Very rare pre pro 75 thunderbird

[Batterseaboy]

So more than one casting was done and hopefully still surviving with the possibility one Day they will also turn up on a model car forum if they have not already, there are a lot of forums out there.

More than one example must suggest they were testing the flow of moulten metal if we rule out full production of the model for a re-issue, just think if you had brought all of them, wow, what a find!

Ghosthunter.

The man who had them was not a dealer he worked for Lesney and was disposing of his stuff, he said they were prototypes so we must not change that to a flow test as that will do him a disservice. So please in the interest of clarity the test idea is a sweet notion but that is not what they are.

[Miller]

OMG

24hs and 4 full pages later and you are still argueing against everything than your own idea!

It was and is customary for a product to be produced in a single stroke to be sold successively over a longer period of time. Thats why we can be shure, that the molds for this old Bird had left the casting machines already a long time ago and never were intended to be used again, as it was oldfashioned and known to be excluded from the series soon. Especially american cars were candidates for short runs at that time, because they changed their design faster than the ladies could buy matching shoes and handbags (which was a great challenge for the ladies ). It does absolutely make no sence to create something completely new out of an outdated car, which had seen two or more successor models.

Milton, you said, that it would have been easier to build a new mold just to test a roof rack than to use an outdated one. Thats simply wrong, because a mold is not only an upper and lower half of the mold, its also all the technics used to fit it into the maschine! It would not only be a new mold, it would be a complete development "just for a trial". Using the Bird was the easiest and cheapest way to test produting extensions combined with very thin floating channels, because only the upper mold had to be changed (instead of building something completely new)

You say, the Fiat roof rack is smaller, lower and not so much detailed. Produting fine casts tend to break in the tumbler and can easily be bent or broken. Maybe the Fiats roof rack is the way it is just because of those tests?

No one said, that your idea of a "final edition" is definitely wrong. But the experiences with the processes at Lesney make your idea seem unlikely. Thats what most of us are saying.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Technically he was a dealer/trader for the Day, but I understand your point. The trouble with him saying they are/were prototypes is fine until you work out that Guys age. You say you brought them in the early 1980's (1983!), but it is pretty obvious the castings are from the mid to late 1960's. If he is calling them prototypes, he must have been around at the time of their conception, making this Gentleman fairly Old when he was selling these rare items in 1983 and we have published evidence ex-factory workers when being interviewd for book or magazine articles, do not have the best of memories!

Was he using the (well used), term of 'Prototype' because that is a general description for many unusual items coming onto the market for collectors to obtain.

Ghosthunter.

[fixer]

if it was being used as a test bed for the fiat roof rack then surely that is a prototype

prototype
ˈprəʊtətʌɪp/Submit
noun
1.
a first or preliminary version of a device or vehicle from which other forms are developed.
"the firm is testing a prototype of the weapon"
2.
ELECTRONICS
a basic filter network with specified cut-off frequencies, from which other networks may be derived to obtain sharper cut-offs, constancy of characteristic impedance with frequency, etc.
"the construction of bandpass networks from low-pass prototypes"
verb
1.
make a prototype of (a product).
"Mercedes is prototyping a car sunroof which changes from clear to tinted"

[Batterseaboy]

It isn't,t a Mercedes it's a thunderbird....

[Miller]

Korinthenkacker!

[Batterseaboy]

Technically he was a dealer/trader for the Day, but I understand your point. The trouble with him saying they are/were prototypes is fine until you work out that Guys age. You say you brought them in the early 1980's (1983!), but it is pretty obvious the castings are from the mid to late 1960's. If he is calling them prototypes, he must have been around at the time of their conception, making this Gentleman fairly Old when he was selling these rare items in 1983 and we have published evidence ex-factory workers when being interviewd for book or magazine articles, do not have the best of memories!

Was he using the (well used), term of 'Prototype' because that is a general description for many unusual items coming onto the market for collectors to obtain.

Ghosthunter.

Possibly but I think he just wanted to get rid of everything

[fixer]

Obviously you missed the fact that it's a definition of the word prototype not your model

[Batterseaboy]

Obviously you missed the fact that it's a definition of the word prototype not your model

I was lightening the mood

[Miller]

Its neither a Mercedes nor a T-Bird! If we really want to become petty, then it must be

make a prototype of (a product).
"Matchbox is prototyping a car with ..."