Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

The Fire Chief is the original casting, not one Lesney did much with originally

Quite often seen in Super GT mode though

 

[Remspoor]

Ford lorries.

Matchbox gritter. "Modified" to a coal wagon for my model railway.

Matchbox Thames Trader compressor.

[Metal Guru]

On 14/04/2022 at 17:00, Datsuncog said:

Another plain box touched down here yesterday, too - yup, it's the latest from the Corgi Model Club - the #303S Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster.

The pale blue paint sets it off nicely, even if the racing stripe - tampo printed, rather than a waterslide decal - isn't quite my bag. A quick look through the big Van Cleemput book indicates that original versions of this colour variant normally wore a No. 6, instead of 1, on the bonnet.

I'm starting to see a bit of a pattern emerging in their releases - just as the techno-whizz 007 Aston with all the working bits was preceded by the rather more basic Ford Thunderbird, so last month's highly detailed 'everything opens' Jaguar E-Type 2+2 has been followed by the somewhat less, ahem, complex Mercedes.

Which is fair enough - they're offering these out at a fixed price each month, whereas the Corgi originals varied in price quite considerably.

The Jaguar seems to be made up of 41 separate components, by my count, while the Merc with its cast-in interior and no opening parts has a rather more modest 17.

There's got to be substantial difference in manufacturing costs - so I'd like to think that the simpler models like the Thunderbird and Mercedes are subsidising the flashier ones somewhat.

It's a very nicely proportioned wee model, with the 300SL's slippery lines captured well - and enough detail to do it justice.

The base is pretty functional here, in line with the original design from 1958 - though by the time Corgi started adding their 'Glidamatic' suspension in 1961, diecast bases had taken over from the earlier tinplate type.

The holographic 'Licensed by Daimler' sticker on one end of the box kind of takes the armchair nostalgist out of their retro reverie, but I guess that's the way things have to be these days with intellectual property - we're kinda beyond the days of gentlemen's agreements.

The collector's card has to work hard to make the spring suspension sound exciting - and it has its work cut out after the more dynamic issues over recent months.

But hey - with a dearth of car boot sales and a self-imposed moratorium on market tat, I'm gonna have to take what I can get... and it is building up into quite a nice little collection.

I had that E type as a kid, was my favourite one, but I seem to remember it as a darker red?

[eddyramrod]

There are models I would like among that Corgi collection, but sadly not enough to make me send for any.  Quality looks good though, I hope the buyers are satisfied.

[bunglebus]

Typical, I go away for a few days and my local shops restocked Hot Wheels. Mrs video called me so I could select some remotely!

Some nice cars in the current mix, I only really bought the F&F Charger to see if it's different from the last release, looks very similar 

[AndyW201]

^^^ Some nice stuff in the new cases.

Had a small HW haul the last few days but nothing really new.

Managed to actually find a Sierra though, so not all bad.

Didn't see the Ford van or the Impala in any of the previews so grabbed them. Liking the Mooneyes livery on the Ford.

The only fairly recent release I've managed to find so far. The colour looks well on the Repu.

Earlier in the week, I got the three Matchbox cars I had been after. Many thanks again to @Spottedlaurel for going out and getting them for me.

I think we all agree the Lexus LS 400 is a little work of art,

The golf also looks great in factory GTi trim,

Which makes it more of a shame that it looks like we might not be getting them over here any more!

(Especially as the next case is the one that has the Kadett GT/E in. 🤬

[bunglebus]

48 minutes ago, AndyW201 said:

Earlier in the week, I got the three Matchbox cars I had been after. Many thanks again to @Spottedlaurel for going out and getting them for me.

I think we all agree the Lexus LS 400 is a little work of art,

The golf also looks great in factory GTi trim,

Which makes it more of a shame that it looks like we might not be getting them over here any more!

(Especially as the next case is the one that has the Kadett GT/E in. 🤬

Well here's the thing - despite many people seeing "discontinued" signs on both Matchbox and Hot Wheels in Tesco, they've subsequently restocked the former everywhere - so either they had more at some central store, or had already ordered from Mattel, or they're not discontinued at all. Time will tell, hopefully they won't skip over cases like they have 50% of the time ever since they got the contract to sell them...

[Split_Pin]

My local Tesco has restocked MB and Hotwheels, picked up the Ford C900 truck last night.

[AndyW201]

Had a delivery today too. Only took two weeks to arrive!

Hmm, from Italy. Some nice stylish bit of high-performance  exotica, maybe?

Ooh, let's see...

Finally got one!!!!

