The blue and yellow corgi book

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Corgi Toys, Corgi Majors, Corgi Classics, Whizzwheels and the names of the various features which appear on the models produced are trademarks of Hornby Ltd. PLC. Photographs of models appearing in this book are part of the authors’ collections.

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form pr by any means – graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or information storage and retrieval systems – without written permission from the copyright holder.

EDIÇÃO: Edições Vírgula® (chancela Sítio do Livro) TÍTULO: The blue and yellow corgi book AUTORIA: Miguel Faria da Silva & Miguel Fontes PAGINAÇÃO: João Fontes (fontesdesign.com)

1.ª EDIÇÃO Lisboa. Novembro 2019.

ISBN: 978 -989-8821-74-4 DEPÓSITO LEGAL: 441879/18

© Miguel Faria da Silva & Miguel Fontes PUBLICAÇÃO E COMERCIALIZAÇÃO

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INDEX

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About us Introduction

12

The Toys: 50 - 112

16 -28

150 - 159

29 - 35

200 - 249

36 - 68

300 - 349 350 - 393 403 - 450 452 - 499

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500 - 9041

68 - 80

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251 - 280

81 - 105

106 - 114 114 - 137 137 - 156 157 - 174

1100 - 1154

175 - 202

Corgi Accessories

203 - 204

Conversion charts: (Box description/ Car description/ Corgi reference number) Corgi ref. by numerical order

208 - 218

A-Z reference on the model

220 - 227

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ABOUT US

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8

Miguel M. R. Brito Fontes

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ABOUT US

Born in 1958 in Lisbon, Miguel lived in a closely knit family with a passion for science, music and collecting. As a toddler and throughout childhood, Miguel was privileged as his much older siblings and parents actively encouraged his passion for toys.

He vividly remembers small episodes relating to watching his Grandfather ordering stamps, his Father´s passion for coins and small shopping trips in search of any toys ranging from stickers and bubble gum wrappers to marbles or any other kind of premium that came together with an ice-cream and other items aimed at children. Birthday parties were punctuated by miniature car gifts that throughout the year provided a lot of pleasure.

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Television had just started in Portugal and apart from the occasional movie or play at the local theatres, there were hardly any forms of entertainment for children. It was a golden era for seeding true collectors who never stop in their quest for perfection.

Miguel is also a medical doctor. Among his many collections Corgi Toys have always remained at the top of his agenda. As we write, the story still unfolds.

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As his loving wife, I am so proud of him and I fully support him.

by Maria Francisca B G M Brito Fontes

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Christmas 1984

Miguel A. A. Faria da Silva

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ABOUT US

Born in 1980, in Lisbon. Miguel studied Modern Literature and soon decided to follow the family business related to the trade of antiques, silver and jewelry.

Thanks to the influence of his two older brothers, he used to play with the Corgi St. Bernard and sheperd dog figures taken from his brothers’ toybox, together with some chipped Corgi toys.

At the age of 12, an old Jaguar small toy was given to him at an old toy fair and from then on he travelled with this toy for many and many days playing at home. His passion for toy collecting was started at that day and peaked with Corgi Toys collecting.

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These childhood memories explained why someone born in the eighties would basically focus on the toys from his brothers’ time.

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WELCOME

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Highlight features such as ‘THE ONES WITH WINDOWS’ are a showcase of the refinement used by Mettoy Company in the design of CORGI TOYS, making them more desirable to children (and their parents) than ever before. The introduction of several technical advances (mechanical engine, spring suspension – GLIDAMATIC -, opening parts) made CORGI TOYS the standard against which competitors were evaluated to in those times.

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Another particular aspect should be mentioned, related to the fact that every CORGI TOYS collector (or rather, every child who ever had the chance to play with one or to watch a CORGI TOYS display at the local toyshop) had in his mind the characteristic ‘blue and yellow’ box that was launched in Feb 1959. This was the starting point for our book a few years ago. Even though the history of CORGI TOYS has been written by several authors overtime, regarding production details, model identification, price range and valuation we have always found, as collectors, that all those remarkable books lacked the capacity to allow the reader to easily identify a particular model by its description and to relate it to the correct box.

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It is well known that boxes have become increasingly more valuable and as a sign of their increasing scarcity they have been largely reproduced. In this context, a thorough identification guide for both models and box variations has not been issued until now.

The passion for collecting started with good childhood memories and in bringing these to the present day. This is the secret of the worldwide success of these lovely little models even in today’s High-Tec global world, initially imposing conception rules oriented to make these models desirable to children eyes, very different from the current toys as well as from the amazingly perfect and realistic models currently intended for adult collectors.

This is mainly the enchantment that crossed generations and that made us both combine our collections to the same purpose – playworn and mint models and boxes to illustrate the different model and box variations.

