Cardinal Wolseley

That's a handsome Tatra model.  In stark contrast, work has begun on my Transporter Jamsporter.
 

 
I've got to file the original truck or the donor truck, to bring the rear axles closer together since they look just a bit too far apart at the moment.  If I can file the donor section to match the front truck it will make the filling work needed a bit easier.  It's just the right size for slightly earlier cars, and just a bit too narrow for contemporary ones.  Shows great promise.  The bits of the donor truck left over are likely going to be used again on another custom, the interior looks particularly well suited to a number of castings.

Daimler DS420
 

 
Ford Anglia, which works quite well.
 

 

Crew cab.

Having mentioned previously that I'd relieved my favourite bricks and mortar model shop of its interesting stuff, I nevertheless made a return journey when I had the chance, just to check that this was so.
 
 
 
Thankfully, there had been a couple of additions to their 50p tub, which I couldn't resist:
 
 
 

 
In what turned out to be something of a coincidence, I nabbed two c.50 year old Matchboxes that Vulgalor has only recently mentioned on here, too. First, the DAF above was sans box and pipes of course (along with some of its paint but it's still very presentable) but the retaining pins for the load are intact and somebody has very carefully painted the load deck blue - so carefully in fact, there's no paint daubs where there shouldn't be, so someone back in the day had patience and a steady hand. I've half an idea to find some suitable pipe work for the rear (probably use straws sprayed with primer) but it's only half an idea mind, as I don't wish to commit to such an in-depth project and disappoint you all if I don't see it through to fruition.
 
 

 
This cheery Beetle couldn't be left in the box with lesser generic junk, so it came home with me too. Presumably had the same owner as the Victor estate I'd  bought previously, as it too has a marker pen racing number. No engine cover of course, unlike the intact boot lid on my lucky Victor find.
 
 
The two above were actually thrown in for nowt, as I also bought this:
 

 
Once again, I've fallen for a modern casting and worse still, a part work series one to boot! To further sully my good name, I actually laid down a decent amount of coin on this one but again, it was from a per diem cash slush fund I had from working away, so it's sort of Monopoly money in my eyes (#hiroller).
 
 
 

 
Serendipitously, the previous day I'd been thinking how much I'd love a Tatra 613 if money were no object and had even thought about what spec I'd like (decision: launch spec in gaudy colour, or early 90's front with placca trims and no body kit - I find it helps to have a contingency, even if the whole scenario is imaginary). Plus, I'd spent a little too long in their shop, mulling over other stuff and not buying it, so I didn't want to become one of those time wasting grown men who use the place as a calling post and spend next to nowt in the process; they seem to have enough of those already.
 
 

 
I like the detail of the cabin too, even if they could've been a little more careful going about the details. Anyway, if I ignore the cost, I'll grudgingly admit that I do rather like this and it certainly looks good parked next to my Solido Peugeot 604 on the shelf above the telly.

1965 Datsun U320 aimed at the Australian market, front view:
 

 
http://forum.retro-rides.org/thread/58079/1965-datsun-u320-seat-sussex

SUPER MYSTERY POSTAL ARRIVAL from TheDoctor.  I feel like a minor Youtube celebrity, without the hassle of actually creating content on a regular basis.  It's quite a rush, let me tell you.  I do enjoy a good mystery parcel because even when it contains stuff I wouldn't normally buy or look for, it gets my imagination going on the possibilities and prevents me from being too narrow on my focus.  Other people call this 'facilitating his hoarding', but we all know they're just jealous.
 
The main thing I knew was coming from TheDoctor eventually was a broken Toe Joe that I can combine with my broken Toe Joe to make a Transporter Jransporter later.  I even had a spare axle in my bits box that had exactly the right width and the correct wheels to match the rest.  Looking forward to building this one.

 

 
The other Matchbox offerings in the box were ones I don't have and had been keeping an eye out for in job lots.  The other one of these horse boxes I've got is in pretty bad shape so it's nice to have a complete one.  I might turn my other one into a flatbed truck or something now.  Interesting factoid is that the plastic box on the back of these is the same as the earlier version that uses the AEC cab, it's just cast in a different colour.

 

 
I like this Land Rover 90 just as it is so it'll probably stay like this unless I acquire a better example.

