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Shite in Miniature II


Split_Pin

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19 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Cor, and you have two Ruff Treks from the rarities list and all - the Road Blasters version, and also the casting's very last outing as the gift-set-only Matchbox Rescue vehicle.

The 7-Up support truck from the Team Matchbox Convoy set is a winner too.

Excellent stuff!

I may have a spare of the Road Blasters version,I'll have look at the weekend.

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2 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

I googled Cougar, and wish I hadn't

Yesterday , a car park we were testing in was also the access to landscapers, the owner told me the office manager would be arriving and could we let cross the site. 
“ What car will she be driving?” I asked.

” A Kuga” says he.

“ The car or her?” I hilariously ask.

” You decide” he replies “ She’s my Mum!”

Collapse of stout party.

( Although...)

 

 

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5 hours ago, bunglebus said:

dustcart I don't recall seeing

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It's funny how some castings just never seem to crop up, despite spending an inordinate amount of time looking at stuff online and... I found that when I finally got a Corgi/Husky reference book, a whole load of models were completely unfamiliar to me.

Oddly enough, I did have this one as a kid, as part of a Bumper Gift Pack - in red with a grey compactor and blacked out windows, though I sold it on here a few years back. I've seen a couple of them in the market tat boxes too, but the generic nature of the casting means they don't appeal me all that much. Not seen a gold one though, from memory.

My book on Juniors lists ten colour variations: seven from the original '76 - '80 run (including gold/blue) and a further three from the fag end of Mettoy in '82-'83 with opaque black windows.

My red and grey version is not listed...

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Now DC you've hit on something there, 'fag-end of Mettoy. I have a Corgi Juniors Jaguar XJS which I must have got around 1982-1983. It's a very flimsy thing, opaque windows and a plastic base. Yet I have another from the late 1980s which has a metal base and an interior, with clear windows. It was probably like this because of a stipulation by BP for their promotional cars but it's still a marked contrast.

Does anybody have any other examples of this kind of low point in Corgi's history? I'd be interested to see!

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1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Now DC you've hit on something there, 'fag-end of Mettoy. I have a Corgi Juniors Jaguar XJS which I must have got around 1982-1983. It's a very flimsy thing, opaque windows and a plastic base. Yet I have another from the late 1980s which has a metal base and an interior, with clear windows. It was probably like this because of a stipulation by BP for their promotional cars but it's still a marked contrast.

Does anybody have any other examples of this kind of low point in Corgi's history? I'd be interested to see!

Funny enough - one was in today's job lot

 

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They really are about the same quality as the cheapest Chinese shite that your distant aunt used to send you for Christmas in a box of 10, except it's actually a proper car not generic 

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Some more shite era Corgis from the vault

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I've seen this Wimpy van with both clear and black glass

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Did these ever have clear glass?

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A lot of the ones with proper windows feel a bit Mickey Mouse, the metal base 911 from today's haul is a proper heavyweight in comparison

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I like the idea of a crap Mettoy challenge! I might take a rummage and see what I can turn up...

What definitely isn't from their declining years is today's eBay arrival... yup, I resisted all purchasing for about five weeks, before cracking last Friday.

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Basically, I've never seen one of these still boxed before, so... I wasn't able to turn it down.

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While other mid-70s 1/36 Corgis in my collection use cardboard as their inner packaging, it seems the C415 Mazda Camper required expanded polystyrene to keep everything in place.

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Still, it is in really good nick; unlike the online-acquired blue Mazda which turned up in a near-pristine box but with a fair bit of (undisclosed) wear.

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Hitch-up mechanism works fine; maybe a bit stiff from lack of use.

Not only was this a cracking model, but the functionality of the camper body was really quite innovative - I've never seen a design like it. According to the Van Cleemput book, 181,000 examples of the camper found homes between 1976 and 1978, making it their third biggest seller in the light commercials category - just behind the motorway maintenance version of the Mazda B1600 pickup.

Part of my curiosity was to see what was printed on the back of the box - sometimes it's a picture of a real-life version of the toy, and I quite fancied seeing a real one of these.

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Meh. Ah well.

The line drawing on the base is pretty good, though.

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But stay! What's this?

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Well, you may or may not recall that I scored a somewhat more used Mazda Camper last year; so I guess this new one is something of a trade-up.

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While both pickups are in good nick, the camper roof of the boxless one does have a fair few chips to it.

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Still, chips or otherwise, if anyone fancies a Mazda Camper, it's available..

[EDIT: now sold to Mr Ramrod!]

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22 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

I like the idea of a crap Mettoy challenge! I might take a rummage and see what I can turn up...

What definitely isn't from their declining years is today's eBay arrival... yup, I resisted all purchasing for about five weeks, before cracking last Friday.

