Model Details
Some Mebetoys models were very clever such as the Autobianchi A66 Elaf petroleum with a roof luggage rack carrying two large plastic oil barrels, or the Porsche 912 Rally (a 911 in rally form) with rock guards in thin yellow plastic strips covering the front windshield and hood and also featuring red and chrome body and bumper supports which extended from front to rear bumper. This car, in 1:43 scale, was topped off, literally, with three spare tires on the roof. Other models were unique because they were not offered elsewhere, like the ISO Fidia S4 grand touring sedan. Politoys had the Rivolta and Corgi and Matchbox made the Grifo ubiquitous, but nobody else made the Fidia S4.
Sinclair's Auto Miniatures, largely responsible for bringing the diecast collector hobby to the United States, discussed that many people were not aware that Mebetoys also made a few promotional issue diecast cars (Sinclair's 1977; Levine 2009). In the 1960s the company issued a couple of 1:24 scale Alfa Romeos, referred to as the "le veterane" set. These two cars were a 1925 P2 World Champion Grand Prix car and a 1951 Alfetta racer. They had exquisite detail with rubber tires and were mounted on a wood base with a decorative identification plate and covered with a clear plastic display box. These were reissued in the late 1970s (Sinclair's 1977).
The original Mebetoys logo was an 'opening eye' that looks very similar to the American CBS TV logo. Packaging was often a wood grain beige style with a plastic window - always including the 'eye' logo. Some boxes were other colors like a bright yellow. Then Mattel took over and the Mattel red pointed circle was added alongside the Mebetoys logo.
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