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On the back of this thread, I thought it would be interesting to make a list of models known to Members which have sticky/tacky paint. My hope is that some pattern will emerge, probably a fairly well-defined time period and perhaps even a limited range of colours. When information is posted to this thread, I will add the details to the list in this post, so that all the information is available in one place. Where transitional are concerned, please indicate whether RW or SF. (I have deliberately started this thread in the SF section since my expectation is that the overwhelming majority of responses will report SF 1-75s.)

RW
1e Mercedes Truck (multiple offenders found). All offenders were the final casting.
2d Mercedes Trailer.
8e (RW) Ford Mustang wheels/hubs with patent with tow tacky base
19d Lotus racing car (decals)
21d (RW) Foden Concrete red body section
22c Pontiac Grand Prix.
23d Caravan pink colour MScode 8 NJ code 11 from 1968
23d Caravan pink curve tow tacky C9.5 F Stannard code 8
23d Caravan Pink with ax extension slight tacky C9 F
25d (RW) Cortina tan NJ code 6 1969. Also Stannard codes 4 and 6.
28d Mack Dump Truck
30c (RW) crane green sections
30c (RW) crane from gift set green and orange boom sections
31c Lincoln Continental in mint green. (Stannard code 3.)
32c Leyland petrol tanker (green sections)
34c VW Camper (low roof)
36c Opel Diplomat, silver engine
38c Honda motorcycle trailer, yellow, decals. Tacky bike.
39c (RW) Ford Tractor all blue thick tow tall stack
40c (RW) Farm trailer Blue tray NJ code 15 1969
41c Ford GT 6 label one slight chip tacky base Stannard code 6
43c Pony trailer green base long curved brace
44c (RW) Refrigerator truck turquoise section NJ code 5 1969
48c (RW) Dodge Dumper Truck 3/4 base, red
49b (RW) Unimog turquoise and red sections NJ code 6, Stannard code 6 1969
53c (RW) Ford Zodiac
56b Fiat1500, light luggage, Stannard code 3
60b (RW) Site Hut Truck
62c Mercury Cougar (two offenders found).
64b (RW) MG 1100 green
&)b Grit Spreader, Stannard code 5
73c Mercury Commuter (multiple offenders found). All offenders were without fuel filler.

SF
6d (SF) Ford Pickup green base silver grill thin C9.5 G tacky base
7c (SF) Ford Refuse Truck orange
8e (SF) Ford Mustang, white
8e (SF) Mustang red
12c (SF) Land Rover Safari gold
21d (SF) Foden Concrete red body section only
25d (SF) Ford Cortina brown blue
37c (SF) Dodge Cattle Truck orange
37d Soopa Coopa pink unp flower label slight tacky
56c (SF) BMC Pininfarina orange SF (thin wheels)
41c (SF) Ford GT white SF
44c (SF) GMC Refrigerator Truck, green/red (only green tacky)
53c (SF) Ford Zodiac light blue very slightly tacky
53c (SF) Ford Zodiac green metallic SF
62d Rat Rod dark lime 4-spk rear tacky C9.5+ G box NO TM
70c Dodge Dragster Hot Pink black base three slight chips tacky
73c (SF) Mercury Commuter green thin wheels with filler cap tacky
73c (SF) Mercury Wagon green thin with filler cap very slightly tacky C9 G
74b (SF) Daimler Bus pink-red and pink-red slight tacky

Non-Lesney SF
66 (SF) Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, fine metallic beige, 1987-88

Superkings/Speedkings
K4C Leyland Tipper (orange cab only) issued 1969.
K21B Cougar Dragster (pink) issued 1971.
K22B Dodge Charger (pinkish orange) issued 1971.
K38A Gus's Gulper (pink) issued 1973.
K39A Milligan's Mill (green) issued 1973.

66 (SF) Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, fine metallic beige, 1987-88.

These are the regular wheel models I have found with tacky paint (at least the ones I can remember):
1e Mercedes Truck (multiple offenders found). All offenders were the final casting.
2d Mercdes Trailer.
22c Pontiac Grand Prix.
31c Lincoln Continental in mint green.
62c Mecury Cougar (two offenders found).
73c Mecury Commuter (multiple offenders found). All offenders were without fuel filler.

The are the Superkings/Speedkings that I am aware of:

K4C Leyland Tipper (orange cab only) issued 1969.
K21B Cougar Dragster (pink) issued 1971.
K22B Dodge Charger (pinkish orange) issued 1971.
K38A Gus's Gulper (pink) issued 1973.
K39A Milligan's Mill (green) issued 1973.

I have been doing a long term study on the tacky paint models and it was to be posted soon but this thread seems appropriate to add my findings.

I think there is something to do with the plastics where these are stored in addition to a paint quality/process issue.
There are two types of the carry cases.
I have never had any models suffer from the tacky paint issue with models stored in the cases that came from the UK.
I have 12 cases, two of which I have had since new and all 12 are full.
The models in these cases (with no paint problems) are also some of the same models that are in the list below that I have found with tacky paint.

Is the fact that the UK cases have small open trays (also possibly a different material ) a factor.

