Shite in Miniature II

[danthecapriman]

43 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Corgi did a 1/43ish Ford Cargo in their toy range iirc. 

They did, I’m not sure what scale it was tbh. I’ve never had one. 
Didn’t one version of it come in a British Gas set with an Escort van and a trailer of some kind? I’m sure the Cargo did look quite small compared to the Escort van which probably would put it around 1:43ish?

[Tenmil Socket]

7 minutes ago, MrBiscuits said:

The sliding back seat was an odd feature of the real ZX when it was first released if I remember correctly.

That could answer that then.

[Volksy]

Picked up one of these today at Poundland. All their HW were £1.50

I kinda want to Withnail it......

 

[bunglebus]

I had the Royal Mail Cargo, passed on now

 

[sierraman]

I think they grafted the cargo cab on to the MB chassis. I have one that’s a Tarmac Tipper. 

[andrew e]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Reminds me of the MB Peugeot Quasar.

Thread drift: I was at the Peugeot museum in Sochaux a few weeks ago, the Quaser still looks fantastic in the flesh 😎

https://laventure-association.com

[danthecapriman]

Had a handful of acquisitions over the last few days.

Firstly a pair of cut price Vanguards models in the form of the Atlas Editions best of British collection. 
Cortina mk3.

 
Sierra Sapphire,

 
You can just about see where the Vanguard’s branding was removed from the base on the Sierra!

 
And a Corgi motoring memories Escort mk1 van. 
These are really looking their age now. The basic shape looks good, although I’m not entirely convinced about the front end. Maybe a Vanguard’s Escort front might graft on?? There’s no other alternatives for a mk1 van in 1:43 though I don’t think. The dividing bar in the door windows looks a bit on the chunky side too so maybe that might benefit from thinning down and then some details painting in. Just looks very plain as it is.

[bunglebus]

This one was a firm favourite of mine, I remember discussing it at junior school

 

[danthecapriman]

2 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

This one was a firm favourite of mine, I remember discussing it at junior school

 

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those. In fact I don’t recall ever even knowing Matchbox made it!

[bunglebus]

I had a couple of those Corgi Escort vans, bought off here with some other bits. Could definitely benefit from some careful detailing

There was a saloon too, using the same front

 

[Tenmil Socket]

10 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those. In fact I don’t recall ever even knowing Matchbox made it!

There’s a few variants, check eBay

 

[Tenmil Socket]

These arrived recently… the large model needs the front suspension arms clicking back into place and a valet!

 

[bunglebus]

19 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of those. In fact I don’t recall ever even knowing Matchbox made it!

There are quite a few

Silver 8 dots

Laser Wheels 

My first Matchbox 

Roadblasters 

 

[Split_Pin]

I remember being quite excited about the Escort van when it came out but I agree, it was a bit austere. OK for the price though.

I recall the old Cortina and Capri castings unearthed from the 1970s too, with the opening parts sealed shut.

[flat4alfa]

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Didn't someone make a model of one of those MB RTs once or am I imagining that?

Matchbox, it's in my link above your post, over the page

[flat4alfa]

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

there's the sculpture of a track loop and two Matchbox Superfast cars outside

TIL

https://www.standerwick.co.uk/art/the-matchmaker

Quote

Inscription {Plaque laid into the ground:}

Lesney Industries produced Matchbox Toy Cars on this site from 1969 - 1982.

The car models are replicas of Matchbox's Ferrari Berlinetta and Dodge Challenger, which were made during the first and last years of toy car production upon this site.

This sculpture was commissioned in March 2012 by Telford Homes Plc.

Ah.. .there it is, found it

So, first and last models produced there were these

[Tenmil Socket]

42 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

There are quite a few

Silver 8 dots

Laser Wheels 

My first Matchbox 

Roadblasters 

 

Didn’t Matchbox produce something else that was very similar looking or am I imagining it?

[Split_Pin]

54 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Matchbox, it's in my link above your post, over the page

Yeah but that's an RM, I was thinking about an RT.

[danthecapriman]

59 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I remember being quite excited about the Escort van when it came out but I agree, it was a bit austere. OK for the price though.

I recall the old Cortina and Capri castings unearthed from the 1970s too, with the opening parts sealed shut.

Austere is definitely the word! 
It’s not a bad shape in general, but the front definitely does need some work somehow. The whole model just needs a ‘lift’ though, just basics like painting in window frames, tail lights, door handles etc would improve it no end. As it comes it just looks very ‘budget’!

I did have a really nice condition one of the re-releases of the Cortina in the dark bronze colour. @eddyramrod has it now I think.

[sierraman]

49 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Didn’t Matchbox produce something else that was very similar looking or am I imagining it?

They did something called the Street Streak in the late 90’s? Or the Olds Aerotech? 

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Yeah but that's an RM, I was thinking about an RT.

Yes good point sorry I should read better

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I recall the old Cortina and Capri castings unearthed from the 1970s too, with the opening parts sealed shut.

I got the Cortina at the same time 

Thought I had the Capri but can't find a pic 

[flat4alfa]

48 minutes ago, sierraman said:

They did something called the Street Streak in the late 90’s? Or the Olds Aerotech? 

1996 Street Streak

1989 Oldsmobile Aerotech

[Tenmil Socket]

3 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

1996 Street Streak

1989 Oldsmobile Aerotech

That's the one!

[sierraman]

I don’t know why but at the time when I was a kid there were some that were unfathomably scarce in the shops, the Alfa SZ being one of them. Yet years later they seemed really common. Bizarre eh? 

[bunglebus]

3 hours ago, Volksy said:

Picked up one of these today at Poundland. All their HW were £1.50

I kinda want to Withnail it......

Funny enough, I found the new colour in a 2025 C case today

Plenty of recolour action in this mix, Dodge Power Wagon

This is brand new though

El Camino

Camaro, 70s Vs 90s subset should be good

A very nice dark green for the 500 E

Modern Mustang 

More recolours

Designed by series is a good one, Gotta Go still amuses me

Another brand new addition 

It's apparently February already 

Lovely Porsche

Nice colour scheme for the Supercharged

Another new casting (and an annoying bent card) - Cupra e-Racer in what looks like the same paint as the Datsun wagon from a while back 

They'd also restocked Matchbox 5 packs, so the Convertible Cruisers set was procured

[RoadworkUK]

Oddly enough, as soon as @bunglebus opened door 20 this morning, I was straight onto eBay looking for Quasars.

I have the blue laser wheels version, but it's really the white one I want – it's fabulously true to the prototype, including the white bodyside graphic.

Only thing slightly annoying is that every example I've seen has a bodyside seam that seems either covered with too-thick paint, or otherwise has little chips all along it.

There's one BNIB on eBay at the mo, but I've not yet drunk enough Christmas Spirit to BIN it a £14.95 plus four notes P&P. 

[bunglebus]

9 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

That's the one!

A rare beast it seems. Just one has landed here

 

[ETCHY]

2 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

These arrived recently… the large model needs the front suspension arms clicking back into place and a valet!

 

That DS is lovely.

Does the suspension adjust ?

[flat4alfa]

9 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Yeah but that's an RM, I was thinking about an RT.

Lledo Days Gone are our friends. 

They did a Bristol Lodekka in the earlier blue livery

500 produced!  Never seen one though

Ok not a RT, but still...   

This site lists 11 Lodekka buses that were run by Lesney both at Hackney and Rochford. 

Surprising then, that there was never a Matchbox model of a Lodekka, even though they were seen outside the office windows every day

 And in the publicity material !