Shite in Miniature II

Christine · December 28, 2023

Repainted my x concepts 43rd Civic .. pictured with bungles hotwheels one ..

flat4alfa · December 28, 2023

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Hasn't one of you got one tucked away?

bunglebus · December 28, 2023

Yeah I can feel a line up coming on

andrew e · December 28, 2023

Sone more from the toyfair - first up £10 Renault 16 with dogging seats - they won’t stay up only reclined! These Corgi’s really are lovely and this one has a lovely lustre to the paint too with sadly just one chip to the tailgate pillar but wearing its 50 years very well.

Then I’m quite chuffed with my deal of the day - grubby Dinky 356 and a grubby Spot-on Bentley - the pair £15! Such was the lightning speed my hand went for my wallet my trousers almost caught alight 😉

Scrubbed up nice with a little soap and Autoglym. The proportions of this 356 are absolutely bang on, especially the wheel stance. I can see more of these in my future! This is quite toybox enjoyed, but its patina suits it perfectly.

Next up to Spot-on Bentley which has considerable heft and accuracy. It also boasts a full interior and I’m quite chuffed with snaring this one! Again toybox enjoyed condition, but the glass is good so maybe it’s a candidate for a blow over one day?

Justwatching · December 28, 2023

Auto World 1974 Dodge Challenger

For comparison, I also have a 1970 model from Auto World. Note the change in grill design and headlight surround. Also, the bumper over-riders to comply with 1973 US crash standards.

At the rear, the long and thin tail lights of the '70 model are replaced by four rectangular light pods. Again, note the "5 MPH" bumpers which were mandated on the rear for 1974.

FakeConcern · December 28, 2023

Toy fair was small today and I didn’t pick up much tat, I was tempted by a few that I half regret not getting, but not too much. Most of what I got is for parts and projects.

Prices paid got a bit confusing as Mrs Concern bought scenery stuff etc as well, but I’ll put thye price where I can remember in case you’re interested.

This bundle was in a rummage box and came to £6

The seller wanted £7 for this tiny bundle, paid £5 which wasn’t cheap, but the Lotus has the driver, steering wheel and screen and I had all of them on my Steve Flowers list so it was worth it.

These were priced at Norev Matra £8, Corgi Vanguard £6 & Dinky Atlas TR £3, knocked him down to £14 for all three which I was happy with.

I’ve never had a Corgi Vanguard and I’m starting to want some earlier Corgis.

Not fantastic condition, but just as I like them, looking like the young me just finished playing with it.

The Norev is the second plastic one I’ve got after the Mehari last time and no paint chips on this one

I didn’t realise bonnet, boot and doors all open too

Plus the headlights from a little lever underneath!

Not had any Atlas before, but I do have a CMC Monte Mini so why not? I already have an original in that strange salmon colour anyway.

I grabbed the King size Cougar as part of the rummage box bundle and it’s pretty good apart from no tyres.

Two Corgi Mack trucks also in the bundle so super cheap, I’m not into army stuff and only got that for spares for a hopper truck I bought from @155V6 a while ago. The seller said he had a few of the detachable rear wheels and would bring one for me next time, I bet he forgets though!

The Corgi Cooper Climax is really good apart from the strangely missing front axle and wheels and the Cooper Maserati is very good with all the bits and driver activated steering it only wants some numbers on the side

Lastly from the rummage bundle this broken Simon Snorkel as @eddyramrod wants the wheels (I think)

So mostly a load of crap, but at crap prices and no real bargains, but pleased with what I did pick up.

I’m already looking to see when the next toy fair is (4^th Feb to long away boo).

bunglebus · December 28, 2023

What do we think tat fans, real or home-made?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/rare-toy-car-bought-50p-31758388?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mirror+-+Money+Newsletter_newsletter&utm_content=&utm_term=&ruid=056210db-c918-4ca5-afd7-968c0b81de90

https://www.vectis.co.uk/d010-lot-975204-dinky-113-pre-production-the-new-avengers-john-steeds-jaguar-xj5-3c?display=grid&el=975204&header_id=0&keyword=dinky&lo=ASC&pn=2&pp=96

junkyarddog · December 28, 2023

41 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

.