 
The other thing I've definitely ended up doing now is collecting Corgi stuff.  It's even cheaper than the Matchbox stuff and some of it as actually reasonably cast. This Aston Martin is a bit unusual to me in that it has a metal base rather than the plastic I'm used to seeing and is a fair old weight as a result.  Not a car I would have picked and that blue has to go for something more suitable that isn't gold or silver.

 
Clear glass and no interior is unusual and the general look of the thing seems more accurate than the usual Corgi offerings.  I quite like this Transit tow truck and intend to do a repaint on it in something other than the BP livery.  Texaco might be more suitable.

 
Finally, a Land Rover with stupid wheels from the factory.  It's like Corgi could see into the future when they made this.  Probably repaint this one in blue, just like Drum's 1:1 version.

I enjoy the effort you put into your updates, Jon, especially the backdrops.

Anyway, talking of mini-tat, I've quite a backlog of stuff to document, so here goes!
 
 
My favourite Trademe seller had seemingly come across a rich seam of 1980's 1/43 Solidos, so naturally, I bid the opening prices and thankfully, was the only bidder! What's more, he combines items for postage and only charges the postage costs on the first item bought, which means that the following stuff cost me a smidge under £2 each delivered and only two of them came unboxed.
 
 
 

 
Though I'm quite enamoured with this Escort, it's one of the unboxed ones and by far the worst condition, as it's obviously been played with in the mud and seemingly must've sat on an electric hob which was turned on, as the other side has suffered from a bit of melting! Still a very nice thing though but I do hate those cheapy star patterned wheels.
 
 

 
Seeing this listed got me a bit hot under the collar, I'll admit - even with guff wheels and Martini stripes. Here's hoping an elite set of professional racing cyclists can keep up with this road monster.
 
 

 
Frankly, this abomination is, well, an abomination. Far too toyish for me with those cheap wheels hilariously inset but possibly ripe for a bit of playing about with? I see this as a Solido's Corgi Cameo and put an equal amount of effort in depicting this M1 on the M1.
 
 
 

 
However, I'll let the star wheels go on this one, as the rest of it is so ace! A Poire in lurid green! I'll admit that documentation here is also pretty poor and not commensurate of the excellence of this little gem, so I'll no doubt make a better effort some time down the line. Indeed, all the low res murkiness was able to convince me to give my SLR another try, so look out for a slight upgrade in quality in future posts.
 
 

 
Fire up the (inaccurately RHD (for 1981) and V registered) Quattro! Shiters as pedantic as myself may have also noticed my scything quip (or should I say, Quip???!!!) at the expense of BBC Drama's historical car accuracy department, by ironically titling said small item with a capital letter, when of course well all know that it should NEVER occur, as Audi always spell quattro with a lower case. Excuse me whilst I toddle off to Pistonheads to right a few grammatical wrongs.
 
 

 
Check out the much nicer gold multispokes on this 505 NEW MAN. Nicer wheels = nicer camera, it seems. I was also quite anxious to get this one too but actually, although the axle widths are probably quite accurate, it does add a light air of hilarity, as do the graphics. So in light of that, here it is unconvincingly racing along a mountain pass.
 
 

 
And here it is doing some of that ice racing. OUTTAMYWAY SAAB!
 
 

 
Back to more prosaic settings now, in light of the depressingly subdued tone of this pig nose Visa. My Solido 205 is the identical liver colour to this, too. 
 
 
Finally in hoard, I ended up with two boxed BMW 530s:
 

 
 
Which inexplicably means that I now have 3 of them!
 

 
And a fourth back in the UK, which I painted very badly as a kid! The two new ones both show quite a bit of scuffing to the decals, so the worst affected one will get a respray some time down the line, most likely in the distant future.
 
More updates to follow at some point...

Say wot?
 

 

 

 

A fiver does seem extremely cheap, I was pleased to get the Atlas Dodge Royal a couple of months ago for a tenner when another chap at a separate stall was asking thirteen quid for the same selection. I'd certainly have difficulty resisting a Renault 16 if one came my way. Speaking of which I really hadn't intended buying anything today but there was this inviting looking junk shop and you all know the rest..
Never even knew Dinky did a Rapier until a few months ago, although now of course I need the Gazelle and Minx to go with it.

