VBD2 is closed. Please go to https://vbd3.co.uk instead.

Made in England...just!

When 'CORGI' folded in 1983, their James Bond licence was cancelled, it was picked up for the use by "Matchbox" in 1984, specifically for a new set of models aimed to tie-in with the fourteenth Big Screen outing for James Bond.

The new film, "A View to a Kill" premiered during 1985, "Matchbox" were to release two seperate models and a gift set. The two models are the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II and a Renault 11 in 'TAXI' trim, the gift set would include these same two models plus a U.S. Police car, a Helicopter and a launching ramp.

Prototypes exist of all these models, but only the Rolls-Royce and Renault were put into full production and retailed as seperate models. The gift set sadly, was not put into full production, as the first set was rejected and a second revised set had to be made and this delay forced Matchbox to miss a deadline for final approval.

The Rolls-Royce and Renault would naturally be re-marketed as normal cars once the film promotion had finished, the Rolls-Royce was introduced as model MB31 in February 1986 and finished in cream, but during the production of this model, production switched to Macau, making MB31, one of the last new castings designed in the U.K. to be introduced onto the retail markets.

The next outing for MB31, was as a re-trimmed model as part of the 'World Class' range and finished in a metallic 'Gold' colour with detailed wheel rims and rubber tyres.

A prototype was created by painting a normal 'Macau' MB31, in the new colour, but it was painted in a matt Caramel colour, not the metallic 'Gold' as found on full production models and somehow, the index plate was tampo printed with "FROTUNE" instead of "FORTUNE".

The pictures below show the pre-pro model in Caramel, alongside a full production 'Gold' example from Thailand, note the front index plates.

GHOSTHUNTER.

After the success of model #44a the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud from 1958, it was decided to keep a Rolls-Royce in the '1-75 series' range, this was followed by #44b, the Phantom V in 1964, a Silver Shadow saloon in 1967 then a Silver Shadow 'drop-top' in 1969.

Then for some reason a gap appeared with no miniature Rolls-Royce catalogued until 1979, when Lesney made another Silver Shadow, but the face lifted version, in-line with Rolls-Royce themselves updating their car into a series II, with many modifications under the skin, but only a few outside changes, one of which was the smooth safety bumpers. The "Matchbox" version is a pretty good representation of this series II car and stayed in production until 1995, but by a stroke of luck or the misfortune of another company, namely 'CORGI', they were able to introduce their next new Rolls-Royce model well before the last one had been deleted, so for a while, there was two different Rolls-Royce models in the range, (not including Lady Penelope's "FAB I" introduced in 1992).

This new model was the Silver Cloud II, specifically designed to tie-in with the James Bond film, "A View to a Kill" and unfortunately, Matchbox had little time to develop everything they had intended, due to the film's premiere during 1985 itself, as mentioned in my earlier post above.

There has been some speculation about how this new Silver Cloud model was developed, it has been suggested that their earlier #44a was the guide model for the new model, but this on its own is not a totally accurate rendition of the Silver Cloud body, (and the actual model is too long or too narrow, which ever way you want to see it) and the new model, un-numbered until 1986, is a very good and accurate rendition of the difficult to capture body.

Several prototypes were made in resin and painted up to resemble the car to be seen in the film, so they are in Silver-Grey, but with no proper glazing, the windows are just painted black. There were very few other 'brand' name models around of the Silver Cloud at this time and the only decent model was the 'SEEROL' model, made by the restructured Corgi company in 1985. This model does share the good overall look of the Matchbox model, added to the fact, a real car was photographed and measured in detail and you get a really accurate model of a Silver Cloud standard four door saloon. The full production model displays a number of detail differences between itself and the prototypes, especially where the front side lights are positioned on top of the wings and model companies do hold other company's products for research and development and it's very likely they had examples of the 'SEEROL' model to inspect.

The early production stages of this model took place in Spain with a batch of mould test models made in plastic, but the first metal castings were done in the U.K. and several examples now exist in private collections.

