Did anyone see the recent prototypes auction?
Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 2:57 pm
Hi guys,
Did anybody see a recent auction that contained a number of prototypes of some early 1970s Matchbox Superfast made out of resin? Now I have no idea on who the designer was behind them, as it was never stated in the auction, but I did spend some time admiring the models.
There was this Alfa Carabo in green (much like the real concept was). I still wonder why they never made it in concept green much like the real one.
Baja Buggy in orange featuring no engine in the rear bay (may have fallen off).
Boss Mustang looking rather similar to the real thing, except for the enlarged air scoop on the front, which must have been toned back for production.
Dodge Charger Dragster in red. It has Walt's Puffer on the side, which must have meant something like this was used as an influence....
This is actually a later "Puffer" but I guess whoever created the Dragster prototype had an earlier one that they were using as a reference point.
There were a few Gruesome Twosomes in red.
The Jeep Hot Rod, also in red. This did have an engine in place, which is why I wonder if the Baja Buggy did originally have one.
Maserati Bora. This was red, but even then they were looking at labels for the front.
Mazda RX500 in red both with an without labels.
This was a little unusual. The MG1100 slightly altered into a rally style car. They obviously had plans for this model which never came to pass.
The Mod Tractor in early red prototype form, of which things were scaled quite a bit back. Obviously the imagination was going wild with this at first.
Along with a later blue one where the additional stuff had been scaled back. This one looks a lot more like production Mod Tractors did.
Racing Mini. I wonder if this is where they were going originally with the MG1100, but decided on a different direction.
Team Matchbox or Formula 5000. Or somewhere in between.
Vauxhall Guildsman. This looks really nice in blue. Shame they didn't go with that for production (although if you have a later Bulgarian like that then it doesn't matter).
A few versions of the Volksdragon as they were working out how to create this model. I think the first one was a little overkill with engines, although the second one looks pretty decent with the engine sticking out backwards instead of curving over the roof.
But aside from these, there were the additional prototypes of models that never made it to production.
Like this Pontiac GTO. That would have been an awesome addition to the range. I wonder why they didn't make it. Of course, for those who collect later stuff, they did eventually make it in the late 1990s.
This futuristic looking minibus was probably going somewhere until they decided to go with the Freeman Intercity I am guessing.
There was this Fire Rig. Of course, I do wonder if it was eventually turned into Blaze Buster.
Bread Van. I am guessing whoever did this was also behind Stretcha Fetcha. Was it eventually turned into that model?
Ferrari 512S Berlinetta Speciale.
That would have been a little different.
Abarth 2000 Scorpione.
Another one like the Ferrari concept. I guess these were all done around the same time as the Alfa Carabo. I wonder if bigwigs said there were too many and scaled back on the amount done.
And for me, the best 'til last.
Aston Martin DBS V8. Oh come on! That would have been an awesome addition. I can see that along with the Capri and AMX Javelin as being one of the stars of the early 1970s era.
Did anybody see a recent auction that contained a number of prototypes of some early 1970s Matchbox Superfast made out of resin? Now I have no idea on who the designer was behind them, as it was never stated in the auction, but I did spend some time admiring the models.
There was this Alfa Carabo in green (much like the real concept was). I still wonder why they never made it in concept green much like the real one.
Baja Buggy in orange featuring no engine in the rear bay (may have fallen off).
Boss Mustang looking rather similar to the real thing, except for the enlarged air scoop on the front, which must have been toned back for production.
Dodge Charger Dragster in red. It has Walt's Puffer on the side, which must have meant something like this was used as an influence....
This is actually a later "Puffer" but I guess whoever created the Dragster prototype had an earlier one that they were using as a reference point.
There were a few Gruesome Twosomes in red.
The Jeep Hot Rod, also in red. This did have an engine in place, which is why I wonder if the Baja Buggy did originally have one.
Maserati Bora. This was red, but even then they were looking at labels for the front.
Mazda RX500 in red both with an without labels.
This was a little unusual. The MG1100 slightly altered into a rally style car. They obviously had plans for this model which never came to pass.
The Mod Tractor in early red prototype form, of which things were scaled quite a bit back. Obviously the imagination was going wild with this at first.
Along with a later blue one where the additional stuff had been scaled back. This one looks a lot more like production Mod Tractors did.
Racing Mini. I wonder if this is where they were going originally with the MG1100, but decided on a different direction.
Team Matchbox or Formula 5000. Or somewhere in between.
Vauxhall Guildsman. This looks really nice in blue. Shame they didn't go with that for production (although if you have a later Bulgarian like that then it doesn't matter).
A few versions of the Volksdragon as they were working out how to create this model. I think the first one was a little overkill with engines, although the second one looks pretty decent with the engine sticking out backwards instead of curving over the roof.
But aside from these, there were the additional prototypes of models that never made it to production.
Like this Pontiac GTO. That would have been an awesome addition to the range. I wonder why they didn't make it. Of course, for those who collect later stuff, they did eventually make it in the late 1990s.
This futuristic looking minibus was probably going somewhere until they decided to go with the Freeman Intercity I am guessing.
There was this Fire Rig. Of course, I do wonder if it was eventually turned into Blaze Buster.
Bread Van. I am guessing whoever did this was also behind Stretcha Fetcha. Was it eventually turned into that model?
Ferrari 512S Berlinetta Speciale.
That would have been a little different.
Abarth 2000 Scorpione.
Another one like the Ferrari concept. I guess these were all done around the same time as the Alfa Carabo. I wonder if bigwigs said there were too many and scaled back on the amount done.
And for me, the best 'til last.
Aston Martin DBS V8. Oh come on! That would have been an awesome addition. I can see that along with the Capri and AMX Javelin as being one of the stars of the early 1970s era.
