by marcboz

1978 Tomica Porsche 928 Variation

The Porsche 928 was made by the German automaker from 1978 until 1995. The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-door 2+2 grand tourer is powered by the M28 V8. Combining sports car performance and handling with luxury sedan comfort and refinement, the 928 became Porsche’s top production car.

The Tomica Porsche 928 was first released in 1978. I already have a nice example of the plain red variation with no tampo. This red model with silver 928 tampo on the hood is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

The Tomica Porsche 928 features an unpainted metal base and opening doors.

Click here to see the Porsche 928 on the 1978 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

Tomica | 1978 | F53 | Porsche 928 | red with silver tampo on hood, tan interior, opening doors, unpainted metal base | 1/63 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

by marcboz

1977 Tomica Tyrell P-34 Ford

The Tyrell P-34 was a Formula One race car that used four smaller wheels at the front and two regular-sized wheels at the rear. Designed by Derek Gardner for the 1976 season, the radically-designed six-wheeler was powered by a Ford Cosworth V8. It had some success in its first season, the high point of which was when two of the cars finished in both the 1 and 2 spots in the Swedish Grand Prix. Design changes made the car less competetive in 1977 and by the next year Formula One rules outlawed 6-wheeled cars.

The Tomica Tyrell P-34 Ford was first released in 1977 in Elf racing livery reasonably accurate to the real car. This nice example is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

Click here to compare to the Hot Wheels Lickety Six, an unlicensed vehicle inspired by the Tryell P34.

Tomica | 1977 | F32 | Tyrell P-34 Ford | blue with white tampo, elf labels on sides, chrome plastic engine, black plastic base | 1/52 | Japan | sport wheels

Click here to see the Tyrell P-34 Ford on the 1977 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

by marcboz

1971 Tomica New Corona Hard Top SL

The Toyota Corona was made by the Japanese automaker through eleven generations from 1957 to 2001. The compact, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive Corona was introduced into the North American market in 1964 and helped establish Toyota’s success in the U.S. The fourth generation Toyota Corona (T80 and T90) was produced from 1970 to 1973. It was available in a 4-door sedan, 5-door wagon or 2-door coupe with a range of inline-4 engines (1.3L up to 2.0) and a 3-, 4- or 5-speed manual or 2- or 3-speed automatic transmission.

The Tomica New Corona Hard Top SL, based on the fourth-generation 2.0L coupe, was first released in 1971 and produced until 1975. It was brought back in later years and included in the 1998 Birthday Collection, the 1999 Shareholders Complimentary Set and the 2000 30th Anniversary Commemorative Limited Edition ‘70s Passenger Car Set. This example of an early release is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

The Tomica New Corona Hard Top SL features a metal base and opening doors.

Click here to see the New Corona Hard Top SL on the 1971 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

Tomica | 1971 | 15 | New Corona Hard Top SL | blue, clear windows, white interior, opening doors, unpainted metal base | 1/60 | Japan | black tires with chrome plastic hubs

by marcboz

1978 Tomica Toyota Type HQ15V Police

The Toyota Land Cruiser is the longest-running of the Japanese carmaker’s models, having been manufactured since 1951. The front-engine, 4-wheel-drive Land Cruiser has been produced in a variety of different body styles (convertible, hardtop, station wagon, cab chassis) and offered in both Heavy- and Light-Duty series. I can find very few mentions of the Type HQ15V, but one clue suggests that it is a long-wheelbase van with a diesel engine.

The Tomica Toyota Type HQ15V was first released in 1978 as the #67 Toyota JASDF (Japan Air Self-Defense Force) Ambulance with olive paint and red cross labels on the sides. In 1981, a tan Toyota ambulance was included in the Land, Sea and Sky set, and the JASDF Ambulance was re-released in the Emergency Car Hall series in 2002. In 2005, a mail delivery version of the Toyota was included in the Mail Car Collection 2, and in 2007, the casting was issued as a Fire Truck exclusively at Avita retailers. I’m not exactly sure when this Police Department Special Weapons Team version was released, but I got my example from my Wichita eBay friend.

The Tomica Toyota Type HQ15V features nice details and opening rear doors.

Tomica | 1978 | #67 | Toyota Type HQ15V Police | black metal cab, black plastic box with Police Department Special Weapons Team 2 tampo, amber windows, red dome, unpainted metal base | 1/81 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

Click here to see the Toyota Type HQ15V on the 1978 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

by marcboz

1962 Corgi Trojan Heinkel Economy Car

The Heinkel Kabine is a three- or four-wheeled microcar that was designed and built by Heinkel Flugzeugwerke from 1956 to 1958. It used the same 174cc single-cylinder engine as the Heinkel Tourist scooter, had a steel body and a door that opened at the front of the vehicle. After 1958, production was licensed to Dundalk Engineering Company in Ireland, then moved in 1960 to Trojan Cars Ltd in the UK, where it continued until 1966. The Heinkel Kabine was also produced in South America from 1959 until 1962 by Los Cedros.

At about 2 ½” long, the Corgi Trojan Heinkel Economy Car is smaller than some Matchbox models. The #233 Corgi Heinkel was made from 1962 until 1972. This example is another of my Wichita eBay finds.

Other Corgi models in my collection include the 1963 Chevrolet Impala Fire Chief, the 1965 Chevrolet Impala Police Car, and the 1967 Chevrolet Impala Kennel Truck. I also have the 1974 STP Patrick Eagle, the 1972 Police Vigilant Range Rover, and the 1980 Austin Mini Metro 1.3 HLS.

