Category Archives: Oldsmobile

Book Review January 2024

By Maz Woolley


Oldsmobile Album Auto Review #197 by Rod Ward. English Text. 32 pages, with many colour and Black and white pictures. Softbound. Size 148 x 210 millimetres ISBN 978 1 85482 196 9. Available from Zeteo.Com or selected booksellers and museums.

The first of Rod Ward’s new books for 2024 have already come out, more details of the year’s programme can be found at zeteo.com.

Here we have another of his encyclopaedic trips through the history of a now obsolete brand from start to end. Here we also get side trips to Reo, Viking and Saturn which were all related to the Oldsmobile in some way.

Oldsmobile were the first mass-market car in US history with the sales of the curved dash and its successors providing simple and rugged transport in America before the Ford T arrived. The book tells of the cars developed over the years and their designers with plenty of background on Oldsmobile’s place in the GM family.

In 2004 the last Oldsmobile was built and shipped. A victim of the rapidly changing US Sales market and the fact that the glamour of the 4-4-2 had long been replaced by a rather non-descript product line up with little to differentiate it from the cheaper GM ranges.

The book is short but absolutely packed full with illustrations and text it is excellent value with a cover price of only 5.95 UK Pounds. It goes well with Rod’s other great marque histories, and we will be seeing two more US marques covered this year with books on Plymouth and Pontiac.

For those who are interested the Auto Review publication for 2024 is:

AR197 Oldsmobile AlbumIncluding Reo, Viking and SaturnAvailable NOW

AR198 Armour on WheelsThe story of wheeled armoured fighting vehiclesAvailable NOW

AR199 Cars produced in Latin America.Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and moreApril 2024

AR200 Plymouth Album.Plus DeSoto, Fargo, ValiantApril 2024

AR201 Commercial Vehicle Album 2Minor postwar UK ManufacturersJune 2024

AR202 They also made cars: Suzuki Album. Plus Isuzu, Hino and DaihatsuJune 2024

AR203 Pontiac AlbumPlus the story of OaklandSeptember 2024

AR204 MAN.Including Büssing-NAG and moreSeptember 2024

AR205Not just Volvo, Saab and Scania:The Other Nordics.Vehicles made in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, IcelandNovember 2024

AR206 The White Saga.Including Autocar, Freightliner, Reo, Diamond T, Western Star, Cletrac, Indiana, Sterling, EuclidNovember 2024


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Corgi Model Club – Corgi Toys #358 HQ Staff Car

By Maz Woolley

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

The latest model from the Corgi Model Club is now arriving with up to date subscribers now. To ensure that these overdue models arrive quickly they have been sent using Amazon fulfilment services.


The replica is of #358 HQ Staff Car. One of a number of models Corgi painted in what purported to be US Army livery. These were created on the request of their US agent and were aimed at the American market only reaching the UK market late in 1965 and then being withdrawn not long afterwards in 1966. They were all based on existing castings and the Oldsmobile was unusual in that it was actually based on an American vehicle. The realism ended there as although the US Army may perhaps have bought Oldsmobiles they would surely have been standard four door sedans and not the upmarket Super 88 pillarless four door hardtop?

Corgi also decided to minimise the cost of these models by leaving them entirely in olive drab and not even adding a splash of red to the rear lights just a touch of silver on the two headlights. The US Army markings appear to be decals on the original models with signs of the carrier film around the stars for example.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The model is an excellent replica using the casting already used in the collection for #237 Oldsmobile Sherriff’s car. The matt drab olive paint gives s very good finish perhaps smoother than many of the originals enjoyed. The markings are tampo printed and work well even if they are completely free from any carrier film. Inside there are four burly figures looking pretty identical, no Senior Officer’s uniforms on the rear seat passengers!


This is perhaps not the most exciting of the replicas made so far by the Corgi Model Club but it is a decent replica and helps illustrate the breadth of subjects Corgi made.

The next replica expected goes back to the earlier years of Corgi Toys and is #211 Studebaker Golden Hawk. A relative rarity even on American roads it became one of the most recognised American Cars for children who had the Corgi Toy.


