Shite in Miniature II

[eddyramrod]

I've owned two full-size Chevette hatchbacks, pre- and post-facelift, and a pre-facelift estate, all in the same lipstick red.  I have a terrible feeling I should have two of these models so if you see any more...!

[500tops]

Pulled these out of a bucket junk in the local charity shop 

[bunglebus]

That's a nice bunch of blackwalls!

And a Welly PG Tips Corvette 

 

[500tops]

20 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

That's a nice bunch of blackwalls!

And a Welly PG Tips Corvette 

 

Ahhh! Thanks. I was wondering about that one. 👍

[bunglebus]

I can see

Flat Out 442

Fire Chief

Mirada Stocker

Super Scraper on Real Riders - missing the snowplough sadly

Blazer 4x4

Bywayman

Neet Streeter 

Only one I don't know is the red one next to the Neet Streeter 

 

[500tops]

It's a Turbo Heater, apparently 

[bunglebus]

Cool. A couple I don't have in there!

The Turbo Heater is the first (1984) release

Based on the Dodge Daytona apparently 

[sutty2006]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

That's a nice bunch of blackwalls!

And a Welly PG Tips Corvette 

 

Takes us back to the days when companies like that used to give away stuff…. I seem to remember getting a couple of matchbox trucks with red arrow hawks on the trailer from a certain cereal company…… must go back in the loft…….

[barrett]

Remember back in November 2021 I bought this thing?

And I said:

Quote

It's quite sweet really, and fairly well detailed given its size, but I don't really want to get in to collecting these things. I suppose when I've ticked off all the 1/43 Politoys that I want to find, it would be nice to have the 1/66 versions to go with them, but that's really going down a road towards a weird-old-man lifestyle I'm trying to avoid for the timebeing.

Yeah, well.

I know, but it's so unusual to see these in the UK I couldn't resist a job lot of three. Mainly because:

What a sad little life you lead, Jane

[bunglebus]

Nothing wrong with that, lovely little cars

[Datsuncog]

4 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

I've owned two full-size Chevette hatchbacks, pre- and post-facelift, and a pre-facelift estate, all in the same lipstick red.  I have a terrible feeling I should have two of these models so if you see any more...!

Well, there's this one currently up for auction...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385074608162

But it seems that, sadly, they're not that cheap anymore!

[bunglebus]

On 21/08/2022 at 18:30, bunglebus said:

Literally just won this auction 

And here are the interesting bits out of it - MC Granada (good rap name) was a strange sickly green

But a few minutes in the fridge turned it dark green - started to change back as soon as I removed it though

And a blast with the hairdryer completed the transformation 

Volvo is also a colour changer 

So was this Hot Wheels Bug Brain once. I have one in it's original packaging but sold my previous loose one. Maybe time for a custom makeover? Old Hot Wheels colour shifting paint never seems to work 

Also included were a Thunder Burner

And this shabby but appealing Siku 

[bunglebus]

On 17/07/2022 at 11:24, bunglebus said:

Had a bit of good luck the other day - this boxed MK1 Golf was missing the front bumper - or so I thought.

Happened to be in the garden doing something and found the missing bumper sitting in the stone filled barbecue area, must have fallen out as I opened it

[Datsuncog]

43 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Also included were a Thunder Burner

I could be wrong, but I had one of those years ago and I think it's a colour changer too? Or was supposed to be, any road...

[bunglebus]

1 minute ago, Datsuncog said:

I could be wrong, but I had one of those years ago and I think it's a colour changer too? Or was supposed to be, any road...

Off to the fridge!

https://hotwheels.fandom.com/wiki/Thunderburner

[sierraman]

Aren’t those MC Granada supposedly worth a few quid on fleabay? 

[bunglebus]

7 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Aren’t those MC Granada supposedly worth a few quid on fleabay? 

Yes sir. I think someone tried to snipe me but I'd put in a fair bid to ensure I won. Didn’t really pay attention to the other cars so the Volvo etc make a nice bonus

[sierraman]

22 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Yes sir. I think someone tried to snipe me but I'd put in a fair bid to ensure I won. Didn’t really pay attention to the other cars so the Volvo etc make a nice bonus

Last one I bought was something like 50p. Might pay more attention to them in the future!

