Shite in Miniature II

27,020 · March 3, 2023

10 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Fair enough, I've only ever seen those behind cabinet windows and didn't pay much attention even then

The next railway scale up is 2-gauge, which is nearer 1:22. What is the width measurement of the cab @danthecapriman ?

I don’t have a measuring device to hand now, I’ll measure it in the morning.

It’s a big old fella though! A Britains tractor will comfortably fit in the rear load bed. I’m going to go with a scale of 1:20-something.

5,436 · March 3, 2023

16 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Public Safety Film Cambridge special was now knocking around in there, graphically warning kids to drink no more than half a bottle of scotch before getting behind the wheel - or else!

Okay, wrong type of Farina, but gr8 for recreating the end of the 1975 public information film classic 'The Motorway File',..

(Using a Westy so dilapidated even a banger racer would have turned his nose up at it. In the close ups at the end of the film, you can see where the legs of the roll cage have punched through the rotten floor...)

42,445 · March 3, 2023

12 hours ago, sierraman said:

Someone will still be finishing the £9.99 ‘spread over 72 months instalments’ on that. 🤣

It's come to a pretty bad pass when you can't be sure that your secondhand diecast are HPI cleared...

Imagine getting pursued by a bunch of bailiffs following a heavy Tat Friday.

Best not fill in your address on the back of those Kenner boxes...

42,445 · March 3, 2023

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Did you get pics of these? Still hunting for this one

It was a regular Treasure Hunt, normally I see loads of those but this one eluded me thanks to JDM tax. The white Subaru from a few cases back was the same but I'm not bothered about that one

I did get some pics! I'll post 'em up later, or maybe tomorrow - there was a lot of fantasy stuff in there, but also some VWs and things of that nature... Long card stuff and what-have-you... stay tuned!

EDIT: Nope, only its 'now' twin from 'then & now' - sorry!

Got all excited too...

59,630 · March 3, 2023

Gah!

33,652 · March 4, 2023

When I was out my first lunchtime walk today since I recovering fully from Covid, (where my best thinking occurs) I recalled an offer in Practical Classics for one of these:

This would have been around May 1998 and the above heralded a new series of cars which I have since long forgotten about.

They were an extremely strange offering of rather basic, but nevertheless well made 1/43 cars, firmly in the budget bracket and undercutting Vanguards and Corgi Classics by a good few quid. They were very reminiscent of the old Lledo Vanguards range immediately before the 1996 relaunch to rival Corgi Classics.

Stranger still was the MK3 Cortina which was a much simplified reissue of the old Whizzwheels model, with the doors sealed shut and the quad jewelled headlights filled in.

There were other cars in what was a Ford themed range range such as a MK1 Escort saloon and a van, all of which I had. Other non Ford items were a Landrover, Austin A35 Van and a Morris Minor van. There may have been more.

Does anyone else remember these? Mine are all gone now but I thought today how curious the range was and the reason for their existence.

42,445 · March 4, 2023

Okay, so Hundred Hot Wheels Harry's collection, in full...

(There are duplicates)

(Apologies for the chaotic nature of the layout here, and the dreadful pics with light reflecting off the packaging - it was all a bit sub-optimal...)

27,020 · March 4, 2023

3 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

When I was out my first lunchtime walk since I recovering fully from Covid, I recalled an offer in Practical Classics for one of these:

This would have been around May 1998 and the above was a new series of cars which I had long forgotten about.

They were an extremely strange offering of rather basic, but nevertheless well made 1/43 cars, firmly in the budget bracket and undercutting Vanguards by a good few quid. They were very reminiscent of the old Lledo Vanguards range immediately before the 1996 relaunch to rival Corgi Classics.

Stranger still was the MK3 Cortina which was a much simplified reissue of the old Whizzwheels model, with the doors sealed shut and the quad jewelled headlights filled in.

There were other cars in the range such as a MK1 Escort saloon and a van, a Landrover and a Morris Minor van.

Does anyone else remember these? Mine are all gone now but I thought today how curious the range was and the reason for their existence.