Turn the military version into a replica of this!

😁

155V6 · December 28, 2023

59 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

Toy fair was small today and I didn’t pick up much tat, I was tempted by a few that I half regret not getting, but not too much. Most of what I got is for parts and projects.

Prices paid got a bit confusing as Mrs Concern bought scenery stuff etc as well, but I’ll put thye price where I can remember in case you’re interested.

This bundle was in a rummage box and came to £6

The seller wanted £7 for this tiny bundle, paid £5 which wasn’t cheap, but the Lotus has the driver, steering wheel and screen and I had all of them on my Steve Flowers list so it was worth it.

These were priced at Norev Matra £8, Corgi Vanguard £6 & Dinky Atlas TR £3, knocked him down to £14 for all three which I was happy with.

I’ve never had a Corgi Vanguard and I’m starting to want some earlier Corgis.

Not fantastic condition, but just as I like them, looking like the young me just finished playing with it.

The Norev is the second plastic one I’ve got after the Mehari last time and no paint chips on this one

I didn’t realise bonnet, boot and doors all open too

Plus the headlights from a little lever underneath!

Not had any Atlas before, but I do have a CMC Monte Mini so why not? I already have an original in that strange salmon colour anyway.

I grabbed the King size Cougar as part of the rummage box bundle and it’s pretty good apart from no tyres.

Two Corgi Mack trucks also in the bundle so super cheap, I’m not into army stuff and only got that for spares for a hopper truck I bought from @155V6 a while ago. The seller said he had a few of the detachable rear wheels and would bring one for me next time, I bet he forgets though!

The Corgi Cooper Climax is really good apart from the strangely missing front axle and wheels and the Cooper Maserati is very good with all the bits and driver activated steering it only wants some numbers on the side

Lastly from the rummage bundle this broken Simon Snorkel as @eddyramrod wants the wheels (I think)

So mostly a load of crap, but at crap prices and no real bargains, but pleased with what I did pick up.

I’m already looking to see when the next toy fair is (4^th Feb to long away boo).

Is this any good to you for parts?

FakeConcern · December 28, 2023

59 minutes ago, 155V6 said:

Is this any good to you for parts?

That would be good thanks, I think you still have stuff for me (not paid yet) on your haphazard diecast sale so please add it and let me know total so I can settle (unless you have more to come?)

bunglebus · December 28, 2023

According to the interwebz, this came from the 1993 New York toy fair.

Quite what it's doing at a 2023 Raleigh toy fair I'm not sure

Datsuncog · December 28, 2023

Well kids - just to reiterate, with the market shut tomorrow, Tat Friday is now done for the year.

So it'll be next Friday before there's any prospect of miniature tat a-happening.

But I'll try and see if I can slap together some sort of retrospective tomorrow - so if you've any stand-out memories of this year's finds, do sing up...

flat4alfa · December 28, 2023

12 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

market shut tomorrow

I’m cured!

Split_Pin · December 28, 2023

19 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Well kids - just to reiterate, with the market shut tomorrow, Tat Friday is now done for the year.

So it'll be next Friday before there's any prospect of miniature tat a-happening.

But I'll try and see if I can slap together some sort of retrospective tomorrow - so if you've any stand-out memories of this year's finds, do sing up...

Top of the Pops has to be the Mercury Seat 850 for a fiver.

flat4alfa · December 28, 2023

Quote

stand-out memories of this year's finds

The Bevan Imp being devoured with Tikka Wrap episode

bunglebus · December 29, 2023

Eyeballing a Race Day chase car on one of the stalls was a memorable Friday for me - does the one found in Poundstretcher count too?

flat4alfa · December 29, 2023

Quote

stand-out memories of this year's finds

On 17/03/2023 at 13:59, Rover414 said:

Easily over £100 for one of those - Hattons (my local) just got one in for £120 secondhand. If by some sheer luck it remained around, grab it! I'd deffo take it cos it would fill a gap.

