Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Hey I remember those weird brandless, unpackaged Corgi castings from the 1970s. My local RS McColl newsagent sold them in the late 1979s for 45p each compared to 99p for a regular model. 

I found them quite appealing and got the Mercedes 240d and Volvo 245. The latter had its suspension replaced with solid axle mountings.

Were they sold loose, from a plain cardboard box on the counter?

That model shop in Smithfield has a box just like that, with a variety of primary-coloured Juniors cars and commercials within. Think he's looking a three-figure sum for it, mind...

[155V6]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Hey I remember those weird brandless, unpackaged Corgi castings from the 1970s. My local RS McColl newsagent sold them in the late 1979s for 45p each compared to 99p for a regular model. 

I found them quite appealing and got the Mercedes 240d and Volvo 245. The latter had its suspension replaced with solid axle mountings.

Here's a thought,I can't think of any Corgi Juniors that started life as the really nice ones in the box,(often near when the real car came out)that ended up as the really basic ones mentioned.

I'm thinking Sierra,Metro,Mk3 Escort,Capri etc,none of those seemed to last up until the end.

[DoctorRetro]

Well, it isn't perfect, but as a reasonable approximation of a Mk3 Escort estate, its passable. 

Still have to finish the bumpers and dashboard, but it's pretty much done now. 

 

 

[Datsuncog]

^^^ Looks pretty gosh-darn good to me!

[Datsuncog]

Remember that utterly grim K-2 Scammell Heavy Wrecker Truck that looked like it'd been dredged from someone's oil tank?

Amazing what a bit of warm water and a toothbrush can manage.

The glazing wasn't quite broken, other than a damaged roof light; it'd just fallen into the main body and got stuck there in the mud (the whole body was full of sludgy goo). A dab of glue has it back where it should be.

The springy mechanism that allows the rear boom to raise and lower was also broken, but a rectangle cut from a plastic bottle, folded in half and wedged against some of the chassis points, provides enough resistance to mimic the original movement.

The tyres are sadly a very loose fit owing to the usual Kingsize hub shrinkage, but they're still better than the later plastic wheels, I reckon.

Overall this has gone from a bit of a mank-fest to a fairly displayable little model. I'm well pleased with it now!

[Split_Pin]

I thought it was a different model there. 10/10 WUD DO LOCKDOWN AGEN.

[Datsuncog]

***Note to self: rinse MrsDC's toothbrush thoroughly before putting it back in the bathroom.***

[bunglebus]

8 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Well done on the 'inspired by Corgi' R5 Turbo - and yeah, I guess in a way these low-rent copies are true shite in miniature

And it really is shite - under the stickers was the worst finished metal I have ever seen. In primer now though...

 

In other news I actually finished a couple of cars today, I have about a dozen in various states of progress at the moment.

Cruise bruiser is, I think, meant to be an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser modified for a demolition derby or similar. sits very high and the front bumper is about a scale 6" out from where it belongs. I rectified all that by making my own base with the original bumpers, pulling the front one closer meant I had to cut up a grille from a Hummer to fit. Lots of Dremel action was required to get it this low. Engine was out of my spares box

 

20200506_132159 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132209 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132215 by RS, on Flickr

 

Think I need to chrome the bumpers, I might even have a go at making windows for it.

 

Subaru Brat is a nice casting but the brown tyres and fake mud weren't working for me - and Subarus are meant to be blue and gold.

 

20200506_132417 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132424 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132511 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132531 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132541 by RS, on Flickr

 

Altitude adjustment went the other way with this one, axle tubes located under the original base to give it some extra height, and Matchbox wheels.

 

Two Porsche donor cars arrived today, I feel a bit guilty taking this apart...

 

20200506_142643 by RS, on Flickr

 

...but it did mean this got finished

 

20200506_145659 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_145637 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_145843 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_145854 by RS, on Flickr

 

I couldn't bring myself to paint the wheels red.

 

Final donor was this

 

 

All I needed was the engine cover for this.

 

20191030_171009 by RS, on Flickr

 

As it had been poorly drilled out and overpainted, I didn't feel too bad. Stripping the paint revealed a mysterious problem

 

20200506_164343 by RS, on Flickr

 

It seems what I had bought should look like this

 

Rijkspolitie_Porsche by RS, on Flickr

 

So what now? Can't fill it as I will lose the grille, and there is distortion around the hole too. Duck tail spoiler maybe?