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Corgi Model Club Update #27¾ (Updated)

By Maz Woolley

The ship containing the overdue Oldsmobile models was due to dock in the UK on the 1st so the models should now be on their way to the Corgi Model Club‘s warehouse space ready for checking and despatch to subscribers. As the models are about to be dispatched I have now received the publicity material I could not publish earlier.

The model against the box looking like a very convincing replica, though the tampo printed lettering and star show none of the excess film that the original decals did and the front lights look better masked too.


The classic blue and yellow replica box captures the original art work well.

The design cel showing how limited the colours used are.


The single colour body with no mask sprayed brightwork is an exact replica even if US Army staff cars probably had chrome bumpers, but not fully chromed wheels. Corgi clearly kept production costs down on the US Army marked vehicles by limiting the manual actions needed to produce them. The Commer van and mess truck also produced in US colours also lacked silver coloured bumpers, door handles etc.

This finish highlights the Oldsmobile lettering under the front grille in a way the other issues do not.


The cost cutting to the rear is equally obvious with no overpainting of the lights clusters or bumper assembly


Inside the blow moulded interior four burly figures in uniforms are fitted as well as steering wheel.


The aerial fitted to the rear is slightly different to the original as the original aerial design falls foul of modern health and safety standards.


Here at MAR Online we have been getting feedback from fellow collectors that they feel that models which Corgi Model Club regard as acceptable are not to the standard that they expect. The most common issue seems to be the amount of overspray around masked areas. This is something that is quite common on original Corgi Toys too. As the models are replicas it may be difficult to meet modern standards of masking entirely due to the way the old castings were designed, but the fact that most models are fine suggests that quality control could weed out more unsatisfactory ones. Over-spray is always a difficult topic as overspray that would upset one collector may be acceptable to another. Hornby are responsible for contracting the models for the Corgi Model Club and contractor management so perhaps they should be stepping in and pushing for higher standards.

I am told that a date in mid-August is expected for the next ship carrying Corgi Model Club items which will be an early Corgi Toys item #211 Studebaker Golden Hawk. I look forward to getting the pre-release publicity shots for this well remembered model from my childhood.


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Corgi Model Club Update #27

By Maz Woolley

The Corgi Model Club has sent out a communication to subscribers warning of extended delays to the next issue in the series which is due to be #358 Corgi HQ Staff Car. A pre-production sample is pictured below.

The Corgi Model Club has informed us that due to adverse weather conditions, the container ship carrying the model from China has had to take an emergency diversion to Jeddah in the Red Sea. The club had been anticipating a short delay last week, which is quite common, But were told on July 17th that a situation has arisen that meant a high degree of risk to the ship, it’s contents and most importantly the crew. Unfortunately, this means that the shipment may not land in the UK until the end of July.

Like the Corgi Model Club we hope that the ships crew and cargo keep safe and that that is more important than meeting shipping schedules.   

 


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Corgi Model Club #237 Oldsmobile Sheriff Car

By Maz Woolley

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

The latest replica issued by the Corgi Model Club has arrived after some delays in shipping and port clearance. This is one of the simpler models replicated so far with no opening features. #237 was issued in a generic American police livery no doubt hoping to sell well on the American market as well as with children elsewhere who were growing up watch American Cop series on commercial TV.

This model was launched in June 1962 at the same time that the Ford Thunderbird #214 and #215 gained suspension and became #214S and #215S. #237 stayed in production until 1966 and in that time it sold 615,000 units**. In December 1962 Corgi launched a sedan version as a lower priced item with an eye to attracting the Christmas pocket money spending. Finally in August 1966 the TV tie-in Man from Uncle Thrushbuster was produced using this casting with a special glazing unit featuring bullet damage and a mechanism to make the figures in the car pop out from side to side as if firing their pistols. This was a very profitable uprating as nearly 1.5 million** units were sold.

The choice of a four door hard top as an American Police Vehicle was a little strange as Police Departments tended to buy basic two or four door sedans fitted with dog dish hub caps and blackwall tyres with the money going on police pack suspension and engine options. In this case the Celebrity Sedan with its B Pillar would have been a more likely Cop car than the more expensive Holiday Sedan with its pillarless hardtop.

