Budgie Miniatures
No.16 Austin-Healey
No.16 in the Budgie Miniatures collection was a model of a famous 1950's sports car, the Austin-Healey 100. Morris & Stone first issued the Austin-Healey in 1957 as Esso Series No.16 Austin-Healey and it continued in the Budgie range until 1963/4.
The Austin-Healey was a straightforward body & base model held together by a central rivet. The driver was part of the base. The windscreen was represented by two side struts.
The model was always painted red with an off-white or cream base & driver. Silver trim was hand-applied for most of the model's life to the grille, headlights and front & rear bumpers but later when spray trim was used the rear bumper was omitted.
The wheels of No.16 were unpainted metal for much of its life but they were switched to black plastic and the model painted in a darker red for the last few years of production.
No.16 was not a mainstream model in the Budgie Miniatures range. After the Esso Series it was issued in 'Morris & Stone' yellow blister packs and later in similar 'Guiterman' ones. It was also sold in both 'Mobile' and 'Modern' (type 1) Vehicle Series boxes, it was one of the cars in Noddy's Garage Set and it was included in Budgie Gift Set No.12 so it is not a hard model to find.
Late examples of the Austin-Healey can show deterioration in the casting and the model is frequently a victim of fatigue.
No.16 was withdrawn in 1964.
Variation 1 with Esso Petrol Pump box and Tanker Coupon
No.16 Austin-Healey
Model Variations
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(1) RED OFF-WHITE base & driver hand-applied trim unpainted metal wheels
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(2) RED OFF-WHITE base & driver spray-applied trim black plastic wheels
Variation 2 with 'Modern' type 1 box
No.16 Austin-Healey
Boxes and Packs
1957-59 Esso Petrol Pump Series boxes
1957-58 Noddy's Garage Set
1960-62 Yellow 'Budgie Toys' blister packs (Morris & Stone)
1961-64 Budgie Gift Set No.12
1962-64 MOBILE Vehicle Series boxes
1962-64 MODERN Vehicle Series (type 1) boxes
1962-64 Yellow 'Budgie Toys' blister packs (Guiterman)
Variation 2 in yellow Morris & Stone blister pack
Variation 2 in Yellow Guiterman blisterpack
(No.13 card with No.16 label)
Rear trim variants and central rivet posts
Wheel variations : Metal and Black Plastic
The real Austin-Healey 100/4