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Shite in Miniature II


Split_Pin

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You've obviously not noticed 50% of my posts in here! I love Bburagos although I prefer the older 1/24 castings from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

The 1/18s are nice but they don't quite have the nostalgia of other models as they were sold as static display pieces and tended to survive better than the smaller ones which had more play value and therefore fell to bits (and are rarer as a result).

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7 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

I grew up with Corgi, Dinky , Matchbox and Hot Wheels, but my son had virtually all Burago. , mostly 1:43, and some 1:18.

No one seems to mention them here. Why? Are they shite or what?  I think the 1:18 models are pretty good.

I used to have a decent number of 1:18s (mostly Bburago) as a lad, but nowadays I wouldn't spend that sort of money  or want anything that took up that much space.

Think my first was a red Viper RT10. I've loved 3 spoke wheels ever since.

 

7989224651_59da2fbd7b_b.jpg

 

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4 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

You've obviously not noticed 50% of my posts in here! I love Bburagos although I prefer the older 1/24 castings from the 70s, 80s, and 90s.

The 1/18s are nice but they don't quite have the nostalgia of other models as they were sold as static display pieces and tended to survive better than the smaller ones which had more play value and therefore fell to bits (and are rarer as a result).

Love Bburago. Especially the wee Fiat ones. Had Tipos and Unos as a wee lad. :)

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52 minutes ago, w00dy said:

I used to have a decent number of 1:18s (mostly Bburago) as a lad, but nowadays I wouldn't spend that sort of money  or want anything that took up that much space.

Think my first was a red Viper RT10. I've loved 3 spoke wheels ever since.

 

7989224651_59da2fbd7b_b.jpg

 

I still have my 1/18 Viper somewhere, my uncle bought it me when the Viper came out so maybe 1992ish, really should get it out and clean it up. 

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Speaking of Dodge Vipers, this is mine:

20220531_104345.thumb.jpg.9999d3c2b681457aabf6a4edcd1b7ac3.jpg

20220531_104400.thumb.jpg.eb49626d458f41561cb5e26b9bec6266.jpg

Bought for me by Fatha_Sterling in 1994/1995 as my his brother, my uncle, used to work for a Jeep/Chrysler dealership in Belgium somewhere and they had a real one in their showroom, never saw it (or at least I don't remember seeing one)

I used to also have the Blue and white striped 1/18 hard-top version but I don't know what happened to that.

As a Peugeot 407 owner, I wanted to buy a 407 in model form. I have all of the ones in 1/64 scale and then found this:

20220531_104708.thumb.jpg.df078e854e8fed338f569737f5e4c7dd.jpg

20220531_104719.thumb.jpg.3926692a5a463a76cc59a7a1d97aba91.jpg

20220531_104747.thumb.jpg.f3e4efd75b171092de900f708877ba76.jpg

It had been listed and didn't attract any bids so I bashed in a bid upon second listing and won.

Its Ok and the closest I'm gonna get to a 1/18 scale of my own car.  I'm aware that there is a 407 Coupe 1/18. Might get myself one of those if I can find one on the same colour as mine. Not overly fussed as they aren't exactly works of art.

The 1/43 scale 407s are selling/being listed for stupid money which I really don't understand. The real ones aren't expensive and not overly desirable.

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I owned a few Bburago 1/18 models too - when I was eight or nine they were awesome, the best models ever, but as I got older I stopped being quite as interested in supercars and gold-star classics and the like, and so their appeal waned a little.

From memory, I had a Mercedes 300SL 'Gullwing' in black, a 1956 Chevrolet Corvette in two-tone turquoise/white, a Porsche 356A in white, and a Jaguar E-Type coupé in black. The Merc was the first 'proper' model I owned - I must have been around eight when I bought it. It seemed very special, with the 'opening everything' and the high level of detail on the engine and dashboard.