The modern Norev 16 isn't bad...
 
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Norev-1-43-Renault-16-silver-with-box/113711052864
 

A while ago I mentioned about a project in memory of a dear friend, and fellow shiter John 'OldFord' MacGregor, well I have been sent photos of the complete model, and I am chuffed. Once I have the model, it is going to be auctioned off in aid of St Elizabeth's Hospice in Ipswich, who cared for John as he slipped away. I know this would ut a smile on his face.
 
 
 

 

 

 
I shall be posting on here when the auction will be, I have blessings from John's sister who now owns the real Cardinal red Cortina, and even his old Sierra has come 'home', to Ipswich after an ECR member bought it.

Bit of an update...
 
Original engine is now stripped down into it's components...
 
The block and the gearbox have now been removed from the van...
 
Original engine...
 



 
All bit's stripped off and cleaned. Block soaked in paraffin to remove congealed oil and gunge. I then jetwashed it and it is now sat in a dustbin of DEOX-C rust remover...
 




 
I've checked the cylinders with my dial bore gauge and the crankshaft and pistons with the calipers. Everything appears to be standard and also still within the specified tolerances. The plan is to hone the bores, fit new piston rings, crankshaft main bearings and con rod bearings...
 
Removing the box and block...
 




 
I put the 'failed' engine on the stand and started to strip that down as well...
 





 
The dizzy was a right PITA to remove, stuck solid, I had to drift it out with a section of 15mm copper pipe...
 
Somebody couldn't fit the water pump gasket properly...
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I believe the phrase is GET IN!

 
Bloody marvellous. Cooling system is a bit rigged up and currently excludes the heater, while the fuel tank is a bottle of Sprite at the moment. But, it ran very merrily for a goodly while and is quite hilariously brisk in first gear. I really do need to refit the mirrors though! Reversing is terrifying.

FOUND!

 
Buried under a pile of crap funnily enough.

More Fox news.

 
Yes, the carb heat shield was the wrong way up. It now isn't. Sounds sweet though!
 
Today, I thought I'd quickly fit the alternator. HA! One of those utter F8ckers of a job, where access is from above and below, but still crap. Then I spied that the adjuster bracket was the wrong way around. It's held in with a water pump nut. The nut didn't come undone but wound the stud out. There's not enough room behind the pulley for the stud to come all the way out. FFS! Stopped for lunch.
 
I've threadlocked the stud, so I'm hoping that'll hold and the nut won't when I have another go. What a sodding palaver.

Action!

 
Still a lot to do, but now it feels possible.

Honest enough, a bit rough around the edges. Fresh looking underseal and hammerite underneath... 

 

 

 

 
Can't view the engine mind.

Just arrived.
 

Along the line is a fairly far-gone ADO16.

Probably a Morris 1100 Mk1, going by the scalloped boot pull? 

Oddly, I believe the Mk1 Austin version had a wiggly grille but straight-line boot pull, while the Mk1 Morris version got a straight-bar grille but a wiggly boot pull.


It appears to be true what they all say; these things just like to rot for fun.

I didn't get an individual mug shot of this Austin A40 Somerset, so this is the best I can do...

Alongside is an earlyish Audax-series Minx, most likely.

Pics become really quite jumbled at this point, I'm afraid - so they'll mostly be hopeless crops of bigger pics.

 

Yes, because I managed to get it kicking in when I was testing it. It is an odd spec - base but with a rear spoiler and ABS...
 
Anyway, I'm now up in Vinland, having covered 760 miles since Sunday.

 
Some findings. It goes well enough, but you do have to extend that throttle pedal and lot to get it to shift. The seat is rather too firm after that many miles, but overall, comfort is not bad. The new tyres have cured the wheel wobble at a Sat Nav 70, which is a massive relief. There are quite a few annoying trim rattles, including the seatbelt, just by my ear. The lack of stereo is frustrating. Second fill revealed 34mpg. I'll take that.
 
Tomorrow, I drive across to Cumbria. Another 130 miles. That'll take the total nearer 900 miles for the week. It hadn't covered that many miles in the previous four years!