Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

FFS I definitely wasn't* wondering if it would look good with custom paint, better wheels and some windows.

I hate you all

[bunglebus]

Did anyone do a buy on this very 80s Matchbox 911 from Mattel Creations today?

£25 + postage seems a bit much for a standard Moving Parts casting with funky paint and wheels

[andrew e]

Looks ace though, I’d buckle for a green one!

[bunglebus]

Still seeing the same mix of Matchbox everywhere (better than seeing none in Tesco I suppose). Meanwhile, somewhere in the world's getting mix 8:

[andrew e]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-65714184

[eddyramrod]

He should be on this thread!

 

[Datsuncog]

No new case Matchbox (or Hot Wheels) to be found in the local Tesco here:

Was quite excited to see the tubs filled to overflowing again, but careful sifting revealed nothing of any particular interest that we haven't seen many times over.

Ah well.

Meanwhile, I'm growing ever more convinced that someone at Sainsburys is using the Hot Wheels shelf for some ultra low-key trolling.

'Hot Wheels Single Diecast' says the shelf edge label.

Indeed it is. Just one single diecast.

There's only ever been one single diecast on the shelf the last three times I've been in.

Is someone having a (very quiet) laugh?

[Burnside]

On 5/24/2023 at 10:51 AM, Dick Longbridge said:

Love that. For added effect, it needs a pair of number plates printing and attaching. Ideally one of them needs to be on the wonk, too. 

Funnily enough, I was thinking about some registration plates and painting the rest of the side trim mouldings etc to match the Grey door.

As it's a European spec Sapphire in LHD, maybe some French or German registration plates? 

[sierraman]

I like that 911 but no way at £25, that’s just silly. Don’t know what’s going off with the distribution side of things, they can’t seem to ever get it right can they? Still the same things that were on the shelf in February yet we were promised a 13 stage release, we are on May and it’s still on mix 2...

[Datsuncog]

[Datsuncog]

It's hard to break a habit.

Seems that FOMO is such a thing that I can't bear the thought that there might be tat at the market... so I end up schlepping into Belfast anyway.

But I probably could have safely kept my lazy arse in bed this morning.

Market Blokey is, of course, still away. 

I knew that. But I came in anyway.

Just in case.

Alan wasn't so bothered either, seemingly.

Colin's stall, AKA Mulligan's Irish Gifts, was open, though the man himself was nowhere to be seen.

Nor could I see any of the Oxford Diecast Discoveries, of either scale, which he'd mentioned last week as incoming.

Today I would have been... persuadable, let's say.

But it was not to be.

Not much that was new or exciting in the toy end of the stall either - though seemingly his Matchbox stuff sells well.

Paddy's Antiques Shitshow had some Shell Sportscar Collection Maistos, and a Lledo Model T van...

Be still my beating heart.

Hard pass.

It was up to Charity Blokey to make it all worthwhile, but...

Crumbs, we're going full MAGA today.

And still no diecast.

I listlessly flicked through his charmingly scratched 50p CDs as he flipped open some more boxes, just in case, but it was a bit of an exercise in futility.

I could, however, have had as many digital thermometers as I liked for only 50p a go.

And copies of PGA Tour 2001 for the PC.

He did have some large soft-store containers stacked up which seemed promising, but...

Meh.

Is he... somehow procuring secondhand toilet rolls?

I'm imagining someone going round the few remaining public bogs in Belfast, cracking open the dispensers in the traps and making off with all the bumwad - just so they can sell it on for a few pennies.

Honestly, nothing would surprise me anymore.

I decided to go and grab a coffee, but - in a spectacularly poor piece of timing on my part - apparently the entire Giro d'Italia piled in ahead of me.

Ah. Well, I guess they're thirsty lads.

A final whizz-round revealed Alan just getting round to setting up his Emporium, and...

There we go.

It seems that a lone Lesney Hi-Speed Tanker Trailer is today's Tat Pinnacle, kids.

Ah now.

Not exactly a classic week, then...

But - Happy Friday nonetheless, kids.

[Datsuncog]

AAARGH PLOT TWIST

That's no Lesney.

That's no Playmobil(e) either.

I thought the colours didn't seem right, somehow... and I was correct to go back and take another look.

OMG Hungarian pirate double-trademark-infringement madness.

On 12/5/2019 at 3:42 PM, Datsuncog said:

And a spot of digging reveals that apparently in the early 1980s a Hungarian toy outfit called Schenk made rough copies of the Matchbox models, and then sold them under the Playmobil name stolen from its rightful German owner, Brandstatter - their copyright-baiting antics protected from behind the Iron Curtain.