I accumulated a fair number of Polistil, Revell, ERTL, Maisto and Solido models in 1/18 also, over a period of about ten years. These tended to be contemporary 1980s supercars like the Ferrari F40, Lamborghini Countach LP400S and Porsche 959, 'American Classics' like a 1956 Ford Thunderbird, 1958 Cadillac Eldorado, 1970 Ford Mustang Boss and 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle SS, and less exotic fare like a Mini Cooper, VW Beetle and Citroen 2CV.

As a scale I felt that bigger was better, but when more detailed 1/43 scale collectors' models arrived onto the market with Vitesse, Vanguards and Trofeu in the mid-late '90s, I gravitated towards them instead.

I wound up working in a model shop, and although we shifted a lot of Bburago 1/18 -  models like the BMW Z3 and Ferrari 550 Maranello gave you a huge amount of detail and features for £14 - seeing them stacked up in their hundreds in the stockroom made them seem a little less special, somehow.

Eventually my 1/18 stuff went into storage as I entered a fairly nomadic phase of my life, and I sold most of them around 2010 to raise money for a house move. I kept the ERTL Chevelle, the Solido 2CV and a Revell Opel Manta 400 (which I picked up cheap at my old place of work in 2006 because the base was broken) for a while longer - but the last of them went earlier this year.

 

As Split_Pin says, they're not particularly scarce and most 1/18 Bburagos can be found fairly easily in good condition for less than they originally cost. Like Lledo Days Gone, they do tend to attract a bit of the clueless 'them's rare, them's valuable' giffer contingent - car boot sales where old duffers are trying to offload an unboxed 1928 Mercedes SSK full of dust and with a broken wheel for £50 doesn't really help perceptions of desirability.

I owned quite a few of the Bburago 1/24 scale models too, but they generally felt a bit more toy-like. The subject matter was good though, with Land Rover S3, Ford Escorts, Austin Metros, VW Golfs and so on. With pricing around the £5-8 mark in the mid-80s, these were the models I was most likely to receive as a gift for birthdays or Christmases. Some of them (Lancia Delta, Alfa 33) I had as kits to build up, which were fun although the waterslide decals were pretty poor and tended to flake off. Again, I sold the majority of them in 2010.

The 1/43 models were the ones I hung onto longest, as they were more easily stored and represented some top-end shite - Mk1 Fiat Panda, Saab 900, Fiat Bravo, Citroen Xantia, Renault Clio. Quite a lot of them I bought new and kept boxed, but ultimately the chunky generic wheels and so-so paint finish meant that they didn't give me as much pleasure to look at or handle, so I passed them on.

TL;DR - Bburago made some very good models, but they don't do much for me these days.

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1 hour ago, Lord Sterling said:

Speaking of Dodge Vipers, this is mine:

20220531_104345.thumb.jpg.9999d3c2b681457aabf6a4edcd1b7ac3.jpg

20220531_104400.thumb.jpg.eb49626d458f41561cb5e26b9bec6266.jpg

Bought for me by Fatha_Sterling in 1994/1995 as my his brother, my uncle, used to work for a Jeep/Chrysler dealership in Belgium somewhere and they had a real one in their showroom, never saw it (or at least I don't remember seeing one)

I used to also have the Blue and white striped 1/18 hard-top version but I don't know what happened to that.

As a Peugeot 407 owner, I wanted to buy a 407 in model form. I have all of the ones in 1/64 scale and then found this:

20220531_104708.thumb.jpg.df078e854e8fed338f569737f5e4c7dd.jpg

20220531_104719.thumb.jpg.3926692a5a463a76cc59a7a1d97aba91.jpg

20220531_104747.thumb.jpg.f3e4efd75b171092de900f708877ba76.jpg

It had been listed and didn't attract any bids so I bashed in a bid upon second listing and won.

Its Ok and the closest I'm gonna get to a 1/18 scale of my own car.  I'm aware that there is a 407 Coupe 1/18. Might get myself one of those if I can find one on the same colour as mine. Not overly fussed as they aren't exactly works of art.