So are the carry cases distributed by Fred Bronner made of a different plastic?
Is it just the type with the plastic card covered divisions where air circulation is poor?

I have also opened a gift set in recent times to find that each model suffered from the tacky paint and the most models especially red left red smudges on the plastic insert.
Here we have a white thin hard plastic vacuum formed housing each model in it little section and covered with a cellophane outer cover.

Back in 1986 I received a box of models each individually placed in plastic bags by the USA collector. He had already coded them and tagged them by Stannard so after I checked them I put them back in their bags in the box and there they have stayed for over 30 years. Last year I checked these ( because they were models prone to tacky paint issue) but I found all were still perfect. So the plastic bags did not cause any problems.

In 1987 I received my first tacky paint model from the USA. I wrote to several knowledgeable collectors asking if they had encountered this problem and while some had, no clues were given to what its cause was. The same question was put to MBUSA and to MICA but also no conclusion.

All of my tacky paint problem models were sourced from the USA and are mostly boxed models. However I can not be sure they were always boxed models because around 18-25 years had elapsed from the time of manufacture to when I received them and who knows how many dealer or collector hands they had been though and how they were originally sent from Lesney in the UK or how they were stored in the meantime.

The list of models I have with tacky paint from my studies are as follows.
This has been a long term study so some models have more info than others.
1e (RW) Mercedes Truck turquoise
2d (RW) Mercedes Trailer turquoise
21d (RW) Foden Concrete red body section
23d (RW) Caravan pink colour MScode 8 NJ code 11 from 1968
25d (RW) Cortina tan NJ code 6 1969
30c (RW) crane green sections
30c (RW) crane from gift set green and orange boom sections
31c (RW) Lincoln Continental turquoise
39c (RW) Ford Tractor all blue
40c (RW) Farm trailer Blue tray NJ code 15 1969
44c (RW) Refrigerator truck turquoise section NJ code 5 1969
48c (RW) Dodge Dumper Truck red
49b (RW) Unimog turquoise and red sections NJ code 6 1969
64b (RW) MG 1100 green

7c (SF) Ford Refuse Truck orange
8e ( SF) Mustang red
12c (SF) Land Rover Safari gold
21d (SF) Foden Concrete red body section only
25d (SF) Ford Cortina brown blue
56c (SF) BMC Pininfarina orange SF (thin wheels)
41c (SF) Ford GT white SF
44c (SF) GMC Refrigerator Truck
53c (SF) Ford Zodiac green metallic SF
37c (SF) Dodge Cattle Truck orange

In addition to models in my own collection I have also taken note when I have seen a listing either on eBay or known Auction houses where the seller has declared the tacky paint detail Here are some of those.

1d (RW) Mercedes truck dealer listed as tacky paint eBay USA

2d (RW) Mercedes trailer dealer listed as tacky paint eBay USA

8e (SF) Mustang SF Red seller listed as tacky paint eBay USA February 2014

19d (RW) Lotus dealer listed as tacky paint Auction house USA

23d (RW) Trailer caravan in pink dealer listed as tacky paint eBay USA

32c (RW) BP tanker green section cab chassis 1968 manufacture eBay USA

For the record I also have some of the sets where the models came in boxes that had the accompanying interlocking clear plastic case – the home display and where models have been displayed for three decades (including above mentioned models from my top list ) and none have the sticky paint issue.

In summary my earliest tacky paint problem model is 1968.
I have many models from the later to blue window box era but I have no evidence that any of these have had an issue.

I will recheck my late kingsize and superkings to see if any of those have the problem.

As I go back over my Kwakers style recording system I will bring any relevant info here if there is anything I have missed.

Bert

Bert, thank you for your lengthy contribution (the contents of which I will weave into the first post in due course), and my apologies for inadvertently stealing a march on you with this thread.
I am now wondering whether you might be correct, and what we are looking at is a problem which manifests as the same symptom but with two very different causes: one related to the paint (and/or its processing), and the other purely environmental.
Your comments on the gift set I find intriguing, and it reminds me both of the Matchbox Motorway sets where the PVC on the leads of the controllers 'melt', and of the King Size wheels, where the tyres and the plastic hubs interact. In both cases there is intimate contact between different types of plastic which would obviously promote and accelerate the diffusion of chemicals from one to the other. I don't suppose you can remember (and may not even have noticed), but were the models more tacky on the side in contact with the inlay or on the side towards the clear plastic window?
I'm no paint specialist, and so cannot comment on how best to stabilise poorly formulated/processed paint, but where plasticiser has affected the paint (if that is indeed what has happened), I would have thought it ought to be possible to evaporate it, and, in so doing, return the paint to a hard(er) condition.

Yes, I will have a close look at the gift set insert, cellophane and each model.

In the meantime when checking my bible to see what the origin of some models were I thought I would check the current listing of the source of some of my tacky paint models.

Here is a copy as it appears on his current for sale listing. I have only edited out some non essential detail to make it fit and be uniform. As you can see there are 47 models with 9 being super-fast and 38 regular wheels.
One model new to me with tacky paint is the 34D VW low roof (34c to many) and he has two.

