Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

Better prices than where I was then

[FakeConcern]

To be fair they are mostly fucked though!

[flat4alfa]

I would give you more than £2 for that Rover

[flat4alfa]

Bargains for £2 the lot of them 

[eddyramrod]

3 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

Brighton Marina boot fair this morning

Dinky

Corgi

I just gave them a bit of a wash and had some strange reactions I've not seen before. I tried a quick wipe with cellulose thinners  on the red ink or paint on the Jensen, did nothing, so into some water and the bits with red started to come off taking the yellow underneath with it, bugger!

All of these were £2, but got a bit off as Mrs Concern bought some stuff from the same seller and he gave us that free, so not too bad.

 

I'd give you profit on one of the Jensens and the Triumph 2000 right away, so you did well there.

[danthecapriman]

I’m waiting for some paint to arrive (bloody Yodel!) so in the meantime I’ve started working on these…

Corgi Escorts.    
This one’s the Jr’s mk3. Was the Duckhams blue version. 

And the bigger mk3 van that’s going into SEB service!

Both of these must have come from Corgi’s little stint of cheapness I think! The Jr’s car had excess flash all over the place! I’ve cleaned the worst off with a file but it was terrible! 
The van, look at the state of the door detail on this side. The mould must have been so worn out by the time this one was made. Turn the van around and the other side is fine. They must have really been cheaping out at the time!

[Tenmil Socket]

31 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I’m waiting for some paint to arrive (bloody Yodel!) so in the meantime I’ve started working on these…

Corgi Escorts.    
This one’s the Jr’s mk3. Was the Duckhams blue version. 

And the bigger mk3 van that’s going into SEB service!

Both of these must have come from Corgi’s little stint of cheapness I think! The Jr’s car had excess flash all over the place! I’ve cleaned the worst off with a file but it was terrible! 
The van, look at the state of the door detail on this side. The mould must have been so worn out by the time this one was made. Turn the van around and the other side is fine. They must have really been cheaping out at the time!

On the van, isn't there a fuel filler on the drivers side?

Also, paint a thin straw silver for the exhaust and use a bent paperclip to look like a bent coat hanger as the aerial.

I was going to make door mirrors for the van I did but never got round to it.

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, Tenmil Socket said:

On the van, isn't there a fuel filler on the drivers side?

Also, paint a thin straw silver for the exhaust and use a bent paperclip to look like a bent coat hanger as the aerial.

I was going to make door mirrors for the van I did but never got round to it.

I don’t think there is a fuel filler! Tbh I hadn’t thought about it until you mentioned that! 
Door mirrors are a good idea. A bit of plastic card filed to shape should do that.

[Tenmil Socket]

Anyone recall these?

[bunglebus]

No ^

Popped into Smyths and found this

Even photographed it with minimal reflections!

[Split_Pin]

3 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

I’m waiting for some paint to arrive (bloody Yodel!) so in the meantime I’ve started working on these…

Corgi Escorts.    
This one’s the Jr’s mk3. Was the Duckhams blue version. 

And the bigger mk3 van that’s going into SEB service!

Both of these must have come from Corgi’s little stint of cheapness I think! The Jr’s car had excess flash all over the place! I’ve cleaned the worst off with a file but it was terrible! 
The van, look at the state of the door detail on this side. The mould must have been so worn out by the time this one was made. Turn the van around and the other side is fine. They must have really been cheaping out at the time!

That van casting got some massive mileage at Corgi.  I had a Dunlop version in about 1983 and I was still buying newly-released examples in the late 1990s. So its no wonder it wore out!

[flat4alfa]

From 1990

POWERED BY INTERACTIVE MAGNETIC FORCE !

THRUSTOR ?

THRUSTOR !

[danthecapriman]

I went for brown on the Escort! Such an inspired choice!   
A friend had a mk3 3 door 1.3L in brown years ago. When he sold it, it went to be converted into yet another RS replica.    
Once the details get picked out it’ll look good I think.

 

Dinky Pontiac has had primer & filler done. Just waiting for the paint to arrive for it. 
It’s got some suspension issues to resolve though.

[MiniMinorMk3]

Matchbox Collectibles used more than one casting for '57 Chevy's.

For the Bel Air Hard Top and Bel Air Convertibles...

they used the Matchbox Dinky castings

For the '57 Nomad...

they used the Vitesse casting.

 

[sierraman]

22 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

From 1990

POWERED BY INTERACTIVE MAGNETIC FORCE !

