[REVIEW] Lesney Matchbox Ford Thunderbird

Two weeks ago we had a Lesney for review day, guess what it’s time for again? Another Lesney. Today we examine Matchbox 75a, the Ford Thunderbird. This model entered the range in 1960, and was made through 1965. This was the final “a” model in the 1-75 series. It must have been relatively popular then, as it exists in several variations, and it is definitely popular today. This little Squarebird is definitely a looker:

I say “little” because this is a small casting. The real car isn’t small, but the casting is somewhat petite. I estimate scale around 1:75-1:80 - I suspect these were also popular on HO train layouts due to the relatively close scale. It’s quite well done for the size, price point, and time period:

Front and rear are excellent. Nothing opens, as usual for this point in time. The real cars differed in model year by variations in the trim - most of which isn’t detailed in this small toy car. But by what I can see in the casting and box, I call this a 1959 model:

The silver wheels and bright base are very “1960” in terms of Matchbox.

And of course, a nice “B” box to call home:

Here’s the real car - from what I can tell, this type of two tone paint scheme didn’t come from the factory in real life:

This must be one of my “better” Lesneys in terms of value and desirability, and it wasn’t the cheapest, but I am glad to have this. For such a small casting, it is quite nice, and full of period charm.