Datsuncog

That was definitely a thing in the mid-80s - parallel imports. While going through some old paperwork recently I found a load of stuff my dad had requested back in 1986/87 from a broker in Belgium, quoting for UK spec vehicles. Even with the price difference between Europe and the UK, we still couldn't afford it!

Excellent going, big congrats to you both! Always useful to have another junior mechanic around the place, small enough to retrieve dropped bolts from otherwise inaccessible areas...

Those funny little StreetKas by Shuang Da were back in TK Maxx again tonight, along with a sort-of Shelby Cobra and some form of generic sedan (?) in police clothes. Still, they're cheap-ish, for the store. Seems to be an insinuation that these involve some sort of motorised action... but I don't think that's the case. 'Glide forward' is just another way of saying 'has wheels', surely? Not very much Majorette to be seen today... Beige Mégane gets the AS seal of approval, though. Took a spin through Home Bargains too, but their Hot Wheels selection was still firmly stuck in 2023. No Matchbox. Ah well. Gotta check these things...

You sure can! The contents of the boot are only barely visible with the help of a strong light, so it'll be the luck of the draw which one goes into your box.

Bburago put similar but slightly simplified decals on their 1/24 scale Mk1 Golf: I had one of these when I was a kid and, amazingly, didn't trash it.

I did not know that! And, on checking, it seems that I've come away with one of each, by pure happenstance. Nice. Don't mind which one I keep, so if anyone has a particular preference for a tidy-boot or a messy-boot version, hit me up... [EDIT - claimed!]

Ouch. You need to get yourself some...

Still none from that selection in my local Tesco branches... though the big Poundland store in Abbeycentre had plenty of those gold Mazdas today: Yet to see any mainline Minors anywhere, either in silver or green - though I have a Moving Parts cabrio version in silver, so I'm not too bothered. Came away with a pair of green Golfs though - keeping one for myself, but if anyone wants the spare one added to their Tat Box for £2, let me know! Nabbed this purple Charger too, just cos I find them hard to resist at £1.50... And I also picked up these two yesterday. The Volvo's a bit more lairy than I'd usually go for, but I kinda fancy comparing it to the Matchbox casting from a few years back. The Mustang looks curiously flattened, but it's encouragingly brown and might go alright on a track with its low centre of gravity (yes, that's where my thoughts are going these days).

You've tracked down the long-lost Lonsdale YD45?

This scruffy Audi A4 wagon appeared at the side of the road last summer. It's parked slightly awkwardly, partially blocking a driveway, not very far away from me. Despite looking absolutely hanging, with trim pieces flapping loose and rust bubbling through in places, a DVLA check showed it was recently taxed and MOT'd. Nearly a year on, I don't believe it's turned a (mismatched) wheel since, with deflated tyres and all manner of leaves and road debris under it. The MOT expired a few weeks ago, and the tax falls due at the start of March. I'm starting to suspect it might not be here for very much longer...

As a former Alfa owner, I feel it takes a certain degree of bravery to commute every day in one that's pushing 25 years old... I've seen this 166 dicing with the morning traffic for a number of years now but never managed a clear pic. Also notable as the one-time title holder of 'Britain's Worst-Depreciating Car', just as an extra claim to fame.

There's a sort of collectables/ antiques shop not far from me which has a Bburago Mk2 Escort for sale - tidy, but pricey enough at £35. I found a worn but not-too-bad one at the market for @Split_Pin a few years back, for a rather more palatable £4. Will keep an eye out for you - though prices seem to have gone up in recent years.

Funnily enough, I did encounter the Harley version of the HiLux at the market a very long time ago - but it was a bit scruffy, and I thought the chrome-effect windows looked a bit naff, so I left it. Yet to see the police version of the Suzuki in real life!

I think I was quite fortunate to find a Toyota HiLux and Suzuki Samurai from that era - not common finds, no.

That looks vindictively miserable. Well done! (On both the purchase, and nursing it back home with GREAT SUCCESS) 12V sockets are for poseurs anyway. 👍👍👍👍

I'd imagine a more factually accurate advert might run: "About thirty years ago I got this fucked TR6 from Raymie down the road because I'd heard tell that classic cars were gonna be worth big money. He had imported it from the US-of-A via a small-ad in Classic American magazine, promised as a rust-free California car but it actually came from a pond in Nebraska and it was totally hanging. The paperwork was all wrong, so he couldn't get it registered, even then. I brought my da's Charolais bull down to him to cover ten of his heifers by way of exchange, and then dragged the TR6 back up the lane behind the Massey. I'd no idea what I was going to do with it, but I fancied myself going for a bit of a rake down to to Young Farmers Club, y'know, impress the lassies a bit. But I then let it sit rotting in the corner of the yard for ten years, filling up with water, before it broke in half. One day I was feeling unusually inspired, so I hacked off everything left behind the bulkhead with a Stihl, pulled the front end round behind the pigsty, and converted the propshaft to run an old Ferguson take-off so it could mix slurry, as a static engine, like. But it wasn't very good at this, especially after I tried running it on red diesel, so I haven't used it since 2006. I found the remains the other day when I was out baiting rat traps, and wondered if there were any feckin eejits out there who would give me money for a 'project' which only needs a chassis, a body, an interior, trim and an engine to make perfect."