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The book is organised into different volumes based on Corgi serial numbers, with no specific chronological order, allowing collectors (whether initiated or long-standing) to undertake an easier and more complete identification of every model (whether isolated or with the box). No other published book ever allowed this.

It was our aim that this book corresponded to a starting point to new or old discoveries of these magic blue/yellow boxes.

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When writing this book, we both reached the conclusion that the golden age of Corgi Toys is determined by the realistic rubber wheels and moulded hubs that make the models so sought after, even after more than 50 years, reason why all the original Corgi Toys up to Whizzwheels were included into this first volume. Hopefully, Gift Sets and Whizzwheels will follow, should a positive acknowledgement by collectors is found.

We believe we shall provide our readers with a good adventure!

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Our book was designed based on CORGI TOYS serial number (within every image on the book) and its correlation to both the precise CORGI legend inscribed within every model’s and model baseplate , together with a general description of every model , box colour , box and package variation .

Finally, an identification table is provided at the end of the book, allowing for a quick recognition of each model for a daily use by collectors.

Abbreviations in this book:

LHD – left hand drive | RHD – right hand drive | RN – racing number | SW – steering wheel

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THE TOYS

50

BRIGHT RED bonnet, seat & metal hubs, cream chassis, black plastic SW BRIGHT RED bonnet, bare metal seat, red metal hubs & grey plastic SW DARK RED bonnet, silver metal SW & seat, fawn engine, red plastic hubs

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 65 decals at the sides

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 65 TRACTOR (1959-66)

RED chassis, red metal or plastic wheels

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YELLOW body GREY body ??

BLUE/YELLOW box with inner packing

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 30 CWT TRAILER (1959-65)

MASSEY-FERGUSON 30 CWT TRAILER

BLUE/YELLOW box PLAIN box (different model details in flaps)

Rare

Very Rare

53

BRIGHT RED bonnet, no decals at the sides, grey plastic SW, silver metal seat/shovel, fawn engine, fawn rams w/ black decals, red metal hubs Same, thin black outline decals at the sides, red plastic hubs SAME, thin black outline decals at the sides, bare metal rams/shovel, red plastic hubs RED bonnet w/ white/black decals, silver metal SW, fawn engine & rams, fawn bucket w/ silver interior, red plastic hubs

BLUE/YELLOW box with operating instruction figure (two different sizes) in flap; inner packing

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 65 decals

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 65 TRACTOR WITH SHOVEL (1960-66)

LIGHT ORANGE diecast wheels, headlights outside radiator, grey treads Same, w/ plastic wheels Same, w/ dark orange plastic wheels ew casting, with headlights set in grille, New dark orange plastic wheels, black treads

54

FORDSON “POWER MAJOR” WITH “ROADLESS” HALF TRACKS (1962-64)

BLUE/YELLOW plain box with inner packing BLUE/YELLOW bow with inner packing

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55

LIGHT ORANGE diecast wheels DARK ORANGE plastic wheels

BLUE/YELLOW box w/ inner packing

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BLUE body and chassis, silver seat and steering wheel; black diecast and yellow plastic hitch apparatus; headlights outside radiator; no figure

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FORDSON “POWER MAJOR” TRACTOR (1961-63)

Single red frame casting with yellow plastic parts

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RED frame casting DARK RED frame casting

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FOUR FURROW PLOUGH (1961-63)

BLUE/YELLOW box with two different labels: - WITH LINKAGE AND LIFTING ATTACHMENT TO SUIT CORGI MODEL NO.55 FORDSON POWER MAJOR TRACTOR. - TO SUIT CORGI MODELS NO.50 MASSEY-FERGUSON 65 TRACTOR NO.55 FORDSON POWER MAJOR TRACTOR

Rare

Very Rare

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RED body

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RED plastic wheels, fork arms and fork casting; otherwise as 53; “old man” figure driver

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 65 TRACTOR WITH FORK (1963-67)

RED chassis, cardboard floor cover w/ 4 plastic calves, green rubber webbing, black rubber tyres

DARK YELLOW body and lowering tailgate; red plastic hubs YELLOW BODY and lowering tailgate; orange plastic hubs

BLUE/YELLOW box with operating instruction figure in flap; w/ inner packing

58

BEAST CARRIER (1965-72)

BEAST CARRIER

BLUE/YELLOW box with inner packing

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60

RED plastic hubs ORANGE plastic hubs

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BLUE body, seat and SW; silver metal hitch apparatus; headlights set in grille; "old" man figure driver

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FORDSON “POWER MAJOR” TRACTOR (1964-71)

SILVER plastic blades

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BLUE

BLUE/YELLOW box with inner packing; instruction sheet

61

FOUR FURROW PLOUGH (1964-71)

