Model Collector – August 2019

(Barré) #1

54 http://www.modelcollector.com | auguat 2019


| pre-production prototypes


Hotpoint van
registration
number
174 ATE.

Hotpoint van
registration
number
YBJ 533.

Road Service sticker in black.
The same sticker also appears
on either side of the van. The
A A logo also adorns both front
and back doors. The interior is
a black plastic moulding with a
black plastic steering wheel.
Yellow wheels are enhanced
with silver hubcaps and the
model carries the registration
number 496 DLM. Sadly, this
model is also missing one of its
back quarter bumpers.
When comparing the
resin prototype with the early
production sample from Lot
53, you can see it is a fraction
wider, taller and longer than the
diecast example. The prototype
seems to have a little more
panel definition and the wipers
are definitely better. The yellow
paintwork on the A A prototype
is also a little darker than that
of the early production sample
and final production models.
It’s a very nice addition, though.


Lledo Vanguards resin
prototypes for VA4002, Hotpoint
Three Hotpoint resin proto-
types featured in this lot and all
of them are very slightly differ-
ent. This provides some good
insight to the thought processes
involved in coming up with a
livery and colour scheme that
everyone is happy with.
All three vans are painted
in the same light blue colour
and sport Hotpoint stickers on
their sides and across the back
doors. A blue flash is shown
down both sides, with the
words ‘Spares and Service’ in
white within the flash, towards
the rear of the van. There is
a sticker on each front door
featuring the following words
on three lines: ‘Hotpoint’,
‘Domestic Appliances’ and
‘Spares and Services Division’.
All three vans have chrome
wing mirrors fitted to the
front wings.

So, what about the
differences I've previously
alluded to? Well, I'll start
with the model carrying the
registration number 174 ATE.
This has a grey interior and
black steering wheel. The
wheels are one-piece grey
plastic items, although one of
them is missing on my example.
The Hotpoint signs and side
stripes are on a turquoisey-blue
colour and the stickers on the
door are mounted centrally.
The Hotpoint Van YBJ 533 has
a dark blue interior and steering
wheel. The wheels are the same
blue as the van, with silver hub-
caps. The Hotpoint signs and
side flash are a dark blue colour
and the stickers on the doors
are positioned more to the
bottom of the door rather
than being central.
Finally, we have FOO 836B,
which, as you will see later,
appears to be a popular
registration plate for Lledo
prototypes and which, like the

previous model, sports a dark
blue interior. The Hotpoint
signs and side stripes are, again,
the turquoisey-blue colour and
the stickers on the door are
positioned at the bottom of
the door. The wheels are the
same blue colour as the van,
but the hubcaps and discs
representing the headlights
have a chrome finish to them
rather than the silver painted
ones of the previous two models.
The final Hotpoint
production model features the
dark blue stripes and Hotpoint
signs, with the wording on
the front doors towards their
bottom edge. It also has a black
plastic interior. Like all of the
final production models of that
time, the wing mirrors and
number plates were supplied
in a small plastic packet for the
purchaser to fit.
When checking out the
production model’s box, it looks
like the prototype FOO 836B
may have been used in the

Providing a good comparison:
the production sample (left) and the
resin prototype (right).

AA Van side views of the
resin prototype (left) production
sample (right).
Free download pdf