Clearly, the smoking of crack recreationally is reaching endemic levels in rural areas of Dungannon. "The project will therefore need a body and chassis from some other source." Uh-huh. "The engine (2500cc, American carb version) was in good order and I believe it is very restorable." That'll be completely seized, then? "A nice project of a very desirable and collectable car for someone." This is very much not a nice project for anyone.

All in all - not a bad evening. Gave some of the new arrivals a bit of a scrub, while watching Diecast Rally Championship videos. I'm quite simple in my needs, really... Worth a watch, I'd say.

Hey, glad they all showed up safely - that's not bad going, since I only posted it on Wednesday afternoon. Will certainly hit you up if I decide to pass on the Land Rover breakdown wagon. And - all the best for your birthday too, dude!

Is that the finish line for today? Y'know, I think it is. I'm adding in the Matchbox Magirus Deutz fire tender as I still reckon it's been a pretty special find this week - and also because researching the history of the casting kept me up waaay too late, and sort of spilled over into Tat Friday by default. So there we are - a banger of a day, and all thanks to @bunglebus for making time to call up for some tat market action! Hopefully that'll not be the last time a thread regular makes it over to these damp shores... I can't guarantee dryness, but I can guarantee you'll be most welcome. Until next time... Happy Friday, kids.

But! That's not all... because today you see, there was a Bunglebox in the mix also... And within was... Some Matchbox I couldn't resist when they came up on the @bunglebus sales thread. A few service vehicles which appear better than the ones I have already... And some construction site vehicles likewise. Some of these may go down to my folks' place for my brother's kids to play with, but I'm already thinking they're maybe a bit too nice for that. Plus some others: The controversial generic tractor unit which may have been modified from a Leyland prototype (and which I erroneously thought for years was a Mercedes); a Rover SD1 peelermobile with more paint than my current version, and a delightful Land Rover 90 which is exactly the same as one I had as a kid, only it's not had the roof turned yellow with prolonged UV light exposure. And! Bonus unexpected Corgi Cubs: The ambulance isn't one I've had before, and the Fire Chief car's a bit cleaner than the one I already have. Hmm... maybe the kids should get these instead, and I'll hang on to the Matchbox a wee bit longer... There were also these: Recent Mattel releases which I've found unaccountably difficult to track down locally. I believe the Proton and bay window VW pickup were sourced from Germany, so this truly is an international operation happening on the Smol Tat Thread. Which brings us to an additional Proton that was in the box - one that'll be added to the current @andy18stat box, for eventual shipping onwards to Bulgaria. So there we go... I tell you, it's a whirlwind...

And wrapping up today's Tat Stall acquisitions was this filthy but still appealing Corgi Commer milk float. It's one I was missing - I have a white chassis from a Constructor Gift Set, but no milk float back on it. Although this is the mainline release without the removable back. Hopefully it should scrub up alright - a spot of soapy water later should make it a little more presentable, and then it can join the others on the fleet.

Also putting in an encore from its January debut was this 1-75 range Ford Model A van. I know, I know - they're everywhere, they're boring. The omnipresent Kelloggs Cornflakes promo. I know. But it's totally pristine. No yellowing to the roof, no dulling of the chrome. It's perfect. I'll be honest: I just love this era of box. It's these illustrations I lusted over when I was like three or so. So I wasn't going to pass up a lovely clean boxed example at a fiver. I'm pleased with this, although I realise probably shouldn't be.

Also finding favour the second time around were these pair of Lesneys: Once again, present in January but kinda too pricey at £5 each. £3 is rather more palatable to me, for the Superfast Monteverdi Hai and for the regular wheels Opel Diplomat. The Monteverdi is just so 70s; it looks awesome. I can't remember if I have a Diplomat already - but this one's pretty clean, so if it turns out to be surplus, it's available for the £3 paid.

Then there was this Corgi Land Rover breakdown wagon: Missing its towing hook, although it's been ingeniously reconfigured so it can now act as a mobile gallows, so, y'know... swings and roundabouts. The tinplate canopy had come loose and was in the bottom of the box - it's a little bit bent, but I sort of like it because of that. It just feels like an honest little model that's been used, but not abused, during a long working life. I had one of these as a kid and managed to lose it during an ill-fated trip to the beach at Kilclief, when a deep tunnel in the sand collapsed while it was 'driving' through, and no matter how much I dug I just couldn't find it again. Nice to have one again - and, at £5, half the price it was back in January. A keeper, for now.