If you are like myself and born in the days before computer games took over the minds of children - when we would tend to let our childhood creativity build things - billy carts, cubby houses or maybe even sets of Meccano, Lego or perhaps a plastic model kit, be it plane, ship or car. I certainly don’t recall having a Meccano set, there was some Lego amongst the Dalton children, but it was a fascination early on with the motor car (having a car enthusiast dad) that gave me my introduction to model car kits. Drifting wayback through the cloudy memories to the early 1970s, I seem to recall I would have been an impressionable eight year old when I was first allowed to have a go at building a model kit. Funnily enough clouded recollections don’t allow me to remember what it was I built. I dare say the oozing cement used to put a plastic kit together destined the prototype Dalton kit to become tomorrow’s demolition derby car.
But that leads me to another cloudy memory of an even earlier moment in time (it must be a long time ago as I keep recalling it in black & white) before I started school I recall that much, when I found a collection of model car kits that would have been built up by my dad in the 1950s and early 60s. As is the sneakiness of childhood (well the author’s anyway) I would slink off without parental supervision to play with them. On one particular occasion for no other reason than I just did it - several became practice material for the Dalton demolition team. Recollections follow of being sprung with some sorry looking models, that one of, as I now know was an Austin Healey. I don’t recall being disciplined for doing this, even though this is now something that I have tried to completely blank out. Suppressed memory therapy has since reminded me of the ½ inch wooden dowel from the old style upright clothes dryer, that was a regular ‘treat’ across the backside for a naughty Dalton boy. My psychiatrist tells me that is now classified as child abuse! Punishment eventually came though as I got older, I would be reminded that if I hadn’t destroyed them they would now be mine. Guilty your honour!
Fortunately a couple of these old models survived having not been given the demolition treatment by a junior Dalton and now take pride of place in my display of 1950s race cars. The models in question being part of a set of plastic models that this article is about to delve.
Back in the 1950s plastic injection model kits were something fairly new and an English-based company, J & L Randall Ltd were early pioneers of this process with their products utilising the ‘Merit’ branding. Up until recently, all I was aware of was that Merit models were of a series of 1950s grand prix, sports racing and a lone F3 500cc racing cars. But as it has turned out with recent discussions with fellow enthusiast and motor book dealer, Tony Johns his father imported Merit kits into Australia and there was more than just cars. Tony gave me a Merit brochure dating back to 1958 that illustrates various planes, sailing ships, Donald Campbell’s Bluebird record-breaking speedboat (early version obviously), a series of veteran cars and of course the racing cars.
Compared to today’s super detailed racing car model kits made by Japanese company Tamiya, the Merit models are fairly simplistic items, with in most instances no scale being listed - the Alfa Romeo & Lago-Talbot give the game away though with a listing of 1/24th scale.
This meaning each model is approximately 120mm long. Simple they are, but that doesn’t detract from the Merit product. In fact in some ways it enhances these models because they could be put together with a minimum of skill for the builder to give a very accurate looking model of the famous names associated with motor racing of the 50s. Most of the kits only feature exterior and interior details. Although the Alfa Romeo & Lago-Talbot do have engine detail included - these being promoted as ‘Superkits’. My understanding of the complete Merit racing car range is as follows and it should be noted not all were listed in their 1958 brochure, as some would have been later releases:-
1950 Alfa Romeo 158
1956 Aston Martin DB3S
1956 BRM P25
1956 Connaught Grand Prix
1956 Cooper MkIX 500cc
1954 Jaguar D-Type
1949 Lago-Talbot Grand Prix
1956 Lancia-Ferrari D50
1956 Lotus 11
1948 Maserati 4CLT/48
1956 Maserati 250F
1955 Mercedes Benz W196
1952 Simca-Gordini
1956 Vanwall Grand Prix
As far as I’m aware my dad only ever had 3 of these models - the Connaught, Cooper & Simca-Gordini. And strange as it may seem all survived my destructive moments. But only 2 of dad’s models remain in my collection, as many years ago my uncle who also has a thing about Cooper (he owned the remains of 3 Cooper-Climax at one stage - but not now much to my chagrin), talked my dad into swapping the Cooper model for an MG TC kit (which was also a family downfall). So there I was a Cooper enthusiast without the Cooper model and do you think I could find one. Well not for many years. I kept an eye open for one and spoke to several people but to no avail.
