23c Mercedes-Benz Racing Car (1936-50)

To complete this topic 2 photos of my 'new arrival' The inscriptions on the base plate are to read from the front to the rear. I don't explain the sand color traces !!?? Sun, acid ? Cheers Richard

Richard The discolouration could have been caused by a chemical reaction by something on which the model has rested over a long period of time as shown by the sharp edge at the front. Just a possibility as I have seen something similar happen to a late 1950s Dinky Toy. However that does not detract from your Mercedes being a beautiful example! Top marks to you. Kind regards Bruce 20160521/922/2026 (Still in China!)

Richard---Lovely model and especially nice for pre-war. Have the tires been replaced at some time? I thought all pre-war and early post war had the herringbone style tires. Very nice acquistion! Best regards, Terry

I like the soft shade of green very much. A wonderful good quality acquisition Richard. I agree with Terry that the tyres must have been replaced as only herringbone tread tyres, black or white, were in use in this pre-war era. I had a look at a similar model of mine, a first state example of 1936, which shows differences as the base plate is concerned and it lacks the competition number, compared with yours. Kind regards, Jan

Hi my friends. Bruce, I am agree with you but it will always be a mystery ! Terry and Jan, you are probably right and I thought like you but, Jacques in his encyclopedia shows a blue model with racing number 4 and exactly the same tires !! As my pre war version is the second type, it can be the last, produced just before the war with 'new' different tires ...??!! Best regards. Richard

Hi Richard, in my opinion the (English) round treaded black 20 mm tyres covered the short time span of ca. 1950-1954 only. But this is a minor point compared with the magnificent new addition you have scored! Kind regards, Jan

Have not seen any closeup photos of the blue version of the Mercedes Racing Car, so decided to post mine. I bought this several years ago from Keith Harvey, and it appears to be a somewhat later post war issue as it has the ridged wheels. Of course more correct in the silver color, but the blue does show nicely. Best regards, Terry

23c Mercedes Benz Racing Car, made from lead alloy Lucky enough and against a rather large dent in my purse I was recently able to acquire this prewar 23c Mercedes Benz Racing Car. It is from the series with the 4 fixation points to help securing the clipped-in base plate. And: it is made from lead alloy, bringing 105 gr. to the scale instead of the average 70 gr. of a zink-alloy model! The seller claims that 'with this model the new fixation points for the base plate were probably tried. The use of lead thus probably contaminated the molds, which later led to the problems with metal fatigue in the use of zinc alloy. Therefore the versions with the fixation points are particularly affected today' I wonder what comments I will receive on this! And I miss Jacques, since he does not seem to be in a position to help. Best regards from Thailand Walter

Walter---A stunning, beautiful pre-war model! It is always a treat to see any pre-war Dinky in such nice condition, with none of the pesky fatigue. What year do you think this was made? It would be interesting to more thoroughly know just when and where Meccano used lead.Best regards, Terry

23c was announced in Meccano Magazin in May 1936 (no Racing numbers, clipped-in base plate, no fixation points). Soon, Racing numbers were applied, then, the 4 fixation points came.The details of my model (racing numbers, fixation points) suggest a production date of late 1936/1937, I believe.Regards Walter

I received yesterday these two Mercedes 23c models. I was very angry against me because I bought two identical models in the precipitancy !!! There were on sale on two different sites, almost at the same time and I absolutely wanted one !! So I did bid on both and ...... I got it , .... both !!! Stupid BUT..... if you compare the models, you will see two differences : The race number 'I' on one of the car is thinner than the other and the drivers colours are different : one is 'caramel' and the other is in a lustreless brown colour ! So, I am happy Friendly yours. Richard

Hi Richard,Congratulations. Unfortunately, the pics are not too clear. Ridged or smooth hubs? Thin or thick axles? Best regards Walter