Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

Poundstretcher have lots of Matchbox but it's the same old

[bunglebus]

Charidee shop bags at a reasonable price for once, found a few goodies here too

[IronStar]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Charidee shop bags at a reasonable price for once, found a few goodies here too

Is that a Figaro on the left?!

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, IronStar said:

Is that a Figaro on the left?!

Yes - a Cars one annoyingly. I showed that one to the Mrs as we like a Figaro

[bunglebus]

Charity shop bags had a couple of bits that weren't Chinese junk

This goes behind a Land Rover normally, but looks right at home...

...behind this customised Volvo

And a bonus Porsche

Tomica Pantera was what initially caught my eye

Majorette Land Cruiser 

And a couple of late Matchbox, haven't seen the Volvo in black before

I knew it wasn't going to be a spectacular day for diecast when I saw Rylan's mum instead of Denise Van Outen

[bunglebus]

In the post was an Impy VW ambulance, I've got a spattering of these around but uncracked glazing is unusual 

I know I go on about them but nothing else really had the detail, steering and opening bits like a Lone Star. If only they'd succeeded against the likes of Matchbox 

[Datsuncog]

Took a bit of a wander around central Belfast at lunchtime today, but didn't find a great deal to tickle my diecast fancy.

The Poundland Perks special offer on £1.50 Matchbox mainlines finishes tomorrow, and while they did have the good grace to get their shelves re-stocked for the promotion, all the stores I checked out seem to just be carrying old stock from 2023 that we've all seen plenty of times before.

Some nice enough pieces, but nothing really worth buying duplicates over.

The Poundstretcher branch in Castle Street didn't seem to have got the memo about discounted 2022 Matchbox longcards, as they were still out at £2.49. They also didn't seem to have any of the newer shortcards that I'd seen in the Carrick branch, so another FAIL there.

The Castle Court branch of The Entertainer was where I'd been most enthusiastic to explore, but their small Matchbox display was a bit meh - only two Moving Parts releases were left ('64 Buick Riviera and Seagrave Fire Tender) but all the rest had gone. The staff had faced over the Moving Parts pegs with more of those unappealing 70th Anniversary premiums for £7, none of which seem to be winning the hearts of local collectors.

In terms of Hot Wheels, The Entertainer's mainlines consisted of pretty much just the fantasy pegwarmers from the mid-2024 mix; of that particular case selection, I think the red road version of the Audi Quattro's the only one I fancied but didn't manage to find. Though, I understand there's a recoloured version in black coming up in the next case - so I'll probably live. Promotions are now back to '3 for 2', rather than 'Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price' or whatever it was last week. But even though this is a slightly better deal (£1.60 each rather than £1.80 each) I couldn't even see three I much cared to acquire.

HW Premiums and semi-premiums prices are a bit up and down - the Roadkill Rotsun is now down to a fiver, but the lovely orange Volvo 142 (of which they still have loads, six weeks after restocking) is back up to £9 again. Early 2024 Team Transports are reduced from £19 to £15.20, which kinda appealed - the AAR Cuda with Sakura Sprinter box truck is one I liked when it came out; maybe they'll still have some left come payday next week. No Fiat team trucks left, but that's ok.

The latest 2024 Fast & Furious Silverlines were finally in stock - first I've seen of these. The slammed matt grey Chevrolet Chevelle was actually very nice for £4, and a much better casting (complete with metal base) than the F&F mainlines multipack version, which I find has a slightly humpy-looking shell and too-big-wheels. The black Dodge Charger was looking appealing too. But there were no Chevrolet Fleetmasters left on the pegs whatsoever, which surprised me - I thought it might be an unpopular model, what with having no doors or wings and looking like scrap. Shows you what I know. 

So, no purchases there - nor over at Cash Converters, which still have the same stale selection of EFE trucks and Corgi film & TV related stuff from the early 2000s (but £15 a pop), plus all our old favourites like the Vitesse Renault Laguna estate in the huge box for £25, or the Franklin Mint 1/24 Chevy for a ludicrous £175,

They did have a sign up saying '10% off toys and models', but even so - naaaah.

A quick nip into B&M did yield up another pair of lime green Escort RS2000s - damn, I gotta stop buying them...

So yeah - not quite what I was hoping for, but you gotta keep checking these things, otherwise you'll go mad...

Hang on, I probably am mad...

[sierraman]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Charity shop bags had a couple of bits that weren't Chinese junk

This goes behind a Land Rover normally, but looks right at home...

...behind this customised Volvo

And a bonus Porsche

Tomica Pantera was what initially caught my eye

Majorette Land Cruiser 

And a couple of late Matchbox, haven't seen the Volvo in black before

I knew it wasn't going to be a spectacular day for diecast when I saw Rylan's mum instead of Denise Van Outen

The Volvo had a container on the back advertising the then current slogan for Matchbox ‘Get in the Fast Lane’ or whatever it was. 

[155V6]

I picked this up at the car boot this morning,not a version I've seen before

Shame about the melted bit on the roof,you can get replacements but they only seem to come in orange 🤔

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

16 minutes ago, 155V6 said:

I picked this up at the car boot this morning,not a version I've seen before

Shame about the melted bit on the roof,you can get replacements but they only seem to come in orange 🤔

 

Think that came with the gold/black stripe MK4 cortina.

[155V6]

[Tenmil Socket]

Check out the little shop

[bunglebus]

I find myself drawn to AliExpress more and more, as we just don't seem to get a good supply of Matchbox in this country. Only downside is they only use air bubble packaging so sometimes the cards get damaged

However, I'll probably unbox them and put them in display eventually so it's not the end of the world.

First up, a couple of little Brats

No front or rear detailing on them sadly, seems a pity for a semi-premium vehicle. Celeste gets a bit more attention 

Next up, Z car fresh from the ironing board

Grab box was also a bit squished 

Rabbit is all good though

I thought I'd line it up with the 70s Superfast version, to see how much things have changed in diecast manufacture. A much more accurate shape on the new version, and good detail for the most part - but some is achieved with tampos rather than cast in

While I was there it occurred to me I could line up old and new 3.0 CSLs

Same thing here, the new one is a much better representation of the real thing, but I always wonder how I'd customise the newer ones without any dividing lines in the tail lights for example. I'd say both the new ones were very over-wheeled too if you know what I mean - probably due to being under the same umbrella as Hot Wheels

Both have moving parts although you didn't have to pay extra for the privilege in the 70s

Talking of paying extra, I shelled out on this Mattel Creations Matchbox BMW E3

A few people have pointed out an E30s bonnet doesn't open like this...

There are also a couple of quite noticeable paint defects, not really what you expect with an item that's aimed at collectors

[MiniMinorMk3]

An E30 M3 with correct bonnet opening.

[MiniMinorMk3]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

 Only downside is they only use air bubble packaging so sometimes the cards get damage.

To me that is unacceptable. I know it's just a bit of card, but in collector land Mint is Mint, and bent is not.

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

 

There are also a couple of quite noticeable paint defects, not really what you expect with an item that's aimed at collectors

 

 

It's not just the bonnet that is wrong. 

Here is a the BMW M3 that was released in November 1992 for the 1993 model year. Production of the E30 stopped in June 1991.

 

[Datsuncog]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I find myself drawn to AliExpress more and more, as we just don't seem to get a good supply of Matchbox in this country.

Mmm, some nice arrivals there - I've resigned myself to the fact that if I ever want a Celeste or a Brat, I may have to go down the same AliExpress route.

How annoying that the packaging is so rubbish, though - poor show to be charging collector prices but skimping on the packaging. Like you say, not quite the end of the world, but still... I was similarly vexed when Amazon sent my first Action Drivers Airport set in just a paper bag with no bubble wrap or stiffeners, so of course it arrived with the box pretty bashed up too.

I wasn't aware of the Mattel Creations range until now, or that E30... agree it could all be a bit better done in terms of detail and realism, especially when I checked out the prices...Crikey Moses, HFM??!

 

Did some more lunchtime adventuring myself in search of diecast today - pics to come later, kids.

[bunglebus]

Who's up for some Sputafuoco? No mention of Mebetoys in this one for some reason

 

[Datsuncog]

38 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

38 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

 

Is that Mantis pic not just a standard Hot Wheels redline, rather than the scaled-up Italian version?

EDIT: no idea how I've managed to nest the quotes like that!

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Is that Mantis pic not just a standard Hot Wheels redline, rather than the scaled-up Italian version?

It looks like it to me, as far as I know none of them wear scaled up Redline wheels

Moving onto 1974...

From this point, things get a bit weird - the second half of the catalogue is printed up the other way, so we must head to the back and start again

So, other than some vaguely Matchbox MAC/Playmobil looking things, there's not a lot for us in part two

[andrew e]

BIG JIM and his mates look terrifying !

[Datsuncog]

I certainly wouldn't want to tangle with Big Josh and his Little Jorts.

[Datsuncog]

Well then... some mornings, you just get a tingle that something's happening, somewhere...

Call it a diecast sixth sense.

And what do you know? Turns out that yesterday's the day the Tesco Extra down the road got its toy aisle stocked out as an in-store branch of The Entertainer.

Staff were still opening boxes as I arrived.

So the big question - what delights has this seismic change wrought? 

Well, as others have mentioned, there's no Matchbox. At all. If you want diecast, it's either Hot Wheels or Teamsterz. 

Bit of a let-down, to be honest, BUT at least Poundland and Poundstretcher seem to be bringing in more of the orange-pack goodies, so it's not quite the end of the world - even if B&M seem to be less bothered about carrying them than they did last year, and Smyths also appear to have axed the range entirely.

At least there were a few rummage bins of more recent Hot Wheels mainline releases, plus some displayed on pegs too. These are still displaying the 'Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price' offer rather than the '3 for 2' seen in the standalone branch yesterday, so it seems likely the Tesco sub-stores will be running different promotions from main branches. 

Sadly, I don't think I was the first to have hoked through the bins - despite some quite dedicated searching, no roadgoing Quattros were to be seen. Booo.

Other quite nice items were in there, albeit mainly stuff I already have in one form or another.