Then in 1997 when I was in England at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, a trade stand had some Merit models for sale and I enquired whether he had the Cooper. Yes he did but at home and he wanted £35 for it. Now the cost didn’t faze me as I wanted the model, but as it turned out, getting to it was nuisance value and I didn’t pursue it. Then it one of those ironic twists, there I was not long back from England and friend and fellow enthusiast, Julian Fullarton, who’s employ at Model Cars of the World here in Melbourne rang to say that a collection of Merit’s was available at Antique Toy World, Yes there was a Cooper and was I interested? Is the Pope a Catholic! So I got in contact with Peter at Antique Toy World for him to hold the Coopers (he had 2) for me until I got there the following Saturday.
Saturday arrives, and I head over to check things out with Julian (who wanted the Lotus 11 for his collection of Merits). As it turned out Peter still hadn’t exactly sorted the collection, so we each put our names on what we wanted and left it to him to sort things out by the following Saturday when we would collect them. At this stage there was no prices finalised and already my 2 Coopers had grown to include the BRM, beautifully built up and the Vanwall still in kit form.
The next Saturday arrives and back Julian and I go to finalise our purchases. Peter finally had all the models set up with their various prices on display, most also complete with their original 1950s packaging and they looked fantastic. With the scenario being that those that were still in kit form carried a price more than the built kits. For example the perfectly built BRM was \\$45 while the Vanwall kit carried $70. I wasn’t about to quibble though knowing the English sort of price. Problem was I arrived with too much cash ready to burn a hole in my pocket and a heart that would soon rule my head. Danger time! Before I knew it there was just one Connaught kit available for another enthusiast. I had just procured 1 part built Cooper, 1 Cooper kit, the built BRM and all of the following kits, an Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Connaught, D-Type Jaguar, Maserati 250F, Mercedes Benz W196, Simca-Gordini and the Vanwall. And the pocket was well and truly burnt!
Then the problem arose do I build the kits for display or leave them as they are. The enthusiast in me says build them, while the collector says leave them as is (based on a kit being worth more than the built model). The reality being though that I have no intention of selling them, so the easy option is just build them and enjoy them on display. But alas, the final decision is based on a couple of more poignant facts - do I have the skill and patience to do them justice and do I have the time. To this day they sit unbuilt, but the Vanwall in this form is in the display cabinet with its contemporary brethren.
Now me being a Cooper enthusiast, you’re probably about now saying well why hasn’t he at least built the part-built Cooper? Well because I didn’t need to. Another phone call from Julian a couple of years later to tell me Peter had a built Merit Cooper saw that problem resolved.
Old model kit Mini-wise - well that’s another story. I had for a very long time kept an eye out for the plastic Airfix Mini kit first available from the very early 1960s. Searching around here, there and everywhere with the hope to eventually find one.
Even in England, where you would think they would be obtainable somewhere - no joy. Then just in the last 2 months, while visiting Tony Johns to cure my motor book addiction, Julian arrives to greet me with "Well lad, Peter at Antique Toy World has a tinplate Cooper-Climax for sale". So it starts all over again. I ring Peter to get him to put it aside for me so I could eventually get down to see it. I dragged my feet a bit, taking 3 weeks to get there, but when I did what should he also have in one of his display cabinets, none other than an Airfix Mini-Minor kit. Unbuilt in red plastic and originally 85 cents. I bet it’s not 85c any more. Sure enough inflation and collectibility had seen fit to that! But \\$27.50 wasn’t too bad - after all when will I find another. Well actually I’ll probably find plenty now - that’s Murphy’s Law!
May 2001
