Shite in Miniature II

43,504 · May 8, 2023

3 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

Just found this in the loft, l just might build it!

Cor let’s have a look inside the box

4mm : 1 ft = 1:76

45,046 · May 8, 2023

On 5/7/2023 at 7:40 AM, Split_Pin said:

Damnit, yesterday I thought that was me there with all the castings of the Matra Rancho which were available at the time but I completely forgot about the Siku one. The hunt is on!

Do you have a Solido in Talbot box?

18 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Nice one on the Polistil Mini @bunglebus. There were 2 at the toy fair yesterday but I already have one and they were very salty, although boxed. I'm the only weirdo in Scotland that seems to collect them so they can't be worth a great deal!

16 hours ago, bunglebus said:

In the mean time I shall seek solace in this Polistil Mini, which has somehow bucked the trend and retained all of its bits other than one headlight

£4 is a bargain for one of those.

I have a green one that has lost both eyes

But to make up for it I have a boxed red...

and a Politoys 177

11,042 · May 8, 2023

25 minutes ago, bigstraight6 said:

Just found this in the loft, l just might build it!

Go for it! I've seen some nice models built from these kits and they've been re-released numerous times so you won't be destroying a valuable collectors' item. I've had one in my stash for many years that I haven't yet got round to but it looks a good kit considering it appeared way back in 1979.

60,095 · May 8, 2023

These Superkings 240Zs seem to have a fair few variations. I'm still trying to find a really nice black base one with the pressed in wheel centres and no stripes

So far I've found black/white bases, with/without stripes and the one I bought yesterday has the earlier wheels which I didn't know were fitted to this release

The nearest one is my original with Humbrol "improvements" by me 30+ years ago

11,042 · May 8, 2023

Remember those little OO kits I got from @danthecapriman? They're all finished now. Enjoyable builds as they're easy to assemble, well detailed and with careful painting can look good for their small size. They only look a bit rough in the photos because they're so much larger than actual size.

I already had a Snipe and P5 so now there are twins

All are similar but not identical to models in other ranges. Oxford Snipe estate and Parker saloon, Oxford Cambridge and Parker Wolseley, Oxford Wyvern and Parker Cresta, CMAC P5 saloon and Parker coupe (but Oxford have just announced a P5 saloon too).

And this Motormax Disco also came from Dan. They only come in green and I've got two others so it's had a repaint in Nightfire Red, RHD conversion and better wheels. The Disney reg is genuine and based on a local one I posted in the great number plates thread.

27,172 · May 8, 2023

41 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

Remember those little OO kits I got from @danthecapriman? They're all finished now. Enjoyable builds as they're easy to assemble, well detailed and with careful painting can look good for their small size. They only look a bit rough in the photos because they're so much larger than actual size.

I already had a Snipe and P5 so now there are twins

All are similar but not identical to models in other ranges. Oxford Snipe estate and Parker saloon, Oxford Cambridge and Parker Wolseley, Oxford Wyvern and Parker Cresta, CMAC P5 saloon and Parker coupe (but Oxford have just announced a P5 saloon too).

And this Motormax Disco also came from Dan. They only come in green and I've got two others so it's had a repaint in Nightfire Red, RHD conversion and better wheels. The Disney reg is genuine and based on a local one I posted in the great number plates thread.

They look fantastic, and it’s great to see them finally get finished. They’d been sat around for years here!
That Land Rover looks barely recognisable now too. Really nicely painted and detailed.👍 you made something a bit special out of that one.

11,042 · May 8, 2023

22 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

They look fantastic, and it’s great to see them finally get finished. They’d been sat around for years here!
That Land Rover looks barely recognisable now too. Really nicely painted and detailed.👍 you made something a bit special out of that one.

Glad you like them. You'd made a great start so I just took it from there and finished what you started. I was amazed how well the Disco turned out - it's a superb little casting with great detail considering it's from a lower-end Chinese toy brand and I've never paid more than 50p for one. Dare I say it's better than some of Mattel's offerings and more in the Cararama/Oxford league?

27,172 · May 8, 2023

1 hour ago, quicksilver said:

Glad you like them. You'd made a great start so I just took it from there and finished what you started. I was amazed how well the Disco turned out - it's a superb little casting with great detail considering it's from a lower-end Chinese toy brand and I've never paid more than 50p for one. Dare I say it's better than some of Mattel's offerings and more in the Cararama/Oxford league?

Thinking back, the Humber was painted that colour as I’d almost bought a real one on eBay in a similar colour! I did them all in Halfords grey primer but only got as far as the basic colours on the Humber & Rover. I don’t know why I got that far and just left them!?
You made a start on the Scammell tipper yet?

It must have taken the patience of a saint to do all that chrome trim on those too!

33,793 · May 8, 2023

Among some of the items I didn't buy at the Toy fair was a heavy glass Citroen XM. It looked about 1/26 scale and had the interior and engine etched in. It was pointless and a tenner though, but interesting nonetheless.

4,679 · May 8, 2023

3 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Cor let’s have a look inside the box

4mm : 1 ft = 1:76

Just for you Sir!

43,504 · May 8, 2023

Excellent, all untouched and complete! Good to see the decals are still there too.

