Buby

Buby is an Argentinian scale car manufacturer first of 1:43 followed by 1:50 and 1:64 (Mini Buby) scale model cars. The company was founded by Haroldo Nicholas Mahler, or “Buby” as his dad called him as a child. In the 1960s, Buby became the first diecast company to produce model cars with suspension. Only 500 of each Buby car were produced, and every one included a numbered certifying diploma that Mahler felt catered specifically to the diecast car collector.

Mahler began producing cars in 1955 at age 24, which were produced by third parties until it was able to take over manufacturing altogether. The first car Mahler made was a 1967 Buick, which he chose “because I found it interesting.” After over a decade producing cars for local buyers, Buby began to take shape by 1968, when Mahler began assembling and painting cars for the French manufacturer Solido, the sole difference being a sticker on the box. Mahler opted to import disassembled Solido cars because it allowed him to offer the cars at a lower price.

Subject ID: 2277

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Buby is an Argentinian scale car manufacturer first of 1:43 followed by 1:50 and 1:64 (Mini Buby) scale model cars. The company was founded by Haroldo Nicholas Mahler, or “Buby” as his dad called him as a child. In the 1960s, Buby became the first diecast company to produce model cars with suspension. Only 500 of each Buby car were produced, and every one included a numbered certifying diploma that Mahler felt catered specifically to the diecast car collector.

Mahler began producing cars in 1955 at age 24, which were produced by third parties until it was able to take over manufacturing altogether. The first car Mahler made was a 1967 Buick, which he chose “because I found it interesting.” After over a decade producing cars for local buyers, Buby began to take shape by 1968, when Mahler began assembling and painting cars for the French manufacturer Solido, the sole difference being a sticker on the box. Mahler opted to import disassembled Solido cars because it allowed him to offer the cars at a lower price.

Beginning in the 1980s, Buby produced the Collector’s Classic series and the Buby’s Classics series until 1992. These series were made up of limited edition 1:43 scale models of 1950s and 1960s American cars. Buby followed those series with the Buby Bus Urbano of Buenos Aires series of 1:50 scale cars. These were built into the late 1990s until Buby folded after 40 years in business. At its peak, Buby’s Don Torcuato factory employed 200 workers who churned out 200,000 scale model cars per month.

Prices for good condition Buby cars on the market today range between $35 and $100.

Subject ID: 2277

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