AndyW201

Nipped out for supplies (in truth getting some beers in for tonight after spending today prettying up the garden, and because I'm off work next week), and headed to the local 'smol' Asda. To my surprise, there was a pretty well stocked Hot Wheels rummage box there. So a bit late to the party but got a few I've been hunting for, Like a few of us on this thread, my other Cherokee in miniature was the Majorette version back in the day. (I also had the little motorised Corgi Trekker -I think that's what it was called- version of the previous style Cherokee with the faux wood side trim). This new Hot Wheels casting is a good un. Would have preferred a bit more of a factory look, but the off road bits are.modelled well. I was giving up on getting hold of one of these, so was chuffed to find one. Yeah, the body kit is a bit JDM Yo! but all credit to Mattel for choosing a subject such as this.

Oh yes, that one's on my radar. It's almost an exact copy of N392 XHN, a 1.7D Envoy I was saddled with at a taxi firm back in the day. It even gained a set of GLS alloys like on the model.

You definitely struck gold with the Cavalier, you will love it. I noticed earlier that the Turbo being bid up to £21 on eBay is unboxed! Madness! My criticism of the interior was TBH quite half hearted. If they had at least put the correct open headrests in, it would have been so much better. But now I'm going to have to go in the loft this weekend and get mine down for a fondle... They also did a pretty good job of the late SRi turbine alloys on the police versions. Just wish they'd bring out a 'civilian' SRi with them on. Especially looking at all the Mk2 SRis they've released. Apparently the Merseyside police one is quite sought after.

It didn't help that at that time, when Corgi started modelling more modern classics and more European flavoured subjects (Golf Mk2, BMW E30, Fiesta XR2, Cavalier Mk3), with some versions, out of a typical run of about 1500, only half would be in RHD UK registered form, and the other half would be LHD and (usually) German registered which didn't go down well with collectors over here. This explains the blue GSi and black Turbo being so rare. This was also around about the era when certain castings were produced with Motorsport variants in mind and I think the Cavalier was one of these as the BTCC versions sold really well. Sadly I think they spent so much on creating a realistic interior for the race cars, the interior of the road version was disappointing to say the least. Compared to most other Vanguards interiors, the seats in the Cavalier are terrible! Doesn't stop the Turbo being one of my faves in the collection though. The wheels alone make the car for me!

That SA touring car is a beast!

Shouldn't be too long, a picture of the pre production sample has been released. It should be a good one. (I'm waiting to see if they do an XR6)

The Vanguards Sapphire is one of the best they've done and still holds up well today, an early Cosworth features in the new RS box set they've just released. The red GLSi remains one of my all-time faves in the collection. I was lucky enough to get hold of a Mk3 Cav Turbo last year for £30 posted. I couldn't hit BIN quick enough! It's a bit of a bone of contention among collectors that they went to all the trouble and expense to tool up for the Mk3 but they've barely made use of it. There have been more BTCC versions than road cars and the market's definitely there looking at the prices the models fetch and the upturn in interest in full size '80s & '90s Vauxhall's in general. I'm hoping one day they'll do a facelift SRi in Rioja Red, then I'll be happy...

