Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

5 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Do you want me to lift you any Minors and 240s if I see them?

A spare Golf and a MK2 would be my choice - got spares of the others now, thank you

[Datsuncog]

On 13/01/2024 at 21:48, FakeConcern said:

The back looks about right, but has DINO script on it and I'm pretty sure the real 246 GT had no DINO emblems. The front however looks totally wrong with the lights under a weird clear cover rather than on the wings.

I think Dinky's version was based on the one-off Pininfarina concept which eventually morphed into the production Dino but did wear the same badging - the Dino 206 GT Speciale, shown at the 1965 Paris Salon:

The production Dino 206 GT of 1967-69 was quite a bit different, with a more conventional front end treatment (styled by Bertone), and using the new Lampredi-designed V6 built by Fiat - the Dino 246 GT was a further development on a longer wheelbase for 1969-74, with the option of a targa roof (264 GTS).

I seem to recall (from an ancient Classic & Sportscar article) that the 246 GT and GTS didn't wear any Ferrari badges - the only badging said 'Dino'.

The Dinky #216 'Dino Ferrari' was launched in 1967, but at the point it was designed and tooled up, the management at Binns Rd likely had no idea that a substantially different car with the same name would be launched by Ferrari around the same time!

[Spottedlaurel]

22 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Just had the pleasure of rediscovering a PROPPA TOY SHOP this morning too...

That MR2 is very nice. I'm not sure if Miss SL's BF knows about that one....

[FakeConcern]

9 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

I think Dinky's version was based on the one-off Pininfarina concept which eventually morphed into the production Dino but did wear the same badging - the 206 GT Speciale, shown at the 1965 Paris Salon:

The production Dino 206 GT of 1967-69 was quite a bit different, with a more conventional front end treatment, using the new Lampredi-designed V6 built by Fiat, and then the Dino 246 GT was a further development on a longer wheelbase for 1969-74, with the option of a targa roof.

I seem to recall (from an ancient Classic & Sportscar article) that the 246 GT and GTS didn't wear any Ferrari badges - the only badging said 'Dino'.

The Dinky #216 'Dino Ferrari' was launched in 1967, but at the point it was designed and tooled up, the management at Binns Rd likely had no idea that a substantially different car with the same name would be launched by Ferrari around the same time!

Thanks for all of that, I'm sure I was told a lot of that stuff by my Ferrari fan mate including that the Dino wasn't badged Ferrari, it just got twisted around in my memory haha.

The funny thing is I've been passenger in many 60s/70s Ferraris including various Dinos and Daytona Spyder, but I was never really interested in them, I prefered a Mini haha.

[danthecapriman]

3 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

Thanks for all of that, I'm sure I was told a lot of that stuff by my Ferrari fan mate including that the Dino wasn't badged Ferrari, it just got twisted around in my memory haha.

The funny thing is I've been passenger in many 60s/70s Ferraris including various Dinos and Daytona Spyder, but I was never really interested in them, I prefered a Mini haha.

I don’t get the appeal either tbh! 
When I was in the garage we got an 80’s Ferrari of some sort in for some work. Lucky Eddy here got the job of working on it, which was an absolute nightmare!

When I was working on it most of the other guys were swarming around it lusting over it! 
Tbh it was a nice enough car. But it wasn’t particularly comfortable to drive, it was an utter twat to work on, and it just didn’t do much for tbh. And I don’t like red either!!😆

This will cause some serious eyebrow raising… but I always look at cars like that, especially the engine and think, ‘they’re just playing at it really’! My Mercury engine is bigger, looks better and sounds better imho! And it’s easy to work on, cheap to work on and won’t break anywhere near as easily. 
I just don’t get super cars at all. 
In fact, at the time I was driving a Volvo 340 which I much preferred!🤣 keep your fucking Ferrari!

[bunglebus]

I don't like Ferraris either. Lamborghinis and especially Porsches yes, but the former just seem to be owned by people with something to compensate for

[MiniMinorMk3]

14 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

I think Dinky's version was based on the one-off Pininfarina concept which eventually morphed into the production Dino but did wear the same badging - the 206 GT Speciale, shown at the 1965 Paris Salon:

The production Dino 206 GT of 1967-69 was quite a bit different, with a more conventional front end treatment, using the new Lampredi-designed V6 built by Fiat, and then the Dino 246 GT was a further development on a longer wheelbase for 1969-74, with the option of a targa roof.

I seem to recall (from an ancient Classic & Sportscar article) that the 246 GT and GTS didn't wear any Ferrari badges - the only badging said 'Dino'.

