Information.

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The following pictures of the numbers 513, 145, 512, 503, 504, 408 were sent to us by a collector that suspected the dealer he was buying from, a dealer from Staffordshire, West Midlands, United Kingdom, was selling fakes, blatantly.
The pictures of the number 189 are from a sales website and the number 431 are from his sales on the internet auction site.

Number 513. In May 2013 we received an email from a collector asking us if we could look at some of his models from his collection to which we said yes. He sent us some photos of just some of the models he had bought from the dealer which went back years. When we received the pictures of a number 513 Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard in Yellow/Mid Green/Mid green wheels we couldn't believe what we was looking at. We asked the collector when he bought this model and he told us it was March 2010 for £1,250,00. When we looked through our archive of saved pictures and information we struck gold! We told the collector that we had the original pictures of the Guy model, in it's original condition when it was for sale on the internet auction site back in January 2010, and so sent copies to him to look at. He, the collector, was dumb struck. We received the three original pictures from the seller on the internet auction site once knowing that the dealer, bought the model [unboxed] for £110.00 with the profile I.D. of erialc87 [of which was one of his profile names for just buying models but has long since been deleted as a registered member]. We never thought we would see that model again. Until now! It has turned up again just over three years later but in a totally transformed condition.
The number 513 Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard in Yellow/Mid Green, in it's original condition, was bought by the dealer in January 2010 for £110.00 from the internet auction site. He then reworks the model to an almost unrecognizable condition from it's original state. He though didn't count on the fact we had the original pictures. It doesn't need Sherlock Holmes to see it is the same model, but to make it easy we have encircled [in red and blue] some relevant marks on the cab & chassis of the original model and circled the same corresponding marks on the reworked models cab & chassis. The mid green Tailboard and the base plate [which includes the front axel & wheels] has been changed using the same from a number 913 in duo green from which the model now sits on the box, the stripe box, which is the wrong box anyway. The first pictures [picture 1,2,3, and 4] are of the original model sent to us from the seller on the internet auction site. The following eight pictures are of the reworked model.
Because the original model uses the cab & chassis from the Guy Van "Weetabix", a large unpainted tow hook was applied to an already painted cab & chassis. Now as the model was heavily rubbed down before recoating, removing all the paint from the cab roof and most of the major chipping to the wheel arches, it would still need to have an unpainted tow hook. So to get round that, the area around the tow hook was masked up so as not to get any 'new' paint on the tow hook. Take a look at picture 10 and you will see the area of masking around the tow hook [encircled in red]. This area also shows the original yellow which is darker than the rest of the model with new paint. Because the original silver on the grill and lights had been over painted, it had to be re done and this was done by hand. (The silvering on models, grills, headlights and bumpers were never painted by hand) The only section not to be recoated was the underside of the chassis as the rear axle was not taken off.
If you are the now 'new' owner of this Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard then we would like to hear from you with urgency.

Number 145. The next model is also very interesting, a number 145 Singer Vogue in Yellow. Now the Singer vogue was produced in Yellow, but the model sold was another fake. A total repaint, with hand painted silver grill, lights and bumpers, hand painted rear lights and a base plate which has been repainted black so as to look like an original 'shiny gloss black' base plate. But, because new paint doesn't adhere to metal in the same way enamel paint from the 1940s, 1950s and the 1960s did, it has a tendency to chip or flake in a different way. This may be due to the fact it is not baked on. The 'rivets' that hold the base plate on are not original either, they are 'home made', and as such, have been glued in. The first pictures [pictures 1,2,3,4,5, and 6] are what the collector sent us of which is the model that the dealer sold [with an original box] for £1,250.00. 

