Matchbox Kingsize: K80 Dodge Van - County Sound

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This model is the Matchbox K80 Dodge Van in white, County Sound livery. County Sound Radio was launched on 4 April 1983 and broadcast on 203MW and 96.6FM, broadcasting from "The Friary" shopping centre in Guildford. In 1986 the FM frequency was changed to 96.4 FM. It was released as a Code 2 or 3 issue around 1986. More information on County Radio can be found at Wikipedia and this link will take you right there.

The only opening parts on this model are the rear doors. The driver's side and passenger's side doors are fixed. The front has a chromed plastic bumper and grill with front lights as one unit. A chrome plastic aerial protrudes from the front left "bonnet". The rear bumper assembly is also chromed plastic. Both sides are tampo printed [?] with "Country Sound Radio" on two lines in blue text (with red stripes either side of the word "radio"), followed by "Surrey & Hampshires Favourite Radio Station" in red (again on two lines) toward the front of the vehicle and "1476AM 96.4FM" in red on two lines towards the rear of the vehicle. The model sports side mirrors in chromed plastic.

The entire interior is red plastic with left hand drive black plastic steering wheel. The glazing is a pale amber plastic which has moulded representations for the windscreen wipers.

All wheels are of the "Speed Kings wheel" type - hollow one piece plastic with a "chromed" 5 spoke center "hub".

The base plate is black plastic and is marked with Matchbox Super Kings on line 1, "Dodge Van" on the second line at the centre top of the baseplate, ©1979 Lesney Products & Co Ltd on the third line, and "Made in England" at the centre bottom. It also carries a very rudimentary representation of the exhaust system and drive shaft and differential. The base plate is held in place with four machined rivets.

This model was probably issued around 1986 as it carries the 96.4FM reference rather than the earlier transmission band of 96.6FM.

Item: 1025