Shite in Miniature II

[sierraman]

14 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

I was once told there was a red fire chief version, but never seen anything in print re it.

Would have been possible, loads of left over decals were sold off in ‘82, so it’s possible the sticker from a Mercury could have found its way into a Cortina.

[Split_Pin]

10 hours ago, Dodgem driver said:

Hi all, I'm a newbie here, been following this thread for quite a while. Just thought I'd share what I picked up at a car show at the weekend. I found a nice black Corvette, that is also a phone! Couldn't resist it. Opening doors too. The other purchase was quite a find I reckon.  A Dodge Challenger the seller told me was made by Highway 61, no writing underneath the car. The Challenger is my favourite muscle car anyway, maybe because of the 'Vanishing Point' movie, but I really love this pink colour too, so 70s. The detail on this model is crazy. Separate parts for seat belts, window winders, real removable bonnet pins on the hood or bonnet. It has a headliner inside the roof and a jack in the boot, with the spare wheel. It's got to be worth way more than the £20 I paid for it. But it's a stunning model car and I'm not selling it!

Welcome along!

I initially thought the Dodge was made by American Muscle but having owned a few of those in the past, the detail on yours sounds far superior. Where can you get a 1/18 for £20 now? Nowhere, so it definitely sounds like a bargain.

[warch]

That's so eighties I love it. Reminds me of this somehow..

[bunglebus]

Well I'll be jiggered, T K Maxx have loads of Majorettes! 

[Datsuncog]

Crumbs, that's unexpected.

I was in our local store on Monday, but they didn't have much in the way of diecast (except for some triple packs of 1/43 DTM cars by a Chinese manufacturer whose name I now can't remember - well detailed, but not my bag).

Land Rover station wagon with opening bits looks appealing; pity the Hyundai and Volvo aren't a bit more boring and standard in their paintwork!

[RoadworkUK]

14 hours ago, Dodgem driver said:

Hi all, I'm a newbie here,

(1:18 Dodge Challenger porn)

Welcome along to the best thread of this eternally time-sucking forum. And gosh that's a lovely Challenger, and an utter steal for twenny notes.

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I initially thought the Dodge was made by American Muscle but having owned a few of those in the past, the detail on yours sounds far superior. 

I believe Highway 61 kinda sorta is a high-end spin off from American Muscle; the castings were by Ertl, and there were various levels of detail applied to them. The American Muscle 'Elite edition' range was a kind of earlier precursor to Highway 61. I think Auto World has taken over from the whole Ertl shooting match.

[bunglebus]

Majorette wot I did buy

There's a bit of a back story here, arch nemesis VW collector who's always getting into the toy fair early and vacuuming up all the interesting toys posted on FB about TK Maxx having VW Majorettes - but he only found the normal versions, not the colour changers. I shot into the Chelmsford branch and grabbed spares of each so I'm swapping him a pair for the normal Beetle that I didn't find, and something else as yet undecided. Nice to have something he doesn't for a change!

I also checked out Asda  in the hope of finding the Volvo drift wagon, they'd clearly had a new case at some point but it was thoroughly raided, I came away with just this Batmobile

As I was out and about, thought I'd look into Smyths - very helpful chap recognised me as a Hot Wheels hunter and grabbed several boxes off the top of the racks - just this Camaro to show for his efforts unfortunately 

Lastly, Poundstretcher had restocked an older case, only thing I took was this Kool Kombi - typical that I look for one for months and then two show up within days. Shame I've already stripped the boot sale one as that Hello Kitty paint job deserves to die

[sierraman]

To say I’m not a Hot Wheels fan I like the 70’s to 90’s ones

[sierraman]

[sierraman]

[bunglebus]

Sweet I'm a big fan of the blackwall era stuff. I can see a Custom Volkswagen redline lurking at the back too.

