57c Land Rover Fire Truck
Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 5:40 pm
The NAMC’s “Catalog of all Series Matchbox Models” (first edition) lists a plausible unlisted variation at 57-3d consisting of a BPW model with decals to the body and labels to the doors. (Nick only list variations which are the other way round.) This would have to be a later variation and, if confirmed, the exact details will determine where in the table it slots in.
The AIM “1-75 Series Regular Wheels” catalogue (second printing, 1983) has no unlisted variations.
Houghton lists 57c-5 as having 11.5 x 45 GPW. (His variation 57c-4 is Nick's 11 x 45 GPW)
Stannard's variations 57c-8, 9, and 10 are all without decal guides, with axles braces and carrying decals. This looks erroneous.
U.K. Matchbox covered the model in Vol. 2, no. 5 (Jul. '78) p96 in a rather sketchy manner. (No variation table is presented/attempted.) A follow-up appeared in Vol. 2, no. 8 (Oct. '78) p144 and reads thus:
"Graham Ward has found a most interesting version of the 57c Land Rover Fire Truck. This would appear to be on the first type casting and concerns the clear plastic spring and opening in the central baseplate. Early springs had but one crossbrace in the centre and this particular model has the crossbrace on the outward side of the spring, thus forming a sort of finger pull. Using a finger nail, the spring can be pushed to the front or the rear imparting maximum or nil suspension in the front and rear axle. All other models seen have this crossbrace on the inner face of the spring and, subsequently, a further crossbrace was added to prevent the crossbrace from sliding in the manner in which Graham can manipulate his model."
The AIM “1-75 Series Regular Wheels” catalogue (second printing, 1983) has no unlisted variations.
Houghton lists 57c-5 as having 11.5 x 45 GPW. (His variation 57c-4 is Nick's 11 x 45 GPW)
Stannard's variations 57c-8, 9, and 10 are all without decal guides, with axles braces and carrying decals. This looks erroneous.
U.K. Matchbox covered the model in Vol. 2, no. 5 (Jul. '78) p96 in a rather sketchy manner. (No variation table is presented/attempted.) A follow-up appeared in Vol. 2, no. 8 (Oct. '78) p144 and reads thus:
"Graham Ward has found a most interesting version of the 57c Land Rover Fire Truck. This would appear to be on the first type casting and concerns the clear plastic spring and opening in the central baseplate. Early springs had but one crossbrace in the centre and this particular model has the crossbrace on the outward side of the spring, thus forming a sort of finger pull. Using a finger nail, the spring can be pushed to the front or the rear imparting maximum or nil suspension in the front and rear axle. All other models seen have this crossbrace on the inner face of the spring and, subsequently, a further crossbrace was added to prevent the crossbrace from sliding in the manner in which Graham can manipulate his model."