WIKING was founded by Friedrich Karl Peltzer in 1932. WIKING's beginnings were in producing ship models in 1:1,250 scale. Before and during World War II these models, made of lead based zamac, were used by the German military for training purposes. They were usually marked "WIKING MODELL" on their bases. Beginning in 1938, the planes and some of the ships were made of plastic. After World War II before starting production of model cars, WIKING experimented with a variety of miniatures such as Noah's ark, some clay models, and plastic combs and buttons. There was also a small series of the Berlin Airlift (1948/49) consisting of five planes and two car models in 1:400 scale. Volkswagen's Wolfsburg plant commissioned vehicles in a 1:40 scale around 1948. In the same time, WIKING started to produce simple car models that usually consisted of a single part - with no windows or chassis. These were made of plastic. Vehicle axles were made of wire with flat pinched ends, that when squeezed into the still warm vehicle body plastic, could not rotate. Thus the axles rolled with the wheels. Later models included a chassis. Peltzer died in 1981 at the age of 78. In 1984, WIKING was sold to the Sieper Lüdenscheid, known as SIKU model cars. WIKING had cooperation with the Danish PILOT Company in the late forties and the early fifties and they interchanged many injection molds.
A very detailed model of the Volkswagen Convertible with the top down. All plastic construction with metal axles. Body can be removed to show a very detailed chassis with spare tire and engine. Production changes in the real or prototype Beetle Convertible were reflected in these models throughout the years of production. They were sold in toy stores and also and given away by VW dealers as promotional items.
WIKING 1:40 Scale VW Cabriolet
V2: Predominate features (changes from V1):
- front part of windshield frame only with clear plastic insert simulating windshield and side vents.
- horizontal louvers on engine lid.
- no silver detail on body, only red painted tail lights.
- headlights are now a silver and clear plastic insert attached to the body.
- brown steering wheel with no horn ring.
- dashboard now has detail (1958-up style)
Minor change:
- silver wheels with rounded hubcap to silver wheels with flat hubcap.
All versions had removable a body with detailed interior, detailed chassis, spare tire and complete engine.
Note: Since the bodies and frames on these versions are basically interchangeable, examples can be found that may or may not be original. In the 1990's WIKING reissued two examples of V3. The body colors were black and medium blue. These colors were never used in the original run of the V3 models. So, they are easy to identify. However, these re-issues had an off-white steering wheel similar those found on the V2 models. The difference being no half horn ring on the re-issued wheels. Caution: these re-issued steering wheels sometimes turn up as replacements on original issue V1, V2 and V3 models.