That experimental FRM in resin

Quote

On 24/03/2023 at 11:13, quicksilver said:

SCORE! That FRM is the bargain of the millennium and even cost less than the Red Bus Pass advertised on it. Can't believe it was still there - can't be many knowledgeable bus collectors in Belfast as anyone who knew what it was would have snatched Market Blokey's arm off for it instantly.

Quote

Best news - he only charged me a fiver for it.

flat4alfa · December 29, 2023

On 09/06/2023 at 16:34, Datsuncog said:

Crumbs. A K-171 Matchbox Super Kings Toyota Hilux.

This is one of those models developed at the tail end of the Universal ownership era that never seemed to get proper distribution. Only sold for one year, I believe.

Chance of a lifetime to snaffle this for only the fiver paid.

Snaffled. And still lives back here with me..

Datsuncog · December 29, 2023

Just to keep the continuity going...

...no market, of course, but an early start anyway as I'd offered to do an airport run. So, here's the Tat Tree at just before 6am - not frosty but a cold old wind blowing.

Retrospective to follow, once I get back to a laptop!

sierraman · December 29, 2023

11 hours ago, bunglebus said:

What do we think tat fans, real or home-made?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/rare-toy-car-bought-50p-31758388?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mirror+-+Money+Newsletter_newsletter&utm_content=&utm_term=&ruid=056210db-c918-4ca5-afd7-968c0b81de90

https://www.vectis.co.uk/d010-lot-975204-dinky-113-pre-production-the-new-avengers-john-steeds-jaguar-xj5-3c?display=grid&el=975204&header_id=0&keyword=dinky&lo=ASC&pn=2&pp=96

Would hate to say but it does look in remarkably good condition if it’s original and £2,000 is a lot of money if it’s had some paint...

flat4alfa · December 29, 2023

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Just to keep the continuity going…

FakeConcern · December 29, 2023

This Corgi Lancia is my memory from Tat Friday

Who else would think to post up a toy in that condition?

I'm very grateful that @Datsuncogdid as this is what I was after

Here it is fitted to my fake Corgi Whizzwheels Lancia

Which is the last piece in my Tri Deck puzzle

I love Tat Friday!

quicksilver · December 29, 2023

3 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

On 17/03/2023 at 13:59, Rover414 said:

Easily over £100 for one of those - Hattons (my local) just got one in for £120 secondhand. If by some sheer luck it remained around, grab it! I'd deffo take it cos it would fill a gap.

That experimental FRM in resin

This is my highlight too. A tenner asked for something easily worth a hundred quid is already an astonishing bargain that'll be difficult for anyone to ever beat, but to top it off Blokey voluntarily halved it without even a haggle! If he was the mercenary type DC could have flipped it and made £shitloads so I hope he received a huge dose of good tat karma for putting principles over profit.

Nothing else specific stands out. It's more the general emotions of each week: the anticipation of never knowing what'll turn up, dejection when there's nothing interesting, excitement when there is and relief when it's successfully procured for its desiring new owner. Plus the general sense of community it fosters and the amicable way conflicts are resolved: nobody has ever decended into fights over a Tat Friday find and disappointment at missing out is always tempered by success later on. Thanks Tim for your dedication to running one of the best weekly serials on the internet, and here's to an equally tat-filled 2024!

MiniMinorMk3 · December 29, 2023

3 hours ago, sierraman said:

Would hate to say but it does look in remarkably good condition if it’s original and £2,000 is a lot of money if it’s had some paint...

