolls-Royce models collection is my first love in life, my real Rolls-Royce being second, (that don't sound right does it, my car should be first so I can get to shows etc, ah well !), and I spend hour upon hour looking and studying my models. It is amazing what you can find by looking at your models from all angles and in all lighting conditions, (hang on there, what sort of nonsense talk is that..."all lighting conditions"), that's right, I look at all the surface casting marks and faults and by learning those and where they appear on model components, I have learnt how to date models and to do this you need to see your models in various lighting conditions as some light will be better at picking out little marks and scuffs etc on the bare metal surfaces before painting. I never tire of finding new variations on models and "Matchbox" is the most prolific producer of variations created by endless re-tooling, specification changes, production changes and long production runs etc.

I have to respect what Nick has created with his casting and variation listings website, so I can not flood the forum with all my findings, I just wait until somebody posts something that fits-in directly with my collection and maybe reply and this is why I am replying to you now.

I am very happy to show images of casting variations, but hold back on showing everything, (as I said, 'FLOODING') and would love to show you all the versions of the 69c Silver Shadow, in my collection, but simply can't.

I will however get some better pictures of those early versions of the 69c, showing the inside of the boot etc, so until then, byeeeeee,

GHOSTHUNTER.

[Johnny Pimp]

I am very happy to show images of casting variations, but hold back on showing everything, (as I said, 'FLOODING') and would love to show you all the versions of the 69c Silver Shadow, in my collection, but simply can't.
GHOSTHUNTER.

I wouldn't worry about flooding this particular thread with photos as we're way off reaching the 69-c on the SF Casting Show.

I've got quite a few variations of this model myself and would be interested to know if you have the following from Nick's list: -

69-c-1 Blue metallic with flat black base
69-c-5 Dark blue metallic, black base
69-c-6 Dark blue metallic, light green base
69-c-19 Gold, light yellow base
69-c-31Lime-gold metallic, orange interior
69-c-36 Lime-gold metallic, silver-grey base

I've also found the dark gold models to be very hard to find. I believe that true dark gold cars have a tan primer under the gold clear coat but with only one of these in my collection, it's hard to come to any solid conclusions.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi there johnny pimp,

As I mention in the earlier post, I am unable to look at my own 69c models at the moment, so I am not clear as to what versions I do have, but having looked at Nick's guide for this model, I believe I have more blue versions, in particular the guide's 'code 1' with a flat black base colour, my earliest blue version has a gloss black base, but it has the long seat component as used in the yellow 'pre-production' and Nick hasn't noted a different seat componenet for his 'code 1'.

I certainly don't have as many base colours on the gold car as Nick and other members and when first putting these models together for my collection, the base was not considered a variation as much as it is now, so I am trying to play 'catch-up' with these.

Thank's for coming back on this subject, as soon as I have my 69c models handy, I will open the flood gates........

Regards,
GHOSTHUNTER.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

In an earlier post here, I show a picture of two examples of 69c, in particular the rear underside of the baseplates. On the left hand side model, there is a little sticker displaying...No. 1A:, this does not refere to any code devised by Nick in his guide for this model, it is my own code number for these models.

The model on the right is 'my' No. 1:, the very earliest example I have, it also has the sticker but is further down the base.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[Ewan]

If anyone has the time would they be so good as to post a photo of the metallic blue and the darker metallic blue versions together? I think I my one and only 69c has dark paint and a matt base but that is not an option is Nick's variation table. The problems of having a small collection really rear their head when you need to do a colour comparison! Many thanks

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hello Ewan,

Here are some pictures of the two 'Distinct' shades of blue in my collection. They both have the same earlier body casting, with the rounded profile boot hinge openings, flat sides to the rear bumper cut-out, (where the plastic hook lays) and large door locks.

The second body casting has square boot hinge openings, rounded sides to the rear bumper cut-out and smaller door locks, in fact, the door handle and lock are in a different position between the two body castings, but you only wanted the two blue colours here, so I will show the body casting differences later.

I have left two pictures as a large file so just left click on the image and it will display fullsize,

Regards,
GHOSTHUNTER.

[Ewan]

Thanks very much for that GHOSTHUNTER - much appreciated. It is now obvious to me it's the lighter blue. The base is a perfect match for your photo at the start of the thread (model marked 1A). It has the short seat mounting and from your description I would say it has the early body casting.