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At € ten each from german ebay. 31b with crossed axel ends?

Some very nice models and very interesting axle ends. J

As Jason says, interesting axle ends.
I have never heard of a three-way crimp and I can't see any obvious advantages. The crimping machine itself would be more complicated and, with the available metal split three ways instead of two, the crimped webs would be thinner and therefore weaker.
I would be interested in seeing the second crimped end and also close-ups of the axle heads to see if they are non-standard in any way.

I think 31bs were normally mask sprayed, so the hand-applied silver paint under the bumper is also unusual. I'm not sure what to make of it either.

photots on the way please someone a photo from the grill.
Gary

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looks like the silver under the bumper has disappeared already! Here are a couple of pictures of the grill - as you'll see, all my yellow 31bs are play-worn, but from left to right these are: black base; crimson base no windows; crimson base; green with crimson base. Here's the without-windows one from a different angle.

i used a bit of brake fluid
Gary

PS thanks for fotos

Hello Gary and all,

I had long thought that this type star axle end was a trial to replace crimped and before the riveted type.

I have a couple of models with this finish and back in 2012 Mike showed us one of his on the 63a Field Ambulance and another from George in 2013. See attached photos, detail in file name.
One of mine is also the 31b Ford Station Wagon and like Gary’s has the crimson base with reinforced hook area.
This to me would indicate the base plates were done around the same time but used on different painted bodies.
The 63a from Mike, George and the 31b are each from the same time period of late 1959.
As so often is the case nothing is ever clear cut because I see 31b from Gary has 9 x 20spw and mine has 9 x 24spw. The same goes for the 63a’s with coarse and fine tread wheels used.

I do not think this was successful because the axle can be bent in the process and on studying the dome end of mine I can see evidence of ridge caused by pressure. See photo of mine and of Gary close-up.
The tool could have been something like the metal number punches but in the form a star (and used in a press). Perhaps it was supplied by Mercedes.
Interestingly my 31b only has the rear axle done this way, the front is standard riveting.
I am not sure if the 63a from Mike had both axles done the same, George’s is only one axle too.
The dome end does not have the small clamping marks that are evident on domes with riveted ends which would make sense if there was just downward pressure on the free end of the cross/star type.

I think this thread is worthy of some extra text in the title such as adding “Obscure axles ends of interest” and perhaps even moved to 1-75 section if that is ok with Gary.

Nice models by the way Gary, love the major Davies Tyres with the gpw, wonderful.

Bert