Corgi | 1962-1972 | #233 | Trojan Heinkel Economy Car | orange with painted details, clear windows, ivory interior, silver steering wheel, gray metal base | Great Britain | detailed cast hubs with rubber tires

by marcboz

1978 Tomica Porsche 936 Turbo

The Porsche 936 is a Group 6 racecar introduced by the German automaker in 1975 to compete in the World Sportscar Championship and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was a rear-mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration powered by a turbocharged 2.14 L Flat 6. It was built on the 917’s aluminum space frame and had a fiberglass spyder body. The 936 had the distinction of winning the 1976 World Sportscar Championship as well as 24 Hours of Le Mans three times – in 1976, 1977, and 1981.

The Tomica Porsche 936 Turbo was first released in 1978. This clean example of the white Martini Racing variation is another of my Wichita eBay scores and replaces a rougher model already in my collection.

Click here to see another 1978 Tomica racer in my collection, the Shiden 77 BMW.

Tomica | 1978 | F43 | Porsche 936 Turbo | white with blue and red Martini Goodyear 2 tampo on top, Martini 2 labels on sides, white plastic wing, black plastic interior and base | 1/59 | Japan | sport wheels

Click here to see the Porsche 936 Turbo on the 1978 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

by marcboz

1977 Tomica Porsche Turbo 935

The Porsche 935 was introduced in 1976 as the factory racing version of the 911. It employed a 3.3L twin-turbo flat-six engine with mechanical fuel injection. A 935 won the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans and the car was dominant in the major endurance racing circuit until FIA rules changes in 1982.

This is the second example of this model that I’ve scored from my Wichita eBay friend, and being in better condition, it will replace the previous one in my display. (As he gradually liquidates his collection, he seems to be getting to the cream of the crop.)

First released in 1977, the Tomica Porsche Turbo 935 features opening doors.

Click here to compare to another Martini Racing Porsche in my Tomica collection, the Porsche Turbo 936.

Tomica | 1977 | F31 | Porsche Turbo 935 | white with blue, light blue, orange and black Martini Racing labels | 1/61 | Japan | sport wheels

Click here to see the Porsche Turbo 935 on the 1977 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

by marcboz

1977 Tomica Fiat X1/9 Variation

The Fiat X1/9 was manufactured by Fiat from 1972 to 1982 and by Gruppo Bertone from 1982 until 1989. The design of this two-seat sports car was heavily influenced by the Bertone Runabout concept car.

Based on the real-life 1975-1978 U.S. model, which had front and rear impact-absorbing bumpers, the Tomica Fiat X1/9 was first released in 1977. It was packaged individually and, in 2000, it was included in the 30th Anniversary 24-car gift set. This nice, green example with 5-spoke wheels is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

Click here to to see the orange Tomica Fiat X1/9 in my collection.

The Tomica Fiat X1/9 has a diecast metal base and features opening doors.

Click here to compare to the Playart Fiat X1/9 in my collection. And click here to compare to the Corgi Juniors Fiat X1/9 in my collection.

Tomica | 1977 | F28 | Fiat X1/9 | green, clear windows, black interior, opening doors, unpainted metal base | 1/59 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

by marcboz

1970 Corgi Juniors Austin Healey LeMans Sprite

The Austin-Healey Sprite is a small 2-seat, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive roadster that was produced in England from 1958 to 1971. The LeMans Sprite was a performance version developed in the 1960s and entered into competition at Sebring and the 24 Hours of LeMans. The LeMans Sprite had a wind-tunnel tested aluminum body with a sharp nose and a cropped tail. The 1293cc BMC engine with a single Weber carburetor produced about 110 base horsepower and managed a 12th-place finish in the 1965 24 Hours of LeMans.

The Corgi Juniors Austin Healey LeMans Sprite was produced from 1970 to 1974 in only three different variations. All have red paint, with differences in interior and base color. The model had 50 labels pre-applied to the door, with a sheet of additional racing stickers included. This red model with yellow interior and charcoal gray metal base is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

Corgi Juniors | 1970-1974 | 11-B | Austin Healey LeMans Sprite | 68mm, red with 50 and racing labels, yellow interior, amber tinted windows and headlights, charcoal gray metal base | Great Britain | black Whizzwheels

by marcboz

Corgi Austin Mini Metro 1.3 HLS

The Metro is a supermini that was produced by British Leyland from 1980-1986, and by the Rover Group from 1986-1998. Very popular during its lifespan, the front-engine, front-wheel-drive Austin Metro was available as a 3- or 5-door hatchback powered by an inline 4-cylinder backed up by a 4-speed (manual or automatic) transmission.

This Corgi Austin Mini Metro 1.3 HLS (I believe the 1.3 HLS was the high-end model) with Datapost/Hepolite rally graphics is another of my Value Village scores from last summer’s trip to Canada.

The 1:36 scale Corgi Austin Mini Metro features opening doors and rear hatch.

The front seats even tilt forward to allow convenient access to the rear seats.

Corgi | Austin Mini Metro 1.3 HLS | white with blue and red Datapost 77 tampo, black, white and yellow Hepolite label on hood, white and blue Datapost label on rear hatch, clear windows, red plastic interior, black plastic steering wheel, bumpers, grille and base, opening doors and rear hatch | Great Britain | 1:36 | black plastic tires with chrome 4-spoke-dot wheels

Other Corgi models in my collection include the 1963 Chevrolet Impala Fire Chief, the 1965 Chevrolet Impala Police Car, and the 1967 Chevrolet Impala Kennel Truck. I also have the 1974 STP Patrick Eagle and the 1972 Police Vigilant Range Rover.