Shite in Miniature II

[RoadworkUK]

12 hours ago, barrett said:

a 1:18 DS, with adjustable suspension (which I coveted) but I can't think of any others

I have that and love the adjustable suspension feature, but it is a little bit crude overall, and parking it next to the XM draws the eye to how underscale the latter is.

Solido now makes a later DS, too, I'd like to get my hands on one to compare and find out whether it's a tweaked version of the old model (like the actual car was) or new from the ground up. If it's up to the quality of their recent releases, such as the Renault 17 and Fuego, I'd love one.

[Datsuncog]

I had a few Solidos from the Prestige 1/18 range - a brown 1950s VW Beetle sedan with the 'pretzel' rear window; a green Austin Mini Cooper 'S', a red and white VW Type 2 Microbus, and a grey-blue Citroen 2CV. All were acquired before the late 1990s. I wanted a DS, but never got round to picking one up.

The VWs were both sold at a car boot sale sometime around 2010 when I drastically reduced my 1/18 collection; the Cooper stayed until 2018 when I sold it to someone on here ( @Pat Earrings?); and the 2CV was also the very last to leave - my final 1/18, which lived on a shelf in the hall until I job-lotted it back in January this year, ahead of the house move.

Yeah, the headlight had fallen off, somehow, and was secured with a dab of Blu-Tac.

It was quite nice, really.  The doors didn't fit terribly snugly, but the overall shape was good.

There was a small catalogue supplied in each box showing the full range (just visible tucked in to the back of the Mini's interior packaging - and from memory there were rather more than just those five mentioned so far, including some older US stuff.

[Split_Pin]

1 hour ago, barrett said:

The 2Cv is the only model car I've kept since childhood. I remeber being very impressed with it as a kid, but it is a bit crude up close. It has actually become a book-end in recent years after being packed away in a box for ages.

I love all the 'bits' on it - the separate overriders, indicators, door handles etc. All very fragile and nicely done - they do make it incredibly difficult to keep dust-free though, so apologies about the state of it

It's got really pliable true-to-life suspension which seemed like a real novelty on a 1:18 car. I had various Burago and Maisto things, and a couple of more expensive models, but none had working suspension apart from this.

The bonnet is 'locked' shut with a tab on the number plate, which you push in to release it (actually quite similar to the real thing) and the engine is quite passable

The interioe is basic but recognisable as a 1960s 2CV. Apologies for the dust - if I saw somebody else post this I'd make some pretty harsh judgements about their cleanliness! You really can't get in there through the open roof and keep it clean though. It really needs a bath at some point.

This is the closest I've looked at it for a long time, and it's definitely not a 'great' model, but I have fond memories of it which I suppose is why it's survived so long. Presumably the DS is now worthless, maybe I should finally pick one up?

I was completely unaware of this model! The suspension and engine features are great, I really like that.

BTW a makeup brush is ideal for dusting fragile models, I have a big one for the bodywork and a small one for interiors. For really stubborn dust I use a small electrical screwdriver sheathed in a baby wipe. Even better is to use one of those picks that are sometimes supplied with a model to open the doors with.

[Split_Pin]

29 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

I had a few Solidos from the Prestige 1/18 range - a brown 1950s VW Beetle sedan with the 'pretzel' rear window; a green Austin Mini Cooper 'S', a red and white VW Type 2 Microbus, and a grey-blue Citroen 2CV. All were acquired before the late 1990s. I wanted a DS, but never got round to picking one up.

The VWs were both sold at a car boot sale sometime around 2010 when I drastically reduced my 1/18 collection; the Cooper stayed until 2018 when I sold it to someone on here ( @Pat Earrings?); and the 2CV was also the very last to leave - my final 1/18, which lived on a shelf in the hall until I job-lotted it back in January this year, ahead of the house move.

Yeah, the headlight had fallen off, somehow, and was secured with a dab of Blu-Tac.

It was quite nice, really.  The doors didn't fit terribly snugly, but the overall shape was good.

There was a small catalogue supplied in each box showing the full range (just visible tucked in to the back of the Mini's interior packaging - and from memory there were rather more than just those five mentioned so far, including some older US stuff.

