Issued 1959-64    Length 92mm

The Volkswagen Pick-Up was the first all-new model sold by Morris & Stone under the Budgie label. In the Esso Series of miniatures, the VW Microbus had been issued in 1957 and Lesney had produced their No.34 VW van in the same year. So for the larger scale model, Budgie had to settle on something different and they chose the split-screen VW Pick-up with a canvas canopy. This was not a common vehicle on the roads of Britain at the time but it was widespread in Europe and so perhaps Budgie hoped to increase sales overseas.

During the years of production, the VW Pick-Up changed little. Always in a distinctive mid-blue colour with cream painted metal wheels, it was finished with silver trim on the front logo, headlights, front and rear bumpers and rear engine air intakes. The tyres were always treaded.

The cream coloured base acted also as the floor of the load-bed and it was ribbed to imitate planking. Above this, the canvas canopy was supported on two rigid metal hoops which fitted into slots in the body at each corner. The words 'Express Delivery' were normally stencilled onto the canopy sides but occaisionally this was missed and so unmarked versions can be found.

The only change to the model was a small alteration to the base when the words 'Budgie Toys' were added at the front. This happened at about the time when Budgie began to introduce numbers on the boxes of their models but not yet on the models themselves.

First sold in A1 type boxes without numbers, these were replaced after quite a long run by A2 type boxes with small numbers on each picture face. Surprisingly Guiterman never updated these to include their own name so maybe there were plenty of old boxes to use up. 

The VW Pick-Up was sometimes included in Gift Sets as well as in its own boxes. It is possible to find examples in excellent condition so it must have been a popular model.

In 1985 Starcourt Ltd., then owners of the residue of Budgie Toys, sold some old stock of unpainted castings of the VW Pick-Up for finishing, and many appeared in colourful liveries with metal canopies. Since then more castings have been made so modern versions of this model exist.