14 hours ago, bunglebus said:

What do we think tat fans, real or home-made?

https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/rare-toy-car-bought-50p-31758388?utm_source=mirror_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Mirror+-+Money+Newsletter_newsletter&utm_content=&utm_term=&ruid=056210db-c918-4ca5-afd7-968c0b81de90

https://www.vectis.co.uk/d010-lot-975204-dinky-113-pre-production-the-new-avengers-john-steeds-jaguar-xj5-3c?display=grid&el=975204&header_id=0&keyword=dinky&lo=ASC&pn=2&pp=96

That's genuine. I first saw one a Vectis about 15 years ago. It was boxed and sold for a 4 figure sum (£5,000ish). Some of them originally they came in a blister pack.

Vectis Auctions | Dinky Pre-production 'The Avengers' - 'John Steed's' Jaguar

No one knows how many were made but in recent years there have been a lot of code 3 examples made, which have more affordable estimates.

Vectis Auctions | Dinky No.113 'The New Avengers' - Jaguar XJ5.3C

PS Turns out it was 17 years ago

Datsuncog · December 29, 2023

YEAR IN TAT – 2023

Well kids, it’s been another fine year of tattin’ over at St George’s.

One of the more involved years, in terms of the sheer number of events attended – previously, of course, there had been assorted curtailments for various reasons. Global pandemics, for one - remember that? - and also work pressures, or having too many damn models already and all the domestic discord that can bring.

We’ve all been there.

2023 brought us a nice round 50 weeks of Tat Friday, and I was able to make it over for most of the weeks the market was running – even if sometimes the prime mover of assorted diecast tat, the proprietor of Nostalgic Collectables, wasn’t there. But even if the Main Tat Stall wasn’t dispensing its bounty, other peripheral tat stalls sometimes stepped into the breach with some pretty special finds.

I missed the first week or two of January owing to being quite ill, but the first market morning attended in the middle of the month brought us a lot of EFE and OOC railway-scale buses, plus some unusual scratch-builds, and I can only surmise that an eminent local collector either had something of a clear-out, or fell off their perch altogether.

Hey, it happens. Some decent examples found their way over the water to join new collections, and so the Circle Of Tat continues unbroken...

My top finds for this month included these delightful Tomica buses:

I found two of these split-level Fuji buses; I kept one, and passed the other one along.

Many Atlantean/ Fleetline style deckers by Tomica also appeared - some fancier than others.

Plus a whole rake of wrongly-boxed but otherwise very nice 1990s/00s Majorette models turned up at the knock-down price of £1 a go, which found many an enthusiastic home via this thread.

So the January tranche of Friday finds looked a little something like this:

More to come!

Datsuncog · December 29, 2023

February brought us yet more buses, plus a sudden glut of earlyish Lesney chod, which weren’t exactly super-cheap but were super-nice.

Also an unexpected raft of Spot-On, which were not particularly cheap either, but which I certainly coveted.

I did come away with a half-decent Cresta, though.

Some other older stuff started to trickle onto the stall around this time, although not quite the bargains of yesteryear –

Culminating in what I still think is in with a shout of taking the coveted Find Of The Year Award:

Mmmm - a Gamda Koor Sabra model of a Chevrolet Impala coupe.

Oh yes. This one lives on my desk so I can see it every day. It’s just fantastic.

Some decent Matchbox Monster Trucks from one of the other cheapo tat stalls were a bit of a bargain at 50p a go, too.

This month also marked a slightly escalating arms race with The Nemesis - the deep-pocketed collector who over the years has regularly managed to snap up some desirable diecast far in excess of my meagre funds - to see which of us could get in sooner to the market when it opened.

I used to drop in around 8.30, just before work; then that became 8.00 as I realised the better stuff got picked off quickly. After a few near-misses of particularly desirable items, I started setting my alarm even earlier to get in for 7.30 (long before the market’s official opening time but it seems that the security lads couldn’t give a toss). So after a few fantastic finds, such as a Corgi Rockets Capri and the Sabra Impala, The Nemesis started coming in even earlier still.