Lesney SuperFast 06 A 3 - Ford Pickup green base silver grill thin C9.5 G tacky base

Lesney SuperFast 37 B 7 - Soopa Coopa pink unp flower label slight tacky

Lesney SuperFast 44 A 1 - Frig truck red and turquoise one slight chip slight tacky paint

Lesney SuperFast 53 A 1 - Ford Zodiac light blue very slightly tacky C9.5 F box

Lesney SuperFast 62 B 3 - Rat Rod dark lime 4-spk rear tacky C9.5+ G box NO TM

Lesney SuperFast 70 B 1 - Dodge Dragster Hot Pink black base three slight chips tacky

Lesney SuperFast 73 A 1 - Mercury Wagon green thin wheels with gas cap tacky

Lesney SuperFast 73 A 1 - Mercury Wagon green thin with gas cap very slightly tacky C9 G

Lesney SuperFast 74 A 4 - Daimler Bus pink-red and pink-red slight tacky

Regular Wheel 02 D 1 - Mercedes Trailer tacky paint C9- E4 box

Regular Wheel 02 D 1 - Mercedes Trailer wide brace slightly tacky C9+ E Stannard code 2

Regular Wheel 08 E 1 - Mustang wheels/hubs with patent with tow tacky base

Regular Wheel 19 D 3 - Lotus Racer green decals tacky paint

Regular Wheel 23 D 3 - Trailer Caravan pink curve tow tacky C9.5 F Stannard code 8

Regular Wheel 23 D 3 - Trailer Caravan Pink with ax extension slight tacky C9 F

Regular Wheel 25 D 1 - Cortina unflat roof rivet tacky paint C9.5 E4 box

Regular Wheel 25 D 1 - Ford Cortina domed roof rivet tacky C9 F box Stannard code 6

Regular Wheel 30 C 2 - 8-wheel crane slight tacky 1 chip C9.5+ E4 Stannard code 4

Regular Wheel 31 C 2 - Lincoln mint green tacky C9 F Stannard code 3

Regular Wheel 31 C 2 - Lincoln mint green very tacky C9- E4 box Stannard code 3

Regular Wheel 32 C 2 - BP Tanker silver grill no tow tacky paint C9+ E4 box

Regular Wheel 32 C 2 - BP Tanker slight tacky C9- E4 box

Regular Wheel 34 D 1 - VW Camper Lo roof short door hand v slt tacky C9+E4Stannard code 3

Regular Wheel 34 D 1 - VW Camper Lo roof with tow tacky paint

Regular Wheel 36 C 1 - Opel Diplomat silver motor tacky base C9.5 E4 box

Regular Wheel 38 C 3 - Honda/trailer yellow decals two slight chips tacky bike C9 E4 MS code 6

Regular Wheel 39 C 2 - Ford Tractor All Blue thick tow tall stack tacky

Regular Wheel 40 C 1 - Hay trailer round rear axle block tacky

Regular Wheel 40 C 1 - Hay trailer round rear axle block tacky C8.5 F Box

Regular Wheel 40 C 1 - Hay trailer tacky paint C9 F box

Regular Wheel 41 C 5 - Ford GT 6 label one slight chip tacky base C9.5+ F box MS code 6

Regular Wheel 43 C 2 - Pony trailer green base long curved brace one slight chip tacky base C9

Regular Wheel 44 C 1 - Frig truck with tow two slight chips slight tacky C9- F box

Regular Wheel 44 C 1 - Frig truck with tow very slightly tacky C9 F box

Regular Wheel 48 C 2 - Dodge Dumper 3/4 base tacky paint C9.5 E Box.

Regular Wheel 48 C 2 - Dodge Dumper 3/4 base tacky paint F Box

Regular Wheel 49 B 2 - Unimog blue and red long brace tacky paint C8.5 F Stannard code 6

Regular Wheel 53 C 1 - Ford Zodiac 4 red tire spots tacky paint C9 E4 box

Regular Wheel 53 C 1 - Ford Zodiac narrow tow slight tacky C9.5 E4 box

Regular Wheel 53 C 1 - Ford Zodiac narrow tow slight tacky C9.5+ E4 box

Regular Wheel 56 B 2 - Fiat light lugg slight tacky C9- E3 box Stannard code 3

Regular Wheel 60 B 1 - Site Hut truck slight tacky C9.5 F box

Regular Wheel 64 B 1 - MG 1100 tacky C9+ E3 New Mod box

Regular Wheel 64 B 1 - MG 1100 tacky three slight chips C9.5+ F box

Regular Wheel 70 B 2 - Grit grey pull very slightly tacky Hi text C9.5 E4 box Stannard code 5

Regular Wheel 73 C 1 - Merc Wagon Mercury base tacky C9.5 F box.

Regular Wheel 73 C 1 - Merc Wagon Mercury base v. tacky C9 F 1 loose flap

Regards
Bert

I had forgotten about the Ford tractor and trailer (39 & 40) and have encountered several of them that were tacky. As well as some others Burt mentioned: The Dodge dumper, Leyland tanker (32), and the site hut truck. I've also encountered at least two 28d Mack Dump trucks with tacky paint. All of the mentioned models are regular wheels.