Flying Moose Matchbox Finds

My $5 bag of Matchbox cars from the Flying Moose was full of keepers. (Even better that it was 20% off, making it $4.) This Ford Kennel Truck would be really sweet if it still had all of its parts. First made in 1969 in metallic green with black plastic wheels, the Kennel Truck came with four plastic dogs and a tinted canopy over the bed. This apple green model with Superfast wheels is from a year or two later and would have had a clear canopy and a chrome grille.

Matchbox | 1970 | 50 | Ford Kennel Truck | apple green, missing chrome grill, missing dogs and canopy | Superfast wheels

This Vauxhall Guildsman is my favorite of the bunch. It’s pretty clean with the exception of the scuffed windshield, and the flame sticker on the hood is in pretty good shape. The casting first appeared in 1971 in pink with Superfast wheels and there are about 8 variations of paint, decoration and window tint color.

There is a great story behind the Matchbox Vauxhall Guildsman: The model was designed by Phil Gannon in 1968 and submitted that year to the annual Vauxhall Craftsman’s Guild design competition sponsored by General Motors. Gannon’s design took third place that year and was eventually picked up by Lesney – the only design to have been turned into a Matchbox toy among thousands submitted to the competition during the five year period that it ran.

Matchbox | 1971 | 40 | Vauxhall Guildsman | red, flames label, green windshield, unpainted base | England | Superfast wheels

The Matchbox Porsche 911 Turbo with opening doors came out in 1978 and has proven to be a very popular casting with over 50 different variations made. Mine is pretty weathered and is a curious metallic brown color.

Matchbox | 1978 | 3 | Porsche 911 Turbo | metallic brown with ivory interior, black base | England

There are about 18 variations of the Matchbox Alfa Carabo, which first came out in 1971. Similar in design to the Vauxhall Guildsman above, the Alfa Romeo Carabo was a concept car first shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1968. Though it was never a production car, It’s wedge design and scissor doors were highly influential in many car designs that followed, including the Lamborghini Countach.

Matchbox | 1971 | #75 | Alfa Carabo | purple with yellow base | England | Superfast wheels