Just arrived, Better late than never! I pre ordered this last January when the newly tooled Vanguards RS2000 was announced, but they have only just gone on sale. So, worth the wait? There are two new RS2000 variants in the Vanguards range, the standard bodied RS, and this, the Series X (or X-pack). The standard bodied version in Signal Yellow is fantastic, I wish I could have ordered them both, but with them now costing £30 odd a pop now (yup, I remember when they were a tenner!) it was a case of picking out one as I have other stuff ordered. With memories of the opening credits of Minder, along with the short lived TV show The Marksman (remember that anyone?) which featured a red X Pack adorned RS, not to mention the one featured briefly in Clockwise, it had to be this one. I've always loved the shovel nosed RS and decent models have always been hard to find, being limited to Minichamps and Trofeu. The prices the Minichamps ones go for are insane and even the Trofeu ones tend to go for more than the new Vanguards ones cost, and the Trofeu casting is showing it's age now. As usual, I'm having problems getting decent pictures of this, with it being red and having to use my previous cameraphone, as my new one is away getting repaired. But I think it looks great, very chunky with those wide wings. The car modelled is apparently one of 6 built by Ford to showcase the Series X bits that could be specified for the RS. This one had quite a lot thrown at it, with a stage 1 engine, rocket 'box, World Cup spec suspension, upgraded brakes with vented discs and wider 7.5J alloys plus of course the Zakspeed inspired wide body kit by Fibresports. It was featured in the dealer promo video and also the brochure with Björn Waldegård test driving it and proclaiming that it was the spec that he would choose himself for an Escort. High praise! As usual, it doesn't disappoint on the details, lovely front end. Fine mesh vents on the rear wing panels And fantastic renditions of the deeply dished wheels, with correct light grey highlights and miniscule RS logos on the centres. Just love the tampo printed decals here too. Slight disappointment in the tail lights having clearly visible locating pegs, which most manufacturers have largely done away with nowadays. Looks like they've carried on using the ones from the older flat fronted Mk2 casting. Only other real whinge is that they also appear to have used the old baseplate from the flat front version too, which was used on both base and sporty models which always resulted in a bit of an arse-up attitude. It shows more on this wide bodied version with the rear wheels not-exactly filling the arches. Still, these Vanguards are piss-easy to take apart and have a mess with, and I've managed to sort the ride height on a couple of the flat front ones. Couldn't pick up much detail on the interior as it's like the black hole of Calcutta (and because shite cam) but it has the right Scheel type seats with the roll-top headrests of an early Custom-spec car In all, I'm chuffed with it and it was worth the wait IMO. Just a shame the price stops me buying as many as I used to, but that's the times we live in now I suppose. I did have another newly released Vanguards model delivered today, but that's getting put away for Christmas! I'm expecting something rather special in 1/43 arriving around September though...

Great stuff! Nice to see some Vanguards love on here, as people on here may know, I have a bit of a penchant for them! I bought a few when the original run came out circa 1996. Having got hooked again on collecting diecast with the Corgi Classics stuff of the early '90s, the Vanguards range seemed to move things right along. I couldn't believe after years of wishing, I could finally get a nice, detailed, reasonably priced 1/43 scale Anglia 105E model. A few years later I was browsing a model shop in Whitby and this new generation of Vanguards had just come out. Again, they had moved the game on with sprung suspension, realistic separate lights, realistic wheels, photo etched wipers and really fine tampo printed badging. The best part though was the subject matter. Marina! Allegro! Mk1 Granada & Consul! Stuff I had dreamt about having model versions of. That day I came away with the Granada 3.0 Ghia and Marina 1800 Super, both in white (the Consul GT rally just missing out that day!). It was to be a slippery slope... Since then, a few others of the Granada casting have joined the collection, That early purchase, circa 2001. Looks like it must have come after the Roman Bronze version as it has that red central grille badge and the Ghia and 3.0 wing badges. Onyx green is one of my favourite colours for the Granada. The Hidden Treasures version. Looks great in Purple Velvet. On an M plate and badged as a Granada, but the lack of brightwork and GT style wheels suggest more Consul to me, And as Base as can be, the Daytona Yellow Consul looks fab. A bit more flash, the GT version, And the Swift taxis Leicester version of the base Consul. As can just about be seen, the Lledo branding actually made a brief reappearance in the acrylic box era. Yep, one of my favourite castings of the series. The Roman Bronze version is the one that has actually eluded me though! Speaking of Vanguards, more soon!

Sadly, a bit of a drought of new desirable diecast near me. Which is good, because after all, I'm stopping buying diecast! Tesco nearest to me had a pleasing amount of full pegs, with Matchbox on them. Old case stock though, so shedloads of mk1 Civics, and more miniature airport tugs than real ones that exist in all the airports worldwide... Casting the net a bit wider, nipped to Ingleby Barwick Tesco on my way to work. New case stuff, but no Kadetts or 3 series wagons (the only two I want out of that case. Grr!). Ambling along South Shields in the van, and with a break due, just nipped into Tesco there. Their toy department amounts to half a bay. No MB at all, but fortunately, I did pick up a couple of HW I've been hunting for, Nice colour scheme on this Porker. Very '70s, I was very happy to find this, normally fast Fords are hard to get hold of. Only problem being, with the tampo printing on the sides and over the top, the front and rear get missed out, and this casting has some lovely detail. I have the original release in plain blue and that looks great with the headlights picked out and the central bumper and grille blacked out with a tiny blue RS logo. Nice Ford badge on this one nevertheless. Same at the rear. The valance is great with the exhausts moulded in but how much better would it look with that moulded in RS logo and the lights picked out? Still nice though. I've managed to get all the Mk3 Focus mainline releases. Just going to have to forget about the MB Kadett I think. By the time I've driven around, wasted fuel and bought shite I don't need in all the Tescos I visit, I could probably afford to go on eBay and get a 1/43 Minichamps version... 🤣

Sunny B310 wagon I think.

