Shite in Miniature II

[danthecapriman]

Another one nearing the finish line.

Matchbox Superkings Volvo 245. 
This one started out as the usual red version, it wasn’t actually too bad as it was but I’ve already got a really nice red original one so this one got the custom treatment.

Bare metalled, sprayed into proper Volvo green blue paint (conveniently from my 1:1 740!). Interior left as it was as the colour combo looked ok. Chrome bits picked out in silver. Again, there’s a few marks on the original glazing but you can’t get replacements.

The only thing wrong with this one before was the suspension had gone very loose and saggy. Inside there’s a plastic retainer over the axles which is riveted to the base plate. All that’d happened was the rivets heads were both loose where the plastic had worn away or shrunk so I’ve tightened it all up by using a blunt chisel to peen over the rivet heads further down against the plastic. Seems to have done the trick.

Just waiting for some glue to dry then I’ll touch up the worn silver on the headlights and grill badge. I might paint the tow hook black too.

[Tenmil Socket]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

A few boot sale bobs

I'll have to go through these properly later but there's a Cub for @Datsuncog as well as two Lone Star cap guns and a Crescent. Can't remember what I had as a kid but it definitely used those rolls of paper caps.

The two small red ones at the front are interesting, saying both Matchbox 1987 and Takara 1985 on the bases. Further investigation required!

They actually came out of a bag of cheapies the Mrs picked up for her grandkids

But I fished out a few for myself.

Do the 2 front red ones spark when they roll?

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

A few boot sale bobs

I'll have to go through these properly later but there's a Cub for @Datsuncog as well as two Lone Star cap guns and a Crescent. Can't remember what I had as a kid but it definitely used those rolls of paper caps.

The two small red ones at the front are interesting, saying both Matchbox 1987 and Takara 1985 on the bases. Further investigation required!

They actually came out of a bag of cheapies the Mrs picked up for her grandkids

But I fished out a few for myself.

 

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

Haha, I had cap guns just like that! Not seen any for ages.

I had a spud gun too which was great fun.

I remember two types of cap gun.

The ones that took a roll like this...

and the better noisier ones that took rings of caps and the gun worked like a revolver.

And on the subject of toys that used caps, I had a couple of rockets that you put a cap in and throw up into the air. The cap went off went the rocket landed on it's nose and the more caps you put in, the loader the bang.

[danthecapriman]

11 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

 

I remember two types of cap gun.

The ones that took a roll like this...

and the better noisier ones that took rings of caps and the gun worked like a revolver.

And on the subject of toys that used caps, I had a couple of rockets that you put a cap in and throw up into the air. The cap went off went the rocket landed on it's nose and the more caps you put in, the loader the bang.

I had one of those cap guns with the revolver ‘clip’ of caps too. You could buy the cap ‘clips’ in boxes, they usually came on a red plastic ring from our local corner shop. That type of gun was a chromed effect magnum revolver if I remember right. It was a pretty heavy thing too. Great for pistol whipping other kids in the playground!😆

I don’t suppose toys like that are very politically correct these days!?

 

Edit: I’m pretty sure I had some sort of similar rifle too. I was a proper little gun slinger when I was little!

[bunglebus]

I always preferred the rolls of paper caps, as you could fold them up in a concertina and hit them with a stone for a proper bang!

I had the bomb on the parachute too.

I've never been a violent or aggressive person, but I did like my cap guns. Modern gun toys are deliberately made to look false in lurid colours otherwise people use them to hold up the Post Office etc. Shame.

These little guys don't spark but they have got very fast FWD pull-back engines in them

[Spottedlaurel]

Nissan 300ZX and Honda Civic CRX!

[bunglebus]

Other oddments I brought home include a Corgi trailer (didn't notice the broken hitch)

Matchbox Case Tractor

Lucky Toys caravan - the hitch is rattling around inside despite my best efforts to fish it out!

