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Matchbox Models of Yesteryear Y-3 1910 Benz Limousine

The Y3-2 1910 Benz Limousine was released in 1965 and the first issue was painted cream with a dark green roof and red or green plastic seats. It had brass plated windscreen frame, grille shell, headlights, gear lever / handbrake and 12 spoke wheels fitted with black plastic tyres. The metal steering wheel was painted body colour and the radiator grille insert was red or dark green plastic. The headlights were a seperately cast piece mounted behind and held in by the the grille casting, The headlight component can be mounted either way up giving a 'low' and 'high' headlamp arrangement, this is only found on the cream bodied versions and does not affect the value.
The model was recoloured to light green gloss with a chartreuse yellow roof. This led to some cream bodies being fitted with yellow roofs and some pale green bodies being fitted with dark green roofs, Both types are rare but this is a commonly faked variation so very careful examination for tool marks, fresh paint damage or fresh metal showing at the rivetts is advised. The pale green version can be found with red or green seats and grille and a body coloured or black plastic steering wheel.
The model was again recoloured this time to dark metallic green with a black roof and again roofs got fitted to the wrong body colour leaving two more rare versions, pale green with a black roof and metallic green with a chartreuse yellow roof and like the earlier issues fakes abound so extreme caution should be taken when purchasing any of these variations. The metallic green Benzes all had black plastic steering wheels and the final metallic green issue had the giftware mounting holes removed from the baseplate.
The Benz was deleted in 1974 to be replaced by the Riley MPH but in 1985 the model was re-released as part of the 'connoisseurs collection' where it was recoloured to black body with blue panels and a black roof, This version has light brown seats, chromed wire wheels and a 4 prong spare tyre carrier.


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Above. The rare cream body with yellow roof, The pale green gloss with dark green or black roof and the metallic green with yellow roof are all hard to find or rare, All are commonly faked so it really is a case of buyer beware when purchasing any of these variations.

Above. Three main colour schemes, cream, pale green and metallic green.


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Above. A shows the headlights in the normal low position, B shows the high headlights which were due to being incorrectly assembled.

Above. The gap between the two mudguard struts (A) that are only found on the first issue were joined with a web (B) on all later issues.

Above. The last issue of the metallic green version and the black version from the connoisseur set both had the giftware mounting holes in the baseplate filled in.

Above: A Limited edition model from the Connoisseur Collection.