The 1/43 scale 407s are selling/being listed for stupid money which I really don't understand. The real ones aren't expensive and not overly desirable.

I've gotta big 1/14 scale 407. It was an RC car but it displays very nice indeed.

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Today's laptop lovely:

1574219611_IMG_20220531_1223062.thumb.jpg.eb3f3446725b64f322a6b2478b7349e8.jpg

Vitesse Renault Safrane V6 Initiale Series 2.

484886952_IMG_20220531_1223162.thumb.jpg.6e1303ae4d6dce654bb3c47e553c035b.jpg

It's meant to be a very dark metallic green (Abysse) but it's not easy to tell.

551916614_IMG_20220531_1223242.thumb.jpg.73819bd4a8fc5cb1b50a40f840f51dd8.jpg

Reasonable effort at replicating the alloys, it has to be said. Aerial's a bit odd, mind.

796933299_IMG_20220531_1223372.thumb.jpg.25a4857813128aafb33a74d7b49089fd.jpg

Interior detailing is surprisingly good, though my potatocam doesn't really do it justice.

Verdict - decent stab at a terminally unloved luxo barge. Top chod.

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I remember having big Bburagos when I was a kid - silver Merc SL gullwing and a red Ferarri GTO of early 80s vintage. 

I too was fascinated by the detail and working bits, but somehow they just don't have the same play value as a Matchbox/Corgi/Hot Wheels. They still don't, I just prefer toys to models.

Each to their own though, it's nice that we can all show off our possessions be they expensive models or cheap Chinese tat

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These arrived courtesy of @Mine's a Leganza! and I had forgot to post them on here.

The gem of the lot was this dinky Lesney Matchbox Renault 5. I used to have one just like this but gave it away.

20220531_164157.thumb.jpg.f14e6603271178f2be098762e753b2bf.jpg

Next up is this Bburago Sierra... the decals are peeling in places and one of the wheels has lost it's chrome so I may do something really cool* and interesting* with this. :)

20220531_164143.thumb.jpg.b658af96fe98899ed4baf68663b8eaaa.jpg

Finally comes a battered Matchbox Prairie, may also do this up with a small blast with a can or two of paint, just not sure which colour yet. Probably go for another blue and redo the lower silver portions and stuff too. :)

20220531_164205.thumb.jpg.b5f6f0dc62482253eb131b8e98b0c56b.jpg

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6 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I've gotta big 1/14 scale 407. It was an RC car but it displays very nice indeed.

Nice! Any pics? For sale?

7 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

...Revell Opel Manta 400 (which I picked up cheap at my old place of work in 2006 because the base was broken) for a while longer - but the last of them went earlier this year.

Yep, I've got your old Revell Manta. I have re-glued the base quite neatly and it seems to be holding out well enough.

I'm a bit inbetween about the scale of cars. I'm more drawn to 1/18s but their sheer size and my lack of anywhere to display them is testament to my scarcity on buying them. The 1.43s are nice and I do buy them but again, you end up with too many.

1.24s are at a point of interest for me. Not exactly premium feeling but some real nice models out there, I've more than a few on my watch list at the moment. 

1 hour ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

Next up is this Bburago Sierra... the decals are peeling in places and one of the wheels has lost it's chrome so I may do something really cool* and interesting* with this. :)

20220531_164143.thumb.jpg.b658af96fe98899ed4baf68663b8eaaa.jpg

I had a yellow Bburago Sapphire Cosworth like yours, sadly I lent it to some idiot who went and wrecked/lost it. I also had a BMW e34 5-series but I never felt it was a great casting.

I've also got the 2x  Renault 5s and the Nissan Prairie.

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3 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

I had a yellow Bburago Sapphire Cosworth like yours, sadly I lent it to some idiot who went and wrecked/lost it. I also had a BMW e34 5-series but I never felt it was a great casting.

I've also got the 2x  Renault 5s and the Nissan Prairie.

