Ok, I know nothing about these other than the name, Merlin, just bought them on Ebay because I liked the look of them besides they were cheap


Anybody else heard of Merlin? did a quick search and got nothing under Merlin diecast

Hello Scruffyhippo,

 

the following is quoted from the Toy Car Collector's Guide Second version Edition by Dana Johnson:

Merlin
Just two Merlin models have been produced by this British Toy manufacturer, a Jeep and a race car. Both are single-cast alloy with metal wheels.The race car has a rubber band geardrive motor. Merlin Toys are identified by the name, description and model number inside the casting.
1947 Maserati Style Racing Car A200 ($ 30-45 MIB)
1944 Willys Civilian Jeep Willys A100  ($ 30-45 MIB)

So I think you have a great find here.

Regards:Theo

 

Thanks Theo, I should of tried searching here, I should know better lol, great at least I know a bit more

Ok how and where did you find that Theo? i've tried to search Merlin on toypedia and come up blank

This info in not on Toy Collector but in Dana Johnson's book, Toy Car Colletors Guide. Find it here:


www.amazon.com/Toy-Car-Collectors-Guide-...cation/dp/1574324586


You can also go to the forum of which I am a memeber. Find it here


groups.yahoo.com/group/toy-car-collectors/


Great site, email based and lots of Knowledgeable people there. Mosty Matchbox, Hot Wheels and that size vehicles but there is lots of talk about other model Manufacturers and makes too.

I have two of these jeeps, one with the rubber band drive and one (as in the pictures in this thread) that doesn't have it. The Merlin diecasts were made in north London by TAL Developments, one of a number of diecast companies that appeared in that area in the late 1940s (such as Matchbox toys). The rubber band version of the jeep has a very basic differential with a hook to the fore - you fit a rubber band to that and also to a small winding handle on the front bumper. Holding the rear wheels steady, you use the handle to wind up the band and then let the toy go.


Mine no longer has the handle, so I've no idea what it ought to look like. In fact, until a couple of years ago, I didn't realise there was meant to be a winding handle - as a child in the early 1950s I simply attached the front end of the band to the broken part of the bumper where the handle used to be (the fracture and fragment of bent alloy looked neat enough to have been meant, so I never suspected otherwise) and pulled back the jeep on the carpet to wind up the band.


The non-mechanical version has a plain bumper and no differential. Both are embossed as Merlin A100 jeeps without mention of Willys.

Thankyou Humberhawk, that is exactly the kind of information I need, your a star 

 


Thanks Jim will look into it later

Hey Humber - I would love to see some pictures of the winding mechanism...  if you please.  Thanks for your post and all the info.

I'll do that... though first I have to find the boxes of ancient Dinkys, etc in the loft. That won't be tonight.

The Merlin Jeeps arrived today, and the actual printing on the casting says ' Merlin Jeep A100' they are bigger than I though and measures a shade over 82mm, so puts then about 1:43


The colours would of been green on one and likely to of been red on the other, the only other picture I could find on the net is of a blue one.


The axles will all need replacing and one axle carrier on the green one will need repair other than that, all is as expected.

If you take the axles out of the toy and then put them in your drill or drill press or even you dremel, you should be able to polish them up really nice. Use a small hammer and a steel block to straighten them up by tapping while you turn the axle. Keep the head off the block so the axle will not bend there too. Put them in the drill press or what ever you have and then use some fine emory cloth or wet and dry sand paper. Just make sure it is fine, I use 400 to 600 grit papers.
Even the worst axles I have had cleaned up. The only ones I have replace were so badly rusted that I could not make the hubs turn or the axle turn in its holder or holes it goes thru on some toys. I cut them off, put the hubs in my used bin and get new ones out of my stock of either used ones or new ones.



If there is lots of rust you can soak them in vinegar overnight to remove it. Straight vinegar works best. DO NOT put diecast parts in vinegar, they will desolve eventually.

Thanks Jim, that is sometimes what I do but the latest update is they don't come through the wheels, my guess is they are splined into the back of the wheels, I have tried to seperate one of them today with little luck as I didn't want to force it a break the diecast wheel or the axle carrier, so may have to cut the axle to remove the wheels.


Out of interest after hours of searching I found this webpage in French but some great pictures of the racing car A200 and the geared drive 


 


62.202.26.35/cd-rom/JouetsAnglaisFull/jo...eb/merlin/merlin.htm

Great site and reference ther for these toys. I see how the gears work and now see the handle at the front. It would look to me like the axles are splined or maybe press fitted to a plain hole in the wheel.

Some heat applied to the wheel may make it easier to remove the axle.