Shite in Miniature II

[MiniMinorMk3]

Looking at dates on these Minichamps (usually accurate), it looks like 1972 was the change from dark to mid green.

[junkyarddog]

Today I've done a buy.

The most I've ever spent on a single Diecast item!!

Can you tell what it is yet?

Ok,I'll put you out of your misery. 

Mint and boxed Corgi Volkswagen Toblerone van with Trans-O-Lite!

It wasn't cheap,but I had to have it!!😎

It's a real departure,I normally don't go for mint and boxed!!

You can see I'm still sticking*to the new year resolution😂

[junkyarddog]

Continuing on the theme of not buying anymore diecast tat,is this rather nice Corgi Escort van in Dunlop livery.

Date on the box says 1984.

As you can see the new years resolution is still going well *🙄🤪

[FakeConcern]

I've never even heard of the Toblerone VW van, looks great though!

[ETCHY]

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

A few insta pics. Looks like the Opel is indeed an Opel

I'm liking the Kadett coupe a lot !

[bunglebus]

11 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Autobahn patrol cars

And of course

[bunglebus]

13 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

That is gorgeous. Not too worried about boxed but mint is a great thing to have.

Swap 4 broken Xbox 2nite M9?

[bunglebus]

Off on work missions again. Typically all the Entertainers seem to be having stock takes and no deliveries, but they do have these 

"All the Lamborghinis are gone though" said the bloke.

Am I bothered though, not interested in modernz

[flat4alfa]

On 1/21/2023 at 12:00 AM, danthecapriman said:

I don’t have the Zephyr, though I would like one.

I have three 

1 blue, 1 green, 1 in primer

[bunglebus]

Zephyr MK3? Mine are battered (but with wheel variations)

Don't know what colour this one started as

[flat4alfa]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Zephyr MK3? 

It was a response to Zephyr IV

I now realised the Matchbox release was in fact the upgraded Zodiac IV !

[bunglebus]

That makes more sense with it being square like a MK2 Tincorner

Fat wheels

Somewhat dog-eared narrow Superfast

Regular wheels

 

[junkyarddog]

Smoll Eddy's example has seen better days🤪

[Split_Pin]

I have a fat wheels Zodiac for spares, free if anyone wants it. Its missing the bonnet and front axle but the rest is decent.

[bunglebus]

I think like the fat wheel Mercury Commuter, it's quite unusual - worth fixing with a donor

[Datsuncog]

Making an utter mockery of Lunchtime Laptop show'n' tell conventions, it's true - but here, have some Chinese Corgi repro loveliness, albeit very late in the day.

This month's Corgi Model Club release - the #419 Ford Zephyr Motorway Patrol Car.

Oh, it's nice. It's very nice.

(Less out of focus in real life, honestly)

With police decals and various bits of kit shown in the back too.

Having had the Oldsmobile Sheriff's Car last summer, it's great to finally get a British police car in the range.

Bumpers and lights are just painted on, but they're nicely done - as a replica of a 1960 release, this pre-dates the chrome plated plastic components that soon widespread in the Corgi range from the mid-60s on.

The box illustration is nicely rendered too, even though the aerial's now mounted on the other wing.

This particular model's one I've been anticipating, as I have a comparator...

Yup, and not just an original version - but one which belonged to Cog Sr, and is his only surviving childhood Corgi after his older brother rather callously flogged all his toy cars without permission to a second-hand shop, probably for beer money.

The Zephyr survived only because it had been lost under a sideboard, and came to light years later when my grandmother was moving house.

So it's kinda special to me.

As well as having the earlier flat spun hubs, I'm also surprised that the original lacks the 'Zephyr' lettering on the bonnet which the repro boasts.

I'm also not sure whether the original has become very discoloured over time or was always more of a cream-colour than pure white.

The roof beacon's also quite a bit bigger on the new version.

But other than that, it all looks like a faithful reproduction.

So yeah. Although I've skipped a fair few of the more recent Corgi Model Club releases due to disinterest/ skintness on my part, this was one I really wanted. It hasn't disappointed.

[flat4alfa]

Bit spooky the Mercury gets a mention, as I found this out earlier, didn't know I had it!  Anyway, gave it a papping

It's not a Fire Chief, that's something like a Bull's head on the hood. 

The Fire Chief was the Park Lane sedan, sticker on the 1974 're-sticker' is similar colouring but of a helmet and axes.

Which of course means that repro Fire Chief stickers need to go onto a repainted in red Police Car Wagon!  To create a 'Missing Link' variation to photograph, put up on the web and make old men in Connecticut have a fit

[flat4alfa]

51 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Although I've skipped a fair few of the more recent Corgi Model Club releases due to disinterest/ skintness on my part, this was one I really wanted. It hasn't disappointed.

Not surprised that is really smart.  For a moment there I was going to re-subscribe!

Glad you posted that.  Hadn't realised about the tools in the back!  Made me have a dig.  

Ok, looks like the white was in fact a white not cream, although the lighting/cheap mobile phone metering has pulled a yellowing out in the first photo that isn't really there in the flesh!

Will see about painting this first I think, rather than buy another (famous last words).  Had thought about making it a civilian, but the cast-in siren and light don't deserve being cut out.  They did a civilian casting variation anyway?  So perhaps opportunity* to do in a blue to match the Commer Police van?

The Spot-On Zodiac agreed

So much so, it was lit up with excitement at the prospect

[bunglebus]

Police

Civvy

Lacks the siren cast in on the front.