138532435_IMG_20210128_2014062.thumb.jpg.4c11fdceb7ac921939d1c4a106359490.jpg

Basically, I've never seen one of these still boxed before, so... I wasn't able to turn it down.

1409269467_IMG_20210128_2011042.thumb.jpg.ba30fca9a228e310276af7b75c212fa1.jpg

While other mid-70s 1/36 Corgis in my collection use cardboard as their inner packaging, it seems the C415 Mazda Camper required expanded polystyrene to keep everything in place.

321858156_IMG_20210128_2011202.thumb.jpg.edca49e4e941d03a74d2600136221ea5.jpg

Still, it is in really good nick; unlike the online-acquired blue Mazda which turned up in a near-pristine box but with a fair bit of (undisclosed) wear.

1321921769_IMG_20210128_2012152.thumb.jpg.bdc41f13b98dcd758a1c7ecdf7c51c8a.jpg

Hitch-up mechanism works fine; maybe a bit stiff from lack of use.

Not only was this a cracking model, but the functionality of the camper body was really quite innovative - I've never seen a design like it.

Part of my curiosity was to see what was printed on the back of the box - sometimes it's a picture of a real-life version of the toy, and I quite fancied seeing a real one of these.

69173914_IMG_20210128_2010462.thumb.jpg.1e5488251d0197705b40c13db170c283.jpg

Meh. Ah well.

The line drawing on the base is pretty good, though.

1543946472_IMG_20210128_2015222.thumb.jpg.716abea148bf040681558f8c068e8348.jpg

But stay! What's this?

394576491_IMG_20210128_2012312.thumb.jpg.cc5e5a2ed575b508ffe660edffd34af1.jpg

Well, you may or may not recall that I scored a somewhat more used Mazda Camper last year; so I guess this new one is something of a trade-up.

1953925741_IMG_20210128_2012462.thumb.jpg.8f096f43ce4b1718a5d7eca10aeccb74.jpg

While both pickups are in good nick, the camper roof of the boxless one does have a fair few chips to it.

453432296_IMG_20210128_2015442.thumb.jpg.b306ba70375c816d9deff46848c23093.jpg

Still, chips or otherwise, if anyone fancies a Mazda Camper, it's available...

Hand raised!

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1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

Looks GR9 !

Never used either but was recommended to spray a protection spray over decals.  Krylon Gloss Preserve is one.  There must be plenty of other digital photo paper PVC protectants about.  

If you print your own (if only I had the tech) you have to lacquer them. These came from Black Square Decals and don't run. I've used them before and been impressed. Just waiting on the glue to dry on the glass then it can go back together

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More Matchbox arrivals. I won two auctions, one for the Corvette and 57 Chevy, and the other for Red Rider/Cosmic Blues. The later started at 1p, so with combined postage was effectively free. I only really wanted the Cosmic Blues as I already have the, er, blue version. All look almost mint despite the usual missing engine on Red Rider.

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Also gained another Peugeot Quasar, for some reason an obsession of mine as a kid

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Finally this rather lovely Norev MK1 Golf 

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39 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

Yo. I bought myself one of those MB Estates that Matchbox are chucking out at the moment.

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I decided to "improve" the front end as it really didn't look very Mercedes-like. My efforts were a bit shit but added a bit more Merc-ness to it. Apart from thats its nice.

Have Tesco got any new stuff in?

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I've been trying to find an original, one sold on eBay just before I began my search and none have come up since. I've had various pink ones which I should have kept, as I had to buy one to make my white replica. There are both orange and yellow interiors to find, as can be seen in my pics ^. The white ones seemed to have yellow inside, so that's what I chose.

Current one

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The now-white one

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Previous one that's been and gone

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Don't think its stablemate the Milligan's Mill came in anything but Kermit green (but there are orange/yellow interiors), although I have had two different types of supercharger scoop on my current/previous examples - and some where it had gone AWOL

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I don't have a tat-buying problem...

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On 28/01/2021 at 10:38 PM, bunglebus said:

Funny enough - one was in today's job lot

 

20210128_151703.jpg

20210128_151706.jpg

They really are about the same quality as the cheapest Chinese shite that your distant aunt used to send you for Christmas in a box of 10, except it's actually a proper car not generic 

I think that is actually a later one as I'm fairly sure those wheels didn't debut until the new models were introduced for the BP promotion in about 1987. I could be wrong though.

Those Gran Torinos were 1970s though as my cousins had a couple. The roof light seemed to like to break off and fall inside. I'm going to go up in the loft late and see what ones I have.

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Just now, Split_Pin said:

I think that is actually a later one as I'm fairly sure those wheels didn't debut until the new models were introduced for the BP promotion in about 1987. I could be wrong though.

Those Gran Torinos were 1970s though as my cousins had a couple. The roof light seemed to like to break off and fall inside. I'm going to go up in the loft later and see what ones I have.