The only one I’ve ever had was the mk3 Cortina. Nice enough model but, as you say, basic. They’re not something that I see turn up very often either in eBay lots or boot sales etc. I don’t know if they were good sellers for Corgi?

28,719 · March 4, 2023

I have the Cortina (in yellow) and two of the Escort van. The Cortina also turned up in the Century Of Cars partwork, in bronze. I may also have a Land Rover (again, I think that turned up in Century of Cars too).

59,630 · March 4, 2023

38 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Hundred Hot Wheels Harry

I only see one I would be at all interested in - the 63 Studebaker pickup

59,630 · March 4, 2023

I got a few of those Motoring Memories cars off someone on here - passed them on a while later though

I hadn't realised the Cortina was the old 70s casting - was the Capri also an oldie or a later creation?

The Escorts have a very simple base

Whereas the Cortina and Crapi look like they've been altered

Answered my own question - here's my original Capri's base

1,776 · March 4, 2023

Hi, I'm Matt and I have a serious modelshite collecting problem 😅

Let's take a closer look, from the top down.

On the top shelf, it's "50 Shades of Cold War Grey"

One of the handful of "J" Phantoms operated by 74 "Tiger" Squadron (Hobbymaster 1/72), with some haphazardly parked groundcrew shite courtesy of the Oxford Diecast 1/76 catalogue (close enough!).

Facing it down from the other side is another 1/72 Hobbymaster, the mad bad and dangerous to know Mig-25 Foxbat. If ever there was an embodiment of the phrase "a brick will fly if given enough thrust"...
It is joined by a plastic 1/72 BM27 missile launcher, by Fabbri - a brand I've never heard of but seems to be pleasingly high quality for the price.

In the works, but not yet in my posession, is the missing centerpiece for this shelf - a custom commission of my Sea King in the markings it was wearing when written off in 1999. This was built by a friend who is a far more talented modeller than me, from an older 1/72 Revell kit with the decals cannibalised from various aftermarket sheets. The plan is to model it launching some torpedos suspended by fishing wire, once we've managed to get hold of some accurate 3D prints!

Moving onto the second shelf, we find the imposing 1/24 Burrell 'Special Scenic' Showman's engine "William V" by Midsummer Models. For the uninitiated, Showman's locomotives were the dynamo-equipped traction engines that sat in the middle of a travelling funfair and powered everything, before packing the whole pantechnichon into a multi-carriage road train and towing it to the next location. Burrell was arguably the most prolific producer of this type of traction engine, and the "Special Scenic" models were the largest and most powerful versions ever made, with extra features such as a second dynamo to cope with the peak loads of driving the very largest attractions such as scenic railway rides (hence the name). As befits the vehicle of a travelling fairground operator, they were often beautifully decorated and adorned. After chasing one of these models for years I finally managed to snag one for a reasonable price a few months ago:

Surrounding this is my ongoing mission to collect the BTCC champions of 1990-2000 in 1/43 - for me, the golden era. So far I've managed:
90 - Gravett - Sierra RS500 (Atlas)
91 - Hoy - M3 (Atlas)
93 - Winklehock - 318i (Minichamps)
94 - Tarquini - 155TS (Hpi - the only producer I've seen to correctly model the original "illegal" front and rear wings, rather than the later scaled-back versions)
95 - Cleland - Cavalier (Atlas)
96 - Biela - A4 ("code 3" custom on a Minichamps base)
97 - Menu - Laguna (Onyx)
98 - Rydell - S40 (Atlas)
00 - Menu - Mondeo (Atlas)

Annoyingly I'm just two short and they're the hardest two. The Onyx 99 Primera GT of Aiello seemingly can't be found for love nor money. If anyone knows of one for sale and it isn't £lol, I'm all ears! Meanwhile, the 92 Harvey 318 coupe was only modelled very badly in period by Racing Replicas. There are a number of people these days doing "code 3" conversions on Minichamps cars from other series, but due to the extremely bold colours and complex livery of that car I've yet to see a conversion that (despite the very best efforts of the enthusiasts doing them) wouldn't send me OCD with the paint quality or decal placement.

aaaand now it's 2am so I'll write about the rest of the shelves another time!

