Shite in Miniature II

[sierraman]

Those early ‘Dinky Collection’ models were really underrated, if they’d carried on they could have easily preempted Vanguards etc. 

[Split_Pin]

The MGB GT is well above early Vanguards in my opinion, especially the separate chromed handbrake and gear lever. Corgi Classics completely eclipsed them though, they certainly captured my young imagination with their saloon cars of the 50s and 60s.

[Datsuncog]

On 12/10/2022 at 12:53 PM, MiniMinorMk3 said:

One of my favourite Matchbox Collectibles series are the Muscle Collection. The detail is pretty good, the colours are good and the proportions look right. Even the underside are well detailed with correct engine colours.

YMC06-M '68 Camaro 396 SS

 

YMC08-M '66 Chevelle ss 396

YMC01-M '70 Chevelle SS 454

YMC12-M '71 Challenger R/T

YMC10-M '69 Charger

YMC09-M '66 Fairlane 500XL

YMC11-M '70 Olds 442

YMC02-M '71 'Cuda 440 

YMC07-M '70 Plymouth GTX

YMC04-M '70 Plymouth Roadrunner

Such great models for the era, and it remains a collection I'd like to assemble (one day).

Really wish Matchbox had made these castings in the repro Super Kings style packaging available over here:

#

Obviously the 70's SK style wheels are much more toy-like, but the overall package is very, very appealing.

[MiniMinorMk3]

4 hours ago, sierraman said:

Those early ‘Dinky Collection’ models were really underrated, if they’d carried on they could have easily preempted Vanguards etc. 

 

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

The MGB GT is well above early Vanguards in my opinion, especially the separate chromed handbrake and gear lever. Corgi Classics completely eclipsed them though, they certainly captured my young imagination with their saloon cars of the 50s and 60s.

They were some great vehicles in the Matchbox Dinky Collection. The MGB V8 was great, the Triumph Stag, TR4. My favourite was the KG Cabrio. It filled the gap that MiniChamps had left by only making the 55-57 version. The Dinky version was teh post 57 with the larger nose grilles.

At the time I thought the Dinky Collection models were better than the Corgi Classics, the detail seemed better. What makes them so cheap now, compared with other brands is that they were made in their thousands, like early Vanguards, and hung around unsold for quite a while.

[MiniMinorMk3]

Continuing the road side assistance theme here's a bunch of RAC vehicles.

SRC A35 Van

Vanguards A35 Van

Vanguards Mini Van

Vanguards Anglia

Vanguards Anglia RAC Set

Vanguards Morris Minor Van

Vitesse Land Rover

[bunglebus]

Postie man dropped off some eBay wins earlier, all from one seller

The last one of these DelPrado Toyotas I got my hands on ended up as a parts donor for a custom Corvette. Not sure what I'll do with this one yet

Got to be deeply into the Tyco era for this Matchbox Burnin' Key Cars 959

This is a lot nicer,  Matchbox Collectibles '55 Chevy drop top

Efsi is a brand we don't see much of, this Commer interestingly taking a leaf out of Majorette's book when it comes to wheels 

He also had a selection of premium Hot Wheels that didn't seem to get any other bids,  so I snapped them up

[bunglebus]

Popped into the local charity shop this afternoon, they had a big zip-loc bag full of old cars, but wanted £20 for them. Seemed a lot but I could see a few interesting ones hiding inside, so bit the bullet. How did I do?

Despite lots of them being from the shrinking hub era, there's just one tyre missing among them

[Datsuncog]

That's not a bad haul, Yesteryears notwithstanding!

Corgi Mini, early Lesneys and late-60s King Size are well worth having.

Nice.

[AndyW201]

Not a productive week for miniature shite. Found these in Morrisons, which was annoying as they had three boxes with older case stuff in and one solitary clipstrip with newer stuff. These were the only two there that I have been looking for.

It's a Merc, of course I had to have it...

I do like a fox body, and I like the go faster graphics on this. (I'm a boy racer that never grew up, basically, soz).

Can't beat an '80s red interior either!

The '80s collection cars look pretty good in this case. The '84 Corvette looks fab as does the Caddy Seville. Will have to keep checking Morrisons, although now I'm laid up with a fucked foot, it might be a while...

Had a delivery today from Ana's Hot Wheels site on Facebook.

I do like these little boxes, they evoke childhood memories of Superfast and 1-75. I've been lucky enough to find the BGT in red and BRG, but this is my favourite colour scheme as it's more '70s -BL. Quite close to Bronze yellow I think.

Another one I've never found in Tesco. I'm resisting the temptation at the moment to get these out of the box, but I'll probably give in. Mainly to find out which hand drive the MR2 is and whether it's got it's eyes open or not!

