K11B DAF CAR TRANSPORTER Evolution

[yellowfoden]

K11 DAF Car Transporter Pre-pro evolution

This is a brief study of the early pre-production model, to pre-pro colour trial, then colour trial to the production model.

This thread has been a long time in the making and stems from my usual love of how these models evolved into very successful, popular and long lasting toys. I have always loved this model from when it first came out but it was buying a SF G2 gift set that stirred the hunt for earlier models back in 1987.

Long lasting because of the clever design and material used and how little they changed once they went into production.

The first part only covers the regular wheel version but I will add more production and super king detail as time permits. In some of the images we can see why some of the changes were made in an effort to achieve a quality toy.

The tractor or cab unit we only see changes from the use of clear plastic glazing to blue tint. Production models do exist though with clear glazing. The checker plate or cross hatch pattern exists on the production model as apposed to the smooth un-plated base of the pre-pro first and second model.

An early change on the trailer top deck was to modify the pivot point at the forward section from a small pip to semi circle casting
It also had three cross members added underneath the top deck.

On the lower deck the side supports for the top deck were changed from being full to open castings.

The next change was made to the top deck by altering the pivot point for the hydraulic arms each side.
The very first had a dome head riveted axle full width of the deck body. When they added the support it became a semi hollow rivet in either un-plated or chrome plated form fitted to each side.
This is an interesting change as the speed of fitting the full length axle and riveting you would think would be more productive than the two small rivets and much less fiddly. Perhaps it was due to the cost of axles as apposed to the material cost of the rivets.

One of the most significant changes was to the trailer rear axle area which on the early model had full width cross-members to enclose a metal suspension spring. However this was changed along with some other base braces and cross member and best shown in attached pics. They then kept with the new spring type up until the Super-king model where other changes were made.

Sometimes the artwork on boxes or in promotional cards is a hint that pre-production or prototypes exist for the artist to have something to draw from or do their design graphics. It may not always be the case but in the case of the K11 many features that exist on the very earliest model actually stayed on the artwork even into the superfast era.

There are a lot of images I could have included but this would duplicate some that have been very nicely covered here with the thread from Charlie and here from Zbret that include the crossover colours and the production colours.
I have also not marked all the changes but if you study all the images you can pick out all the modifications.

This is a work in progress and more to come.

Bert

[A-Man-Called-Bwian]

A timely post, as I had mentioned in another thread that I had spotted some casting differences on the blue cab / silver body and others but now don't have to do anything. Very informative - thank you.

[DrJeep]

Thanks, Bert - this must have taken ages. It’s really good to see all this in one place.