That's a lot nicer than the expensive Kyosho 1/18 Minis that became available just after the middle of the 1990s. I never liked the execution ofnthe door frames although the engine detail was excellent.

[Datsuncog]

Not quite a deep-dive as I haven't really got the time, but a bit of lunchtime internet searching brings forward some other 1990s Solido Prestige 1/18 models:

Karmann Ghia looks nice, if maybe a smidge plasticky.

Renault 4CV - I remember a local model shop selling this one. Think it came in hard-top, canvas roof and rally versions.

Not a car I've any strong feelings for, however.

 

I do like this Renault R4L, however.

Very like CogSr's example owned in the mid-70s- same colour and all, though don't think his had a full-length sunroof.

 

The DS still looks pretty good to me, but then I've never seen one close-up.

Shut lines for the doors maybe aren't the best, it's true.

 

Beetles - 'Cochinelles' - came as sedan or cabrio with hood up or hood down, as I remember.

My Beetle had whitewalls too - something I've never really liked.

I think they were plastic rings popped onto the rubber tyres - I took them off and turned the tyres round to make it look more 'real'.

Licenced 'Herbie' version was available too, with enlarged rear window but other bits not quite right (bumpers etc):

Rally versions and assorted police versions seem to exist too.

 

This was the same as my 2CV:

Less dust-catching, as the blue version seems to have had the hood rolled shut.

Seems that the casting also appeared in various special edition finishes, like Dolly, Charleston etc:

Ferrari 356 Spyder is one of the Italian supercars I've got a bit more time for.

Seems to have come in red and also in yellow.

 

Early Fiat 500 with rear-hinge doors looks suitably cute.

 

1955 Cadillac Eldorado in suitably lurid colour scheme was one I remembered.

Something tells me this was also available with licenced 'Elvis' stickers on it - or maybe I'm confusing it with the Corgi Thunderbird.

 

This casting came with both Rolls Royce and Bentley-grille variants, and with hoods in both 'up' and 'down' positions.

 

The Mini came in a wide range of colours and decor, including some fairly generic rally versions:

This was the same as my Type 2 Kombi:

Also available as a panel van, in various liveries:

And in this 'Peace and Love' horror:

I don't remember ever seeing this Citroen Type H in the range, but it seems to be of the same era:

The prestige range also had a large number of pre-war US vehicles in it, including this 1934 Ford V8 commercial:

I can remember getting mildly obsessed by these for about a month in 1992 or so, and then never bothered with them again. They came in a wide variety of liveries and as pick-ups, box vans, tankers and tow-trucks.

By the time I worked in the same model shop about four or five years later, there were still loads of these commercials in the stockrooms upstairs. I don't recall ever selling any in the years I worked there.

It also came as a V8 roadster too, using the same base/wings casting but a different body tub:

Unusually, Solido also produced this one as a mild hot rod version:

Sticking with pre-war, the big Bugatti Royale was in the range for a fair while too:

Looks a bit plasticky too - but seemingly Solido started making these models in the 1980s, so some by the 1990s some of these castings may have been showing their age (a bit like certain Bburagos of the same vintage). Older boxes look like this:

The Rolls Royce/ Bentley, Eldorado, VW Beetle sedan/cabrio, and the Ford V8 Roadster and Commercials seem to have been originally released in this style of box.

The '90s releases seem to have been an effort to model more of the classic 'people's cars' such as the Citroen 2CV, Renault R4L, Austin Mini, Fiat 500, VW Kombi, Renault 4CV. Granted, the DS was always quite an expensive motorcar, as was the Karmann Ghia and (more overtly) Ferrari Daytona.

Seems that Solido then introduced more 1/18 scale French modern classics into the 2000s with new packaging, plus some contemporary models:

 

And now they have quite a lot of nice things...

But I can't see myself collecting 1/18 stuff again, sadly. They just take up too much space!

[Split_Pin]

My beetle was the 'big window' one which I got in 1994. The split window was simply a convertible with the metal roof riveted on and a resulting ugly panel gap on the c  pillar but the later one was a different casting.

