- 1967 was the year when WIKING presented their last model garage
- Double building kit remained in the selection for four years
- A splendid advertising gift for the manufacturer of the prototype
Fuel pump island, attendant’s booth, pre-fab house – and, of course, the garage! WIKING founder Fritz Peltzer knew what it takes to make the wide world of miniature cars complete! This was evident as early as 1948 when the first wire axle lorry was packaged and shipped in a cardboard box that flaunted a garage imprint. Additional garages cast in WIKING moulds were soon to follow until the line finally came to an end in 1967 with the launch of a do-it-yourself garage that was true to the real-life original. Now - 55 years after their inception - WIKING has revitalised the historic moulds in order to make the authentic model available to collectors with the delivery of the February/April package.
Swing door can move in the 1:87 scale as well
The do-it-yourself garage actually stayed close to the original prototype. After all, the manufacturer utilised it for many years as a welcome means of promotion. Boasting a footprint of three by six meters, the original can, of course, also be realised as a row garage. It was exactly this characteristic that motivated WIKING to always offer the 3S do-it-yourself garages as a twin pack. Assembly was as easy as can be and required next to no adhesive – a simply, yet functional plug-in kit. All it took was to fit the side parts onto the bottom plate and insert the differently coloured rear wall with its rudimentary rear door. You could introduce the swing door into the corresponding guides found on the interior side walls before you finished off by placing the roof on top. The end of the sixties witnessed the creation of an entire line of garages bearing the “3S” type designation - in real life, that is.
After 40 years, the kit is now staging a comeback
Following the presentation of the 1:87 model in 1967, garage manufacturer 3S alone ordered nearly 60,000 units of this garage model and even offered it in their own garage brochure for 3 marks a piece. And, what do you know: Every “large” garage was accompanied by a “small” garage for children. A truly appealing gift, the kit was a hit with everyone, as the manufacturer fondly remembers. In 1971, the garage disappeared from WIKING's product range. It was to take 40 years for the garage to make its comeback as a single garage!
