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Hi All,i hope im posting in the correct area.
I came across a Field Car with bare mazac base but has what seems like to have been sprayed with clear lacquer/varnish before the base was rivetted onto the body.

Here are some casting differences noted:
Has a smaller encircled C on base.
Has PAT APP in a crude and slanting text.
Top of grille is thinner.
Number plate holder is deeper.

Has this been seen or mentioned before?
See attached pics.
Thanks in advance.
Numi

I really don't know what to make of that "PAT. APP." text.

I have seen this dark coloured base before but not paid any attention to the Pat App text, thanks for showing.

Idris wrote:I really don't know what to make of that "PAT. APP." text.

Thanks Idris,i looked at others as well but hadnt come across any with the slant text.

Any other members? Please check your Field Cars and report back to me
numi

I have never noticed this before Numi.

I found this one in my collection. Its Code 33, a drab olive one with 4 slot 12,5 black wheels and should have the A sticker (both missing).

Its shows a similar kind of hand written Pat App, but not the same. My impression is, that the A is a upsidedown Y!

The words ´Pat App´ were added to the baseplate shortly after the Superfast conversion so SuperFast baseplates without 'Pat App' are much harder to find. The roof of the body casting was strengthened by filling in the originally hollow triangles, and later in its two pack career smoothed out completely. Bearing in mind the fact that there were twin body shells produced by the body tool as well as twin, perhaps triplet or quad baseplates produced by the baseplate tool, there are some tiny casting differences which can be seen but in fact were produced in equal numbers over all variations...

My guess is, that they quickly wanted the Pat App on the bases and engraved them by hand on the bases instead of using a pattern (not shure how to express it in english) That may be the reason for this unusual and different scripts on those two bases. One can see the upsidedown Y in the "App"
This photo shows my example - is this the mentioned HTF dark green variation?

Interesting Roland and very similar to Numi's baseplate, I also like your theory about how it occurred

Miller wrote: is this the mentioned HTF dark green variation?

Speicher3.jpg

Yes Roland, this is the Olive Drab variants.

Rob wrote:

Miller wrote: is this the mentioned HTF dark green variation?

Speicher3.jpg

Yes Roland, this is the Olive Drab variants.

Thx Rob - lucky me

Another hint to my theory, that these Pat Apps were hand crafted - look a the dot or nose in the T. First the perpendicular line was milled, then the horizontally. When the horizontal line was milled, the cutter sank into the perpendicular line and cut out this little nose.

Numi, if you glide with your fingernail over it, you should be able to feel this little bulge