Both look as though the base has been altered to update the name (Motorway Patrol Car/Estate Car) so I wonder if there's a third, earlier version that had the ZEPHYR lettering on the bonnet. Corgi Model Club are normally sticklers for accuracy where they can

Edit - found this one on eBay

Also found one with the lettering and larger beacon

[flat4alfa]

10 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Now that's thrown me.  I had assumed the outer bumper device was the siren louspeaker and the inset device the pass light.

Like these

So what is on the Corgi Zephyr then?  Big blue light and a bell?  A flat design large electric bell?

It also seems odd this Zephyr IV from almost a decade later would be fitted with a pair of Winkworth bells from another era

Corgi's own advertising drawing shows an old Winkworth on the other side too

This Zephyr III wears a trio as well

What a racket

[sierraman]

The Mk4 pictured has a Ferguson 4WD system fitted, think it’s the sole survivor. Sat for years at MIRA until it was restored.  

[flat4alfa]

15 minutes ago, sierraman said:

The Mk4 pictured has a Ferguson 4WD system fitted, think it’s the sole survivor. Sat for years at MIRA until it was restored.  

It seems there was a whole fleet!  Harry Ferguson Formula and Dunlop Maxaret ABS for safety.  But no rear seat belts...

And Vanguards have never modelled it, because...?

[MiniMinorMk3]

When looking for Corgi Police Zephyrs, always make sure you check the lettering. There are some rare Politie versions to be found

 

Also the one with the larger roof light is sometimes referred to as the Second Issue, which it looks like the new one is based on. 

[MiniMinorMk3]

Vanguards Zephyr Six Plymouth Police

[Tenmil Socket]

10 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Making an utter mockery of Lunchtime Laptop show'n' tell conventions, it's true - but here, have some Chinese Corgi repro loveliness, albeit very late in the day.

This month's Corgi Model Club release - the #419 Ford Zephyr Motorway Patrol Car.

Oh, it's nice. It's very nice.

(Less out of focus in real life, honestly)

With police decals and various bits of kit shown in the back too.

Having had the Oldsmobile Sheriff's Car last summer, it's great to finally get a British police car in the range.

Bumpers and lights are just painted on, but they're nicely done - as a replica of a 1960 release, this pre-dates the chrome plated plastic components that soon widespread in the Corgi range from the mid-60s on.

The box illustration is nicely rendered too, even though the aerial's now mounted on the other wing.

This particular model's one I've been anticipating, as I have a comparator...

Yup, and not just an original version - but one which belonged to Cog Sr, and is his only surviving childhood Corgi after his older brother rather callously flogged all his toy cars without permission to a second-hand shop, probably for beer money.

The Zephyr survived only because it had been lost under a sideboard, and came to light years later when my grandmother was moving house.

So it's kinda special to me.

As well as having the earlier flat spun hubs, I'm also surprised that the original lacks the 'Zephyr' lettering on the bonnet which the repro boasts.

I'm also not sure whether the original has become very discoloured over time or was always more of a cream-colour than pure white.

The roof beacon's also quite a bit bigger on the new version.

But other than that, it all looks like a faithful reproduction.

So yeah. Although I've skipped a fair few of the more recent Corgi Model Club releases due to disinterest/ skintness on my part, this was one I really wanted. It hasn't disappointed.

That’s not an aerial that’s a baton 😆

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

Corgi's own advertising drawing shows an old Winkworth on the other side too

 

[Datsuncog]

On 1/23/2023 at 2:27 PM, Datsuncog said:

Just wondering if you still have the blue Matchbox Leyland tractor unit circled on the far right side of this pic?

 

21 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I think I have one of those in my big box of cars to be sold once work quietens down - I'll have a look when I can but might need reminding, pretty much flat out working away until mid Feb at the moment 

Awesome, cheers!

(And just moving this away from Dan's sale thread to avoid cross-confusion)

I have a complete and not-too-bashed later example in solid mid-blue with a yellow trailer, but it's the first release of a darker metallic blue Leyland tractor unit to pair with the original silver trailer that I'm looking for... I've had half an eye out for one for a long long time now, but surprisingly haven't encountered one in any of the sundry tat boxes that have been hoked through over the years.

It's an odd but ingenious little toy, allowing an articulated truck to be packaged in a standard Matchbox pack... 

I'm sure the original cab has been missing for 35yrs+, so I don't think a few more weeks will make much difference!

[danthecapriman]

Some small ones arrived for me today.

Corgi Jr Buick in yellow - not a yellow cab!    
Matchbox Crapi. I’ve got the orange & black one so this fits with that.   
Matchbox RS2000. This is @eddyramrodfault! I had a Super GT version but it’s looking worse for wear so Eddy is going to put that to good use. When I found it I thought I’d get myself one that’s actually got a good percentage of original paint left as a keeper!

Just need (want!) a better condition black Buick now.

 

[danthecapriman]

4 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

 

Awesome, cheers!

(And just moving this away from Dan's sale thread to avoid cross-confusion)

I have a complete and not-too-bashed later example in solid mid-blue with a yellow trailer, but it's the first release of a darker metallic blue Leyland tractor unit to pair with the original silver trailer that I'm looking for... I've had half an eye out for one for a long long time now, but surprisingly haven't encountered one in any of the sundry tat boxes that have been hoked through over the years.

It's an odd but ingenious little toy, allowing an articulated truck to be packaged in a standard Matchbox pack... 

I'm sure the original cab has been missing for 35yrs+, so I don't think a few more weeks will make much difference!

I’ve never seen that blue & yellow one before. We’re there many of these little artic’s?

Ive got quite a few of the funny little futuristic looking ones in various forms, and one complete Leyland & trailer in the dark blue but never seen any other types?

[bunglebus]

27 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Ooh, Phantom. I think that's the hardest one to find