1974 Tomica Nissan Cedric Fire Chief Car

The Nissan Cedric is an executive car that was produced by the Japanese automaker across 10 generations from 1960 to 2015. The third-generation 230 (1971-1975), offered in three different trim levels as a 2-door coupe, 4-door sedan and 5-door wagon, was introduced in 1971 and was produced through 1975. Powertrain options ranged from a 2.0 L inline 4-cylinder to a 2.6 L inline 6-cylinder paired with a 3-speed automatic or 4/5-speed manual transmission.

The Tomica Nissan Cedric Wagon was issued in several different versions, starting in 1972 with the No. 47 Nissan Cedric Wagon, the No. 76 Nissan Cedric (in yellow Highway Department livery) and the No. 77 Cedric Patrol Car. The following year, it appeared as the No. 78 Cedric Fire Chief Car and as the Mass Media Tomica 06 – Fireman (inspired by a Japanese hit TV show) and in 1975 it was produced as the No. 102 JAL Cedric Wagon Ramp Car. The casting was reissued again in the 2003 Tomica Birthday Collection and used after that for a few other releases.

This nice example of the No. 78 Cedric Fire Chief Car is another of my Wichita eBay scores. It is stamped on the base with “No. 47 Cedric Wagon” and the copyright date of 1974.

The Tomica Nissan Cedric Wagon features an opening rear hatch.

Click here to see the Cedric Fire Chief Car on the 1973 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

Tomica | 1974 | 47 | Nissan Cedric Fire Chief Car | red, clear windows, ivory interior and horn, red plastic sirens, chrome grille, unpainted metal base | 1/65 | Japan | black tires with chrome plastic hubs

1987 Majorette Chevrolet Impala Taxi

The Majorette Chevrolet Impala Taxi was first released in 1987 and was produced in about four different variations up to 1998. This example, which has 8-dot wheels and opening doors, is the early, French-cast model that was made between 1987 and 1988. This is another of my finds from the Hudson Antique Market.

Click here to compare to the Majorette Chevrolet Impala Police Car from the 1990 Sonic Flashers series.

Other yellow Taxis in my collection include the 1976 Tomica Dodge Coronet Custom Taxi, the 1982 Matchbox Rolamatics Maxi Taxi, the 1977 Hot Wheels Maxi Taxi and, of course, the 1965 Matchbox Chevrolet Impala Taxi.

Majorette | 1987-1988 | #240 | Chevrolet Impala Taxi | yellow with black taxi tampo, light orange windows and dome lights, blue interior, opening doors, unpainted metal base | France | 8-dot wheels

1979 Tomica Toyota Celica Turbo

This is not your grandmother’s Celica. For the 1977 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft, the Schnitzer team, well known for their success with BMW in European Touring Car racing, decided to make a run at the fearsome Porsche 935. For this daunting task, they developed a turbocharged version of the RA40 Toyota Celica for the Group 5 DRM championship. Rules for Group 5 cars in those years required only that the bonnet, roof, doors and rail panel remain unmodified, so the results were cars with extremely wide mudguard extensions and large wings.

Schnitzer gave it a go with their Turbo Celica for two seasons with only limited success. In 1977, the car, painted blue and sponsored by Rodenstock, was driven by Harald Ertl and managed a 4th place finish at Nurburing. For the 1978 season, now with red paint and driven by the legendary Porsche driver Rolf Stommelen, the Toyota achieved only an 8th place finish at Mainz-Finthen.

The Tomica Toyota Celica Turbo, which features opening doors, was first released in 1979. This nice example is another of my Wichita eBay scores. Though there are other variations of this Tomica casting, this red model with sport wheels and Stommelen Rodenstock livery is a fairly accurate representation of the 1978 DRM Group 5 racer.

Click here to compare to the 1978 Tomica Toyota Celica LB 2000GT. And click here to compare to the Yatming Toyota Celica Supra.

