In 1957, Benbros introduced three Land Rover models into the Mighty Midgets. First of these was No.34 AA Road Service Land Rover in bright yellow. At that time the AA (Automobile Association) was improving its road patrols by adding Land Rovers to the familiar motorcycle riders on British roads.

 

The Mighty Midget Land Rovers were cast in two parts, the main body and an open-centred base which slotted into a holder beneath the front bumper and was rivetted at the rear. Both axles were attached to the base with large painted metal wheels on nail-head & crimped axles. On the base, 'Benbros Qualitoy' and 'Made in England' were cast on each side of the open centre. The model measured 55mm long.

 

The Benbros casting was a nice representation of the Series 1 Land Rovers. All three versions - AA (No.34), Army (No.35), and Royal Mail (No.36) - were 'hard-top' models with the AA version having the 'AA' logo and 'Road Service' cast on the both sides. The rear of the model was open with a central pillar (part of the body casting) and a fixed tailgate (part of the base casting).

 

One of the interesting features for collectors of No.34 Land Rover is the different colours of both the body and the base. The bodies were always yellow with silver trim on the front grille and bumper but the shades of yellow varied from quite pale through mid-yellow to a dark-yellow for the final run. This included the large metal wheels.

 

The colours of the base, and sometimes the inside of the body, also varied because of the pre-coat paint colour. The first yellow models had a cream coloured base which included the axles and the insides of the metal wheels. Later, when the models were painted mid-yellow, the base colour became beige or was harmonised to mid-yellow. The final run of AA Land Rovers in dark-yellow all had matching dark-yellow bases. 

 

No.34 AA Land Rover is not a common model but perhaps because of the limited variations it doesn't usually command a high price.