[bunglebus]

5 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

 

 

From @C1am's Never ending sale thread;

 

[Spottedlaurel]

/\ I wondered the same thing about the source of the refuse truck body, although there do appear to be some differences.

[bunglebus]

7 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

The only two I had were the Chevette and the Firebird, both in pretty dreadful nick - now sold on, I think? If memory serves, @TheDoctor took the Chevette while the Firebird went to @bunglebus

 

So you did!

20190805_102817 by RS, on Flickr

20190805_102541 by RS, on Flickr

 

That's the Firebird, Chevette and Econoline accounted for - any more?

[eddyramrod]

I have two of the Chevette, both painted red to represent the two Chevette hatchbacks I had in the early 90s; still haven't found a model of the estate though!  (I had one before the hatchbacks; also red!)

Today I have been stripping model shells, as I managed to get hold of some caustic soda yesterday.  I've now got about a dozen in a bucket of clean water outside, so that the dregs of the soda bath can wash off.

[bunglebus]

I did another WDIB? As I had my Volkswagens out - bay and split window transporters

 

Bays are represented by a Hot Wheels, a Majorette kombi and panel van, and two Matchbox campers

 

20200506_121055 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121138 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121123 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121215 by RS, on Flickr

 

The newer Matchbox is probably the most faithful, but the original is the most charming

 

Splities - got a few!

 

Left to right from the back row; Roadmaster Impy X2, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Lesney/Matchbox X2, Maisto "Champer", Minichamps, Lesney, Kentoys, Husky, Lesney, Dublo Dinky Meccano

 

20200506_121506 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121543 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121729 by RS, on Flickr

 

Forgot to take a pic of the rears somehow. If I had to chose just one, it would be the light blue Impy, such a nice little thing. The really early Lesney stuff has a crude charm too.

[flat4alfa]

Might as well do a compare with these too while all laid out

Tomica and Met Osul

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

Sure I've seen a Kadett estate.

[eddyramrod]

That would be a start!  I'm sure I could remodel the nose to make a Chevette.

[hennabm]

9 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I did another WDIB? As I had my Volkswagens out - bay and split window transporters

 

Bays are represented by a Hot Wheels, a Majorette kombi and panel van, and two Matchbox campers

 

20200506_121055 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121138 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121123 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121215 by RS, on Flickr

 

The newer Matchbox is probably the most faithful, but the original is the most charming

 

Splities - got a few!

 

Left to right from the back row; Roadmaster Impy X2, Hot Wheels, Matchbox, Lesney/Matchbox X2, Maisto "Champer", Minichamps, Lesney, Kentoys, Husky, Lesney, Dublo Dinky Meccano

 

20200506_121506 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121543 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_121729 by RS, on Flickr

 

Forgot to take a pic of the rears somehow. If I had to chose just one, it would be the light blue Impy, such a nice little thing. The really early Lesney stuff has a crude charm too.

Husky also did the conveyor truck splittie with a working belt turned by hand. Then there was the tower wagon as well with a working tower to pull up. The platform also was able to twist IIRC.

Then Corgi did the larger recovery truck with working crane. 

[bunglebus]

10 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Might as well do a compare with these too while all laid out

Tomica and Met Osul

 

 

Yet to find the Tomica or Met Osul - Tomica gets expensive on eBay

2 hours ago, hennabm said:

Husky also did the conveyor truck splittie with a working belt turned by hand. Then there was the tower wagon as well with a working tower to pull up. The platform also was able to twist IIRC.

Then Corgi did the larger recovery truck with working crane. 

I have the other Husky ones but felt the pickup without attachments fitted better in the group test - got lots of larger scale VW stuff including the Corgi, just thought I'd stick to 1:64ish for comparison. I can do a group shot of the bigger ones too if you like?

 

20200416_125501 by RS, on Flickr

20190604_122014 by RS, on Flickr

20200416_125428 by RS, on Flickr

 

Should have put this Siku in the Bay lineup too

 

20170804_151127 by RS, on Flickr

 

And this Johnny Lightening in with the splits

 

20200412_171350 by RS, on Flickr

 

Plus the later Zylmex Beetle

 

20200312_104519 by RS, on Flickr

 

I didn't include boxed stuff but Majorette do this Beetle;

 

20200205_223357 by RS, on Flickr

 

And buses

 

20180602_203743 by RS, on Flickr

20190914_090901 by RS, on Flickr

 

Trying to stick to stock(ish) body stuff so no Drag Bus etc

[hennabm]

2 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

 

Yet to find the Tomica or Met Osul - Tomica gets expensive on eBay

I have the other Husky ones but felt the pickup without attachments fitted better in the group test - got lots of larger scale VW stuff including the Corgi, just thought I'd stick to 1:64ish for comparison. I can do a group shot of the bigger ones too if you like?