Tomica | 1979 | 65 | Toyota Celica Turbo | red with white Rodenstock racing tampo, clear windows, black plastic interior and base, opening doors | 1/62 | Japan | sport wheels

Click here to see the Toyota Celica Turbo on the 1979 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

1979 Tomica Lotus Esprit

The Lotus Esprit is a mid-engine two-door coupe that was produced by the British automaker from 1976 to 2004. With an angular body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Series 1 was powered by a 2.0 L inline 4-cylinder paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. Though the Esprit had excellent handling, it was considered somewhat underpowered, so the Series 2 offered a 2.2 L engine and by 1980 the factory turbocharged Essex Turbo Esprit was available.

The Tomica Lotus Esprit was first released in 1979 and was reissued in 2003 as part of the Super Car Hall series. This Japanese-made white model with 5-spoke wheels and Turbo Esprit tampo is an early release and another of my Wichita eBay scores.

Click here to compare to the Hot Wheels Royal Flash, which is based on the Lotus Esprit. And click here to compare to the 1984 Corgi Juniors Lotus Esprit.

Tomica | 1979 | F24 | Lotus Esprit | white with black Turbo Esprit tampo, clear windows, red interior, black plastic base | 1/60 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

Click here to see the Lotus Esprit on the 1979 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

1960 RAMI 1934 Hispano Suiza with Box

Rétrospectives Automobiles Miniatures was a French diecast scale model manufacturer that was founded by M. Jarry, Henri Malarte and M. Koch. Known as RAMI by J. M. K. and active in Lure, France, from 1958 to 1969, the company made reproductions in 1/43 scale of vehicles in the Automobile Museum of the Château de Rochetaillée sur Saône. 39 different models were made by RAMI, most of which were pre-1920 and French makes, along with two Fords, a Packard and a Mercedes.

This is the first RAMI that I’ve added to my collection – another of my Wichita eBay finds. I was curious about it partly because I’d never seen one, but mostly because it came with the beautiful, original box.

This RAMI 1934 Hispano Suiza was introduced in 1960. The cast metal parts have a lot of rough edges and the paint application looks a little heavy. But the model has a nice heft and seems to be solidly constructed (despite the fact that this one appears to have had the front end repaired with a large amount of glue and the front wheels no longer roll.)

Hispano-Suiza was founded in 1904 by a Spaniard and a Swiss engineer. Initially an automobile manufacturer, the company eventually had factories in both Spain and France that produced cars, trucks, buses, aircraft engines and weapons. After 1923, the larger and more expensive luxury cars were made at the manufacturing plant near Paris. My model represents the type J-12 coupe, which was produced in France between 1931 and 1938. It was the largest and most expensive Hispano Suiza ever built and was powered by the massive 9,424 cc overhead-valve V-12 engine. The J-12 was provided as a chassis only to the customer’s coachbuilder to be finished to suit.

RAMI | 1960 | 1934 Hispano Suiza | yellow with black fenders and top, red interior, unpainted metal lights, bumpers and window frame, black metal base, front wheels are glued on | 1:43 | France

1979 Tomica Nissan Fairlady 280Z-T

The Nissan S130 is the second-generation Z-car produced by Nissan from 1978 to 1983. The 3-door sport coupe was sold in various markets as the Datsun 280 ZX, Nissan Fairlady Z and Nissan Fairlady 280Z. The 280 Z-T was the high-end model (presumably in Japan) that featured the 2.8-liter L28E engine, air conditioning, power windows and aluminum wheels.

The Tomica Nissan Fairlady 280Z-T was first released in 1979 and initially produced until 1984. It was packaged individually and also included in sets like the 1979 Everyone’s Town Playset and the amazing 80-car Super Gift from 1981. It was also reissued in later years and included in several other releases including (my favorite) the Western Police Super Machine Special Set from 2001. This blue model with silver and black tampo and 5-spoke wheels is an early release and another of my Wichita eBay scores.

The Tomica Nissan Fairlady 280Z-T features opening doors.

Click here to compare to the 1974 Tomica Nissan Fairlady 240ZG.

Tomica | 1979 | 15 | Nissan Fairlady 280Z-T | blue with silver and black tampo, clear windows, black plastic interior and base, opening doors | 1/61 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

Click here to see the Nissan Fairlady 280Z-T on the 1979 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

1978 Tomica Toyota Celica LB 2000GT

The Toyota Celica was produced by the Japanese automaker from 1970 until 2006 across seven generations. The second-generation Celica (1977-1981) was a front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe available as a 2-door notchback or a 3-door liftback.

