warch

Still considering it.

You won’t be alone in any of these things at Shitefest! 

Wet Monday lunchtime. 
Managed to leave my sandwich behind in the fridge this morning, so nipped out to grab a free* sandwich from Boots before their fridges were utterly stripped by the other office locusts.
Which took me past Cash Converters...

Oh, hullo.

That's quite a lot of (mainly Corgi) trucks from the 1990s and early 2000s in the window there, at a baffling array of differing prices.
Seems to be anything from £8 to £25 for most, with EFE stuff a bit cheaper and the Tekno artics prices mysteriously just out of vision.
Hnnng...
 
*Free, as in I have an unfeasible amount of Boots Advantage Points accumulated on an ancient battered card that dates back to my Halfords days, and can cash some in for a gratis lunchtime meal deal whenever necessary.

Solido Ford Sierra.


Corgi James bond Aston Martin. 


Two of the green Hotwheels Mk2 Escort,and a Majorette Toyota Celica. 

Three older Hotwheels,Plymouth Fury,'57 Chevy and the Morris Minor traveller.

Hotwheels Sierra Cosworth. 

Lastly this Hotwheels twin pack with BMW race cars.



And appropriately enough will end with this Matchbox finishing gate from a track set.

 

More...
Matchbox power track TR7,I've got as Saab 900 and Mk2 Escort already,bit odd as I don't have any of the track😁


D.C.M.T  garage lift in need of repair. 

Majorette caravan,always worth picking up. 

Two worse for wear Corgi Rockets,The Saint Volvo,and Spectre Mercedes,never seen the latter before.


Some random junk from rummage boxes.

This Dinky Bedford Truck.
Never seen this type before,very much a fixer upper. 



Casting is all good,so I may get to it....maybe.🙄

Some of yesterday's Toy fair finds....
Hot Wheels Ford pick up with motorcycles. 

Slightly unusual colour for this team Matchbox racing car.

Very unusual caricature of a Mk2 Golf, by Matchbox. 



Nice orange Corgi Hot rod VW.


Very nice version of the Matchbox '57 Chevrolet. 


Hotwheels 56 Chevy.

Butchered Super GT Capri.
One for the I'll fix it someday pile.

Corgi Thames ice cream van,needs tyres,chime kinda works too.


I remember having one of these Corgis as a kid,so the nostalgia was strong on this one.

Next is the really nice Siku VW caddy.


Next is one of my favourites of the day.
This Polistil Renault 15 TL.




Next is this Siku Mercedes 809D parcel van.



Smoll Eddy approves as he can more or less fit in("That's wot the Mrs says M8")
This Corgi Mustang was the bargain of the day,and it's a toss up between this and the Renault 15 as to which was my favourite find.




Apart from a saggy front end("same as the Mrs M8")It's in great shape for something 50 odd years old. 
Smoll Eddy approves of them all.
"They can see you coming a mile away M8"

Last night was the navigation rally. 
What can I say but what a hoot.  
For anyone who hasn't tried it, I highly recommend it. 
The premise is simple - get from point A to point B within the speed limit. 
The hurdles are that you get penalised for being too early, penalised for being late and penalised for approaching the checkpoint from the wrong direction. 
Along the way there are signs with numbers or codes on them.  Miss these and guess what - you are penalised. 
It's mostly B roads, in the dark and being Scotland it is flooded/rutted throughout. 
The other cars were pretty much rally prepped with massive front lights


We took part in beginners category that got us a marked map 

If you go for Novice (next level up) these are the type of instructions you get 

These have to be deciphered and plotted on the move. 
 
Some of the rules

It's incredibly difficult to convey the fun that is had.  The first half took about 2 hours, in which time it is unrelenting. Navigator has by far the hardest job, being chucked about, trying to read a map, keep eyes open for signs and then watching the clock. 
We finished back at HQ around midnight to a feast of rolls and cakes.  
Managed to finish without breaking the Merc and still speaking!
My major issue this morning is that I fancy doing more in future but don't think the turbo Mx5 will cut it.  Might need to upgrade to more of a rally car. 

Tbh it’ll be worth it if we don’t have a Tory Gubberment.

It was 25 years but changed in 1998 (was frozen at pre-1973 and the rolling exemption stopped)
 
Then about 10 years ago, it became a 40 year rolling exemption like the old 25 year one.

That’s why we’re going down the tax exempt route….

Land Rover (Free) Haven't paid for road tax since 1996
Motorbike (£122.85) But currently SORNed, need to sort a few little jobs out like starting issue, new chain, sprockets, tyres, suspension, plus I'm in no rush to 'enjoy' Britain's shellholed, waterlogged road network any time soon.
Cashcow (£267.75) but Mrs warch is still paying this for some reason
'New' Astra (220 quid) but becomes tax exempt in April 2026.
(Expects grudging admiration, especially from those north of the border).

Tbh it’ll be worth it if we don’t have a Tory Gubberment.

