di Lorenzo Achilli
We continue to discuss Bburago production.
In the first part, in addition to the history of the company, we showed you some examples of the “Gold Collection” series: the dark blue L models (code 3327), red F (code 3304), dark blue L “Mille Miglia” (code 3204) and Abarth “Donati” n° 5 (code 3334).
Then there are:
● 500 F “Minnie” (Disney Collection Series, code 2001) (photo 1);
● 500 L “Winnie The Pooh” (code 2016) (2);
● 500 F White cod. 33004;
● 500 L red cod. 33104;
● 500 L “Bari to Beijing”;
● Kit 500 L blue cod. 70104;
● Kit 500 L white 18 cod. 15032;
● Kit 500 L Abarth code. 7034.
Most of the 500 Ls had an open roof, while the Fs had a closed one.
The codes I wrote are the ones I found on the boxes, because they were not indicated anymore. The models released later with other colors do not have the reference number.
The colours produced are: for the 500 F red, white, yellow and dark blue; for the 500 L dark blue, metallic blue, red, green and white; for the 500 Abarth, white with the number 5.
The car is fully openable, with steering wheels, spare wheels (for the first series), folding seats (these with a single-color bezel were from the F, as were the interior trim), detailed engine with details in various colors, perfect lights with the lights in the original color, with the difference of the direction indicators that in the first series are white while in the later ones they become orange, chrome, fuel tank in the correct position, emergency triangle. Internally, the L version has the dashboard, the long instrumentation and the steering wheel with black spokes, as in the original. On the outside, you can see the tubes and on the front the small FIAT logo without the “F” whiskers; on the back, the writing “FIAT 500 L” is in the diamonds like the new logo of the brand. Overall, an excellent reproduction in this scale.
As we already mentioned, in the first series the boxes said “1/16 scale” as the actual dimensions of the model and later it was changed to 1/18.
Over the years, the boxes with a polystyrene base have changed colors: from black-gold to black-red, then black-yellow, all black, all blue, light blue for the Disney Series, white and metallic gray. Interestingly, on the bottom of the same, in the first models released, there are drawings with the details that the model has and the list of products for sale in the same scale.
As for the 1/24 scale, the “Star Collection” has re-proposed practically the same products as the 1/18 scale: 500 F and L in dark blue (3), red, white, yellow, with an open roof for the L and a closed one for the F. The difference that is immediately noticeable is that the model does not have an opening front hood. This is due to the reduction of production costs and to make room for the steering wheel controls.
The Abarth variants follow with some rather particular red decals, Taxi (4) and for the “Security Team” series Polizia (5) and Carabinieri (6-7).
Curiosity: I bought a Polistil model that is identical to the Burago. The market aims to optimize costs and production also because now, as we explained in the first episode, the distribution is unified with the Polistil one. The boxes with black plastic base are red, white, black carbon-yellow and light blue for the “Security Team”.
The smallest (1/43) “Street Fire” series are presented without openings and with super fast wheels (in my opinion they are more toys than models) and the colours are: red, dark blue, metallic blue for the normal one and, for the Abarth, red with black stripe (8) and white with red stripe, 500 Sport version, white with the number 5 on the doors (Donati), 336 yellow, 95 white, 308 red (9), 57 red, 188 dark blue. For the “Disney Collection” series, the car is yellow with the Daisy Duck character (10).
In the latest releases we find the red color for the normal 500 plus the Taxi, Carabinieri and Polizia versions.
The boxes, all made of cardboard, are light blue in colour, then white with a different Fiat logo depending on the production period and black-carbon with red stripes.
We thank again our member Claudio Mattioli who, as in the last issue, provided us with photos of his vast collection.
To request information, report errors and suggest additions, you can write to my mailbox mail.
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