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Anyone esle notice two oddball RW models go through Ebay this week?
The first was a 59c with GPW:
This was sold by Cowtowndiecasts and went for US$197.50 (here).
The second was a BPW 69a:
This was offered for sale by 2014ussirc, but was withdrawn shortly before the auction closed (here).

As usual, comments please! (Feel free to add further photographs from the listings if required to illustrate a point.)

The axles ends on the Nestles van look like they need some scrutiny with a much better photo than the one show in the listing, but they look dubious. The same seller also has a Thunderbird for sale (480euro) also with dubious axles ends and take a look at the rivets:

In terms of the Galaxie, it's hard to find fault as it portrayed in the listing, it's one that would need a better scrutiny in the hand. I think cowtowndiecasts have sold to a number of members here in the past.

Is that glue on the rear rivet of the Thunderbird?

My concern with the 59c is the wheels, which still appear to have their mouldng seams in spite of the playwear to the model.

The 59c is interesting. I think it’s just about a plausible variation on a model introduced in 1966. The 45b Corsair and 20c Chevrolet taxi had short runs with 9x36 GPW. They were both introduced early in 1965 and on both the grey wheels were not on the first models with a painted base.

I think there can’t have been a run of grey plastic wheeled 59cs because they’d have been noted before. That would make this a one-off, perhaps a prepro sent to the USA for a catalogue picture? It would be good to examine the casting closely just in case. But I think it’s most likely to be a home-made special.

The same seller has an implausible 38a in a very bright silver. It’s implausible because it’s the very early casting without decal casting lines.

Idris wrote:My concern with the 59c is the wheels, which still appear to have their mouldng seams in spite of the playwear to the model

Good point, though the wheels on my Corsair are also good despite the play wear - I think these grey wheels are especially durable.

I've had another look at the very clear photographs in the listing and I'm leaning towards it being a very early casting and perhaps very special. I have two of these: an early one that I've had from new, and a later one with the panel on the base saying "no 59" instead of 55/59. This is what I see:

- very rough casting at the base of the C-pillar on the left-hand side, which isn't present on either of mine
- a white undercoat under the red - neither of mine has this
- a shadow at the bottom of the grille - this is filled in on the production versions
- deeper holes in the back lights, though this could be a trick of the light
- poor casting on the base around the letters IE of GALAXIE: again, not present on either of mine.

On the downside, the grille isn't seated very well against the body. But it's the grille I find most interesting - does anyone else have one that would photograph like this, looking like there's an obvious gap to the bumper?

Wheels are probably drilled out enough to just get forced over the axle ends, making it look even lower to the ground than usual.
J

I have a couple of Galaxies with Black wheels (one of each with '59' or '55/59' on the base) - The 55/59 grill casting is not quite as flush to the body compared to the '59' casting.

jsherwood wrote:I have a couple of Galaxies with Black wheels (one of each with '59' or '55/59' on the base) - The 55/59 grill casting is not quite as flush to the body compared to the '59' casting.

Like this? I think this illustrates the evolution of the bottom of the grille quite well. The two on the left are 55/59s: the middle one, with the broken windscreen, was mine from new. It looks like the gap started to fill as the mould became worn, and then was filled properly, perhaps when the base was being modified to change the number? Here's the front of the Galaxie from eBay: I've tried to take mine from a similar angle. To me, it looks like the eBay Galaxie has a much more obvious gap above the bumper: I don't think it's just a shadow. But maybe all the earliest Galaxies look like this.

DrJeep wrote:- a white undercoat under the red

Where do you see that, Glenn?