Being a bit of a tightwad, I've waited a while to get one these Greek-partwork Montegos. I found the site for the publishing company that distributes them (and the whole Greek 'Unforgettable Cars' collection needs checking out as it is chock-full of AS worthy subjects), and they can be had from them for a reasonable 10 Euros, but the killer was the 25 Euros postage making it about £30 to the door. Since then eBay has been fairly full of them with people unbelievably paying up to £60-£70 for them at first. Still, a model Montego, the model many said would never get made. (Mostly miserable bastards on the Facebook Vanguards page...)

I held on, hoping that someone like partwork supremo Jumajo on eBay would get them in, but a couple of Italian model retailers have appeared on there, knocking them out for about a tenner. With postage from Italy, this one cost me about £18 all in, which wasn't too bad.

So, for something that was made as a cheapy partwork model, it's pretty good. They (Ixo I'm pretty sure) have got the shape pretty much bob-on. The wheel trims are about right and I like the little A pillar aerial, like on the real thing, a nice little touch.

Bits like the wipers are nicely done, not big, clunky affairs like on some cheap 1/43 cars. Needs the dash mat though...

Nothing wrong with the interior really, apart from it being all one colour and without dial detail, etc. But the steering wheel shape is correct (albeit for a later car than an '86 though, I think), and it's nice to see the stalks fitted, again often left out on some models.

Surprisingly good detail on the rear shelf with the speakers.

Lights front and rear are good, again for the price and lovely detail on the tiny Austin badge.

However if I have to pick holes in the model, it's that it appears to have a bit of an identity crisis. Admittedly I don't know what spec they sold Montegos in, in Greece. But to my knowledge of Montegos, 1.3s were proper base spec; 13" wheels without trims, no side rubbing strips, A frame head restraints without padding. And I don't think the bumpers and rubbing strips got red stripes until the L and LX got the grey lower half. Also, I'm sure BRG wasn't available as a colour until the later 'Roverised' facelift and then it was metallic.

But, hey, I'm nitpicking. it's a flipping MONTEGO model FFS!

Like my last few purchases, this is a model of a car that I have had history with. Back in my taxi driving days, I had left one firm and gone to another. This new firm had a few Sierras, which was normal for a taxi firm round our way in the early to mid '90s but they also had a couple of nearly new Montego 2.0 TDs. At that time, Rover were only selling them to fleets and taxi firm owners, they looked a little anachronistic with their M registrations. Anyway I was soon allocated M441 EUS which I thought was unusual, a new boy getting one of the newer cars. I soon found out why, they came in what was the old Clubman spec, which meant zero spec. Keep fit windows, no central locking, no sunroof, you got a radio cassette player and that was it. The other drivers would rather tool around in a  3 to 4 year old Sierra LX than a nearly new base spec Montego... Still I got on quite well with it. It might have looked old fashioned but it was comfy enough and compared to the 1.7 D Cavaliers and 1.8D Orions I had been used to, it was flipping quick! And apart from it's appetite for the odd CV joint and driveshaft, it was reliable.

In all, for a tenners worth of partwork model, I'm pretty chuffed with this one.

[Tenmil Socket]

47 minutes ago, AndyW201 said:

Had a delivery today too. Only took two weeks to arrive!

Hmm, from Italy. Some nice stylish bit of high-performance  exotica, maybe?

Ooh, let's see...

Finally got one!!!!

Being a bit of a tightwad, I've waited a while to get one these Greek-partwork Montegos. I found the site for the publishing company that distributes them (and the whole Greek 'Unforgettable Cars' collection needs checking out as it is chock-full of AS worthy subjects), and they can be had from them for a reasonable 10 Euros, but the killer was the 25 Euros postage making it about £30 to the door. Since then eBay has been fairly full of them with people unbelievably paying up to £60-£70 for them at first. Still, a model Montego, the model many said would never get made. (Mostly miserable bastards on the Facebook Vanguards page...)

I held on, hoping that someone like partwork supremo Jumajo on eBay would get them in, but a couple of Italian model retailers have appeared on there, knocking them out for about a tenner. With postage from Italy, this one cost me about £18 all in, which wasn't too bad.

So, for something that was made as a cheapy partwork model, it's pretty good. They (Ixo I'm pretty sure) have got the shape pretty much bob-on. The wheel trims are about right and I like the little A pillar aerial, like on the real thing, a nice little touch.

Bits like the wipers are nicely done, not big, clunky affairs like on some cheap 1/43 cars. Needs the dash mat though...

