Shite in Miniature II

[Split_Pin]

The replacement jewels came yesterday. However although the jewel is the correct 4mm size, they don't have the soft grey plastic cowling that would make them a push fit. As such they don't look quite right, plus they're too clear but I'm putting that down to the fact that the originals have aged.

The Mini one was easy as the space for the light was just a recess and it was easy enough to glue it in.

However the polis Beetle was much harder as there is just a big hole for the light which goes right through. The hole was designed for jewels that have the plastic surround but as this one didn't, it was too small. I know that gorilla glue expands alarmingly as it dries so I ran a tiny sliver of it around the jewel, placed it at the bottom of the hole and hoped that as the glue expanded it would push from all sides and centralise it. I think it worked well:

I remember the jewel falling out what must have been at least 40 years ago. My Granny Logan was there and she said it just needs 'a wee bit glue', so 40 years later I finally took her advice and it worked. It's not a perfect job but since the car must have been about 20 years old when it fell out, it's spent twice as long with just the one eye so it's a great improvement. I'm really pleased with it and it's back on display as previously, the missing light spoiled its appearance.

[Spottedlaurel]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Just looking through my pics, I have a few of those funny tractor units and their trailers

 

I thought I had a green tractor but maybe not

I had a more balanced version of that truck in my Container Port playset, with a longer plastic trailer and two containers. It was blue, might also have been available as a gift pack?

[eddyramrod]

While we're showing our childhood relics, who would like to see the James Bond Corgi DB5 that I got new for Christmas, probably in 1964?

As you can see, it's lived a life!  I can't remember when it lost the opening roof, but it sat around unloved for a while thereafter.  It's been several colours at different times, but this coat of black Humbrol and the mockup Webasto must be nearly 40 years old, possibly older.

The Jag is one I picked up somewhere or other more recently* and decided it was probably too nice to paint.  I may possibly change my mind on that, if one crops up with more paint left.

*More recently than 40 years?  Not exactly a challenge!  I would guess some time in the last decade or so.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Just a spotted this on the antisocials. Want one. 

"These are all replicas of previously produced models, commissioned for the 75th anniversary of Toyota for display in their museum in Japan."

[Richard_FM]

13 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

I had a more balanced version of that truck in my Container Port playset, with a longer plastic trailer and two containers. It was blue, might also have been available as a gift pack?

My brother had a yellow lorry like that which came with a Matchbox Motorcity set.

[sheffcortinacentre]

12 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

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...?

There where 20 all 3.0 ( only in the zodiac normally the zephyr only having the 2.5 version).

One zodiac was done a Farnham est I think.

They were paired with a 2wd version for comparison while in service the project was killed by the introduction of the range rover which met all the needs of the emergency services needs in a standard production vehicle.

[sierraman]

28 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

There where 20 all 3.0 ( only in the zodiac normally the zephyr only having the 2.5 version).

One zodiac was done a Farnham est I think.

They were paired with a 2wd version for comparison while in service the project was killed by the introduction of the range rover which met all the needs of the emergency services needs in a standard production vehicle.

Recall one being in Practical Classics - Rust in Peace in the mid 90’s. But the WUL—-G one is the only survivor im aware of sadly. 

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Jon said:

Seems it comes from a range of part/mild interest to @bunglebus, though fortuitously, the Transit seems to have the best theme

Yeah...but no. Sadly Mattel seem insistent on plastering their premium castings with god-awful decals in themed sets. I don't care when they have a load of mainline cars in a set of 6 with Beano characters on them, but for the £7-£10 the upmarket ones with metal bases and Real Riders cost, I want something I might imagine being a real vehicle. Having said that, the Masters of the Universe one does at least look like something someone might have done to a MK1 a few decades ago.

I also missed out on the original Blue/white Supervan, so I bought some later ones thinking they'd make good customs

 

Star Trek and Star Wars, two things I have almost no interest in - and they're still in the packs years later!

This one is much better

The new Ford set one is also very nice

This is the best of all though - maybe one day I'll find one

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

The replacement jewels came yesterday. However although the jewel is the correct 4mm size, they don't have the soft grey plastic cowling that would make them a push fit. As such they don't look quite right, plus they're too clear but I'm putting that down to the fact that the originals have aged

I don't know where you got yours but I buy rhinestones, loads of sizes to chose from - also the gold backed ones look more like the 60s originals. I've ended up with clear ones before realising my mistake. Think it's these "foil backed" ones 

Not sure about a plastic housing for the jewel, everything I've messed with so far has just had them stuck into a recess in the casting. You're braver than me using Gorilla Glue, sounds like it was perfect for what you did but I can't stand the stuff. Mainly because I didn't realise it expanded so it looked a mess.

[Datsuncog]

6 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I'm pretty sure the red headed Leyland belongs to a tanker version. 

You're right - I had a flick through my catalogues this evening and the red cab was only ever supplied with the MB-14 Arctic Tanker. The MB-30 Arctic Truck was came in two shades of blue, with a yellow trailer on later versions.

That's not to say that no red cabs ever found themselves in an MB-30 box with a silver tipper trailer; but I suppose in that case it would be a factory error rather than a mainline release.

[Datsuncog]

5 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I didn't leave Tesco empty handed.