I had a red Sapphire. I used to have tons of Matchbox/Lesney, Bburagos, Majorettes etc etc but gave them to the son of the fella my Mum was seeing for some time. Then that ended and I never saw the wee motors again. :(

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All this talk of Bburago 1:18s is quite timely, given what arrived today, more of which anon.

1:18 will always be "my" scale. Ever since Christmas 1988, otherwise known as The Christmas of Two Bburago E-Types, I've loved them. Bburagos were my gateway drug, and then, as the scale became more popular and more brands joined the fray, my collection grew and continued until deep into adulthood (I'm deeply an adult). 

DC is dead right about their general worthlessness; our local antiques emporium / junk shop has a selection of unboxed examples of the most commonplace types (Porsche 356A, Mercedes SSKL etc) with £30 paper tags on them. They're unlikely to ever be sold and elicit a LOL from me every time I see them. 

Bburago models did gradually improve. They were rather shown up circa 1992 by what newcomers Maisto could offer, with such novelties as spring suspension and generally rather more detail. The first Maisto I bought was an XJ220, while on holiday in Florida at age 12, and my jaw dropped.  Actually, until they grew more widespread at places like Tesco several years later, subsequent visits to Florida yielded further Maistos, with a C4 Corvette, a Dodge Copperhead, a VW Export Sedan (Beetle) and Boxster prototype all originating from KayBee toys at the Florida Mall, Kissimmee.

'Twas around the turn of the century that I discovered AutoArt, and their models kind of put everything else into perspective. I snagged a VW Phaeton from the Ian Allan book / model shop in Birmingham, and that was it. Since then, I became increasingly obsessed with detail. The earlier Bburago releases that I own still have masses of nostalgia value (especially the E-Type, whose proportions are just wonderful). Alas, AutoArt models cost a million pounds each now, and I've missed out on certain incredible releases of theirs (Porsche 928, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Mazda RX7 etc). But on the other hand I still have a house to live in.

Anyway. Enough preamble.

My model Sierra obsession is well documented among these pages, and today it rather reached a head.

FUEwFhsXoAAi9Ra.thumb.jpeg.f8d4d431ad5476e60342f3bf7a916b28.jpeg

FUEwGO4WAAAZj9e.thumb.jpeg.a96d22b5149cdd164a6609fc9b82a6b3.jpeg

FUEwGkiXsAEKmaF.thumb.jpeg.1a39990e70c3e5a90ff08bab10ea5a13.jpeg

Yep. 

Among alerts that make my phone explode from time to time are the weekly discount notices from CK Modelcars of Germany.

As it happens I was quite interested in a Renault Fuego, and I was umming and ahhhing about whether to go for the Turbo for Those Graphics or the GTS for Those Wheels. And now there's a version with louvres over the rear screen. And all were handsomely discounting, making choice all-but impossible. And then I scrolled past – and then rapidly back to – this Sierra Cosworth RS500.

I had no idea that Solido made such a thing. I immediately put it in my CK Modelcars basket, went to check out, and then got an error message that said something along the lines of "We won't import to the UK unless you spend more than £135, because of VAT rules and that"

So I went on eBay and found another supplier for actually slightly less money, and it arrived this morning.

FUEyJ3uXsAA1h9F.thumb.jpeg.89d54d0573b4c8d75c811500d5ffbe60.jpeg

It's pretty bloody spectacular.

FUEyK5fXsAAZ67B.thumb.jpeg.c333dbbf295f1969faf7c45a64a66f4b.jpeg

Proportionally, I reckon it's more or less bang on. I'm really pleased that key lines have been captured, including the concave section to the front wings, and the really subtle surface that starts at the door mirror and eventually forms the bootlid. Basically it looks like a Sierra Cosworth.