I reckon the 90s was the doldrums for toy cars, I was too busy playing with full size ones at the time, but every now and again some neon monstrosity finds its way to me

Matchbox Pontiac Firebird Racer

[Dodgem driver]

10 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

The Challenger R/T looks a mega-bargain for £20 - 1/18 scale on that one?

Great detail, and they've done a good job with the eyepopping Panther Pink paint. Thanks for sharing!

It's actually 1/24 scale, which makes that level of detail even more incredible.

Never got that sort of detail on a 1980s Burago model when I was a kid!

[sierraman]

Just now, bunglebus said:

Sweet I'm a big fan of the blackwall era stuff. I can see a Custom Volkswagen redline lurking at the back too.

I reckon the 90s was the doldrums for toy cars, I was too busy playing with full size ones at the time, but every now and again some neon monstrosity finds its way to me

Matchbox Pontiac Firebird Racer

I don’t know that one there is from an era for me when I was getting my action at the car boot/jumble sales, not often did I get a new one. I can remember in about 1997 eating my own body weight in Bernard Matthews Turkey Dinosaurs to get the on pack offer of a Matchbox Rhino Rod. The excitement of it coming through the post!

The 90’s were golden era for me, the catalogues you used to get, ticking them off as you got them. I went off diecast when I’d be about 14 becoming temporarily distracted by women and beer until I got to around my late 20’s and I had kids and a chance visit to Poundland and discovering they sold Matchbox. The magic of buying diecast again, my eldest has grown out of it now but youngest still loves going with Dad to Tesco to get the latest mix. It’s nice to see them enjoying the escapism it brings. 

[Dodgem driver]

4 hours ago, RoadworkUK said:

believe Highway 61 kinda sorta is a high-end spin off from American Muscle; the castings were by Ertl, and there were various levels of detail applied to them. The American Muscle 'Elite edition' range was a kind of earlier precursor to Highway 61. I think Auto World has taken over from the whole Ertl shooting match.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome! 👍

I looked into Highway 61 online and it's apparently part of the Greenlight brand. Some mighty fine models they make too. I believe I recently bought a Greenlight caravan, or camper in 1/64 scale. I'll dig it out to check. Think I've got a couple of other 1/64 Greenlight models too. 

The Challenger is 1/24 scale and incredibly detailed for that scale.

I've got various diecast bits and bobs on the way from ebay, will share them here when they turn up.

[bunglebus]

Funny enough there was a kid with his dad chosing Hot Wheels in Smyths, I did warn the dad it's a slippery slope, and he'd end up in his 40s with thousands of them...

[Dodgem driver]

11 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Welcome aboard!

Those are two very nice finds - the Corvette doesn't look like it'd be much fun to use as a phone for long conversations, what with the wheels digging into your head and all, but it's a nicely detailed model. Are you able to check if it still works?

I seem to recall similar novelty phones (Porsche 911, maybe?) where the headlights and taillights flashed and the ringer made a car-horn noise whenever a call was incoming. Weird but kinda wonderful.

Yes, novelty phones were definitely a thing in the 1980s. I just found this on ebay, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255699010155

Mercedes shaped phone. Was tempted to buy it, but I've got too much shite already. 

There's also a Porsche 928 phone from the same era. It came in red, white or black as I recall.

Might try the Corvette phone and see if it still functions. Curious to know what the ringer sound is. A beeping horn I'm guessing. The seller at the stall was selling his own model car collection and he said he bought the Corvette phone in New York whilst on holiday. Be interesting to see if it does work on UK system. Plug connection looks the same. Might try it.

[sheffcortinacentre]

I remember the Merc SL phone seem to recall a  testerossa too.

[eddyramrod]

Yes, my mate had a Testarossa in red.  And outside on the drive, a mk3 Granada (one of several successively).

[Split_Pin]

I think I have said this before, but there was never a time that I wasn't into diecast. However apart from on here and at home I have tended to keep quiet about it since I was around 13. It probably showed through in some way though as women were never interested in me until I was in my 20s😅 Even then I remember a horrible ex I had was being picked up by her friend from our home and her disdain at my shelves of cars as she came into our living room was significant. Thankfully my wife doesn't mind and built me a 'toy room'.

[sierraman]

The wife actually bought me a load of Matchbox for my birthday. I mean let’s be right there’s worse hobbies you could have, it’s fairly harmless!

[Datsuncog]

Another lunchtime laptop lovely - the IXO(?) Ford Sierra 2.3 Ghia.

One of the Argentinian partworks I hoovered up indiscriminately last year, and looking nice in metallic blue.

Shape looks pretty bob-on; the much-derided jellymould styling well rendered along with the Ghia rubbing strips. Dunno if the red inserts are a South American thing, though.

Bit* of roughness around the bumper and sidelights; licence plate is a smidge cockamamie also.

Reasonable stab at underside detailing, too.

Nope, it's not as good as the Vanguards Sierras, and probably couldn't be mistaken for a UK example, but it was fairly inexpensive and I kinda like it all the same...

[sierraman]

The arches look wobbed up like pretty much every Sierra I remember!

[RoadworkUK]

2 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Another lunchtime laptop lovely - the IXO(?) Ford Sierra 2.3 Ghia.

Dunno if the red inserts are a South American thing, though.

They are. They're actually side indicator repeaters; note that the ones that would be below the Ghia crest in the UK are absent. Also note that the headlight washers are represented – an extremely rare option in the UK.

Of course I'm mildly obsessed with Sierras;  I was rather abnormally excited when I discovered this model, being that it's a very close approximation of the A reg 2.0 Ghia in Glacier Blue that my Dad had when I was little. I actually think its a more accurate rendition than the Vanguards XR4i, which looks a bit... overinflated, somehow. The only aspect of the partwork that I dislike is the wheels. They attempt to capture the Aerofoil style, but end up a bit blobby and unconvincing. I'd be very tempted to swap a set of Vanguards XR4i / Ghia pepperpots on, if, like, I started crapping money.

[sheffcortinacentre]

5 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Another lunchtime laptop lovely - the IXO(?) Ford Sierra 2.3 Ghia.

One of the Argentinian partworks I hoovered up indiscriminately last year, and looking nice in metallic blue.

Shape looks pretty bob-on; the much-derided jellymould styling well rendered along with the Ghia rubbing strips. Dunno if the red inserts are a South American thing, though.

Bit* of roughness around the bumper and sidelights; licence plate is a smidge cockamamie also.

Reasonable stab at underside detailing, too.

Nope, it's not as good as the Vanguards Sierras, and probably couldn't be mistaken for a UK example, but it was fairly inexpensive and I kinda like it all the same...

Those are the frt/rear side marker lights.

[MiniMort]

Been faffing around with my new models, respraying a few of them. My detailing is still incredibly a bit rough and ready but on the whole I’m quite pleased with them.

I think I need to come up with some kind of background and make a diorama for them…

[eddyramrod]

A secondhand garage could help you there.  Charity shops, car boots... they can be found.

[bunglebus]

8 hours ago, MiniMort said:

Been faffing around with my new models, respraying a few of them. My detailing is still incredibly a bit rough and ready but on the whole I’m quite pleased with them.

I think I need to come up with some kind of background and make a diorama for them…

2cv at speed in the background is a nice touch though

[MiniMort]

9 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

A secondhand garage could help you there.  Charity shops, car boots... they can be found.

That’s actually a good idea. I’ve got quite a bit of excess wood too - I might even be able to build my own

[Tenmil Socket]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

2cv at speed in the background is a nice touch though

Exactly what I was thinking 😆

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, MiniMort said:

That’s actually a good idea. I’ve got quite a bit of excess wood too - I might even be able to build my own

This winter I’m going to go for it, once I’ve got my shit in order with the house renovations which should* be coming to a close for the time being. Some 12mm ply seems the easy solution. What could recreate brickwork though?