Shite in Miniature II

[Split_Pin]

Thanks man, much appreciated. 

There are 70 listings on ebay for them at the moment, all at between £10-£15. How much of a desperate scalping plonker do you have to be to go to the hassle of making a tenner or so? It's pathetic. They won't be able to give them away in a few months though.

[sierraman]

9 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Thanks man, much appreciated. 

There are 70 listings on ebay for them at the moment, all at between £10-£15. How much of a desperate scalping plonker do you have to be to go to the hassle of making a tenner or so? It's pathetic. They won't be able to give them away in a few months though.

They aren’t making a tenner though, the item would cost them £2, then the fees and the postage they’d be lucky to make a pound on it, factor in the travelling about and it’ll be at a loss. Seems pretty pointless but hey ho. 🤣

[AndyW201]

I'm not even going to bother getting in a tizzy hunting for the RS right now. It was always going to be one for the scalpers. Our local Entertainer is ridiculous. I've gone there many a time and found the shelves full of new case stuff but all fantasy/ peg warmer castings. I don't even think the sought after ones get on the pegs. Ditto Smyth's at the retail park. My local Morrisons tend to get some cases out a few months after release, so I've ended up getting the sought after ones eventually when all the fuss has died down. It took me about 6 months to get the yellow Civic Type R and the black Sierra Cosworth.

[sierraman]

Wonder what one of those RS2000 X would look like I’m just plain red like the promotional ones did innthe seventies?

[Split_Pin]

Apart from the Volvo 240, I've always picked up desirable castings months after they've come out. Once they've released a few colour variations they'll be common as muck.

Look at the MK1 Escort. I wouldn't even bother picking one up now unless they did a green one with gold stripes as I had so many colour variations. So many that I let about 3 or 4 go in a carded job lot a few weeks ago, keeping only the initial blue release, the white one, a 50th Anniversary example, a black gumball one and a yellow one that was only available in multipacks.

[bunglebus]

22 hours ago, bunglebus said:

High Speeds

 

22 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

But, if you're keen...?

 

22 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Nah you're alright I've got far too many of them already...

And right on time, this lands on the mat

Missing Pontiac Firebird is already in the collection 

[AndyW201]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

Wonder what one of those RS2000 X would look like I’m just plain red like the promotional ones did innthe seventies?

It'd be nice in just one bright colour. This is a model of the one driven by Björn Waldegård for the X pack brochure.

 

[barrett]

Remember this rather sad SM which arrived as part of a job lot a while ago?

Well it's now donated a few parts to this one, which is in vgc but was partially dismantled and missing a couple of important components

Still lacking a tailgate glass, but it's good enough for now. Just a nice, heavy, high-quality model. I've never held the Corgi version before so no idea how it compares

The seller also included a few random bits of other Pilens, so if anyone has a Monteverdi Hair or Maserati Ghibli missing its wheels, let me know...

Second recent Pilen arrival is the lovely Seat 124, which has been seen elsewhere on this thread recently so I won't bang on about it. This one has suffered some funny paint oxidisation (like the real thing, ho ho) but is otherwise complete and in nice shape. I've wanted this for ages so will do until a suitable upgrade can be found

No saloons yet, but I think that's all the available period 124 sports castings ticked off the list...

The Pilen is far and away the nicest, further cementing my belief that it was the best diecast toy maker of the 70s

[MiniMinorMk3]

Another good Spanish maker is Mira. Here's some examples.

Chrysler 1500 GLS

Citroen CX 2400

Ford Fiesta Rallye

Mercedes 450 Policia

Seat 1200 Sport

Seat 128

Seat 128 Rallye

Seat 131

 

[bunglebus]

I thought I'd done a Who Did It Worst? for the Renault 17, but no. Somehow the existence of these rather excellent looking cars passed me by until fairly recently. 

It seems red and orange are the default colours for these, with only Zylmex bucking the trend with blue. The others are Majorette, Matchbox, Polfi, Lido and an unknown using the same body. I have to say despite not having any opening parts, the Majorette is my favourite 

[bunglebus]

4 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Another good Spanish maker is Mira

Absolutely, some lovely stuff made by them. Still on the hunt for more of their Matchbox castings 

[barrett]

14 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Another good Spanish maker is Mira. Here's some examples.

Seat 128

 

I've been after one of those road-going 128 3Ps for a while. There's one on ebay but it's just a few quid more thanb I'd want to spend, really. I should probably just pony up as they don't come around very often.

[bunglebus]

How's that for timing - postman just brought this Mini-Mira Lamborghini Countach. Normally I'd be wary of screaming copy when it's a subject covered by many manufacturers, but being as I've already found half a dozen Matchbox-a-like Miras, I think I can count this as definite cribbing 

[barrett]

7 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

How's that for timing - postman just brought this Mini-Mira Lamborghini Countach. Normally I'd be wary of screaming copy when it's a subject covered by many manufacturers, but being as I've already found half a dozen Matchbox-a-like Miras, I think I can count this as definite cribbing 

 

The clue is that neither of them bear even a passing resemblance to the real car. Always wondered who signed off that Matchbox to begin with, it just looks like a generic 'supercar'.

[Split_Pin]

Pilens 1/43s are great models, I only have the Seat 124 Sport but its MIB and satisfies my Mira habit for the time being......

[MiniMinorMk3]

43 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I thought I'd done a Who Did It Worst? for the Renault 17, but no. Somehow the existence of these rather excellent looking cars passed me by until fairly recently. 