And it wasn't just the Bedford - Schenk ripped off a whole range of Matchbox models, a job lot of which went through Vectis Auction in 2015:

As well as the loose Bedfords in there, I can see Planet Scouts, Fire Chiefs, De Tomaso Panteras, Caravans and even what might be a Datsun 126X.

And then, in the boxed Lots, there were not only more Bedfords (in deeply unconvincing Playmobil branded boxes) but also...

...these blister-packed Leyland articulated trucks and the 1970s Freeway Gas Tanker - which seem to be branded as 'Hobby Cars' and, just to put the tin hat on this IP-breaching haul, feature what looks awfully like a pirate version of the Siku 'chequered flag' mascot!

Wow.

It seems that as well as cars, Schenk also made pirate copies of Playmobil figures and playsets too, and found themselves in considerable legal hot water when they continued to sell the toys after the fall of Communism in the 1990s.

So - not really made by Playmobil after all, but kinda fascinating nonetheless.

Well, fascinating for me, anyway...

Also - can you see that someone's taken it upon themselves to apply Citroen badges to the bonnets of the load cars?

 

Guess they didn't have all that many BL dealers in Bucharest...

Cheers for the steer, folks - always a joy to find new tat info!!

And there was more...

Well well well.

Looks like we've got the dregs of the Charity Stall's 50p box from three weeks ago here, finally out.

Definitely the same knackered Solido Clio.

And more PIRATE YO.

Well, that explains why all my hopeful hanging-around the Charity Stall waiting for the roofless Vogue to appear was fruitless.

Knackered Majo E36 and Whizzwheels GP Buggy were of partial interest.

Possible candidate for the 'Who Did It Worse?' Mercedes competition from earlier in the week.

So! The early bird doesn't necessarily catch the worm... looks like I've been and gone before Alan's had the chance to set these out, for the previous few weeks.

By the time I was making my exit, another general tat stall had dug out a couple of bona fide items...

But - as we all know, little string price labels are never a good sign.

Hey ho.

Once again - Happy Friday.

[FakeConcern]

If the Solido Clio Valver is 1/43 & cheap, would you pick it for me when next you're passing please?

[flat4alfa]

Quote

all my hopeful hanging-around waiting for the roofless Vogue to appear was fruitless.

 Thanks for trying though, sorry

[Datsuncog]

36 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

 Thanks for trying though, sorry

Hey, not a bother - and had Charity Stall Blokey just pointed and said "Oh, Alan over there took all the toy cars" whenever I asked him the other week, rather than shrugging and grunting, then we would all have been much happier...

[Datsuncog]

46 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

If the Solido Clio Valver is 1/43 & cheap, would you pick it for me when next you're passing please?

I may have good news for you...

[bunglebus]

Partworks for a pound anyone?

Certainly better value than the "Hot Wheel" 10 packs that are still for sale here in Basildon-on-Sea

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

That's no Lesney

I kinda want it...

[Split_Pin]

Id take the Fiat Stilo and Panda please?

[MiniMinorMk3]

15 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Mmm, nice.

 

 

AutoArt did the Discovery in 1/43rd and 1/18th.

Here's a 1/43rd in black. It's quite a good model of the Disco, but is quite hard to find.

 

[RoadworkUK]

AutoArt did the Disco in 1:18?! Didn't know that.

They certainly did a 1:18 P38, though, and I rather like it:

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

9 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

AutoArt did the Disco in 1:18?! Didn't know that.

They certainly did a 1:18 P38, though, and I rather like it:

 

 

My mistake, they did the Disco 3 in 1/18th.

[bunglebus]

51 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Id take the Fiat Stilo and Panda please?

Done! You don't want a Motor Max Lincoln concept for £5 then?

[Datsuncog]

So then - after departing from the market I thought I'd take a minor detour past another branch of B&M on my way home, just to see if they happened to have any more Hot Wheels Ultra Hots on the shelves...

The Newtownabbey branch opens at 8, but the Cityside branch just down the road doesn't throw open its doors until 9, as it turns out. So I had a mildly awkward 10 minute wait.

And inside was...

Not all that much, as it happens.

A fairly well-stocked standalone POS, with a good mix of 2022/23 items - but that was about it.

No Ultra Hots, no Anniversaries, no Flying Customs. No Matchbox, either.

So I then headed over to the other branch, in case they'd put out some more Ultra Hots...

But no, nada.