I've had a few Solido 1/18s over the years including a Renault 12 Gordini and a Peugeot 205 GTI. Both were nice models but they somehow just didn't do anything for me and I didn't keep them. I much prefered my Atlas French Dinky 12 Gordini and  Majorette 205.

I have said it before but I just don't get on with larger scale contemporary models of older cars. I'd rather a 1/43 model of 'classic' subjects. I didn't keep a lovely Minichamps VW Type 3 Fastback (now worth a small fortune), a vitesse Trabant, various Escort MK2s and 3s and so on. I like the 605 and XM as they are contemporary with the real car. 

[RoadworkUK]

I think for me the 1:18 appeals in the same way as owning the brochure appeals. With a good quality, opening model (and yeah... this depends on it having openings, which is an increasingly rare thing these days), I can look at all the details, inside and out, without having to squint too much or use a magnifying glass. When I was 10ish (well, from the age of 10 until my early 40s....... where I am now) I used to mentally produce my own Top Gear reviews. One eye closed, other eye acting as the camera, focusing on a number of angles, perhaps staging a cornering shot. The larger scale just made it more tangible. More real somehow.

I guess that's why I'm not keen on the sealed 1:18s that are so common these days, even Norev seems to favour them. A sealed 1:18 has virtually no advantage over a 1:43.

[Split_Pin]

I completely agree. I had a GT Spirit BMW M3 and a composite Autoart BMW 3 Series. Both were sealed and I could not interact with them. I sold them a few years ago now.

Some of my favourite  1/18s are of contemporary cars and have full opening features, seat belts and other moving parts. In particular my VW Phaeton, Audi A8, Roewe 750 and, surprisingly Chevrolet Aveo. I also have a great little Norscot 1/24 Chevrolet Spark to go with it. The latter is quite crude but everything opens!

Late 90s and turn of the millenium Maistos are also great value now and have a lot of features.

[RoadworkUK]

4 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

VW Phaeton, 

Late 90s and turn of the millenium Maistos are also great value now and have a lot of features.

That Phaeton (assuming you mean the AutoArt) is a cracker, and the first AutoArt I bought – dirt cheap from the late, lamented Ian Allan shop near Birmingham New Street.

You're dead right on Maistos of that era, too.  Unbeatable bang for your buck then or now.

[Dodgem driver]

On 10/9/2022 at 1:23 PM, bunglebus said:

Paid a visit to the late start boot sale this morning as the weather was nice and it's on tarmac. Wasn't expecting much but there were two sellers with toy cars, one with several large 50p boxes - mostly modern Hot Wheels and Chinese stuff in there though. I did however get this Bburago 190E off him for a quid, all complete with just a bent wiper

The other seller had a box with a load of interesting stuff rattling around, unfortunately they didn't want to budge from £1 a car even after me pulling 15 or so out, so some went back including another dot-dash wheel Dragon Wheels and an overpainted but unbroken grilled Charger dragster. Worse still was them revealing that all the "good" stuff was listed on eBay already, and proceeded to show me lots of listings at £9.99 starting bid per car. Thanks but no thanks love.

Took these off her hands though

Surprised they hadn't eBay'd this Polistil Merc

OK I have no idea about this but it piqued my interest - anyone? 

Zylmex British Bobby tank

Lastly, on another stall in a box full of modern plastic toot, I saw something odd. I like odd.

So that's a plastic, FWD friction motored Ferrari P4 from Kenner, 1972

I had one of those Kenner Ferraris when I was a kid in the 70s. It came with some kind of launcher, some track and some plastic cones. Can't remember what the set was originally called though.

[Split_Pin]

50 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

That Phaeton (assuming you mean the AutoArt) is a cracker, and the first AutoArt I bought – dirt cheap from the late, lamented Ian Allan shop near Birmingham New Street.

You're dead right on Maistos of that era, too.  Unbeatable bang for your buck then or now.

The concept 1993 Porsche Boxter is probably my favourite Maisto model. The interior is spectacular. 

[bunglebus]

41 minutes ago, Dodgem driver said:

I had one of those Kenner Ferraris when I was a kid in the 70s. It came with some kind of launcher, some track and some plastic cones. Can't remember what the set was originally called though.