The full production version was only to be finished in a colour that matched the film car, so it's in a silver-grey with a different grey plastic interior, the grille, bumpers and the whole of the baseplate was 'chrome' effect finished and the glazing was in clear plastic.

These first silver-grey models are all marked with made in England on the baseplate and they have a gloss finish to the paintwork. Later examples have a satin finish to the paintwork and these examples can be found in the normal film 'tie-in' double window box and the flat white promotional box, (used for a Burton's biscuit promotion and as free gifts at the film's premiere). Some late examples were fitted with Amber glazing

The model became part of the normal model range in February 1986 and several colour trial models were created to see which colour suits the model and to give it some distance from the previous James Bond colour of Silver-Grey, in the end, a Cream colour was chosen, but it kept the Grey interior and all the bright 'Chrome' effect from the James Bond version. In this finish, it was given the catalogue number, MB31, in Japan it was numbered as MB95 and it went to the U.S. as number MB62.

In September 1988, the Cream version appeared with 'Made In Macau' baseplates and the story for this model stops here, regards a British designed and produced new model for the retail markets.

I will look at the later models in due course, that will include the 'WORLD CLASS' versions as touched upon at the beginning of this thread.

GHOSTHUNTER.

During 1985, resin prototypes were made for the new Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud film model, at least two have survived and are now in private collections, here is resin No.1, its quite tatty now, as it has been handled so many times by various members of "Matchbox" Intl and members of Danjaq S.A., (the company responsible for copyright control of James Bond merchandise), you can see in this picture, the rear bumper is not attached.

It has been made to a size representing the finished model, so is very close to the 1/69 scale, moulded on the baseplate of full production models.

Resin No.2, is in much better condition, as it was used and photographed in the proposed gift set which sadly never went into full production, it is shown here alongside it's companion model, (also resin), the Renault 11 'TAXI'.

When the resin models have been given the 'OK', drawings, technical notes and eventually some moulds are made and in this case, the moulds were made by an engineering company in Spain and 'mould test' models were made. At this time, "Matchbox" intl would often use plastic to test the moulds and the Silver Cloud was no exception.

It normally requires no more than a dozen test models to make sure the moulds are working properly and not allowing surplus plastic to leak through any joins in the moulds, creating flash areas when the model is built up and shown below, is an example moulded in bright yellow plastic, with a medium green baseplate.

If all is well after testing the moulds with plastic, metal is then used for further testing and these '1st shot' models are either built by hand or built up properly on a 'flow line', (a short production run using the normal injection moulding machines from start to finish) and the example shown below is a hand assembled '1st shot' model, so the rivets have not been pressed down to secure the baseplate.

If the '1st shot' models prove to be OK, then a series of preproduction models are created, these are usually moulded and made on the 'flow line' by a small team of toolmakers and engineers to check everything is as it should be and if a problem occurs, it can be inspected and rectified. Many small casting tweaks or modifications can take place during the preproduction stage, if everything seems OK, all the parts that make up the main mould should open and close properly and the bare castings should come out with no baulking or resistance, then the mould, (or moulds, because there are usually a duplicate set made) will be sent to the main production area and the first full production run will be commenced.

Shown below is a painted preproduction example, these are often used to evaluate the colour chosen for the model and if neccessary, a change of colour will be sanctioned.

The final model taken from a full production batch, should look as originally intended against the initial brief, a model based on a car, to be featured in the new James bond film, "A View to a Kill".

The model was introduced onto the retail markets in 1985 in a special double window box, designed to tie-in with the film. The model was also given to selected members of the cast and senior members of the production company in the flat white box on the right, which really is only a 'mail away' design and used for a 'Burtons' Jammie Dodger biscuit promotion towards the end of 1985.

GHOSTHUNTER.

...and here is a 'Jammie Dodger' biscuit promotion advert. All the best top secret agents like a little snack now and again, so a couple of biscuits with your Vodka Martini, works wonders...

GHOSTHUNTER.