Land Rover (Free) Haven't paid for road tax since 1996
Motorbike (£122.85) But currently SORNed, need to sort a few little jobs out like starting issue, new chain, sprockets, tyres, suspension, plus I'm in no rush to 'enjoy' Britain's shellholed, waterlogged road network any time soon.
Cashcow (£267.75) but Mrs warch is still paying this for some reason
'New' Astra (220 quid) but becomes tax exempt in April 2026.
(Expects grudging admiration, especially from those north of the border).

Highest tax burden since?  What was it? 1948?  The party of low taxes, apparently?  The Conservatives are a complete and utter shower and you know it just as well as anybody.

Some nice finds here recently; just goes to show that the Belfast market scene isn't quite the be-all and end-all...
No market action yesterday either, I'm afraid, since I was waiting in for a sofa delivery which could have appeared any time from 8am onwards (typically, it didn't arrive until after lunch).
Still, have an afternoon picture of the Tree of Tat, anyway.

An early afternoon trip to Tesco to find some avocadoes tested my willpower to breaking point - as the local store seems to have finally replenished their Matchbox tub with the last 2023 mix:

So, I broke.

I rather suspect the 5-packs will come off their half-price Clubcard offer soon.
Later, an unsuccessful run over to a retail park to procure a lamp instead landed me right beside a branch of Smyths.
It did not escape my notice that their Matchbox mainlines are now reduced to £1, suggesting these are now considered an obsolete line.

There weren't many from this selection that I don't have already.

But there were some.

I also picked up this Hot Wheels Premiums Toyota Land Cruiser - it was the only one left, there was no price on the peg, and I noted that a shelf above full of Big Air Bel Airs from the same off-road collection were down to a fiver... so I took a chance.
Well, ultimately it scanned at £8.99 at the till, so no bargains for me there - but it's a cracking big weighty thing and I do rather like it regardless.
I also nabbed another of the F&F Decades Silverline range, this time the '70 Chevy Nova.
What's odd is that, unlike the El Camino and Grand Prix I picked up before, this has a metal base and is nearly indistinguishable from the much more expensive Premiums release.

There's not even any extra tampo detailing or anything.

The bases are identical, and the only difference seems to be the rubber 'Real Riders' tyres on the Premium, and the bumpers are chrome plated rather than just grey plastic.

But not really a lot of difference, given the semi-premium retails at £3.49 and the premium at £8.99.
I'm very pleased with these, and although I've unboxed them I haven't taken any pics yet.
A turn through B&M netted me these...

Two I nearly bought a few weeks ago, but didn't.
The Dodge Ram is very nicely detailed, and the Forester... well, I have a soft spot for Subarus.
Though not as soft as their sills, apparently.
And a turn past an independent toyshop made my jaw hit the floor when I clocked the mahoosive Matchbox Action Drivers Airport Adventure set hiding up near the ceiling, and on sale for just £35.

I'd been over in this store a few weeks ago, how the hell did I miss this?!

This would have been a cracking bargain, but for the fact I'd already pulled the trigger on this one a week or two previously (having had it on my Amazon list for like a year), and it showed up earlier this week.

I thought I'd got a good deal on this, seeing as how some eBay headcases are trying to wrangle £90 for them, but it was still a fair bit more than £35.

Nominally, this is a birthday gift for my niece in September. Or so I keep telling myself. I haven't opened it, but we'll see how my famous* iron-will holds, shall we?
It's quite a bit bigger than the smaller sets in the range.

I did a bit of a photoshoot with my other Action Drivers sets last week; I'll put them up here at some point.

The airport set comes with two vehicles and all.

I don't know why I'm so smitten with these kiddies' toys right now, but I am.

I daresay a psychologist would have some theories, though...
And if that's not enough, I headed out this morning on an IKEA collection run...

There’s a tiny bit of play in the axle supports on the bottom of the bin. Only a millimetre or so. Any rattles and the body of the bin acts as a huge echo chamber/sound box. 
 
Sounds like a barrier seal has failed or not been cleaned.
Green waste bin juice is a great compost activator/tomato food.

Well it’s no St George’s, but it’s Besacon brocante! The day started promising with this:


Lets have a closer look…  €1Tat box - check - overpriced part works (€15) - check - knackered majorettes - check ✔️ 




But hang on that looks unusual….. so yeah….. of course I buckled 😉
Bearing in mind the only note I had was a €10 we had a deal! The last thing I expected deepest France was a MIB Corgi!

 

Toy fair today and as usual picked up much too much!
First two I'd not seen before and never even heard of the Nacoral Inter Cars Saab 99, but I had to have it as soon as I saw it!

Seller wanted £15 for the Saab and £5 for the Escrote, got them both plus some smoll figures for Mrs Concern for £15. I'm intending to make the Solido into a black XR3i I had. I'd toyed with using a Corgi 1/36, but I'd rather 1/43 and not keen on Vanguards prices.
 

