Baseplates

[radar]

Base plates

Don't normally care for variations and codes but I have this query.
Are many 1-75 base plates identical or interchangeable?
I guess the Commer Dunlop van, Evening news and Milk van maybe are.
Are there any others - like do the Wolseley and Prefect match up or similar?

Thanks

[Idris]

It's an interesting question.
The 55b Police Car and 59b Fire Chief and the obvious candidates, and crossover models seem to exist in significant quantities.
I too have wondered about the 25a Dunlop van and the 42a Evening News Van and, never having actually got round to checking, have always assumed that there is some detail of the casting which prevents the baseplates being swapped. As regards the 29a Milk Float, the same may also be true, although in that particular case, fitting the wrong baseplate would be immediately obvious (not that that would be any guarantee of it failing even Lesney's myopic quality control!)
Perhaps someone like Antonin could have a rummage in his beater box, experiment, and report back?

[Malibu]

Are many 1-75 base plates identical or interchangeable?I guess the Commer Dunlop van, Evening news and Milk van maybe are.

No they are not identical or interchangeable.
And they are Bedford baseplates.

(c) Malibu

Bedford.JPG (62.63 KiB) Viewed 948 times

Stephan

[Idris]

Are many 1-75 base plates identical or interchangeable?I guess the Commer Dunlop van, Evening news and Milk van maybe are.

No they are not identical or interchangeable.

Isn't that odd?

[Tinman]

Bases that are the same and designed to be interchangeable:
10d
32c
51c

The 60 Site Hut truck has an identical base from the front axle forward (as the above). Behind the front axle, the base takes an entire different shape.

55b & 59b have identical bases except for the inscription. Not intended to be interchanged but sometimes were interchanged.

55c & 59c were interchangable bases (also shared window glass, dome lights and interiors)
55d & 73c were interchangable bases.

8d & 18d shared bases.

K17 & K20 not only shared the same base, but they shared the entire tractor cab casting.

20c Chevy & 55c Ford shared the same interior.

The bases on the Commer 47b & 62b were nearly identical save for the large fixture cast into the base for the roll up door on the 62b.

Many of the late 60's Dodge trucks have bases identical from the front axle forward but depart in design aft of the front axle.

Sharing of parts is extensive: Wheels, tires and plastic hubs were shared between 1-75's, majors & kings. Air horns shared between 1-75's, Majors, & Kings. Some window glass was shared in larger scales as well as hydro sleeves and pistons. Horses were shared between 1-75's & Kings. Drivers were shared between models. Decals were shared between ranges too. Door/ramps were shared between models.

I've left out some stuff, but that's a good start.

[ChFalkensteiner]

Bases that are the same and designed to be interchangeable:
10d
32c
51c

Add 17e to this list.

55c & 59c were interchangable bases (also shared window glass, dome lights and interiors)

Also the same bodies, of course. These are actually the same model sold under two different numbers, something which happened with many other models later on and resulted in some difficult cataloguing decisions.

8d & 18d shared bases.

Bodies too, as applies to 8a/18a, 8b/18b and 8c/18c.

20c Chevy & 55c Ford shared the same interior.

Similarly, 45b Ford and 56b Fiat shared the same interior.

[Tinman]

Thank you Christian, I always forget about the Horsebox.

[Dave R]

I think that the 8d Caterpillar crawler and the 18d Cat bulldozer actually had different baseplates as, if i recall correctly, the dozer blade on 18d is part of the baseplate casting — solidly attached on one side, but with a gap between dozer arm and base on the other side (so the treads could be installed).

[Tinman]

I think that the 8d Caterpillar crawler and the 18d Cat bulldozer actually had different baseplates as, if i recall correctly, the dozer blade on 18d is part of the baseplate casting — solidly attached on one side, but with a gap between dozer arm and base on the other side (so the treads could be installed).

Well, 95% correct. The blade is a separate part, the rear mounting points for the blade are on the base plates cast 18. You can find number 8 Cats with the 18 base (and no blade but with the mounting tits for the blade & 18 cast). The way you can tell they came that way is that the front axle is to short to have once had a blade. If your bladeless Cat has a front axle that's a little too wide (and 18 on the base), you have a model where someone removed a broken blade. Another HTF variation to look out for.

Assembly process for an 18 would be like this: Sling two treads onto the blade. Pop the rear of the blade on the tits of the base. Bring blade up into position, slide axle in with 1st front roller, push axle through body and insert 2nd front roller followed by rounding over the axle end. Then the two treads can be positioned on the rollers and the model sent for boxing.