Nothing wrong with the interior really, apart from it being all one colour and without dial detail, etc. But the steering wheel shape is correct (albeit for a later car than an '86 though, I think), and it's nice to see the stalks fitted, again often left out on some models.

Surprisingly good detail on the rear shelf with the speakers.

Lights front and rear are good, again for the price and lovely detail on the tiny Austin badge.

However if I have to pick holes in the model, it's that it appears to have a bit of an identity crisis. Admittedly I don't know what spec they sold Montegos in, in Greece. But to my knowledge of Montegos, 1.3s were proper base spec; 13" wheels without trims, no side rubbing strips, A frame head restraints without padding. And I don't think the bumpers and rubbing strips got red stripes until the L and LX got the grey lower half. Also, I'm sure BRG wasn't available as a colour until the later 'Roverised' facelift and then it was metallic.

But, hey, I'm nitpicking. it's a flipping MONTEGO model FFS!

Like my last few purchases, this is a model of a car that I have had history with. Back in my taxi driving days, I had left one firm and gone to another. This new firm had a few Sierras, which was normal for antaxi firm in the early to mid '90s but they also had a couple of nearly new Montego 2.0 TDs. At that time, Rover were only selling them to fleets and taxi firm owners. They looked a little anachronistic with their M registrations. Anyway I was soon allocated M441 EUS which I thought was unusual, a new boy getting one of the newer cars. I soon found out why, they came in what was the old Clubman spec, which meant zero spec. Keep fit windows, no central locking, no sunroof, you got a radio cassette player and that was it. The other drivers would rather tool around in a  3 to 4 year old Sierra LX than a nearly new base spec Montego... Still I got on quite well with it. It might have looked old fashioned but it was comfy enough and compared to the 1.7 D Cavaliers and 1.8D Orion's I had been used to, it was flipping quick! And apart from it's appetite for the odd CV joint and driveshaft, it was reliable.

In all, for a tenners worth of partwork model, I'm pretty chuffed with this one.

That's brilliant. It would look great with UK plates on!

[Remspoor]

1 hour ago, Tenmil Socket said:

That's brilliant. It would look great with rusty patches

FTFY 😉

[Split_Pin]

2 hours ago, AndyW201 said:

Had a delivery today too. Only took two weeks to arrive!

Hmm, from Italy. Some nice stylish bit of high-performance  exotica, maybe?

Ooh, let's see...

Finally got one!!!!

Being a bit of a tightwad, I've waited a while to get one these Greek-partwork Montegos. I found the site for the publishing company that distributes them (and the whole Greek 'Unforgettable Cars' collection needs checking out as it is chock-full of AS worthy subjects), and they can be had from them for a reasonable 10 Euros, but the killer was the 25 Euros postage making it about £30 to the door. Since then eBay has been fairly full of them with people unbelievably paying up to £60-£70 for them at first. Still, a model Montego, the model many said would never get made. (Mostly miserable bastards on the Facebook Vanguards page...)

I held on, hoping that someone like partwork supremo Jumajo on eBay would get them in, but a couple of Italian model retailers have appeared on there, knocking them out for about a tenner. With postage from Italy, this one cost me about £18 all in, which wasn't too bad.

So, for something that was made as a cheapy partwork model, it's pretty good. They (Ixo I'm pretty sure) have got the shape pretty much bob-on. The wheel trims are about right and I like the little A pillar aerial, like on the real thing, a nice little touch.

Bits like the wipers are nicely done, not big, clunky affairs like on some cheap 1/43 cars. Needs the dash mat though...

Nothing wrong with the interior really, apart from it being all one colour and without dial detail, etc. But the steering wheel shape is correct (albeit for a later car than an '86 though, I think), and it's nice to see the stalks fitted, again often left out on some models.

Surprisingly good detail on the rear shelf with the speakers.

Lights front and rear are good, again for the price and lovely detail on the tiny Austin badge.

However if I have to pick holes in the model, it's that it appears to have a bit of an identity crisis. Admittedly I don't know what spec they sold Montegos in, in Greece. But to my knowledge of Montegos, 1.3s were proper base spec; 13" wheels without trims, no side rubbing strips, A frame head restraints without padding. And I don't think the bumpers and rubbing strips got red stripes until the L and LX got the grey lower half. Also, I'm sure BRG wasn't available as a colour until the later 'Roverised' facelift and then it was metallic.

But, hey, I'm nitpicking. it's a flipping MONTEGO model FFS!

