Corgi's1957 Thunderbird

1957 Ford Thunderbird with Continental Kit originally written, 1999, updated 01/2008
by Dot Lang

Corgi Classics is known for producing quality diecast models of vehicles from well known film & television shows so it is no surprise that they made their first Classic 1957 Thunderbird to represent the hit action show, Vega$ - a show from the late 70's starring Robert Urich as "Dan Tanna." Dan Tanna is represented as a diecast figure sitting in the driver's seat of his red convertible '57 T-bird with gun in hand, Cell phone antenna behind him. Sadly, Robert died in 2002.

	The model was manufactured in two sizes. A 5inch ( cm) that came with or without a plastic soft top and a 1/63 scale model commonly referred to as the "Corgi Jr." A few gift sets were made that contained both sizes.
	The larger size comes with hood and trunk that opens. The Jr. just has a hood that opens. Both have detailed engines and the non-stock continental kit that the "Vega$" T-bird had in the show.

The Corgi Jr's came in various type bubble paks thru the years. There was even a Corgi Jr. representing the Vega$ show.

They were also boxed in small boxes in the late 80's and early 90's.

Some of the different boxes the 1/ scale models have come in.

1981

1983

1985

1986

Front

Back

Year issue unknown
but box looks similar to the 1981 boxes.

Mattel used the mold under their name from 1992 thru 1997. The 1995-1997's are detailed in the Hot Wheels articles & H.W. list. Meanwhile, Corgi Classics, Ltd of Gt. Britain, continues to produce the larger size.

In 1998 Corgi Classics introduced the "Elvis" model which contained a diecast figure of Elvis in his white suit, sitting & strumming a guitar, but sale was "limited" to just the United Kingdom. Of course that didn't stop eventual sales to the U.S.

2001 saw the introduction of a Marilyn Monroe set with a silver grey 1957 Thunderbird.. The figure is of MM in her famous white dress scene with the air vent blowing her skirt up.

KIKO -- UPDATE - May 99
This past month, I acquired two models made by KIKO in Brazil back in the early '80's. The two models are called "Corgi Jr's" and the body looks identical to the British made Corgi Jr's but the chassis is different and marked "KIKO" "IND BRAS" "1980." I do not know the relationship between the two companies but one model is still in it's original box and carries the same "scottie dog" logo as the regular "Corgi's" plus the box is labeled "KIKO" "Corgi Junior." If anyone has information on the relationship between the two companies please let me know. The wheels are different - 5 spoke. Three colors so far that I know about: red, white and school bus yellow - all with black interiors. The yellow model has black painted bumpers & grill w/s.b. yellow headlights and tailights; the white & red have grey bumpers, grill. & head lights & red tail lights. All have black cont'l kit.

Here's another KIKO set with a yellow 57 T-bird and chrome bumpers.

Update October 2004: According to Bill Manske, author of Corgi Jrs and ...., "Corgi and Corgi Juniors were produced briefly in Brazil by A. Kikoler during the 1980's when Brazilian tariffs were high."

Sometimes models are used to make dioramas such as this gift to a Heinz employee. Plaque was presented to this person on his 57th birthday and includes the Heinz 57 bottle as a gas pump along with the 1957 Thunderbird by Corgi.

In 1992, another model was released. I've heard rumors that it was a Mattel product but the packaging at right says "Corgi." Info I've received says this: Item # 92627. "Auto-City" but package at right does not say that – Misbehaving Set (’57 T-bird).

Update 01/08 from Bill Manske: "Corgi belonged to Mattel, Inc. from late 1989 through June of 1995. When they finally split, Corgi got all of the big castings and military stuff. Mattel kept all of the dies for the Juniors and more toy-like items. The packaging of the Mattel items was soon changed to "Hot Wheels Auto-City" and then to "Hot Wheels." The Corgi castings all went out of production when Mattel bought the Matchbox brand."

