Shite in Miniature II

[danthecapriman]

That big Triang Jumbo BMC FFK is about done.

Ive tried to keep it looking ‘toy’ like rather than a model. Shiny finish enamel paints help there but should also be a bit harder wearing. Not that it’ll get played with of course! 
The windscreen is worse than I thought unfortunately. The crack is quite obvious and I can’t really do much for that, but it’s also very very scuffed up, probably from years of use in someone’s sand pit. I tried polishing it up but it wasn’t really having any effect. Likewise the rear body and wheels, being plastic, are quite rough now just from age and damage over the years. I suppose it’s character! 
Thing is, it’s 50 odd years old now and considering the way it started I’m pretty happy with it.

[eddyramrod]

FUCK ME!*  Dan, that's gorgeous!  Well done there!

 

 

*No don't, unless you're Christina Trevanion or Izzie Balmer, and even then you'd need to be patient with the peculiar old bloke.

[danthecapriman]

10 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

FUCK ME!*  Dan, that's gorgeous!  Well done there!

 

 

*No don't, unless you're Christina Trevanion or Izzie Balmer, and even then you'd need to be patient with the peculiar old bloke.

🤣

Thanks Eddy!

[RoadworkUK]

1 hour ago, Christine said:

Yonezawa Toys.... never heard of them . Some little boy would love playing with it in a sand pit 

A very well-heeled little boy, given the asking price of those on eBay...

[Christine]

I'll have a look later  ..I will sell it   ,  but i have 500  EFE ,corgi and oxford buses , to unload first .  

[bramz7]

More 00s era Hot Wheels acquired:

Not bad for £14 considering it appeared to be RM Toys selling them at Brands Hatch. They are quite notorious (to me at least) for overpricing everything. Indeed, every single HW Ferrari of the same period was £20. 

It appears the £4 label on the fairly uncommon Morris with real riders was an error:

Shame.

 

Also the Escalade had a '£10 on eBay' label under it. It cost me £4. 

I was happy before but happier after I noticed those. 

[junkyarddog]

46 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

Morris with real riders

Great find!👍

[AndyW201]

This arrived yesterday. Not often I get a used Minichamps model with a mint case and outer box. Or box for that matter, for what I normally pay for them.

Something nice, ordinary, and everyday. Last year, I got one of Dave's Diecasts' Tickford-comissioned Mk1 Focus RS models, which is superb, but I always wanted a 'cooking' Focus as well. The Minichamps version is very good, this one is the less seen early version with black lower bumpers and sills, the later dark metallic red one with colour coded lower bits is more common. I had it on my watchlist for a while then got an offer of £13 posted, which I thought wasnt bad for a mint & boxed Minichamps.

One of the best bits about Minichamps of this era was the interior detail, which really put them above other models of the time,

[RoadworkUK]

56 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

Not bad for £14 considering it appeared to be RM Toys selling them at Brands Hatch. They are quite notorious (to me at least) for overpricing everything. 

This. They appear to prey on people who don't know any better.

[AndyW201]

Usual weekend shopping trip scouting mission didnt bring up anything of note, but I did spot those previously mentioned Chinesium MSZ jobs in B&M. So I grabbed a few, missing out the more exotic and supercar-ish subjects,

The Supra is a nicely rendered thing, easily a match for the Hot Wheels version IMO,

Pretty good tampo detailing on the front,

One thing I've found in common with them all is that the front tampos are quite detailed, but the tail light detailing is more basic, though the lower detailing cast into the baseplate like exhausts, diffusers etc make up for it.

My favourite one was the BMW M4, in quite a realistic colour scheme that most of the real ones seem to come in,

Cant say I'm a massive fan of the current Beemer big grille styling but it's done well here.

So, an interesting alternative to the usual HW or MB, especially as one of our local B&Ms seem to have abandoned mainline cars from both of those altogether. For £1.50 they seem fairly good value in today's climate, (they've even got 'working suspension') and remind me of the Realtoy cars I used to get from Tesco years ago, especially the wheels on the M4. 

Realtoy, now that's a range I miss seeing...

[eddyramrod]

Let's look at some I've completed this week...

Dinky Princess in Tara Green is for the TV set: it's the Terry And June car (shame about the damaged windscreen though).  Copcar is Corgi's Sheriff Oldsmobile, for my ever-expanding semi-fictional North Carolina fleet.  Dinky Anglia has been with me from new, and has spent most of the intervening time white, representing my real one from 1979.  I've now done a Vanguards version, so this has had a full strip and spray.  Not before time!

Today there has been some drilling, so that stripping can commence tomorrow (probably)...

That's just a teaser, you'll see them again bit by bit as they progress.  I've also been spraying some of the shells that have been waiting patiently...

You'll be seeing these again as they head for the finish line.

That's quite enough for today, I'm going to sit here now until my tea's ready!

