Claimed by its manufacturers to be the most complete, luxurious and fastest production car made at the time, the Thomas 'K' 6-70 was often referred to as "the world's most perfect car". This particular model has been superbly restored by Harrah's Automobile Collection, Reno, Nevada in the U.S.A., where it is now on display.

The Thomas Motor Car Company was founded in 1896 in Buffalo, America. The company produced motorcycles and from 1903 also automobiles. This model from 1909 is called the K Flyabout and had a 6 cylinder engine that delivered 72 HP. The company has built cars until 1918, in total about 8000 units.

In 1967 the (Y12-2) 1909 Thomas Flyabout joined the range.

Variations/Rarities: The model was originally painted glossy blue all over. It had brass plated 12 spoke wheels, radiator, windscreen frame and spare wheel carrier with a black plastic steering wheel and a dark red plastic grille insert.
The very first issues had the locating pins for the smooth tan hood cast in to the body sides. The model was quickly altered and the cast in pins were removed and molded as part of the dark red plastic seats. The version with cast in pins can sometimes be found with very rare yellow seats and is a highly sought after variation. It is believed that less than 50 yellow seated Thomas Flyabouts exist. An excellent reference photograph can be found in the 1984 Matchbox Models of Yesteryear Calendar. Beware of fakes as seats are easily swapped from the Y9 Simplex in yellow but they have a square seat pattern, not diagonal like the Y12.
On first issues it had the text in 2 lines on the base centre and two holes. This was changed with the blanking of the holes and a small raised area with the description on, but a mistake was made and this insert was put in upside down so the text was the wrong way to the rest of the base. It was soon rectified however and placed in the right way up. The upside down text models are a lot scarcer than collectors imagine.
The model was recoloured to a glossy purple-red body & chassis which can be found with a black textured hood, dark red off-white or cream seats and 12 or 24 spoke chrome wheels.
The model was recoloured again to a glossy ruby-red body and chassis. This version had a black textured hood and grille insert, off-white or cream seats and either 12 or 24 spoke chrome plated wheels.

It can be found with three different baseplates:
Type A had the text in 2 lines on the base centre and two giftware holes.
Type B had the "1909 Thomas Flyabout" text upside down and is hard to find.
Type C baseplate with the upside down text corrected.

There are two slightly different front panel castings in existence. They differ mainly in whether they have beadings on the front bottom below both sidelights or not. This was done at random throughout its entire production run, so it is not used to define variants in their own right.

It can be found in silver and light gold and was a favourite for the bookends range of giftware. It has always had the columns cast in.

Scale: 1:48

Glossy blue body & chassis

Glossy purple red body & chassis

Tan smooth and textured hood

Wheel sizes

There are two slightly different front panel castings in existence

Two giftware mounting holes, one on flywheel housing. '1909 THOMAS FLYABOUT' in two lines directly on base

Giftware mounting holes filled in, flat disc on flywheel housing. '1909 THOMAS FLYABOUT' in three lines relocated on to a raised platform but the text was upside down when compared to the other text on the base. This version is hard to find

Same as Type B but '1909 THOMAS FLYABOUT' same way up as rest of text

Type A body - Roof Support Pins cast into the body (Original issues)

Type B body - Pins were molded as part of the seat (Later issues)