Help support TMP


Cheap Buys: London Taxi from Matchbox


Austin FX4 London Taxi
Product #
Ready for Action 33
Manufacturer
Suggested Retail Price
$0.97 USD


Back to Showcase


Tango India Mike writes:

Good call Topcat.
Those in the UK will also find a range in Tesco. Again scales an supplies vary, but they do a "large industrial" range of Dustcarts (Garbage Truck), Fire Engine and various different Lorries (Trucks). Depending on personal taste for vehicle size these may be useable for 25/28mm.
Can't remember the price, but either £2.97 GBP or £3.97 GBP (GBPs)


Revision Log
31 October 2007page first published

Areas of Interest

Modern
Science Fiction
Toy Gaming

Featured Hobby News Article


Featured Link


Featured Showcase Article

Memoir '44 Painted U.S. Infantry

Ever wondered how the 'toy soldiers' look when painted?


Featured Movie Review


11,692 hits since 31 Oct 2007
©1994-2024 Bill Armintrout
Comments or corrections?

I thought I'd look at this toy car as representative of Mattel's Matchbox Ready for Action 1-75 MBX Metal line. The nice thing about this line is that the cars are die-cast metal - they have a nice "heft" about them.

According to the company's website, this is the 1-75 line - which I would think meant 1/75th scale. However, the chassis is inscribed "1:63."

The manufacturer categorizes this line into three groups: City, Real and Action. I was a bit surprised to find that their Austin FX4 London Taxi is classed as "action" - along with a double-decker bus, a tow truck, a trash truck and a forklift!

London Taxi (side)

This vehicle is greenish-grey with silvery speckles, and amber windows.

Some of the painted details

Painted markings include "TAXI - All town service - Friendly, Safe, Quick!", fare charts, taxi and fender lights, door handles, and the humorous "Driver carries only Matchbox cars." On our sample, both fare charts were slightly misaligned, and the door handles are incompletely painted (and on one side, there are paint marks above the handles).

London Taxi (back)

Surprisingly, the headlights, taillights, grill and license plate area are left unpainted.

London Taxi (front)

Interior details in white plastic include dashboard, front seats, and headrests in the back window. Our sample has a mark or scar on the inside of the windshield.

Mark on windshield

The chassis (including both bumpers) is gray plastic.

Heroic scale 28mm figures with the taxi

Although 1:63rd scale is approximately 25mm scale, the taxi is definitely under-size for these "heroic scale" 28mm figures. The model measures 72mm long, 29mm wide, and 29mm from wheel-bottom to top of car.