BLUE/YELLOW box

Rare

Very Rare

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FARM TIPPER TRAILER (1965-72)

RED/YELLOW

BLUE/YELLOW box with inner packing; two different inner flaps; different box types with “Colour of contents may differ from those illustrated“ reference at the sides

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RED tipper and tailgate, yellow chassis and two raves, red plastic hubs

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FARM TRAILER

RED body, yellow grille and working conveyor, grey diecast base, red/yellow sticker under the rear ramp, GLIDAMATIC suspension, shaped hubs. Farmer figure and five sacks (according to 1966 Corgi catalogue)

YELLOW/RED

64

WORKING CONVEYOR ON FORWARD CONTROL JEEP F.C.-150 (1965-69)

JEEP FC-150

BLUE/YELLOW box with diorama and inner packing

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66

RED GOLD

BLUE/YELLOW box with inner packing; different box types with “Colour of contents may differ from those illustrated “ reference at the sides

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RED engine cover and 2 fender castings, black and white “165 MASSEY-FERGUSON MULTI-POWER” decals, grey seat and chassis castings, white grille, silver headlights, black metal SW, front red metal hubs and rear red plastic hubs. Simulated engine noise (when turning front wheels); no figure

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 165 TRACTOR (1966-73)

BLUE body and chassis, grey plastic hubs, chrome plated plastic exhaust stack, jewelled headlights inside grille, driver figure (“young” man with scarf ). Two different rear hitch and hitch control castings, grey mudguards

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BARE metal SW CHROME plated plastic SW

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FORD 5000 SUPER MAJOR TRACTOR (1967-73)

BLUE/YELLOW box with instruction sheet, instruction figure on inner flap and inner packing; different box types with “ Colour of contents may differ from those illustrated “ at the sides or with “ FOR SPARE TYRES ASK FOR…” in flap

Rare

Very Rare

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RED body (shades)

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RED shovel arms, unpainted shovel, hydraulic cylinder castings, sheet metal shovel controls, “young” driver figure with scarf, otherwise as 66

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MASSEY-FERGUSON 165 TRACTOR WITH SHOVEL (1967-73)

Concave or convex (later model) metal hubs

Different shades; yellow main frame & red upper frame

BLUE/YELLOW box with instruction figure in flap; inner packing

71

WHEEL CONTROLLED TANDEM DISC HARROW (1967-72)

BEAST CARRIER

BLUE/YELLOW box with inner packing

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72

BLUE

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YELLOW trencher arm, hydraulic control panel decal; “R.J. FLEMING STONEY STRATFORD 3247” yellow/ black decal along the plough arm; “young” driver with scarf, otherwise as 67

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FORD 5000 SUPER MAJOR TRACTOR WITH REAR MOUNTED TRENCHING BUCKET (1970-74)

YELLOW saw attachments, “R.J. FLEMING STONEY STRATFORD 3247” yellow/black decal along the saw arm; no figure, otherwise as 67

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RED/YELLOW

BLUE/YELLOW window box with polystyrene inner

73

MASSEY-FERGUSON ‘165’ TRACTOR WITH SAW ATTACHMENT (1970-73)

BLUE/YELLOW window box with polystyrene inner, including yellow model identification card

Rare

Very Rare

74

BLUE/YELLOW

BLUE/YELLOW window box with polystyrene inner; different box types with or without “ FOR SPARE TYRES ASK FOR…” reference on inner flaps

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YELLOW scoop arm; “R.J. FLEMING STONEY STRATFORD 3247” yellow/ black decal along the plough arm; “young” driver w/ scarf; otherwise as 67

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FORD 5000 SUPER MAJOR TRACTOR WITH HYDRAULIC SCOOP (1969-72)

CREAM body, red chassis, smooth hubs; wire hitch (1957-61) SAME, shaped hubs; hitch as part of front chassis (1962-65) CREAM body, metallic blue chassis, smooth hubs, wire hitch

100

DROPSIDE TRAILER (1957-65)

DROPSIDE TRAILER

BLUE box (smooth hub version) w/ concertina leaflet BLUE/YELLOW plain box (shaped hub versions) BLUE/YELLOW box (shaped hub versions)

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101

PLATFORM TRAILER (1958-64)

SILVER-GREY body, metallic blue chassis, smooth hubs, wire hitch (1958-61); SILVER-GREY body, metallic blue chassis, shaped hubs, hitch is part of the chassis (1962-64); SILVER-GREY body, yellow chassis, smooth hubs; SILVER-GREY body, yellow chassis. shaped hubs; YELLOW body, yellow chassis, shaped hubs (GS22 only); METALLIC BLUE body, yellow chassis, smooth or shaped hubs (GS11 only); WHITE body, light blue chassis, smooth or shaped hubs (GS21 only)

BLUE box (smooth hub version) w/ concertina leaflet BLUE/YELLOW box (shaped hub version)

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Smooth or shaped hubs

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PLATFORM TRAILER

One horse figure is included

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RED body & tailgate, black chassis, wire hitch, smooth or shaped hubs (1957-62) TAN lower body & tailgate, cream roof, silver chassis; hitch is part of chassis: shaped hubs?

