Wednesday, December 23, 2015

#625 PILEN "CAR IN CHIC" - SEAT 131 FAMILIAR (Ref.800), SEAT 131 SAFARI (Ref.816), RENAULT 4F (Ref.807), FORD FIESTA (Ref.811) and PORSCHE 917 (Ref.803b) (1978)


Until now, I never talked about Pilen models in 1:64 (3 inches) scale. Pilen is better known for 1:43 scale models, but also had a short line of 1:64 vehicles. These were available in jewel boxes and cardboard displays to hang and were mostly labelled as "Car-in-Chic". There were also a 3 inches series of vans and trucks (scale around 1:55 and 1:100) called "Car-in-Chic Transportes".




These few models are classic Pilen casts of popular cars from the the 80s. Some include very nice decorations, and these are much rarer than the standard versions in plain colours, and much more attractive. Some models have two-coloured decorations, and great decals: some are more common, like the classic police car, but other are quite exotic, like the "Safari" version of the Seat 131 or a Peugeot 504 decorated as a Taxi from Barcelona. Each model has either metallic or plastic bases, where the models with metallic bases are older than the ones with plastic bases. Some models have painted head or rear lights.





The complete list (see below)  includes 10 different models in many different decorations. The reference numbering system is quite complicated, since many references appear several times for different models. The "b", "c" and even "d" models are not ordered by appearance, I gave those letters randomly. Some models seem to me like "copies" of other die-cast brands. For example, the Porsche 917, Range Rover and Ford Torino look very similar to Corgi Juniors' models, the Seat Ritmo and the Peugeot 504 are very similar to Norev´s.

If you take a look at the list models, you´ll see that the Porsche 917 does not really match with the rest of the models. Curious decision to include such a race car among all the others.
  • M-800 Seat 131 Familiar
  • M-801 Seat 131 Ambulancia (White)
  • M-802 Seat 131 G.C.Tráfico (Green with white doors)
  • M-803 Seat 131 Policia 091 (White)
  • M-803b Porsche 917
  • M-803c Porsche 917 Martini (White)
  • M-803d Seat Ritmo Policia 091 (White)
  • M-804 Chrysler 150
  • M-805 Chrysler 150 Policia (Black/White)
  • M-805b Peugeot 504 Taxi
  • M-806 Chrysler 150 Rallye
  • M-806b Ford Fiesta
  • M-807 Renault 4F
  • M-807b Reanult 4F Bomberos
  • M-807c Ford Fiesta Rallye
  • M-808 Renault 4F Teléfonos (Dark blue)
  • M-808b Seat 131 Safari
  • M-809 Seat 131 G.C.Tráfico (same as 802)
  • M-809b Peugeot 504
  • M-810 Chrysler 150 Taxi (Black/Yellow)
  • M-810b Porsche 917 (White)
  • M-810c Seat Ritmo
  • M-811 Ford Fiesta
  • M-811b Chrysler 150 Rallye
  • M-812 Ford Fiesta Iberia (Grey)
  • M-813 Ford Fiesta Policia Municipal (Blue/White)
  • M-814 Seat 131 Bomberos (Red)
  • M-814 Range Rover
  • M-815 Ford Fiesta Rallye
  • M-815b Range Rover Bomberos (Red)
  • M-816 Range Rover Safari (Brown)
  • M-816 Seat 131 Safari (Brown)
  • M-817 Ford Torino
  • M-817b Fiat 132
  • M-818 Ford Torino Policia (Black/White)
  • M-818b Fiat 132 Rallye
  • M-819 Starsky & Hutch (Red with white stripe)
 



 
FACTS AND FIGURES:
  • Name: SEAT 131 FAMILIAR (Ref.800), SEAT 131 SAFARI (Ref.816), RENAULT 4F (Ref.807), FORD FIESTA (Ref.811) and PORSCHE 917 (Ref.803b)
  • Scale: 1:64
  • Year: 1978
  • Company: Pilen (Spain)
  • Size: approx. 7 cm

No comments:

Post a Comment