With the L6600 Schuco has entered into the "High Detail" market. Sold in several variations, The Esso Tanker shown above (from my collection), from the 1:43 scale line has been created for the collector having as much detail as I have seen on any mass produced model. It comes with (screwed into) its own display case (with dust cover). Seeing that this Schuco has been constructed with detail in mind I decided to discribe it as best as I could.       The first thing I'd like to mention about the L6600 is that although its only 1:43 scale it weighs as much as the real thing, 7 Tons. Although some of the detail is plastic or painted on most of the construction is metal. The steps, bumpers, fenders, hood inserts, front grill, the Mercedes emblem and just about all the undercarrage are made of metal. The Model is 4 3/8 inches long, 2 inches wide and 2 1/4 inches high.

The plastic parts include the feelers, the railings along the tank (painted), the exaust pipe (on bottom), the windshield wippers, most of the detailed interiour, and of course the windows/windshield. The Axels have some plastic parts, I'm not sure about the wheels, I think there plastic. I'm not sure about the headlights either but thay have plastic lenes.       The stripe along the hood, the bolts, rear lights, and tip of the feelers are painted. The Esso sign on the door and the sign along the tank - "Esso MOTOR OIL", as well as the sign on the back and the license plates are very nicley painted on.     The grill and hood insert are metal and if you look well enough you can see the vehicles nicley lithographed power plant resting inside. The grill is like screen. The hood locks are seperate chrome plated pieces as are the door handles while the nuts and the stripe are painted on. The turn signals on the fenders are also chrome plated seperate pieces with yellow plastic lenses. Click on the second pic for A better look.       This is A close-up of the front left bumper with step plate and the bottom latch of the hood (bonnet). The Bumper is painted black with silver colored metal grateing inserts. Again, note the chrome plated latch is A seperate piece. Click on the photo for A better look.       The Mercedes Emblem is metal.  .

As I noted the bottom is mostly metal. The only plastic part I can find is the exaust pipe (glued on) and maybe some parts on the axels. You can see the chrome plated plastic wheels, the outside of the wheel is A seperate piece and I think its also plastic. The steps under the doors has a bottom rung made of wire. The spare tire is permently attached, glued on I beleave. Note the three screws which holds the model to its disply base. Click on the photo to see A view of the bottom front showing Schuco brand and model.       The inside of this truck is done as well as the rest. Steering wheel, chrome plated door handles, chrome plated window handles, glove box, door padding and leatherette seats (plastic but thay look real). Looks great but just too much plastic for my taste. Click on the photo for an enlarged view.

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The rear of the vehicle is nice. I can not tell if the rear lights are chrome inserts or painted on. I can see the lenses are painted, red stoplights, orange turn signals and white backup lights. The Esso sign, the sign along the tank - "Esso MOTOR OIL", as well as the the license plates are very nicley painted on.       This baby rides on Continentals, What ? No Schuco tires ? This is A Rear wheel, I beleave its plastic.

The Railings along the tank are painted plastic. A full complament of filler caps run along the top of the tank. Click on the image for A better look.

No company address on the box, but it is marked Made in China, Collector model not suitable for children under the 14 years (yes, thats what it says, "under the 14 years").

The German army medical version has no chrome plated parts (of course, we would not want one of those enemy barclay Bazooka man figures spotting the gleaming chrome), A plastic (sic, why not cloth) bed cover, and for some reason the tires are sunk into the base (maybe its simulated mud).       You can purchase one of these Schucos, in any of five variations, postage paid, from Classic Jack (A great Schuco resource) on the web for $69.99, As of August, 2001.     The Real Deal ..,       13,753 L6600s were produced at the Daimler Benz Gaggenau plant in the 1950s. Thay were one of the heavier europian trucks and could be found all over the europian roadways.

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