I don’t recall when I got this model. The year of copyright on the base is 1996, but I feel that I bought this car with pocket money well into the 2000’s. Either way, I have had this model for a serious amount of time.

Rear/Side

Considering the amount of time I have owned this model, there are barely any signs of play. The axles are straight and all wheels roll freely. Paint work is in great condition with no chips or scratches. The plastic glass on the window has a few very fine marks, but otherwise clear. There is only a small crack in the base plastic that forms the side step for the passenger door.

Front

The model is of a 1956 Ford F100 Pick-up, however the base simply refers to it as ‘Pick-up’. I likely bought the car amongst my phase of being a self-confessed muscle car nut – which is surprising with the little amount of knowledge I have of the cars. In recent years I have seen a fair few F100’s at shows here in the UK and they certainly have a road presence. Although probably not one of my first choices to own from the line of American pick-ups, you can’t deny the styling of the F100 is wonderfully brilliant for what is a farm truck. Most F100’s these days have taken on a life of glamour, leaving the dusty and smelly farm work behind them – this model seems to represent the new life for many F100’s.

The model features a beautiful blue metallic paint that sparkles in the light, really catches your eye. Paired with a gleaming ‘chrome’ effect bumper and side steps, which are part of the base plate, the model looks to be worth more than it is on first glance.

Rear

Surprisingly for a toy there is a considerable amount of detail found on this model. The embossed Ford badge on the tailgate is painted in a slightly darker shade of blue with a simple discreet decal above it. Along with this we have painted headlamps and taillights. The bed features ridges and is big enough that you could fit some small items in it (such as scale appropriate barrels or animals). Moving forwards towards the front of the car the model has minute details such as a petrol filler cap (present on the passenger side), door handles, cabin vents and handles to release the hood. The front grille is nicely formed as to stand away from the body of the car, giving the front of the model a nice 3D look.

The models interior is plastic and white in colour. Visibility into the cabin is possible by the 2 crystal clear windows (windscreen and rear window) along with two quarter windows for each passenger. However the cabin lacks detail with only a bench seat and basic steering wheel mould present.

Underside

The model doesn’t feature any kind of suspension, so bent axles are a potential hazard with this model. Much like its real life counterpart the model doesn’t sit very high from the ground, giving an almost low-rider effect. The four Matchbox branded plastic wheels spin freely and independently on two axles. These wide plastic wheels fill out the wide flared arches of the body nicely.

As with many Matchbox vehicles the base plate is made from plastic, but in this case has been painted a sparkly silver colour. The base plate also is nicely moulded with mouldings for sump, transmission, driveshaft, differential, spare tire and basic chassis structure. The base is riveted to the die-cast body with two rivets, one at the front and one at the back.

A real 1956 Ford F-100 Pick-up

This model of mine doesn’t require any restoration. It fits in nicely with dioramas with hot rod/muscle car themes. As it is likely I purchased this model late in my life, this is probably the reason for its high quality condition.

Model Status – In Collection 

Model Details