Y17 Hispano

[YYS4BOB]

I guess we shall never know now. Whatever the reason for it's existence, I like it! Would like to find an example with red seats/grille.

[Moyboy]

I have it with the 24 spoke wheels and black tyres but again it has the window centre bar whereas all my other prepros do not. I also have the red issued model with either red or white roofs and grilles as many colours were trialled on this model ( still haven't found a green plastic version yet)

[YYS4BOB]

The black and white one is a bit odd with it's later screen but very early base. Probably knocked up by a worker from bits laying around in R&D, especially as it came from the Joe Rechia collection.

[YYS4BOB]

Lockdown means a lot of spare time so what better way to spend it than trawling UK Matchbox & MICA mags for forgotten info.

Thus was found this quote on pages 109-110 of Vol.2, No.3.

"Some interesting information has recently arrived from one of the staff at Matchbox in relation to some of the variations reported.........
the black & silver versions (of the Hispano) were never intended production versions and only a few were produced solely for the staff at Chingford who expressed a preference for the prototype model."

So, factory produced with consent but not for the public.

Hopefully this "somewhat belatedly" clears up the mystery of these models once and for all.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

So what can we call this, Code 1.5 because if not for retail it can not be a Code 2, can it?

Ghosthunter.