At this point I decided it wasn’t worth camping outside the doors from Thursday lunchtime, and just let him have at it.

Hey ho. Still, he doesn’t get to have it all his own way…

February’s finds looked a bit like this, then:

Dinky Mercury Cougar repainted in red and Corgi Oldsmobile Toronado were another fine pair of discoveries, which were soon rehomed.

More to follow!

Datsuncog · December 29, 2023

Into March, then, and the mornings were somewhat less dark and dreich.

Some improvement arrived in the form of a good ol’ fashioned 50p rummage box.

What was less good was the realisation that these were mostly my childhood toys, which I’d sold to Market Blokey over a year previously during a high-pressure clearout. I’d hoped he’d have already sold them on during my enforced market exile for most of 2022, but apparently not.

So I bought a whole load of them back again. For much more than I’d sold them, obviously.

Damn, I’m good.

I also started revisiting the Model Shop in Smithfield, and went so far as to pick up a few items, before remembering why I don’t go in there much anymore.

It’s the lad who owns the place, he’s a total melter.

A glut of Vanguards also hit around mid-March time, giving some thread regulars cause for palpitations.

Also, one particular rarity spotted amongst the mayhem by one of our eagle-eyed correspondents…

Yup, this was the rare resin model of a front-loading Routemaster already flagged as a highlight, one of 300 built by Jotus. Generally these are a bit spendy whenever they do crop up; so this was a virtual steal at a mere fiver.

I'd no idea what it was, nor its true value, and it took @Rover414 to give me a virtual tap on the shoulder and alert me. Seems no-one else local twigged its identity/ value either, as it was still on the stall the following week and duly snaffled for passing on.

Just goes to show - you never know what might turn up.

And for me, that's kinda the draw of Tat Friday - it's not so much about acquiring specific models (hey, there's eBay for that), but rather just expanding my tat-horizons. It's finding stuff I never knew existed; odd variants; strange knock-offs. Because it's unreal how many truly odd things seem to roll into this little corner of Belfast once a week.

Purchasing for March looked a bit like this, then:

Most of these were buy-backs.

Some hot VHS action was also had, this week.

And there's more...

Datsuncog · December 29, 2023

By the time April rolled around, Vanguards-mania was continuing…

…but some of the other stalls were beginning to up their game a little.

Well, a little.

It did mean that another Top Contender appeared:

I don’t know why I like this frankly wrecked Siku Transit so much – but I really do. Still.

Old stuff did appear, sporadically…

Including some oldish and unusual buses:

And, outside of the market, locating Hot Wheels Flying Customs from branches of B&M became something of a full-time occupation for a bit.

Additionally, the Cityside branch of Poundland managed to cock up spectacularly by putting out a load of new-case Matchbox mainlines at 50p a go.

I’ll admit, it was probably me tearing the arse out of the situation by coming back three times in 24hrs which raised their suspicions, and suddenly they were all pulled off the shelves before going back on at triple the price.

Several minishiters did ok out of their error, though.

April also brought something of an armistice with The Nemesis, after a heartfelt chat...

Quote

Well, interestingly, he didn't show up until well after 8 today - by which time I'd already taken a load of pics, made a few purchases, taken a turn round the rest of the market (nothing of interest), got a coffee and was busy resizing pics and tapping away at my screen.

Then I saw the message about the Kelvin RM and Dinky Vanguard S1 come through, so trotted back over to see what was what - and there he was, handing over a wodge of cash for a box of about 15 models; mostly Dinky stuff but some Corgi and other items too.

Initially he seemed a smidge taken aback, and asked if I was in late today too?

I assured him that no, I'd already had a good look through everything earlier on, and had got all I personally wanted.

He then told me that he'd actually left it a bit later to come in today - because he didn't want me to think that he was in competition with me, and wanted to head off any potential conflict.

