Shite in Miniature II

40,654 · November 22, 2022

Attended the ‘El Rastro’ car boot in Benidorm other day, nothing worthy of note apart from a Corgi TR7 that was fucked. Did pick up a Wiha screwdriver though. As you do on your wedding anniversary...

45,044 · November 22, 2022

18 hours ago, Jon said:

Hey @MiniMinorMk3, I've got an identical Solido Peugeot 104 with even worse wheels, which I think is a reaction between the hub and tyre materials. Funny that it only seems to affect a few models - the rims on my Solido Citroen LN are unaffected, so it's not a size issue relating to smaller hubs, etc.

I know it's a factor on the wheels of some exotica @barrett is involved in (not) collecting but I thought Solido would be beyond all that nonsense.

I guess they must have experimented with different formulas. If you look at the Renault 12 Estate I posted the rears have gone but the fronts are OK. There are a few other manufactures that suffer these problems.

Also some modern diecasts have problems with the tyres reacting with the presentation base. I've had MiniChamps that have left four tyre marks on their bases.

59,812 · November 22, 2022

I like yellow Beetles. I also find it fascinating that Corgi altered and used the old African Safari Beetle for so long

59,812 · November 22, 2022

2 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

cheap

Majorette Acadiane looks alright. I don't need it, just sayin'

59,812 · November 22, 2022

4 hours ago, Jon said:

Yo @barrett, is that Corgi Oxford still available?

1 hour ago, barrett said:

That's been claimed by @bunglebus I'm afraid, but you're welcome to FIGHT over it

All good if you want it - it would only go in the "one day" resto box

45,044 · November 22, 2022

16 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I like yellow Beetles. I also find it fascinating that Corgi altered and used the old African Safari Beetle for so long

This was my Yellow bug in 1987. Mildly Cal-Look with lowered front end, dechromed and painted Ford Signal Yellow.

45,044 · November 22, 2022

A bit of a change today. Here's some rubbery plastic Minis from the Swedish company Galanite. Along with Tomte from Norway, they produced various different cars and trucks in the 1960s and '70s.

I've yet to find a yellow version of the Mini.

Here's an old auction picture that shows the type of stuff that Galanite and Tomte produced.

59,812 · November 22, 2022

17 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

This was my Yellow bug in 1987. Mildly Cal-Look with lowered front end, dechromed and painted Ford Signal Yellow.

And mine

Yours looks a lot like one that used to live opposite my local shops when I was a kid in the late 80s

59,812 · November 22, 2022

20 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Here's an old auction picture that shows the type of stuff that Galanite and Tomte produced.

I've said it before but I'm not collecting Galanite. However one or two (and a couple of Vikings) have sneaked in when I wasn't looking

25,869 · November 22, 2022

A recent Autojumble find was this Majorette Honda Prelude 3rd gen,in a rather fetching shade of purple,but ruined by the pink wheels,yellow interior and the hieroglyphs.

A scrub with some cutting compound and solvent removes the graphics,a squirt of satin black solved the yellow,and some new wheels solved the pink.

Looks much improved.

Also picked up this fairly unusual Hot wheels, A Renault Le car or Renner 5 to us.

Mint,this must be at least dating from the early to mid 80's!

59,812 · November 22, 2022

11 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

Hot wheels, A Renault Le car or Renner 5 to us.

Cor yes please! I've only got this tatty Turbo version

17,922 · November 22, 2022

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

All good if you want it - it would only go in the "one day" resto box

@Jon, it's your lucky day. Send me the details and I'll get it sent off

3,521 · November 22, 2022

3 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

A bit of a change today. Here's some rubbery plastic Minis from the Swedish company Galanite. Along with Tomte from Norway, they produced various different cars and trucks in the 1960s and '70s.

I've yet to find a yellow version of the Mini.

Here's an old auction picture that shows the type of stuff that Galanite and Tomte produced.

Thanks for that. As a kid I had the red Mercedes 190SL that's at the front of that group pic. I never knew who made it.

Rather an odd bendy thing, god knows where it went.

18,189 · November 22, 2022

6 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Thats's quite a haul you've found there - some great stuff!

The last thing I need right now is more diecast, but always good to see what's still out there.

I think the blue trailer might be a Britains 9555 Salop Low-Sided Trailer, missing some of its bits - or possibly a copy of one.

It looks very familiar to me as I owned one as a kid - and I still had the tailboard kicking round until fairly recently.

I’ve got a very used/battered version of the light blue one up in the loft somewhere. These were the dogs danglies back in the day, I was in smyths toys the other day and they had some britains stuff. But not much. And all pretty crap now. Shame.

59,812 · November 22, 2022

Went in Tesco for essentials (beer, bacon). Saw new Matchbox had been put on the pegs including the MGB. No Capri. Asked the nice chap putting stock out if they had any more out the back. After a long wait he reappeared with the rest of the box!

Oh yes. But what's this?

A single red Mister Two! As before there will be four variants so it's a bit odd there was only the one, unless the others had been bought

14,086 · November 22, 2022

8 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

I might have mentioned in an earlier posting that I've discovered a model stall on the indoor market in Ulverston. Well I went back, and shot the contents of his scrap boxes for you all.

Should you ever be there again, I'd interested in this Majorette caravan please:

Thanks!

