Code 3 Diamond Plate Philly Squirt 43

[Winchar]

Someone in China found a bunch of the old Code 3 Diamond Plate Philly Squirt 43s. As I recall Code 3 issued it but then recalled them because of problems. If anyone knows the story please post. Many years ago I bought one from China to fill out my Diamond Plate collection. Back then I think I paid a quarter of what this guy is asking. This shows there is always a chance we can find that one missing truck for our collection as long as we have deep pockets.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/CODE3-1-32-FIR ... id%3Dbe87e

[scubaski]

I may be wrong but as I can remember these coming out of China are not technically Code 3's. They were made from the Code 3 molds without permission of Code 3. The Chinese were notorious for making unauthorized Code 3's. I do remember that the run was canceled because of problems. I have a Philly 57 that did come straight from Code 3.

[Hazmat]

For me also this Squirt doesn't look like an original Code 3 model. It really looks like somebody just reused the old Code 3 molds. Compared to the 57 version there is a huge difference in quality and the appearance at all!! The Engine body doesn't sit properly on the wheelbase, the wheelhouses are chrome allover, the chrome parts at all look toyish as well as all the accessories they put on.... Overall it looks poorly executed and more like an upgraded toy. But definitely not worth the price the shop asks for, not at all!!!

If this version really was a code 3 release, i could totally understand the cancelation of that run!!

[JoeO]

Sure looks like the real Code 3 version to me. They did 2, 43 and 57. I am sure we have someone from the Philly area that could tell us if 43 really had the stripe and marking like the model or was it a mistake by the Code 3 factory. The real Squirt 43 had the same markings color str. 57 had the correct markings stripe color for Philly. Here's some photo's I do agree with everyone the price for a code 3 mistake is outrageous.

[gafireman]

At a price of $838 plus $35 shipping these folks must be smoking something!

[M1968Q]

The price is crazy but the great unknown with Squirt 43 is how many actually were sold before the plug was pulled due to quality control and assembly issues galore. I've got one - how about the rest of you?

[FireEngines]

I worked on this model with John from Code 3. It was a screw up from the very beginning.

I was going over some of my old emails that I kept and one was of particular interest:

"When I first started the project, the boom did not have "Philadelphia Fire Department" on it. I called the apparatus officer in Philly to make sure. He told me if I wanted it on it they would put "Philadelphia Fire Department" on it. I said sure, why not. Well they did and upset off most of the Philly shop employees. There quote was "we are doing this for a damn toy".

China had this thing all messed up: wrong tag number, wrong tag year, wrong equipment number, no Squrt logo, no Snoozle logo. They even put a period "." at the end of "Philadelphia Fire Department" on the boom. They did not have the red reflective stripes where the boom makes a break or screen on the siren. The list goes on.

The final draw was when I got the booklet for the model, they spelled the word "Diamond" wrong. "

Yes, the stripe color was wrong too....

Larry

[Winchar]

Are there any differences between the real 43 and 57? If not, why didn't Code 3 just do a second run of 57 with just a number change to 43?

[FireEngines]

Money! They already had a small run of 43 and bad press.

[kevin54]

I received 43 from Code 3 before they stopped sending them out. Mine was received with a broken light on the boom, and the driver's door did not close properly. I was going to send it back, but when they stopped the release, I figured I'd keep it.
I'd probably let it go $800.00....just kidding!
Kevin