The Dinky #216 'Dino Ferrari' was launched in 1967, but at the point it was designed and tooled up, the management at Binns Rd likely had no idea that a substantially different car with the same name would be launched by Ferrari around the same time!

 

4 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

Thanks for all of that, I'm sure I was told a lot of that stuff by my Ferrari fan mate including that the Dino wasn't badged Ferrari, it just got twisted around in my memory haha.

The funny thing is I've been passenger in many 60s/70s Ferraris including various Dinos and Daytona Spyder, but I was never really interested in them, I prefered a Mini haha.

The Dino 206 and 246GT were never badged as Ferraris from the factory. The Dino name, as most probably know, was the name of Mr Ferraris son who died in the 1950s.  Alfredo "Dino" Ferrari came up with the idea of a V6 engine in the mid 1950s shortly before he died. The Dino name was applied to the front engine Ferrari 246 F1 car from 1958 and used on and off on V6 engine cars. 

The Bertone designed 308 GT4 was originally sold as a Dino until the 308 GTB was released and the Dino name was then the model name for the 308 GT4.

There's a bit on the badging on this Iain Tyrrell video that says that the British importer Marrenello Concessionaires fitted 246 Dinos with Ferrari badges.

 

 

 

PS I've been a Ferrari fan since seeing a couple of Dinos in the Midland Bank Sports Club back in about 1972. I remember sticking my arm up the side intake to see where it went. Then Niki Lauda came along in 1975 and that was it, all my JPS Lotus stuff was now old hat and my world turned red. 

 

Forza Ferrari

[bunglebus]

Not a lot of action at the boot sale this morning 

[bunglebus]

Charger is a modern Majorette out of a 5 pack I think

Laser Wheels Allante could be improved with a replacement screen and a bit of black touch up. Maybe

Trailer is not in bad nick

I find it hard to resist these, I just like the style of them

Early Corgi digger

Husky Thunderbird also needs a screen, neither this nor the Allante have A pillars so it's not the end of the world

Best find is this JPS Lotus

[sheffcortinacentre]

7 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

I don’t get the appeal either tbh! 
When I was in the garage we got an 80’s Ferrari of some sort in for some work. Lucky Eddy here got the job of working on it, which was an absolute nightmare!

When I was working on it most of the other guys were swarming around it lusting over it! 
Tbh it was a nice enough car. But it wasn’t particularly comfortable to drive, it was an utter twat to work on, and it just didn’t do much for tbh. And I don’t like red either!!😆

This will cause some serious eyebrow raising… but I always look at cars like that, especially the engine and think, ‘they’re just playing at it really’! My Mercury engine is bigger, looks better and sounds better imho! And it’s easy to work on, cheap to work on and won’t break anywhere near as easily. 
I just don’t get super cars at all. 
In fact, at the time I was driving a Volvo 340 which I much preferred!🤣 keep your fucking Ferrari!

Gentlemen I give you the Ford GT 40. Ferrari who? I rest my case.

[FakeConcern]

The Toy fair list posted on here a week or so ago listed one in Kent, the opposite direction to all those we've been to so far so obv we had to have a look

Mrs Concern only got the Oxford caravan (£1) I'm worried about her!

The C4 Coupe (I collect them) was £2

Dinky Merc, Corgi wicker Mini minus rear wheels & Dinky Zephyr £10

Corgi Jag Mk1, Superkings Javelin, Solido Beta Coupe & Mebetoys Sud Sprint £13

Plastic DS I thought was a Galantine, but is a Tomte £5

Europarc (never heard of it) Facel Vega £17

All the repro parts from a defunct company in Hastings were £1 or less so I got as many as I could remember I need as I've been doing a Steve Flowers order.

The broken Corgi Lancia was thrown in with the parts and I couldn't leave a Corgi Elan for £1.

The DS is really fun with the figures in it...

Looks great for a soft plastic toy

I have a pink Javelin with green screens, not seen one in red with clear

Tow hook missing

I didn't have many Dinkys as a kid I'm making up for lost time now and this Merc is really nice

Always liked Sud Sprints and thought I'd repaint this, but not sure now I have it home

Maybe just touch up the chrome

The Beta is in pretty rough condition with cracked screen and missing a tyre which look an unusual size plus it's a hollow design

This one has plenty of negative camber too, still glad I got it

Not sure why I paid so much for this, he wanted £25 so maybe it was just for the fun of bargaining!

It's nice though

It looks like the roof should come off, but I don't like to try in case I break it.

[bunglebus]

31 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I have a pink Javelin with green screens, not seen one in red with clear

Believe me, those Javelins are a right rabbit hole

I don't know if this has had some of the tampos removed or was made like it

 

[FakeConcern]

1 minute ago, bunglebus said:

Believe me, those Javelins are a right rabbit hole

I don't know if this has had some of the tampos removed or was made like it

 

I love the black ones!

