196 Holden Special Sedan (1963-70)

Photo BruceDaveI know your post is old, but reading through this Thread I came across it, and thought I would include a photo of my 196 Holden Special Sedan, still secured in its export box by its rubber bands. You will note that the Holden was in the first batch produced in turquoise as Meccano were using up the bronze painted bonnet/hood, and boot/trunk from the first issue.Bruce __________________________________________________________Note that this box is printed in American, not in English. see 'tires 090' on one of the flaps. I can also read 'hood'.Jacques. __________________________________________________________That does not really make sense as the Holden was an Australian Car and not an American.Surely the Aussies used proper, old fashioned, English.Davep.s. I hope I am not opening a can of worms here !!!__________________________________________________________Obviously printed in England for the American market so use the American terminology. That is why I mentioned hood and trunk in my last post although I had not noticed the use of the American English 'tires' for the British English 'tyres'. Also there is no other languages included. With Canada next door, did they receive their stock direct from Liverpool or from Hudson Dobson? If the latter, the box did not include French, suitable for Quebec, Canada, which is why I think Canada may have obtained their stock direct from England.By the way, I have never touched the intact rubber band still holding the 'right-hand drive' Holden in its box. Guess one could call this model truly mint and boxed!I also made reference to the bonnet/hood and boot/trunk having the original bronze colour from the first issue. Note that the model also has the original interior rather than red that was later used.Bruce. __________________________________________________________Dave,Printing the box in American English does make sens as these boxes were meant for export to the U.S. Models sold in other countries were packed in end flaps boxes.Bruce,__________________________________________________________The export department in Liverpool must have been split into several sub departments for : Europe, Commonwealth, USA etc.There is evidence in some catalogues that the source for Hudson Dobson was different from the Canadian one (part of the Commonwealth). French made Dinky were exported to the US and not to Canada. So the yellow and the gold Visi-Pacs as Meccano called them may not have been available in Canada at least at the begining. This expains why they were not printed in French for Quebec.I would apreciate a photo of the end flap showing the 'Special features' and the tire reference as well as one of the model taken 3/4 front left so that one can see the light green seats.There are other examples of models been overpainted like the Hood and trunk of the Holden, some french Dinky trucks have been finished in that way. I can not remember which.Jacques. __________________________________________________________ JacquesHope the attached is the angle you required. I will have to photograph the end details tomorrow and will post it when done.Bruce __________________________________________________________ Bruce,That is a great picture. I would also like to know if the interior is greenish or blueish and the colour of the base plate.Thank you.Jacques.

One starts with two variations : bronze and turquoise and one finds that there may be more than half a dozen : 1) Bronze body greenish interior, grey base plate. 2) Turquoise body greenish interior over painted boot and bonnet lids, grey base plate. 3) Turquoise body red interior over painted boot and bonnet lids, grey base plate. (possible variation) 4) Turquoise body red interior over painted boot lid, grey base plate. (possible variation) 5) Turquoise body red interior over painted bonnet lid, grey base plate. 6) Turquoise body greenish interior, grey base plate. (possible variation) 7) Turquoise body red interior, grey base plate. Turquoise body red interior, black base plate. In green the confirmed variations. How is your's ?

Jacques Glad you liked the last picture. Thank you too for creating this new thread, although I was intending to do likewise, but you beat me to the punch! Anyhow, thought I would add some more pictures of the Holden, to add to those you transferred from the New Arrivals thread: Hold up Jacques with your latest post - I am about to add a further variation, that will turn one of your suggestions into green, but first, I have to do the washing up! :unsure: Am having trouble keeping up with your posts! Bruce (150)

Here is another variation of the turquoise and white Holden. This one has the normal red interior, grey die-cast base plate, but the bonnet is still painted bronze underneath and is housed in the standard 196 Holden Special Sedan box. Unfortunately, I sold this model through Wallis and Wallis in 2011. Hopefully, a member or other Dinky Toys collector who won this model together with an AC Aceca in cream and dark brown Lot 429 in the Wallis & Wallis sale of 23 June 2011, may see this post and be able to check it and get back to this Thread!! By the way, whoever the winning bidder was, he got an absolute bargain, as the lot went for ninety five pounds plus commission. I have been kicking myself ever since as these were not the only models of mine that went for a song that bleak and dark day!!