Searching now for a good 1/36 Corgi Dyane. Like the original they don’t seem that popular! Seeing as the weathers shit I’m going to get my Hot Wheels out after work. 

[AndyW201]

15 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Well, there's this one currently up for auction...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/385074608162

But it seems that, sadly, they're not that cheap anymore!

Still available from Jumajo at the moment, with UK postage it works about £16 all in, not bootsale money granted but less than the other eBay chisellers.

Interestingly they have both versions of the casting (made by IXO incidentally). The one datsuncog has, from the Polish partwork, badged as a Vauxhall with the black interior. Plus the slightly more  intriguing one, from the Opel Collection partwork.

This one is based on the version of the Chevette that was (IIRC) marketed in Germany and Holland, for a short time by Opel, priced below the Kadett, with no Vauxhall branding on it.  Just Chevette badges front and rear and with the rear number plate mounted between the tail lights a lá Kadett rather than on the rear valance. This one comes in more attractive Opel Collection packaging, and with IMO a  more realistic brown interior.

Had both of them on my watchlist for ages as there is still a Chevette shaped hole in my diecast collection, I really must get one ordered. As noted, apart from these IXO part work jobs, and the expensive Trofeu HS, there isn't really a lot of choice out there.

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Off to the fridge!

Well no dice there, went a very slightly greener yellow and that's about it. Don't know it is with 80s Hot Wheels Color Shifters/FX/Changers, I rarely find one that still reacts. They just get stuck in one or other of the colours or sometimes somewhere in the middle with both sets of decals showing. That Thunder Burner (also called Thunderbird Stocker) is at least the 6th one in that colour to pass though my hands, as far as I know none of them ever changed colour.

The Sheriff Patrol is another one I find a lot going through the change as it were

I'll have to try my Fish N Chipped out in a few decades and see how it's fairing

Having said that, the plastic bodied ones don't seem to fail like the painted diecast ones do

[Split_Pin]

The Siku Magirus is tremendous, nice find. I was also unaware of the MC toys 740, I thought I had one from every toy maker.

[sierraman]

The MC Porsche 911 is almost a straight rip off of the Matchbox? 

[bunglebus]

3 hours ago, sierraman said:

The MC Porsche 911 is almost a straight rip off of the Matchbox? 

It's still up for debate - some MC/Maisto stuff was clearly made as either direct copies of or using Corgi castings such as the 2CV. The 911 is very similar to the Matchbox but I think it's not quite the same size. 740 looks more like the Matchbox version to me going by where the base/body join and having a sunroof

Maisto/MC tin snails;

Rolls looks very similar to the Matchbox effort

As is the XR4i

@Split_PinI do have another MC Volvo, looking at the pic it might also be a colour changer although it's quite chipped. This one joined the fleet in 2020

I thought I had a pic of the MC and Matchbox 911 together but this is the best I can find at the moment

 

[Datsuncog]

Play(thing) For Today:

Yep, the Atlas Editions rehash of Corgi Vanguards' Hillman Avenger Super, in West Yorkshire Police colours.

I don't know if it's based on a real-life area patrol car from West Yorks, or just an imagined one, but it's nicely understated.

I really like this casting; I had the Vanguards Super in plain white when it was released, then a few years later picked up the blue and white 'Top Hat' special edition.

I sold the white one a few years back; still have the blue one, and then this turned up on the market stall last year for a fiver or something. I'm not mega into police vehicles, but I just kinda liked it.

Dunno whether the lights were giving it the phares jaunes effect from new, or if it's just gone that way from atmospheric exposure.

I'm a sucker for the hockey stick lights. Between these and the strips on the HC Viva, it's hard to pick my favourite rear light treatment on a small 70s saloon.

Badge detailing's pretty good, for the small size.

I think there's meant to be an aerial attached to the rear deck, but it seems to have run off with the driver's door mirror.