42,445 · March 4, 2023

8 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

When I was out my first lunchtime walk since I recovering fully from Covid, I recalled an offer in Practical Classics for one of these:

This would have been around May 1998 and the above was a new series of cars which I had long forgotten about.

They were an extremely strange offering of rather basic, but nevertheless well made 1/43 cars, firmly in the budget bracket and undercutting Vanguards by a good few quid. They were very reminiscent of the old Lledo Vanguards range immediately before the 1996 relaunch to rival Corgi Classics.

Stranger still was the MK3 Cortina which was a much simplified reissue of the old Whizzwheels model, with the doors sealed shut and the quad jewelled headlights filled in.

There were other cars in the range such as a MK1 Escort saloon and a van, a Landrover and a Morris Minor van.

Does anyone else remember these? Mine are all gone now but I thought today how curious the range was and the reason for their existence.

The shop where I worked was an Authorised Corgi Stockist (and had a little sticker in the window to that effect) and I think we got in a case containing six of each of the Motoring Memories pale blue Mk1 Escort saloon, the blue Escort van, the yellow Mk3 Cortina and the red Capri.

It must have been around late 1996 - so not long after Corgi bought themselves out from Mattel ownership, and were likely casting around the darkest recesses of the storerooms to see what they could make and sell.

I bought one of each using my staff discount - I think they retailed at a fiver each so it probably worked out at nearly a day's wages.

The Escorts were pretty good - though nowhere near the detail of my Trofeu Mk1 - but the Capri and Cortina were a bit... weird somehow. I was pleased to have a model of a Mk3 Cortina, finally, but also a little dissatisfied.

It was only when I found an original Whizzwheels Cortina at a car boot sale that I realised the MM version was reworked from the original 1970 casting, with the opening doors and jewelled lights smoothed over - and that the Capri must have been the same.

I don't remember a Land Rover or a Minor van in that range, but then I don't think we ever ordered another case - so they can't have sold all that well.

My take on it was that Corgi were trying a lower-cost line to compete with the original Lledo Vanguards - not the 1/43 range with the Herald and Rover P4, but the more basic ones in Days Gone sized packaging that were around 1/50 scale - Minor Traveller, Morris Z van, Mini, VW Beetle. Like DGs, quite a few of these lacked glazing and were still fairly crude.

Ultimately however, Lledo went the opposite way and figured that instead of cheap, basic models the future lay in more expensive, more detailed models for collectors - and so developed the revamped 1/43 Vanguards range.

I'd see the Motoring Memories range as a cheap and not especially cheerful cul-de-sac for Corgi, and it's possible they intended to use the Escort van in particular more for promotional models - like the Cadbury's Flake van upthread - but in the end decided to backtrack and go the opposite way, improving the Corgi Classics range and ultimately taking over Lledo and the Vanguards range.

I sold all four of my Motoring Memories models around 2010 - I don't know if I even got my money back on them. But I've heard that the Escort van can still command something of a premium, as it's the only readily available model of this popular commercial vehicle.

They're a nice curio to have, but I wouldn't be falling over myself to buy them back...

42,445 · March 4, 2023

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

I only see one I would be at all interested in - the 63 Studebaker pickup

That's cool - I honestly didn't see very much to get excited about, which is why I wasn't in much of a big ol' hurry to post the pics up straight away.

If the Studebaker's still there by next week, would you be interested in it for £2?

33,652 · March 4, 2023

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I got a few of those Motoring Memories cars off someone on here - passed them on a while later though

I hadn't realised the Cortina was the old 70s casting - was the Capri also an oldie or a later creation?

The Escorts have a very simple base

Whereas the Cortina and Crapi look like they've been altered

Answered my own question - here's my original Capri's base

Ah I thought the Capri was also a reissue but I couldn't think of the original, just the Dinky version. Interesting.

