After my recent success at the Paramount Antique Mall on West Kellogg, I decided to check out the Paramount Marketplace. The Marketplace is the newest location in the enterprise, and it features a healthy dose of craft-related and new items mixed in with the antiques. The first time I visited, shortly after they opened, they had not yet filled up the interior of the former grocery store they occupy. Well, after a little over a year of being open, the 22,000 square feet is pretty full – having taken on some of the vendors who were previously in the now-closed Village Flea Market.
I found a display case in a back room that was mostly full of redline Hot Wheels. The redlines were not in pristine condition, but were still fairly expensive. I enjoyed looking at them, but wasn’t planning to buy anything. Then, in the same case, I spotted this Matchbox Speed Kings Ambulance, priced at $7. I found someone with a key to the case, looked it over, and took it home with me.
The first Matchbox King Size ambulance was the K-6 Mercedes Benz “Binz” Ambulance which first appeared in 1967. Though in later years the Binz did trade its black plastic wheels for something quicker, my K-49 Ambulance is clearly a product of the Superfast years, coming on the scene with it’s clean, modern lines in 1973. It features colorful graphics and an opening rear door.
Matchbox | 1973 | Speed Kings K-49 | Ambulance | white with red roof and red interior
My other Matchbox Speed Kings are the Fire Control Range Rover, the Javelin AMX and the Bertone Runabout.
The Race Case MBX 
What a great find. So its from 1973? I seem to remember having something similar to this myself. So long ago. I think You got it cheap if it is from that era. Nice!
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1973 was the first year of this casting, Doogie, but I believe it might have been available for several years after that. Also there were two other variations – a German issue that was red with an ivory roof, and another one similar to mine but with white interior.
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Nice find, I only have two Speed Kings in my collection, I have yet to come across the ambulance, would it have originally come with a stretcher like the Mercedes “Binz” Ambulances?
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I too had wondered if it came with any accessories. Now I see that you are right – there are a few complete models on eBay (for around $100) still in the box with two medics and a stretcher. Thanks for pointing that out!
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It is still a good find without the accessories. I have a couple of the Mercedes ambulances but no stretchers, they would be easy for a kid to lose.
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There is obviously a bunch to know about this. I consider you made some good points in features also.
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