In my recent quest to find suitable futuristic vehicles for a current wargames project, my search has led me to the Corgi 700 series, not well known or even collected by many, these still form a part of the Corgi brand history.

I had one of them a while, number 700 the Motorway ambulance.



Actually, I own this by mistake, I bought it on Ebay really cheap thinking it was a small scale version like the Matchbox Stretcha Fetcha but is in fact more like 1:43 scale, I was very suprised when it arrived.



Apparently the story seems to be that Corgi produced a range of cheap diecast vehicles for younger children in the mid seventies and the 700 series was designed with that intention, this would of been 65p back in 1973 when it was released.

Not many people like the design now and tend to bypass these lowly models, but I must admit I like the futuristic look and  if this was in fact from a Corgi designers imagination he should of since seen his design influence in vans like the Talbot and Renaults of the 1980′s or even the 1990′s Iveco vans, all have echo’s of these designs.

Next is number 702 the breakdown truck seen here with the ambulance.



They are similar in design especially the fronts but are completely different castings, which can be seen below from the front view.



The one thing that impresses me on the crane is the metal hook (which maybe why it’s still intact) so not bent and chewed like many I have seen on plastic hooked Matchbox and Corgi trucks.

Ther are two others I know of, number 701 is the Inter-City Mini bus, and number 703 the Fire Engine, all have a similar looking front design and simple lines and like the Corgi Turbo truck series have few followers or collectors chasing them down, therefore are pretty cheap still, the were discontinued in 1979.

They look good and would blend in with some of Matchbox futuristic toys.

always thought the Mini-Camper belonged here too...

 


Yes I agree, they would, I do actually like them,

 


What mini camper would that be RV?

Probably the #701 "Hi-Speed Mini-Bus" seen here 


www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CORGI-HI-SPEED-MINI-B...;hash=item1e6feb94da


One more, although not in the 700-series, would be the #424 "Security Van", issued in 1976 


www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1970s-Corgi-424-Hi-Sp...;hash=item3377ab4f32


I have the ambulance and the security van. I never really liked them (being a major fan of realism), but like Scruffy said, they're all part of history and quite unique for Corgi's range.

Hi Tee glad to see you back on here , yes the 701 one is on my list next, I new of the security van but didn't know the number so thats really helpful thanks

I always liked the Corgi Jrs Wigwam Van (I assume that's the mini-camper everyone's talking about) - I thought it looked like the sort of camper van I'd buy!


The Turbo Trucks were kind of cool in a late-sixties way. The 700 series are a bit more of an acquired taste - they're sort of like that generic cab that every toy company came up with (like Playart with their futuristic truck and the Dinky Convoy cab) to keep costs down. On the plus side, you can likely build a full mint-and-boxed collection of the whole range for under £20! I did have a couple of these that I'd have happily sent your way to get rid of them, but I think I put them into a junkyard lot of Corgis that went on eBay a while ago. I'll check and see.

 


 


The mini camper in discussion is the 700 series no 701 motorway mini bus although the CJ wigwam van is on my wanted list as well lol, not sure which mini camper RV means, but no doubt he will enlighten us later hopefully

Have now added the 701 Inter-City minibus to the 700 series

Hey, seeing the 701 next to the others, suddenly made me realize that they're very different in design. I always thought of them as the same fantasy model only modified as necessary to suit the different purposes, but just look at them: they really don't have a lot in common except the futuristic overall design.


That's one more lesson learned here on TC

Scale differs greatly too, here is the Ambulance with a 25mm scale wargames figure.





The Hi Speed mini bus suits 1:72 scale figures well, may even do a code 3 version when I get another and have passengers inside

As a side note,  although not strictly one of the 700 series, Corgi No424, Hi speed security van uses the same casting as the ambulance above so should be included here as I have now aquired one

I have never sen this security car, nice one