Car Collecting – Going Small with Dealer Promotional Models

I’ve written a few articles on car collecting and a couple covered collecting model cars.  I’m particularly fond of dealer promotional cars ( click here: Car Collecting Scaled Down – Promo Cars ). 

As with any hobby you have to be aware that sometime what is offered for sale might not be the real thing.  If you do a quick search on Ebay you’ll find hundreds of model cars for sale.  Look closer and you’ll see many labeled “Dealer  Promotion” models.  But look even closer and you’ll see there are many that misuse that label. 

Promotional models were model cars used by dealership at the time a car was new (or new for the year) and they were often staged around the showroom for customer to touch and look at.  Many of the models had a list new features listed on the bottom. 

Bottom of a Ford Galaxy.

This is the bottom of a 1960s Ford Galaxy. You can see a list of features.

The models were normally one color with minimal detail and no real functionality outside the rolling wheels.

For example, take a look at this:

Plain non-functional model – chrome wheels and rubber tires that roll.

Much like the Galaxy above it is plain and non-functional.

Nondescript white box.

Stamped “1984 Corvette” – first year of the C4 body style

Now look at this:

Here is a 1950 Chevy Pickup. Supposedly a dealer promo.

It’s in a newer box with warning on it…not something printed on toys back in 1950.

If you really can’t tell this shows it was made by Ertl in 1995.

See the difference?  How can these be ‘true’ promotional models if they were produced in 1995?

Clearly the Ertl model is not a true dealership promotional model but a replica.

I failed to realize that as the seller advertised it as a “promo” model.  Not to say it’s not a nice model it is and depicts a 1950 Chevy pickup closely.  However, it is not a dealership promotional model.

Caveat emptor!!!

Thanks for reading.

Tim

Do you have a collection of model cars?  Let us know.