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Oval Window VW - From Rat to Riches
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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 7:19 am    Post subject: Oval Window VW - From Rat to Riches Reply with quote

MODERN TOYS VOLKSWAGEN SEDAN
BY ROBERT GILMORE

Back in the 1950s, the Japanese toy manufacturers were going gangbusters producing tin plate toy cars. Those tin cars depicted the automobiles of the same 1950s era that included just about all the different American cars and the European automobiles as well. Back in that era, these tin toy cars were considered the "cheap Japanese toys" and some of them were even made out of recycled tin cans. Sure they were inexpensive and perhaps not made as well as compared to the nice tin and diecast toys produced in Europe, but they have a character of their own. The Japanese were good at installing all those extra little tin items on the car that were perhaps the first to break off and also providing “action toys” through friction or battery operated motors. The Volkswagen Sedan body is perhaps one of the most difficult to produce as a single tin stamping but the Japanese were good at developing the process and created several very good example of the VW Beetle silhouette in miniature form.

MASUDAYA was one of these Japanese toy manufacturers that produced an Oval Window Volkswagen in the middle 1950s era. The Japanese trademark name of MASUDAYA was not used for export in the American toy market. Instead, the "MODERN TOYS" name was used or they used the insignia of "MT" in a diamond. The feature this month is the large 1/20 scale, 7.75 inches or 195mm in length. This tin plate Oval Window VW from MODERN TOYS and is one of the most sought after amongst Volkswagen collectors let alone Japanese tin toy car collectors in general.

The MODERN TOYS VW tin plate body is a one piece stamping with cut out and formed windows. The lines of the VW Beetle silhouette are well defined and there are indentations for the front hood and the bumble bee wing rear deck lid. The 18 air louvers under the rear oval window are punched out and nicely detailed. There are also seam lines of the doors and rain gutters on the roof section of the body. The body is detailed with tin trim pieces around the front and rear windows. The front hood tin strip forms the VW emblem and crest. Some versions have a celluloid window insert for the windshield that attaches to the front window tin piece. Tin button headlights, taillights and license plate light assembly are attached to finish off the details the body. These small tin parts all have a dab of different colored paint on them, usually a pastel green, orange or yellow. These are those little extra detail parts mentioned earlier. The body was painted in various colors with the most popular being medium red, light tan or grass green. Just to note, some of the MODERN TOYS VWs have been found with no license plate light assembly and no hole in the rear deck lid for one.

The chassis is also stamped out of tin plate and is usually lithographed black. One version of the MODERN TOYS VW came with a friction motor and a round cardboard resonator that made a "putt-putt" sound when moving. The other deluxe version featured a battery-powered electric motor with a forward and reverse switch lever located by the driver’s door (left hand drive export model). A “D” size battery was used and was installed in a round tin cylinder between the chassis and roof section. The electric motor assembly was mounted on the chassis in a special way to allow the axle and wheels to pivot up and down to assure proper traction on the driving surface at all times. Real rubber tires were installed and finished off with the VW "moon style" hubcaps. The front wheels could be turned left or right to provide the car to drive in circles. The friction motor version could only go in a straightforward direction (no steering) and the chassis was stamped “JAPAN.” The chassis on the electric motor version had a decal of the manufacturers name "MT - MODERN TOYS - TRADEMARK - JAPAN" on the tin battery cover. Both versions were equipped with tin bumpers that were either the plain type or the over rider type and the bumpers were attached to the chassis with bent over metal ears. The chassis was then attached to the body with bent over metal ears. The MODERN TOYS VWs came in two different style shipping cartons with a very colorful picture of a Volkswagen Sedan with a German town landscaped in the background.

I picked up this Modern Toys Oval VW from an auction in Europe and it was sold cheap because of its poor condition.

It certainly looks like one of those Rat VWs for sure, All that rusty, crusty surface stuff all over the body and chassis.

I decided to give this Rat VW a drive through my Restor-Version Shop for a make over.

I am not sure where this Rat VW has been all those years but perhaps forgotten in a damp basement or attic in Europe to get so crusty.

Fortunately, it has all the parts and when looking closely, there is not a single dent in the body or chassis.

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Mike Fisher
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 23, 2012 8:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would just clean up the rust with lemon juice and put it on my shelf, but I'm sure you have much more elaborate plans! Wink
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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I took the Modern Toys Oval VW apart.

The chassis was really dirty and rusty.
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The friction motor was rusted and was locked up.
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The inside of the body had surface rust as well.

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Took all the parts off of the body and chassis.

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The body and chassis will be sent out to a local sandblaster in Tucson.

The rest of the parts will be wire brushed, cleaned, polished and painted.
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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 08, 2012 7:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

While waiting for the chassis and body to get sandblasted,

I decided to work on the rusty and locked up friction motor.

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The motor is taken apart and the parts will be wire brushed.

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Motor parts have been wire brushed.

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The friction motor has been put back together, oiled and the tires cleaned and serviced.

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All of the other tin parts, have also been cleaned as well.

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Stayed Tuned . . . . .
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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 7:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I received the Modern Toys Oval VW body and chassis from the sandblaster.

It is so nice working with all the rust, paint and grime removed and starting with bare metal.

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You do not want to be bending the chassis, body and tabs after painting to get things all lined up to be put back together.

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The body is primer painted. There are still some minor pits in the body from heavy rust.

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Modelers putty has been used to fill in the pits. Wet sanding is next and additional primer paint.

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The chassis has been primered and then painted black.

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The friction motor, wheels, resonator and bumpers have been assembled into the chassis.

Now waiting for the hubcaps and final body painting.

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Stayed Tuned . . . .
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Blue Baron
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 12:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love the cut out louvers on the body.
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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 03, 2012 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, the project continues Popcorn

This will be a multi-colored paint scheme for this Oval VW.

That is a VW L456 Ruby Red color applied to the fenders Very Happy

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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2012 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK, now comes the work of masking off the Ruby Red fenders.

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The next layer of paint, VW L87 Pearl White, is applied to create a side body color.

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Inside the body is also painted L87 Pearl White.

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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 12, 2012 8:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Moving right along, after the L456 Ruby Red fenders, L87 Pearl White sides, now is time to mask off the sides

and fenders for a different color rear hood, top and front hood.


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A coat of VW L351 Coral Red is now painted.

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Now the masking is removed to expose the tri-color body.

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Stayed Tuned Exclamation
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piggypiggy
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 13, 2012 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very cool, I think I had one of these in the early 60's.
Keep up the good work Smile
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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 16, 2012 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The headlights, taillights, hubcaps are painted.

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Window trim and front hood strip have been clear coated.

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The Body has been completed and ready to be mounted to the chassis.

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My Restor-Version and Modern Toys decals added to the inside roof area.

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Final assembly is completed and getting fueled up at the Shell Station.

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Close up view of the rear section. I also added the license plate light.

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Close up view of the front section.

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Roof decal honors the Oval Window era of the Volkswagen Sedan.

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After overhauling the motor,

I did not expect anything less than a Wheelie . . . . . . . .


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and a Tire Burn Out Exclamation

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Hacksaw-BoB
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PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2012 3:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Someone asked how I get the rubber tires so black and shinny . . . .

Wash the tires with hot soapy water, dry and then coat with clear silicone grease and wipe off the excess.

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Blue Baron
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PostPosted: Mon Dec 17, 2012 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi BoB!

Clever use of a decal for the taillight lenses.
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