The Tomica No. 33 Toyota Celica LB 2000GT was produced from 1979 to 1982. This early release with red paint, silver Celica tampo and 5-spoke wheels is another of my Wichita eBay scores and the third variation of this casting that I’ve added to my collection.

The Tomica Toyota Celica LB 2000GT features opening doors and a sunroof.

Click here to see a white variation of the Tomica Toyota Celica LB 2000GT with 5-spoke wheels and click here to see the same white Tomica Celica variation with chrome-ring sport wheels. Click here to compare to the 1980 Matchbox Toyota Celica XX. And click here to compare to the Yatming Toyota Celica Supra.

Tomica | 1978 | 33 | Toyota Celica LB 2000GT | red with silver Celica tampo, tinted windows, white interior, chrome grille, opening doors, black plastic base | 1/63 | Japan | 5-spoke wheels

Click here to see the Toyota Celica LB 2000GT on the 1978 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

1977 Tomica Ohara Snow Tiger SM30

The Ohara Corporation got its start in 1917 when Ishimatsu Ohara started a foundry to cast components for drilling equipment. In 1924, machining and assembly plants were added and the company began producing complete machines. It wasn’t until 1951 that the first prototype snow vehicle was created, but very soon Ohara began to supply the Japanese National Police Agency as well as the Self-Defense Forces. These days, in addition to snow vehicles and groomers, the company still produces drilling equipment and products for recycling and water treatment.

The Tomica Ohara Snow Tiger SM30 was first released in 1977. It was packaged individually and also included in the Land, Sea and Sky Set (1981), the Big Collection of Interesting Vehicles Set 1 (1991) and in the 30th Anniversary Best Selection Various Vehicles Set (2000), among other releases. This example, which is missing one set of tracks, is another of my Wichita eBay scores.

Click here to see the Ohara Snow Tiger SM30 on the 1977 page of the online Tomica History Museum. And click here to compare to the Matchbox Snow-Trac.

Tomica | 1977-1989 | 84-2 Ohara Snow Tiger SM30 | red with white Snow Tiger tampo, clear windows, ivory interior and wheels, missing one track, black plastic base | 1/73 | Japan

1977 Tomica Type-T Ford Coupe Variation

In 1977, Tomica released three different versions of the Ford Model T: the No. F11 Type-T Ford Coupe; the No. F12 Type-T Ford Touring and; the No. F13 Type-T Ford Commercial Van. All three models share the same metal piece that makes up the running boards and fenders, the same plastic base, and the same grille. But each casting has different parts to make them either the coupe, the convertible or the delivery van. This blue variation of the Type-T Ford Coupe is the second of this casting that I’ve added to my collection and another of my Wichita eBay scores.

Click here to see my maroon variation of the Tomica Type T Ford Coupe. Click here to see my Tomica No. F12 Type-T Ford Touring. And click here to see my Tomica No. F13 Type-T Ford Commercial Van.

Tomica | 1977 | F11 | Type T Ford Coupe | blue body, amber windows, black plastic top, gold chrome plastic grille, black plastic base | 1/60 | Japan | black wood spoke wheels

Click here to see all of the Type-T Fords on the 1977 page of the online Tomica History Museum.

1975 Tomica Sigma MC74 Mazda

The Sigma MC74 was a two-seat convertible sports car powered by a Mazda 12A rotary engine. It made history in 1974 when it became the first non-U.S. or European (and the first rotary) engine and chassis to finish the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Not only that, but it has a super-cool, shark-like profile and a striking red and white striped livery.

The Tomica Sigma MC74 Mazda was first released in 1975 and was produced until 1989. Apparently a sticker sheet was included with the model so that racing sponsor labels could be applied. But my example – another of my nice Wichta eBay scores – does not have labels added.

Click here to see the Hot Wheels Mazda 787B, another Mazda rotary-powered racecar that not only competed at Le Mans, but won it in 1991.

Tomica | 1975 | 105 | Sigma MC74 Mazda | white and red, missing 25 label, black plastic interior and base | 1/64 | Japan | sport wheels

Click here to see the Sigma MC74 Mazda on the 1975 page of the online Tomica Historical Museum.