Just the same as before - 50% of the Flying Customs range, a whole load of those Lightyear character cars (I'm expecting them to be a more-or-less permanent fixture), and mainlines of both current and previous Hot Wheels and Matchbox.

Reduced Bburago 1/43, though.

But yeah - for some reason, I find them very resistable these days.

So not all that helpful, then, but there are other branches in the area...

[Split_Pin]

32 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Done! You don't want a Motor Max Lincoln concept for £5 then?

Ah not my thing but nice one on the partworks though, PM incoming!

Also to @Datsuncog for the old Vanguard.

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Done! You don't want a Motor Max Lincoln concept for £5 then?

That's a new one on me

https://www.supercars.net/blog/2003-lincoln-navicross-concept/

[Datsuncog]

Some things were bought, though.

Alan had looked like he could use a sale, so after perusing his contraband Hungarian tat for a bit, I did eventually put my hand in my pocket for a few coins.

Thankfully, he refrained from spitting on his first takings of the day.

(See last week)

Some chips to the paint and scuffing to the plastic edges, but this isn't in bad shape overall.

It's just a pity the cab unit seems to have gone astray.

I don't have an original Lesney tanker for comparison anymore, to my surprise, but I do have the very similar tipper truck version.

Well, it fits together.

Though not quite as snugly as the genuine article...

Yeah, the original trailer has its ball hitch a good bit further inboard, so couples much closer.

Possibly so it could claim to not be a direct copy?

Well well. What a curiosity.

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I kinda want it...

It's yours!

And also, should you wish it...

This similar piece of Cold War era IP-baiting - Schenk's take on the Bedford TM Car Transporter, à la Matchbox.

It's lost its cargo, tragically.

I'll be honest, it's a little crude.

But how does it stack up against the original?

Mmm... not quite as good.

There's been a game attempt at the grille and the lettering - though the Hungarians nixed the tiny griffin badge at the lower right hand corner.

Also, in a 'change that isn't a change', note how the registration plate's been reversed - Matchbox's AJW53R becomes R35WJA on the Schenk clone.

The back's rather less obviously copied, though:

Much plainer on the copy, and a different profile too.

But 'inspired by'?

I'd say so.

@bunglebus - if you fancy this one too for 50p, you'd be most welcome to it!

[Datsuncog]

And there's more...

I figured that somebody might want this down-at-heel Solido Clio.

And it turns out that somebody is @FakeConcern.

It's definitely seen better days...

But as it's only screwed together, I think this could be a fairly straightforward resto job. Bit of paint, bit of plasticard for the rear lights - done.

Wasn't this one from the tail end of the Hachette Century of Cars collection partwork?

Either way - it's yours for 50p, dude!

Then there's this...

I find it hard to leave cheap Corgi Whizzwheels behind.

Although the windshield and hood have gone AWOL, it's not in too bad shape.

50p takes this, if anyone fancies it!

I also nabbed this Hot Wheels Celica:

The big chin spoiler and massive wheels aren't really to my taste, but it's quite nice anyway.

I'll probably keep this one, for a while anyway.

[Datsuncog]

And I didn't leave B&M without doing a purchase.

Not sure if you're still after this one, @andy18s - but if you are, it's here!

If you don't... well, someone else is welcome to it. £1.69 paid.

And, after resisting for several months, I finally snapped and bought myself a Nissan Patrol.

I'm still watching too much Matt's Off Road Recovery on YouTube, I know.

But the flowerbeds are calling, and I must go...

Once again - Happy Friday, all!

[Split_Pin]

2 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

And there's more...

I figured that somebody might want this down-at-heel Solido Clio.

And it turns out that somebody is @FakeConcern.

It's definitely seen better days...

But as it's only screwed together, I think this could be a fairly straightforward resto job. Bit of paint, bit of plasticard for the rear lights - done.

Wasn't this one from the tail end of the Hachette Century of Cars collection partwork?

Either way - it's yours for 50p, dude!

Then there's this...

I find it hard to leave cheap Corgi Whizzwheels behind.

Although the windshield and hood have gone AWOL, it's not in too bad shape.

50p takes this, if anyone fancies it!

I also nabbed this Hot Wheels Celica:

The big chin spoiler and massive wheels aren't really to my taste, but it's quite nice anyway.

I'll probably keep this one, for a while anyway.

I got a mint one of those Clios in the epic free Century of Cars haul from doug last week. Initially I thought it was just a colour variation of the standard Hi-Fi Solido Clio as the baseplate has the issue date of May 1990 (which is obviously too early for a 16v version) but the blue one has been extensively reworked with flared arches and bonnet bulge. A nice thing by all accounts.