Although I may at times sound like an old fart I'm not actually old enough to have been bought one of these new! This Lone Star Ford Taunus 12 M dates from the 1960's and I seem to remember finding this at the second hand market in Huddersfield as a child back in the later 1980's. It was in pretty much exactly this condition when I bought it for a few Pence but even then I did see the interest in older types of vehicles like this.
Lone Star products sadly weren't very common by the time I started buying my own models, they remained in business until around 1985 but by that point were more known for their toy guns than cars and were always massively outgunned by Corgi and Matchbox. Despite its condition you can clearly see that this small company put a lot of effort into their Matchbox competing small diecasts, all metal bodies, nice wheels, working suspension and opening parts are deemed premium features these days but were part of the norm back then!
Tags: lone star ford taunus 12 m diecast
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Lone Star produced some fairly crude models from the 70's onwards though there were some bright spots such as this Range Rover. Strangely they could afford to produce two different types of front grille and headlamp arrangements. This Ambulance version is crisply cast and could easily have been sold as a Corgi if not even a Matchbox. Part of a 2 vehicle set. Mint and boxed.
Tags: lone star range rover diecast ambulance british leyland Land Rover
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Lone Star could never hope to compete directly with Matchbox and Corgi but they gave it a damn good try. This Range Rover was probably one of their better efforts with a decent casting though sadly no interior. Sadly Lone Star closed down about 5 years after this Range Rover was made. Part of a 2 vehicle set. Mint and boxed.
Tags: lone star range rover british leyland diecast
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A very plucky company who fought with the big boys up until its sad demise in the mid 80's was Lone Star. Part of their 60's and 70's Impy range was this lovely well cast Ford Transit MK1 tow truck. Sadly my example has lost its towing crane but otherwise in great condition complete with its charming original box.
Tags: lone star ford transit mk1 diecast Ford Transit
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Apart from when I was a very young child Ive always insisted on only buying mint and boxed models, no deviations and no exceptions to that rule! Then my good friend Mikaela began sending me various play worn charity shop finds and guess what, the sky didn't fall in! That then encouraged me to showcase my own play worn loose childhood toys, again, the Earth didn't stop spinning on its axis! Ive now just entered into the world of buying loose play worn models in job lot quantities on Ebay and again, the sun hasn't stopped shining and the birds haven't stopped singing! ;-p
Its actually rather enjoyable to own other peoples childhood models despite their less than perfect appearance. Its cheap and can also be a good source for models which might otherwise be too expensive in my usual preferred mint and boxed condition.
I did actually have one of these Lone Star Jaguar Mark X models as a child but stupidly sold it on Ebay many years ago despite it being in far worse condition paint wise than this example.
Ive always had a soft spot for the products of Lone Star, the underdog of the British diecast makers who somehow managed to struggle on making their products here right up until the mid 1980's before sadly closing down. This "Impy" Jaguar was part of a range which competed head on with the likes of Matchbox and Corgi though sadly by the time this example was made their battle was clearly lost. What started out as a casting literally bristling with working features such as opening parts and jewelled headlamps ended up like this. No interior, no painted detailing or jewelled lights though its opening bonnet did survive all the cost cutting. A beautiful little model nonetheless of Jaguars late 60's Executive express.
Tags: lone star jaguar mark x diecast british leyland
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