One for Datsuncub

One of the H.W. Matchbox copies

Another copy, of the Formula 1 this time - no idea who made it

From Matchbox's darkest days

I've got another "Mr Fixer" Cherokee, but this seems to be a colour changer

These were in a 5 for £1 tub, restorable canteen and an army ambulance

[MiniMinorMk3]

45 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I always preferred the rolls of paper caps, as you could fold them up in a concertina and hit them with a stone for a proper bang!

 

 

I tried a whole roll under a 4lb club hammer, that was a waste of 6d.

Just remembered one of the guns I had. A Lone Star Gambler Spud Gun.

[sierraman]

Are the red ones the Colani Cars? Some odd fad by Matchbox 

[eddyramrod]

There's been work going on here.  A drilling session resulted in these...

...Most of which then went through the stripping bath.  Some are even in the rainwater rinse already!

There's also been a bit of painting...

All being well, I should soon have this project finished and then you'll see where these bits belong.

[bunglebus]

On 03/06/2020 at 13:26, loserone said:

I have a few

 

On 03/06/2020 at 16:03, DoctorRetro said:

Tada! 

I just remembered them being matchbox, so threw that into my search string. 

I think the 'Takara' bit is the size, like a 'Penny Racer' style. 

Looks like these Matchbox Takara cars have been mentioned before, funny enough a Google search for them lead me right back here

[FakeConcern]

5 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Got the Dinky Transit finished today. Finally!

Just a reminder of how it started. 
It was pretty battered. Glazing missing, interior broken, side door hinge broken, tailgate broken. Axles bent etc etc.

 

And now.

It’s actually now made up of parts from at least 3 broken Dinky Transits! 
I should have really bought new glazing for it tbh, but one of the donor vans had this intact glazing so I just reused it. There’s a few scratches and a chip on it but it’s ok.

It also seems the toys have similar problems to the real thing when it comes to using panels from different vehicles! Getting them to fit properly sometimes isn’t easy. 
The tailgate on this van came from another donor van and doesn’t fit perfectly. It was an absolute arse hole to get it to fit it all and unfortunately it resulted in a tiny chip to the paint on the rear roof gutter strip. Annoying but at least it’s easily touched up later.

Likewise, the rear window. It was salvaged from another van and ideally I should have replaced it for a new one as it’s cracked in the corner. (Can you even get the tailgate window new?).

Overall though I’m happy with that. It was more of a test for me to paint these models/toys than anything as I’d not done it for a while so to come out like that is a good result. The masking up for the red stripe was the real test! 
There’s a couple of touch ups to do on the gutter and some silver missing in the headlight bowls and I might do the number plates too.

Is that the massive version of the Transit? If so was that the only version to have the single rear door? Either was it's looking great! To be honest if you hadn't pointed out out I don't think anyone would spot the flaws in the windows. I like to re use as much as I can including the glazing (I often rub it down with wet n dry then polish it back up) otherwise a cheap toy can quickly become a vary expensive one!

5 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Mini Project update.

The vintage Corgi has had a bit more paint on the inside.

I'm doing more to the Vangards. 

First up was the exhaust. For this I used a bit of a cocktail stick...

and one of these. These are exhaust tips are for Ferrari 250 GTO models and are made by a company called Tron.

Tron make expensive white metal and resin kits, but also sell various 1/43rd accessories for those that like to add a bit of detail to their models.

 ACCESSORI - SPARE PARTS models - modelli automodelli automodellismo car models modelli da collezione modellini in scala equipe tron modelles kit and kits auto scale 1:43 1/43 (tronmodels.com)

A touch of silver.

I did put the tip on backwards, but it does still look a bit big, just like a Peco Big Bore from 1971.

Whilst the silver was out I also did some window frame detail.

Next thing to address was those dull smooth headlamps.

Well it was back into my parts stash for some headlamp lenses. These were made by Scala 43. They are long gone, but similar ones can be found by Tron.

I have three sizes...

and after a bit of measuring up I settled on the 40 H size.

As this was an experiment I used the broken Corgi for the headlamps. I filed the front surface of the existing lamps flat and stuck the new lenses on. This meant I still had a chrome headlamp rim.

