Ford Zodiac 33a

[chrisflandria]

Hello Guys,

In my collection I have the 33a Ford Zodiac in - if I'm right - the dark blue variation.
But it doesn't match with the code numbers given by Nick.
It seems to me that the car is not repainted because the rivet looks ok, and when I scratch with my fingernail around the lower edges of the car, the paint doesn't come off.

In attachment some pictures of the model. Detailing is difficult because pictures are taken with my mobile.

These are the specifications I found:
General : Dark blue body (?)
Wheel type : 8,5 x 18 MW
Axle type : Dome head crimped
Baseplate : Flat black/ large "33"/ ridge below tow hook
Silver&red trim: Code 1
Roof interior : Roof 1 smooth
rear rivet post : Type 2 thick webs
Bonnet interior: Type 3 with small ejector ring and 2 pips
Bonnet ejector post : Long post

Can anyone tell me something more about this model ?

I am looking forward to your reply.
Greetings from Belgium, Chris

[Idris]

Very interesting!
We have had several discussions on dark blue 33a Zodiacs over the years, all of which (to me anyway) were inconclusive, and hampered by the lack of convincing photographic evidence. (Your model does look convincing, by the way.)
The big problems is that, as usual, Lesney green fades to blue, and many of the dark blue models, if examined closely enough, still show traces of their original colour. My favourite example of this is a photograph posted by Jason (Nearlymint), who showed what was underneath a sticker on the boot of a dark blue 33a which came his way:

So, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't worry too much about the codes not matching since the dark blue models from which the table was compiled may not have started out as dark blue after all.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

I have concern over the door handles - are they just the blue paint chipped off or are they painted silver?
Also the left side 'A' frame. this is the windscreen pillar on the passenger side of the car. This looks damaged but under the blue paint.

Ghosthunter.

[Idris]

I've now had a chance to have a more leisurely look at the photographs on a better monitor and have the following comments:
- The front trim looks wrong. The bumper and grille have been painted as separate items whereas they are normally painted as a continuous area of silver.
- As Ghosty has pointed out, the front windscreen pillars look to have some kind of damage underneath the paint.
- There is evidence of detailing, e.g. the silver on the boot lid
- There is paint damage around the bottom of the wheel arches and to one of the sills, yet the baseplate is pristine.
- The hook shows playwear damage to the paintwork inconsistent with the state of the rest of the model.
Could we please have close-up photographs of the crimped axle ends?

[DrJeep]

I’d also like to see the axle crimps from a different angle, and I agree with Hugh about the trim. It looks like there may be silver paint on the tow hook, but it’s hard to tell. If there is, the silver has been applied after the base was attached, which isn’t how these were painted in the factory. What does the front look like under the bumper?

[chrisflandria]

Hello, many thanks for all your answers.
I have taken a closer look with a magnifier.
Concerning the door handles, it's just paint chipped off, no silver paint applied.
Ghostbuster, you have indeed an eagle eye, The left "A" style is slightly curved.
The tow hook looks the same, corresponding with the picture posted by Idris.
There is no silver paint on the hook at all.
Under the front bumper is the same blue paint.
Later on I'll try to make some more close-up photographs.

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Some good sharp pictures of the crimped axle-ends please but do not get too close, it is better to be too far away so providing the images are sharply focused, we can always zoom in to the picture.

Really close out of focus pictures we really can not do much with them.

Ghosthunter.

[petethesweet]

Hi all, paint looks far to thick. The thicker the paint the more they chip. Pete.

[mboxmike]

Hello, If you zoom in on the pic of the bottom and look at the rear wheel there appears to be masking tape with blue paint under the wheel.

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[jsherwood]

The wear on the top of the headlights is worth a look, because the bumpers take all the hits from the front, so how did the headlights chip considering the pristine condition of the roof? Thanks for showing us this model by the way.