33,652 · March 4, 2023

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

The shop where I worked was an Authorised Corgi Stockist (and had a little sticker in the window to that effect) and I think we got in a case containing six of each of the Motoring Memories pale blue Mk1 Escort saloon, the blue Escort van, the yellow Mk3 Cortina and the red Capri.

It must have been around late 1996 - so not long after Corgi bought themselves out from Mattel ownership, and were likely casting around the darkest recesses of the storerooms to see what they could make and sell.

I bought one of each using my staff discount - I think they retailed at a fiver each so it probably worked out at nearly a day's wages.

The Escorts were pretty good - though nowhere near the detail of my Trofeu Mk1 - but the Capri and Cortina were a bit... weird somehow. I was pleased to have a model of a Mk3 Cortina, finally, but also a little dissatisfied.

It was only when I found an original Whizzwheels Cortina at a car boot sale that I realised the MM version was reworked from the original 1970 casting, with the opening doors and jewelled lights smoothed over - and that the Capri must have been the same.

I don't remember a Land Rover or a Minor van in that range, but then I don't think we ever ordered another case - so they can't have sold all that well.

My take on it was that Corgi were trying a lower-cost line to compete with the original Lledo Vanguards - not the 1/43 range with the Herald and Rover P4, but the more basic ones in Days Gone sized packaging that were around 1/50 scale - Minor Traveller, Morris Z van, Mini, VW Beetle. Like DGs, quite a few of these lacked glazing and were still fairly crude.

Ultimately however, Lledo went the opposite way and figured that instead of cheap, basic models the future lay in more expensive, more detailed models for collectors - and so developed the revamped 1/43 Vanguards range.

I'd see the Motoring Memories range as a cheap and not especially cheerful cul-de-sac for Corgi, and it's possible they intended to use the Escort van in particular more for promotional models - like the Cadbury's Flake van upthread - but in the end decided to backtrack and go the opposite way, improving the Corgi Classics range and ultimately taking over Lledo and the Vanguards range.

I sold all four of my Motoring Memories models around 2010 - I don't know if I even got my money back on them. But I've heard that the Escort van can still command something of a premium, as it's the only readily available model of this popular commercial vehicle.

They're a nice curio to have, but I wouldn't be falling over myself to buy them back...

Good to see they're remembered by at least 2 other people, which is ironic given the name of the range! I agree, they were strangely unappealing which is probably why I didn't keep any of them. The Escort van was quite interesting as you say and I recall being mildly excited at getting one although the appeal didn't last.

59,630 · March 4, 2023

4 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Ah I thought the Capri was also a reissue but I couldn't think of the original, just the Dinky version. Interesting.

Mine has been a bit got-at but does at least have opening doors

59,630 · March 4, 2023

5 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

If the Studebaker's still there by next week, would you be interested in it for £2?

If it's there, no panic if it's not.

It isn't one that Mattel seem to use much anymore, although there was this black version released last year - it was also the Super Treasure Hunt in one case so of course I didn't find one

Other than that I have one other carded version and a couple of loose ones

59,630 · March 4, 2023

Had some bits from @Mine's a Leganza!

As well as some loose cars, mainly projects, there were these two

Don't know where you tracked these down as Tesco didn't seem to ever get either - but I'm glad you did

5,436 · March 4, 2023

I've got two of the Motoring Memories Corgis too! They seemed to sell okay to shiters at least...

I got the blue Escort saloon and yellow Cortina, I found them in my local Morrisons, of all places, at less than a fiver. At the time, for me they were a no brainer as I had wanted a 1/43 Escort for years and in those pre eBay times, all that were really available were the period Dinky and Polistil versions and even back then, people wanted big money for them. And in 1996, the Vanguards range as we know it had only just appeared and it would be aeons before an Escort, Capri and Cortina would appear in that range! Then in the early 2000s came the improved Vanguards range with subjects I would never have expected to see modelled (Allegro! Marina! Granada!) With all the extra detail, sprung suspension, realistic wheels and photo etched wipers etc and my small car collecting habits would never be the same again (or as cheap...)