Out with the old...

and in with the new.

That's it for now.

However, in all the excitement I have noticed that I have stuck one of teh head lamps upside down. Oh well I'll just have to poke it out and put it round the right way next time.

 

Loving the Mini projects!

I can almost hear that Peco now!

5 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Another one nearing the finish line.

Matchbox Superkings Volvo 245. 
This one started out as the usual red version, it wasn’t actually too bad as it was but I’ve already got a really nice red original one so this one got the custom treatment.

Bare metalled, sprayed into proper Volvo green blue paint (conveniently from my 1:1 740!). Interior left as it was as the colour combo looked ok. Chrome bits picked out in silver. Again, there’s a few marks on the original glazing but you can’t get replacements.

The only thing wrong with this one before was the suspension had gone very loose and saggy. Inside there’s a plastic retainer over the axles which is riveted to the base plate. All that’d happened was the rivets heads were both loose where the plastic had worn away or shrunk so I’ve tightened it all up by using a blunt chisel to peen over the rivet heads further down against the plastic. Seems to have done the trick.

Just waiting for some glue to dry then I’ll touch up the worn silver on the headlights and grill badge. I might paint the tow hook black too.

Ovlov looking super, colour came out very well too great finish . Sometimes real colours look odd on a model (IMO).

35 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

There's been work going on here.  A drilling session resulted in these...

...Most of which then went through the stripping bath.  Some are even in the rainwater rinse already!

There's also been a bit of painting...

All being well, I should soon have this project finished and then you'll see where these bits belong.

Production line moving really fast now!

I still have no idea what your doing with those bits, but keen to see the result!

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

Are the red ones the Colani Cars? Some odd fad by Matchbox 

I've got those - that's what Google keeps throwing at me 

 

[danthecapriman]

33 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

Is that the massive version of the Transit? If so was that the only version to have the single rear door? Either was it's looking great! To be honest if you hadn't pointed out out I don't think anyone would spot the flaws in the windows. I like to re use as much as I can including the glazing (I often rub it down with wet n dry then polish it back up) otherwise a cheap toy can quickly become a vary expensive one!

Loving the Mini projects!

I can almost hear that Peco now!

Ovlov looking super, colour came out very well too great finish . Sometimes real colours look odd on a model (IMO).

Production line moving really fast now!

I still have no idea what your doing with those bits, but keen to see the result!

Cheers!👍

I think it’s the bigger Transit. I forget which is which now tbh! I know it’s a later one, no sliding door, but before they really got cheap and did away with the jewel headlights. 
I do prefer to try and keep the old original parts if I can, like you say - it gets expensive quickly buying new! But sometimes the fit on the repro parts isn’t as good. 
Once that chip on the back is touched in it’ll look reet on a shelf anyway!

Technically, the Volvo wouldn’t have had that colour. The Matchbox model is an early 200 ‘flat hood’ big bumper car but that colour didn’t come out until after the facelift. But, it looks fine to me. Sometimes with the metallic paints the metal fleck in the paint is too big for a miniature. This time it’s worked out I think.

 

I was trying to get the Dinky Pontiac reassembled but ran into a problem with the chassis. 
It always had a squat to the back end, but it turns out the rear axle was almost broken in half causing the squat. Well, now it actually is in half after I started messing with it! So the back end basically sits on the floor now. 
Fixing it by squashing a big lump of chemical metal putty over the axle and into the surrounding chassis seems to have resolved it but it’s now lost most of its soft springy suspension. But at least it looks better now.

[loserone]

29 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

 

Looks like these Matchbox Takara cars have been mentioned before, funny enough a Google search for them lead me right back here

Interestingly I was thinking of these this week, driving the 124 home it reminded me of driving my mates golf driver AND the similarities between all of these takara cars.

[FakeConcern]

Just in case you were wondering what broken toy shite I'd bought at a toy fair today, here you are...

Mrs Concern got yet another Corgi Beach Buggy and boat for £5, she already has a spare trailer

King Size caravan and Corgi Rolls £2 each, Mr Ramrod may have the Caravan, otherwise Mrs Concern will. The Roller has three Rover P6 wheels and one Camaro, no spare, I have at least five of the right wheels somewhere.

