Shite in Miniature II

[MiniMinorMk3]

Here's one on Ebay at the moment. If you look closely at the box it reads "Made to Dinky specification in Hong Kong". So where were they made?

AFter a bit more searching it turns out that these Volvos were put in Rover SD1 boxes.

[Noel Tidybeard]

oh ok then

[bunglebus]

There's some weird convoluted story about production going to Hong Hong, but then Dinky went bust and the HK Big Cat Jaguars ended up in crappy blister packs with DINKY TOY on them, and somehow Polistil ended up making the orange Volvo estates - and some of the police ones. Those late castings all have a terrible defect on the right front wing where the upper part is proud of the side trim, rather than the other way around, and a few other smaller faults elsewhere on the body 

[bunglebus]

  On 07/04/2025 at 12:08, Noel Tidybeard said:

oh ok then

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Beatles were a bit before my time, so I don't have any nostalgia for the yellow Submarine. I liked Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a child, but I'll be skipping that release too, just not something I'm interested in owning.

Lots of people seem to be anticipating both though, fair play to Corgi for making them

[Datsuncog]

Yeah, I skipped the Yellow Submarine too - it's a lovely big toy, but just not something that interests me a lot these days.

TBH, I've limited interest in most of the planned Corgi Model Club releases this year - not a big fan of Chitty either, and the majority of the 2025 drops seem to be just recolours of previous releases. So I dunno, could be skipping a fair few.

But then 2024 was phenomenal with all the Golden Jacks releases, so maybe it's just swings and roundabouts...

The Ecurie Ecosse Commer looks great, of course, but I'd want to see how much they're wanting for it before committing. Not sure if I want one enough to splurge £50 or £60.

[AndyW201]

  On 06/04/2025 at 21:33, sierraman said:

I was quite pleased a few years back when Ford brought back a light bronze colour, it looks fantastic in the sun. 

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I remember that, the Mrs had a grey mk1 facelift C Max a while back and then her friend got the newer shape one in that bronzey brown colour. As you say, it's a really nice colour that. I had a similarly coloured 190E at the time.

[Noel Tidybeard]

  On 07/04/2025 at 12:24, Datsuncog said:

Yeah, I skipped the Yellow Submarine too - it's a lovely big toy, but just not something that interests me a lot these days.

TBH, I've limited interest in most of the planned Corgi Model Club releases this year - not a big fan of Chitty either, and the majority of the 2025 drops seem to be just recolours of previous releases. So I dunno, could be skipping a fair few.

But then 2024 was phenomenal with all the Golden Jacks releases, so maybe it's just swings and roundabouts...

The Ecurie Ecosse Commer looks great, of course, but I'd want to see how much they're wanting for it before committing. Not sure if I want one enough to splurge £50 or £60.

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i really can't wait for the other mini magnifique

[MiniMinorMk3]

Why have they released yet another Yellow Submarine?

The original 803

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[quicksilver]

Browsing the web continues to throw up surprising models in 1/72 of obscure things I wouldn't expect to be done. That's mostly thanks to the military/wargaming 3D printing community, many of whom make civilian cars that had military uses or could otherwise be seen in a wargame setting. A recent discovery was a company called Battlefield3D, whose large range includes all sorts of military equipment from around the world but also such Eastern Bloc delights as a Tatra T77 and Moskvitch 412, so here they are finished as civilian UK-registered cars.

 

[Split_Pin]

  On 07/04/2025 at 12:09, bunglebus said:

There's some weird convoluted story about production going to Hong Hong, but then Dinky went bust and the HK Big Cat Jaguars ended up in crappy blister packs with DINKY TOY on them, and somehow Polistil ended up making the orange Volvo estates - and some of the police ones. Those late castings all have a terrible defect on the right front wing where the upper part is proud of the side trim, rather than the other way around, and a few other smaller faults elsewhere on the body 

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Looks like they've ground the side badges off?

[bunglebus]

  On 07/04/2025 at 14:54, Split_Pin said:

Looks like they've ground the side badges off?

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I think there's been a problem with the mould so it's been ground away and therefore made slightly deeper on the top of that wing, which makes it stick out over the side trim if that makes sense? It's only that side but all the orange ones, and some others are affected by it.

The badges also vanished, yes

Blue ones are always good I think

Beige, defective 

I think the police ones have the later casting so the stripes sit flat where the badges were previously. Hard to tell how the wing looks as the stripes cover the join

[junkyarddog]

Got a new keyring for my Shitbox Jetta!😁

[Hertz]

On holiday in Cornwall this week. The weather is superb! Also whilst in Tintagel popped into here...

[sierraman]

  On 07/04/2025 at 18:28, Hertz said:

On holiday in Cornwall this week. The weather is superb! Also whilst in Tintagel popped into here...

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Is it full of overpriced stuff? 

[bunglebus]

Latest CMC list

 

[Split_Pin]

  On 07/04/2025 at 18:28, Hertz said:

On holiday in Cornwall this week. The weather is superb! Also whilst in Tintagel popped into here...

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That could basically be the inside of any one of our houses.

[Datsuncog]

  On 07/04/2025 at 12:48, Noel Tidybeard said:

i really can't wait for the other mini magnifique

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I'd have preferred the green Mini as the first release  - now I'll have to have a think about whether I want the blue one and the green one too, if they're otherwise identical.

