1969 Matchbox AEC Ergomatic 8-Wheel Tipper Variations

Associated Equipment Company (AEC) was a British company that manufactured trucks and buses from 1912 until 1979. Initially set up to handle manufacturing of the buses for the London Underground, AEC was an important supplier of military lorries during both world wars. In the post-war years, the company thrived by offering a wide range of trucks and buses. AEC was acquired by Leyland Motors in 1962 and production of the Leyland (AEC) Marathon ceased in 1979.

The Matchbox AEC Ergomatic 8-Wheel Tipper, based on the AEC Mammoth Major with the Leyland Ergomatic cab, was first released in 1969 and was produced in about 7 different variations. There are five black plastic wheel versions, all from 1969, with variations in paint, details and labels. There are two more variations from 1970, both with Superfast wheels, with and without labels on the bed. Both of my examples have regular wheels and are from my Wichita eBay connection.

First, an orange model with black plastic wheels, a silver grille and Douglas labels on the silver tipper.

The Matchbox AEC Ergomatic 8-Wheel Tipper has a well-designed metal tipper with a metal swinging tailgate.

Matchbox | 1969 | #51 | AEC Ergomatic 8-Wheel Tipper | orange with silver tipper, Douglas labels, blue tint windows, silver plastic grille and base | England | black plastic wheels

Next, a yellow variation with black plastic wheels, a silver grille and Pointer labels on the silver tipper.

The Ergomatic cab was designed for visibility, comfort and easy access to the engine.

Matchbox | 1969 | #51 | AEC Ergomatic Eight-Wheel Tipper | yellow with silver dumper, Pointer labels, blue tint windows, chrome plastic grille and base | England | black plastic wheels

1970 Matchbox Lamborghini Miura

The Lamborghini Miura, made by the Italian automaker from 1966 to 1973, was a pioneer of the rear mid-engine, two-seat sports car layout. With a sleek body styled by Marcello Gandini, the Miura was powered by a transversely-mounted 3.9 L V12 engine. At the time of its introduction, the Miura was the world’s fastest production car, with a top speed of 171 mph and a zero-to-60 of 7 seconds.

The Matchbox Lamborghini Miura was first released in 1969 and was produced in about 8 different variations. This metallic gold model with ivory interior and Superfast wheels is from 1970 and is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

The Matchbox Lamborghini Miura features opening doors.

Matchbox | 1970 | #33 | Lamborghini Miura | metallic gold, clear windows, ivory interior, unpainted metal base | England | narrow Superfast 5-spoke wheels

1970 Matchbox Dodge Crane Truck

The Dodge 500, later called the K Series, was a heavy-duty truck built in the UK by Dodge. It was introduced in 1964 and sold as a cab and chassis which could be fitted by the operator for a variety of purposes. Engine options included a V6 or V8 Cummins diesel or a 120hp Perkins diesel paired with a manual transmission. The 500 cab was styled by Ghia and was comfortable, roomy and had great visibility.

The Matchbox Dodge Crane Truck, based on the Dodge 500, was first released in 1968 and was produced in only three different variations. All three are yellow with green windows, but the regular wheels version could be found with a yellow or red plastic hook. This example – another of my finds from the Grandparent’s Estate Sale – is the Superfast version that was issued from 1970 to 1972. It has paint chips, aftermarket spatters, and is missing the yellow plastic hook.

The Matchbox Dodge Crane Truck features an arm that swivels, but unfortunately, does not raise up or down.

Matchbox | 1970-1972 | #63 | Dodge Crane Truck | yellow with green windows, missing yellow plastic hook, black plastic base | England | Superfast 4-spoke wheels

1970 Matchbox DAF Tipper Container Truck

The Dutch truck manufacturing company, DAF, can trace its roots back to 1928, when Hubert Van Doome started a small workshop. Early on, the company converted 2-wheel-drive trucks to 6×4 drive and produced the M39 Pantserwagen armoured car. After WWII, the company, now called Van Doome Automobile Factory, began making trucks, trailers and buses. By the late 1950s, DAF began making passenger cars using its innovative Variomatic CVT belt-drive transmission. The car division was sold to Volvo in 1975 so that DAF could focus on its successful line of trucks, and in 1987 DAF merged with Leyland Trucks. Today, the company, which has its headquarters in Eindhoven, is owned by Paccar and markets its long haul, distribution and construction trucks worldwide.

The Matchbox DAF Tipper Container Truck, based on the 2600 series, was first released in 1968 and was produced in three different variations. This metallic silver model with a yellow box and Superfast wheels – another of my finds from the Grandparent’s Estate Sale – was in the 1-75 lineup from 1970 until 1973.

The Matchbox DAF Tipper Container Truck casting is very closely related to the DAF Girder Truck, which was also released in 1968. They both share the same cab and much of the detail on the chassis. Click here to compare to my two examples of the DAF Girder Truck.

The cargo box on the Matchbox DAF Tipper Container Truck does, in fact, tip. Though my example is covered in unfortunate paint splatters, I’m happy that it still includes the removable plastic container cover.

