Matchbox/Lesney 70a; Ford Thames Estate Car

The Ford Thames 400E minibus is here called for some unknown reason 'Estate Car'. It is a crew bus and is the same model as is featured in the Movie The Italian Job; the 'Dor-Mo-Beel' as Michael Caine says it. The colour in the Matchbox range was always yellow over turquoise, windows can be clear or green or no windows at all and wheels are black, silver or grey.

The Thames Estate car, 70a, was released in 1959 and remained in the range until 1966. There are no significantly rare versions and there are two schools of thought on valuation. One set of sources states that clear window versions will fetch a small premium, another says that it is the crimped axle versions that are harder to find regardless of window tint, crimped axles being an early production method which was being phased out when this model was released, making them harder to find.

Matchbox/Lesney 70a; Ford Thames Estate Car; Turquoise, Yellow, Rounded Axles	Matchbox/Lesney 70a; Ford Thames Estate Car; Turquoise, Yellow, Green Windows, Rounded Axles	Matchbox/Lesney 70a; Ford Thames Estate Car; Turquoise, Yellow, No Windows, Rounded Axles

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Last Edit: 12/06/2024		Page Added 12/03/21