Diecasts for today 10/27/21 - Dinky Toys Austin-Healey 100s

The Austin-Healey 100 Series BN1 had a 2660cc 4-cylinder engine and other mechanical parts derived from the Austin A90 Atlantic. The "100" in the name comes from the top speed, tested at a little over 100 mph. No. 103 in the Dinky catalog was the road car, made from 1957 to 1960 (later models with spun wheels). No. 109 was the competition version, made from 1955 to 1959. My yellow-orange one is one of two 100-series sports cars that I only paid a retail price for in a store ($1.25). Note that the box for my somewhat scruffy No. 21 car looks a bit different from the others - it is a repro box sold by DRRB on ebay.

When Binns Road was through with the 103/109 casting it was sent across the Channel and appeared in the French Dinky range as No. 546. It was made from 1960-1961 before the molds were finally put out to pasture. The French factory was using their own concave machined wheels at that time.