I had something similar, Zero G I think it was called, had this service station type thing but no cars for it. 😂

I think in the early 90’s they were experimenting with anything a bit techy, they had a range of electric railways which I seem to recall were preposterously expensive, the failed Intercom City which seemed to linger on shelves for a long time - also ridiculously expensive. Many of the Intercom City compatible cars were sold off cheaply in the end towards the end of the decade. The 80’s stuff was more tie ins with Kidco and the Collucci Cars etc. 

[bunglebus]

Talking of old forgotten toys, I saw this at the toy fair

I had one as I kid, brought back all sorts of memories of revving up the friction motor and seeing it wheelie away when the button is pressed - Fisher Price

[flat4alfa]

In 1992 when the Intercom City set was new I was into other things.  Ladies and raving.  Or raving ladies.

In recent years picked up this Intercom City Chevrolet wrecker.  Or should I say ‘Breakdown Van'

I think the day-glo orange was specific to the range

The stored computer voice used a US accent chip, which is odd as the Intercom City range wasn't sold in the US

 

[Tenmil Socket]

I have this:

[bunglebus]

That's what that is then

 

[flat4alfa]

 

Touch meeee
How can it be

Believe meeee
The sun always shines, on TV

Hold meeee
Close to your heart

Touch meeee
Give all your love to me

To meeeeeeee

 

Had a few of the Majorette 1:36 Ford Econoline.  Most gone now, but liked this 'TV Service' livery the most, never seen another.  Bought it off French eBay seller, had it shipped over.  But I'm better now.

[barrett]

Thanks to the wonder of Autoshite, having spotted a toy car for sale in Nottingham (collection only) last week, it is now in my grubby little hands

Thanks too @FakeConcern for facilitating the collection/drop-off

Looks familiar, because

However, it's a slightly earlier issue so I can compare box variations. How sexy is that?

It's a Flavia party over here right now

Anyway, I won't apologise for that. The Flavia Zagato model is what first intrigued me about Italian diecast from the '60s, and it took me years to actually get one, so adding a second feels like a totally normal thing to do. Particularly at such a bargain price.

[sierraman]

Consulting the 1993 Argos Catalogue shows the Intercom City at £39.99, which in today’s money is £100.46, this probably goes a long way to why few were sold. 

[andrew e]

Top bombing @FakeConcern 👍

[flat4alfa]

I only have one Lancia Flavia, in 2000 HF flavour

Made by Starline in 1:43

I very nearly bought one of the real thing, some years ago.  That would have been a money-pit no doubt.

[Reluctant Adult]

On 31/10/2023 at 18:08, Datsuncog said:

Poundstretcher continues to stock up with some pricey-ish older Matchbox longcards:

Think these are at least a couple of years old now.

Also some early 2023 boxed ones, which I kinda like more than the blister card examples:

I guess they remind me of the Lesney era ones from my very early memories.

Plus, easier to store.

I'm hopeful that in a few weeks these will all be OMFG HALF PRICE!!! and then you can all see how abysmally weak-willed I am.

Oh, and there was a Super Chase Corvette there too. Anyone want it?

This post prompted me to visit my local (colossal) Poundstretcher in Banbury today. There was a huge quantity of both HW & MB, but weirdly in a limited variety of designs - so much so that many were actually named on the peg, e.g “HW LANCIA DELTA INTEGRALE” - never seen this done before; it was even named as an Integrale on the receipt. I’ve also never seen so many met green HW Integrales in the same place - there must have been 50! I left with an MB Subaru SVX (£1.50) & a green Integrale (£1.69) - so it looks like pricing varies by store…

[eddyramrod]

I've just cleaned out my entire ebay watch list.  Two boxes arrived this morning and it's going to be very cold in bed for the rest of the week!

[AndyW201]

7 hours ago, bunglebus said:

 

Popped into Smyths and found this

Even photographed it with minimal reflections!

Snap!

Picked this up at Asda at the weekend,

Yep, it is a bastard to photograph!

As usual, the detailing is good, and the metal base and real rider wheels and tyres give an air of quality. As it should at the price! 

I was a bit disappointed at missing out on the red Canyon Racers E39 M5, so I was happy to find the E34, which I prefer anyway. I quite fancy the Supra and Nova in this series as well, and possibly even the Land Rover, so I'll probably be visiting Asda again over the next few weeks. (It's nice to sneak diecast buying into the weekly shop. Helps marital harmony no end...)

Aldi had the last knockings of the Q case stuff in, so grabbed the last couple of releases that caught my eye.

Huge engined supercar stuff isn't usually my bag but it's nice to see this version of the Viper in standard early form. The 3 spoke wheels look gloriously '90s style on this.