[ambassador84]

1 hour ago, AndyW201 said:

Usual weekend shopping trip scouting mission didnt bring up anything of note, but I did spot those previously mentioned Chinesium MSZ jobs in B&M. So I grabbed a few, missing out the more exotic and supercar-ish subjects,

The Supra is a nicely rendered thing, easily a match for the Hot Wheels version IMO,

Pretty good tampo detailing on the front,

One thing I've found in common with them all is that the front tampos are quite detailed, but the tail light detailing is more basic, though the lower detailing cast into the baseplate like exhausts, diffusers etc make up for it.

My favourite one was the BMW M4, in quite a realistic colour scheme that most of the real ones seem to come in,

Cant say I'm a massive fan of the current Beemer big grille styling but it's done well here.

So, an interesting alternative to the usual HW or MB, especially as one of our local B&Ms seem to have abandoned mainline cars from both of those altogether. For £1.50 they seem fairly good value in today's climate, (they've even got 'working suspension') and remind me of the Realtoy cars I used to get from Tesco years ago, especially the wheels on the M4. 

Realtoy, now that's a range I miss seeing...

I miss those days of finding Realtoy everywhere. Matchbox beating quality for often HALF the price i bought masses of them at the time and then one by one they disappeared from various UK retailers culminating in Tesco dropping them in 2017 and never to be seen again. Odd really as Realtoy themselves only went out of business as recently as 2023.

[danthecapriman]

10 minutes ago, ambassador84 said:

I miss those days of finding Realtoy everywhere. Matchbox beating quality for often HALF the price i bought masses of them at the time and then one by one they disappeared from various UK retailers culminating in Tesco dropping them in 2017 and never to be seen again. Odd really as Realtoy themselves only went out of business as recently as 2023.

I was going to ask what happened to them. 
Odd they went under though, as they were really good. And popular. When I was buying job lots of diecast stuff I often found them. I quite liked the old Maisto/MC toys stuff too which just seemed to disappear.

[ambassador84]

22 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I was going to ask what happened to them. 
Odd they went under though, as they were really good. And popular. When I was buying job lots of diecast stuff I often found them. I quite liked the old Maisto/MC toys stuff too which just seemed to disappear.

I'm not really sure what happened to them but it seems after 2017 they stopped being readily available as singles in most of their traditional markets around the World even Hong Kong and other East Asian Toys R Us stores. After 2017 they seem to have decided to concentrate on their lucrative airplane and airport themed sets mainly in conjunction with the likes of Daron and the now defunct Premier Portfolios.

Ive heard rumours the original owner wanted to retire and thus sold all the molds to Daron themselves who transferred all production to a new factory in Vietnam in 2024. Unfortunately but predictably Daron have only brought back the airplane models and a handful of associated airport themed vehicles and ones which might suit the souvenir market.

These  MSZ castings definitely have the spirit of Realtoy and hope they sell well enough at B&M Bargains to justify them getting in more castings and recolours.

[bunglebus]

Santa Pod buys from the weekend 

[MAF260]

I think I’ve just had quite a result.

Marketplace listing which seemed too good to be true was actually true!

I’m currently wading my way through a box of about 150 assorted Hot Wheels, Maisto, Realtoy, Welly, Matchbox & Carousel branded cars.

Here’s a few:

Lots more to go!

[Christine]

I'm playing  bmc dealership.... ford dealership too , and vauxhall and rootes...

 

[Christine]

[Snake Charmer]

1 minute ago, Christine said:

Late 50's? London was definitely more colourful!

[bunglebus]

I bought these at the weekend, only one seller there with cars but he had loads, not exactly bargain prices being a car show of course.

I'm not into the Chipperfields Circus releases but this seemed too tidy and complete to leave behind 

As was the Adams Drag-Star - I won't be using this one as an engine donor

Hot Wheels Taxi

This one's unusual, Guisval 205 with plastic doors

Not found a Matchbox Ford Courier before, seems to be quite in demand 

Just sold all my spare Mod Rods, so now I need a donor to replace the engine on this unusual Scorpion decal version. I'll try and polish the glass in-situ

Tidy Corgi ovloV

And Binz

The third Ironsides Van I've found now - and this one's complete, bar the man himself (and I have him tucked away somewhere)

Holmes Wrecker isn't one I come across often either, this is the first Rockets example I've found

This arrived while I was away - check out the £2.99 Zodiac Toys label

Unfortunately it wasn't packed well, so the polystyrene part is smashed up

Box art is nice

Something has been stuck on the roof

And the paint finish is awful

Looks alright from a distance, but I'm not sure I love this one yet, especially as I have another just missing the rear spoiler

[Christine]

Bendibus 

 

 

[Christine]

Fife !   

