Modelauto Ltd.

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Within this business there are few that have succeeded in becoming a retailer, producer, publisher and household name. Rod Ward and Modelauto are two such names.

Rod had originally qualified as an architect, and Val as a technical librarian, and prior to getting involved in the model car business, they had owned a collector’s shop called Sun Antiques, named after its location in Sun Street, Haworth, Yorkshire. They brought their combined organisational skills to the then usually more amateur activity of toy dealing, and established Modelauto Limited, in Leeds, as a leading distributor of handbuilt models and kits.

Subject ID: 81198

Within this business there are few that have succeeded in becoming a retailer, producer, publisher and household name. Rod Ward and Modelauto are two such names.

As proprietors of the shop, Rod and Val also saw a need for an enthusiast based regular magazine devoted entirely to model cars, and so became the publishers of Model Auto Review magazine.

The Sun Motor Co range was set up in 1983 by Rod and Val, using the ‘Sun’ name from their previous business, as they had found that from time to time, some ranges or models would disappear from the market, but stiil have some sales potential. They considered ways to keep them going, whilst ensuring that there was no intention of competing with any of those ranges, whose proprietors were all friends of the Wards. This became the driving force behind Rod’s production for the next 20 years.

As a result, Modelauto was among the first firms to have promotional models made by handbuilt artisans such as Michel Dubray, Doug McHard at Somerville and John Hall at Brooklin Models.

There were four Sun sub ranges at the start. Series 1 consisted of 1:43 scale fully finished cars, Series 2 1:43 transkits and conversions for existing diecast models, although this series only lasted for a year or two. Series 3 were reproductions of old toys and Series 4 were 1:76 scale white metal kits.

Beginning with Series 1, Geoff Moorhouse had worked at both Meccano and Corgi on the design of diecast model cars, and he produced his own range of 1:43 polyester resin handbuilt model cars for a short time under the AGM name (his initials), but was personally more interested in trucks. He was developing a 1:50 white metal truck range, called Heavy Haulage. Rod asked Geoff if the two AGM cars could be slightly modified and cast in white metal for Series 1 of the new Sun range. The first of these two models was a De Soto Suburban 1948, modelled in a number of guises including a taxi, police car, fire and ambulance cars, and finally a hearse.

The second AGM was a 1954 Bristol 450 Le Mans. Geoff had always liked the Bristol, but he thought the Dinky Toys version looked rather bland, so he created a proper scale model. It was so good, in fact, that Provence Moulage later copied the Sun casting, without permission, for their 1:43 resin kit of the 450. To extend the scope of Series 3, Rod proposed making a copy of the old Chad Valley Humber Super Snipe, and asked Geoff to prepare it for casting. Geoff didn’t like the toy, and suggested making a more accurate master for Series 1. This appeared as a private car in 1984, and later also as a police car and Bristol Fire Brigade car.

When Vic Bailey, proprietor of Veteran and Vintage Models in Sussex, discontinued his range of Dinky and other copies, they were ‘adopted’ to launch Series 3 of the Sun Motor Co. There were seven white metal replicas of pre war diecast Dinky Toys, plus an MG racing car. However, once the original castings ran out, Series 3 was discontinued.

Series 4 consisted of copies of Dublo Dinky Toys and Matchbox models, previously cast under the RADDS name by toy spare parts specialist Steve Flowers. This Series, also did not last long.

All the white metal models were cast for Rod by Maurice Bozward, of White Metal Assemblies, whose excellent work, especially for large castings, was known to all in the trade. Geoff Moorhouse continued to provide masters for Rod, of a number of new models, for the white metal ranges. These included a Humber Super Snipe Tickford drophead, specifically requested by an owner who approached Rod to make a model of it. Existing diecasts also provided a base for additional models in the range, such as a fire appliance based on the Corgi Classics Thornycroft lorry, a VW Beutler estate and Beetle cabriolet, based on Tomica Dandy 1:43 models, and a Bedford ambulance based on an Ertl 1930 Chevrolet truck.

When polyurethane resin kits and handbuilt models began to flood in from continental Europe, Rod was determined to find out about the new resin technology, asdid Chris Arnott. Chris had been a barrister in the RAF, but retired young to set up manufacturing model locomotive kits as Vulcan Model Engineering.

Through this activity Rod met Peter Kenna, who had trained to make brass locomotive patterns at Keyser’s. Chris set up CMA Mouldcast to go into resin moulding, and asked Pete to make the master for a 1:43 Rover P6 3500S, so that the process could be tested. CMA later made other 1:43 resin models, a Riley RMA Bonallack coupe and RMA saloon.

As a result, Rod began to develop his own Sun polyurethane resin models, the first being a 1:43 Bugatti T251 Grand Prix car developed from an old Circuit Series kit, achieved with the permission of the range owner, Bryan Garfield Jones. ‘Garf’ gave permission for the remainder of his racing car kits to be copied, but Rod did not pursue the project.

Geoff continued to produce further model masters for Rod, but he eventually became busy with his Heavy Goods truck range, so Rod advertised for more pattern makers or skilled scratchbuilders. Most of those who responded were useless, but a few recruits contributed to the Sun Motor Co and other future ranges, as well as becoming good friends to Rod and Val.

Max Tomlinson, a Bugatti specialist, produced an excellent Bugatti T40, equipped with beautiful photo-etched wire wheels, which were supplied by Bob Wills, of Wills Finecast and Auto-Kits. A Cadillac 75 long wheelbase limousine from 1952 followed, based on the Ertl sedan, and mastered by David Farrance. In 1988, although there were lots of cars which could have been added to the Sun range, Modelauto was also selling many other model car ranges. At that time, there were fewer truck models on the market, so it was decided to develop that field, initially with heavy haulage trucks; Diamond T M20, Rotinoff Super Atlantic and Scammell.