These broken Corgis for spares at £5 the pair, expensive, yes but Corgi Minis have scene tax

These came in at £8 for the three, I have lots of Firebirds and can't resist them at £3! The other two will go to Eddy.

Two slightly  broken Carrimore Transporter trailers for £5 (do you want one @flat4alfa?)

Kew Fargo and plod Imp for £5, Mr Ramrod having the Imp which was stickered at £10 underneath!

Worse for wear Dinky Landy for £1, why not

This strange bundle from a Citroen mad seller for £8. The Corgi TDF DS has good paint and decals and includes the race director man (may be a repro), two bike wheels and the rack. The Norev Jet Car CX has a distorted plastic base and missing rear bumper, but I like it and will eventually get around to fixing it up. ZX is MIB and the strange Renault sign looks to be part of a POS display (that's point of sale not piece of shit!) Mrs Concern wants that and the DS for the mantlepiece.

I forgot a pic of the£1.50 Kees caravan, but @eddyramrod's having it anyway.

[bunglebus]

7 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I've never found the set with the trailer and boat, but I do have the buggy

 

[FakeConcern]

10 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I've never found the set with the trailer and boat, but I do have the buggy

 

I think Mrs Concern has three of these at least, none of them have the driver unfortunately. I'm sure you guessed she also has the red and blue buggys.

[Richard_FM]

6 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Other oddments I brought home include a Corgi trailer (didn't notice the broken hitch)

 

Matchbox Case Tractor

 

Lucky Toys caravan - the hitch is rattling around inside despite my best efforts to fish it out!

 

One for Datsuncub

 

 

 

I had one of these Corgi Cubs police cars when I was young, along with 2 of the ambulances.

[MiniMinorMk3]

Another small update on the Mini projects.

Those with good memories will know that I recently purchased a 1/43rd Mini kit.

As that will be built as a Morris within the kit will be a couple of spares, including Austin badges.

So I have stuck these on to the bare shell of the original Corgi Mini.

This means they will be under the paint and hopefully give the illusion that they are part of the casting. I had to file off the cast in Morris bonnet badge and this has also been replaced. Corgi did not cast the boot badges in originally, unlike Dinky who did it on the Mini Minor Automatic.

On the Vanguards I have corrected the headlamp error and done some black around th efront and rear screens.

After looking at the pictures of teh Vanguards from yesterdays update, I have decided to bond the body and base together so there is no visible gap. The first thing I did was gut a piece of stiff plastic from one of those things that stuff comes in from the shops. You know the stuff, it is usually stapled and is impossible to tear. I have put this on to replicate the metal lip that is left on when you remove the bumper from a Mini, and to match the rear of the model that had this already.

No going back now as the body is Super Glued in place. I have used Super Glue gel to fill the gaps both front and rear. Any excess with be trimmed/scraped off with a knife.

 That's it for now.

Apart from a find I made in a cupboard. Stuck to a roll of masking tape were these.

Hopefully they are still sticky enough for a bit of childhood detailing on the old Corgi. That date of Sep 61 is not quite right for an Austin Cooper, as these were introduced in October 1961. I cam always pretend that it is a pre-production test/press car that was registered before the introduction.

 

[danthecapriman]

They look fantastic @MiniMinorMk3

Those little badges you’ve added look great, really cool little details.

[bunglebus]

Deliveries!

Corgi Rockets look so good when they're in decent condition

Wonder why the buggy never got the metallic paint?

50 years into the future next with the latest CMC release. I wasn't sure if I wanted this one as it's a little bit older than the ones that really interest me - but each time one arrives I'm so impressed with the job they've done recreating it

Grandad popped in to say hello

The masking on things like the grille and gear lever is much better on the new one, as you would hope given these are definitely collectors models rather than mass produced toys. They've got rid of the nasty casting line behind the doors thankfully too - recessed rivets on the base are no doubt required by the 'elf and safety bods

[bunglebus]

Taking pictures of various bits to go on eBay but come across one I don't think I can part with 

I've got a much better example of a black base 240Z now, but this is one of a very small number of cars that I know were mine as a kid - and probably the only one that I got brand new, after winning a bit of money and being allowed to spend half on toys. The 240Z and Volvo race set, Peterbilt recovery truck and silver Corgi Mini were purchased.