And one I missed from the last case. (Still wanting the BMW 3 series touring if anyone comes across one). Mattel are really going for it with the '90s stuff.

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

52 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Popped into the local charity shop this afternoon, they had a big zip-loc bag full of old cars, but wanted £20 for them. Seemed a lot but I could see a few interesting ones hiding inside, so bit the bullet. How did I do?

 

Well worth the investment. 👍

[AndyW201]

Being laid up for the week, I had a little play about with an unfinished project.

A while ago, I picked up a bashed about el-cheapo Atlas Cortina MK3 police car. The reason being, among my Vanguards fast Fords, I didn't have a sporty MK3 Cortina. Vanguards did a few 2000 GTs in police trim, but these (correctly) didn't have the all important tombstone front seats or sports wheels because the real  police spec GTs didn't come with them. The Atlas Editions Essex Police version  (which used the Vanguards casting) did come with the seats, though. (There is now a proper Vanguards 'civilian' GT  available in Marine Blue with tombstone seats and sport steel wheels but it's on a long 'to buy' list. And by the time I get round to buying one, Vanguards OSF tax will have kicked in...)

Problem is, although new & packaged Atlas police models still go for about a tenner, the MK3 tends to go for strong money.

However, I got one for a fiver from eBay , with half the roof mounted stuff already smashed off.

I got as far as removing the blue light, the police markings and the grille mounted siren. I wanted a slightly rough, '80s Boy Racer vibe to go with my Vanguards Hidden Treasures/Boy Racer cars, so I  gave it a simulated vinyl roof to hide where the fittings had been, added a couple of spotlights,  lowered the suspension and then put it away again as the roof had come out shite, the removal of the  siren had taken some of the grille with it (hence the spotlights) and I dropped it while screwing it back together, losing the indicators and one wing mirror...

Bored,  I dug it out today and had another go at it.

So, the fog lights (nicked from a scrap MK2 rally car) have gone and some silver Sharpie has returned the grille back a bit. The remaining wing mirror has gone and a pair of K&R bullet mirrors fill the holes in the wings. I also attempted to bring back the indicators with some silver and orange Sharpie.

Also from K&R, a set of good ol' Slotmags.

Managed to sand down the roof a bit. It's still horrible and lumpy but loads better than it was. A bit more silver has brought back the brightwork on the gutters, C pillars at the end of the vinyl roof, screen frames and door handles.

So, yes, not the best detailing job and the paint is still shit, but that suits the 'tatty, fast '80s shitbox with numerous blow-ins' style I was going for. It would look nicer sprayed in something like Daytona yellow or Purple velvet, but I'd probably mess that up as well, and I'd lose that all important GT badge.

[155V6]

39 minutes ago, AndyW201 said:

Being laid up for the week, I had a little play about with an unfinished project.

A while ago, I picked up a bashed about el-cheapo Atlas Cortina MK3 police car. The reason being, among my Vanguards fast Fords, I didn't have a sporty MK3 Cortina. Vanguards did a few 2000 GTs in police trim, but these (correctly) didn't have the all important tombstone front seats or sports wheels because the real  police spec GTs didn't come with them. The Atlas Editions Essex Police version did come with the seats.though. (There is now a proper Vanguards 'civilian' GT  available in Marine Blue with sport steel wheels but it's on a long 'to buy' list. And by the time I get round to buying one, Vanguards OSF tax will have kicked in...)

Problem is, although new & packaged Atlas police models still go for about a tenner, the MK3 goes for strong money.

However, I got one for a fiver from eBay , with half the roof mounted stuff already smashed off.

 

I got as far as removing the blue light, the police markings and the grille mounted siren. I wanted a slightly rough, '80s Boy Racer vibe to go with my Vanguards Hidden Treasures/Boy Racer versions, so gave it a simulated vinyl roof to hide where the fittings had been, lowered the suspension and then put it away again as the roof had come out shite, the siren took a load of the grille with it and I dropped it while screwing it back together, losing the indicators and one wing mirror...

Bored,  I had another go at it.

So, the fog lights (nicked from a scrap MK2 rally car) have gone and some silver Sharpie has returned the grille back a bit. The remaining wing mirror has gone and a pair of K&R bullet mirrors fill the holes in the wings. I also attempted to bring back the indicators with some silver and orange Sharpie.

Also from K&R, a set of good ol' Slotmags.

Managed to sand down the roof a bit. It's still horrible and lumpy but loads better than it was. A bit more silver has brought back the brightwork on the gutters, C pillars at the end of the vinyl roof, screen frames and door handles.

So, yes, not the best detailing job and the paint is still shit, but that suits the tatty, fast '80s shitbox with numerous blow-ins style I was going for. It would look nicer sprayed in something like Daytona yellow or Purple velvet, but I'd probably mess that up as well, and I'd lose that all important GT badge.