FUEyL1TWAAATC-b.thumb.jpeg.7f3154e4347980e0e7dc3510939fedb2.jpeg

Yeah, the casting could actually be better – the front wheelarches are very slightly malformed, and the joins around the wheelarch extensions, sills and bumpers could be a bit more crisp. Plus, as is the fashion these days, there aren't many opening features. Just the doors. Terrible shame there's no engine on display, but never mind.

Yeah, the headlights are ever-so-slightly bulgy-out, and I'd like it if the grilles were open, but the details are generally fantastic. Most particularly the decals, which absolutely nail the Ford typefaces of the 80s.

It's generally great inside, too.

FUEzxGPXEAMuOlj.thumb.jpeg.938dfa54ed787b5c611045b4842780d2.jpeg

The centre console, shifter gaiter, handbrake, coin tray and cassette box are great, and check out the little plaque between the electric window switches.

The button count for the radio, with amplifier below, is correct for the Ford ECU2 sound system – except reversed!

FUEzyCaX0AEgR48.thumb.jpeg.93a91a9200ebc8a7a05dbd8520ceb368.jpeg

Another oddity:

Look at how gorgeously modelled the electric mirror adjuster on the driver's door is. But why is there one on the passenger door, too?

The dashboard is a little boxier than it should be, but details like the correct red lines at 30 and 70mph on the speedo make up for it.

Anyway. There we have it. Until somebody does the decent thing and makes a 1:18 1983 Sierra Ghia in Glacier Blue, this is as close to peak model Sierra as I'll ever own.

 

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In the spirit of Autoshite, sheer boredom, and a little bit of 'fuck it', I've decided that I mibbie want to spray the Sierra in Rover 'Champagne Beige'... :D

Work should commence tomorrow. If I don't like the colour then I've got something excellent in mind. :)

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@Lord Sterling

20220531_220239.thumb.jpg.efb886b274ae61750cecf81422a58b8a.jpg20220531_220256.thumb.jpg.38d60a507d48b893e8cb2e4b0dd8edcf.jpg20220531_220304.thumb.jpg.55c2a8399384e07bb9b581e37fa12930.jpg

It's made by Rastar and is radio controlled. I spotted it straight away in TK Maxx 9 years ago amongst the more usual Porsche 911s and Ferraris and thought it was a really weird subject. The box has images of the real car so I wondered if it was a leftover dealer item or something

I wouldn't part with it because it's so unusual but you might find one on ebay. It makes an excellent model.

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4 hours ago, RoadworkUK said:

All this talk of Bburago 1:18s is quite timely, given what arrived today, more of which anon.

1:18 will always be "my" scale. Ever since Christmas 1988, otherwise known as The Christmas of Two Bburago E-Types, I've loved them. Bburagos were my gateway drug, and then, as the scale became more popular and more brands joined the fray, my collection grew and continued until deep into adulthood (I'm deeply an adult). 

DC is dead right about their general worthlessness; our local antiques emporium / junk shop has a selection of unboxed examples of the most commonplace types (Porsche 356A, Mercedes SSKL etc) with £30 paper tags on them. They're unlikely to ever be sold and elicit a LOL from me every time I see them. 

Bburago models did gradually improve. They were rather shown up circa 1992 by what newcomers Maisto could offer, with such novelties as spring suspension and generally rather more detail. The first Maisto I bought was an XJ220, while on holiday in Florida at age 12, and my jaw dropped.  Actually, until they grew more widespread at places like Tesco several years later, subsequent visits to Florida yielded further Maistos, with a C4 Corvette, a Dodge Copperhead, a VW Export Sedan (Beetle) and Boxster prototype all originating from KayBee toys at the Florida Mall, Kissimmee.

'Twas around the turn of the century that I discovered AutoArt, and their models kind of put everything else into perspective. I snagged a VW Phaeton from the Ian Allan book / model shop in Birmingham, and that was it. Since then, I became increasingly obsessed with detail. The earlier Bburago releases that I own still have masses of nostalgia value (especially the E-Type, whose proportions are just wonderful). Alas, AutoArt models cost a million pounds each now, and I've missed out on certain incredible releases of theirs (Porsche 928, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Mazda RX7 etc). But on the other hand I still have a house to live in.

