The Legacy:
In 1933, August A. Busch, Jr. celebrated the end of Prohibition by presenting his father with a team of Budweiser Clydesdales and a bright red brewery wagon. He could not have known then that the Clydesdales would become such a living symbol of Aneuser-Busch, which today is the largest brewer in the world. Today, the Budweiser Clydesdales are instantle recognized throughout the world. To become a Budweiser Clydesdale, a gelding must be at least three years old, stand 72 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 1,800 and 2,000 pounds. They must be bay in colour and have four white stocking feet. When not travelling. the Budweiser Clydesdales call an orate brick and stained-glass stable on the Anheuser-Busch brewery complex in St. Louis their home. This famed stable is registered as an official landmark by the federal government.

The Delivery Vehicle:
In the '50s, American automakers tried to outdo each other in the style department, which included trucks. The undisputed leader in the style category was the Second Series Advance-Design light-duty 1955 Chevrolet pickup truck. The dazzling new look pioneered the "smoothside style" and featured egg-crate grilles, hooded headlights, fadeaway front fenders and an entirely new cab with a full-width rear window and wrap-around windshield. This new design appealed to the consumer of the '50s and the collector of the '80s and '90s.

The Model:
With the Clydesdale Stables logo marked on the rear and an ornate graphic of the Budweiser Stables on the side door, a 1955 Chevrolet Pickup is created in a sensational die-cast model. Finished in Budweiser red-and-white, the Budweiser 1955 Chevrolet Pickup Truck is produced by - and available only from - Matchbox Collectibles.

(1999)

Scale: 1:43