c.1960 Asahi, #8 Champion Race Car in Original Box
Ultra-high grade #8 Champion Race Car by *Asahi (ATC) in amazing near mint+ to mint condition. Comes complete with a box of equally high grade. It's one of the higher quality built toy cars with an all tin litho driver, celluloid windshield, and red painted wooden inner wheel hubs. Not a spot of plastic anywhere on the car. Sponsored primarily by Mobil Oil it has no fewer than four images of their famous red Pegasus. In addition, it also features some of the best known company logo's on the hood sides including Champion and Ferrari. The figural all tin litho driver and tin litho steering wheel are beautifully detailed and in correct size perspective with the rest of the car. The arms, steering wheel, and white helmet were all separately tabbed metal sections. It has a neatly designed cowl plate behind the driver and a single large fin down the rear center. The solid rubber tires are embossed "Firestone". The metal hubs are triple embossed (rim, center button hub, and "Y" hub lock). The underside chassis is a single piece plate accurately embossed with exhausts, oil pan, etc. The box includes an illustration of the #8 racer that correlates with the actual toy . The side aprons show the speeding racer from the right side. Interestingly this smaller graphic is more detailed than most side cover drawings. Size: 8". Sold: Jun. 2006
Price Sold: $ 224