Like my last few purchases, this is a model of a car that I have had history with. Back in my taxi driving days, I had left one firm and gone to another. This new firm had a few Sierras, which was normal for antaxi firm in the early to mid '90s but they also had a couple of nearly new Montego 2.0 TDs. At that time, Rover were only selling them to fleets and taxi firm owners. They looked a little anachronistic with their M registrations. Anyway I was soon allocated M441 EUS which I thought was unusual, a new boy getting one of the newer cars. I soon found out why, they came in what was the old Clubman spec, which meant zero spec. Keep fit windows, no central locking, no sunroof, you got a radio cassette player and that was it. The other drivers would rather tool around in a  3 to 4 year old Sierra LX than a nearly new base spec Montego... Still I got on quite well with it. It might have looked old fashioned but it was comfy enough and compared to the 1.7 D Cavaliers and 1.8D Orion's I had been used to, it was flipping quick! And apart from it's appetite for the odd CV joint and driveshaft, it was reliable.

In all, for a tenners worth of partwork model, I'm pretty chuffed with this one.

I must have one as I've been waiting for a model of one of these since they were current. Do you have a link at all?

[eddyramrod]

I need at least one of those Montegos, but I'm completely unwilling (not to mention unable) to pay the price.  Have to wait until they start turning up in rummage boxes.

[Datsuncog]

OOFT for that Montego. Very, very nice.

Seems insane that these models are so hard to find; you'd think a ready market would exist to sell them in the UK.

I'm still not sure why diecast partworks like these seem common enough elsewhere in Europe, just not really here? Other than the Bond series and the fairly short-lived Atlas Dinky reissues, I can't think of any comparable stuff sold on these shores from the like of Ixo or Altaya.

One day I'll nab myself one of these wondrous ARG miniatures... one day.

But not for a while, I'd think.

[sierraman]

The interior in that Montego could pass for better quality than the real thing! 🤣

[AndyW201]

4 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I must have one as I've been waiting for a model of one of these since they were current. Do you have a link at all?

For some reason I can't seem to do links from eBay items on here. But all I did was literally search for 'Austin Montego' in Diecast and Vehicles in there and just kept checking every couple of days. The guy I got mine from seems to be out of stock at the moment but the Italian sellers (mmc-italia and bimax-models) seem to get small batches in every couple of weeks or so. They seem to be the cheapest on there at the mo and the service was good.

[AndyW201]

19 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Well here's the thing - despite many people seeing "discontinued" signs on both Matchbox and Hot Wheels in Tesco, they've subsequently restocked the former everywhere - so either they had more at some central store, or had already ordered from Mattel, or they're not discontinued at all. Time will tell, hopefully they won't skip over cases like they have 50% of the time ever since they got the contract to sell them...

I would hope that they do continue. I was reading an issue of Diecast Collector from only a month or two ago and there was a fairly big piece in there along the lines of "Hey Folks, you can get Matchbox cars from your local Tesco. Get your arses down and grab some". Surely either Tesco or Mattel wouldn't have bothered with the press release if it was all about to go down the pan. 

You're right about them skipping every other case as well. That's a bastard as there looks like a few in the next one I'd like, including the Opel. Looks like Ana on the Facebook site might be my only chance of getting those then as she gets Matchbox from all over the place, and my local Tesco is mostly a  waste of time anyway. 6 London taxis and an airport tug last time I looked...

[Split_Pin]

Got a Montego for £24.95 posted. Now to dig out my 1989 Rover Car range brochure and immerse myself in 'Crayons' fabric or 'Jacquard' cloth.

[Spottedlaurel]

On 5/2/2022 at 5:37 PM, AnnoyingPentium said:

One would do nicely please. I'll cover the costs when/if you get one for me.

Sadly no Golfs there anymore, despite checking through both boxes. Still a few LS400s and red Civics though.

[AnnoyingPentium]

3 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Sadly no Golfs there anymore, despite checking through both boxes. Still a few LS400s and red Civics though.

Thank you for checking though! Greatly appreciated.

[sierraman]

2 hours ago, AndyW201 said:

I would hope that they do continue. I was reading an issue of Diecast Collector from only a month or two ago and there was a fairly big piece in there along the lines of "Hey Folks, you can get Matchbox cars from your local Tesco. Get your arses down and grab some". Surely either Tesco or Mattel wouldn't have bothered with the press release if it was all about to go down the pan. 

You're right about them skipping every other case as well. That's a bastard as there looks like a few in the next one I'd like, including the Opel. Looks like Ana on the Facebook site might be my only chance of getting those then as she gets Matchbox from all over the place, and my local Tesco is mostly a  waste of time anyway. 6 London taxis and an airport tug last time I looked...

