BOCO Plastic Produkt was producing plastic toys in Copenhagen, Denmark from 1950 to 1952 only. The production included the VW Type 1 and Type 2, a Catalina airplane and a motor bike with side car to mention a few toys. The designer of the VW models, but also other toys, was a man called Erik Spon, who in 1948 was hired by the plastic company BOCO. In 1953 he moved to Tekno.
Plastic body with cut out windows and VW emblem on front hood. Plastic chassis contained separate parts to include spare tire, gas tank, seats, steering wheel, engine/transmission. It has 2 door hinges as opposed to the Finnish Kansanauto with 1 upper hinge and the Swedish copy with no door hinges. Plastic wheels attached with hubcaps. The BOCO construction kit also came in a large box and the box cover opened up and folded into a nice display. The plastic parts were secured to the cardboard insert and held with rubber bands as well. There were instructions for assembly printed on the side panel of the box. This lesser known manufacturer copied the construction kit idea from WIKING but did not copy the quality.
The kit was issued by SMC (Skandinavisk Motor Co), who was the importer of Volkswagen cars in Denmark. They also issued the kit with the VW bus. It is unclear whether the split beetle (or the bus) ever were sold or given away without the box. Up until now, only small boxes are known for the Swedish and the Finnish Boco copies. It may be an indication that the original BOCO only came in the large boxes issued by SMC? Maybe even never were for sale through regular sales channels? Who has any information? Please mail us.
An old and worn BOCO mold was in 1952 acquired by a Finnish Company and this unknown Company produced its own BOCO version in a separate box. On that box the words Kansanauto and Folkbil were visible. It was not a 100% copy as the mold was too worn to cater for all the details visible on the original Danish BOCO. For more information, see KANSANAUTO - FOLKBIL SPLIT VW.
The BOCO Split VW was also copied by an unknown Company in Sweden. There are minor differences (less details on the body and a slightly different chassis) in the copy from Sweden compared to the original BOCO VW. The copy from Sweden came in a small box with the lettering of “BYGG SJÄLV den populära Volkswagen”. For more information, see BOCO SPLIT VW COPY (SWEDEN).
