Rally Models plain white Metro 6R4...

Does anybody know anything about Andy's first batch of plain white MG Metro 6R4s please?

I'm not talking about the small batch he had done with Richard's (at R4B) Belga 1986 Ypres 24 Hours car last year, but the older batch that was based on the Clarion 1986 1000 Lakes Rally model dating back possibly 8-10 years or so. I'm after date produced, quantity produced, sold via Rally Models only, etc.

I seem to recall someone off here (or the old forum?) bought one on eBay in the last year, maybe 18 months or so.

I need ONE older plain white for a one off

There's hardly any of the 2012 release going about Chris, so I doubt any of the older LHD versions will come up very often after all this time.

I am however intrigued!

Cowley wrote:There's hardly any of the 2012 release going about Chris, so I doubt any of the older LHD versions will come up very often after all this time.

I am however intrigued!

Put it this way. It will be very plain

They were bought as an add on / surplus to the Senna Test Car model, in the days ixo would deal in small numbers, and before the advent of Altaya magazines which buggered the small numbers up ( minimum 1000x only now !) My self and PJ had 100x , I did the JP car, Pj did the Welsh Dai car, 50x each, we also stripped down Senna test cars too (sorry ! But at the time it was only option ! The second batch of white ones were an add on to Rallying4Belgium's Belga car, this was 750x, I then had remaining 250x in white, which eventually I took 226x , and 24x Belga liveried, remaining 24x spare white Richard sold on, many went to Juha. For my quota , Noel had 100x for his Editions, for mine 50x were Donaldson , x50 went as various Carlo editions, and remaining in reserve for forthcoming Steven Sofroniou BonusPrint edition I am doing....think that's the complete story !

rallymodels.co.uk wrote:They were bought as an add on / surplus to the Senna Test Car model, in the days ixo would deal in small numbers, and before the advent of Altaya magazines which buggered the small numbers up ( minimum 1000x only now !) My self and PJ had 100x , I did the JP car, Pj did the Welsh Dai car, 50x each, we also stripped down Senna test cars too (sorry ! But at the time it was only option ! The second batch of white ones were an add on to Rallying4Belgium's Belga car, this was 750x, I then had remaining 250x in white, which eventually I took 226x , and 24x Belga liveried, remaining 24x spare white Richard sold on, many went to Juha. For my quota , Noel had 100x for his Editions, for mine 50x were Donaldson , x50 went as various Carlo editions, and remaining in reserve for forthcoming Steven Sofroniou BonusPrint edition I am doing....think that's the complete story !

Cool, nice to learn something

Indeed Dave!

Many thanks for that Andy. So I'd be right to think that there probably aren't that many of the original Senna Test Car-based versions still about undecalled then?

I always thought the original batch were LHD Clarion 1986 1000 Lakes model based - or was that via someone else instead of yourself Andy?

Did anybody else release a plain white LHD car?

That's correct, I ran out may be 9 years ago ! Sold the last one I had in my collection to a member on this forum last year, as I had the new white one in stock then....

I think senna and clarion came at a similar time ? We were certainly stripping senna cars back then, and we stripped a lot of them, it's along time ago now....certainly the Dai car used some of the senna decals

Thanks mate, and I think you know exactly what to do if you do ever find just ONE of the first batch don't you?

Cowley wrote:Thanks mate, and I think you know exactly what to do if you do ever find just ONE of the first batch don't you?

Call ghostbusters? I will keep an eye out too mate.

By the looks of it, the trails and trials of the 1/43 models can be almost as convoluted and interesting as some of the full size cars!

For my part, never having had a plain white 6R4 to begin with (can you hear the violins?!) my 6R4s either go straight into my display cabinets or wait for stripping, modifications, painting and decalling to re-appear as another variation on the theme. That's when the interesting 'domestic' discussions happen!

Cheers, Steve

Right then, confession time!

The only reason that I started this topic was that I had provisionally acquired what was described as a left hand drive IXO Plain White MG Metro 6R4 with tarmac rims fitted, and I didn't want to jeopardise anything until it had finally arrived in my grubby little mits. Now that it has, I am even more confused about it's origin - especially in light of Andy's confirmation that his first batch of plain white cars were Ayrton Senna CCC Test Car based!

I've attached some photos below, and the '6R4 nuts' (a name we seem to have recently acquired!) will notice a few things about it. For those of you oblivious to the car, it is clearly based on an IXO Per Eklund 1986 1000 Lakes Rally 'Clarion' model : left hand drive; tarmac rims (with black centres on the front, and gold centres on the back); Michelin branded tyres; detailed front grille; single black painted slot in front bumper; white sunstrip; windscreen clamps; black surrounds to front side windows and tailgate window; etc...

