[REVIEW] Lesney Matchbox Ford Zodiac Convertible - A Different One

Lesney Matchbox time again, this installment features another early model. Today we examine Matchbox 39a, the Ford Zodiac convertible. This casting entered the range in 1957, and was in production until early 1962. It was a popular casting with several variations and little details, and remains popular today.

This may seem familiar, as it is a similar casting to a previous review:

However, this is different. The prior review was a final run model with silver wheels. This is an early run model with metal wheels. This was likely made in late 1957 or early 1958, as plastic wheels were phased in that year. This is not the first variant, which had a brown interior and is rare, but it is still early. As with the prior casting, one can see this casting is actually a modified 33a Ford Zodiac sedan - the rear doors just as obvious in this case. On one side patch is visible at the top of the rear door, either a casting flaw, or to hide the door line. The real car had 2 doors.

Here are a couple of my 33a sedans:

And some more views of this 39a. It is much the same as the model in the prior review, scale likely around 1:60. Nothing opens, as it is 1957 - there is play value in the tow hitch. The driver is a charming feature. The color on this one is more mellow than the late run example:

Front and rear are also much the same. This is a “time warp” example which has spent little time outside its box in the past more than half a century. The silver paint on this is as brilliant as new:

Base is typical of the era:

And a nice box, which has helped this one remain as-new:

I am definitely grateful to have this little piece of history, a real gem:

And as before, the real car: