Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

So, vaguely disappointed but also slightly wet from an unexpected downpour, I dodged the puddles over to Castle Court, and made for Poundland to get a drink.

I mean, the Matchbox offer was finished, but there was no harm in wandering down the toy aisle on the way to the till...

HOLD THE BUS

Brand spankin' new Hot Wheels mix (well, recent-ish) now at A POUND a go with their stupid app?

Loads of Jaguar Mk1s, loads of Audi Avants, loads of BMW E30 Tourings... well well, this was why the branch over at Longwood had their Hot Wheels pegs heaving yesterday. A new Perks promotion.

Of course, the ones I bought yesterday for £1.80 each were in there. Of course.

Ah, collecting. What a marvellous hobby. You find all the stuff you were after, and you're still  left feeling vaguely annoyed.

The dude ahead of me at the till (pudgy, greying) was holding three BMW Tourings along with a packet of buffalo-flavoured crisps. The lad ahead of him (pudgier, balding) had two VW Transporters and two IMSA Audi 100s.

And I was behind with my bottle of Dr Pepper and... naturally, clutching a Hot Wheels blister pack.

I think that settles the whole 'who's actually buying these toys?' conundrum. It ain't kids.

I was so upset I immediately rushed upstairs and tripped and fell into The Entertainer, wallet-first.

 

Not that there was anything in the Matchbox selection to particularly grab me...

But those discounted Hot Wheels Premiums and Silverlines were a-calling.

Today was not a day for willpower, that's all I'll say.

[Datsuncog]

I guess it's time to roll the credits, then... what did I pick up today?

Well, I did grab a couple of things from Market Blokey's £1 Tat Box.

A really quite nice early Superfast Merryweather with the ladder still in place, and a Hot Wheels BMW E30 M3 in Polizei colours.

More recent Matchbox too - a Nissan Xterra and a Jeep Rubicon. Despite coming out of a Tat Box, these are both as good as new.

Bit of a wildcard - OMG LLEDO.

I know. But it's a Marathons Leyland tanker - not one I remember seeing before. Not super-detailed, but there's a bit of heft to this one and it looks ok alongside Matchbox stuff.

I was quite taken by Colin's range of Target-exclusive retro range Matchbox. A few appealed, but ultimately it was the metallic gold Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser I just couldn't leave behind.

I did get one of these a few months ago in the Wagons 5-pack, but this release looks so much better than the bright blue version. And I'm a sucker for the illustrations.

Lastly, from my lunchtime haul:

The little Fiat 500 was from Poundland for - shock! - a pound, while the Hot Wheels Team Transport AAR Plymouth Barracuda and Sakura Sprinter box van are a pair I've been wavering about for months now - a price drop to £15.20 was enough to reel me in.

The Fast & Furious Silverline Chevelle SS is just a car I happen to like the shape of, and I'm planning to compare it to the mainline version to see why it's so different.

And that's it! 

I mean, I say that's it... but it's been quite a busy week, and there's been a lot of new diecast acquired. I sometimes feel like I don't really have time to fully enjoy or appreciate them before my head's turned by something else within days or even hours... 

First world problems, hey?

Happy Friday, kids.

[bunglebus]

Nice haul. Some very tempting stuff in that model shop but no doubt at comedy prices

[bunglebus]

10 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Well now... that branch of Smyths isn't too far away, and I'd hope the pegs haven't yet been stripped bare by the scalpers just yet... If you're keen on the Golf and Supra, just tip me the nod and I'll do my best next time I'm passing!

All good my Smyths has them now

However if anyone spots the Volvo 240 drift wagon in this series I'd like it

[bunglebus]

Boot sale buys, almost all from one guy with boxes full of tat

[RoadworkUK]

12 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Ah, now sadly I think all the new ones were priced at £8.99, including the A4 

Ah good. Just enough to wake me from my FOMO trance. Stand down! Cheers, anyway.

[eddyramrod]

@Datsuncog could you pick up ( ) one of those T2 flatbeds for me please?  I used to drive one like that in a previous job, and I haven't seen them in any of the shops around me.

[Tenmil Socket]

10 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

So, vaguely disappointed but also slightly wet from an unexpected downpour, I dodged the puddles over to Castle Court, and made for Poundland to get a drink.

I mean, the Matchbox offer was finished, but there was no harm in wandering down the toy aisle on the way to the till...

HOLD THE BUS

Brand spankin' new Hot Wheels mix (well, recent-ish) now at A POUND a go with their stupid app?

Loads of Jaguar Mk1s, loads of Audi Avants, loads of BMW E30 Tourings... well well, this was why the branch over at Longwood had their Hot Wheels pegs heaving yesterday. A new Perks promotion.

Of course, the ones I bought yesterday for £1.80 each were in there. Of course.

Ah, collecting. What a marvellous hobby. You find all the stuff you were after, and you're still  left feeling vaguely annoyed.

The dude ahead of me at the till (pudgy, greying) was holding three BMW Tourings along with a packet of buffalo-flavoured crisps. The lad ahead of him (pudgier, balding) had two VW Transporters and two IMSA Audi 100s.

And I was behind with my bottle of Dr Pepper and... naturally, clutching a Hot Wheels blister pack.

I think that settles the whole 'who's actually buying these toys?' conundrum. It ain't kids.

I was so upset I immediately rushed upstairs and tripped and fell into The Entertainer, wallet-first.

 

Not that there was anything in the Matchbox selection to particularly grab me...

But those discounted Hot Wheels Premiums and Silverlines were a-calling.

Today was not a day for willpower, that's all I'll say.

Buffalo flavoured crisps?

[bunglebus]

15 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

@Datsuncog could you pick up ( ) one of those T2 flatbeds for me please?  I used to drive one like that in a previous job, and I haven't seen them in any of the shops around me.

There's one in your box here, grey IIRC

[Datsuncog]

13 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

@Datsuncog could you pick up ( ) one of those T2 flatbeds for me please?  I used to drive one like that in a previous job, and I haven't seen them in any of the shops around me.

I've a T2 flatbed here with your name on it, Eddy! 

It's one of the earlier releases in a darker blue-grey, think it was picked up in Sainsburys roundabout April/May time (so before all your computing woes knocked you offline).

I've one of the Hot Wheels Land Rover SIIs in green for you too (the one with the surfboard), and probably a few other bits and pieces as well.

[eddyramrod]

Thank you both!   Senility is obviously creeping in.

 

Actually you can see that when I'm on Facebook, because a 1976 Cadillac Coupe deVille has appeared For Sale, at the same sort of price Huggy came in at.  Yep, not only senile but sentimental.  It's a lethal combination.

[Datsuncog]

11 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

There's one in your box here, grey IIRC

Oops!

No shortage of them now, anyway!

[Tenmil Socket]

Was quite chuffed to find a Cavalier in my recent roffle win and it also dawned on me that the wheels on the rally Astra are painted white and not silver.

 

[Datsuncog]

23 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Buffalo flavoured crisps?

Indeed!

I hadn't thought about it too much, but I think these might be only found in Ireland.

(Unlike buffalo, weirdly)

[bunglebus]

Mine's had a hard life (as most of them appear to have had) but the wheels were silver once upon a time

 

[Datsuncog]

On 26/07/2024 at 13:14, bunglebus said:

The Audis have a casting difference - with and with without fuel door. You have both there.

Didn't even notice!

Wonder why they did that - unplanned variation in different casting moulds, or an effort to create further variations for collectors to obsessed over?

I ended up not buying any more - but the Audi I bought and opened the other day seems to be sans filler door.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

2 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Was quite chuffed to find a Cavalier in my recent roffle win and it also dawned on me that the wheels on the rally Astra are painted white and not silver.

 

I can't remember where I got the Astra from, but it's a really nice example, isn't it? 

[Tenmil Socket]

12 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I can't remember where I got the Astra from, but it's a really nice example, isn't it? 

It is indeed!

[Tenmil Socket]

Once I’ve picked out what I’d like to keep and from last weeks job lot from Wigan (@Bunglebus wants the monster trucks),  I’ll put the rest together and roffle. Stay tuned folks! 

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Wonder why they did that - unplanned variation in different casting moulds, or an effort to create further variations for collectors to obsessed over?

I think it's an oversight where two different moulds are used to make the same casting, internet wisdom says there's one of each in each box, which would seem to back that up.

Same thing with the old Matchbox Cougar Dragster (I think) 50% having a recessed grille ahead of the windscreen, 50% with it raised proud of the body.

I found both Audis today

So I bought the "without" version to go with my "with"

[bunglebus]

I grabbed the premium Audi too

And as the rest of the set, be rude not to as I already had the Brasilia

[bunglebus]

Then there's today's boot sale bargains*, most of which were from a guy with boxes full of stuff piled high. Took me ages to go through them but at 50p each I think it was worth it.

I know a Rough Rider when I see one, I have fond memories of playing with mine in the bathroom (no idea why I was in there)

Sadly this one's 20+ year old Duracell has leaked and destroyed the contacts, so it's static stunts only from now on

This one's a bit of an oddity. Think it's an Ideal with a seriously good friction motor

It's one of these

Dinky Artillery Tractor 

MB A series still has the ramp inside

There were quite a few Vanguards rattling around, all with bits missing - Transit was the only one I felt like saving

I think @flat4alfa ended up with my Dinky Alfa - however this one's a Cougar like the recent 2CV I found

Winky Golden Jacks Tornado has to still be worth half a quid

Lone Star grain trailer has a nice little feature in the form of a sliding panel to release the contents

A couple of modern Jada F+F efforts for the eBay pile

[bunglebus]

Smaller stuffs include a lot of Volkswagens

Buggy in an unusual shade of green and with less common sun sticker

Much more modern MB buggy

Yellow 181 was missing the windscreen - but there was a duplicate of the zebra striped one from yesterday too, so...

