TA的每日心情 | 开心
2019-7-24 01:42 |
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签到天数: 318 天 [LV.8]以坛为家I
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我觉得他在人主要在英国，对美国发生的事情毕竟不是第一手资料，也不一定完全正确。我试把全文贴上来看看...
Matchbox Models that never made production
By Nigel Cooper
It is often interesting to speculate on which models Matchbox should include in the
miniature range. There are many considerations to be borne in mind. I spoke to
Dave Weise, the Matchbox Design Manager at Matchbox in Los Angeles, the
headquarters of Mattel. He informed me that for today’s range there are strict
budgetary implications and so approximately a third of the range had to be generic in
nature. Obtaining licensing agreement with the manufacturers of the real vehicles is
an on-going problem and today at least one member of the Mattel secretarial staff is
employed full time following up licensing agreements.
Ryu Asada is responsible for many of the generic designs. He spends much of his
time looking for ideas for models in a wide variety of publications. Sometimes when
licensing approval cannot be gained, he adapts a proposed model such that it cannot
then infringe copyright.
It is not possible to detail models that have recently been planned and then rejected
as these ideas may be resurrected in the future. However, many collectors study the
manufacturing numbers of the past and ponder what the missing numbers might be.
Some models progressed further than others. Some reached a mock-up stage and
others were almost complete. Generally the problem was concerned with licensing
but sometimes there was a problem with manufacturing.
I spoke with Paul Carr about the models that had not been completed during his
many years at Matchbox. Paul remembers completing the drawings for a new Fork
Lift Truck to replace the MB15 Lansing Bagnall version. It was to have been
produced around 1980 and was called a Lancer Boss Fork Lift. It came complete
with a roll cage. It seemed to have the go-ahead when it was pulled on the grounds
of cost and a cage was fitted to the old Fork Lift instead.
Paul also recalled that the 1980s were a difficult time for Matchbox and there was
little money available for development. One idea was to produce a set of
Convertibles using current models and produce them in a set at a higher price.
These Convertibles were to have real folding roofs made from rubber –like material
to replicate a soft top. The MB 6 Mercedes 350SL and MB 7 Volkswagen Golf were
two of the planned series. The Lincoln Continental may have been a third. In order
to give stability to the roof, thin metal bars, presumably wire, was to be encased in
the rubber, as on the real vehicle. The models looked great and the roofs actually
folded down. Drawings and prototypes were completed early in 1985 and the US
arm of Matchbox had designed and produced and distributed leaflets for dealers,
before the models were in production.
Unfortunately, before production could commence it was found that the wire, which
was N shaped with tiny hooks, had to be placed very carefully into the mould before
the plastic could be pressure injected around the wire. The slightest misplacement of
the wire would result in damage to the mould. This could cause enormous expense
as replacement moulds would have to be made. In the event, the idea was shelved.
The Nissan Cedric was intended primarily as a model for the Japanese market. The
drawings and the expensive to produce wooden pattern had been completed in
Hong Kong, but not the moulds. The research and design department in London was
rarely happy with Hong Kong designs as they often were not accurate enough. This
appears to be the reason why the Cedric was not produced.
The Dodge Stealth (264) and Viper Morphed (265) reached an advanced stage of
production before they were halted. These models were to be miniature replicas in
1:60 scale from a 1994 US television programme called “Morphed” where the Dodge
Viper changed shape – or morphed!! There was very little information available at
the design stage and though the models were made and samples were produced
and blister packs created, it was decided that the body shape was not right. I think
there was only a pilot television programme and the series did not proceed further.
One of these models on US e* sold for $263 some years ago but I have never
seen another up for auction.
The two silver Viper models shown here are differentiated by the fact that one has
been decorated with bullet holes, though this decoration is not very realistic. The
models are identical otherwise. They have a tan interior and heavily tinted grey
windows. The black plastic base indicates that they were manufactured in Thailand
in 1994.
The Dodge Stealth R/T Turbo was painted black with decoration to front and rear
lights. It is also in 1:60 scale and has the full 1994 date cast on the plastic, Thailand
base. It has a tan interior and also Matchbox Int’l Limited cast into the base.
The second Stealth has an unpainted body with a blue plastic interior and a cream
plastic base. It is also complete in terms of date, scale and country of manufacture.