 

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Hey, speaking of XJSs; does anybody have one of these?

xjs1.thumb.jpg.bd9293c76650d156c2154d07e3fce1b1.jpg

I don't, but I might well have done were it not for self-control. I was the opening bidder on one on eBay that was at £12.50 this morning. It ended at a frenzied £22.50, though — beyond what I'll pay for something on a passing whim.

It's broken, too. The vendor says it "needs looking at", re. the roof mechanism. Among its features this has an electric folding roof.  Perhaps it adds to the authenticity that a thirty-plus year old miniature Jag convertible would have dodgy roof electrics.

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There are other features, too, that I feel could add to the play value for somebody desperately clinging onto his thirties.

Does anybody have one? Are they in fact as irredeemably shite as I suspect they might be?

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9 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

Hey, speaking of XJSs; does anybody have one of these?

xjs1.thumb.jpg.bd9293c76650d156c2154d07e3fce1b1.jpg

I don't, but I might well have done were it not for self-control. I was the opening bidder on one on eBay that was at £12.50 this morning. It ended at a frenzied £22.50, though — beyond what I'll pay for something on a passing whim.

It's broken, too. The vendor says it "needs looking at", re. the roof mechanism. Among its features this has an electric folding roof.  Perhaps it adds to the authenticity that a thirty-plus year old miniature Jag convertible would have dodgy roof electrics.

xjs3.thumb.jpg.33b12909b6fecca1a08b64370faf1883.jpg

There are other features, too, that I feel could add to the play value for somebody desperately clinging onto his thirties.

Does anybody have one? Are they in fact as irredeemably shite as I suspect they might be?

I'm pretty sure that one of my good school mates had one of these back in the early/mid-90's, as at the time he was Jaguar obsessed and collected shite miniatures of them (I on the other hand was way cooler and collected Ford Transit castings, instead), mostly sourced from the local giant Tesco, just up the road. This only rings a distant bell though, so perhaps it was merely coveted, as I don't remember seeing any of the bits in action. That said, he had one of those GIANT Miasto XJ220s (1/12?) and looked after it very carefully, so maybe he did the same with this and just looked at it from afar?

 

Last week, I went to the Southward Car Museum, on the way home to a holiday in the south island (I've trolled documented my encounter with a Tippen Delta in the Invacar thread, should anyone be interested). As I had hoped, there were cabinets full of die casts, much of which were mint, mid-60's issued Matchbox 1-75s and Superkings - which for some reason, I didn't document. But in fairness, we have seen them all before.

 

Instead, I took a couple of shots of things I found interesting, so here they are:

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First up, here's a rather snazzy panorama shot of some AA and ADACS, taken mostly for the Siku/Transit content. I estimate I own(ed) 10 of the 18 items on display here!

 

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Never seen this plastic SLC before - it's a big old mamma, as the 1/24 model behind demonstrates. Can anyone identify it?

 

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Some picks from the inevitable fire engine collection - am I the only one that finds this subject not that interesting? Despite the fact that I fight fires as a hobby and I collect die casts?! Anyway, I liked the jazzy wheels of this early issue Mercedes 508, as well as the opening front doors; my later issued one in Deutsch Post livery has those doors cast shut.

 

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I thought this was quite an interesting segment of the fire vehicles bit, though. Any particular rarities here? There's also another example of a red SLC I can't work out the maker of! I do like the blue light attached to the sun roof, though. And don't ask me what the purpose is of a Lamborghini Firehunter - Siku do occasionally take whimsy a little too far.

 

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Last of the boring reds, I promise. Documented here for @Datsuncog's 1/32 appreciation and the widespread general appreciation of seeing one with A pillars intact.

 

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I've always had a soft spot for the Dinky D Series, so thought the lesser spotted tipper(?) was worthy of a shot. Am I right in thinking these were only offered as a kit? Probably not.

 

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Finally, one I initially had some bother in identifying, despite it being parked amongst a load of other Dinkys. This'll be one of those exotic French Dinkys, seen occupying the back pages of many a turn of the 70's catalogue uploaded on this thread in the past. It's certainly desirable as such but in fairness, I think the casting detail of the Scammell to the left holds up much better - just look at its front wheel!

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Jon said:

50882271207_36620f8198_b.jpg

I thought this was quite an interesting segment of the fire vehicles bit, though. Any particular rarities here?

The just out of shot redline is probably quite sought after (they all are). I can see a Matchbox #64 Fire Chief,  Siku Lambo you already mentioned, Corgi Whizzwheels Capri, Hot Wheels Fire Chief, Matchbox Mercury Park Lane, Hot Wheels Olds 442, ??? Mercedes, another Whizzwheels Capri, an ERTL Pontiac Bonneville and Corgi Ford Torino

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