Came in a set with a Kenworth Flatbed truck in maroon and light blue. Script on the side of T-bird says "Misbehaving". Metallic Maroon T-bird with Blue and White “Misbehaving” Script on Sides, White Interior, Clear Windshield, Gloss Black Baseplate, Kenworth Flatbed Truck with Maroon Cab and Light Blue Flatbed Body, Maroon and Gold “Misbehaving” Script on Flatbed.

Click on photos for larger views.

List of Corgis

year	size	Photo	model #/ name	color	country of origin
1980	1/		#348 Vega$ w/Dan Tanna¹	red w/Dan Tanna figure; cell phone antenna; topless	Gt. Britain
1980	1/63		Vegas¹- Corgi Jr.	red w/black interior	Gr. Britain
1980	1/63		Corgi Jr.	Red with black interior - like Vegas C. Jr.	Gr. Britain
1980?	1/63		#96 - Corgi Jr.¹	cream(white) w/black interior	Gr. Britain
1981	1/		#801¹	cream w/ orange plastic soft top; black & white interior	Gt. Britain
1981	1/		#801¹	cream w/black plastic soft top	Gt. Britain
1981	1/		#801 - Ford Thunderbird¹	cream w/brown plastic soft top; black & white interior	Gt. Britain
1982	1/63		Cool convertibles	pale yellow w/black interior	Gr. Britain
1982	1/63		#96 Ford T Bird¹ Corgi Jr.	red w/black interior	Gt. Britain
1983	1/		#810 - Cars of the 50's²	cream upper body, red-orange lower body; black & white interior; topless	Gt. Britain
1984	1/		#810	dark pink w/white fin stripe; black & white interior; topless	Gt. Britain
mid 80's	1/63		Corgi Jr.	green; black interior	Gt. Britain
1985	1/32		#810 - Corgi Classics - 1957 Ford Thunderbird³	red w/white fin stripe; black & white interior	Gt. Britain
1986	1/		#810 - Corgi Classics - 1957 Ford Thunderbird³	black w/white fin stripe; red & white interior	Gt. Britain
?	1/	.	.	black w/black soft top	Gt. Britain
1988	1/63		J121/1 - Corgi Jr.	red w/silver fin stripe	China
1988	1/63		J6121/2- CorgiFreeway⁴	black w/silver fin stripe; black interior	China
c1990	1/63		J121/1 color trial⁶	flat pink w/silver fin stripe; black interior - black base; rare	China
1992	1/63	.	MisBehaving	Metallic Maroon T-bird with Blue and White “Misbehaving” Script on Sides, White Interior, Clear Windshield, Gloss Black Baseplate, Kenworth Flatbed Truck with Maroon Cab and Light Blue Flatbed Body, Maroon and Gold “Misbehaving” Script on Flatbed.	China
1998	1/		#39901 Elvis Thunderbird⁵	pink w/ cream interior; Elvis figure w/guitar; no top	Gt. Britain
2001	1/		#39902 Marilyn Monroe⁵ Thunderbird	Grey with blue pearl clearcoat; pink and white interior; w/ Marilyn Monroe figure in white dress [©2000]	Gt. Britain
.	.	.	.	.	.

Packages are marked as:

¹Mettoy Co. LTD of Northampton, Gr. Britain
²Mettoy Co. plc. Swansea, Gr. Britain
³Corgi Toys Ltd, Swansea, Gr. Britain
⁴Corgi Hong Kong, Ltd
⁵Corgi Classics Ltd, Leicester, Gr. Britain
⁶Corgi Sales Ltd.

If this is not enough for you, check out T'bird UK Roost website. You'll find the Corgi there listed in more detail with the different styles of wheels found.

Lists:	1955 A-H	1955 I-M	1955 N-Z ??	1956 A-F	1956G-N	1956 O-Z + ??	1957 A-H	1957 I-R	1957 S-Z ??
	released in: 1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004

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