Post by jbwelda on Jun 3, 2019 0:30:46 GMT -5
Down through the years, Dinky Toys put out some awesome die cast vehicles. Primitive by todays standards, or really even by the standards only a few years from when many of them were first released, nonetheless they held (with me anyway) a place of grandeur amongst my early collecting of small automobiles. Maybe it was because they were made in England (with a few made in France), and pretty obviously a sturdy and detailed piece of work, despite missing an interior or any sort of inside detail like an engine.
But one thing...man, they picked some of the most obscure and FUGLY cars to model, sometimes. I think the French branch was most guilty of this, but the English side of the corp wasn't a lot better. One thing you will notice, or at least it has struck me, is how these cars had designs that mimicked or at least recalled the lines of more famous (over here anyway) Detroit iron, only usually about 2/3 the size, and also usually with a small design twist (that often makes them look like maybe they were designed in the Soviet Union). Most of the ones I am showing here are of French cars, but the same applies to the British examples as well.
The thing is, even fuglys have their admirers, just ask our friend Mr Faust (who I hope is tuned into this!), and I too am of that crowd. So here are some photos of Dinky Toys ugliest Greatest Hits, or at least some I have collected up over the years. And there are plenty more where these came from, this was just a selection of ten that were handy to get to.
Check em out and add some if you want!
Lets start with a Ford Taunus, I have seen examples of the real car here in the USA, but few and far between. I think they were commonly imported into Canada though. Really pretty unattractive from whatever angle it is viewed!
Sunbeam Rapier, now this one I like a lot, love how it sits and the engraved detail. Again a very obscure car in real life at least in the USA.
Rover 75, pretty much a big lump with some features that seem vaguely familiar yet hard to put your finger on exactly.
All these are factory paint and finish by the way, warts and all, although at least one has been redone.
French Peugeot 404, again reminiscent of American iron design just kind of hard to tell where exactly. Kind of a miniature Rambler front end for instance. This one shows tampering with the base plate so I am guessing it has been repainted.
Peugeot 403, more Rambler influence, but from a decade or so earlier than the prior example.
jb
But one thing...man, they picked some of the most obscure and FUGLY cars to model, sometimes. I think the French branch was most guilty of this, but the English side of the corp wasn't a lot better. One thing you will notice, or at least it has struck me, is how these cars had designs that mimicked or at least recalled the lines of more famous (over here anyway) Detroit iron, only usually about 2/3 the size, and also usually with a small design twist (that often makes them look like maybe they were designed in the Soviet Union). Most of the ones I am showing here are of French cars, but the same applies to the British examples as well.
The thing is, even fuglys have their admirers, just ask our friend Mr Faust (who I hope is tuned into this!), and I too am of that crowd. So here are some photos of Dinky Toys ugliest Greatest Hits, or at least some I have collected up over the years. And there are plenty more where these came from, this was just a selection of ten that were handy to get to.
Check em out and add some if you want!
Lets start with a Ford Taunus, I have seen examples of the real car here in the USA, but few and far between. I think they were commonly imported into Canada though. Really pretty unattractive from whatever angle it is viewed!
Sunbeam Rapier, now this one I like a lot, love how it sits and the engraved detail. Again a very obscure car in real life at least in the USA.
Rover 75, pretty much a big lump with some features that seem vaguely familiar yet hard to put your finger on exactly.
All these are factory paint and finish by the way, warts and all, although at least one has been redone.
French Peugeot 404, again reminiscent of American iron design just kind of hard to tell where exactly. Kind of a miniature Rambler front end for instance. This one shows tampering with the base plate so I am guessing it has been repainted.
Peugeot 403, more Rambler influence, but from a decade or so earlier than the prior example.
jb
It's an interweb thing.....