Nipped to local Asda. As expected, not a single Majorette to be found. At first, the Hot Wheels rummage bin showed little promise, being all B case stuff. But a rummage brought up these more recent ones, I had given up all hope of getting one of these. So far, that's all of the colourways I've managed to get of this casting. Love the front and rear detail on it, nice little nod to Ryu on the rear quarters too. Not seen this on any of the previews, but I do like the Mooneyes stuff. Wish they'd do this casting in non OLLI spec. A Classic in the 'factory fresh' collection would be nice. While EVs aren't quite my thing, and modern Audi's on this forum go down like a mug of cold piss, I quite like this one. Again, detailing is good. Morrisons also turned up a few, Love these little Hondas. Just wish I still had my green Xylmex version I had as a kid, to compare. Another EV. I though this was a generic fantasy casting, but it appears the Lucid Air is actually a thing. Not unattractive for a big leccy luxobarge, and the Hot Wheels is a nice miniature version. This not buying Hot Wheels thing is going well!

Ohhh, Nutria brown! As you say, a VERY rare colour. It was only available on the 190 for one year, in 1993 and known examples were reckoned to be barely into double figures. I managed to own two... I think the colour was even rarer on the 124 series, a Nutria coupe must be almost unique, I love it! Looks clean as a whistle too.

So did I! B&M tomorrow it is.

Holy Shit, I've just clicked the tampo printed RS2000 logos on the Escort. I'm done....

Yikes! Those are ACE! Can't wait to spend the rest of the year trying to find them and failing🤣 Plenty to look forward to also with the upcoming Nissan Maxima drift wagon, Toyota Space Cruiser and Honda 90.

Been trying to wean myself off Hot Wheels lately. Cost of living crisis and all that, not helped by having to fork out for two new Vanguards coming soon, that have been on back order since last year. Plus two very special purchases have been ordered, that have been released for the 45th anniversary of a certain Ford-heavy British action drama series. So, the diecast budget is bare. But while nipping in Morrisons on the way home, I saw fresh clipstrips! No new case stuff of course. Just doesn't happen around this way any more, even Smyth's and The Entertainer are a waste of time. But it doesn't matter anyway, because I'm weaning myself off Hot Wheels. I'm a weak man... To be honest, I was so jubilant at snagging my second Sierra Cossie in the wild, I had to grab it.... And I just love the RX-3 casting. After it only being in the premium ranges for so long, I now have to go for every mainline release of it! This was the star for me. After seeing it ages ago on one of the YouTube unboxing videos, it has been tooting my want horn somewhat. It's a little cracker. See, only got three though. It's a habit that takes a long time to kick...

I'm jealous of that nice tidy loft set up. My loft-based diecast storage has more of a 'bomb gone off in a branch of Modelzone' look.

I think Corgi were definitely inspired by that one!

I'm glad it's not just me that gets the odd model out of display or the loft for a bit of a 'fondle'. This one came out today for a play. Its weird, often I'll be browsing on eBay and see something and think, "ah, I haven't got one of those". Then I'll be in the loft and realise I had one all along. Lately I've been browsing Astra coupés, I forgot I got this Minichamps Opel dealer edition during lockdown. As one would expect from Minichamps, it's a lovely thing. I suppose I'm lucky, spouse wise. I've always been 'allowed' to have a display cabinet in the front room to host 'some' diecast. Naturally I cram in as many as possible...

I would hope that they do continue. I was reading an issue of Diecast Collector from only a month or two ago and there was a fairly big piece in there along the lines of "Hey Folks, you can get Matchbox cars from your local Tesco. Get your arses down and grab some". Surely either Tesco or Mattel wouldn't have bothered with the press release if it was all about to go down the pan. You're right about them skipping every other case as well. That's a bastard as there looks like a few in the next one I'd like, including the Opel. Looks like Ana on the Facebook site might be my only chance of getting those then as she gets Matchbox from all over the place, and my local Tesco is mostly a waste of time anyway. 6 London taxis and an airport tug last time I looked...