Plenty of monster trucks in varying scales too, along with Mario Kart, colour changers, skateboards and players - none of which desperately appealed to me.

They are, however, now carrying Premiums again - something I haven't seen in Tesco since around 2021.

Loads of slammed Volvos (about ten of them on that peg) and a variety of the 'Exotic Envy' line from the Car Culture series, including the tasty BASF sponsored BMW M1.

Still rather pricey at £9 a throw, it has to be said. I'm not quite sure how well these will shift in this town - interested to monitor stock levels over time.

So - a bit sad about the lack of Matchbox, but optimistic that there should still be a supply of relatively affordable diecast nearby...

And of course, I still felt a need to not come away empty-handed...

I'm not normally a Porsche fanboi, but I do like that 911.

[sierraman]

Pretty much predicts what I thought that they’re winding up selling matchbox in the U.K. 

[danthecapriman]

I wonder if the lack of Matchbox becoming more of a ‘thing’ is down to sales figures?

I was thinking the other day that maybe kids just aren’t playing with toy cars like they used to? It’d be interesting to see how many of them are bought by adult collectors V’s kids toys.

[sierraman]

I think they do but people bring cash strapped at the moment will see a pack of 2 no name jobs for a quid and the solitary matchbox for nearly £2.50 and make a fairly predictable decision. So it’s only really your collectors that are buying them. Many of whom will be happy to pay nearly a tenner a throw, low quantity high margins, unfortunately at a tenner a go I can’t really justify that so I’ll just concentrate on the old ones. Given the choice between a really nice Corgi 1/36 80’s model and an opening flaps thing it’s no contest I’m afraid!! 

[danthecapriman]

11 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I think they do but people bring cash strapped at the moment will see a pack of 2 no name jobs for a quid and the solitary matchbox for nearly £2.50 and make a fairly predictable decision. So it’s only really your collectors that are buying them. Many of whom will be happy to pay nearly a tenner a throw, low quantity high margins, unfortunately at a tenner a go I can’t really justify that so I’ll just concentrate on the old ones. Given the choice between a really nice Corgi 1/36 80’s model and an opening flaps thing it’s no contest I’m afraid!! 

Your probably right tbh.

I wonder how many of those Hot Wheels Volvo 142’s will end up in kids toy boxes at £9 each! I can’t see many of those turning up on boot sale tables at 50p in ten or twenty years time. Who can afford to buy a single small scale toy car for the best part of a tenner!? Nice as they may be.

I don’t have kids of my own and don’t know anyone with younger kids so I’ve got no idea what they play with nowadays. Are toy cars still that popular with competition from computer games etc? 
Toy cars were pretty much THE toy when I was little, although a bit later on things like the Nintendo SNES and SEGA Megadrive came out which were popular.

[bunglebus]

A little drop off yesterday, partly from across the Irish Sea and the rest from darkest Essex

Gama 914 is lovely, just missing the removable hardtop

I want to do a custom Commer, I've got about half a dozen in various states so I can pick the best candidate 

Hilariously bad Hong Kong Transan 

A couple of 181s for the Mrs. Hot Wheels version has dual carbs, twin quiet pack exhaust and no engine cover

Tatty but mostly complete King Size ambulance, another one I have a few of in the restore/custom pile

Lastly another My First Matchbox. I get the feeling this wasn't an especially successful range

[sierraman]

16 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Your probably right tbh.

I wonder how many of those Hot Wheels Volvo 142’s will end up in kids toy boxes at £9 each! I can’t see many of those turning up on boot sale tables at 50p in ten or twenty years time. Who can afford to buy a single small scale toy car for the best part of a tenner!? Nice as they may be.

I don’t have kids of my own and don’t know anyone with younger kids so I’ve got no idea what they play with nowadays. Are toy cars still that popular with competition from computer games etc? 
Toy cars were pretty much THE toy when I was little, although a bit later on things like the Nintendo SNES and SEGA Megadrive came out which were popular.

My nephew is mad on them and both my kids had them - but then they would wouldn’t they! 

[sierraman]

2 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

A little drop off yesterday, partly from across the Irish Sea and the rest from darkest Essex

Gama 914 is lovely, just missing the removable hardtop

I want to do a custom Commer, I've got about half a dozen in various states so I can pick the best candidate 

Hilariously bad Hong Kong Transan 

A couple of 181s for the Mrs. Hot Wheels version has dual carbs, twin quiet pack exhaust and no engine cover

Tatty but mostly complete King Size ambulance, another one I have a few of in the restore/custom pile

Lastly another My First Matchbox. I get the feeling this wasn't an especially successful range

You say that but still see loads and loads of them turning up. I don’t think they’ve any value now though apart from the strangely difficult to find Sierra. 

[bunglebus]

1 minute ago, sierraman said:

You say that but still see loads and loads of them turning up. I don’t think they’ve any value now though apart from the strangely difficult to find Sierra. 

True enough, yes some are more common than others, the Rover especially. I very nearly bid on a job lot the other night just for one, then came to my senses.

Wikipedia don't have pics of many, but someone's uploaded some to the page