Anyway. Enough preamble.

My model Sierra obsession is well documented among these pages, and today it rather reached a head.

FUEwFhsXoAAi9Ra.thumb.jpeg.f8d4d431ad5476e60342f3bf7a916b28.jpeg

FUEwGO4WAAAZj9e.thumb.jpeg.a96d22b5149cdd164a6609fc9b82a6b3.jpeg

FUEwGkiXsAEKmaF.thumb.jpeg.1a39990e70c3e5a90ff08bab10ea5a13.jpeg

Yep. 

Among alerts that make my phone explode from time to time are the weekly discount notices from CK Modelcars of Germany.

As it happens I was quite interested in a Renault Fuego, and I was umming and ahhhing about whether to go for the Turbo for Those Graphics or the GTS for Those Wheels. And now there's a version with louvres over the rear screen. And all were handsomely discounting, making choice all-but impossible. And then I scrolled past – and then rapidly back to – this Sierra Cosworth RS500.

I had no idea that Solido made such a thing. I immediately put it in my CK Modelcars basket, went to check out, and then got an error message that said something along the lines of "We won't import to the UK unless you spend more than £135, because of VAT rules and that"

So I went on eBay and found another supplier for actually slightly less money, and it arrived this morning.

FUEyJ3uXsAA1h9F.thumb.jpeg.89d54d0573b4c8d75c811500d5ffbe60.jpeg

It's pretty bloody spectacular.

FUEyK5fXsAAZ67B.thumb.jpeg.c333dbbf295f1969faf7c45a64a66f4b.jpeg

Proportionally, I reckon it's more or less bang on. I'm really pleased that key lines have been captured, including the concave section to the front wings, and the really subtle surface that starts at the door mirror and eventually forms the bootlid. Basically it looks like a Sierra Cosworth.

FUEyL1TWAAATC-b.thumb.jpeg.7f3154e4347980e0e7dc3510939fedb2.jpeg

Yeah, the casting could actually be better – the front wheelarches are very slightly malformed, and the joins around the wheelarch extensions, sills and bumpers could be a bit more crisp. Plus, as is the fashion these days, there aren't many opening features. Just the doors. Terrible shame there's no engine on display, but never mind.

Yeah, the headlights are ever-so-slightly bulgy-out, and I'd like it if the grilles were open, but the details are generally fantastic. Most particularly the decals, which absolutely nail the Ford typefaces of the 80s.

It's generally great inside, too.

FUEzxGPXEAMuOlj.thumb.jpeg.938dfa54ed787b5c611045b4842780d2.jpeg

The centre console, shifter gaiter, handbrake, coin tray and cassette box are great, and check out the little plaque between the electric window switches.

The button count for the radio, with amplifier below, is correct for the Ford ECU2 sound system – except reversed!

FUEzyCaX0AEgR48.thumb.jpeg.93a91a9200ebc8a7a05dbd8520ceb368.jpeg

Another oddity:

Look at how gorgeously modelled the electric mirror adjuster on the driver's door is. But why is there one on the passenger door, too?

The dashboard is a little boxier than it should be, but details like the correct red lines at 30 and 70mph on the speedo make up for it.

Anyway. There we have it. Until somebody does the decent thing and makes a 1:18 1983 Sierra Ghia in Glacier Blue, this is as close to peak model Sierra as I'll ever own.

 

that cossy is a work of art

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6 hours ago, RoadworkUK said:

All this talk of Bburago 1:18s is quite timely, given what arrived today, more of which anon.

1:18 will always be "my" scale. Ever since Christmas 1988, otherwise known as The Christmas of Two Bburago E-Types, I've loved them. Bburagos were my gateway drug, and then, as the scale became more popular and more brands joined the fray, my collection grew and continued until deep into adulthood (I'm deeply an adult). 

