Jerry's (Old Irish) 1/24 Collection

That is truly magnificent Jerry.  The detail on the model is superb, as it should be in that scale I guess.

I doubt there will ever be any 1/24 here, they are too big for my wallet/space  .

A rare and detailed 1:24 for the price of a Spark 1:43, sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

It is strange though that 1:24 models are popular in North America, but have a fairly limited following in other parts of the world. Does that date back to the days of AMT and Monogram kits? I'm currently trying to assist a deceased estate deal with a collection of ~300 1:24 models from Franklin Mint and Danbury Mint, but there isn't a lot of interest locally because 1:18 rules.

What a beautiful model, I'd love to have that in 1/43.

The Old Toy Box - Schuco Examico 4001 (BMW 328) - There isn't a section for 1/32 which I believe is the approximate scale for these Schuco's.  One of these is new to my collection and the other has been in my family since 1952.  I thought you might enjoy seeing them as I have just restored the one, as well as the history.  Schuco made these exquisite windup cars based on the BMW 328 roadster, which had steerable front wheels, handbrake, a working clutch and four forward gears, plus reverse. It was marketed as both a toy for youngsters, as well as a teaching tool for adults learning to drive.  Schuco introduced the model in 1939 and continued production post-WWII until the early 60's.  They also introduced a reproduction in the 1980's.  The pre-war and post-war models are almost identical, except for the base plate.  The reproductions use more plastic and were painted in non-original colors.  Of the two cars below, the burgandy car is pre-WWII and the green one is a post-WWII production model.  The green one has been in my family for over 70's years.



My history with the little Schuco BMW goes back to my childhood and seeing this car and my grandparents house growing up.  It belonged to my uncle who was my Mother's youngest brother and ten years older than I.  A close family, I always saw him more like a big brother than an uncle.  I often got some of his hand me downs, including toys (some of which I still have).  The BMW was different, more sentimental to him since it had been a gift to him from my parents that had purchased in Canada on their honeymoon in 1952.  It had been played with.  The mainspring was broken, the steering wheel and one road wheel were broken as well, the shift knob and windscreen missing. 



After my uncle was married and didn't want his "old stuff" anymore my grandmother gave it to me sometime in the mid-1970's.  I tried finding someone who could make a new mainspring in those pre-internet days without success.  Watchmakers "didn't work on toys" and repair didn't look hopeful.  So, it ended up in a box with other projects in hopes that someday it could be restored.



Over the years I made some attempts to resurrect the BMW.  As reproduction parts became available I bought some, but found them to be plastic or poorly made.  Most cars for sale were either junk, too nice to part out and/or too expensive. I bought a reasonably priced parts car, but still didn't have what I needed, so it went back in a box until fairly recently.  My uncle became very ill and I decided that I finally needed to get the BMW operational.  Unfortunately, the burgandy car I bought at auction in the UK didn't arrive until after he had passed, but he was happy to hear in one of our last visits what I was doing/had planned.



The burgandy car was a bit rough, but original and had pieces I needed.  I was able to buy it for a reasonable price and was happy to find out that it was a pre-WWII production model.  Between the three models and some repro parts, I was able to restore the green car and put the pre-war car back together.  Both cars run, but not consistently and both lack their "clutch pedal".  I have found a Schuco restorer in the USA that I am going to send them to in order to try and install the clutches, tune the motors, align everything and straighten the chassis plates that have become bent over the years.  In the end I should have two perfectly working models.  Not perfect cosmetically, but I like the patina.  The green one will go to my son's collection.




This is what a pre-WWII base plate looks like.  Pre-war and post-war models are alike except for the baseplates.  The reproductions use more plastic and were not made in the original colors.



Here is the post-WWII base plate.  Note that it was made in the U.S. Zone of Germany (up to 1955).  After would have said W. Germany?



The model car was marketed both as a toy for youngster and to adults learning to drive as a means to familiarize themselves with the working of a full size car.  OK    Here is the original instruction sheets for the car.  As you can see for a small toy car, it had many moving parts.