Shite in Miniature II

[Spottedlaurel]

7 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Just the Mercury Commuter cop car to find, now...

Like this one?

 

I'll PM you.

Regarding Corgi Cubs, the only one I had back in the day was the yellow and green buggy thing, still got it. Might have acquired one more from the range since then.

Update on recent acquisitions, in addition to the excellent Union VW Beetle kit from @bunglebus :

I went to a 1:1 show, not many traders but there was one chap selling a few diecasts. He had a load of Lledo and MoY stuff at £2 a go, or 3 for £5. I couldn't find three of interest but thought I'd give this LD at least a home.

Despite visiting a variety of big stores in different towns I've found very few HWs of interest, and no Matchbox. The CR-X was placed on a different shelf, well up out of the way of kids. Maybe someone was going to come back for it? Sorry if so....

[Jon]

Let's have a compare and contrast with a couple of German big guns in pocket sized format:

 

And a bit of needless artwank, to start things off.

 

Chanced upon a Matchbox version of the AMG SEC at a retro fair on the weekend and thought it worthy of bringing home on the basis that at 50p, the price wasn't 'retro' inflated.

Here we can clearly see that an 80's interpretation vs a 20's effort differ quite wildly in ride height. Likely a mix of built in suspension travel on the Matchbox and stance over playability priority for the Hotwheels.

 

The more playful colour scheme of the earlier version also adds to this notion but it's easy to imagine an SEC specced in this manner, back in the day - though perhaps minus the giant AMG door graphics. The Hotwheels evokes $500k+ Hammer editions, to excite dull men over 30 much more than children under 11.

As can often be the case though, Hotwheels have packed a lot of detail in to a pocket money product. Both castings have fancy wheels, with the Matchbox sporting a later, lesser seen set. Better than the 8 spot dished standards? Probably not.

 

I think both have their place in this die cast collecting world but I'm happy to seek the older, less perfect example, even if I wish they'd released it without the body kit and with the gunmetal flanks, as per the standard model.

[155V6]

A couple of bits from the car boot on the way to work this morning 

Corgi Bedford TK tractor unit,quite tatty & needs a good clean,but had a trailer waiting for it at home

Just need to get a couple of tyres from the local toyfair next month

And I couldn't leave this 1/64 Norev Citroen C4 for a pound 😀

 

[RoadworkUK]

4 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Mothercare was a stockist, using their own-branding.  Later, they were also distributed by Avon Cosmetics, but with the Corgi brand removed.  I'm not sure if that applied to the Mothercare line as well.

Well there's another mystery solved by the Tat thread.

I had what I now know to have been the Corgi Cubs Racing Car, but mine was bright red with a blue plastic base, I'm pretty sure of it. I also don't remember it having any maker's name, but I remember thinking it strange that a racing car should have the same wheels as a double-decker London bus.

Edit: like this one, found via Google:

I now assume that mine was one of the Avon-marketed examples. Alas, a trip to the attic leads me to believe it to be lost.

[flat4alfa]

3 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

MB KS Charger

What scale are Matchbox King Size, the Cougar looks a bit small next to my Corgi Mustang Fastback.

I measured the King Size Mercury Cougar to be 1:48 length, 1:45 width, so a bit lardy, but doesn’t look that way on the shelf 

Corgi’s Mustang Fastback isn’t really a good benchmark of perfect modelling though.  To me, it went wrong from a few angles!  Did you mean the Mach 1 model?

[FakeConcern]

15 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

I measured the King Size Mercury Cougar to be 1:48 length, 1:45 width, so a bit lardy, but doesn’t look that way on the shelf 

Corgi’s Mustang Fastback isn’t really a good benchmark of perfect modelling though.  To me, it went wrong from a few angles!  Did you mean the Mach 1 model?

Hmm, I had to have a proper look at them and The Cougar is as long as the Corgi Mustang, but something about the proportions of the windows makes it look smaller to me.

I also compared the Corgi Camaro (all three similar age models) and again it is actually similar size but to me looks smaller because somehow the roof looks too squat.

The two later models Corgi Mach1 & HW Boss 302 are both bigger & I imagine the real cars were too.

They look similar in size from the top

It's from the side it looks small.

Just to make things more confusing I put them next to a Corgi Mini and to me the Cougar looks too small

So then I looked in the Ginormous Book of Corgi and Van Cleemput states the scales as

Mini 1/42

Mustang Fastback 1/46

Camaro 1/47

Mach1 1/43

So not sure where that leaves us

He also says somewhere in the book that Corgi made the cars a bit too wide as otherwise when veiwed from above as they usually are, they look too long and thin (I think he compares them to a Dinky) I can't find it in the book ATM.

 

[FakeConcern]

Found it

 

[Datsuncog]

Seems that it takes a day or two longer for CMC models to make their way across the Irish Sea.

