Dinky Racing Cars from the 1950s to the '70s

A good starting point is Gift set 23. This set was actually released in 1936-40 and gives us a comparison with later racing cars. The set included model No 23c, Mercedes Benz; 23d Auto-Union and 23e 'Speed of the Wind' and was presented in a blue box. This rather colourful set of racing cars is now listed in Ramsay's with a value of £700-800. The cars chosen for the set all have a very different appearance and individual design to them.

The Dinky Toys model of the HWM Racing Car was first released in 1953 as model 23j. In light green, with silver trim it raced as number 7. The racing number was in yellow and the driver wore an all-white overall. It was re-issued in 1954 as model number 235, and was then purchased in a box.

The early issue Ferrari appeared as 23h in blue with a yellow nose, silver trim and racing number 5. This model was also re-issued in 1954 with a box, as number 234. The Cooper-Bristol Racing Car, released in 1952/3 as 23g appeared in a deep green with silver trim, and sported the racing number ‘6’ in white. In 1954 it became model No 233. All these racing cars had large thick tyres, robust and sturdy bodywork concealing powerful machines. The drivers in all these early cars were manufactured as part of the casting and all have an identical 'eager to win' pose.

The three other racing cars issued in this early series, include the Alfa-Romeo, released as 23f (1952-54) in red with racing number ‘8’ in white; the Talbot-Lago Racing Car released as 23k (1953-54) in blue with a yellow number ‘4’. This model was re-released as number 230 in 1954. Finally, the Maserati Racing Car was released as 23n (1953-54), in red with racing number ‘9’. This model was also re-released in 1954 as number 231. Five of these cars were released in Gift Set 4 in 1953 (Talbot-Lago not included). The set was re-numbered in 1954 as Gift Set 249.

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