The replica of the original #237 is an excellent one. Looking at original models it is clear that the paint masking and location of the sheriff’s badge change between models which is hardly surprising given the production practices at Swansea at the time. The replica however has crisp edges between black and white paint and the badge will be much more consistently located too. The glazing is clearer and thinner than on the original. The silver painted areas are brighter and more crisply defined on the replica where they are a bit more hit and miss on the originals. All this reflects the advances in model production made since the 1960s and in no way detracts from the replica.

All in all as the photographs show this is a crisp and accurate replica and I cannot find any significant differences to the original, though I am sure that if there are any a reader will point them out.

The next replica to be released in this range is the Triumph Herald Coupe which we show pre-production details of here.


** Great Book of Corgi Marcel Van Cleemput – New Cavendish Books.


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Corgi Model Club Update 13

By Maz Woolley

I am told that the delayed #485 Mini Countryman with Surfer, as featured in our last update, is shipping as I write this so early subscribers can expect to receive it soon. Issues with shipment from China and slow goods handling at the UK ports have delayed the model, and may well cause issues from time to time going forwards given the well documented ongoing issues with shipping, customs and haulage.

Once the Mini has been sent out the next model to ship to subscribers will be a replica of #237 Oldsmobile Sherriff Car. The Corgi Model Club have kindly shared some shots of the pre-production model and the design cel with us here at MAR Online. This Corgi model was based on the 1961 Oldsmobile Super 88 and took advantage of the popularity of US TV cop shows which were very popular in the 1960s on the single UK Commercial TV Channel. The casting went on to be used for #235 which was a nice four door hard top version usually seen in pale blue with a white side stripe and then as the Man from Uncle Thrushbuster car #497 with action features.

On the Mean Streets. a moody publicity photograph from Corgi Model Club

The design cel is shown above showing the attention to livery detail. Corgi made the livery generic so that it would have the widest possible appeal. Nowadays model makers would tend to produce the same model in several different colours and liveries covering several police departments.

Although this model has no opening components or action features it is a nice replica of a model which was very popular when released.


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Matrix Latest News

By Maz Woolley

Matrix, part of the INVENTIST DISTRIBUTION bv group in the Netherlands, has just announced some new models which are expected to be released at the end of this month. The photographs below have been issued by Matrix and are expected to be representative of the finished product when it arrives. These models are all made in sealed resin with photo-etch to 1:43 scale in China for the Netherlands.

MX21501-342 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight Eureka Regent Landaulet Hearse black 1983

Eureka is an age old name in US coachbuilding but the company closed in the 1960s only for the name to be revived by AHA in 1970s. The Eureka Cadillac Concours” series commercial glass hearse was introduced in in 1981 and a matching flower car was introduced a little later.

The Matrix model is based on their 1983 hearse which was made available on Buick or Oldsmobile donor cars.



MX41001-181 Jaguar Ascot Bertone white 1977

Made to exhibit at the 1977 Turin Motor Show this car was based upon a Jaguar XJ-S . It was one of several Jaguar based styling exercises created by Bertone over the years. It was aluminium bodied, so lighter than an XJ-S, and had a hatchback door like the E Type. It received considerable publicity because it followed the outrageous Ferrari Rainbow and Lamborghini Bravo concept cars. The wedge shape with squared wheelarches later emerged in the Bertone designed Lamborghini Countach, but never as Jaguar.


MX41001-182 Jaguar Ascot Bertone gold 1977

The show car was show in 1977 in white but photographs on the Internet show that by 1979 it was still being photographed but by this time it was finished in gold. Despite the colour change it came no nearer being adopted by Jaguar as a production car.


MX50604-121 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Panther Shooting Brake black 1975

The Ferrari 356 GTB was launched in 1968 with a V12 engine of over four litres it was fast and expensive. In 1975 Luigi Chinetti, the famous importer of Ferrari cars in the United States, received the request for a shooting brake version from the architect and property investor Bob Gittleman.

The project was given to the American designer Gene Garfinkle and the British firm Panther Westwinds was commissioned to do the build. The design was an essentially new body build round some retained original sections and it was Inspired by the Ferrari 250GT SWB ‘Breadvan’, The final car cost the same price as four standard GTBs.