This is the normal/usual version of the turquoise and white 196 Holden Special Sedan. But first a word from Dave, pinched from New Arrivals thread Re:New arrivals 13 Hours, 4 Minutes agoKarma: 6 That does not really make sense as the Holden was an Australian Car and not an American. Surely the Aussies used proper, old fashioned, English Dave ps I hope I am not opening a can of worms here!!! Dave You will see on the usual box, that we do speak and write the Queen's English out here, although recent years has meant we are slowly losing it, with some changes taking place, program instead of programme, theater instead of theatre, jail and no longer gaol, yeeks, I am changing the thread!! But this example now has a black diecast base plate.

Jacques Referring to your question some time ago, the base plate for the model at the start of this Thread is light grey as per the bronze and white version. The interior is also identical to the bronze version, a very pale blue, or as someone referred to it as 'duck-egg blue'. I have not forgotten about the photograph you want in this thread showing the end flap and tyre details. Finally, Jacques can you explain how the painting process worked with the Holden and its bonnet and boot? If these items had been previously painted for the bronze version, how is it that only the upper was painted turquoise? Is it possible these had been fitted to the model and then the upper was given a quick spray to match the rest of the model? Bruce (150)

Bruce, I do not know how these were painted. It is not possible that the boot and bonnets were assembled to the body before painting because they are held by the windows which are held by the base plate. I know three ways of painting used by Meccano : 1) the painting knobs 2) the x'mas tree 3) grills I will explain later today, I must clean the garden while it is not raining.

The following is a quote from a post submitted by Jacques some time ago: The export department in Liverpool must have been split into several sub departments for : Europe, Commonwealth, USA etc. There is evidence in some catalogues that the source for Hudson Dobson was different from the Canadian one (part of the Commonwealth). French made Dinky were exported to the US and not to Canada. So the yellow and the gold Visi-Pacs as Meccano called them may not have been available in Canada at least at the beginning. This explains why they were not printed in French for Quebec. I would appreciate a photo of the end flap showing the 'Special features' and the tire reference as well as one of the model taken 3/4 front left so that one can see the light green seats. There are other examples of models been over-painted like the Hood and trunk of the Holden, some french Dinky trucks have been finished in that way. I can not remember which. Jacques. Jacques I have finally got around to photographing the end flap and another showing the tyre/tire reference. It is to be noted that the tire/tyre specification was only printed on one of the main tuck-in flaps. The large cardboard side that I had neglected to include previously is below. The only interesting thing is the small ticket that has been stuck to it with the numerals '68'. I do not know what this means, but perhaps it could denote 1968.

Bruce, Thank you for the nice pictures.

In early July 1963, Meccano Dealers were sent a copy of the July-August-September Meccano Trade Bulletin that provided them with advance notification of six new Dinky Toy and Supertoys releases. One of these was the '196 Holden Sedan Car - THE CAR FROM DOWN UNDER!' Of course the model's title became the 196 Holden Special Sedan when it was released in September 1963, to mark 50 years of Meccano in Australia. Here is a copy of the advertisement in the Bulletin that also included the 117 Four Berth Caravan that was released in August 1963. Bruce (150) #500

Hi all, Lovely looking car the Holden Special, did it share floorpan etc with the PB Cresta? Chris Warr.

Greetings Chris Many thanks for your comments on the Holden EJ. Actually, the next version the EH was a big improvement. No - the Holden did not share a floor plan with any other vehicle. It was totally designed and engineered at Fisherman's Bend, near Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its predecessor the FB/EK was right up with the Americans - tail fins and wrap-around windscreens. General Motors-Holden built a fantastic testing ground at Lang Lang southeast of Melbourne, and all new designed Holdens from the 1958 Holden FC right through to the current Commodore (no, not the Opel one, although our Commodore had its roots with the Opel one!) were tested and modified through this test facility. In recent years, the Pontiac GTO was a re-badged and re-engined Holden Monaro, made in Victoria, Australia. Unfortunately, by 2017, General Motors-Holden will no longer manufacture or assemble cars in Australia. Their role will simply be to stick a Holden badge on appropriate products being made elsewhere by GM, such as the Opel Astra. The one redeeming factor will be the retention of the design and engineering department for a lot of GM products with the proving ground at Lang Lang being retained. Ford and Toyota like GM-H will also cease manufacturing in Australia. A sad end through globalization. In the 1950s, we had three manufacturers, GMH, Ford and Chrysler and a multitude of assemblers, BMC, Rootes, VW and others, all when we had a population of 9 million. Now with 22 million approaching 23, apparently we do not have the population to support a single car manufacturing and component industry! Unfortunately, cars will continue to be made in countries where the workers do not enjoy the same conditions as here, and whose pay packet is far less, resulting in a bigger profit for the multi-national manufacturers. But I guess this is the same story that has been repeated elsewhere, GB, etc. There - I have said my piece! Kind regards Bruce (150) #501