[155V6]

45 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

The Toy fair list posted on here a week or so ago listed one in Kent, the opposite direction to all those we've been to so far so obv we had to have a look

Mrs Concern only got the Oxford caravan (£1) I'm worried about her!

The C4 Coupe (I collect them) was £2

Dinky Merc, Corgi wicker Mini minus rear wheels & Dinky Zephyr £10

Corgi Jag Mk1, Superkings Javelin, Solido Beta Coupe & Mebetoys Sud Sprint £13

Plastic DS I thought was a Galantine, but is a Tomte £5

Europarc (never heard of it) Facel Vega £17

All the repro parts from a defunct company in Hastings were £1 or less so I got as many as I could remember I need as I've been doing a Steve Flowers order.

The broken Corgi Lancia was thrown in with the parts and I couldn't leave a Corgi Elan for £1.

The DS is really fun with the figures in it...

Looks great for a soft plastic toy

I have a pink Javelin with green screens, not seen one in red with clear

Tow hook missing

I didn't have many Dinkys as a kid I'm making up for lost time now and this Merc is really nice

Always liked Sud Sprints and thought I'd repaint this, but not sure now I have it home

Maybe just touch up the chrome

The Beta is in pretty rough condition with cracked screen and missing a tyre which look an unusual size plus it's a hollow design

This one has plenty of negative camber too, still glad I got it

Not sure why I paid so much for this, he wanted £25 so maybe it was just for the fun of bargaining!

It's nice though

It looks like the roof should come off, but I don't like to try in case I break it.

Nice,I like the DS,& the repro parts look like a great find 😎

[bunglebus]

7 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I love the black ones!

KP-1 series. There are various others such as the Caper Cart, all in a single colour, no tampos or stickers. 

I believe they were a sort of budget range but I think they look better. 

Typically even for such a short-lived series, there turned out to be be two colour interiors in the black Javelins, two paint colours and interiors in the Caper Cart and probably other differences

[FakeConcern]

2 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

KP-1 series. There are various others such as the Caper Cart, all in a single colour, no tampos or stickers. 

I believe they were a sort of budget range but I think they look better. 

Typically even for such a short-lived series, there turned out to be be two colour interiors in the black Javelins, two paint colours and interiors in the Caper Cart and probably other differences

I like the Caper Cart too, what plain versions are there of that?

[bunglebus]

5 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I like the Caper Cart too, what plain versions are there of that?

Not sure if the copper colour one is part of the series as it has a black roof, but no stickers

Brabham is the only other one I own

*edit*

This is one too

 

[bunglebus]

Oh. My. God. There's a white Milligan's Mill???

[Spottedlaurel]

That silver Capri II looks really good without the 'vinyl' roof.

 

I managed to make some good progress on my current 1:24 project:

 

For something that is quite toylike, sitting on a chassis shared with another van and intended to be motorized, the basics are all there and it certainly looks like a Hiace.

Some final detailing and tidying required and I should finish this one off next weekend.

[MiniMinorMk3]

15 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

 

The Beta is in pretty rough condition with cracked screen and missing a tyre which look an unusual size plus it's a hollow design

 

That Beta looks like a Solido. I've only ever had them in metallic Green.

I like the Sprint, I had a white one for about 18 months in the mid '80s.

 

[junkyarddog]

Yesterday's single solitary car boot sale find. 

Majorette BMW 733.

Guess this would have originally been a twin pack with a horse box.

"Definitely missin' a few 'orses now M8"

[Datsuncog]

I wrote out a lot of wittering about models and railways and shops last week, in the wake of the Hattons announcement, but then deleted it.

This article says pretty much the same thing, though.

‘An aged hobby’: enthusiasts struggle to keep model railway industry on track | Hobbies | The Guardian

Still think a lot of what's said about railways applies to diecast collecting too - the local model collecting Facebook group now only seems to exist to post obituaries for its members...

[andrew e]

I think Hatton’s exit is very dignified, Winco did the same a few years back and retired gracefully after (35?) many years trading.  Hatton’s going to war with Hornby obviously was the gamble that didn’t pay off.

Hobbies rise and fall, it’s how we’re buying  60/70’s Corgis  and Dinkys for basically buttons in 2024.

Some clubs/society’s don’t help themselves or the hobby mind - there is a major exhibition in Kent with huge attendance and exhibition. Of course “cash only” no cards.

