1982 Matchbox Peterbilt Conventional Tractor

The Matchbox Peterbilt Conventional Tractor was first released in 1982 and was produced in about 10 different variations. Some of these were packaged individually in the mainline series, while others were packaged with trailers and included in the Convoy series. This black model with white and red ACE graphics, another of my finds from Lamont’s Childhood Collection, is an early, England-cast release.

The only other Matchbox Peterbilt Conventional that I have in my collection is a Macau-cast tractor in the 1985 Convoy series NASA Tracking Vehicle. I also have a Space Shuttle-themed Matchbox Peterbilt Tanker, which is a related casting.

Matchbox | 1982 | #43 | Peterbilt Conventional Tractor | black with red and white ACE graphics, clear windows, chrome interior, chrome plastic base | England | 8-spoke concave treaded wheels

1981 Matchbox Dodge Cattle Truck

The Dodge 500 was a heavy-duty truck that was built by Dodge UK starting in 1964. Trucks were sold as a primer-only cab and chassis; not only did the customer arrange for it to be fitted with whatever box, bed or body that served their purpose, they also had to have it painted. The roomy and modern tilt cab was designed by Ghia in Turin, Italy. The Dodge 500 had options for a V6 or V8 Cummins diesel or a Perkins diesel engine paired with a 5-speed manual transmission.

The Matchbox Dodge Cattle Truck, based on the Dodge 500, is a long-running casting that was first released as the #4 Stake Truck – from 1967-1969 with regular wheels, then from 1970-1971 with Superfast wheels. In 1976 it was reissued as the #71 Cattle Truck, in many different combinations of paint color, bed color and window color, with two plastic cows riding in the back. This example, from Lamont’s Childhood Collection, is the metallic green variation from 1981. It is missing the cattle, a few chunks of the plastic stake bed, and the two rear plastic mudflaps.

Click here to see the Matchbox Dodge Cattle Truck that I still have from my childhood. And click here to see my example of the 1967 #4 Dodge Stake Truck.

Matchbox | 1981 | #71 | Dodge Cattle Truck | metallic green with orange-yellow stake bed, blue windows, silver metal base | England | Superfast 5 crown wheels

1981 Matchbox Atlas Excavator

Atlas GmbH is a construction machinery company based in Ganderkesee, Germany. The company had its origins in 1919 when Hinrich Weyhausen began producing agricultural machinery and conveyors. The name Atlas was trademarked in 1936 and the first hydraulic excavator was built in 1951. The company grew and, when Hinrich passed away in 1969, his son, Gunter took over. Brother Friedrich ran a sister company which produced wheel loaders and backhoes. After 1999 the company changed hands a few times and Atlas Weyhausen became Atlas Maschinen in 2010. Today the company still makes wheeled and crawler excavators, loading cranes and wheel loaders.

The Matchbox Atlas Excavator was first released in 1981 and has been produced in over two dozen different variations and counting. This early, red and black, England-cast version with gray tracks and a black arm (missing the shovel) is from Lamont’s Childhood Collection.

The tracks on this model are fixed, molded plastic, but the vehicle rolls quite freely on tiny hidden wheels under the base.

The arm on the Matchbox Atlas Excavator raises and lowers (though the elbow is fixed) and the shovel (missing from mine) swings up and down.

Matchbox | 1981 | #32 | Atlas Excavator | red upper, black lower body, black plastic arm missing bucket, grey plastic base | England | tiny black rollers

1979 Matchbox Plymouth Gran Fury Police Variations

The Plymouth Gan Fury is a full-sized car that was made by Chrysler from 1975 to 1989. By the end of production in 1989, the Gran Fury was the last of Chrysler’s front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered and carbureted cars – the end of an era that had started in the mid-1950s.

The Matchbox Plymouth Gran Fury Police is based on the second-generation (1975-1977) 4-door sedan. First released in 1979, the Matchbox model can be found in about 9 different variations with a variety of police and sheriff liveries. I now have two examples of the casting, both early versions with black front and rear fenders, POLICE and badge tampo on each door, but no tampo on the roof, hood or trunk. This first fairly worn model is from Lamont’s Childhood Collection and has blue windows and a blue light bar.

Matchbox | 1979-1981 | #10 | Plymouth Gran Fury Police | white with black POLICE trim, clear blue windows and light bar, white interior, unpainted metal base | England | Superfast open dot dash wheels

This second example – in slightly better shape – is one I found in a tub of cars at an estate sale in October. It has amber windows and a red light bar.