 

20200416_125501 by RS, on Flickr

20190604_122014 by RS, on Flickr

20200416_125428 by RS, on Flickr

 

Should have put this Siku in the Bay lineup too

 

20170804_151127 by RS, on Flickr

 

 

@bunglebusExcellent. I had the white version of the conveyor truck.

Would love to see the bigger VW stuff you have as well.

[bunglebus]

Looks like I'm going back in the loft then. Bit concerned I didn't find that Siku yesterday, hope it wasn't lost in my hasty house move a few years ago

Found it, obviously had a "man look"

 

Bigger boxed buses

 

Hot Wheels 004_zpsoy3xdmyv by RS, on Flickr

More 002_zps3rnupgp6 by RS, on Flickr

 

[flat4alfa]

Is that Adventure Wheels a knock-off?  Got this Maisto 1/25 too that looks very similar

Maisto stamp underneath

[AndyW201]

6 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

That would be a start!  I'm sure I could remodel the nose to make a Chevette.

There are a couple of Brazilian part work Chevy Chevette wagons knocking around eBay too, may be an easy conversion?

[Datsuncog]

17 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Cruise bruiser is, I think, meant to be an Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser modified for a demolition derby or similar. sits very high and the front bumper is about a scale 6" out from where it belongs. I rectified all that by making my own base with the original bumpers, pulling the front one closer meant I had to cut up a grille from a Hummer to fit. Lots of Dremel action was required to get it this low. Engine was out of my spares box

20200506_132159 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132209 by RS, on Flickr

20200506_132215 by RS, on Flickr

That's ace - I've been squinting at various iterations of that casting for a few years now, trying to imagine what it might look like as a roadgoing car.

Now I don't need to burn any more of my fast-dwindling brain cells to imagine it. Hurrah!

Subaru Brat looks a hundred times better, too. Nice going.

[Remspoor]

On 5/6/2020 at 12:26 PM, barrett said:

This is the bit I find most interesting, as Spot-On has always had a fairly legendary status for me (as previously explained somewhere in this thread ages ago). So, were these actually produced? Do you know what they were?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spot-On_models

[Tenmil Socket]

Although I said I wasn't buying any more die-cast until I've offloaded some of my current stock I couldn't resist this job lot off eBay. I bought it mainly for the Escorts and the Sierra Cosworth. This is a pic from the listing. I'm curious what the van is furthest left?

[bunglebus]

31 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

That's ace - I've been squinting at various iterations of that casting for a few years now, trying to imagine what it might look like as a roadgoing car.

Now I don't need to burn any more of my fast-dwindling brain cells to imagine it. Hurrah!

Subaru Brat looks a hundred times better, too. Nice going.

Definitely needed chrome bumpers

 

20200507_131612 by RS, on Flickr

20200507_131621 by RS, on Flickr

[flat4alfa]

Your ‘Olds Vista Demo Derby’ looks so much better. I was in two minds with it and left it on the shelf a few visits before buying it. There is a paragraph on what the designer was trying to do somewhere.   

until you lowered it I hadn’t realised the whole body is channelled so many inches (in real life, if it existed, that is...)

engine looks a cast item, what’s the donor?

dont throw the old plastic motor with those tall injection stacks it’s right up my street

 

[flat4alfa]

27 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Although I said I wasn't buying any more die-cast until I've offloaded some of my current stock I couldn't resist this job lot off eBay. I bought it mainly for the Escorts and the Sierra Cosworth. This is a pic from the listing. I'm curious what the van is furthest left?

 With a squint it looks like a Guisval Dodge and I would like to buy it probably

Are you keeping the Rover 800 ?

[Tenmil Socket]

The seller said they were all Corgi?

I'll probably keep the Rover (sorry) but others will be for sale at some point.

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

Is that Adventure Wheels a knock-off?  Got this Maisto 1/25 too that looks very similar

 

I believe so yes - there are also Jada models sold under the Adventure Wheels name

 

DSC_0003_zpsbepy4ycl by RS, on Flickr

 

12 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Engine looks a cast item, what’s the donor?

Don't throw the old plastic motor with those tall injection stacks it’s right up my street

 

 

I honestly can't remember - it was in the spares box, one of two I have - cast metal.