Cheers dude, took a bit of Googling but I found it!

[bunglebus]

While looking for info on that Kenner Ferrari, I fell into rabbit hole and ended up at https://thevintagetoyadvertiser.org/tag/1970s-toys/

Don't blame me if you spend ages there.

However one of the pics that came up was this

Did that French Dinky buggy ever exist?

[RoadworkUK]

The concept 1993 Porsche Boxter is probably my favourite Maisto model. The interior is spectacular. 

It is superb, isn't it. Complete with exposed fans in the vents, and soft-touch rubberised seats. I must get a production Boxster to sit mine next to.

[Dodgem driver]

26 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Cheers dude, took a bit of Googling but I found it!

That's the one Kenner TTP. I had the black launcher and pretty sure I had one of the motorbikes with it too. I think the bike didn't last long and got wrecked! The car was my favourite.

[Split_Pin]

9 hours ago, bunglebus said:

While looking for info on that Kenner Ferrari, I fell into rabbit hole and ended up at https://thevintagetoyadvertiser.org/tag/1970s-toys/

Don't blame me if you spend ages there.

However one of the pics that came up was this

Did that French Dinky buggy ever exist?

Where's that picture of the person falling into the big hole when you need it?

[Datsuncog]

Sorry I'm late!

[junkyarddog]

Picked up this playworn but still nice Corgi Mustang on my recent travels to Norfolk. 

Paid a hefty £7.00 for it,but I like it so what the hell. 😊

[andy18s]

[bunglebus]

New arrivals!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also bought a Hot Wheels 10 pack containing the newest 356

I resisted buying a couple of 5 packs too, Performance and Showroom - only a couple of cars in each I'd really want

 

 

 

[RoadworkUK]

Is that the same Intex that makes lilos and cheapo inflatable kayaks?

[Split_Pin]

Now that I have a small amount of spare time, I set about making good the 2 wheeled Superfast Mini I got from @Jona couple of weeks ago.

He gave me a pair, one was in excellent condition with a missing front axle and the other was complete but had paint issues. 

I had originally intended to use the front axle and wheels from the rougher example but apart from a small amount of sand corrosion on the shell, which just scraped off, its far too good for that. The axles are straight and the glass is intact so it's a good candidate for a repaint in the future.

Now that I have a very nice regular wheels Lesney Zodiac, from @Datsuncog, complete with bonnet, I have no need for the bonnetless Superfast example I got in a swap in the 1980s. 

 

There was just enough free axle protruding for me to snip it off. I didn't want to drill the good Mini's rivet so it had to be this way.

I had to glue the wheel to the axle so it doesn't turn but with some silver pen, it now looks very presentable. The Zodiac's wheels are a very small bit larger than the Minis but I don't think its too noticeable.

I'm right pleased how it has turned out.

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, RoadworkUK said:

Is that the same Intex that makes lilos and cheapo inflatable kayaks?

I don't know but it wouldn't surprise me 

15 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I had originally intended to use the front axle and wheels from the rougher example

I have a few* spare wheels if you (or anyone) needs them. Honestly there are hundreds 

[Vincent Velocette]

I finished this today. Only Sunbeam Lotus I'll ever own.😁

[bunglebus]

Nice. My mum's Dolomite had plates with that font, very distinctive "4"

[Vincent Velocette]

14 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Nice. My mum's Dolomite had plates with that font, very distinctive "4"

Serck plates so much early 80's goodness! I've tried and failed to get some in the past.

[Dodgem driver]

My latest purchase. A Ford Explorer. I've wanted a model of this iconic movie car since I first saw the original Jurassic Park film in 1993. I think it's very cool and I've already started detailing it a bit since I took these photos, with black around the side door windows and the rear window pillars which has improved the look immensely. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

i did a buyage of a colour combo i did not know

[andrew e]

That is a smart X19! Is it a regular issue or a mothercare one?

@Vincent Velocette that Sunbesm Lotus is lovely! Is it a L&L models shell on a TT02?

[sierraman]

Mothercare did a few commissions of their branded versions of Corgi/Matchbox, I had the Superkings Landrover Hi-cap Vets Van as a kid. Quite hard to find!