That reminded me - I picked up one of those Wagoneers while out shopping the other week, but then guiltily stuffed it under the bed and forgot about it.

Will open it in the morning, sure!

Depending on how busy or otherwise things are tomorrow lunchtime, I might see what else is lurking in the other toybox...

[eddyramrod]

MB Dinky green Mustang?  Or is it a Corgi Bullitt edition?  Also, Corgi Classics mk2 Zephyr?

[Tenmil Socket]

Does anyone know anything about the below?

Also, what happened to the Shite In Miniature 1 thread?

[Datsuncog]

2 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

MB Dinky green Mustang?  Or is it a Corgi Bullitt edition?  Also, Corgi Classics mk2 Zephyr?

That one's a Matchbox DInky!

I do have a market-find Corgi Bullitt Mustang in approx 1/35 scale too, but it's wrapped up in another box to prevent any further chipping...

The Mk2 Zephyr is a bit of a special one, as it was the first 1/43 collector's model I selected and paid for all by myself, while on holiday in York in 1989.

Wish I'd kept the box for it!

[sierraman]

6 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Does anyone know anything about the below?

Also, what happened to the Shite In Miniature 1 thread?

Yeah I had a Mustang in that series. Probably worth quite a few quid over the pond.

[Datsuncog]

12 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

What happened to the Shite In Miniature 1 thread?

It's still kicking around, somewhere - a year or two ago someone accidentally dredged it up and posted to it thinking it was the current one, and a request to mods was made to merge both threads but I don't think it ever happened.

Older versions of the site had instabilities and notoriously crappy search capabilities so threads tended to get lost and then duplicated, or sometimes lost altogether (hence why we're on 'eBay Tat Vol. 3')

You're not really missing all that much, though - various forum hosting changes over the years have stripped most of the pictures out, so basically the original thread is just 30 pages or so of:

Quote

On 12/4/2007 at 2:50 PM, JimBob_McGregor said:

Look what I got!

[Tenmil Socket]

5 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

It's still kicking around, somewhere - a year or two ago someone accidentally dredged it up and posted to it thinking it was the current one, and a request to mods was made to merge both threads but I don't think it ever happened.

Older versions of the site had instabilities and notoriously crappy search capabilities so threads tended to get lost and then duplicated, or sometimes lost altogether (hence why we're on 'eBay Tat Vol. 3')

You're not really missing all that much, though - various forum hosting changes over the years have stripped most of the pictures out, so basically the original thread is just 30 pages or so of:

Cheers for explaining... it was one of those things I was always meaning to ask!

[Split_Pin]

The original was started by RegieRitmo way back when AS started in about 2006 but by 2012, as Datsuncog said, it became difficult to access.

As such I started a new one that year and added 'II' at the end of the title in homage to the original.

[MiniMinorMk3]

20 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Not many - there was the metallic blue and silver version of the MB-30 Artic Truck (1981/82);

 

and the mid-blue and yellow version (1983-85).

It was a pretty short-lived casting, which was a pity as it was quite nice.

I can only assume that it was dropped not long after Lesney was bought out by Universal Toys in late 1984, since it was a slightly more complex model involving two separate castings - and probably realised a lower profit margin than the rest of the MB-75 range.

 

 

Couple of other colour variations have been seen

[sierraman]

By far and away the rarest is the Paul’s one. I was always surprised they never did a military one given the Scammels popularity with the forces. 

[tom13]

Anyone have any Kaido house they want to sell or trade? I really want a 510 wagon.

I'm also after cycling team cars or cars with bikes on the roof and anything Travis Pastrana. I have the Monster truck but that is all.

[andrew e]

20 hours ago, sierraman said:

The Long Haul was originally going to be branded Leyland but for whatever reason ended up a generic.

Anymore info on this - completely escaped my radar!

[andrew e]

20 hours ago, sierraman said:

The Long Haul was originally going to be branded Leyland but for whatever reason ended up a generic.

Anymore info on this - completely escaped my radar!

[MiniMinorMk3]

51 minutes ago, andrew e said:

Anymore info on this - completely escaped my radar!

It was used in the 900 Series Twin Packs

TP2 was an Exon (other liveries trialed) Tanker

TP26 with boat on trailer

Some pre-production versions with a horse trailer exist.

[sierraman]

Was only made for 1-2 years to test the water prior to the Convoys being released. I could be completely wrong here but it was originally intended to be a Leyland, some licencing disagreement occurred and Leyland would let them brand it, so it had a grill added. But it’s obviously a Leyland Cruiser/Constructor. 

[andrew e]

Cheers gents! I must have seen them but mistook for the common shorter version. Something I have no need for to covert at toyfairs 😂

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, tom13 said:

I'm also after cycling team cars or cars with bikes on the roof

Well there's the Deora III but I don't think that's quite what you had in mind

[tom13]

1 minute ago, bunglebus said:

Well there's the Deora III but I don't think that's quite what you had in mind

Cheers but I have two of those already. Not in pink yet.

[bunglebus]

There's a 2023 version that's just come out

[Tenmil Socket]

On 1/24/2023 at 6:24 PM, sierraman said:

There’s a right minefield it variations if you are a fan enough of them.

I have the blue and yellow trailer if anybody wants it?

The rest is free too... would rather it went all together.