Shite in Miniature II

[sierraman]

Another Moving Parts

[eddyramrod]

Buick Grand National?  I'd be severely tempted to pick up one of those and see if I can convert it to four-door to match my old Century.

[Split_Pin]

3 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Lunchtime Laptop tat today (well, late lunch) - the October release from the Corgi Model Club range: the #480 Chevrolet Impala Taxi Cab (Version 2).

It's nice and glossy.

And shiny.

And has a whippy aerial.

It's maybe a little stumpy around the front end, but it is really nice.

As ever, having the replica box with artwork is one of the main draws of the collection for me.

Annoyingly, this one arrived  slightly torn along a fold.

Ah well.

Plus it comes with the usual mostly-accurate Collector's Card.

So yes - Corgi first modelled the '59 Impala when it was pretty new, releasing it in State Patrol police livery in December 1959, with the civilian version following in January 1960, the  taxi version six months later, and a fire chief version in January 1963. The body shell was mask-sprayed to add a silver-painted front grille as well as contrasting body paint.

Unusually, Corgi modelled the 4-dr Hardtop variant of the Impala, marketed as the Sport Sedan, rather than the standard 4-dr sedan. The main visual difference was that large wraparound rear windscreen - which would have been an unlikely choice for the majority of taxi or police fleet buyers.

A steady seller - 760k civvie versions, 523k cabs, 425k fire chief cars and a whopping 1 million police versions were sold over 5 years - in 1965 Corgi remade the Impala with a horizontally split bodyshell, allowing a chromed plastic insert to be added that carried the front grille and lights, a broad chrome side strip and rear bumper and lights.

As stated on the card, this made the production process rather easier, as the upper and lower parts could be painted different colours with less need for masking.

It also meant that different upper shells could be fitted to the base casting - such as the #486 Chevrolet Kennel Service Wagon, in 1967.

Even though it was by now a fairly dated-looking model, the taxi remained in the catalogue for a further two years, selling 167k units in its revamped form.

Although the police version went on to sell around 600k units until it was withdrawn in 1969, it's maybe incorrect to say the taxi's "something of a rarity" - maybe a bit less common by comparison, but still a fairly big seller - especially in the US export market.

I picked up a totally trashed example of these way back in the early 1990s, with a view to restoring it - obviously that never happened...

I have the original black version of that although it's hard to tell if it was a state trooper version as I think any labels are long gone. I was completely unaware of this version 2!

[outlaw118]

5 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

They can be found without magazines through everyone favourite online auction.

Yep, they're on there now!

[sutty2006]

I had completely forgotten about uploading the lower cage of cars from my matchbox carry case. Apologies. But here they are. To save forum space, I took a couple of pictures of all of them. 

top right, 5x majorette. top left 3x unknown but the e class merc is very well detailed. Bottom right 2x siku vw pissrat and an old G wagon with broken suspension. Bottom left 1x corgi scrote and a 2cv from something I can’t see without a magnifying glass. 

 

 

 

[bunglebus]

I'd say that E Class was a Hongwell Cararama - very well detailed as you say

[barrett]

Guys, guys! Check out these poorly-cropped photos taken in terrible light. Too excited to wait until the next time I'm home in daylight to share this.

Woop! It's a minty fresh boxed Politoys M 509 Lancia Flavia Sport Zagato and it's my favourite thing in the world

This was basically the reason I started buying these things. What a weird thing to model in 1:43. They rarely come up for sale and in searching 'politoys lancia' and then just 'politoys' constantly on ebay I've acquired a few others along the way. Anyway, this is finally here and I can STOP now (yeah right)

It's SO NICE! Clearly never been played with, and probably barely ever handled before. It's the most I've ever paid for a model, but still a fraction of what I've paid for jazz LPs or nights in the pub or whatever so I don't feel too bad

Did I mention it's MINT?

With the Mercury Flavia PF coupé. Perhaps my two favourite Lancias, and two of my favourite 1960s toys. I'm very happy.

Thought I'd put all the Politoys together in date order (of release) just to prove that I definitely don't collect toy cars. Actually not as many as I thought there might be...

[Jon]

Ha ha, @barrett is an old toy car collector! I'd be pointing and shouting 'Nerrrddd!' at you right now, we're I in that classic art house* film of the 80's, Revenge of the Nerds.

But I'm not. I'm in real life and I've come to the same realisation. I'm at the age now where I'm beginning to care less and embrace this needless hobby more openly. Which is why today, I bought the first bits of materials to make up my die cast display zone, which will be fully visible to any normal people that come round our house.