The risk of a huge bag of cash on the premises, finding somewhere to bank this huge bag of cash - all versus a committee setting up an online bank account and buying a card reader for £30! I think this is the killer sometimes.

It’s a good day out mind and worth a look in  if your local.

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/182493-longfield-model-railway-exhibition-27th-28th-january-2024/

[barrett]

16 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

Let me know if you'd ever like to move that one on... I only have one CIJ model (I'm not sure when the 'Europarc' branding came in, probably late 1950s) which is this Dyna X

They did a few cool models of cars nobody else did, including the Dyna Junior, Rovin and this early Alpine, all of which I'd love to find

[bunglebus]

Roving reporter @FakeConcern spotted what I thought was a whole table full of Galanites recently 

As I don't collect them, I only asked him to pick up the Tomte Lardal Beetle

And this Mercury Cougar, which is marked as Vinyl Line - not something I've seen before.

Managed to resist various others such as the Porsche 911 etc, someone had certainly hoarded a few!

[bunglebus]

Vinyl line founded in Germany in 1969 by Dr. Adolf Kurschner. owner Stelter and Co Furth. who actually took over the factory in 1973 and continued to produce under the name Stelco.

[MiniMinorMk3]

The new decal stuff has arrived.

So lets see how it goes on the Vitesse Pioneer Lancia 037.

As usual let find some images of the real car. Slight problem with that. As the car is from the Rallye La Baule finding pictures is a little tricky. I could only find one and that was not much help.

What's in the box.

A car...

Some accessories...

and some decals. Only 7 decals this time. They are big and wrap over things, no fiddly little ones this time.

There are a few pictures of the car aswell, so with the small amount of decals, and the supplied pictures, not finding any shots on the web is not really a problem.

The model is attached to the box with a double sided sticky pad. I sliced through this with my super sharp Leatherman to get the car out. 

The part of the pad left on the base of the car pealed off easily, so I stuck the two halves back together and the mounting can be reused when I have finished with the decals and detailing.

That windscreen looked a bit off.

Back view is fine.

So to address the screen getting these Vitesse 037s apart is quite easy. All you do is get a flat blade screwdriver and push on the black part where the number plate would be.

This releases the rear and you just slide the base away from the front.

The issue with the screen is a bit of plastic that needs trimming on the corner of the screen.

Once filed away the screen pushed home and sat where it should.

On with the decals. I thought I'd start at the back and straight away I knew this was going to be "fun". 40 year old decals are just so brittle, Even with lots of softener the one that goes over the rear spoiler would not bend. Also you can see the cracks in the rear panel decal and the spoiler decal that appeared with just mild pressure.

And here you can see some overhang on the rear panel. Looks like we will be doing some trimming when dry.

After leaving the spoiler to dry on the rear I tried again, and snap, the decal broke in half. With hindsight I should have cut the decal in two and did the top and rear of the spoiler separately.

The roof decal needed two lots of softener to get it down in-between the roof bubbles...

but the front spoiler will just not bend into shape. I will chop of the whiskers and touch in with paint when dry.

So on we went with the right-side...

the bonnet and wings...

and the left-side. Each needing a good amount of softener to get down, and not any major cracks.

The rear spoiler is just horrible.

Once dry I will remove the loose bits and straighten the rough edges. Then I will touch up with a bit of white paint.

I also need to get some super glue gel for the mirrors, and as I have not opened my old Humbrol tin of white for a while, I guess I'll have to make a trip to Hobby Craft for some supplies.

[danthecapriman]

I’ve never seen transfers go hard like that before! Good job getting them on at all by the looks of it.👍

Do you varnish over them afterwards? When I do transfers I always let them dry off fully then use aerosol varnish to spray over them, or the entire model to seal them in permanently. They can last without damage then if you ever need to handle the model.

[bunglebus]

I've got some old decals from a kit, they fall apart when you try and use them. Very frustrating 

[Datsuncog]

Out and about on Saturday morning, then - and it's fair to say my mind was wandering a little after the discussions last week about model collecting, and the various shops that signposted the routes each of us took into the wonderful world of miniature shite.

I'd a few errands to run, but the intention was to head down to Bangor after I was done and have a poke around some of the diecast emporia we last visited over the summer.

Now that didn't happen, but it's okay.

Having collected some pictures from the framer in Holywood, and left them back to the car, I went off to procure some pancakes from a bakery at the far end of the street.

And this route took me past Stewart Miller, a newsagent/ confectioner/ toy shop.

Stewart Miller used to be a small independent chain with about six or seven stores locally, but I think there are only two left now.

But, on reflection, they played probably just as big a role in shaping my collecting as McCulloughs or Leisure World did.

So - I nipped in.

