25x and 430 Commer Breakdown Lorry (1949-64)

Thank you Adrian - it is a nice colour combination, and I also liked the very dark brown version with a green back. Dad used to frequently come home with the workshop's tow truck that looked very similar to the Commer. It was an International (Harvester) with Holmes crane on the back, the grille being the item most similar. In fact, I might be wrong, but even the body has similarities with each other!Here are two images of pre-war International trucks and a panel van. and here is a cropped image of the above left image. When Jan wrote one year and three months ago: janwerner wrote: Looking at the pictures of the prototype I have always wondered why Dinky made the cab windows so narrow, so low, so flat. Jan'I am now wondering if Meccano conceived the idea from the International cab which has better hallmarks relative to the Dinky Commer, although the International had a two-piece windscreen and the headlights were located on the mudguard and not close to the grille, the shape of the roof-line is similar to the 25X/430 as too is the side window. Is it possible that Meccano did use the International as the basis of their drawings, especially in view of the word 'Commer' never appearing on the box until the later issues in the yellow lidded box although it is inscribed on the base plate? Then followed the change to the windscreen and the head lights. What do you all think? Am I barking up the wrong tree?? :dry:Bruce (150) #593

I thought it would be both fun
and interesting to compare the Commer breakdown truck with its French cousin....the Citroen version.While they are similar in size
and function,
there is nothing else that they share.Originally I had thought that maybe they shared the rear tower / boom,
but no,
they are quite different,
although similar.Then I thought for sure they must share the tow hook....why design a new one ? But again,
no,
they are even different sizes.Even the handle that winds the mechanism is different.Looking down into the bed again shows how similar they are,
from
the simulated slats in the bed,
to the box behind the cab,
etc.Even the sides of the rear bed area share the same basic shape,
with the sloped,
curved sides.Best regards,
Terry [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / 009 -1.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / 010 -1.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / Dinky Toys Commer tow truck bed.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / French Dinky Toys Citroen tow truck bed.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / 009 -1.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / 010 -1.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / DinkyToysCommertowtruckbed.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / forum - images / FrenchDinkyToysCitroentowtruckbed.jpg [/img]

Hi all. I bought recently a dark grey Commer (to see in new arrivals topic) and I am suprised to see that the tyres are bigger than the others. Has somebody already saw these big tyres on this model ? The small is 17mm width and the big 20mm. Here under two photos to compare both. Kind regards Richard

Hello Richard, are you sure that these are the original tyres anyway? In my opinion the grey/blue examples are rather early and are only found with original smooth (not treaded) medium size (17 mm) tyres. If others disagree with this, please let us know! Kind regards, Jan

Richard The tyres on your dark grey and mid-blue Commer have been swapped over the years - they are not original and belong in the mid-1960s era. This model was always shod with the tyres as shown in the photograph above in Jan's Post. Here is a cropped image of one of five in my collection. 757 706 Kind regards Bruce (150) 20170118/0150/1176

Dear all. Thank you for your comments. I felt that they were not original. Does somebody know from which truck (I suppose) these tyres belong ? Richard

Richard, these are the regular black 20 mm Dinky Supertoys tyres. See pictures attached. Kind regards, Jan

Thank you Jan Richard

Hardly anything to add to this thread full of valuable details and conclusions. Still, it may be interesting to show the early H. Hudson Dobson sticker and the quality control stamp on the orange lid box of this example with the dark brown cab (hardly readable): DR 451. Kind regards, Jan

I can add still another stamp GR105 (October 1950) to this subject. Also the announcement in Meccano Magazine of the 25x in September 1950, but still without price indication. In MM October 1950 the 25x is advertised for the first time with the price 5/6 as well as in the Dinky Toys catalogue UK October 1950. This price is also written with the pen on my 25x box with the date of acquisition 25/10/50. Kind regards, Jan Oldenhuis, 10 September 2018

A lovely example Jan.....doesnt look like the box was ever opened....wonderful condition, with gleaming dark brown paint. Best regards,Terry