VBD2 is closed. Please go to https://vbd3.co.uk instead.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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

Ghosthunter.