Description
Was this toy the inspiration for Ford’s 1949 Custom Convertible or was it the other way around? In the late 1940s or early 50s, the Distler Toy Company of Germany produced an unpretentious American-style, tin two-seater in its US Zone facility. Shown here in red with a pale yellow interior and minimal chrome trim, this no-frills open top nevertheless offered Distler’s amazing wind-up clockwork mechanism and working steering wheel. The key-wound motor was controlled by a dash-mounted gearshift that operated three forward gears as well as neutral and reverse. Although modest in style, there was still some flash to be found in the roadster’s solid rubber whitewall tires, each mounted on an eye-catching red metal rim. Image is 1169px wide.