I did a quick switcheroo and clean up. All these cars have a good coating of "tat glitter" - paint chips from all the other cars!

Hot rod bug

Karmann Ghia

This is a good find, Hot Wheels type 3 wasn't made for long, and having a flip-up/detachable body too makes this an unusual thing to see complete in a tat box

I ended up buying all the bay window busses available, so I'll be flogging the duplicates

There were two of these Golfs, different greens and different glass tint - but the other is pretty battered

Mind you this Corgi police Beetle has been abused too

Police geezers don't seem bothered

No more VWs now I promise - but more pairs. MB Site Hut Trucks with and without tow guide

Another battered one - but this early MB MB ambulance has somehow retained the "gunsight" on the grille

Ford Group 6 used to be one of those annoying castings that was in every job lot I bought, but wonky axles aside this seemed to nice to leave behind 

This was a good score - Matchbox Power Tracks Tyrone Malone. There were three others from the range there too but all in a pretty bad way sadly

Modern MB stuff now 

Dags for @flat4alfa

This casting is the only one of my customs that's gone AWOL. I took the boat off and gave it a coat of Matt black to go with the dark glazing. No idea where it went but now I can recreate it if I want

Corgi X1/9 - I always wonder if I'm the first to prise the engine cover open every time I get one of these!

Earlier Corgi Jag

Yatming Merc

I don't buy many of the no-name cars now, but sometimes the subject matter is enough to pique my interest. This is what the Chinese think an E30 looks like

Also subscribes to that odd Eastern perception that more words = more better. No idea who Mr Robert is but he's immortalised on the bonnet

Hot Wheels now, a Treasure Hunt to start with

Moggy that presumably for licencing reasons is called an MG Rover, despite being neither

I've got a few of these Anglia (Thames to us) panel vans, earlier ones have a flip front

Datsun 510

55 Gasser

And a bunch of Escorts

[Lord Sterling]

Well, I now have the ultimate miniature Mercedes W140 model collection.

The line had been completed by the recent additions of the 1.24 Schabak S-class and the recently released Hot Wheels S-class. 

The 1/24 Schabak model was a model I'd always wanted. I'm 41 now and had been wanting this model since I was around 17/18 years old when I first saw it in a window display of a (then closed) model shop in Brussels. I'd seen a few on eBay but didn't buy them, most were abroad and those that were here were either broken or stupidly expensive (nearing 3 figure sums)

The 1/18 is a Norev and the Silver 1/43 (with the rear number plate) is a Schabak.

There is a goldy-silver S-class that is just a tad larger than 1/43 scale is by Majorette. It's proportions aren't exactly as the 1/43 Schabak but it's enough to make a nice display model. Against other standard Majorette models you'll notice that the wheels have had some silver added and the b-pillar has had black paint added to give it more a realistic S-class look.

Now I would like a 1/1 model and that would honestly be the only car I'd swap my Vectra for.

[FakeConcern]

21 hours ago, RoadworkUK said:

Hey @Datsuncog, if you happen to be back in that Smyths, could you snaffle me one of those silver Car Culture Audi S4s, please? Fiver is way less than eBay scalpers want, and I don't actually have a scale representation of anything close to my own A4. Don't be making a special trip, though; I've enough on my conscience.

I don't know what your A4 is, but I think I still have this Revell Metal in pretty good nick, just missing a door mirror. Let me know if you want it and I'll dig it out if it's still here.'

[bunglebus]

Ooh I forgot one! This arrived today

It's funny how it goes, I've been hunting around for a Custom 36 Ford for ages, missed a lovely one on eBay then there were just none in the UK for sale until the green one popped up a few weeks ago, so of course I bought it. Then this appeared and was way too nice not to bid on

[MAF260]

On 26/07/2024 at 14:16, bunglebus said:

Is that an MC Toys/Maisto Golf? Mine has the Matchbox lookalike wheels

 

Yes, mine is Maisto. Do the wheels make it rarer?

[MAF260]

On 26/07/2024 at 14:55, Split_Pin said:

Thought you might like to see this one I built:

I try and either buy or make an exact model of every car I own!

 

That's great! I've also collected models of cars I've owned, mostly in 1:18 or any size in anything not available in that scale. I'll have to look out for a Saab vert now!

[bunglebus]

39 minutes ago, MAF260 said:

Yes, mine is Maisto. Do the wheels make it rarer?

I'm not sure, but I don't recall seeing those ones before

[AndyW201]

Couple of quick questions, to anyone who's bought from aliexpress,

I've been on there tonight, fell down quite the rabbit hole, and spotted quite a few bits on there, shitloads cheaper than ebay/UK retailers. Prices though are quoted as "before tax". Cant see anywhere on the listings how much tax gets added on, how much is it generally? And has anyone had any bother with getting stiffed with customs charges, or extra charges from the couriers upon delivery?

Edit, noticed the tax amount gets added at checkout. Scrub that question!