Found in the Letterbox


The following are e-mail responses to 'Tales of Toy Cars' and The Breithaupt Miniature Motorcar Museum. Your letters are welcome and may be submitted via the 'Guest Book'.

"I read your article regarding Majorette and it is very interesting. I shared your same opinion for a long time - wasn't sure what their issues were. Then I found out that the North American distributor is located here in Minneapolis where I live. I have since started selling for him.

According to our discussions, Majorette has limited its exposure in the US due mostly to the aggressive marketing and dominant share that Matchbox/Hot Wheels has here. They instead decided to stay focused on the European and Canadian markets where they knew they could compete. I know because of customs that product has a hard time getting here in a timely manner but they do the best they can. I was told they (the parent company) have some connection to a series of Pokemen lines which, to my understanding, they have chosen to focus their marketing dollars.

Majorette has some wonderful toys, and some dogs like all the other lines - but so few people take the time to focus on anything but the two mainstreams that it is obvious why they would have a hard sell in the US. Their quality is just as comparable and their pricing is very competitive. Actually they have a broader line that MB/HW if you include the Transports and Mini-Transports.

Have a Great day!!"

Mark Boemer, Minneapolis, MN

Editor's response: Thanks for the update on Majorette. I hope the new distributor is successful.

"I have 2 Chevy pickups from the `70`s from Yatming, number1700. Do you have some info about this car because I cant find it, many thanks.

Hans M., The Netherlands

Editor's response: I know that Yat Ming did several 1970's pick-ups including a mid-70's Chevy LUV, #1700, the only one I have. Mine is white with blue/red/silver tampos. I also have the same truck in military colors. These are not particularly valuable but may be the only example of the LUV which stood for 'light utility vehicle'. Image on right.

"Dear sir, I find your internet web site.Very fine!!

Yoshinori Asai, Nagoya City, JAPAN

Editor's response: Thanks.

"I looked up your website to find out about Norev French model cars. Your history says that 1:64-66 scale Norev diecasts began in the '70s, and that they were a version of Schuco. I recently purchased a c.1961 Norev model of a Volvo P1800 sportscar in plastic. I know there was a similar Norev model of a Volvo 1800s, c. 1966. Could you add to your Norev history something about these earlier plastic Norev models? "

Paul Rubenson, Baltimore, MD

Editor's response: I really do not have any more information than what I wrote in the Norev article. Only a small number of Norev's were versions of Schuco models. Norev made many plastic models and it appears that some are again available in France.

"Nice site, congratulations. Visit also our site on: <http://home.worldonline.be/~swinnenr>. It's about our collection of toycars. Greetings,"

Roger Swinnen , Langdorp, Belgium

Editor's response: An interesting collection.

"Regarding your "wagons in white" page -- your statement that most ambulances built before the the mid-1980s were modified station wagons is not quite correct. First, most old ambulances (like the '59 combination used to create the Ghostbusters' Ecto-1 car) were actually coachbuilt vehicles constructed on a bare chassis purchased from Cadillac and others. Except for a small number of one-offs, Cadillac never built their own station wagon! Second, the change to van- and truck-based ambulances really took hold in the mid-to-late 1970s; the last Cadillac ambulance was built in 1978. Check out http://www.professionalcar.org/main.shtml and http://www.best.com/~naparish/eureka to learn more."

Neal A. Parish, Oakland, CA

Editor's response: Neal made some good points here. As a Cadillac collector I was aware of the fact that Cadillac never built production station wagons and that the ambulances were special bodies. I should have made that point in my article. I'm glad to have an expert source.