Diecasts for today 10/26/21 - The Dinky MG TFs

As I stated in yesterday's Sunbeam post, Dinky Toys brought out various 1953 sports cars cars as diecasts, in two colors and two racing versions each. Today's post is for four MG TF roadsters, plus two extra ones. The MG TF was a successor to the MG TD, but was also a stopgap model for the MGA, since BMC didn't want the MGA to steal thunder from other 1953 models, so the A had to wait until 1955. Initially powered by the same XPAG 1250cc unit as the TD, later models could be equipped with a larger 1.5L engine.

I had one of the Dinkies as a child and loved it, which may have led to me getting a real TD in 1974, my second car. Dinky 102 is the road car, and 108 their racing version. Here are mine, mostly mint boxed though some boxes could be better and there is a chip or two here and there. At some point in time Dinky began a switch from painted cast wheels to spun metal wheels. I never saw these on the race car versions (made 1955-1959) but they appear on some of the No. 102 MGs (made 1957 to 1960) so somewhere around late 1959 to early 1960 the switch probably occurred. I never saw these on any of the Sunbeams but that doesn't mean they aren't out there.

There are two other MG TFs that are much rarer than the four above. I'm not sure when, but the No. 108 cars, without drivers or number decals, were issued as No. 129. Perhaps these were leftovers, or maybe a special order by H. Hudson Dobson for the US market, given the popularity of the MG marque here. I found a boxed one in 1978, so then the search was one for the red version. In 1982 I saw a listing on the old Traders Horn for a "108" MG that was missing a driver and decals but otherwise mint (no box). So I took a chance and, sure enough, it is No. 129. Now if I could only find a box.....

As far as I can tell, No. 102 has no number on its base, No. 108 is marked "108", and the rare No. 129 models have "108" too.