41c Ford GT40

[Idris]

The NAMC’s “Catalog of all Series Matchbox Models” (second edition), AIM's “1-75 Series Regular Wheels” catalogue (second printing, 1983), and Stannard do not have any unlisted variations.
Houghton deviates from Nick's listing towards the end of the table. Houghton's variation 41c-7 is Nick's code 8 but with a label and wire wheels. I think we would all agree that this is an improbable variation, the general consensus being that the wire-wheeled version is a pre-production, an idea backed up by toy fair photographs IIRC. Houghton's variation 41c-8 is as Nick's code 8 (white body, 7 mm yellow hubs, 11.5 x 45, gloss black baseplate with tow guides, bumper extension) but with a label instead of a decal (which is Houghton's variation 41c-6). Furthermore, Houghton's variation 41c-9 is as Nick's code 9 (white body, 7 mm yellow hubs, 11.5 x 45, matt black baseplate with tow guides, bumper extension) but, once again, with a label instead of a decal. (Interestingly, Houghton does not list the decal version.) Who can confirm Nick's variation codes 8 and 9 with decals, and can anyone confirm either of them with labels?
U.K. Matchbox did not examine the model.

[kerbside]

Hello Hugh, a bit of a problem here.

My Nicks Code 8 is as Nicks but has a Flat Black Base and a Label.

Or it can be Nicks Code 10 with label but a Flat Black Base, instead of a Gloss Black Base

So where does this one fit in on Nicks Codes

George T.

[yellowfoden]

...... and can anyone confirm either of them with labels?

So where does this one fit in on Nicks Codes George T.

Hi Hugh and George,

I had a similar question to George but where George indicates his has flat base mine has a gloss base which I have coded as Stannard 6 and Nick 10 Houghton 8. It has a light blue label and resides in a G4 set box.

If George’s has a flat black base with label this could be a new code 11.(or between existing 9 and 10)

Hadn’t ever deliberately looked for different black bases on this 41c but my Stannard code 3, I have 2 , 1 with a gloss and other flat base but I wonder if it just a different level of gloss in my case.

George, do you have a gloss base 41c model you can photograph along side the label model with the flat base to show the comparison please.

All the best
Bert

[kerbside]

Hello Bert the photos taken using a mirror I thought that the one with a flat base would be Nicks code 11.

As Stannards only lists 7 codes, and just says Black bases not Gloss or Flat.







George T.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Hi Guys.

I am not trying to dilute the excellent information to be found within the forum threads, but can we agree on what definition to use for the baseplate colours, because where I personally would use the term Matt Black, another member would use flat Black. Likewise, I use Satin Black, which I know is called flat Black to someone else.

If you look around the topics you may well come across these terms...

Gloss Black.
High Gloss Black.
Satin Black.
Flat Black.
Matt Black.

Is there a level playground we can find for the Black definitions, we all know what we mean, but it may cause concern if a collector thought he had a Satin Black base only to find on the forum a flat Black base.

GHOSTHUNTER.

[yellowfoden]

Hello George,
Thanks for adding the base plate photos, excellent work and do show the difference well.

Hi Kevin
Even though I have long referred to Stannards terminology, any further information that I can contribute to enhance Nick’s listings I tend to follow Nick’s format for a particular model. In this case Nick’s variation table refers to flat black and gloss black. From memory his other tables also use the same terms.

Regards
Bert

[kerbside]

Hello Hugh why have you not posted a reply on mine or Berts question regarding this model please ?

Also I was wondering that when you post on Missing variations and some are found by members that these are all written down so that Nick can have a field day adding them all to his Variation listing.

George T.

[Idris]

Hello Hugh why have you not posted a reply on mine or Berts question regarding this model please ?

Sorry George, I thought that your question was rhetorical and that Bert has more-or-less come up with a reply. However, if it were up to me (which it's not, it's always up to Nick), I would add it as a new code 11, the rationale being that the timeline is determined by decal/label rather than the degree of baseplate gloss, meaning it makes the most sense to keep to labelled models together.

Also I was wondering that when you post on Missing variations and some are found by members that these are all written down so that Nick can have a field day adding them all to his Variation listing.

The way this area seems to have ended up working is that Nick simply waits for a particular discussion to run its course and then draws all the information together in order to update the variation table.

[johnboy]

I'm a bit confused with this (no comments please). Nick mentions the label variant with flat and gloss baseplates in the text description of the model, but there is only one label variant in the table (code 10). I don't know if code 9's exist but I wonder if this code should read label and not decal because I have two labels variants with flat black bases that would either fit an amended code 9 or a new code 11.

There's also no mention of the inverted racing number, I know it's been discussed a few times and it would be good to include something on this subject on the model page.

[kwakers]

The inverted label is pretty common on these Racers, and I have always coded them separately. Both Stannard and now Nick's Guide simply take note of the inverted numbers, so they are at least mentioned. During the earlier decal period on these Fords, inverting the decal was far less common of an occurrence, but I have seen both the White and also the yellow colored Racers with these inverted #9s instead of the intended 6 decals.
As with other terms Ghosty, Gloss Black is shiny, and the term flat or satin have always been pretty much interchangeable in my mind. If someone wants to split satin as a semi-gloss color, and then the term flat as having no gloss at all in the color of a particular paint, they are free to do that in their own collection inventory. Hopefully the collector who catalogues the base color differences on his own models is going to use whichever term he feels is correct for him/her and is comfortable with.
I am confused enough in life already, I will keep my own collecting terms simple.... kwakers