27c Cadillac Sixty Special

[Idris]

The NAMC’s “Catalog of all Series Matchbox Models” (second edition) is, putting it mildly, a mess, and I strongly suspect that sunfades have crept into both the silver-grey and silver-tan body listings. Nevertheless, some of the listed variations are worth noting. Variation code 27-3B1 is given as silver body/red base/white top/without windows. without red taillights/9 x 20 SPW. Since all other models are listed with cream or peach roofs except for the metallic green variant which also has a white roof (Nick lists it as off-white), I am tempted to see this model as some kind of transitional piece fitting between the metallic green and the metallic silver-grey issues, perhaps a factory trial given the lack of windows and rear trim (or is that merely extreme playwear?) Does any Member have anything similar? Variation code 27-3C3 is a silver-tan body with a red base and knobbly GPW (probably 9 x 20) - a combination missing from Nick's listing (but see below). NAMC also makes a distinction between a silver body and a silver-tan body. Is this distinction valid? Finally variation code 27-3D4 is a metallic mauve body with a black base, no red tail lights and large diameter knobbly GPW. Does any Member have any 27c in any colour with any wheel type having anything other than 9 mm diameter wheels?
The AIM's “1-75 Series Regular Wheels” catalogue (second printing, 1983) notes a variation 27-3d which has a silver-grey body, pink roof, green windows SPW (either 20 or 24 tread) and a red/crimson baseplate. This seems a plausible variation and would slot into Nick's table as a new variation code 5. Variation codes 27-3g and 27-3h form a pair. These are metallic lilac body/pink roof/green windows/GPW/black base, with 27-3g having thin wheels and 27-3h having thick. (We have previously seen this kind of variation on other models.) Can any Member clarify the tread count involved?
Stannard has a model listed as variation 27c-10 which is the same as Nick's variation code 16 (metallic lilac/pink roof/green windows/9 x 24/crimson base/bonnet 3/trim 2), but with GPW rather than SPW. Given the fact that this variation is also listed by Houghton and Leake (see below) plus I cannot find anyone else listing the type 3 bonnet with 9 x 24 SPW and a crimson base, I suggest that Nick's listing contains an error and variation code 16 should be for 9 x 24 GPW rather than 9 x 24 SPW.
Houghton has three variations not listed by Nick. The first is 27c-6 which looks like it should be the same as AIM's variation code 27-3d (i.e. silver-grey body/pink roof/green windows/9 x 20 SPW/dark red baseplate/bonnet 2/trim 1) already noted above. The second is variation code 27c-11 which is the blue baseplate version: metallic lilac body/pink roof/green windows/9 x 24 SPW/blue base/bonnet 2/trim 2. The third is variation code 27c-13 which matches Stannard's variation code 27c-10 (see above).
Leake ("Concise Catalogue of 75 Series Matchbox Toys by Lesney" (4th edition, reprinted 2006)) confirms the existence of the silver-grey model with GPW.
U.K. Matchbox examined the model in Vol. 4 no. 5 (Dec. '80) p159. Variation 27c-4 (silver-grey body/pink roof/green windows/9 x 20 SPW/crimson base) appears to be a match for AIM's variation code 27-3d and Houghton's variation code 27c-6 (see above).
It should be noted that many of the catalogues list the non-pink roof as being white rather than cream (or do both cream and white roofs exist?).

In addition, a previously unnoticed casting variation affecting the rear wheel wells is listed here.
One final point, and that is Nick states that models have been found with no. 76 on the baseplate. Whilst I have no doubt that such models once existed (given the survival of at least one 4c with a No. 78 baseplate), I can find no evidence of any such model having survived to the present day. Can any Member provide primary source evidence to support Nick's statement?

[DrJeep]

Stannard has a model listed as variation 27c-10 which is the same as Nick's variation code 16 (metallic lilac/pink roof/green windows/9 x 24/crimson base/bonnet 3/trim 2), but with GPW rather than SPW. Given the fact that this variation is also listed by Houghton and Leake (see below) plus I cannot find anyone else listing the type 3 bonnet with 9 x 24 SPW and a crimson base, I suggest that Nick's listing contains an error and variation code 16 should be for 9 x 24 GPW rather than 9 x 24 SPW.

Very poor condition, but here's the variation with 9x24 grey plastic wheels.

grey plastic wheels

IMG_7091.jpg (207.36 KiB) Viewed 1897 times

Lilac body, pink roof, green windows, bonnet 3 and trim 2 (red rear lights, no silver on the rear bumper). That's the same as Nick's code 16 but with grey wheels, confirming Idris's view that this is an error in the listing. It also has the additional casting inside the rear wheel arches, just visible at the top here.

base - additional casting inside rear wheel arches

IMG_7092.jpg (267.9 KiB) Viewed 1897 times

[yellowfoden]

Hello Glenn,

We did attempt to get Nick to update the 27c page with this variation here in 2013 See page 1 of this thread.
Zbret has this gpw model, I have one see thread December 2014 and another is held by BillF see page 3 of his gallery and now yours make four forum members who have this variation.

I also gave Kwakers the heads up on one, especially as he was keen to see the codes corrected.

Nice photos by the way.

Bert

[DrJeep]

thanks Bert - I knew I wouldn't be the only one, though perhaps they are hard to find.

I think one of the problems with the Cadillac is that discussions always seem to move to paint colour, and people don't notice the wheels. This one really is lilac. I have two that are green (code 1, but two different shades), two that I'm sure are grey (one with an off-white roof, the other with a creamy roof), three that are unquestionably lilac, and another four or five that could easily pass for grey but almost certainly didn't start that colour.