K11 SuperKings DAF Car Transporter

[ozboxrox]

Wish the experts to confirm this K11 SuperKings model, Metallic Green Daf Car Transporter. I have had this model for many years and also know some history on it. I'm sure it is an original Lesney Toy from 1970 as the base states. The trailer car transporter has been pulled off, unsure what color that would have been, other than that, there doesn't appear to have been any tampering. Someone may have seen this color variation before?
Regards ozboxrox

[DrJeep]

It's a good colour on this, and the paint looks convincing. The rivet is hard to see but I wonder if it looks a bit small? Another, closer picture would help. What a shame it's without its trailer. What's the story?

[yellowfoden]

This is an interesting colour. It is closer to a regular wheel colour trial K11 DAF ( at least 2 exist) but not quite a direct match. See my composite pic.

This is also not the same colour as the cab featured on the tri colour K11 with yellow
and orange trailer and the common production model.

The interesting casting aspect is the size of the hole that would house the semi hollow tubular rivet that connects the trailer. But the hole looks too big for either the head or the riveted end.
Normally the cutaway section would still have plenty of flat section around the rivet.
See my comparison image

I don’t quite know what to make of the oversized hole at this point. It is the first I have seen. I wonder if it has been modified post factory.
The area of the base plate around the rear base rivet looks as though the rivet was pressed at some point but the rivet does not look flared,(or possible edges broken off all around) is the base plate loose please?

Anything is possible with how this model evolved. In a 1969 dealer catalogue featuring new superfast models the K11 DAF is shown as a single colour cab and trailer in white( or very light grey).

Thanks for showing this one, hopefully some more info will surface.

Bert

[DrJeep]

Bert’s point about the size of the hole is good, though it’s hard to imagine why this would have been enlarged either at the factory or afterwards. I wonder if the webs round the axles might be smaller than normal on this green cab. Looking at Charlie’s pictures it’s clear that the Super Kings base was modified at some point, but this seems to be the first Production version.

[ozboxrox]

Thanks Dr Jeep, Yellowfoden for your replies on this one.
The hole where the trailer was attached does seem to be rather large but it looks factory drilled except for a couple of fine scratch marks where the trailer has been ripped off.
Ok, here's the story on this one, at least the story as I was told. I purchased this model among many others years ago from a person that came from South Africa. He explained to me that they (his family) as well as a quite a few other residents had to get out of the country very quickly due to trouble. They hurredly packed their possessions and went to the airport. The customs officers at the airport went through everything they had including this model and pulled it apart. When I asked for the trailer he couldn't find it, he thought that it must have got lost at the airport due to the customs search. So summing it up, this model is a South African issue I believe. The base remains solid and not loose in anyway, no movement at all. The colour is hard to match with any other model, the closest I can see so far is the 75b ferrari Berlinetta superfast metallic lighter green model, it's very close and could even be closer if the two models were put together under the same lighting. Some more close ups to view. Any more feedback appreciated"
Cheers ozboxrox

[DrJeep]

Thanks for the extra details! It’s an interesting story, though I do wonder if you might expect more damage from ripping the car trailer off. It rules out one possible explanation, which was that the hole was enlarged at the factory as part of a trial to fit a different trailer. It’s more likely that it was an unsuccessful father fix after the tractor arrived in Australia.

I still think the rear rivet looks rather small, but if it’s firm then this could be a colour trial. It’s really interesting - thanks for sharing it!