Both of these are made in England with door outlines and handles cast into the sides. Some later, Macau-cast models have smooth sides without door lines or handles.

Matchbox | 1979-1981 | #10 | Plymouth Gran Fury Police | white with black POLICE trim, amber windows, red light bar, white interior, unpainted metal base | England | Superfast open dot dash wheels

1970 Matchbox Mercury Park Lane Police

The full-sized Mercury Park Lane was produced by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company from 1958 to 1960, and again from 1964 to 1968. Introduced as a premium model for the division and available as a 2-door coupe or convertible or a 4-door sedan and powered by the 430 cu. in. Ford V8, the Park Lane was intended to compete with GM’s Buick Super and Chrysler’s 300D. For the second generation (1964-1968), a 4-door hardtop was introduced that could be had in a fastback or with the optional reverse-slant “breezeway” retractable rear window.

The Matchbox Mercury Park Lane Police (based on the second-generation 4-door fastback sedan) was first released in 1968 wearing black plastic wheels with chrome hubs. It was given Superfast wheels in 1970 and a red model with Fire Chief livery was introduced in 1971. Between the two, there are about 39 different variations, with differences in paint and labels/livery and window and dome light colors. The interior includes two molded plastic uniformed figures.

As you can see, this example – another of my finds from Lamont’s Childhood Collection – is in rough shape. I’m surprised it has any paint at all, considering it was at some point heated to a high enough temperature to turn the windows and dome light into a molten blob and the tires into misshapen discs. But for now it will occupy a spot in my collection until I can find one in better condition.

Matchbox | 1970 | #55 | Mercury Park Lane Police | white with missing POLICE labels, melted clear windows, melted red dome light, white interior, unpainted metal base | England | Superfast 5-spoke wheels

1981 Matchbox Rolamatics Range Rover Police Patrol

The Matchbox Range Rover Police Patrol was first released in 1975 in the Rolamatics series – vehicles with moving features that are activated by the rolling wheels. The Range Rover, which has a spinning dome light, was produced in about 30 different variations, with liveries that include Police, Ambulance and even Site Engineer duties. This white version with blue Sheriff livery is from 1981 and is another of my scores from Lamont’s Childhood Collection.

The Matchbox Rolamatics Range Rover has opaque windows to hide the interior mechanisms that activate the spinning dome.

Matchbox | 1981 Rola-matics | #20 | Range Rover Police Patrol | white with blue SHERIFF tampo on top and hood, missing COUNTY SHERIFF star labels on sides, frosted windows, blue spinner, unpainted metal base | England | maltese cross wheels

Other Matchbox Rolamatics models in my collection include the Mustang Piston Popper that I still have from my childhood, the Range Rover with Police Patrol livery, the metallic green Weasel Armored Vehicle, the olive green variation of the Weasel, the Badger Exploration Truck, the Stoat Armored Car, the Maxi Taxi and the Fandango.

Matchbox 1965 S&S Cadillac Ambulance and 1977 Seasprite Helicopter with Ghostbusters Livery

One of the drawbacks to rescuing someone’s childhood collection is that you often inherit the results of their poor judgement. On the other hand, I can understand a kid in 1984 deciding that his Matchbox S&S Cadillac Ambulance would make a great Ghostbusters car. And it’s possible that the model was already in such poor shape by then that he was doing it a favor by applying a fresh coat of white paint – even if he managed to cover parts of the tires and wheels, the windows and most of the cherry on top. This example is another of my finds from Lamont’s Childhood Collection.

The Matchbox S&S Cadillac Ambulance was first released in 1965. It had white paint, red cross labels on the doors and had a black metal base with black plastic wheels. It was produced until 1970, when it was given narrow Superfast wheels (click here to see the Superfast version that I still have from my childhood).

Matchbox | 1965 | #54 | Cadillac S&S Ambulance | white with custom paint, missing red cross labels, blue tint windows, red dome lights, white interior, black metal base | England | black plastic wheels

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Ghostbusters, but I don’t remember the guys having a helicopter. At any rate, Lamont was such a fan that he decided to paint the logo on his Matchbox Seasprite Helicopter. The model was first released in 1977 and was produced with 6 different variations of window color. This one – with blue windows – still has the original white paint, but is missing the RESCUE labels from the sides.

Matchbox | 1977 | #75 | Seasprite Helicopter | white with missing RESCUE labels, custom paint, blue windows, red plastic base | England | black plastic wheels