57c Land Rover Fire Truck

[Idris]

The NAMC’s “Catalog of all Series Matchbox Models” (first edition) lists a plausible unlisted variation at 57-3d consisting of a BPW model with decals to the body and labels to the doors. (Nick only list variations which are the other way round.) This would have to be a later variation and, if confirmed, the exact details will determine where in the table it slots in.
The AIM “1-75 Series Regular Wheels” catalogue (second printing, 1983) has no unlisted variations.
Houghton lists 57c-5 as having 11.5 x 45 GPW. (His variation 57c-4 is Nick's 11 x 45 GPW)
Stannard's variations 57c-8, 9, and 10 are all without decal guides, with axles braces and carrying decals. This looks erroneous.
U.K. Matchbox covered the model in Vol. 2, no. 5 (Jul. '78) p96 in a rather sketchy manner. (No variation table is presented/attempted.) A follow-up appeared in Vol. 2, no. 8 (Oct. '78) p144 and reads thus:
"Graham Ward has found a most interesting version of the 57c Land Rover Fire Truck. This would appear to be on the first type casting and concerns the clear plastic spring and opening in the central baseplate. Early springs had but one crossbrace in the centre and this particular model has the crossbrace on the outward side of the spring, thus forming a sort of finger pull. Using a finger nail, the spring can be pushed to the front or the rear imparting maximum or nil suspension in the front and rear axle. All other models seen have this crossbrace on the inner face of the spring and, subsequently, a further crossbrace was added to prevent the crossbrace from sliding in the manner in which Graham can manipulate his model."

[kwakers]

I can confirm the NAMC variation of the 57-3d with Kent decals and having the shield labels. Ours was bought brand new in our local stores, so was never played with or tampered with in any way. This one was always a known U.S. East Coast variation, but I have no idea how hard to find they may have been in other areas of the world. Ours has decal guides, base braces, and 13 turns of hose along the top of the rear drum, which looks like Nick's B rear opening with level keys. If someone else has this variation, I will check ours again and confirm that B rear panel by using Nick's Great pictures at his site.
I am only missing Stannard's codes 1, 8, 9, 10 and 14 Idris, so the 3 you doubt may in fact be very tough to find, but I have no reason to believe any of Stannard's codes do not exist. If the factory had run out of the newer labels at any time they were using later bodies without their decal guides, they may have gone back to older stocks of existing earlier decals to finish an order. Who knows how many were done during those days, but we never found any of these 5 codes in our area stores.
kwakers

[pkp448]

I recently picked up this 57c with Kent decals and shield labels, rear panel A, axle braces and D cutout.



Bill