The Siku spinner was one of the first things I saw:

They're slightly cheaper here than in The Entertainer - £4 to £6 for the individual models, £9 or £10 for the twin packs or big commercials.

I kinda like this Sprinter, but they're strong money - and only get dearer as opening/ working features come into the mix:

I like Siku, but somehow their new stuff doesn't do all that much for me. 

I picked up a few 2023 catalogues for perusal later, though (and let me know if you'd like one, free of course).

Stewart Miller also had a fair few Hot Wheels, and a smattering of Matchbox, too...

...which was appropriate, as their branches were the only place I knew that stocked Hot Wheels when I was a nipper.

And, scanning the shelves, I realised this was what made them pretty compelling to me when I was young - they actually carried a proper range.

Cheap pocket-money toys were readily available...

(Yeah, for some reason the Teamsterz singles are more expensive than Hot Wheels equivalent.)

And then there's other wheeled toys of varying quality at about the £5-7 price point.

But also stuff that's kinda more models than toys, at the same price:

(I was a bit interested in that Bburago Mini with a shop, for £7 - I doubt my ten-year-old-self would have been able to resist.)

Then there were playsets - the sort of stuff reserved for Christmas or birthday gifts, or the fruits of several weeks of pocket-money saving:

These Matchbox Action Driver Sets were nowhere near as cheap as the ones Home Bargains were churning out for £6.99 last summer, but it's probably not an outrageous price for this set.

Fair bit of playvalue there.

And, the cherries at the top were of course the 'adult collectables' - Bburago and Maisto models at 1/24 and 1/18 scale.

At £19.99, I'm not sure how long those big Bburago BMWs have been lurking, but nonetheless - it was this kind of stock selection that drew me along a pathway from Matchbox and Hot Wheels singles, to bigger, better detailed models.

And it's kinda nice to know that it's a pathway that's not been totally closed off to kids growing up today.

I know that big-box stores like Smyths also do a decent range, but there's something about the accessibility of a High St shop that enables it to be built in to a Saturday shopping trip - somewhere like Smyth's seems more like a shop you'd have to call into for a specific reason. Stewart Miller is somewhere you'd feasibly call into when you were passing for a greetings card or a lottery ticket or a magazine.

I was also a little surprised to see that Mattel seem to have relaunched a load of 'classic' action figures...

Plus, apparently, there's a Masters Of The Universe reboot:

Well, okay.

Figures were always more of Cog Minor's interest, but still - despite possibly relying on brand recognition for the parents (and possibly grandparents), it's still good to see. Unexpected, but good.

The Stewart Miller branch in Clandeboye Shopping Centre was kinda pivotal in my early diecast collecting - I vividly remember being bought a red Corgi Juniors Vauxhall Nova from there around 1983/ 1984, which I loved dearly (and still have, 40 years on). I was also enthralled by their range of Scalextric cars, especially the police Rover SD1 with working lights - that just seemed like the coolest thing.

Unfortunately, the shopping centre burned down in July 1987, taking Stewart Miller with it. There was another branch in Upper Main Street, which had an entire upper floor of toys, and stocked Corgi, Matchbox and Hot Wheels, as well as Lego and Playmobil, and was a regular place for me to go and ogle diecast. 

Annoyingly, this shop was blown up in a car bomb attack in March 1993, and I was particularly irked to learn the premises were levelled with all the stock still in it - apparently the structure was too unsafe for anyone to enter. I was pretty sure that the diecast (which were all down at the very back of the shop) would probably have been ok.

Stewart Miller reopened in smaller premises further down the street, and carried accordingly smaller lines of toy cars. However, with Corgi being bought out by Mattel in the mid-90s, and Matchbox going over to Tyco, and me becoming less interested in toys and more interested in 'proper' models (and music), there wasn't so much reason for me to be hanging out there anymore - other than because they were one of the few newsagents to stock Jalopy magazine.

I think the last thing I bought from Stewart Miller was a large, unbranded NASCAR set containing about a dozen models, Matchbox-sized, with rubber tyres and all-metal bodies and bases and what looked to be a variety of different castings with reasonably authentic looking advertising liveries (STP, Pennzoil, Exxon). That was a good toy set, though I was probably a bit old for it - I used Scalextric track to set up a banked oval raceway.

The old shop in Main St is now a branch of Caffe Nero, and although they had a branch in the Flagship Centre too, the whole mall shut down a few years back. There's just the branch in Holywood, and one in Newtownards left now.

So - nice to go back, and nice to see it's kinda still there, in a way.

And nice to get a Hot Wheels I've been trying to find for a while, at not too bad a price...

Use 'em or lose 'em, hey?