Benbros TV Series & Mighty Midgets

No.18 Hudson Tourer

No.18 Hudson Tourer was the second American model in the TV Series & Mighty Midgets. As Benbros started to expand their sales to the United States, Australia and other overseas markets, there was an increasing need to include models for the new buyers. It was also evident that, unlike Matchbox and the Morestone 'Esso' series, Benbros did not yet have a saloon car in the TV Series.

The Hudson Tourer (based on the hard-top version of the Hudson Hornet 'Hollywood') was created to fill the gap and although it was given the number 18, it was issued before No.16b Chevrolet Nomad Station Wagon. People have remarked that the Hudson was not the best model Benbros designed, nor was it an easy vehicle to model with its unusual wide screen and low-slung style, but to make up for it, Benbros painted the Hudson in a wide range of colours.

The first colours chosen reflected the fashion in America during the 1950's for bright pastel-shaded cars with white-wall tyres, and so pink, yellow and turquoise with white painted metal wheels were used by Benbros for the early models. Silver trim was added to the front grille, headlights, and rear fins. The base was painted white and carried the first appearance of 'Qualitoy', the Benbros logo used for both miniature and large scale diecast models. The usual 'Benbros' name and 'Made in England' were also included. Length of the Hudson was 61mm.

Later metallic-blue and red colours were added, initially with white bases and wheels but at about this time the painted wheels and bases were dropped in favour of unpainted ones. The metallic-blue variation (shades varied) had small unpainted metal wheels at first but soon all models were fitted with larger wheels.

New colours of pale green and mid-blue (shades varied) were also introduced before the next change to the Hudson. The early models had a clip-fit base which was easily identified by the lack of reinforcement to the outer ends of the front and rear bumpers. This was now replaced by a rivetted base with strengthening infill on the bumpers.

The mid-blue and metallic-blue Hudsons had both types of unpainted base fitted but Benbros continued to introduce more colours including a beige version with red trim, and two chrome-plated ones with either a red roof and blue base and matching painted wheels or a blue roof and red base/wheels.  The final colour was an orange model which was fitted with black plastic wheels or the rare (for Benbros) silver plastic wheels. On some of these silver trim was only applied to the grille.

All three types of wheels in different sizes and colours were used on the Hudson Tourer. Early models were fitted with small metal wheels painted white on nail-head and crimped axles. These were replaced by larger unpainted metal wheels on flat-head and crimped axles which were fitted to both the first and second type bases. The large metal wheels were also used for the painted wheels of the chrome-plated cars. Finally, black plastic wheels were used on the mid-blue and orange models, with a short run of silver plastic wheels on the last orange issue.

The Hudson appeared initially in a TV box with large number (TV3) but it is very rare, perhaps one of the rarest TV boxes, as Mighty Midget boxes were being brought in at the time.

No.18 Hudson Tourer has plenty of collecting interest due to the large number of variations. It was a popular model and so some versions are fairly easy to find especially the orange one with bpw. However, the early colours and the last model with silver plastic wheels are scarce or rare. 

Variation 1 : pink with silver trim, white base and pmw

Variation 2: turquoise, white pmw

Variation 5 : metallic blue, pmw

Variation 8 : red, 1st base, umw

Variation 9 : mid-blue, 1st base

Benbros No.18 Hudson Tourer

Variations

(1) PINK                       silver trim             small WHITE pmw   WHITE 1st base         TV3 or MM box

(2) TURQUOISE          silver trim             small WHITE pmw   WHITE 1st base         TV3 or MM box

(3) YELLOW                silver trim             small WHITE pmw   WHITE 1st base         TV3 or MM box

(4) RED                        silver trim             small WHITE pmw   WHITE 1st base          MM box

(5) METALLIC BLUE    silver trim             small WHITE pmw   WHITE 1st base          MM box

(6) METALLIC BLUE    silver trim             small umw                 unpainted 1st base    MM box

(7) METALLIC BLUE    silver trim             large umw                  unpainted 1st base   MM box

(8) RED                        silver trim             large umw                  unpainted 1st base    MM box

(9) MID-BLUE               silver trim             large umw                 unpainted 1st base    MM box

(10) PALE GREEN       silver trim              large umw                 unpainted 1st base    MM box

(11) MID-BLUE             silver trim              large umw                 unpainted 2nd base   MM box

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(12) METALLIC BLUE  silver trim              large umw                 unpainted 2nd base   MM box

(13) BEIGE                   RED trim               large umw                unpainted 2nd base    MM box

(14) MID-BLUE             silver trim              bpw                          unpainted  2nd base   MM box

(15) CHROME              RED roof & trim    BLUE pmw                BLUE 2nd base          MM box

(16) CHROME              BLUE roof             RED pmw                 RED 2nd base            MM box

(17) ORANGE              silver trim (grille)   bpw                            unpainted 2nd base   MM box

(18) ORANGE              silver trim (grille)   silver plastic wheels   unpainted 2nd base   MM box

Variation 10: pale green, 1st base

Variation 14: mid-blue, bpw

Variation 16: blue roof, red pmw

Variation 12: met.blue, 2nd base

Variation 15: red roof, blue pmw & base

Variation 17: orange, bpw

Variation 18: orange, spw

Base and wheel variations

type 1 base (l-r) small pmw, large umw

type 2 base (l-r) blue pmw, spw, bpw