Matchbox | 1970-1973 | #47 | DAF Tipper Container Truck | metallic silver, yellow tipping box with gray removable plastic cover, blue tint windows, orange plastic base | England | Superfast 5-spoke wheels

1968 and 1970 Matchbox DAF Girder Truck Variations

Here’s another comparison of a regular wheels model and a Superfast version of the same casting, using cars I picked up in the Grandparents Estate Sale. The Matchbox DAF Girder Truck was first released in 1968 with black plastic wheels and was transitioned to Superfast wheels in 1970. This cream example of the early model is unfortunately missing the eight red plastic girders that made up its original payload. Notice the four metal spikes on the sides of the bed that hold the girders in place, then imagine walking through a child’s dark bedroom and stepping on one of these. Ouch!

Matchbox | 1968-1969 | #58 | DAF Girder Truck | cream white with missing red girders | England | black plastic wheels

When the Matchbox DAF Girder Truck was released with Superfast wheels in 1970, it was also slightly retooled to remove the four dangerous metal spikes from the bed. Two holes were added in the center of the bed and a plastic insert (missing from this model) was used to hold the girders (also missing) in place. Rather than this nice metallic gold paint, the Superfast version can be found in the same cream paint as above, though that variation seems to be fairly uncommon.

I believe the large hole drilled in the back of the bed on this example is aftermarket work of an unknown purpose.

Matchbox | 1970 | #58 | DAF Girder Truck | metallic gold with missing red girders and black plastic insert (extra hole drilled in rear of bed), red plastic base | England | Superfast 5-spoke

1968 and 1970 Matchbox Foden Concrete Truck Variations

One of the fun things about the cars I picked up at the Grandparent’s Estate Sale is that there are a couple of examples of the same Matchbox casting from both the regular wheels years and the Superfast years. The eight-wheeled Matchbox Foden Concrete Truck was first released in 1968 with black plastic wheels, then transitioned to Superfast 5-spoke wheels in 1970.

This regular wheels version has a red metal chassis with a yellow metal cab and yellow plastic mixing barrel.

A nice feature of the early Matchbox Foden Concrete Truck is the mechanism in the base that causes the mixing barrel to rotate as the truck is rolled forward.

Matchbox | 1968-1970 | #21 | Foden Concrete Truck | yellow cab, red metal chassis, yellow plastic barrel, blue tint windows | England | black plastic wheels

The Superfast version of the Foden Concrete Truck has the same red metal chassis, yellow metal cab and yellow plastic mixing barrel.

On Superfast versions of the Foden Concrete Truck, the mechanism that drives the mixing barrel was removed and a green plastic insert hides the axles of the truck. (The barrel spins feely, but is no longer driven by a gear in the base.)

Matchbox | 1970-73 | #21 | Foden Concrete Truck | yellow cab, red metal chassis, yellow plastic barrel, blue tint windows, green plastic base insert | England | Superfast 5-spoke 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

1970 Matchbox Porsche 910

The Matchbox Porsche 910 is based on the rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive race car produced in small numbers by the German automaker in 1966 and 1967. The Matchbox version was first released in 1970 and was produced in about 18 different variations, including several simplified castings that were included in the Super GT (budget) series from 1986 and later. This early metallic red model – another of my Wichita eBay scores – would have had a racing label (possibly “68”) on the front, but all that remains now is a sticky smudge.

The Porsche 910 is one low-profile racer.

Matchbox | 1970 | #68 | Porsche 910 | metallic red, missing label on hood, amber windows, white interior, unpainted metal base | England | Superfast 5-spoke wheels

1970 Matchbox AEC Ergomatic Horse Box

The Matchbox #17 AEC Ergomatic Horse Box was first released in 1969 and was produced in at least 4 different variations. The 1969 version has a red cab, green box, gray door and black plastic wheels. Later versions have Superfast wheels and differences in cab paint and box color. This example of the 1970 model with red cab, green box, gray door and narrow Superfast wheels is the second of two bonus items I picked up (to take advantage of combined shipping) when I bought the Hay Trailer on eBay.

In 1977, Matchbox introduced a new Horse Box which appears to use the identical plastic box, this time mounted on a Bedford cab. The very popular Bedford Horse Box has been produced in at least 48 different variations as recently as 2000.

The Matchbox AEC Ergomatic Horse Box features an opening side door and was packaged with two white plastic horses. (Mine is missing one of the horses.)

Matchbox | 1970 | #17 | Horse Box | red cab with green box, gray plastic door, one of two horses | England | narrow Superfast 5-spoke

1970 Matchbox Ford Cortina GT

The Ford Cortina was a compact car manufactured over 5 generations by Ford UK from 1962 until 1982. Available as a 2-door sedan, 4-door sedan or 5-door wagon, the front-engine, rear-wheel drive Cortina was meant to be an economical family car for the masses and succeeded in that respect by becoming the UK’s best-selling car during the 1970s. The second-generation Cortina (Mark II, 1966-1970) shared some of the look of the third-generation U.S. Ford Falcon.

The Matchbox #25 Ford Cortina GT, based on the Cortina Mark II, was first released in 1968 with metallic light brown paint and black plastic wheels. In 1970 it was given Superfast wheels and could be found in metallic light brown or metallic blue as you see here. This example is another of my finds from my June road trip stop at Now & Then Antiques in Alexandria, MN.

The Matchbox Ford Cortina GT features opening doors and a plastic tow hook.

Matchbox | 1970 | #25 | Ford Cortina GT | metallic blue | England | narrow Superfast 5-spoke