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Matchbox 43a; Hillman Minx
The Hillman Minx name had been
around since 1931 going through a number of major design revisions
before it's final iteration as part of the Audax series of cars. This
toy is modelled on the series 1 Audax Minx
from 1956. The Audax range of Rootes Group cars spanned the Hillman,
Humber, Singer and Sunbeam marques and was heavily influenced by
Studebaker styling from the US, notably with the reverse rake on the C
pillars, the tail fins and on some of the larger cars a square central
grille with smaller horizontal grilles either side. The Minx was to be
updated almost yearly until it was withdrawn in 1967.
The Matchbox Minx was
introduced in 1958, incidentally after the real car had already had two
facelifts. Early cars are apple green with metal wheels, these are the
prizes, the highest value. Most of them are blue/grey with a pale grey
or cream
roof and either metal or grey plastic wheels, they can also be turquoise
over cream with grey plastic wheels. It was deleted in 1962, by which
time the real Minx was on to Series V. |
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