Now the story doesn't stop there for the number 145. Once the collector of these models eventually took them back to the dealer so as to get his money back, to which he got most of it back, we thought, what would he do with those models now? That was back in August 2013. Then in November 2013 we received an email from another collector asking us to have a look at a couple of models on a sales website. The website, diecastgems, was selling a number 145 Singer Vogue in Yellow for £1,850.00. We didn't make any connection at this point, but the collector told us that he thought the model looked repainted and as such had already asked for extra pictures of the model. We asked him to send us those pictures and once again, we couldn't believe what we saw.
When the original collector returned the Number 145 Singer Vogue to the dealer back in August 2013, we didn't expect to see it turn up a few months later in a different condition once again so as to look like a different model even though it was already repainted. The model, which is for sale on the website diecastgems, and down as 'original' and 'rare', now has paint chips to the model [some of which have been retouched!] and wear to the silver on the front & rear bumper, all of which have been purposely done to disguise the history of that model. Once again, the dealer [and diecastgems. Although we are not saying they are connected in any way] didn't recon on us having the pictures of the repainted model with it's flaking to the base plate. You may be able to change the condition by chipping the paint etc, but the one thing you cannot change is the casting. Above the front windscreen are two casting faults, we have encircled them on the picture that the original collector sent us [picture 2] and also on the picture from the website diecastgems [picture 7]. Please take note of the rear brake lights in red and the silvering to the bumpers, lights and grill all of which have been painted by hand. And also take note of the residue from now removed "GB" sticker on the rear [encircled in black. Picture 12]. (The "GB" sticker wasn't original to the model anyway, it was only added to disguise the fact it was repainted) Now here comes the final interesting piece, the base plate has now been replaced and this time with an original one taken from another Singer Vogue. And once again, the rivets have been removed and replaced with two more 'home made' examples by gluing them in place [picture 13].

*Please note: We now notice that as of the 12 December 2013 the Number 145 Singer Vogue has been 'sold' on the website diecastgems after being told it was repainted. If you are the now 'new' owner of this model then we would like to hear from you.

Number 189. Another model on the website diecastgems (12 December 2013) and for sale at £1,625.00, is another full repaint which originated from the same dealer from Staffordshire, a number 189 Triumph Herald in all red. Once again, the rivets are 'home made', in the same style, and have been glued into place. The silvering and the rear brake lights have been painted by hand, and, in our opinion, we would say that the base plate has been repainted too. (*The original Triumph Heralds, in single colours, also have the coachwork trim on each side of the car and the rear bumpers [below the brake lights] done in silver. See picture 6 of an original example). And not forgetting the colour code on the end of the box, it is not original. It is simply a coloured sticker that can be bought from any stationery shop. The original dinky colour codes are 6mm in diameter, centrally colour coded with a white border.

Number 512. The next model shown here that was sent to us by the first collector is a number 512 Guy Flat Truck in Yellow/Black chassis/Red wheels. With this model, the silver grill and the yellow paint are original, apart from it has been heavily retouched in. However, the black has been over painted on the front two wheels arches and the chassis. The dealer originally sold this model [with an original box] for £1,000.00.

Number 503. The following pictures of what look like a number 503 Foden Flat Truck with Tailboard in Burnt Orange & Mustard Yellow are nothing more than a cab & chassis from either the number 502 or 902 in Orange & Mid Green Flat Truck. The cab & chassis are original but retouched in places as is the yellow tailboard. The yellow wheels however have been repainted from green and in the wrong shade of yellow. The yellow Tailboard itself would have been taken from a dark blue & mustard yellow Tailboard as it is easier to obtain. The nut & bolt on this model are wrong and date from April 1955, the original model was made in 1952 only and was made in  Dark - Burnt Orange/Mustard Yellow/Light yellow wheels.  
If you are the now 'new' owner of this Foden then we would like to hear from you. The same dealer originally sold this model [with an original box] for £2,500.00.

Number 504. The following pictures of what look like a number 504 Foden Tanker second cab in duo blue are in fact two models which consist of the cab & chassis from either the number 503 or 903 in violet blue and orange Tailboard, and the mid blue tank is from the first cab Foden Tanker. The spare wheel is held in place by yet another 'home made' rivet which has been glued in place and all the tyres have been replaced to grey. *Please to note: Don't be fooled into thinking that just because this model comes with the original box showing the picture of the second cab Foden, and that it has the 'Hudson & Dobson' label on it, that it is original. The dealer originally sold this model [with an original box] for £2,500.00.
This is just one of dozens of examples of the second cab Foden Tanker in duo blue that we know the same dealer has made up and sold over the years as original. If you are the now 'new' owner of this Foden Tanker or you have bought a second cab Foden Tanker in duo blue then we would like to hear from you.

