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26/02/2021 10:00 pm
Tootsietoy made a 4" 1953 Corvette, quite crude, When I saw the model pictured here, I just assumed it was the rather common Tootsietoy model. However, a closer look showed it was right hand drive. As I have a fondness for right hand drive Corvettes, it followed me home. Its identical to the Tootsietoy except for being right hand drive. There are no markings on the base other than a number I assume is a mould number.
My other right hand drive Corvettes are a 63 soft plastic split window I got in New Zeland, and a 1/64 65 coupe from Singapore.
These three are just toys, but has anyone seen C1 or C2 Corvette scale models with right hand drive?
The very first 1/1 General Motors right hand Corvette will be a 2021 model on sale in the UK later this year.
05/03/2021 11:56 pm
Robert, I have a fondness for Tootsietoys, obviously not for Corvettes. I just checked my Tootsies and couldn't find a Corvette there. But I did find a picture:
James Weiland in his definitive TOOTSIE TOYS (2nd ed.) says of the 1954-55 Tootsie Corvette, which was in the four inch series, that it is one of the "most readily available model." He includes a rather poor picture and here it is:
I think I can see the suggestion of a raised dashboard on the left side, suggesting that's the steering wheel, but the picture isn't really angled for a full view. Most, but not all, of the 4 inch series Tootsietoys were marked on their underside as brand and "Made in the U.S.A." or sometimes "Chicago, U.S.A." Also you might note that this was the time period when Tootsie was using rubber wheels with tire treads. Several companies, often in Mexico and other countries, copied Tootsietoy products, and these most often use smooth rubber wheels, as yours does. My guess is that you have a pirated Tootsietoy meant for the Japanese or English market. Weiland mentions that these companies often copied the "Tootsietoy" and "Made in U.S.A.," even a few times using them on models that Tootsie did not so mark. I think you have a real "keeper" here!
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