Don’t be so hasty! Various retailers seem to have picked up the odd case that wasn’t destined for the U.K. like the power grabs in One Below

[junkyarddog]

Some recent finds. 

Corgi Renault 5.

Some black wall Hotwheels. 

Corgi Rockets The Saint Volvo.

Benbros Chevrolet and Land Rover.

Yatming and Corgi Rockets Chevrolet Astro 1.

Budgie Austin A55.

Regular wheels Matchbox,Minor,Jag,and ERF cement truck.

Guiloy Citroen van.

Majorette BMW 733.

Last my favourite find of late,

Corgi juniors Ford Holmes wrecker, In quite nice condition apart from the broken tow hooks.

These are quite difficult to find,this is the first one I've come across. 

 

[bunglebus]

Tesco had just put out another lot of Matchbox including the red Civic.

Entertainer said they have a collector come in 1st thing every morning to go through boxes, no wonder I never find Supers anymore.

Got these though, regular Treasure Hunt Duck N Roll was the Mrs. purchase for her grandson

 

[Remspoor]

Corgi Ford  golf cart.

I cannot find the bag.

[Amishtat]

2 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

Some recent finds. 

Corgi Renault 5.

Some black wall Hotwheels. 

Corgi Rockets The Saint Volvo.

Benbros Chevrolet and Land Rover.

Yatming and Corgi Rockets Chevrolet Astro 1.

Budgie Austin A55.

Regular wheels Matchbox,Minor,Jag,and ERF cement truck.

Guiloy Citroen van.

Majorette BMW 733.

Last my favourite find of late,

Corgi juniors Ford Holmes wrecker, In quite nice condition apart from the broken tow hooks.

These are quite difficult to find,this is the first one I've come across. 

 

The Budgie Austin is an A95 Westminster (and that's the nicest one I've ever seen..) and while I'm happy to be corrected on this, isn't the blue Lesney Minor significantly rarer than the green? Sure I remember reading that somewhere ages ago but it's another I've not come across. 

[155V6]

3 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

Some recent finds. 

Corgi Renault 5.

Some black wall Hotwheels. 

Corgi Rockets The Saint Volvo.

Benbros Chevrolet and Land Rover.

Yatming and Corgi Rockets Chevrolet Astro 1.

Budgie Austin A55.

Regular wheels Matchbox,Minor,Jag,and ERF cement truck.

Guiloy Citroen van.

Majorette BMW 733.

Last my favourite find of late,

Corgi juniors Ford Holmes wrecker, In quite nice condition apart from the broken tow hooks.

These are quite difficult to find,this is the first one I've come across. 

 

I like the Corgi Wrecker,the Juniors version seems harder to find than the Rockets one.There was an eBay seller in the states who was selling 3D printed tow hooks,they came with the cradle that held the front wheels of the broken down car as well 😃

[sierraman]

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Tesco had just put out another lot of Matchbox including the red Civic.

Entertainer said they have a collector come in 1st thing every morning to go through boxes, no wonder I never find Supers anymore.

Got these though, regular Treasure Hunt Duck N Roll was the Mrs. purchase for her grandson

 

What sad bastard goes in at the crack of dawn every morning!?

[junkyarddog]

1 hour ago, Amishtat said:

The Budgie Austin is an A95 Westminster (and that's the nicest one I've ever seen..) and while I'm happy to be corrected on this, isn't the blue Lesney Minor significantly rarer than the green? Sure I remember reading that somewhere ages ago but it's another I've not come across. 

The Budgie Austin is nice,the stripe on the other side is painted in the wrong position though.

No idea if that Minor is a rare colour or not,that's only the 2nd one I've ever found.

30 minutes ago, 155V6 said:

I like the Corgi Wrecker,the Juniors version seems harder to find than the Rockets one.There was an eBay seller in the states who was selling 3D printed tow hooks,they came with the cradle that held the front wheels of the broken down car as well 😃

Will have a poke on eBay as I'd like to get the hooks.

[155V6]

50 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

 

Will have a poke on eBay as I'd like to get the hooks.

This got me thinking,& after a bit of investigation,I found that the hooks from the Majorette Dodge tow truck will fit as well 🤔

[Bren]

2 hours ago, 155V6 said:

I like the Corgi Wrecker,the Juniors version seems harder to find than the Rockets one.There was an eBay seller in the states who was selling 3D printed tow hooks,they came with the cradle that held the front wheels of the broken down car as well 😃

I have the rockets one. Minus the cradle.