MX51607-021 Porsche 911 – 915 Prototype red 1970

Yet another Porsche 911 variation for Porsche collectors to add to their collection. The classic shape of the early 911 and the Fuchs wheels make this a very attractive model.



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A roof for the Road Champs 1955 Oldsmobile

By Luciano J. Pavloski

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

A roof for the Road Champs 1955 Oldsmobile

Sometimes a little observation leads to interesting ideas for modifying models.

I had a 1:43 1955 Oldsmobile Starfire convertible from Road Champs and, considering its price range, it’s not a bad model (Maz Woolley talks about it here: https://www.maronline.org.uk/road-champs-fabulous-fifties/)

But I would like to know why miniature manufacturers have a passion for making convertible models, even though they are not the most common cars in real life. There are a good number of cars that I would like to have in miniature form with a rigid roof, but find that only miniatures of convertibles were made.

Well, I was not thinking of modifying this Oldsmobile, but one day looking at my scraps of miniatures I realized that the curvature of the roof and the shape of the rear window of the 1956 Ford Fairlane from Ixo was practically the same as that of the 1955 Oldsmobile, even though they were cars from different manufacturers.

So I decided to remove the Fairlane roof and see if it would fit the Oldsmobile. The result was better than expected, as it “matched” perfectly, requiring only a little work with the file to get the edges right.

I removed the roof using Dremel grinding and cutting disc. I did the painting in white with spray paint and then just glued it to the model with cyanocrylate glue. As to the Oldsmobile, I only removed the ‘canvas’ top. The side windows I made with cut and glued packaging plastic.

Other than that, I added a few details to this model to make it more realistic: an infill of black paint in the grille, and painting of the instrument panel, steering wheel and door linings. I also added a rear view mirror and improved the paint on the tail lights a little.

With that it stopped being an Oldsmobile Starfire and became an Oldsmobile 98 Holiday. Recently Esval launched the 88 Holiday 1955 in 1:43 scale (which is practically the same as 98). Of course it is a much superior model, however, I ended up liking this “transgenic” Road Champs and I will keep it!

Photo Gallery


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Road Champs Fabulous Fifties

By Maz Woolley

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

The 1990s were a time when many firms tried to straddle the line between the emerging collectors market and the toy market. Road Champs were a US company which did this with some success selling products with more features and finish than the Ertl models of that time but at a reasonable price. In the UK they were stocked in Toys R Us and in chain model shops like Beatties. One of their lines designed to appeal to older collectors was the Fabulous Fifties range. This was originally sold as a set of individual vehicles in a large display box with an advertising hoarding with a period advert for the car. Later the models were sold in three car and six car sets and the models were also finished in other liveries and sold without the advertising hoarding.

As far as I can determine at this distance in time the cars available were:

  • 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan
  • 1955 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible
  • 1955 Pontiac Safari Wagon
  • 1958 Chevrolet Convertible
  • 1959 Chevrolet Impala Convertible
  • 1955 Ford Fairlane 1957 Sedan

The models were diecast to 1:43 scale in China for the US.

I have only two of this series in my collection but they highlight how far collectors models have developed over time. The models are clearly inspired by the Franklin Mint 1:43 collection which started in 1987 and which also feature opening parts but which are more detailed and very much more expensive. Road Champs basic models were cheaper than Corgi Collection models but this range was sold for about the same as Corgi and Matchbox Dinky and for less than the more detailed Vitesse models of American cars.

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Sedan

The photograph above shows the model in its display box. This is quite a display at a time when most models tended to come in cardboard window boxes of some kind with only a few like Vitesse and Solido coming in the now obligatory plastic boxes with clear tops. It cannot have been particularly popular with shopkeepers as the boxes took up a lot of shelf space and were quite easily marked and damaged.

The models were well shaped and the opening components did not mar their lines as much as some of the Franklin Mint 1950s models which have huge panel gaps. The paint is well applied and there is quite a bit of ‘chrome’ printed on to the model including the window surrounds. Chevrolet badging is neatly printed as is the Bel Air script. All the lights are painted on, except for the headlights which are separate plastic parts.

The wheels and tyres are reasonably well moulded and the white walls seem to match those fitted to many cars on the internet. Bumpers are plastic ‘chrome effect’ and are well shaped with the front bumper having additional bars fitted above it which can be seen on some of the real cars.

