Corgi 151

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Corgi produced the Lotus XI Le Mans toy for several years, firstly the Corgi 151 in light blue, silver or red and then later the Corgi 151a in a more modern light blue with red and white racing stripe and plastic driver figure. Personally, I’m not so keen on the later release, the earlier pre-a feeling much more “period”.

Mint and boxed, any of them can command strong money (well over £100), but again, the earlier pre-a examples are usually worth more because they’re considerably more scarce.

And then there’s the red one......

To say that they’re scarce is something of an understatement! I’ve been looking for one for several years and not seen a single example come to market. Then a nice, but “playworn” example came up on eBay a couple of weeks ago. So I snapped it up for a bargain price. (Well, I thought it a bargain. It’s as rare as hen’s teeth, yet I got it for much the same price as a blue or silver one in little better condition!)

Then, lo and behold, earlier this week a second one came up. It’s in superb condition. “Mint” they can fetch circa £350 (yes, really!!). This one had a “Buy it now” price that wouldn’t have been too bad for a blue or silver one either! So I snapped it up!

So I’ve now got all three in very similar condition, and a well used outlier!

If anybody here would like the “other” red one, then you can have it for the price that I paid (which I assure you was a bargain; MUCH less than it costs to fill a Westie’s tank at the moment!), plus postage.

PM me.....

Simon

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Ps: For whatever reason, I don’t seem to be able to upload any photos. I’ve had this problem before when using an iPad on this forum. Sometimes it’s fine, but sometimes it just plays silly buggers. I’ll try to upload a shot of the trio for your delectation anyway. But in the meantime, if you’re interested in the spare, then I’ll email you some snaps!

[Simon Marks]

Hi, Simon,

I've just stumbled across this thread. A friend of mine very kindly recently let me have his "play worn" blue with red and white stripe 151a Corgi Lotus XI. That was just after Chris Derbyshire (who writes a models column in the Historic Rally Car Register's OldStager magazine) had run a column about the Lotus XI that had competed in the RAC Rally in 1958. Chris had refinished a Corgi model as that car - so I asked if he could refinish mine. This he did, for not very much money so why don't you send Chris some photos of your Westfield and see if he could replicate it based on your spare Corgi? He is able to get detailed decals made up and (believe it or not) spare tyres, headlamp covers, windscreens, steering wheels etc are available via the internet.

If you'd like to pm me, I'll send you Chris' details.

I'll try to get a picture or two of my RAC Rally XI and post them (but I am straight out to a car club meeting as soon as I get home this evening.

Simon

[Simon Marks]

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Having extracted my Corgi Lotus Eleven from the display case, here's some photos:

[bobwhittaker]

I have two Corgi models passed to me by the chap I bought my unbuilt kit from in 2010 , unfortunately they are well worn with faded paint .
One is Silver with race number 7 on the front part of the bonnet but only the right hand half of the screen .
One was Blue with only about 8% of the paint remaining , no race number showing and no screen at all .
Nostalgia time now , I also have a " Matchbox " Series IV Lotus Seven in yellow with a flame decal on the bonnet , nostalgia because I
built one in yellow in 1971 and my wife and I went off on honeymoon in it in July 1972 . I haven't got the car now but we are still together !
Cheers , Bob Whittaker .