Number 408. The following pictures of the number 408 Big Bedford in Cerise/Beige are once again a complete fake. Even though it was originally a Cerise and Beige example the cab & chassis have been over painted just like the Guy flat Truck with Tailboard in Yellow/Mid Green. The silver grill and lights have been painted by hand [picture 1], and to get round the fact that this model should retain the unpainted tow hook, the paint has been removed by thinners from the tow hook. But in doing so has inadvertently removed paint from the area surrounding the tow hook and left traces of the removed pink paint on the rear of the cream body [picture 4]. The base plate hasn't been removed but had to be cleaned with thinners also. There are though, still traces of pink paint to the base plate. To get round to fully repainting the cream body, the rear axle had been removed. Then once it was replaced, was hammered flat so as to stop the wheel coming off, quite crude. The now 'new' paint has a distinct new feel and finish to the original enamel paint of the 1940s, 1950s and the 1960s. Take a look at picture 6 to study the flattened axel end and the 'new' paint finish seen on the wheel. Don't be fooled into thinking that just because this model, like the revised Singer Vogue, now has paint chips that it is original. Implying that is has a 'slightly played with - from childhood' feel. The same dealer sold this model [with an original box] for £2,000.00.
If you are the now 'new' owner of this model then we would like to hear from you.

The next set of pictures were taken from the dealers sales page on the internet auction site. (Then profile I.D. stigtoys. Although he does use numerous profile names, we know he is now using rattzblue for sales). As much as he states that the models he sells are "original not a repaint", it does not mean the same when it comes to swapped models. The model of the number 431 Guy "Warrior" Wagon in what looks like the rare red/dark green model [pictures 1,2,3 and 4] is in fact a swapped example. The cab & chassis and wagon are original paint, but, the wheels are not. The cab & chassis have come direct from the number 920 Guy "Warrior" van "Heinz 57" in which it has no tow hook and the wagon has come from the number 431 Guy "Warrior" Wagon in fawn/dark green. Like the number 513 Guy Flat Truck with Tailboard in yellow/mid green, which uses the cab & chassis from the Guy van "Weetabix" once the license to sell the "Weetabix" advertising ceased, a large unpainted tow hook was applied to an already painted cab & chassis. And the same applied to the original Guy "Warrior" Wagon in red/dark green when the license to sell the "Heinz" advertising also ceased, a large unpainted tow hook was applied to the cab & chassis's which were already paint prepared. Both of these models should always have a large unpainted tow hook applied to an already painted chassis. The steel rivet has been reworked so as to connect the wagon to the cab & chassis and so is not original. The box in which this model was sold with is the wrong issue box being the first edition box from 1958 to 1960. *The original model in red/dark green was issued with the second edition light yellow box [picture 5 and 6]. The last two pictures [pictures 7 and 8] are of another original example.

We would like to hear from anyone that has bought any rare Foden or Guy lorries from this dealer over the years as we know that he has sold numerous examples of the number 905 Foden Flat Truck with Chains in mid blue/grey with 'home made' rivets [an example of which is shown on page 1 Information] and we know that he has sold a complete repaint of a number 503 Foden Flat Truck with Tailboard second cab in duo green. This was shown to us by a collector that again suspected the model was repainted. It was shown to us and two other collectors who also saw and witnessed that the model was a complete repaint, to which it also had the wrong base plate, the wrong nut & bolt and the wrong style tyres. We all saw it at hand at the Sandown toy fair a number of years ago to which the collector returned it for a refund, so we know that model must now be in the hands of another collector somewhere. If you have bought a number 503 Foden Flat Truck with Tailboard second cab in duo green then we would very much like to hear from you.

We would now like to take this opportunity to thank the two collectors that have helped with the above information and so ask all collectors out there to keep us informed of any new information regarding fake models.

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 Please see page 4 for Information about more fake models.