I'm trying desperately to avoid getting multiple coulourways of the same casting, but I can't resist a Plymouth GTX.

And I grabbed the last 510 wagon in the shop, as a spare. Available if anyone's desperate for one...

[AndyW201]

 And I finally got round to opening and examining the contents of the recently arrived bunglebox.

Some moderns first, a couple I already have spares of, so I can now open and fondle the silver Merc,

I've already opened and pissed about detailing a Kadett so this one can stay on the card for now.

Been looking forward to getting this one, I was chuffed to get the white GTV, but I think it looks a whole lot better in red.

A lovely rendering of one of my favourite shapes of all time. I remember getting a similarly scaled bright green Guisval version from Spain in 1987. Was one of my favourite holiday purchases, (although the bar was high as I also scored the Guisval MK3 Granada, Seat Malaga and Peugeot 205 5-door that holiday)

Also in the box were,

After my childhood phase of collecting Majorettes, I went through a bit of a second phase with them around the mid to late '80s even though, I suppose I was getting a little TOO old to be knobbing around with toy cars by then. A guy at our local market had started stocking a good selection of then current releases at well below toy shop prices. I fondly remember the Toyota Tercel 4WD, Lite Ace, Saab 900, Volvo 760, and Alfa Giulietta. This Prelude was one I missed out on at the time though.

It's a pretty well modelled, if slightly basic thing. I do like the all glazed rear panel and rear wiper like the real thing. I remember the real Prelude being unusual at the time in being a non hatchback with a rear wiper.

It looks a bit better with the wheels re silvered I think.

This is a replacement for one I loved as a kid, helped probably by a certain Secret Service white RS on the telly at the time. I think I just played the wheels off it and it eventually got binned when it had no paint or A pillars left! I later got a Super GT version when they came out but it wasn't the same, with the black windows and no interior, so it's nice to have an original one again. 

This one's really in decent shape. May just lose what's left of the decals, touch in the worst of the paint chips and maybe black the spoiler and detail the lights.

The MG1100 was another one I had and loved as a kid.  It dated from a good few years before I was born and already had not one scrap of paint left on it so it must have been  handed down by my brother or cousin. I liked it as, like most of the toy cars I had, it was an ordinary 'relatable' car, and ADO16s were still quite commonplace on the roads at that time. And it had added dag...

This one is in far far better condition than the one from my toybox. I'm very pleased with it.

Another one I remember having as a kid, along with the Merc 450 SEL and the Peugeot 604, they made a lovely Motor magazine group-test style Euro luxobarge trio. I recently got a replacement for the Merc, I need to find a Peugeot now...

Bit of '90s Majorette goodness now. Reminds me of a 19 cabby a mate had a few years ago.

One from my favourite Matchbox era, that I missed out on, and quite an unusual subject.

Quite an oddity in having RHD too,

As is this one. It's only recently I've been aware that Matchbox did a 5 series. I've been after one since then, but wasn't keen on the faux-Touring Car livery most of them come in. Recently I discovered  they did this  black version, but they must be fairly rare because they go for crazy money on eBay. I think the black & tan colour combo really suits it and it's a decent rendering of the E34 shape. As an '80s-'90s German car fanboy, I do like the ones Matchbox did at the time, now this can join the 323i Bauer cab, Merc 500SL, 500 S-Class and 300E.

I've black Sharpied the worst of the paint chips, just to tidy it up, along with a strange bit of bubbling on the bonnet and wing that had to be rubbed down. If the black version is a bit on the rare side, I dont  really want to repaint it. (As I'd probably balls it up anyway...)

[bunglebus]

The black is certainly a lot more relatable as a real car - don't know which of these is now yours but I've had three, but only one in white

With a bit of work it could look very good, lights painted in etc

[AndyW201]

Last one from the bunglebox was this,

Don't really know what I'm going to do with it, as I've not had anything in this scale for donkeys years. But it's a Merc...

Again, like the vast majority of older diecasts I've bought from the good folk on here, it's for a combination of nostalgia and/or  one I wanted at the time but missed out on. I loved my Polistil and Burago 1/24 ish cars. I had the red 190E (that had a lot to answer for in later years...) but never got the SEC , although I did have it's near rival, the BMW 635 CSi which was a lovely thing. This one, bodywise is immaculate, practically perfect.

Only things that spoil it really are the missing rear light section (same section actually came loose on my old 635 too) 

And the seat backrests. There is a slightly shabby one of these on eBay for about £4 with intact rear lights and tan interior. I may get it as a donor and mint this one up. The condition of the bodywork makes it worthwhile I think.