Antique toy cars

[andrewt]

Found these in a garbage pit I believe is from the 1920s-1950s

Don't know anything on antique toy cars and haven't been able to find anything about these

 

[relic lover]

Man those are awesome. Late twenties early thirties as a guess

 

[relic lover]

If they were mine I would not clean them up a bit they are the coolest thing I've seen in a while

 

[Dakota Sioux]

Yeah display them just like they are!

 

[Ant]

The most widely known diecast toy cars are made by Tootsie Toy. Most of them are marked under the car on the inside of the body. The diecast cars are not magnetic and they don't rust but can corrode similar to zinc or potmetal. Does a magnetic stick to them?

 

[Anduril]

Just going by the amount of rust and other crud, I would have to say these are both Fords.

(My first guess would have been the Mazda 3, 5 or Tribute, but the body shape isn't quite right.)

Nice finds !!

 

[andrewt]

They do not seem to be magnetic

 

[Ant]

Then they are diecast, wash them off and see if they are marked, here's where the marks would be:

 

[bdsawyer]

They look like pressed steel cars, often attributed to the Marx toy co or Wyandotte toy company. Circa 1930s

 

[Ant]

bdswayer are pressed steel toy cars attracted to a magnet?

 

[bdsawyer]

Ant, they normally would be. Not sure if that heavy rust is affecting the magnetic attraction or if the magnet he used was weak. I have sold dozens of cars like this by Marx and Wyandotte and I'm pretty sure it's by them

 

[Ant]

Thanks, they are a bit larger compared to hotwheels and matchbox, thanks again.

 

[Anduril]

Ant, they normally would be. Not sure if that heavy rust is affecting the magnetic attraction or if the magnet he used was weak. I have sold dozens of cars like this by Marx and Wyandotte and I'm pretty sure it's by them

Rust (i.e., iron oxide, or more specifically Fe2O3) is still attracted to magnets, just not as strongly as pure iron.

This video explains it better:


Of course in this instance, it shouldn't really matter.
The cars in question are still holding their basic shapes, which means they are not pure "rust" (or some other oxide), which would be a powder.
Therefore, some substantial percentage of the base metal is still present, and if it were iron, would indeed be strongly attracted to a magnet.

 

[Kevlardini]

Like bdsawyer said, they definitely are by Marx or Wyandotte. Unless you like the rusty crusty look, I'd put it in electrolysis. This would not hurt the car, but it would get rid of all the crumbling rust.

 

[baspinall]

30's for sure

 

[andrewt]

Ok so they are magnetic ... What would be the best way to clean them up?

 

[DandyDon]

If I were to guess Id' say there from the 1930s - search under metal masters toy cars.