10 hours ago, mat777 said:

Hi, I'm Matt and I have a serious modelshite collecting problem 😅

Annoyingly I'm just two short and they're the hardest two. The Onyx 99 Primera GT of Aiello seemingly can't be found for love nor money. If anyone knows of one for sale and it isn't £lol, I'm all ears!

Close but no cigar, I've got Dave Leslie's '99 Onyx Primera.....

March 4, 2023

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Had some bits from @Mine's a Leganza!

As well as some loose cars, mainly projects, there were these two

Don't know where you tracked these down as Tesco didn't seem to ever get either - but I'm glad you did

I cannot remember but they were probably Sainsbury's. I also brought quite a few back from the Philippines last year as you can order specific models.

59,630 · March 4, 2023

Popped back to the Saturday market at Wickford to see if the tat stall had anything new

Not a lot, and prices were as enthusiastic as ever. That's not to say I didn't buy anything though.

Charity shop had a big basket of cars but all Chinese shite at £1 each - and a lonely Cub

10,275 · March 4, 2023

I went to a couple of charity shops while I was waiting for the mighty Laguna to have an MOT,& found this

Needs a good clean & a hook,but I thought it was ok for £2.00

Laguna passed too 😀

45,033 · March 4, 2023

18 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

It is. I don’t think that model is all that common and I don’t think it came in any other colour either? It definitely needs new tyres too, most of the old ones on it are split, swelling and have flat spots on!

Question is, should I do it in a nicer colour? Or stick to primrose yellow? Hmm.

Theres another vehicle that’s just jumped the queue for restoring though…

This came in todays big box, and I absolutely love it! Never had one before.

And for scale, with a Matchbox DAF in the back.

Big old Triang truck. It’s rough, but more or less all there. Glazing has fallen down and filthy and the rear tipping bed needs a new hinge which I’ll make from plastic card, then it needs a really good strip and clean before new paint.
Anyone know much about these? How old they are?

15 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

The Morris FF / Austin 45 cab style ran 1958-64 or thereabouts. That Tri-ang model has the raised badge centre, so was badged as Austin (or BMC), not Morris which would be flat along the top

It's not Spot-On series at 1:42, it's likely one of their Jumbo series at 1:32 assumed to match 1-gauge model railways.

That truck is part of the Triang Jumbo Lorries series made between 1966 and 1973.

Lots of info here Hi way (triang.nl)

8 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Good to see they're remembered by at least 2 other people, which is ironic given the name of the range! I agree, they were strangely unappealing which is probably why I didn't keep any of them. The Escort van was quite interesting as you say and I recall being mildly excited at getting one although the appeal didn't last.

I remember seeing those Corgi Memories for sale in petrol and service stations. I've had a few over the years, but due to ho wcrude they are and being Fords I get rid of them pretty quickly.

59,630 · March 4, 2023

Also had a look around half of the antiques centre shops at Battlesbridge, plenty of interesting bits along with absolute junk - eye watering prices on some though

Tonka was a late one, actually a Funrise with a Tonka sticker!

27,020 · March 4, 2023

48 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Also had a look around half of the antiques centre shops at Battlesbridge, plenty of interesting bits along with absolute junk - eye watering prices on some though

Tonka was a late one, actually a Funrise with a Tonka sticker!

Those little card price tags with the bits of string holding them on are always a dead giveaway that you’re in for a jolly good back scuttling if you fancy anything! Long before you even see what the price says.

I noticed that green race car… you got one of those off me didn’t you, with 50% more doors! At a lower price.😁

40,649 · March 4, 2023

Annoys me the lack of reasoning in the price, most of that stuff would be in the 50p bin at a swap meet. Just shows how clueless a lot of these ‘antique’ places are.

43,410 · March 4, 2023

Surprised if they sell a thing

I tried my best to zoom in but still could not find the ‘VINTAGE HOT WHEELS’ they exclaimed about

43,410 · March 4, 2023

The trouble I have with those shops the aloof arrogant air when you try to ask to see something in the cabinet. When you (finally) get it to see up close it’s typically worse than you expected, then there’s the attitude that you’ve put them out having to unlock it.