[MiniMinorMk3]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

This arrived while I was away - check out the £2.99 Zodiac Toys label

 

 

 

German sales art

 

Shame about the polystyrene base. A bit of tape around the model and base would have saved that.

[bunglebus]

The Mrs intercepted a Tesco delivery of Matchbox - it seems the ones in Entertainer do not have chase cars, but the Tesco ones do

In the post, a Lone Star El Camino - with tailgate!

It also has a different interior and nicer wheels than my other one

 

[ambassador84]

Someone told me The Entertainer actually remove Chase Matchbox either at distribution level or store level. Anybody know why?

[eddyramrod]

7 minutes ago, ambassador84 said:

Someone told me The Entertainer actually remove Chase Matchbox either at distribution level or store level. Anybody know why?

Because someone at those levels is a dealer?

[bunglebus]

10 minutes ago, ambassador84 said:

Someone told me The Entertainer actually remove Chase Matchbox either at distribution level or store level. Anybody know why?

The boxes I've seen appear factory sealed - but I have found Silverline and premium sets in both Entertainer and Smyths with the chase cars removed prior to delivery - you can order them from the website so I suppose it's to ensure stock levels wherever they're sent from. They don't catch everything though, I've found Chases/Supers everywhere you can find the cars

[Datsuncog]

Took a Saturday morning toddle around town, with half an eye on any diecast that might appear.

Not much to report in the local branches of Poundland, Home Bargains or Poundstretcher, sadly - still just the dregs of Mattel's 2024 output, for the most part, with a smattering of early 2025 items mixed in.

Tescotainer hadn't refilled their Matchbox display since last time; Hot Wheels are still months behind with some F-case items having only just showed up:

A load of 2024 5-packs had appeared, though - none that I much fancied, though.

Although a dozen or so Roadkill Rotsuns had suddenly appeared on the cardboard POS display left over from the Father's Day tat:

Yeah, good luck shifting those. Last I saw, Smyths were having bother getting rid of them at £4.

But a quick check of the Blytheswood Hospice Shop revealed an unexpected cornucopia of fine* collector-grade* diecast:

Mmm. Slightly broken Lledo Days Gone, New Ray, Corgi Superhaulers, playworn Matchbox and various far-eastern items... be still, my beating heart.

The only price tag I could see was £40 on that EFE single-decker (Wrightbus?), so I think that kinda set the tone in terms of bargainosity...

I went in to see if they happened to have anything else, but apparently all the good* stuff was in the window.

Though the 50p box did offer up a couple of items of vague interest:

I've no real need of any more Kellogg's promo Model A vans, or indeed a scratched-up late release G-Wagen, but the mid-80s Hot Wheels Trash Truck was a slightly uncommon find:

Another charity shop nearby held MOAR riches:

OMG Days Gone By. Only £3 a go.

Plus other BP promo Corgis, each cunningly supplied with a tamper-proof sticker affixed, that's guaranteed to pull half the paint off the roof when you try to peel it off.

Yeah, no.

I must have been feeling energetic, as I wandered all the way over to this vaguely hipster-orientated collectables store which had opened on the other side of town a few months back. Just in case they had anything of interest.

Well, they did.

Wildly inconsistent pricing, it's true, but some quite good stuff. £3 for the boxed Corgi Classics XK120 wasn't too bad, though £15 for the playworn Bburago Ferrari Testarossa seemed a smidge optimistic.

The Corgi Volvo BM cement mixer was bafflingly priced separately at £7 for the trailer, and £2 for the cab.

Um, ok.

Big SWB Pajero with curiously oversized BMW-badged motorbike not bad value at £5. Corgi Chipperfields Bedford TK horsebox pretty decent for £8 too.

Cararama 3-packs probably not unreasonable; Siku pistenbully not cheap - but then, Siku stuff's rarely cheap.

My top pick would have been this very nice-looking boxed 1/36 Kojak Buick, complete with figures:

But with no visible price, and the proprietor busy vaping outside, I thought it was unlikely to be available for pocket change - the Dukes Of Hazzard digital watch alongside was priced at £40.

Ah well. Good to see there's a still miniature tat in circulation!

[ambassador84]

1 hour ago, eddyramrod said:

Because someone at those levels is a dealer?

I don't know. A member of staff told the person staff search through the boxes and if they find any HW Treasure Hunts and Matchbox Super Chases they have to be sent back to the warehouse.

[ambassador84]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

The boxes I've seen appear factory sealed - but I have found Silverline and premium sets in both Entertainer and Smyths with the chase cars removed prior to delivery - you can order them from the website so I suppose it's to ensure stock levels wherever they're sent from. They don't catch everything though, I've found Chases/Supers everywhere you can find the cars

I found a SC in one a few years back and a Treasure Hunt last year from an Entertainer. I imagine a lot of their staff have a sideline in selling such stuff on Ebay.