That's really captured what a lot of them looked like by then.I had a 2.0GT,white with black vinyl roof,PAR 301L in 1987,& it looked very much like yours except it had Alleycat wheels.

.

[bunglebus]

I find Halfords graffiti matt black is really good for things like vinyl roofs.

Alternatively Posca paint pens have a good finish but you'll see lines on a big area like that.

Nice Tincorner, looks like the ones that used to skid about on the housing estates I frequented as a teenager 

[Mine's a Leganza!]

On 12/9/2022 at 12:47 PM, Datsuncog said:

Though there were also these far-Eastern 1/76 buses, which someone will probably advise me are worth more than my house:

I understand these are also a tenner a throw.

 

I would be interested in the two China Motor Bus collections if they are still there on your next visit. I have been to Hong Kong a number of times and travelled on the fabulous bus network. A quick check on eBay suggests £25 and £35 is the going rate.

The London Transport Museum had books on the China Motor Bus in the 80's, I wish I had kept them now. 

[eddyramrod]

I found this on ebay:

Box of toy cars | eBay

Collection only, in Lancaster, finishing Saturday.  As I type, it's at 99p with no bids.  I would like to bid on it, which should mean a lot of stuff will come to the market quite cheap after Christmas!  Or possibly even, at Cumbernauld!

[bunglebus]

Think I put that on the miniature eBay tat thread, some good bits in there! 

[Tenmil Socket]

10 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Think I put that on the miniature eBay tat thread, some good bits in there! 

A potential bargain there for someone!

[bunglebus]

Anyone need a red, lights-up RHD Matchbox MR2? One left in Tesco 

[MiniMinorMk3]

Todays instalment of road side assistance vehicles are from The Royal Dutch Automobile Club (ANWB)

Eligor Citroen 3CV Roadside Assistance Code 3 Version

Elogor Ciroen 3CV Roadside Assistance Standard Version

Lion-Toys DAF 33 Roadside Assistance Standard Version

Lion-Toys DAF 33 Roadside Assistance Code 3 Version

Norev Jet-Car Mercedes Ambulance ANWB Alarm Central

[andy18s]

Ottomobile had a half price Black Friday sale so I decided to treat myself,and it arrived today.

Quality is excellent and they have got a lot of the details spot on unlike their latest Fiesta models,which have the sunroof in backwards...

 

[bunglebus]

33 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Norev Jet-Car Mercedes Ambulance ANWB Alarm Central

Mine's had a tough life

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, andy18s said:

Ottomobile had a half price Black Friday sale so I decided to treat myself,and it arrived today.

Quality is excellent and they have got a lot of the details spot on unlike their latest Fiesta models,which have the sunroof in backwards...

 

Great detail on the Manta 400. I like the tax disc and the driver/co-driver certification.

Here's the car as it appeared in the '85 Lombard RAC, driven by Jimmy McRae and Ian Grindon.

[Split_Pin]

I received my Pilen Chrysler yesterday, it's in near mint condition. Very basic compared to the Mira, but it has an interior unlike the Mini Jet.

 

[sierraman]

35 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I received my Pilen Chrysler yesterday, it's in near mint condition. Very basic compared to the Mira, but it has an interior unlike the Mini Jet.

 

I have a Norev Talbot Solara, proportioned very similar. 

[eddyramrod]

9 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

A potential bargain there for eddyramrod!

EFA

[Datsuncog]

Blimey, looks like a Tesco employee just emptied out a fresh case this evening.

Sadly, I felt it would be unwise to buy all of these - so just contented myself with a yellowy-orange MGB this time round.

Though I know I'll regret not buying more of those lovely blue Capris at some point...

[155V6]

Local Toyfair was on last night,I nearly didn't venture out because of the cold.Glad I did though

[sierraman]

2 hours ago, 155V6 said:

Local Toyfair was on last night,I nearly didn't venture out because of the cold.Glad I did though

I’m considering visiting the one in Doncaster end of this month, some overpriced stuff of course but in the main a lot of it is more sensibly priced than eBay 

[MiniMinorMk3]

Today the roadside assistance comes from Australia and South Africa.

Vanguards NRMA (National Roads and Motorists Association) Morris Minor van

Trax NRMA Holden FJ Wreck Truck

Trax NRMA Holden HZ Panel Van

Trax RACV (Royal Automobile Club Victoria) Holden FJ Van

Trax RACV Holden EJ Van

Trax RAA (Royal Automobile Association) Holden EH Van

Trax AA South Africa Holden FJ Van

 

 

[bunglebus]

New Team Transports including Metro...

And a new 5 pack - all in Smyths