DC is dead right about their general worthlessness; our local antiques emporium / junk shop has a selection of unboxed examples of the most commonplace types (Porsche 356A, Mercedes SSKL etc) with £30 paper tags on them. They're unlikely to ever be sold and elicit a LOL from me every time I see them. 

Bburago models did gradually improve. They were rather shown up circa 1992 by what newcomers Maisto could offer, with such novelties as spring suspension and generally rather more detail. The first Maisto I bought was an XJ220, while on holiday in Florida at age 12, and my jaw dropped.  Actually, until they grew more widespread at places like Tesco several years later, subsequent visits to Florida yielded further Maistos, with a C4 Corvette, a Dodge Copperhead, a VW Export Sedan (Beetle) and Boxster prototype all originating from KayBee toys at the Florida Mall, Kissimmee.

'Twas around the turn of the century that I discovered AutoArt, and their models kind of put everything else into perspective. I snagged a VW Phaeton from the Ian Allan book / model shop in Birmingham, and that was it. Since then, I became increasingly obsessed with detail. The earlier Bburago releases that I own still have masses of nostalgia value (especially the E-Type, whose proportions are just wonderful). Alas, AutoArt models cost a million pounds each now, and I've missed out on certain incredible releases of theirs (Porsche 928, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Mazda RX7 etc). But on the other hand I still have a house to live in.

Anyway. Enough preamble.

My model Sierra obsession is well documented among these pages, and today it rather reached a head.

FUEwFhsXoAAi9Ra.thumb.jpeg.f8d4d431ad5476e60342f3bf7a916b28.jpeg

FUEwGO4WAAAZj9e.thumb.jpeg.a96d22b5149cdd164a6609fc9b82a6b3.jpeg

FUEwGkiXsAEKmaF.thumb.jpeg.1a39990e70c3e5a90ff08bab10ea5a13.jpeg

Yep. 

Among alerts that make my phone explode from time to time are the weekly discount notices from CK Modelcars of Germany.

As it happens I was quite interested in a Renault Fuego, and I was umming and ahhhing about whether to go for the Turbo for Those Graphics or the GTS for Those Wheels. And now there's a version with louvres over the rear screen. And all were handsomely discounting, making choice all-but impossible. And then I scrolled past – and then rapidly back to – this Sierra Cosworth RS500.

I had no idea that Solido made such a thing. I immediately put it in my CK Modelcars basket, went to check out, and then got an error message that said something along the lines of "We won't import to the UK unless you spend more than £135, because of VAT rules and that"

So I went on eBay and found another supplier for actually slightly less money, and it arrived this morning.

FUEyJ3uXsAA1h9F.thumb.jpeg.89d54d0573b4c8d75c811500d5ffbe60.jpeg

It's pretty bloody spectacular.

FUEyK5fXsAAZ67B.thumb.jpeg.c333dbbf295f1969faf7c45a64a66f4b.jpeg

Proportionally, I reckon it's more or less bang on. I'm really pleased that key lines have been captured, including the concave section to the front wings, and the really subtle surface that starts at the door mirror and eventually forms the bootlid. Basically it looks like a Sierra Cosworth.

FUEyL1TWAAATC-b.thumb.jpeg.7f3154e4347980e0e7dc3510939fedb2.jpeg

Yeah, the casting could actually be better – the front wheelarches are very slightly malformed, and the joins around the wheelarch extensions, sills and bumpers could be a bit more crisp. Plus, as is the fashion these days, there aren't many opening features. Just the doors. Terrible shame there's no engine on display, but never mind.

Yeah, the headlights are ever-so-slightly bulgy-out, and I'd like it if the grilles were open, but the details are generally fantastic. Most particularly the decals, which absolutely nail the Ford typefaces of the 80s.

It's generally great inside, too.

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The centre console, shifter gaiter, handbrake, coin tray and cassette box are great, and check out the little plaque between the electric window switches.