The interior is basic with door cards cast into the inner part of the door casting and left in body colour. The dash has the basic shape moulded in but the silver panelling and instruments are completely lacking.

The photograph above shows the model with all opening parts deployed. It can be noted that the front door lacks a ventilator moulding.


1955 Oldsmobile Starfire Convertible

Another large box highlighting the model range and product details as wel as incorporating a hoarding advertsising the car.

Produced to the same standard as the Chevrolet this model captures the 1955 Oldsmobile Starfire well. The grille/bumper unit is nicely moulded but could be improved by a black wash. Sidelights are moulded in and the headlights are clear plastic within a ‘chrome’ effect ring.

The alignment of the ‘chrome’ trim on the doors with that on the rear wing is not exact but the much more expensive Franklin Mint models are often worse. Wheels and tyres are good and the white wall OK too. Looking at the wheels in detail they have captured the three pointed hub cap shape reasonably well.

Oldsmobile badging has been printed into moulded shapes front and rear. Rear lights are all painted on. The boot opening is a little obvious and leaves a rather large gap.

Inside the model has contrasted white panels on seats printed on. Like the Chevy above the door cards are moulded into the rear metal face of the opening doors and remain body coloured. Both models have rather large and obvious door hinges.

The dashboard has a little detail sketchily moulded into it but is pretty plain. A reasonable steering wheel is fitted though horn rings are not painted and wheel is body coloured. Like the Chevy there are no stalks on the steering column for indicators or gear change.

Again the car is shown fully opened above. It is noticeable that the door vent is moulded into the windscreen and when the door opens it stays behind! In neither of these cars is there an opening bonnet and moulded engine on display. A compromise perhaps forced on Road Champs by the target sale price.

Although standards have moved on from these early ‘collectors models’ they both still display well in their rather extravagant boxes. A reminder of a time when collecting was booming and we were perhaps not as discriminating as we were to become!


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Variation on Corgi Gift Set #36

By Kees

Text and photographs copyright of the Author(s) unless otherwise stated.

This Corgi gift set was numbered 36 , and it included the Oldsmobile Toronado with a Glastron speedboat.

According to the Corgi bible ‘only’ 173.000 of this gift set were made. The Toronado is the same model as was issued individually as #264, and the trailer is the same as the one that the Batboat comes on. The plastic boat has the figures of a family of three on holiday. Due to the fragility of the boat not many survived, so nowadays they cost a fortune in good condition.

I was given a Toronado which had been set on fire by the owner, as he admitted. The bumpers and suspension are one complete unit. The flip-out headlights lever is integrated in the bumper. The corners of the front bumper break easily, so these were filled up. The model was then  sprayed in metallic blue with white primer. That combination would later suit the colour combination of the boat.

The trailer originally has plastic suspension, and as this was broken, I replaced it with a steel unit and resprayed it in silver.  

The lower part of the boat is vacuum formed. The upper part I have constructed out of parts of the old interior, bits cut off old curtain blinds, an old engine from the scrap box, and other spare small parts like a fire extinguisher, towels, dash with navigation, an old front screen, and antennas. The figurines came in a bulk lot from China. I chose to populate the boat with a tough guy and two good looking girls instead of a family…….  Arms and legs were cut and glued into position, ready to go on holiday.   

The build story is illustrated by the photographs below.

Derelict remnants of an Oldsmobile Toronado ready for a rebuild.

After primer and metallic blue top coat applied. NB the knurled wheel and cogged shaft used to drive the pop up headlight mechanism.

Car parts ready for re-assembly to commence

Test fit. NB that the bumper ends are still broken at this point.

Bumper ends recretaed and painted silver.

A new suspension unit built to give the broken trailer a second life.

Interior to be used in boat nice and clean and the vacuum shaped hull filled and ready to accept the deck cut out of old blind material. All ready for painting.

Cheap Chinese made figures . Top as supplied, and bottom reshaped to fit into the finished boat

The finished combination. Not quite the same as gift set #36 but very colourful.

Another view of the finished combo

A rear view showing off the interior fitted out by Kees.


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