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Recently purchased this and it doesn't appear to fit into the timeline - checked NIck's listing Also checked my copies of John Houton, Leake's and "Collecting Matchbox Diecast Toys First Forty Years" (states: "....black plastic wheels occurred only on the copper version" page 69)

Have photographed with others to compare colour and included axle shots. BPW 1st on left The first thing to strike me was the 2 different axle lengths (front longer than usual), also the cracks in the rivets (though under a lens no sign of stress markings to indicate tampering e.g. being forced up then down)

axle ends (taken with digital viewer - bit bright as backlit by viewer tool):
Rear Front Welcome any comments and happy to provide further photographs for clarification.

If genuine, this does indeed appear to be an unrecorded variation).
Having said that, I'm not sure about the peened axle ends. Would it be possible to have an 'end-on' view of at least one of them please?

Idris wrote:If genuine, this does indeed appear to be an unrecorded variation).
Having said that, I'm not sure about the peened axle ends. Would it be possible to have an 'end-on' view of at least one of them please?

Thanks Idris, wasn't quite sure where best to post so please feel happy to move to "unrecorded variation" forum.
Will take some more photos with camera & digital viewer when I get home.

Found it quite tricky to get close up shots, especially with rear shiny axle end but hope these help

Both Front Rear

What I'm missing on those axle ends (and it might just be the angle that the photographs have been taken from, or the lighting) are the radial lines from the centre to the edge. In addition, there seems to be a lot of circular scoring instead.
What do other Members think? Do these ends align with standard factory practice?

At leat two pictures of the axle-ends showing the small 'Peen' I do not like. One does look like a home machined end and the other looks barely capable of stopping the wheel from leaving the axle.

Ghosthunter.

Took some more shots with digital viewer and you're correct Idris, the light from the viewer highlights circular grooves on rear axles end and what looks like grooves on in the inner wheel hub Ghosty, the small peen on the front axle is similar to what I've seen on other models, especially the uneven strike and end overlap but the rust hides any detail I think too many inconsistencies for this to be genuine, timeline, different axle lengths, irregular peening and circular marks. It was bought from a large box of toys for only a few dollars so no attempt to pass off as anything rare. Judging by rust on axles any changes must have been done a while ago but strange how it has different axle ends & lengths, you'd have thought the person would have been consistent. Thanks for your comments.

Given the circular grooves, can we classify this as a home-spun variation?

Looks like two different colors of paint inside the wheel arch.

Tinman wrote:Looks like two different colors of paint inside the wheel arch.

It is the light from the digital viewer. I get a similar effect when I rotate model body and parts catch the light and other parts are shaded.