Yes, this one was indeed boxless and very dusty when acquired, like most of the market tat... So missing some of the brightwork kinda goes with the territory. The wipers are still intact, mind.

Base has the usual detail, plus a very rough effort to remove the Vanguards name from the baseplate casting.

The plastic display base seemed to have been glued on as well as screwed on, for some reason - hence quite a bit of paint coming off in my efforts to free it. Weird.

The paint up top's not great either - a fair few pinholes are visible on the bonnet, and some bubbling to the bootlid - but the quality control probably reflects the low-ish price point these were sold at, as magazine partworks.

But, despite a few issues, it's still a very appealing little thing - which is probably why I was suddenly seized with a desire to excavate it from the box of loose diecast under the bed two night ago...

[Split_Pin]

It's a very nicely proportioned casting, I have the above mentioned plain white one. I got it in 2006, presumably around the time it was released. It still doesn't beat the Marina bit it's close.

Those Atlas police partworks are a great way ro get a cheap Vanguards. I had been after the MK5 Astra and I think it was our friend Messr. Ramrod who sold me one for £notmuch.

[bunglebus]

Dug an MC and Matchbox out of the loft. Definitely very very similar @sierraman

 

[AndyW201]

37 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Play(thing) For Today:

Yep, the Atlas Editions rehash of Corgi Vanguards' Hillman Avenger Super, in West Yorkshire Police colours.

I don't know if it's based on a real-life area patrol car from West Yorks, or just an imagined one, but it's nicely understated.

I really like this casting; I had the Vanguards Super in plain white when it was released, then a few years later picked up the blue and white 'Top Hat' special edition.

I sold the white one a few years back; still have the blue one, and then this turned up on the market stall last year for a fiver or something. I'm not mega into police vehicles, but I just kinda liked it.

Dunno whether the lights were giving it the phares jaunes effect from new, or if it's just gone that way from atmospheric exposure.

I'm a sucker for the hockey stick lights. Between these and the strips on the HC Viva, it's hard to pick my favourite rear light treatment on a small 70s saloon.

Badge detailing's pretty good, for the small size.

I think there's meant to be an aerial attached to the rear deck, but it seems to have run off with the driver's door mirror.

Yes, this one was indeed boxless and very dusty when acquired, like most of the market tat...

Base has the usual detail, plus a very rough effort to remove the Vanguards name from the baseplate casting.

The plastic display base seemed to have been glued on as well as screwed on, for some reason - hence quite a bit of paint coming off in my efforts to free it. Weird.

The paint up top's not great either - a fair few pinholes are visible on the bonnet, and some bubbling to the bootlid - but the quality control probably reflects the low-ish price point these were sold at, as magazine partworks.

But, despite a few issues, it's still a very appealing little thing - which is probably why I was suddenly seized with a desire to excavate it from the box of loose diecast under the bed two night ago...

Yep, based on a real life W Yorks police Avenger I believe. I recently watched a documentary series on Netflix about the Yorkshire Ripper and a KWR 1** N plated police Avenger featured in one of the period bits of film.

The Vanguards Avenger casting is one of my favourites. I got the first release, the white 1250 DL version as it was an exact replica of the one my dad had, YWW 159L, when I was a toddler. (Word had it that that was an ex W Yorks plod car as well, but never confirmed, possibly because of the W Yorks reg number). I've been lucky enough to get the Wardance red Tiger, the Bitter Green GLS and the Top Hat version since, without getting skinned alive on the price....

[Split_Pin]

This is a model very close to my own car, bar the grey interior (mine is beige).

 

Its quite a nice one but the wheels and tyres are awful. Far too big and hugh profile.  An Aero model should sit quite low.

I have looked online for 1/43 wheels and tyres but to no avail. Does anyone have anything suitable in their spares box I could buy? Anything is better than these donuts!

[Datsuncog]

What's that noise?

Is that... the sound of someone falling off the wagon?

[Datsuncog]

It's ok, I'm not hurt. Just... slightly poorer.