It seems red and orange are the default colours for these, with only Zylmex bucking the trend with blue. The others are Majorette, Matchbox, Polfi, Lido and an unknown using the same body. I have to say despite not having any opening parts, the Majorette is my favourite 

 

Solido did a couple of good 17s in 1/43rd.

[MiniMinorMk3]

And talking of Spanish models, another is Joal. Not as good as Pilen and Mira, and covered the same subjects.

CX

Seat 132

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

16 minutes ago, barrett said:

The clue is that neither of them bear even a passing resemblance to the real car. Always wondered who signed off that Matchbox to begin with, it just looks like a generic 'supercar'.

The Matchbox casting was based on the original prototype, which did not have the scoops on the rear quarters of the production car.

[Split_Pin]

I tried another branch of Tesco and Smyths today for the Escort, no dice. I'm just going to have to wait until the madness dies down a bit!

[eddyramrod]

Now then!  As I was saying about a parcel arriving...  I was very happy to do a deal with @AndyW201 for some old Vanguards, this is what I got (all boxed).

I started dismantling the Granada, and one I already had, so that the red one can eventually become a model of my late mate Dave's first one, going back to 1985.

Bit more to do, because in order to get the window set out, there are two rivets holding the dash and windows in place.  I'd also like to find some better wheels for the yellow one because the set shown are from something else, and are slightly oversize.  The Cortina has only one axle, wearing a pair of Minilites and I don't want it on Minilites, so what I really need is a source of scrap Vanguards for spears or reapers M8.

I had a little win on ebay too...

1950s Corgi Morris Cowley for s&r.  I'll be drilling and stripping this to respray it, but probably not until the weather improves.  I didn't let the seller post this, I collected it in person, because he's only in Ulverston!  Better than that, he has a stall on the indoor market where he sells used diecasts!  Most of his stock is mint/boxed and priced accordingly, but he also has a 50p scrap box, which obviously I had a rootle through.

I mean... I've got no use for this really but it was in such good condition that I couldn't leave it behind.  Most of what was in the box was smaller: Matchbox scale, but mostly no-name I think.  If anybody really wants I'll go back and shoot some snaps in a few days.

There's paintwork progress to report too!

Grey Jag is now green enough to resemble the one I'm driving   But also...

The Hidden Treasures Marina has had a little frontal touching-in, to resemble the red Marina 1.8 saloon I was driving in 1986-8.  When my parents bought it in the summer it was all one colour - conveniently the same red as the Vanguard - until I smashed it up the backside of a Fiat (Tempra, IIRC) on my way home one day.  It was hastily repaired using a bonnet and grille from a Coupe I had broken for parts and the chap who did the work for me gave it a quick blow in what he happened to have, which was Harvest Gold.  Fortunately he just painted the (blue) bonnet and one wing.  Maybe I should get some more of these: they've done a decent-looking one in the same red, which would make the "before" picture, and another in any colour would do for me to paint as "after," because over Easter 1988 I brushed it in Crown Field Poppy.  The first time I saw the HT, I knew it could and eventually would come to represent the "during" look, and now, at last, I've got one!

[andy18s]

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, eddyramrod said:

Most of what was in the box was smaller: Matchbox scale, but mostly no-name I think.  If anybody really wants I'll go back and shoot some snaps in a few days

As if you have to ask!

[RoadworkUK]

2 hours ago, andy18s said:

I've seen those Bova Futuras around on eBay for a while but can't quite bring myself to pull the trigger because I don't collect model buses.

[sheffcortinacentre]

I've some mini Mira taunus TC 3's ( Mk5 cortinas).

[eddyramrod]

33 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

I've some mini Mira taunus TC 3's ( Mk5 cortinas).

That's very interesting!  How mini is mini?  What sort of scale are we looking at here?

[AndyW201]

Oh man, seeing all those Mira/Pilen/Joals takes me right back to holidays in Benidorm in the early '80s. I always had to bring a few back. Problem was, I didn't appreciate the delicacy of them and subjected them to the type of play that my other cars got! They didn't last well under hard use (much like the real things in most cases...) The Mira Seat Bocanegra and Pilen 124 Sport were my favourites. When the a pillars broke off the 124 and the suspension collapsed, it was toast sadly...

Well, had a tiring day traipsing round the shops. Asda, George at Asda, Tesco, Smyth's and Entertainer. No Escorts to be found so sod it.

Did find the Patrol, blue Quattro and blue '70 Firebird at Entertainer and they were on 3 for 2, so the day wasn't a complete loss. So last weekend and this weekends Hot Wheels haul has filled in a few gaps. 

Need the green  2018 Camaro to set this Then & Now pairing off.

A pair of GT3s, Love this casting,

Love this, reminds me of going to a few of the World Finals at Santa Pod throughout the '90s

[Spottedlaurel]

I forgot about the Patrol! Did manage to nip into a couple of local supermarkets tonight, nothing super-exciting but also got the green '81 Camaro plus grey Toyota Van and a modern-ish Impreza WRX.

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, eddyramrod said:

That's very interesting!  How mini is mini?  What sort of scale are we looking at here?

About 1:64

Mine is just a Mira rather than Mini-Mira, but my Mini ones are the same size as this

[eddyramrod]

I see, thank you.  Too small for me these days!

[eddyramrod]

Having said that... one thing I am looking for is the MB Mercedes 450SEL.  I don't mind whether it's plain, taxi or police, because it's going to get painted brown...

Yes, another one for the Ronin set.  Didn't someone make an E34 in a similar scale too?  Again, it's only to paint black...