For some reason I can't seem to do links from eBay items on here. But all I did was literally search for 'Austin Montego' in Diecast and Vehicles in there and just kept checking every couple of days. The guy I got mine from seems to be out of stock at the moment but the Italian sellers (mmc-italia and bimax-models) seem to get small batches in every couple of weeks or so. They seem to be the cheapest on there at the mo and the service was good.

Had a delivery today too. Only took two weeks to arrive! Hmm, from Italy. Some nice stylish bit of high-performance exotica, maybe? Ooh, let's see... Finally got one!!!! Being a bit of a tightwad, I've waited a while to get one these Greek-partwork Montegos. I found the site for the publishing company that distributes them (and the whole Greek 'Unforgettable Cars' collection needs checking out as it is chock-full of AS worthy subjects), and they can be had from them for a reasonable 10 Euros, but the killer was the 25 Euros postage making it about £30 to the door. Since then eBay has been fairly full of them with people unbelievably paying up to £60-£70 for them at first. Still, a model Montego, the model many said would never get made. (Mostly miserable bastards on the Facebook Vanguards page...) I held on, hoping that someone like partwork supremo Jumajo on eBay would get them in, but a couple of Italian model retailers have appeared on there, knocking them out for about a tenner. With postage from Italy, this one cost me about £18 all in, which wasn't too bad. So, for something that was made as a cheapy partwork model, it's pretty good. They (Ixo I'm pretty sure) have got the shape pretty much bob-on. The wheel trims are about right and I like the little A pillar aerial, like on the real thing, a nice little touch. Bits like the wipers are nicely done, not big, clunky affairs like on some cheap 1/43 cars. Needs the dash mat though... Nothing wrong with the interior really, apart from it being all one colour and without dial detail, etc. But the steering wheel shape is correct (albeit for a later car than an '86 though, I think), and it's nice to see the stalks fitted, again often left out on some models. Surprisingly good detail on the rear shelf with the speakers. Lights front and rear are good, again for the price and lovely detail on the tiny Austin badge. However if I have to pick holes in the model, it's that it appears to have a bit of an identity crisis. Admittedly I don't know what spec they sold Montegos in, in Greece. But to my knowledge of Montegos, 1.3s were proper base spec; 13" wheels without trims, no side rubbing strips, A frame head restraints without padding. And I don't think the bumpers and rubbing strips got red stripes until the L and LX got the grey lower half. Also, I'm sure BRG wasn't available as a colour until the later 'Roverised' facelift and then it was metallic. But, hey, I'm nitpicking. it's a flipping MONTEGO model FFS! Like my last few purchases, this is a model of a car that I have had history with. Back in my taxi driving days, I had left one firm and gone to another. This new firm had a few Sierras, which was normal for a taxi firm round our way in the early to mid '90s but they also had a couple of nearly new Montego 2.0 TDs. At that time, Rover were only selling them to fleets and taxi firm owners, they looked a little anachronistic with their M registrations. Anyway I was soon allocated M441 EUS which I thought was unusual, a new boy getting one of the newer cars. I soon found out why, they came in what was the old Clubman spec, which meant zero spec. Keep fit windows, no central locking, no sunroof, you got a radio cassette player and that was it. The other drivers would rather tool around in a 3 to 4 year old Sierra LX than a nearly new base spec Montego... Still I got on quite well with it. It might have looked old fashioned but it was comfy enough and compared to the 1.7 D Cavaliers and 1.8D Orions I had been used to, it was flipping quick! And apart from it's appetite for the odd CV joint and driveshaft, it was reliable. In all, for a tenners worth of partwork model, I'm pretty chuffed with this one.

^^^ Some nice stuff in the new cases. Had a small HW haul the last few days but nothing really new. Managed to actually find a Sierra though, so not all bad. Didn't see the Ford van or the Impala in any of the previews so grabbed them. Liking the Mooneyes livery on the Ford. The only fairly recent release I've managed to find so far. The colour looks well on the Repu. Earlier in the week, I got the three Matchbox cars I had been after. Many thanks again to @Spottedlaurel for going out and getting them for me. I think we all agree the Lexus LS 400 is a little work of art, The golf also looks great in factory GTi trim, Which makes it more of a shame that it looks like we might not be getting them over here any more! (Especially as the next case is the one that has the Kadett GT/E in. 🤬

The tri-star of trials, tribulations (and tears)