A green and black version with opaque silver windows sold at Vectis a few years ago but I cannot
verify the final bid
The Ford GT90 was a concept car. It was unveiled in January 1995 at the Detroit
Motor Show as "the world's mightiest supercar".
Its claimed top speed was 235 mph (378 km/h) from a 720 hp (537 kW;730 PS)
quad-turbocharged V12 engine DOHC,the exhaust of which was claimed to be hot
enough to damage the body panels, requiring ceramic tiles similar to those on the
space shuttle to prevent this.
The mid-engined car was a spiritual successor to the Ford GT40, taking from it some
styling cues, such as doors that cut into the roofline, but little else. All angles and
glass, the Ford GT90 was the first Ford to display the company's "New Edge" design
philosophy. The GT90 was built around a honeycomb-section aluminum monocoque
and its body panels were moulded from fibre.
The GT90 was built by a small team in just over six months and, as a result,
borrowed many components from another high profile stablemate, the Jaguar XJ220.
The all-round double wishbone suspension and the five-speed manual gearbox
came from the Jaguar, while the engine was a 4.6L DOHC V8 block (from the
Lincoln Mark VIII) with 2 cylinders cut off.
The GT90's 48-valve V12 was a six-litre engine which, if Ford had ever produced it in
volume, might have produced up to 720 hp (537 kW), thanks to four Garrett
AiResearch T2 turbochargers. The engine was based on the Ford Modular engine.
Two Lincoln V8 engines each had portions removed, namely the last pair of cylinders
from the rear of one engine and the first pair of cylinders from the front of the other
engine and the cut down engines were welded together. In total, this yielded a 90-
degree V12, with 90.2 mm bore and 77.3 mm stroke.
In the Top Gear episode first broadcast on October 26, 2003, Jeremy Clarkson
stated "I actually drove this and it was horrid. It had a top speed of 40 (mph) and it
handled like it was in a cartoon".
The Matchbox model of the Ford GT90 only reached a resin stage, when it was
inexplicably dropped.
The Green Hornet’s Car called Black Beauty also only reached the resin stage. I
believe this was because Johnny Lightning had got in first with the licensing and so
the project was dropped. Corgi also later produced a 1/36 scale version of this
model. The Matchbox version was painted black as on the real thing and the front
grille was painted silver to simulate the hinged radiator grille which concealed the
firing missile. The actual car was based on a 1966 Chrysler Imperial. The list below
refers to a Star Car version but I do not believe that this was proceeded with either.
Some of the later models listed were released in a different series such as Real
Talkin’ as shown. This was generally because production costs exceeded the budget
and so the models were used in a more expensive range. The strange looking
Caterpillar type tractor with a black plastic blade was possibly planned for the CAT
range but it was not developed further. Though a base has been fitted, it has no
markings. It has black plastic rollers and blade, a transparent cab and an unpainted
body.
The other two models were mock-ups. One seems to have been made around the
time of the Weasel and Swamp Rat as it includes the base from the former and the
soldier from the latter.
I have no idea about the background of the Road Roller painted blue and white. It
may not even be Matchbox in origin though it came from the factory.
I include a list below of models that were planned. Any other information on this
article would be much appreciated. MBC
MAN# MODEL NAME
136 Nissan Cedric (Japanese)
241 Toyota MR 2
242 Chevrolet Camaro RS Cabriolet
243 Toyota Celica GT 4
253 Bugatti EB 110
264 Dodge Stealth R/T
265 Dodge Viper - Morphed
305 Ford GT 90
349 Peterbilt Dump Truck (Caterpillar)
355 Black Beauty - Green Hornet Car (Star Cars)
364 '65 Pontiac GTO Hardtop
365 '65 Pontiac GTO Convertible
385 Snack Truck (Real Talkin)
386 RESCUE TRUCK (Real Talkin)
387 Garbage Truck (Real Talkin)
395 VOLVO Truck with Closed Tank (Adventure Pack)
396 Fire Truck (Real Talkin)
414 M 34 2.5 Ton Truck (only Feature Cars)
415 M 3 A 2 Half Track (only Feature Cars)
435 2000 Ford Thunderbird (only Feature Cars)
454 VW Microbus Concept
467 FORD LTD Sedan (only Character Cars)
471 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE with Vee Roof Light (D.A.R.E.)
478 Dodge CATTLE TRUCK (without cattle)
479 FORD PANEL VAN (without roof equipment)
511 FORD CROWN VICTORIA Police Car (opening doors) |
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