The button count for the radio, with amplifier below, is correct for the Ford ECU2 sound system – except reversed!

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Another oddity:

Look at how gorgeously modelled the electric mirror adjuster on the driver's door is. But why is there one on the passenger door, too?

The dashboard is a little boxier than it should be, but details like the correct red lines at 30 and 70mph on the speedo make up for it.

Anyway. There we have it. Until somebody does the decent thing and makes a 1:18 1983 Sierra Ghia in Glacier Blue, this is as close to peak model Sierra as I'll ever own.

 

That is utterly magnificent!

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Today's Lunchtime Laptop highlight:

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Yep, it's the recent Corgi Model Club arrival, the #485 Austin Mini Countryman, which I forgot to post up here as it arrived during our internet blackout week.

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Apart from looking ever-so-slightly bluff fronted, it's a thoroughly lovely little model.

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Opening rear doors are a bonus, as are the removable surfboards on the roof rack. 'Austin Mini' script on the rear door is crisply rendered, and the mask-sprayed tan paint on the wood trim has been neatly done.

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The luxury of jewelled headlights, a separate aerial, plus a bonus surfer figurine in the box, go some way to making up for the relatively basic nature of last month's issue, the Mercedes 300SL.

In fact, the whole package seems to amount to a small playset - the box is marked 'Surfing with the BMC Mini-Countryman', with no overall picture of the model within. The sliver shown in the illustration depicts a blue Mini, though the model was only ever sold in the same aquamarine colour.

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At the time of #485's introduction to the Corgi range, surf music and culture had been experiencing a boom amongst UK youths for a while - spearheaded by the popularity of The Beach Boys - so aside from being a fairly cheap way of adding interest to the basic model, the surfboards and box art tap into something of the surf zeitgeist prevailing at the time.

See the source image

Ironically, in March 1965 - the same month the Corgi Mini was launched - The Beach Boys released their 'Beach Boys Today!' album, which marked an unexpected change away from the song themes of surfing, cars and girls they'd recorded up to that point, and turned towards more introspective lyrics and orchestral sounds.

The roof rack was also a lightly modified version of that fitted to the #339 Monte Carlo Mini Cooper S, with the back cut away to accommodate a pair of boards.

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Whether it was something of an in-joke by Corgi's design team to make a British 'woody' surf wagon, or just happenstance to add play value to a new release, will probably never be known. The Van Cleemput book doesn't say much more than the information set out on the back of the Collector's Card.

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Unfortunately I managed to break the surfer's ankles mere minutes after retrieving him from the box, which probably explains why these things are nigh-on impossible to find still intact.

If a portly fortysomething with a borderline diecast obsession can't avoid damaging it, there wasn't much hope for an excited eight year old.

 

Overall, a really good choice from the Corgi Model Club bods; I'd deliberately avoided looking closer at the emails telling me it was on its way, so I didn't know what was going to be in the mailing box until I'd opened it. Really nice surprise, and a welcome break from all the house move stress!

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It was a new one to me too - even though apparently half a million or so of them were shifted during the four years of production.

I'm not sure whether I maybe mistook this one as a colour variation of the Dinky - though now I think of it, I'm fairly sure one in this colour turned up on the market tat stall last year, in fairly decent nick.

Must have a trawl through my archive pics...

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There was one of those Dinky Mini Countrymans in a toy box at a charity shoppe a few weeks ago, it was a bit battered, frame bent and some tyres were missing. I'm sure it would have cleaned up Ok and I have some spare tyres or know where to get them. But I felt that possibly on bending it back I may snap somewhere so I passed on it.

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Quote

now I think of it, I'm fairly sure one in this colour turned up on the market tat stall last year, in fairly decent nick.

Nope - now I look at the pics again (October 2020, tat fans), I'm pretty sure it was a reproduction Dinky version - darker green shade, and no roofrack. Looks a bit too shiny to be an original, too.

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Round rear lights are the clincher.

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Nothing to get excited about - carry on, folks.

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