Seller wanted £5 each for the Dinky Viva and plastic Norev Renna 6, paid £9 with bug thrown in. The Norev is really lovely and the HA Viva is in great nick apart from missing bonnet. I have a childhood one that I'll pinch the bonnet from and paint it matt black!

Got this bundle for £12, some for @eddyramrod

Corgi Countryman has pretty good paint, just missing door, roof rack etc £4, Solido 126 was £3 and missing bumper on front and the Crescent ramp complete with lever was £5.

I've been looking for a Corgi Countryman in original colour as I had (have, but repainted) on as a kid so this will do until I see a really good one. I got a green service ramp missing the handle last toy fair and saw a red complet one for £15 so happy with this at the price

Dinky Rally Cortina Mk2 with a few other bits for Mrs Concern for £15

I still have my childhood one that I painted with original box and I wanted one in original colours and stickers

It looks much better IRL than in the pics

I'm kind of starting to replace some of my childhood toys that the young me mucked up like this Crapi I got a while back with the one I cut a hole in the roof

Interesting to see them with the Taunus I got last time

Picking my old Cortina and Capri out I found the childhood Saab 99 by Politoys so had to compare to the Nacoral one

they're both really nice, I'd forgotten how much I like the Polistil, but the Combi is really, really nice! Not sure what's going on with the double fuel filler though.

I also recently got a Bburago 900 too, but that's in the middle of a new paint job, talking of paint, the Polistil colour is lovely

Lastly as I was walking out I saw these 1/36 at 50p each. I used to have a Welly TT and liked it and the Corgi 924 still has most paint and the rear hatch/screen so picked them up. Let me know if you'd like either for 50p.

Lastly here's a pick of the lot together

Some more old stuff unearthed from the spare room.

These were listed in the 1986 Verem catalogue so are almost 40 years old.
They are two car sets of 1960s cars. the first set has an Alfa Romeo 2600 Coupe and an Aston Martin DB5 Vantage.

Nice street scene card inside the box...

with the cars mounted on a red flocked piece of polystyrene.

Nice metallic paint finish on both models.

They both have opening doors with the usual 1960s poor fit.



Lets get them off the poly plinth.

Some may recognise that these are old Solido castings from the 1960s.

On the base it still has the original Solido ref number and the original cast date. The Alfa has the ref no. 125 and a date of 3/63


The Aston has the ref 130 and the date 1/1964.

The second set has a Peugeot 430 Cabriolet and a Renault Floride.

Again it has the street scene card.

Extra French Tricolore on base.

These have driver figures just like the original Solido versions.


Detailing and pint finish are up to 1960s standards, but like the original Solido versions there are no opening doors.


These do not have the original Solido Ref No. on the base.



Despite being almost 40 years old they are not that sort after. I guess they suffer from the reproduction stigma. If they were original Solidos in this condition I could flog them and probably pay my car tax and insurance for a year. Instead I will be lucky if they made enough to buy a new Vanguards model.

Yesterday I was round the corner from the Sally Army shop, so I had to drop in...

...and spend a whole 20p!  The unopened bag of signs and cones just appealed; the trailer is excellent but probably missing something like a slurry tank.  I'll find a use for it.  Meanwhile, this morning there has been work going on.  Drilling...

...and stripping...

...which is where they are as I type (typing done indoors with coffee, biscuits and snuggled-up dog, the way it should be!).  And in between those two pics, painting happened.



Yes, that's the failed White Arrow van.  I'll do it plain this time.  I know I'll have more Transits to come.
 

Also got these from @Datsuncog via @andrew e

Ranchero looks especially good in that blue.
Plan this weekend is to sort more cars to sell, I'll try and get them on my sales thread later today and unwanted ones will be on eBay Sunday 

Did you need a new lock?  got a few for the non tilting column but they dont come with the fixing shear bolt or lock barrel
 

Made a bit of progress. 
Slight issue with the calipers. One was fine and went straight on, the offside one was actually for the other side, despite what it said on the box. I had a think about this, then realised that actually the calipers are completely symmetrical and fit either way around (the only difference between sides being the location of the bleed nipple. I had my draw through compressor tool so I could bleed it with attaching it (so air didn't get trapped in it). Not sure what the MoT man will say about that, but I can always keep an eye out for another part. 
I also removed the rear wheels and bled the rear system as well, not being sure whether air had got in there as well. This was worth doing as the fluid looked quite dirty. 
Both rear tyres were fucked, and there was also a missing wheel lug, happily just missing not snapped off or anything. The only other issue on the shitlist is that the steering lock is inoperative, which apparently an MoT fail point*. Yes it is near to not needing a yearly inspection by law, but morally (and legally) it should be roadworthy.
This came in during 2013 revisions to the test, although apparently I could fit an immobilizer to get it past the MoT man. Preferably something simply like an ignition cutout.