Matchbox diecast bumps

[mk]

Thought this 'family' picture would be a good example of what to look for when trying to complete a collection or just add to knowledge of what's out there.


There's the yellow Ranger wildlife truck with the lion, a red flareside with canopy, a green kennel truck with four dogs and two 4x4s (that I know of). Between the chrome and white grills, plain and superfast wheels and even paint color, there are at least half a dozen distinct versions of both the kennel truck and the flareside. The wildlife truck was also reissued in white with zebra stripes down the sides.


As I'm in the midst of customizing a few, I stripped all four body types down. The 4x4 is on top followed by the wildlife truck, the kennel truck and the flareside. The kennel and flareside trucks have the nicest detail with lower side chrome and the hood peaks molded in whereas the 4x4 and wildlife trucks didn't.


The tail ends are even different; l-r flareside, wildlife, 4x4 and kennel. Looks like they didn't renew a licence from Ford or something on the 4x4. The chassis plate says 'mini truck 1981' and the letters are blocked out on the tailgate.


This shows all the grills used on them and in the bottom right is the reason I buy all the skanky red flaresides I find- for the interior and clear glass.

mike

[1967AceStroker]

I want! I want! I want! Them are really cool, but I have never seen one in real life. Aren't they a bit older matchbox models?

And where could I find one?

[brandon.k]

Those are pretty kool

[mk]

The kennel and flareside trucks were released in '68, I think, the yellow truck in '73 and the 4x4s in '81.
The most convenient place to find them right now is ebay, now that garage sale/ swap meet season is over. My own purchases have ranged from 99 cents and up. The kennel trucks are the dearest, running from 30-40 bucks currently for plain wheel versions to 60-80 bucks (or higher) for the superfast wheel variants Of course, these are mint with box prices.


mike

[rjewkes]

mk do you have any spare toppers i guess i'd only need one for the red flare side. I have a kennel that came without the doggs or the glass/plastic. how do you pull the one with the two rivets rear appart? and the '81 mini trucks kinda look like the 73 and up from the over all appaerance, still cool though.

If i had a spare interior and clear glass from a red it'd be cool to get the kennel appart without breaking it and custom it up.

[mk]

The accessories are hard to come by. Haven't got any spares at the moment but I'll look around. The 4x4 body also had the side bump removed, maybe to make room for the bigger wheel openings or else it could be because of the licensing thing. Good thing they kept the grill, just molded the push bar on it. The rivets can be drilled out, same as the others.

mike

[rjewkes]

cool thanks MK.

i've been watching just to find thwe new matchboxes that nobody will put on the shelves here. Somehow in the sam assortment as the E350/450 ambulance they keep missing the 59 caddilac ambulance/hurst that looks sorta like the Ecto 1 from Ghostbusters but without the GB Gear or Garb.

[ximy]

those are sweet.. thanks for sharing

[englertstephen]

I traded a couple of my hotwheels/matchbox cars to a friend for one just like that red 4x4 when I was a kid. I painted it white to look like the 71 bump my dad drove everyday. I forgot all about that until now. Those are really cool.

[ratfink]

My son stocks at a store here, this was the only one in the whole shipment. He was nice enough to snag it for me and and give it to me. It is a hotwheels, and not a matchbox, but thought you guys would still like to see it.
Ratfink

[rjewkes]

sure is nice. and now they are both mattel anyways.

I'll have to look for that one now. Funny isn't it what cars they make a zillion copies of and variations, but others only get 20-30 copies made or are exclusives for said store.

[mk]

Here's a pic of five variations I've accumulated on the red flareside theme...



The chrome and white grill plain wheel versions are on the left, chrome grill narrow superfast wheels next (one green, one black base) and on the right is the wide superfast wheel chrome grill version with a dark gray base. Not sure if there's a white grille superfast version.

Nice truck, ratfink, but it looks like they got the roof too small and the sides too tall...
It really doesn't cost any more to cast an accurate version, don't know why they do that

mike

[rjewkes]

yeah looks klike they modded the one they made for the dentside sam waltons truck for walmarts, by extending the chrome that sat in the dent's bump. still nice more info fink, whats the rest of the bubble, so i know what exact collection it is in.

my red flare side had the skinny war wheel lookin tires on it, i had one of those old caddi ertl screw together metal models that when i moved i lost the body, but kept the wheels. so now it has the 5 star tires atleast thats what i call them. kinda looks like the daytona rims but less of the triangle cutouts and chrome and looks more like a star.

[mk]

Was hoping to get these customized ones done before Christmas so I could send them to friends who have done right by me in the hobby. A few hotwheels Ultra Hot 67 Mustangs and one matchbox Bronco got sacrificed for the wheels and there was a fair amount of dremel work involved on the chassis to get the interiors from the red trucks to fit these.




Here's a few more bumps; from left, a '67 F600 in HO 1/87 scale from Lindberg, a '65 F600 in HO from Athearn, a 1/64 matchbox '67 and a molded rubber flareside in about 1/72 scale.




mike

[69rangerf100]

thats so cool? i actually have the red 4x4 from the first picture and never realized that was a bump