" The Chrysler Royal embodied the accessible elegance of Detroit's large sedans on American roads in the late 1930s: six-cylinder engine and rounded bodywork. It was precisely this transatlantic exoticism that attracted Meccano. In 1939, the British firm enriched the Dinky Toys catalog with a series of American sedans, the famous 39 series (references 39a to 39f) to bring a touch of American glamour to British display cases, at a time when toy companies were vying for ambition before the war brought everything to a halt. The idea was to offer British children the prestige and spectacular lines of the large transatlantic touring cars, which were then very much in vogue. Reference 39e reproduces a Chrysler, a small model that would become popular thanks to its faithful silhouette: elongated hood, finely engraved vertical grille, fastback roof. The war quickly interrupted this nascent production, which would not resume until after 1945. Two main periods can be distinguished. Pre-war (1939-1941): smooth raw zamac rims (smooth hubs), white tires, and light varnished chassis. Post-war (1946-1950): black painted chassis, painted molded rims (ridged hubs), and smooth black tires. Known colors include gray, green, blue, beige, and brown; a late bright blue with matching rims, released for only one year (1950), remains significantly rarer. The model we are offering for sale here corresponds to the post-war variant: solid light green body, black painted molded rims (black ridged hubs), and smooth black tires, meaning a production dating from around 1946-1950. This is the most commonly encountered version of this reference. Despite some signs of use and small chips inherent in a toy of this age; we will appreciate this model with its beautiful thick paint. A nice piece of history to acquire."