Pickup reflections

[davidmiles]

I was enjoying Malta MM's restoration project thread and It made me think of the variety of Pickup bodies there must have been back in the day, it's always been said the Pickup was never replaced with anything of modern equivilance, so small firms and farmers had to go for foreign pickups to fulfill the gap in the rather lucrative market. It's amazing that such an ubiquitous little vehicle only had one contemporary model, the Dinky Dublo Hornby trackside model. The pickup back seems to have more in common on this model with the malta pickups than with the standard body issued by BMC.The rear curved arches have something of the traveller about them.[frame][/frame]

[IaininTenbury]

I think its a Morris Oxford pickup (Called the Morris 1/2ton pickup in the catalogues If I remember right) hence the different styling of the body sides and early type Oxford grill - not that its too easy to tell in this scale!
Though when you look at the model and think 'Morris Oxford' its actually a very well proportioned casting with lots of acurate details - Dinky were pretty good in the 50s and 60s despite the simplicity.

So that would mean that no models of the Minor pickup were made whilst in production, and only afterwards, a handful of white metal kits, then the Corgi version etc.

[IaininTenbury]

Here's one![frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

Brilliant Ian, that is amazing, you learn something new on this website every visit, it was a serious looking machine wasn't it, rare as Rocking Horse dung today I bet.

[IaininTenbury]

Hi,
Yes I should think they are seriously rare. i've seen a handful of vans and one other pickup with a home made wooden rear body, but this is the only steel bodied pickup I've seen around at the shows.

[IaininTenbury]

Yes its the only steel bodied MO pickup I've ever seen. Other than that a couple of vans and a wooden backed pickup - so ultra rare...