5,776 · May 8, 2023

58 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

.......

It must have taken the patience of a saint to do all that chrome trim on those too!

As someone who is in danger of poking eyes out when cleaning my teeth, I agree. Patience and a very steady hand!

45,046 · May 8, 2023

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Among some of the items I didn't buy at the Toy fair was a heavy glass Citroen XM. It looked about 1/26 scale and had the interior and engine etched in. It was pointless and a tenner though, but interesting nonetheless.

I have a glass VW Beetle that's around 1/30th. I've had it for 30 odd years. Most of the gift shops in London used to sell them along with FX4s and Routemasters. I do remember a few modern cars at the time were sold. I also have a 356 Cabrio as well, but that seams to have vanished at the moment.

60,095 · May 8, 2023

20 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Trailer is from the set paired with the Dodge K-series Cattle Truck, but only with white stake bed and Black bulls!

Common mainline had yellow stake bed

The Dodge only in red with white stake bed (and black cows) in the Two-Pack set. Let me guess, you have the exact match in-stock

Well, rats. That'll teach me not to check my stock!

Looks like the two pack version has blue glass, while the single version is green

28,753 · May 8, 2023

I've just been on Steve Flowers' website, where the selection of parts on offer is rather more comprehensive than his ebay listings. Not to mention cheaper per item! I made up a list of what I need, segregated into Corgi, Dinky and Spot-On, and I reckon I'll be buying them in stages! The total without postage comes within conversing distance of £60. Bloody hell....

And! There's something I want that he wasn't able to offer, which is a shame as I need it to finish one of my restorations.

Corgi Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato. I have all the opening panels, windows, wheels, interior... but what I don't have is the radiator grille and headlights. I can't find them anywhere. Anyone got a mangled example that still has these intact? Please?

42,543 · May 8, 2023

A few purchases from Friday's market event that I didn't get round to posting while fresh...

Big Corgi Mercedes 240D in rally colours.

I've been after one of these for damn near forty years.

I've dim memories of seeing them in a toyshop in the early/mid 80s, and also shown in a crumpled and coverless Corgi catalogue acquired from who-knows-where. I coveted them greatly.

I did have a less filthy-looking Juniors version in white and green wearing a roof rack, and I liked it a lot - but it was always the muddy-looking 1/36 scale one I craved.

But I never had one until now.

There's a missing rear light, and part of the roof rack has also knocked been off somewhere along the line - but it's otherwise intact. Even the boot-mounted spare wheel is still there.

I've had a fair few watchlisted on eBay over the years, but they generally went higher than I cared to shell out.

I thought this one was also out at £5, and was therefore a little dismayed to discover at the point of pulling my wallet out that there was actually £10 asked on it.

Which isn't especially expensive for one of these, as a later search showed that I wouldn't find another one any cheaper online.

But even at that, I couldn't bear to put it back.

A few scrapes to the leading edges don't look so bad on a model like this that's already been weathered from the factory - it would be rather more noticeable on a civilian version.

It's seen some rally action in the flowerbeds in the past, by the look of it.

And it might get some more in the future - who knows?

A definite keeper (unless I find a truly minty example).

I also snaffled this:

There were a fair few 1/43 scale Hongwell Cararama SIIIs on Friday, which broadly matched those in the smaller 1/72 scale 6-pack set I once owned.

But I like the plain old farmer version best.

Very dusty, though still with its packing plastic looped through the doors.

Rear canvas supports are a bit bit shonky, but still - a decent enough rendering of the 110 pickup.

I think I still have a later Defender wagon from the same range, somewhere.

Reasonable underside detail too.

Not mega-cheap at £5, but I've been idly looking at IXO Land Rovers for a while now and they're all considerably more.

Another keeper. And I've given it a bath, so it looks rather more presentable now.

Then this.

One from the ahead-of-its-time Playcraft slotcar range - a 1959 Chevrolet Impala.

Missing its rear bumper and lights, and with some front-to-back warping to the body unfortunately.

One of the contacts seems to have come away also - but this is still an incredible piece of toymaking, given that it's no bigger than the Matchbox toys of the time.

A damaged screw post seems to be the culprit behind the warpage - but may well be repairable.

It seemed a little too unusual to pass up, even if it wasn't especially cheap at £10 - but it may ultimately find itself a new home via the 'Bay.

Fascinating little thing, though.

I also picked this up as a 'too nice to leave' item:

Unusual little GMC augur crane, by Japanese maker Shinsei as part of their Mini Power range.

Working extendible boom with raisable hook and rotating augur attachment. Quite an intricate little toy!

I don't know much about Shinsei, but they seem to have made a number of variations on this GMC chassis cab during the 1970s.

As you can see, mine's missing the two plastic telephone poles it would originally have been packaged with.

Tip-up cab reveals the engine too.

Annoyingly, one of the support legs has gone walkies as well as the poles.

It's in great condition otherwise, with no marks whatsoever to the paintwork.

£5 takes this, if anyone fancies it - otherwise I'll be happy to hold onto it myself.