Of course I decided at some point it would look much better with the bonnet green, rather than white with decals (not a bad match either!), and did a bit of detailing to the base and engine.

The rest are lost to time, probably after having to make a hasty exit from my marital home a few years ago but possibly lost, swapped, bundled off to the scouts jumble sale by my mum when I wasn't looking, who knows.

Think I'll hang onto this one a while longer, sometimes there's more to it than condition...

 

[bunglebus]

Bloody £7 bags in the charity shop. I moan at them every time that I'd buy some if they were individual

 

[quicksilver]

22 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Bloody £7 bags in the charity shop. I moan at them every time that I'd buy some if they were individual

 

Count yourself lucky that your charity shops have enough toy cars to fill a bag. Don't know why but the ones round here never seem to have more than half a dozen scattered around on the random toy shelf. But yes, the bags are annoying because of their utter randomness: it's like they throw them all in a box, then just scoop up a handful to fill a bag. They wouldn't be so lazy with clothes, books or anything else really.

[Tenmil Socket]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Taking pictures of various bits to go on eBay but come across one I don't think I can part with 

I've got a much better example of a black base 240Z now, but this is one of a very small number of cars that I know were mine as a kid - and probably the only one that I got brand new, after winning a bit of money and being allowed to spend half on toys. The 240Z and Volvo race set, Peterbilt recovery truck and silver Corgi Mini were purchased.

Of course I decided at some point it would look much better with the bonnet green, rather than white with decals (not a bad match either!), and did a bit of detailing to the base and engine.

The rest are lost to time, probably after having to make a hasty exit from my marital home a few years ago but possibly lost, swapped, bundled off to the scouts jumble sale by my mum when I wasn't looking, who knows.

Think I'll hang onto this one a while longer, sometimes there's more to it than condition...

 

Keep it!

[ETCHY]

On 03/03/2024 at 17:05, MiniMinorMk3 said:

I tried a whole roll under a 4lb club hammer, that was a waste of 6d.

Just remembered one of the guns I had. A Lone Star Gambler Spud Gun.

Oh wow that took me back, I had the black version of that.
I also had Luger & Webley type cap guns that I also think were also by Lone Star.

[danthecapriman]

Todays project’s.

First order of business was to check the Dinky Pontiac chassis and see if the putty had gone off and fixed the suspension/axle issue. Which it had! 
So reassembled that one.

Ford Onyx green paint, Humbrol dark green for the interior. Bright trims picked out in bright silver. 
Unfortunately it’s another one that’d benefit hugely from a new glazing unit, but nobody makes them for this model. I might yet remove the chassis and polish up the front and rear bumpers and grill, then do the headlights and taillights.

    
After that one I did some hand finishing on the partwork Ford F150 service truck. 
If you don’t remember, this one started life as an army green Argentinian airforce ambulance with a big box body on the back.

It’s been stripped right down, cab sprayed white, tan interior with details in silver and black. The service body on the back was fully scratch built from plastic card and various shape strip. 
I also decided to swap the wheels. Originally it had some plain steel wheels but from photos lots of these had the chrome/stainless centre caps so I swapped the wheels with an F100 I’ve got in bits at the moment. Looks much nicer with those wheels.

   
It’s not quite finished yet, still got a few spots to touch in, and the tail lights & front fender marker lights need painting but it’s almost there. Just needs a trolley jack and assorted junk rolling around in the back now!

[eddyramrod]

Wow Dan, they look a treat!

[bunglebus]

4 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Dinky Pontiac

You buying that inspired me to get one, it looked like this at the time

I thought it would make a great custom project too, so having owned it since November, it now looks like this...