However, it also differs in that : the front lower bib is not painted black; the front bumper doesn't feature the black cutouts for the lamp pod brackets; it has white wing mirrors instead of black, and there are no bonnet pins or tailgate catches evident; etc...

The base is completely unmarked, the IXO cardboard sleeve is also unmarked with no individual IXO Order Nº sticker applied to the back, but it did come complete with a 'rally rally rally...' printed backdrop, and a '2003 : 003' leaflet on various new IXO model releases. I guess the '2003 : 003' could refer to the 3rd quarter of 2003 when the model was initially produced?

OK, it's easy enough to slip a spare leaflet under the display case, just as easy as it is to strip a 'Clarion' model, and sell it as something it isn't. However, you wouldn't go to the trouble of removing the black paint from the lower front bib, or removing 'Clarion Car Stereo' from the sunstrip but retaining the white panel, or removing the lamp pod bracket triangles from the front bumper.

It simply screams - Code 1 IXO! - in my mind, as everything just looks like it was produced like that at the time, rather than stripped or resprayed by someone else afterwards.

Here are the photos I mentioned, PLUS a photo of the standard IXO Per Eklund 1986 1000 Lakes Rally 'Clarion' model for reference. Andy, Zeus, Juha, Mark, Simon, Steve - where are you when I need you?

This is a puzzle to me. It does look like it is a factory produced model especially as you say there are no signs of any repainting or any remains or signs of any decals that have been removed.

Seems like one to hold to David Nice find

Just had a look at my Clarion model and where the lamp brackets are supposed to be looks to be painted black rather than any holes for the brackets

Thank you Simon, and I'm glad that you agree with my comments and observations. Do not worry yourself though, as I can confirm that it will indeed be kept exactly as it is.

You're right - maybe I shouldn't have referred to the painted black triangles as actual cutouts then, as that is misleading. They are simply tampo printed on the Clarion model by the looks of things.

Hi David

I also have one of these plain 6r4's too, exactly as in your photographs David, however, mine did not come with any IXO outer sleeve or booklet although the plain base/box is exactly as per IXO. If memory serves me right I believe my came through the old forum possibly from Andy, and I recall something about it being the last one! Was this the plain "Clubman" version? And before anyone asks it's not for sale, sorry!!

Regards

David L

Just wondering if it was suppose to be a Clarion car which escaped the production line. Somebody could of had it away wanting a plain white car then after some time got rid and then ending in your hands.
That is actually the perfect model. Just what i need

Thanks for that David.

I do recall someone on here being very pleased that they'd picked up the last one from Andy - I'd have bid on it myself if I had the funds at the time! - but I just couldn't recall who it was, so thank you for confirming it was yourself, and also that your model has the same features. Likewise, mine isn't For Sale either!

The only thing that doesn't really tie up at the moment though is Andy's comment about his first batch of (100 off) plain white cars being based on the Senna car?

They were bought as an add on / surplus to the Senna Test Car model, in the days ixo would deal in small numbers, and before the advent of Altaya magazines which buggered the small numbers up ( minimum 1000x only now !) My self and PJ had 100x , I did the JP car, Pj did the Welsh Dai car, 50x each

I have just noticed that PJ's two Harri Toivonen 'Unipart' cars from the 1986 Circuit of Ireland Rally, and 1986 Lombard RAC Rally also appear to be based on these left hand drive plain white base models, David...

That's another theory indeed Chris, but if that was the case why isn't the front lower bib painted black, why aren't there any bonnet pins or tailgate catches evident, etc?

newt5550 wrote:That is actually the perfect model. Just what i need

There aren't enough Sundays in a month for me to part with it Chris - even if the month was full of them!

I have also just found the following image on my hard disk, and the date on the file implies that I downloaded it in January 2005. It must have been downloaded from eBay due to the telltale logo in the corner, and the white polystyrene background also appears to be identical to that shown in PJ's photos above...

Hi David,

You asked where we were and for my part, I was at work!! Couldn't help you with this particular problem as I haven't even got ONE plain white 6R4 in my collection - I may have mentioned that before! As it is, it looks like the Forum has struck again and come to the rescue.

Wherever it may be from, and PJ looks a very likely candidate, it makes a superb model and addition to your collection. Good on you!

Cheers, Steve

Sorry Steve, I'd forgotten that you were lacking a plain white car!

Thank you for the kind words though. I was so pleased when I found it, managed to screw the price down a bit as well, but was just gnawing my finger nails down until it eventually arrived!

I emailed the seller to thank him, and to let him know it arrived safely. Whilst on, I asked if if could remember where he acquired it - "...the Rally Day at Castle Combe" was his answer. Anyone who has ever been to one will more than likely recall seeing PJ there with a stall.

So basically PJ had a few cars left over and sold them on. Problem solved