This showed up in the mailbox this morning.

I'd had to have a bit of a think before agreeing to this one - because, much as I enjoy getting a facsimile slice of diecast history through the post each month, this #492 'Volkswagen European Police Car' in Polizei colours is but a mild reworking of the #256 East African Safari Beetle 1200 - which was only sent out to subscribers from last August.

Now I'm a big fan of the Safari Beetle and was keenly anticipating it (and the plastic rhino that came with it); this one however I was feeling slightly more ambivalent about.

I guess that because I'd owned an original Safari Rally for many years, maybe there was more of an emotional link. Not that I don't like the peelermobile version - I just don't have much in the way of strong feelings around it.

Up to now, CMC have been pretty good at ensuring that their models are well packed, often using foam cutouts to protect the model inside from damaging the box - especially those with fragile or pointy bits.

So it was a smidge disappointing to realise that this one just had some thin bubble wrap round it, which had done nothing to prevent the roof-mounted police light from punching through the box while in transit.

I pushed it down as best I could, but that's always gonna be quite noticeable.

Hmm, annoying.

The model itself is quite lovely, though.

As always, it's the shininess of these factory-fresh toys which grabs me.

I know, I know - they're not the same as the originals. Nothing is. But it's nice to imagine what it must have felt like to receive one of these back in the day, with the glazing all clear and the decals unblemished. Even the tidiest original has a degree of patina picked up over nearly 60 years.

The casting is identical to the Safari Beetle, so the decent detail under the bonnet (and the frunk) remains the same. The mask-sprayed white wings are pretty neatly done, as is the rear light detail.

All that's really different is the steering boss on the roof, now switched from a rubber spare wheel to a sort-of light, sort-of weird false nipple arrangement. It doesn't look a lot like a light - but I guess the ribbed flange is to make it easier to grip whilst turning.

It's fair to say that the rally version's spare wheel is slightly more practical to steer with (or maybe I just need to practice more).

Plus, as a bonus, we get a pair of Landespolizei officers inside. Polizist Manfred and Wachtmeister Humbert reporting for duty, ever-ready to patrol the mean streets of Potsdam in Wolfsburg's finest.

Base is similarly unchanged from the previous version - Corgi were smart to keep it broad from the start, and not be overly specific about whether it was a rally version or whatever.

Authentisch, ja?

Blurb does a blurb.

Running from May 1966 until 1970, this was a fairly long-lived model, with the casting going on to be reworked for the Whizzwheels era as both a generic black and white Beetle police car and as a 'Flower Power' Beetle - though as basic solid castings, without any opening bits.

Later, in 1974, a dark blue Beetle driving school car would be released using the same roof-mounted steering mechanism as the Police and Rally versions, now with a gold steering wheel on top.

The casting would almost see out the '70s as a Whizzwheels rally car version in blue and white, again with the steering deleted. But it was canned for the 1979 catalogue year, as Corgi decided the last of the smaller, older 1/43-ish cars were starting to look ludicrous next to their more recent 1/36 scale releases.

But even so, this very same casting zombie'd its way back in the 1990s, as a promotional giveaway model for Simoniz polish. Who knows, maybe we still haven't seen the last of it?

Despite being 'foreign', this police version was still a pretty good seller for Corgi- over half a million were shifted over four years, both in the UK and across Europe.  No doubt a combination of appealing subject matter and the added playvalue of steerable wheels kept it flying off the shelves and into eager young hands.

Yeah, it's growing on me.

[ETCHY]

8 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

Found it

 

Can i ask, what's the book ?

Cheers 

[bunglebus]

6 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

it was a smidge disappointing to realise that this one just had some thin bubble wrap round it, which had done nothing to prevent the roof-mounted police light from punching through the box while in transit

Get on to them - they've apparently got very good customer service so will probably send you another box.

As you say, that casting went on and on - there's a yellow "Motoring Memories" one in the range of a similar age to the Max Wax

Even I'm not trying to collect them all

Ooh but this is nice

 

[FakeConcern]

36 minutes ago, ETCHY said:

Can i ask, what's the book ?

Cheers 

I think it's out of print and pretty expensive on ebay Amazon etc

It is really interesting though!

[flat4alfa]

17 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I think it's out of print and pretty expensive on ebay Amazon etc

It is really interesting though!

You could rent that out to a few on here!

 

[flat4alfa]

56 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Get on to them - they've apparently got very good customer service so will probably send you another box

@Datsuncog Yes, my Aston Martin had a paint defect.  I let them know and they sorted it, no argument.

[Datsuncog]

There's also an expanded second edition of the Great Book of Corgi, covering the later Corgi Classics era all the way up to 2010:

Again, not very cheap to buy but it's a tremendous resource... 492 pages all-in, and photos of pretty much every model produced during the Mettoy era (plus never-released prototypes and other goodies).

[bunglebus]

Entertainer are messing about with Matchbox prices. Last week everything was back to full price - now the more expensive stuff is reduced and the mainline ones are 3 for 2 like Hot Wheels 

[bunglebus]

15 hours ago, Jon said:

needless artwank

I really like that shot, how did you do it?

[quicksilver]

Hattons are having a sale, although a lot seem to be bargains in the sense of the Ebay Bargains thread. Has anyone else noticed how utterly random their pricing can be?
Take the Wallace Arnold Bedford OB, one of which I got from the market for £2. Three listings: one pre-owned with cracked paint, one pre-owned and factory sealed and more than 10 new, all at £4. Or three fire appliances: damaged = £14, good = £14, very good = £13. And £36 for a not particularly well repainted Britbus with bits missing doesn't sound very bargainous to me. Makes me wonder where they pluck some of these prices from and how they expect these things to sell.

[bunglebus]

I blame Datsuncog for this one. I'm sure this Cub has been in Oxfam for weeks 

[Datsuncog]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Entertainer are messing about with Matchbox prices. Last week everything was back to full price - now the more expensive stuff is reduced and the mainline ones are 3 for 2 like Hot Wheels 

Is that... Hitch & Haul sets down to £4?

Oooh... that's more like it.

Still not quite a bargain, but better than £8.

[flat4alfa]

Oh that's an attractive purchase!

Still want one.  Now it is achievable!

[FakeConcern]

The Corgi Polizei VW was a sore point for me as a kid. I'd seen the Safari Rally one in the catalogue and the local toy shop had it in the window, but they only ever had the Polizei one in stock for sale and of course in those days you where stuck with what the local shop had so eventually I handed over my pocket money for one of those.   I never really liked it and always wished I had the orange safari version and I'd still really like one (perhaps the CMC version).

[MiniMinorMk3]

Here's a nice looking '69 Dodge Charger from the Matchbox Collectables Muscle Car Collection. These are nicely detailed models that were made in the 1990's

And for extra Mopar B-Body action they did two 1070 Plymouth model, the GTX

When you look at the floors of the Dodge and compare it to the Plymouth it is totally different, so one is not modified to make the other.

and the Roadrunner (Meep, Meep)

But when you compare the two Plymouth models you can see that when they did the GTX they flattened the casting marks for the model name and number and replaced it with tampo printing. 

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

I blame Datsuncog for this one. I'm sure this Cub has been in Oxfam for weeks 

That's got potential to be a great BungleCustom™ build on BungleTube™

Only the screen would need adapting from something else as the rest of the glazing would be flat surface

Or maybe lop rear off to make a Pickup Cub

[flat4alfa]

20 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

always wished I had the orange safari version and I'd still really like one (perhaps the CMC version).

£37.99

I only posted this to tease 😆

[FakeConcern]

20 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

£37.99

I only posted this to tease 😆

That "thanks" was ironic.

 

I looked it up earlier and decided I didn't want it that much. If I've waited over 50 years I can wait a bit longer for a cheaper one!

[bunglebus]

Smyths have reduced the price on the premium multipacks - sign says the German ones but it might apply to the Jay Leno ones too

[Datsuncog]

Mmm, nice.

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/land-rover-foxfire-land-rover-discovery-1-43ds1001

Not outrageously priced for the 1/43... and there's also an 00 scale version.

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/land-rover-foxfire-discovery-1-76ds1001

A smidge better than the Britains effort, anyway...

[sierraman]

1 minute ago, Datsuncog said:

Mmm, nice.

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/land-rover-foxfire-land-rover-discovery-1-43ds1001

Not outrageously priced for the 1/43... and there's also an 00 scale version.

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/land-rover-foxfire-discovery-1-76ds1001

A smidge better than the Britains effort, anyway...

The Britains one is absolutely terrible isn’t it! Especially given they were quite pricey.

[Jon]

6 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I really like that shot, how did you do it?

Glass side table back-lit with sunlight through the curtain! Put the lens right next to the curve of the glass, for some darkened foreground blurring.

I've been a bit lazy of late, only using my phone camera to take pics and using natural lighting. Will get back to the more labour intensive stuff one day.

[quicksilver]

4 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

That's got potential to be a great BungleCustom™ build on BungleTube™

Only the screen would need adapting from something else as the rest of the glazing would be flat surface

Or maybe lop rear off to make a Pickup Cub

Seconded, I'd be fascinated to see just how much that crude toy could be transformed into a decent model. I'm picturing it in a lairy 70s colour with full Molotow chrome detailing and riding on Rostyles or Wellers as a Scimitar-style sports estate and I reckon it'd look cool.