And also explains why 'Politoys' is now on my Trademe search list...

[bunglebus]

New box of Matchbox 5 packs landed at Tesco - I put them out for the guy so I could look through them

[Amishtat]

20 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

 

 

 

 

I picked up a totally trashed example of the taxi way back in the early 1990s, with a view to restoring it - obviously that never happened...

It still hasn't.

[MiniMinorMk3]

A bit of a varied selection today

Brumm 1949 Fiat 1100E Fire Car

 

Brumm Fiat 500 Topolino Van in Italian Post livery

Eligor BMW Neu-Klasse 2000 Berline

1958 Norev Citroen 2CV AZLM

Rio Mercedes 190 SL

Rio 1949 VW Cabriolet

Rio 1953 VW Bug in Swiss Postal livery

Verem 1970 Citroen 2CV

[Split_Pin]

Anyone want this for free before I bin it? It's squat in the boot of my Cavalier must come to an end.

 

[sierraman]

50 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Anyone want this for free before I bin it? It's squat in the boot of my Cavalier must come to an end.

 

Go on I’ll give it a home in the Sierraman home for derelict Matchbox. PM me your details and it’ll send you the money for postage. 

[Split_Pin]

8 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Go on I’ll give it a home in the Sierraman home for derelict Matchbox. PM me your details and it’ll send you the money for postage. 

Secretly, I had you in mind for this!  PM incoming .

[Datsuncog]

3 hours ago, Amishtat said:

It still hasn't.

Hah, still looks better than when I had it!

Good to see more Impala loveliness, too. Corgi sure got their money's worth out of the castings over the years.

[RoadworkUK]

I still have three or four components from a Streak Racing kit knocking around! No idea what happened to the rest of it, and I certainly never had the box. I think I picked it up at a school jumble sale at the turn of the 90s. Fun stuff, albeit the checquered flag bit was a bit naff.

[bunglebus]

[Tenmil Socket]

22 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

I had completely forgotten about uploading the lower cage of cars from my matchbox carry case. Apologies. But here they are. To save forum space, I took a couple of pictures of all of them. 

top right, 5x majorette. top left 3x unknown but the e class merc is very well detailed. Bottom right 2x siku vw pissrat and an old G wagon with broken suspension. Bottom left 1x corgi scrote and a 2cv from something I can’t see without a magnifying glass. 

 

 

 

Is the Escort available?

 

[Split_Pin]

37 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Those are all @Datsuncogs St George's  Market Tat boxes being filled at his distribution centre.

[sierraman]

I wonder what it must have been like working there, how many of those Matchbox fell into handbags etc 🤣

[bunglebus]

On a work mission to Dorset yesterday, stopped at a Tesco just as new stock was going out

Saw this 5 pack on my recent Germany trip but it was a bit expensive over there. I was confident it would show up here too

Glad to have found the MK1 - RS2000 X pack and red Cossie may prove harder

[sierraman]

I’m confused as to what’s going off there, the deal with Tesco ends in December. Fortunately Poundland is rich pickings at the moment with the moving parts series. 

[bunglebus]

More moving parts in Poundland 

[155V6]

I just checked a big Tesco,hoping to find new Hotwheels.There were just 4  or 5 fantasy castings.A bin full of Matchbox,just the usual suspects,but they did have the new 5 packs.What surprised me though,was the UK series from a while back,so I grabbed the only Capri.£2.50 though 🤔

[bunglebus]

Got to Entertainer just as four 2023 A cases landed 😎

RS2000 and Cosworth acquired 

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

More moving parts in Poundland 

I went in one the other day and they had some sort of gullwinged one in, not sure what it was possibly a Lamborghini. Wouldn’t be a Ferrari as they won’t licence them anymore. 

[bunglebus]

There seem to be a mix of old and new boxes of moving parts hitting those shops. I bought the black Chevy Monte Carlo

[MiniMinorMk3]

Anyone into postal vans?

Altaya Mercedes N1000

Ebbro Daihatsu Midget Car

Eligor Citroen 3CV

Eligor Citroen H

Eligor Peugeot 404 Pick-Up

IXO Mini Van

Norev Fiat Doblo

Old Cars Iveco

Verem Peugeot J9

Verem Renault Express

Verem Renault Kangoo

Verem Renault Master

[155V6]

Majorette 5 packs reduced to £7.50 in one of the Morrisons I visited today.I've not seen the pack with the rusty cars before

[bunglebus]

Cool I'd still like some more of the Renault 5s.

Here's my little Entertainer haul

Damn the RS is nice!

Plus the Chevy Monte Carlo from Twopoundfiftyland