#9 Flyers Maserati Mistral

[fixer]

Mostly found in red and less often white

[GHOSTHUNTER]

First issued in 1969, this was the First model to back track on the catalogue numbers by being given the number 9. The First model in the 'Impy' Supercars range was the Jaguar Mk10 as catalogue number 10.

The first versions had the 'Disc' wheels as shown in the catalogue illustration below.

#9 Maserati Mistrale, 1st issue..JPG (29.7 KiB) Viewed 2907 times

These were replaced by the 'Hot Foiled' design in 1970 as shown on the examples shown in the above posting by "fixer".

Ghosthunter.

[fixer]

Ah yes forgot about the hot foiled effect ones
Still waiting to get one

[fixer]

Also have not seen one like the image you have added Kev

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Also have not seen one like the image you have added Kev

The bonnet striping was a very basic enamel painting print done through a mask or stencil. Not quit up to the standards of 'Tampo' printing. Most of the cars in 1969 had this, but was absent from 1970 onwards.

Ghosthunter.

[Idris]

The first versions had the 'Disc' wheels as shown in the catalogue illustration below.

No offence intended Ghosty, but is this fact or simply speculation?

[fixer]

The first versions had the 'Disc' wheels as shown in the catalogue illustration below.

No offence intended Ghosty, but is this fact or simply speculation?

It's possible they exist Hugh,the only problem is that they're screwed together so any wheel & interior combination can be easily made up

[GHOSTHUNTER]

All the cars that constituted the First 'Flyers' range had the 'Disc' wheel design. Lone-Star were the First British toy company to adopt a low friction wheel and axle combination after the 'Hot Wheels' launch.

The 'Disc' aspect is a small convex steel washer pushed onto the plastic wheel, purely for cosmetic effect. This design was replaced by the easier to make 'Hot Foil' design.

The fact Reg has not found an example of this First design on the #9 Maserati, echos our findings on Matchbox models, they exist in smaller quantities, but I have no doubt about the model's existance, based on the catalogue illustrations I have seen, the one I posted above and an actual colour picture of the model in the Japanese market catalogue.

Ghosthunter.

[ogedei2]

Red but with trim only aplied to the lights & number plate, I've no reason to believe the bumpers & grill have been cleaned off as its the 2nd one I've seen.

m2 (1).JPG (34.48 KiB) Viewed 2857 times

m2 (2).JPG (31.1 KiB) Viewed 2857 times

Silver flyers

m1 (1).JPG (59.01 KiB) Viewed 2857 times

m1 (2).JPG (53.24 KiB) Viewed 2857 times

m1 (3).JPG (61.92 KiB) Viewed 2857 times

[GHOSTHUNTER]

'Silver Flyers' are a specific range of plated models (in Silver) from 1977. The model shown by ''ogedei2'' is from the 1971 range where the base colour was still plated but then a top coat in Red, Blue, Yellow or Green etc is added. The Two types of model are often confusingly accepted as being from the same range. the 'Silver Flyers' have their own box design with artwork tied to the range. The other 1971 'Plated' models, seem to have been placed in the regular 'Flyers' closed box, but I have not seen a mint example to confirm this, any offers to help clarify this.

Ghosthunter.