IVORY body & tailgate, red chassis, wire hitch, smooth hubs TAN body & tailgate, cream roof, silver chassis; hitch is part of chassis, shaped hubs (1963-65)

102

RICE PONY TRAILER (1958-65)

RICE PONY TRAILER

BLUE box (with instruction sheet) – wire hitch/smooth hub versions; BLUE/YELLOW smaller box – wire hitch/smooth hub versions; some with no description of the model in flaps BLUE/YELLOW larger box – silver chassis and hitch/ shaped hub versions; horse figure with protective card packing

Rare

Very Rare

104

DOLPHIN CABIN CRUISER (1965-68)

BLUE/WHITE/RED

BLUE/YELLOW box with inner packing

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Plastic boat w/ blue deck and white hull on diecast red trailer, smooth hubs, two tone blue engine with grey propeller and white painted engine cover, red and white stripe labels, grey hand wheel, Captain figure

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DOLPHIN 20 4 BERTH CRUISER

Black plastic boat with red seats, fin and jet, Batman and Robin figures.

On gold trailer w/ cast hubs; plastic trailer coupling to fit 1st version Corgi Batmobile

BLACK

107

BATBOAT AND TRAILER WITH BATMAN AND ROBIN ALSO SPECIAL TRAILER COUPLING TO FIT CORGI BATBOAT (196772)

GLASTRON BATBOAT

BLUE/YELLOW CORGI TOY box (with or without copyright “NATIONAL PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS INC. 1966 ” statement)

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109

PENNYBURN WORKMEN’S TRAILER (1968-69)

BLUE/YELLOW BLUE/WHITE (no tools - GS 10 only)

BLUE/YELLOW later issue box

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Blue body, yellow chassis casting.

Two opening lid castings, red plastic interior w/ three tools (pick-axe – grey plastic; shovel – metal; broom – yellow plastic), red plastic hitch, cast hubs

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PENNYBURN ALL STEEL TRAILER

Blue body and lowering gates, white roof, silver grey chassis, felt gate linings, light brown plastic interior; two horse figures (mare and foal), red plastic hitch, cast hubs

28

WHITE/BLUE/SILVER

112

RICE BEAUFORT DOUBLE HORSE BOX (1969-72)

RICE OF LEICESTERSHIRE BEAUFORT DOUBLE HORSE-BOX

BLUE/YELLOW late issue box, instruction leaflet (no. 27299), including card packing for the foal; round card protective packing for the hitch

Rare

Very Rare

150

VANWALL F1 GRAND-PRIX (1957-60)

GREEN MEDIUM GREEN RED

BLUE box with concertina leaflet BLUE/YELLOW box

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Clear windshield, unpainted SW and dash; yellow or silver seat, silver exhaust pipe, large or small Vanwall decal; RN decals (1, 3 or 7), smooth or criss-cross hubs, “Made in Great Britain” or “British made” and large or small “Corgi Toys Vanwall” cast across or along base

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VANWALL

(Cont)

GREEN, RN20, special VANDERVELL edition (w/ customized driver figure) GOLD-PLATED (red interior), TROPHY MODELS edition for sale at Marks & Spencer

150

VANWALL F1 GRAND-PRIX (1957-60)

VANWALL

Specific dark red/cream TROPHY MODELS box edition with model on detachable black plastic plinth and top transparent plastic box

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150S

VANWALL F1 GRAND-PRIX (1961-65)

RED body BRIGHT RED body

BLUE/YELLOW box – 1st – 150 box w/ 150S sticker BLUE/YELLOW box – 2nd – 150S specific box w/ Glidamatic reference Contains six adhesive spoked wheels and instruction

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Details as 150, except: w/ driver, suspension, smooth hubs, blue (different shades) and white trim decal, including RN 25, silver nose, 150S cast across base, “Vanwall” decals applied at different locations on the model

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VANWALL 150S

Blue or clear windshield, unpainted SW, clear plastic headlights, red or maroon seats, RN decal (1, 3 or 7), tin base, smooth hubs

30

SILVER-GREY body, red grille & exhaust pipe BLUE body, silver grille & exhaust pipe RED body, silver grille & exhaust pipe

151

LOTUS MARK ELEVEN LE MANS RACING CAR (1958-60)

LOTUS MARK 11 LE MANS

BLUE box (with concertina leaflet) BLUE/YELLOW box