1986 Majorette Series 300 Neoplan Autocar Jetliner

Neoplan, a German manufacturer of buses, trolleybuses and coaches, was founded in Stuttgart in 1935. Their Jetliner bus, which has a passenger platform that is raised above the driver’s cab, was produced from 1973 until 1979.

The Majorette Neoplan Autocar Jetliner was produced from 1977 until 2013 and was produced in at least 47 different variations. This Series 300 model is reproduced at 1:87 scale and is about 5.5” long. My red and white variation with Happy Holidays labels was cast in France from 1986 to 1988. It’s another of my scores from the $1 tub at J & J’s Treasures.

The Majorette Neoplan Autocar Jetliner has a metal base and lower body, an unpainted metal grille, a plastic upper body and plastic interior.

Majorette | 1986-1988 | #373 | Neoplan Autocar Jetliner | white metal lower body and base, red plastic upper body with Happy Holidays parrot labels, amber windows, light yellow interior | France | nuclear 2 wheels

Other Series 300 Majorettes in my collection include the 1980 Farm Tractor and Trailer still in the package and the 1987 NASA Land Rover Defender 90 with Radar still in the package.

Other Series 300 models that I’ve reunited include the 1977 Trans Continent Semi Container Truck (reunited with the wrong cab), the 1986 Ford Sierra and Caravane and the 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser with Lion Cage Trailer.

1977 Tomica Volkswagen Microbus

The Tomica Volkswagen Microbus was first released in 1977. It was packaged individually and was also included in the 1981 Vacation Set. I found this example in the $1 tub at J & J’s Treasures.

Click here to compare to the 1970 Matchbox Volkwagen Camper Dormobile.

The Tomica F29 Volkswagen Microbus features a plastic opening side door.

Tomica | 1977 | F29 | Volkswagen Microbus | yellow orange, clear windows, blue interior, plastic onpening side door, unpainted metal base | 1/67 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

Click here to see the Volkswagen Microbus on the 1977 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

1976 Tomica Fuji Semi-Decker Type Bus

The Tomica Fuji Semi-Decker Type Bus was first released in 1976. In addition to being sold individually, the casting was also included in several airport and bus playsets. This example with Tomy Tour Lines livery is another of my $1 tub finds from J & J’s Treasures. It replaces an identical model in my collection that’s in rough shape.

Click here to see the rougher version of the Tomica Fuji Semi-Decker Bus in my collection and to read more about Fuji Heavy Industries.

Tomica | 1976 | 41 | Fuji Semi-Decker Type Bus | off-white with TOMY Tour Lines labels, unpainted metal base | 1/148 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

Click here to see the Fuji Semi-Decker Bus on the 1976 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

1976 Tomica Lincoln Continental Mark IV

The Contintental Mark IV is a 6-passenger luxury car that was marketed by the Lincoln division of Ford from 1972 to 1976. It shared a chassis with the Ford Thunderbird, but had unique bodywork which included, hidden headlamps, a radiator grille and a Continental spare tire trunk. It was powered by the 460 cu. in. Ford 385 V8 paired with a 3-speed C6 automatic.

The Tomica Lincoln Continental Mark IV (the model is commonly called the Ford Contintental Mark IV, which is what is stamped on the base) was first released in 1976. I found this rough example in the dollar tub at J & J’s Treasures.

The Tomica F4 Lincoln Continental Mark IV features nice details and opening doors.

Tomica | 1976 | F4 | Lincoln Continental Mark IV | metallic blue with white top, clear windows, tan interior, opening doors, unpainted metal base | 1/77 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

Click here to see the Lincoln Continental Mark IV on the 1976 page of the online Tomica Historical Museum.

Click here to see two other Tomica models of luxury cars in my collection that were first released in 1976, the Cadillac and Rolls Royce that I still have from my childhood.

Zylmex Mazda RX-7

As I’ve mentioned many times before, I try to be a focused collector. I have rules for the cars I collect, and if something doesn’t fit within those rules, I don’t buy it.

Except when I do.

I don’t really collect Zylmex (Zee Toys) models, but I couldn’t pass up this little RX-7 when it showed up on my local friend’s eBay site. Part of the attraction has to do with my loyalty to the Mazda brand. (I’ve been driving the same Mazda Protege5 for over 20 years, and it’s still going strong.) The other part has to do with the fact that I’m a sucker for obnoxious, colorful racing graphics with big numbers.

And hey, check it out – it even has opening doors!

Zylmex | P372 | Mazda RX-7 | white with blue and red Mazda 20 tampo, clear windows, black interior and bumpers, opening doors, black metal base | China | 15-spoke wheels

Click here to compare to the Tomica Mazda Savanna RX-7 and click here to compare to the Welly (another brand I don’t collect) Mazda RX-7.

1974 Tomica NHK TV Bus

The Tomica NHK TV Bus was first released in 1974 and produced until 1978. Based on an Isuzu bus, it was packaged individually and also appeared in at least one work truck play set. NHK (Nippon Hōsō Kyōkai), is the Japanese government-owned public media organization, so Japanese versions of this model had “NHK Color TV” labels on the sides. This variation, with “TV Truck” labels, was a North American release in the Pocket Cars line and is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

Click here to see the Pocket Cars 5-spoke wheel variation of the Tomica NHK TV Bus that I still have from my childhood. In 1979, Tomica released the No. 8 Isuzu Blood Bank Car, a casting modified with a smoother roof and sides which had red cross graphics on the sides.

The Tomica No. 75 NHK TV Bus features plastic rear doors that swing open.

Tomica | 1974 | 75 | NHK TV Bus | white and blue with TV Truck labels, unpainted metal base, opening rear doors | 1/122 | Japan | black tires with chrome plastic hubs

1982 Corgi Juniors Mercedes-Benz 240D

The Corgi Juniors Mercedes-Benz 240D was first released in 1976 in the James Bond Spy Who Loved Me Set. It went on to be produced in about 28 different variations up to 1984, packaged individually, in Twin Packs paired with the Caravan Trailer, and in a Little/Large Gift Set paired with the larger scale Corgi 240D.

This silver model with tan interior – another of my Wichita eBay scores – was produced from 1982-1983 and was either packaged individually or it was from the Little/Large Gift Set.

Corgi Juniors | 1982-1983 | 59-C (also in set LL1380) | Mercedes-Benz 240D | 76mm, silver, clear glass, tan interior, black plastic base | Great Britain | 5 doublespoke Whizzwheels