Up to that time Rod had avoided using one source for pattern making, casting and building, as he preferred to place the work in different parts of the market according to demand. These models were an exception, being entirely made by A Smith Auto Models, as a way to get quality models to the market fairly quickly. This was a decision regretted later, and it was never repeated.

Later truck releases were produced by other pattern makers, mostly Bill Barnes, who also made his own Tober Models range, and cast by various companies, mostly CMA, but also Maurice Bozward and Pete Comben at Enco. Assembly of models was undertaken by various specialist builders. Over the next few years the Sun Motor Co truck range grew quickly, eventually including almost 200 different kits and handbuilt models.

In 1991 the Sun range was split into three different ranges. Sun Motor Co then continued to include trucks, buses and emergency vehicles. In response to demand, a new Bugattiana range was devoted to Bugatti models, incorporating the T40 and Loiseau car mastered by Max Tomlinson, and then augmented by a series of French made Bugatti masters from the DB range. These were much admired models made by Denis Baudet, who had been diagnosed with a serious illness and was retiring from model making. Eventually the Bugattiana range included over a dozen different models, some white metal, others in resin. The range was finally sold some 15 years later to Georges Pont of CCC models, so the DB models returned to France, along with much of the Rapide range.

Rapide became the third new range, focussing on classic cars in 1:43 scale. The Ford Mustang Boss and Humber Super Snipes were the only models carried over from the Sun range, and an ex. DB Austin Healey 100S joined them. More important were two more ‘orphans’, this time adopted from Pat Shrimpton’s Marque One Models (MOM) range.

After protracted licence negotiations with Bentley Motors, a revamped version of the MOM Bentley Mark VI 1949 was released, joined by the ex. MOM Jaguar Mark VII, also fully licenced at a time when many small model firms slipped their models out quietly, hoping that brand owners didn’t notice. The Jaguar had such a large single piece white metal body casting that only Maurice Bozward could produce it. These four Rapide models were well received in the early 1990s, but it was hard to get suitable pattern makers for the next subjects which Rod and Val wanted to make.

Pat Shrimpton decided that, with an ongoing court case between Chrysler and a model company, he didn’t want to risk allowing his Chrysler models to transfer to the Rapide range, licenced or not. By now Modelauto was distributing dozens of specialist handbuilt ranges on a wholesale basis, including Goldvarg Collection, Kim’s Classics, Tin Wizard, Autocraft and Micro. For the Rapide range Bill Barnes mastered the BSA Scout sports car and Scout aerodynamic coupe, once again with Bob Wills’ superb photo-etched wire wheels. At the same time the American Austin Bantam sports, originally in the old Mikansue kit range made by Mike and Sue Richardson, was also adopted.

As many of the Mikansue masters eventually ended up with Keith Edney’s RAE models, Keith cast and built the little Bantam for the Rapide range. Bill Barnes then developed other Bantam pickup and tanker variants, followed in 1996 by Gérard Dahinden’s much admired Belle Epoque and Epokit range of 1:43 masters, which were acquired by Rod and Val when Gérard retired. These too were added to the Rapide range. They were models of classic French cars, produced by CMA for Modelauto, and mostly sold in kit form, as it was becoming more difficult to get builders capable of the high standards required, charging sensible prices.

In 1998 the stable of these three model ranges, Sun, Bugattiana and Rapide, was joined by a fourth, Bijou. This range encompassed various unusual kits and handbuilts such as the Bugatti T50 ‘Baby’ made by Auto Replicas and the Austin Pathfinder. It also became the home for a whole new range of mostly resin transkits, to make 1:43 models of cars not previously available, based on mass produced diecast models, mostly mastered by Bill Barnes.

In the mid 1990s Modelauto was one of the first model companies to have a presence on the internet, and launched its website. Originally a broad based e-commerce shopping website, it gradually concentrated on model cars, model aircraft, books and Model Auto Review. With the success of the Auto Review books in the 21st century, Rod and Val Ward’s book and magazine publishing activities came under the umbrella of Zeteo Publishing.

In the late 1990s another of the handbuilt ranges being distributed by Modelauto was Scottoy, white metal reproductions of old Mercury models, made in Italy. Jonathan Scott was sceptical when Rod suggested re issuing the Mercury Lambretta and Piaggio Vespa scooters, accompanied by a large order. In spite of Jonathan’s doubts, the scooters became the biggest selling Scottoy Models. When he then re issued the Piaggio Ape open three wheeler, a van body was made for it in England and it was sold in the Bijou range.

By the early years of the 21st century it was becoming more difficult to produce ranges of handbuilt models and kits. Much of the Sun Motor Co range, and other 1:50 commercial vehicle ranges, were undermined by the same subjects appearing more cheaply as Corgi Toys diecast models, so there was little point in expanding the range. Prices for resin and metal casting in Britain had also risen to the point where production was costing more than the retail price of a kit. As components ran out, therefore, subjects would be gradually phased out from the Sun, Bugattiana, Rapide and Bijou ranges, and nothing new was added. All of the French car subjects in the Bugattiana and Rapide ranges were sold to Georges Pont in France, and various other masters were sold to other interested parties.

Remaining stocks of many models were still available from Modelauto, during 2010 at 1990s prices, and most of the masters were retained in Yorkshire, but there is little prospect of any future production.

Subject ID: 81198

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Subject ID: 81198