And lastly, there's these two from the Charity Stall's 50p tub, bought with the very last of my pocket change:

An EFSI Commer 302 van in British Telecom colours, and a fairly playworn and customised (but fundamentally sound) Majorette Renault R17 TS.

Dig those triple exhaust pipes on the Renner.

These had already been spotted amidst the general melee and requested by @flat4alfa - it was pure fluke that those happened to be the ones I'd already picked up. So they're already spoken for.

There was a LOT of interesting stuff on the charity stall...

And I'd pulled out this lot, thinking that he would be knocking them out at three-for-a-pound.

Not a bad haul, for £9.

But nope - according to Yer Man, they were 50p each today.

So - £13.50. Still - not bad...

But for some reason, this put me into a bit of a spin - I'd barely any cash left on me so I knew I'd have to go and find a cash machine regardless of whether they were two for a pound or three for a pound, but somehow the thought of a ten minute round walk to get to a cash point, and the car being on the meter outside, and knowing I should be in work already, and the thought of typing all this up and having to get them home and store them... it all just became a bit too much.

So I just got the R17 and Commer with the shrapnel remaining in my pocket, and left.

So yeah, maybe it's for the best that Market Blokey's away for the rest of the month.

Maybe I need a Tat Break also.

Don't wanna hit burnout again... because I have a propensity for such things.

A clearing of the decks might be no bad thing - I'll send out some messages this week, sure.

A belated Happy Friday, kids.

60,095 · May 8, 2023

1 hour ago, eddyramrod said:

I've just been on Steve Flowers' website, where the selection of parts on offer is rather more comprehensive than his ebay listings. Not to mention cheaper per item! I made up a list of what I need, segregated into Corgi, Dinky and Spot-On, and I reckon I'll be buying them in stages! The total without postage comes within conversing distance of £60. Bloody hell....

And! There's something I want that he wasn't able to offer, which is a shame as I need it to finish one of my restorations.

Corgi Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato. I have all the opening panels, windows, wheels, interior... but what I don't have is the radiator grille and headlights. I can't find them anywhere. Anyone got a mangled example that still has these intact? Please?

Typical - there was a blue one at the toy fair! Can't remember how much it was though but I'll keep an eye out

I have a request to make too - anyone got a Flying Bug with a decent wing and jets? A slight bent in the wing is OK, the rest is irrelevant. I need a donor for my Flying Beetle! I'll swap a really nice condition one for a scruffy example, don't want to kill one of those and all my donors have broken wings

On offer:

Hasn't got to be one of these for swaps but scruffy for tidy seemed like it would appeal

60,095 · May 8, 2023

5 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

£5 takes this, if anyone fancies it - otherwise I'll be happy to hold onto it myself.

I'd suggest you hold onto it if you only paid £5! I sold my far more niche, and not as nice crane for about three times that

Shinsei Mini Power Commander 7 Power Cranegar

9,217 · May 8, 2023

3 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

A clearing of the decks might be no bad thing - I'll send out some messages this week, sure.

Strangely enough, as I drove home from my parents' in Frinton-on-Sea just night, clipping apexes in prime late night bank holiday monday stylee, the most prominent thought in my head was "I must settle my tat account".

In other news:

Laudoracing makes a 1:18 scale Alfa Romeo Arna.

Just so you know, like.

It's, like, £100, which might as well be £10,000 from my financial perspective, but lets all celebrate that it exists.

60,095 · May 9, 2023

New or just one I didn't notice before?

43,504 · May 9, 2023

On 3/17/2023 at 6:37 PM, sierraman said:

Poverty spec Sentra.

@sierraman bought one in March

New for 2023, despite being a 2016 model in real life

Did see one myself in one B&M store last month, but I've stopped going to shops now, apart from the fact 'the chase' drives me around the twist it also makes me poor as my daily is a V8 Jaguar X308 right now

40,658 · May 9, 2023

I’ve only ever seen the one which I bought. I liked it because it looked so lame like all American orientated economy cars.

In other news I have managed to pick up an absolutely delightful Sierra XR4i, I’ve got the powder blue one and the black one but didn’t have the silver. Also bought a 007 Citroen, wanted one of these since school when we had one in a box of stuff that came out once in a blue moon. For fun days or whatever they had this ‘run a car down a bit of plywood into a hole and win the car’. The frustration of that stayed with me until today.

11,830 · May 9, 2023

Limited to 1000 pieces apparently ! Only 999 left ! I'd sell one for £35 , or swap one for the yellow version

11,830 · May 9, 2023

I had another one, but i needed the roof... :grin: Empty box available !!

60,095 · May 9, 2023

WTF

11,830 · May 9, 2023

Vogue coupe :grin:

43,504 · May 9, 2023

Singer short wheelbase Vogue-Chamois Coupe, I like it

43,504 · May 9, 2023

Heres' an idea

Did anyone do a Hillman Swallow? The rear-engined 'Hunter' prototype

40,658 · May 9, 2023

That would have succeeded where even the Imp failed by bringing about the demise of Rooted even quicker.

45,046 · May 9, 2023

Late to the MGB party, the Dinky Matchbox version was quite a good casting, and with a change of wheels and some extra bits of tampo printing they also did a V8.

First blue version with Webasto