Vintage Dinky
DTCA Chairman, Michael Driver, details another vintage favourite by Dinky.
DTCA Chairman, Michael Driver, picks another olden favourite.
As we entered the 1960s, a number of small saloon cars were available - such as the Austin A30, Morris Minor, Triumph Herald and Ford Anglia.After all the austerity in Britain, people were now able to buy these types of cars and, of course, hire purchase helped. No doubt this increased buying capacity ledVauxhall to introduce its smallVauxhall Viva in 1963 to add to the competition with the other cars.
The model was captured for collectors by the Dinky Toys Vauxhall Viva (No 136), launched and featured in the Meccano Magazine of May 1964. The colour back page advert stated “the terrific new DINKY saloon –VauxhallViva”, with the model shown in white.There is also the suggestion that “You can be the first in your road to drive this wonderful 4-seater car. Go to your Dinky Showroom and get the Vauxhall Viva.”
The Dinky Toys News, said that “Two external colour-schemes are available, one similar to the real car, a neat shade of grey, and the other a brilliant blue. This latter finish has never before been used on a Dinky Toy.” The news also raised the question “Is the Dinky Toys Viva a ‘best-buy’ in its class? The answer – Undoubtably, yes.” It goes on to say “This is a really superb little miniature, which closely follows the lines of the prototype right from the distinctiveVauxhall radiator grille down to the door handles and petrol filler cap.”
The model has opening doors and boot, plus an opening bonnet that reveals a detailed engine.The car has a red plastic interior, four-wheel suspension, Prestomatic steering and spun wheels.There is also a detailed cast base plate, with the casting showing the exhaust pipe, engine and gearbox and the differential shaft. Despite the reference to grey in the Dinky Toys News, the car came in pale grey or blue, plus metallic blue.They were sold in illustrated yellow and red card end flap boxes and then in the later yellow and the gold exportVisi-Pac boxes. It was deleted in 1973.
TheVauxhallViva was also to be part of the Car Transporter Gift Set (No 950) alongside the Hillman Imp (No 138), the Triumph 1300 (No 162), the Ford Escort (No 168) and the Austin Mini Moke (No 342).The set is shown in the 1969 Dinky Toys catalogue, but sadly the set was never issued.
The realVauxhallViva was launched in September 1963. It wasVauxhall’s first post-war car, introduced to take on the competition from Ford,Austin and Triumph.The car was produced in the new Ellesmere Port factory in Cheshire and was a functional car without the flair of the competition. Many components were shared with GM’s Opel Kadett.The Viva had a four-cylinder engine and a full synchromesh four-speed gearbox.There was an option for front disc brakes. Some 300,000 were produced before it was replaced in 1979.There was also a small van version available as the Bedford HA. DC