14,086 · November 22, 2022

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

A single red Mister Two! As before there will be four variants so it's a bit odd there was only the one, unless the others had been bought

Daughter and her Mk2 MR2-owning boyfriend found one in Loughborough last week, not sure which variant. Does make me wonder if the Capri was up there too......

6,735 · November 22, 2022

Popped into the Entertainer earlier to buy some Christmas stuff for the kidz*

Obviously I had an ulterior motive and emerged with these as well.

59,812 · November 22, 2022

I was ahead of the game with the MR2, did this 18 months ago

59,812 · November 22, 2022

2 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Should you ever be there again, I'd interested in this Majorette caravan please:

Thanks!

325 "Caravane"?

18,189 · November 22, 2022

Think I’ve got a blue and white caravan like that. Really must hunt my box of treasure out.

14,086 · November 22, 2022

9 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

325 "Caravane"?

That looks like it doesn't it? Seems to have the usual Majorette thing of random bits and bobs on the interior moulding.

Just checked what caravan I already have, it's the 201 "St Tropez" with all-plastic bodywork. TBH, with many of the Majorette cars having towbars then I wouldn't mind having duplicates.

13,381 · November 22, 2022

@barrett - Is that Vitesse Cinq still up for grabs?

10,166 · November 22, 2022

Just going through my trawl of die cast photos I took back in the UK and came across this unusual pair I saw at a car boot sale last month:

A couple of olive drab Opels. Reminded me of something distant, relating to similarly decked out Opel Senators in the 80's.

"Presented to LT. Col C.P Dryland MBE MC by tour clerks April 1968", in case it's not legible.

Looks Russian to me, plus the blue paint shown underneath should help identify the original maker.

More home made additions but this time, even more, erm, rustic. Nice effort at the blinds in the back, though.

So first up, these are Gama Opel Admirals, which I think would've originally been remote controlled, as such:

Or maybe unpowered, as such:

Seems they were also available in green, which may have been an easier staring point but I guess in 1968, you got your hands on whatever Opel Admiral you could find.

And here's a couple of images of the equavelent version, 15 or so years later:

Indeed, this rear shot is lifted from this very forum!:

Anyway, it all relates to BRIXMIS:

The British Commanders'-in-Chief Mission (BRIXMIS) to the Soviet Forces in Germany (GSFG) was formed on 16 September 1946 under the Robertson-Malinin Agreement between the chiefs of staff of the British and Soviet forces in occupied (east) Germany. The agreement called for the reciprocal exchange of liaison missions in order to foster good working relations between the military occupation authorities in the two zones.

More info here: British Commanders’-in-Chief Mission to the Soviet Forces in Germany | BRIXMIS

Seems a lot of the later Opels from the 70's onwards utilised Ferguson FF but there wasn't a lot of information on the earlier versions (Kapitans/Admirals), although this model in particular was favoured, as its styling blended in with new launched Volgas of the time.

Here's a single photo from the site:

Seems they tested them out fully! Seems also that the above one is a Kapitan.

Anyway, unless you wondered if I walked away with a bit of military history that's almost certainly of interest to a few enthusiasts/museums, I didn't, as the guy wanted 140 quid the pair. Likely fair for the right person but I wasn't that flush or enthused and images are free.

2,565 · November 22, 2022

9 minutes ago, Jon said:

enthusiasts/museums

Funnily enough, I saw one of those Opels in Eden camp museum earlier in the year:

Shame my rubbish photography obscures the plaque.

59,812 · November 22, 2022

2 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Just checked what caravan I already have, it's the 201 "St Tropez" with all-plastic bodywork.

I've got a rather jaunty looking St Tropez

And a Digue Baronette GT which looks like the kind of thing you find going mouldy outside a council house

Common one seems to be the Sterckman Lovely 400 though, think 3 of those have turned up, including behind the the VW K70

Talking of Majorette, this literally dropped through the letterbox today in a thin plastic envelope - guy only lives locally, don't know why he didn't knock. Nice of him to drop it off but still...

Only other straggler is another Matchbox copy, these just have T.F. and a number on the base (304). Not found out much else about them

42,529 · November 23, 2022

Had a parcel drop today in the midst of all the carpentry chaos...

But what could be within the reassuringly sturdy packaging?

Inside...

Boom! A Matchbox W123 wagon in black!

All thanks to @bunglebus for a most generous surprise - I stupidly parted with my earlier release in green when I offloaded quite a bit of diecast just before the house move, and I've regretted it ever since.

I actually happened to be in Tesco over the weekend, and noticed that the latest case had appeared in the toy aisle.

Unfortunately the dump bin had already been pretty well picked over, with no MGBs, Mercurys, MR2s or Mercedes left within.

But, to my great surprise, a bit of hoking turned this up at the very bottom of the box...

So now they can play together.

Excellent!

10,166 · November 23, 2022

25 minutes ago, Isopon said:

Funnily enough, I saw one of those Opels in Eden camp museum earlier in the year:

Shame my rubbish photography obscures the plaque.

Small world! That said, Eden camp is only 30 minutes or so away from the car boot I found them, at York racecourse.

Unless that's the Admiral sans plinth, I reckon that's a 3rd example. That said, it's not entirely out of the question that we've both seen the same Admiral, as Eden Camp is a private collection, so free to sell off anything donated to them, etc. But yeah, likely a 3rd example, discovered on this page in less than 10 minutes!