Who are or were CH Plastic Cars? I don’t know other than it is a logo on the baseplate of some small plastic toy cars that are obvious copies of Matchbox models. The series is nicely made for a cheap copy and there are colour variations that make them interesting. If you have come across this page trying to research a small plastic model cars that are Made in Hong Kong but are not branded then maybe you can find something useful here.
For the moment I have two references as well as my own collection.
http://www.garyscars.co.uk/mb/copies/ch.htm and page 102 from Andrew Ralstons out of print book via a Google search. If you have any more information on these toy cars that were made in Hong Kong in the 1960’s then please get in touch.
Having had my interest raised when I found the first two in a batch of cereal toys that I bought, I have done some searching and grown my collection to cover all bar one of the models and allowing for not having all the colours.
There is a CH Toys business noted in Hong Kong, however I am not convinced that it was the same CH from the 1960’s. I note that most of the models are unbranded on the base plate and that on one of my Rolls Royce models the hexagonal logo outline appears to have have whatever letters were inside it roughly scratched out in the mould. Blue Box are another common brand of the era but I dont think there is a relationship there as I would expect both CH and Blue Box to have existed at the same time.
As with most of my collection, reproduction boxes for the CH models are available from RecoverToy. With the boxes I have noted what I will refer to as early and later issues. The early issue are a standard card with offset printing while the later boxes appear as using a coated paper, either before or during the printing process. The colours on the early boxes have in some cases faded while the coated boxes are very sharp and vivid. My best guess is that this is from a change in the ownership of the moulds or the business called CH.
These CH toys are not branded as such but were the ones that kicked off my search for the rest of the series and the colour variations.
Leyland Tiger Coach model 101 in the CH plastic toys series.
A bus or coach depending on your preference of naming. Modelled similar to the Matchbox number 40.
This model is in the bright red plastic that appears to be the most common colour for all the series.
The base of this model does not include a brand but just " Made in Hong Kong No. 101" and a finger print in silver paint as a testament to the hand-finishing of the era.
A red CH Volkswagen Kombi van similar to the Matchbox 34 model. This one is in red and includes a later issue box.
This CH 102 VW Kombi model has some discolouration in the red plastic and I think it is from a colour change over in the die as the model is in its original box and is otherwise in mint condition.
This base plate differs from others in that rather than the common black it is in blue. Is this a batch error or just availability of plastic stock at the time. "Made in Hong Kong No. 102" imprint.
My blue CH VW Kombi is missing a set of wheels. I will try to repair it one day but it is typical of the reason that so few of these 1960's models have survived.
The more typical black base plate without a logo, just the model number 102 and Made in Hong Kong.
CH 103 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow in blue.
CH 103 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow base plate with a logo that appears to have been scratched out in the mould? Number 103 clearly on the base. This one has had a repair to the broken base and there is some excess glue exaggerated in the photo.
A mint example of the CH 103 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow model in its box. Maroon or burgundy in colour.
A black base plate on the CH 103 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.
A vivid orange CH 104 Jaguar Town Car model. Based on the Jaguar Mark 10 which was Matchbox model 28.
A vivid orange CH 104 Jaguar Town Car model. The box is for show as this one was bought unboxed. A reproduction box is available from RecoverToy.
No logo on the black baseplate. Just the words Made in Hong Kong and model number 104 also imprinted.
A very pale orange CH 104 Jaguar Town Car model. Based on the Jaguar Mark 10 which was Matchbox model 28.
A very pale orange CH 104 Jaguar Town Car model. The box for this one is a later issue waxy finish in great condition.