Good to see the Heinkel bubble car on the release list for February 2026, though. That's probably the one I'm most keen to see - not so fussed on most of the 2025 releases, and I can see myself skipping a few more this year.

[Split_Pin]

  On 08/04/2025 at 08:19, Datsuncog said:

Good to see the Heinkel bubble car on the release list for February 2026, though. That's probably the one I'm most keen to see - not so fussed on most of the 2025 releases, and I can see myself skipping a few more this year.

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That was the one that jumped out at me too. Also the Mini Manifique, not because I want another one, but just because of how great a little model it is. It's as marvellous as those Deluxe Micro Machines you used to get with full opening features. How do they do that?

[FakeConcern]

I'd like the green Magnifique too as I had it in that colour as a kid and would like to re live opening the box 57 years later. I do still have my original, but with missing parts and re painted.

If anyone gets one and decides they don't need it, I'd buy it off of them, same with the Yellow Submarine.

[Tenmil Socket]

  On 07/04/2025 at 13:54, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Why have they released yet another Yellow Submarine?

The original 803

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Yeah, it doesn’t float my boat…

[RoadworkUK]

  On 07/04/2025 at 18:28, Hertz said:

On holiday in Cornwall this week. The weather is superb! Also whilst in Tintagel popped into here...

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I've been in there twice,  in 1992 (age 11) and in 2022 (age 41). First time around, I protested angrily when my dad decried it as being the definition of an overpriced tourist trap.

Second time, I was disappointed to find that he was right all along. 

[neil72]

A few recent finds from local charity shops and car boots.

[Noel Tidybeard]

  On 08/04/2025 at 08:19, Datsuncog said:

I'd have preferred the green Mini as the first release  - now I'll have to have a think about whether I want the blue one and the green one too, if they're otherwise identical.

Good to see the Heinkel bubble car on the release list for February 2026, though. That's probably the one I'm most keen to see - not so fussed on most of the 2025 releases, and I can see myself skipping a few more this year.

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there were different sunroof blinds iirc so maybe the green will be the alternative

[Datsuncog]

  On 08/04/2025 at 09:37, RoadworkUK said:

I've been in there twice,  in 1992 (age 11) and in 2022 (age 41). First time around, I protested angrily when my dad decried it as being the definition of an overpriced tourist trap.

Second time, I was disappointed to find that he was right all along. 

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See also: the model shop in Cheddar Gorge which happily relieved me of all my holiday spending money on several occasions during the early 1990s.

A quick squizz on Streetview shows that it closed its doors sometime after 2011, however - and the unit's been vacant ever since.

I think what surprises me most is the realisation that much of what I bought (early '80s Superfasts, late-Mettoy Corgis) weren't even ten years old at the point they were being offered out to my gullible younger self at 'collector' price points.

[MiniMinorMk3]

  On 08/04/2025 at 10:00, Noel Tidybeard said:

there were different sunroof blinds iirc so maybe the green will be the alternative

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All the one I have have the thin stripe roof.

And they are identical in every way apart from the colour.

Here's a picture from Vectis showing a wide stripe green version

 

 

 

[sierraman]

  On 08/04/2025 at 11:21, Datsuncog said:

See also: the model shop in Cheddar Gorge which happily relieved me of all my holiday spending money on several occasions during the 1990s.

A quick squizz on Streetview shows that it closed its doors sometime after 2011, however - and the unit's been vacant ever since.

I think what surprises me most is the realisation that much of what I bought (early '80s Superfasts, late-Mettoy Corgis) weren't even ten years old at the point they were being offered out to my gullible younger self at 'collector' price points.

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I don’t know how there places survive. Nevertheless it’s sad when they do go because it just gets replaced by either an extremely overpriced pie shop or Olde Worlde Cheese/Pickle place or simply a shop selling crafts sold by one of the local incoming rich bastards wives for something to do. 😂

[bunglebus]

My green one is absolutely battered 

[Split_Pin]

They are fantastic wee things though. They're the only Mini model that I like more than the 1/36 Corgi, although the latter has a massive range of versions to collect.

[danthecapriman]

Those Mini Magnifique’s are absolutely brilliant little things. Controversial comment, maybe?! - but I reckon they are definitely one of Corgi’s best ever. 
Once again though, they didn’t use the casting nearly enough! It looks fantastic in that metallic green & blue, granted. But why not give it some other equally cool colours!? Metallic or flat red, purple (like @eddyramrod did), yellow even!? It’s frustrating they only did two then ditched it.

[danthecapriman]

  On 08/04/2025 at 13:37, sierraman said:

I don’t know how there places survive. Nevertheless it’s sad when they do go because it just gets replaced by either an extremely overpriced pie shop or Olde Worlde Cheese/Pickle place or simply a shop selling crafts sold by one of the local incoming rich bastards wives for something to do. 😂

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Definitely this. It’s annoying if they’re overpriced but still great places to see still going and a real shame when they go. 
What really pisses me off though over and above what you said is when some filthy greedy little scum bag developer snags the place up for a song and transforms it into yet another vile ugly trumpy overpriced block of flats! 
All the unique quirky little places like that seem to end up being changed into shit like flats and it totally ruins and sterilises the areas they’re in.