Which was jolly thoughtful of him, and gave me a twinge of regret at some of my previous rather huffy postings.

I'll not lie, I began to worry that he'd found this thread online...

So then we got onto the whys and wherefores of why we collect stuff, and yes - he says he is buying this stuff for himself, not for flipping.

He was over the moon at finding the Dinky Commer DECCA unit, and the other Dinky items. And rightly so.

And then he explained why he was here every week.

Like so many of us, he amassed a lot of toy cars as a kid. LOTS. Bags and bags of them throughout the '60s and early '70s.

He told me that his mother worked at the Spot-On factory on the Castlereagh Rd, and staff had the opportunity to buy up imperfect seconds in bags of five for £not that much.

Which was great, until he reached his early teens... and, as he told it, he started getting stick from his mates for being into toy cars.

So, seemingly to prove he wasn't still a wee kid playing with wee cars, he said that he lined them all up... and put a hammer through every one of them.

Then threw them all in the bin, where his father later found them.

Oooft.

Now that's the sort of nightmare scenario which absolutely gives me the cold sweats. I can't even imagine how he feels about that.

So years passed, and then towards the late '80s he found himself at a toy fair... and a lot of those memories came back. And he's been collecting ever since.

He must have a helluva collection by now.

And, rather like me, it's the thrill of the unexpected which brings him along to the market each week. Sure, anyone can go online and buy some diecast, but there's no surprises that way (or no good ones, anyway). With the market, you never know what you're gonna get.

I've said here before that, as a kid, two of the highlights of my year were a toy & model fair at the local leisure centre around Easter time, and my primary school's May Festival which involved secondhand stalls in the assembly hall - including a toy stall. I knew that both of them would have diecast, and plenty of them. But which ones? What would I find that I didn't even know existed before?

The excitement came from the not-knowing, from the potential for an utterly thrilling find. I would nearly make myself sick with nervous anticipation the night before either of those once-a-year events.

While I don't quite struggle with involuntary emeticism in advance of the Friday market these days, I do get a bit of a flutter on a Thursday night. A low-level sensation of latency. What's gonna be in the boxes? A load of ratty Days Gone? Or some minty Spot-On?

It's a helluva dopamine rush, going through those market doors each Friday. I'm a lazy shite, so it takes a lot to turf me out of bed before I absolutely have to be up. But, the way I feel it, it is a lot. And when something of interest is suddenly spied on the stall, it totally feels worth it.

And today, I think he got that thrill from the Dinky Commer. A few months ago, I got it from that amazing Gamda Koor Impala (and also the Siku Transit the other week). Just the feeling of connecting with a toy, and a certain sensation of plucking diamonds from the rough.

He does seem like a genuinely nice fella, and I kinda feel bad for playing him up as a cartoon villain for the LOLs. He's no different from any of us; a collector with a deep and abiding love of old diecast. He just appears to have rather more disposable income than I can muster on any given Friday!

As an additional interesting point, I gave him a bit of my background (including my own very similar regrets at building a 'toy scrapyard' and the bitter shame of putting dozens of my Matchbox and Corgi through my father's bench vice), and I mentioned the model shop where I used to work in the mid-90s.

Yes, it turns out he knows the owner of the shop very well, and often meets up with him for a chinwag. So we had a bit of a catch-up about the people who we knew through that channel, and what they were all doing now.

So - in the end he had to run, as he was parked in a time-limited space and didn't want to be ticketed. And I just about had time to scoop up a couple more purchases, taking up the last of my cash reserves, before I had to scarper too...

A decent spud, as they say. And although he does tend to get in a little bit before me each week, and does generally end up with a bigger pile of diecast than I do, I think we now have something of an understanding. And we've been able to pass each other over various bits and bobs, either gratis or for nominal sums, which I think builds something of a camaraderie also.

So, purchasing for April consisted of some great big hauls, and some rather smaller ones: