Shite in Miniature II

[sierraman]

Going to start restoring this ex @danthecaprimanLandrover. I don’t seem to have any corgi tyres in but fortunately some King Size Matchbox ones will fit perfectly. 

[bunglebus]

It's been a very Majorette kind of day.

Asbo in Basildump had some individual ones including a very pink Beetle

I also picked up the black Toyota 2000

Under those was a full box of Tune-ups, series two - a bit of online detective work revealed that #25 should be a Golf

And it is!

##28 should be too

And it is!

The tuning bits are quite unusual on this one, Carlos Fandago tyres!

##32 should be a Dodge Charger 

And it is!

These are obviously all better without the tuning bits, although I do quite like the surfboard on the Golf - however they do not go back into the pack with anything fitted! They do have a stackable display box included though.

Here's the full series

We're not done yet though, oh no. I realised the other day you can order direct from Majorette on their website.

I wanted one of these Golfs, however you can only order a random car from each set

Quite cool but not exactly what I wanted. Target #2 was the orange T3 camper and trailer from this set

Score!

[bunglebus]

Last but not least, both Asbo and Entertainer had new Fast and Furious premiums.

The Land Cruiser is pretty nice but I left that, and got this

[Remspoor]

@DatsuncogHow is the new bathroom?

 

[Christine]

Bunglebus !  I've picked it up at last , well , pushed it home 50 yards .. The model you customised is perfect !  150 squid bargain !   Golf auto can go soon... £300 

      

[Christine]

[Datsuncog]

38 minutes ago, Remspoor said:

@DatsuncogHow is the new bathroom?

 

Yeah, it's... getting there.

Slowly.

There's not even a plug for the sink!

[FakeConcern]

I picked up a small haul of almost wrecks from junk shops in Lewes, not known for having anything cheap.

None of them exactly a bargain at £1 each but for the South East better than usual...

Dinky AEC tanker missing most tyres and all the bits n pieces on the trailer.

Corgi Holmes wrecker missing all the crane gadgets, horns, a tyre, the exhaust and a mirror plus broken screen. I'm still happy with it!

Corgi Whizzwheels Monte Mini with half a roof rack, no sump guard and no lights at all. Paint not too bad and both roof wheels still attached so I'm very pleased with it.

Lastly Tonka Beach Buggy for Mrs Concern.

The Holmes Wrecker engine bay was like new except for all the cob webs! Anyone know how the bed thing comes off? @danthecapriman I think you were taking one of these to bits?

[FakeConcern]

On 7/13/2023 at 12:01 PM, flat4alfa said:

 

Oh, I appreciate you're busy
And time's not your own
Yeah, maybe it would be better
If I telephoned

Carrie doesn't live here, CARRIMORE
Carrie has some room on the second floor
Sorry that she left no forwarding address
That was known to meeee

Carrie doesn't live here, CARRIMORE
You could always ask at the corner store
Carrie had a date with her own kind of fate
It's plain to seeeee

 

I've just had a proper look at my original Bedford Tractor Unit and the male fitting attached to your Carrimore transporter should be part of that not the transporter.

It's only fixed in place by friction as it passes through a small Corgi tyre inside...

Now I remember that occasionally it would stay stuck in the trailer as yours is

The Trailer should have a female fitting

However the male member of the Ford H cab and the Scammell is too big to fit (Fnarr fnarr!)

[FakeConcern]

Forgot to say the other day Mrs Concern was perusing the Matchbox catalogues posted here thanks to @bunglebus looking to see if she is missing any good boats/caravans etc and spotted this

She does have that boat and trailer several times over. She later noticed that I have a Stingray Caper Cart and decided to put them together. However I was too quick for her as I checked ebay, found one finishing in six minutes with a start price of 99p and it was in Eastbourne where Mrs Concern happened to be at the time! So this is the result...

Obviously I get to keep mine haha.

Now none of this would be possible without help from this thread as I'd never even heard of a Caper Cart until recently let alone wanted one and Mrs Concern wouldn't have either!

 

 

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, FakeConcern said:

I picked up a small haul of almost wrecks from junk shops in Lewes, not known for having anything cheap.

None of them exactly a bargain at £1 each but for the South East better than usual...

Dinky AEC tanker missing most tyres and all the bits n pieces on the trailer.

Corgi Holmes wrecker missing all the crane gadgets, horns, a tyre, the exhaust and a mirror plus broken screen. I'm still happy with it!

Corgi Whizzwheels Monte Mini with half a roof rack, no sump guard and no lights at all. Paint not too bad and both roof wheels still attached so I'm very pleased with it.

Lastly Tonka Beach Buggy for Mrs Concern.

The Holmes Wrecker engine bay was like new except for all the cob webs! Anyone know how the bed thing comes off? @danthecapriman I think you were taking one of these to bits?

I’ve done one of those H wreckers but don’t have it to hand as it’s packed away, but I seem to remember the rivet on the back end of the chassis needs drilling out. The chequer plate floor, I think, has 2 rivets holding it to the rear body but I think it all slides onto the coupling hitch pin too. But the chequer plate bit stops it all moving so you’ve got to take that off before the red body will slide off.

I can’t remember 100% though! But I don’t remember it’s anything difficult!

looks a good haul though. I think all the bits missing from your AEC Esso tanker are available reproduction…

[bunglebus]

Caper Carts are awesome

There are a couple of shades of blue, mainly because they were sold in the later KP-1 series where none of the cars had any stickers and they were all different colours to their previous releases

 

There's a white interior version to find too

 

 

Copper is also a KP-1 colour

 

 

My own take with K-50 wheel centres fitted 

 

 

Here's one I've never seen - dark blue KP-1 posted on Facebook recently 

 

[morrisoxide]

Braved the weather today and found this in The Yorkshire Trading Co. For £1.99 shame this was the only one they had that Cadillac looks right up my street.

Called in a few charity shops on the way home, 50p each but some how 7 quid the lot didn't realize until I got home 2 free ones!

I couldn't resist the Buddy L Beetle just because I like saying Buddy L quite loud every time I see one 

Money shot.

The Fiat and the Buick are Corgi but not stamped on the base and the Norev Renault is missing a roof rack?

[bunglebus]

Nice haul - Renault 5 is Norev?

The Corgi Jag XJ6 looks like an unusual one, code two promotional?

I'll be looking for those Retro Matchbox!

[morrisoxide]

The blue Renault 5 is a Corgi, the Norev R5 is the bigger white Renault 5 missing a roof panel google says. 

Some pictures of the Jag.

[bunglebus]

Both very nice, never seen that version of the Jag.

Renault clearly has a full-length sunroof...

Didn't even clock the Five Winders Mustang at first!

[flat4alfa]

51 minutes ago, morrisoxide said:

 

Well, how did that land here?

The Buffalo Sabres are a New York state NHL team

Part of a limited export run for the NFL (US Football) and NHL (Hockey) ‘Trading’ series for 1982

[sierraman]

Despite living in the second biggest city in Yorkshire we don’t have a Yorkshire Trading annoyingly. 

[155V6]

On 7/14/2023 at 2:15 PM, MiniMinorMk3 said:

[Mine's a Leganza!]

On 7/9/2023 at 9:48 AM, Split_Pin said:

I went to my local car boot sale this morning which I haven't been to for years. As expected it was full of rubbish. Manky tools, ancient toys and dog treats. I was actually there looking for a few tools but as above nothing worth having.

There was one guy selling 1/43 Bburagos from the 1990s. I picked up a Tipo, Punto and Cinquecento to go with the 1/24 scale examples I have. They were dusty but in good condition however the seller wasn't moving at £1 each. That's not a bad price to be fair but it's not really a car boot price and I didn't want them that much, so left empty handed.

Hi Split,

I have 3 Bburago 1/43 that need to go to a good home. How about £6 for all three including p&p.

[Datsuncog]

So, in relating what turned out to be even more of a rollercoaster weekend for old toy cars than I'd expected when I started typing yesterday, I should probably start with the DanBox arrival from the otherwise tat-free Tat Friday:

Nope, these two pull-backs aren't normally the sort of thing I'd go for - and I feel the need to hastily explain, once again, that these aren't really for me. In a (probably psychologically parlous) effort to relate to my brother's kids, I'm assembling a small box of interesting diecast which may amuse them at some point when they're a little older.

I seriously doubt they'll experience quite the same paroxysms of joy that a load of broken Lesney did for me when I was about three, but this stylised Porsche 911 and Beetle cabrio look like they'd be quite jolly scooting around the floor under their own motorised power, with their cheerfully daft and nonsensical graphics.

Although they're quite different scale-wise, these both appear to be from the same manufacturer, going by the codes on the base. The Beetle also has a stylised 'S' which may be a logo of sorts. The Porsche has a UK importer sticker adhering to the underside too, suggesting these were sold loose from trade packs rather than individually boxed. You know the sort, a vac-formed plastic tray with a dozen or so models in two rows, and a brightly coloured outer box that flips up to reveal the toys and provide a cardboard header.

These are actually in very good condition, with opening doors and frunks, so even though they've minimal collector interest I'd hope they don't get trashed. But kids will be kids, I know...

This no-name Austin FX4 taxi isn't in bad nick, and may scrub up alright.

There's a bit of axle shonk, but the plated bumpers might respond okay to some Molotow treatment to make 'em shiny silver again.

Luckily, a screw-on base should make repairs a bit less involved and a bit more kiddy-friendly.

The flip-down jump seats and divider screen make me suspect this is more-or-less a straight copy of the 1/36 Corgi FX4 from the late 1970s - I've a lovely boxed original example tucked away (sourced from @Dick Longbridge, I think), so I'll do a comparison at some point.

A bit of black Sharpie should render the paint chips a bit less noticeable - since this is also destined for the toy box, a concours resto seems a bit overkill...

Next, something for me!

A late-70s Matchbox Super Kings Scammell Crusader tractor unit.

The paint's a little rough, but it's complete and surprisingly the axles run straight - most of these seem to have annoying amounts of bend in them, including my later childhood original.

This allows me to complete a K-17 Container Truck, assembled using the various odds and ends I've found at assorted market stalls over the past few months.

The other bits of the set are still packed away, but hopefully I'll get to reunite them in a little while.

Another kiddie-focused piece, then:

A Matchbox MB8 Mixopotamus - dating from around 2004.

Yup, this was from the collector-reviled Hero City/ Ultra Heroes range from the early '00s, where vaguely animal-themed vehicles were produced in an effort to provide wide appeal and playvalue to kids who maybe didn't much care for realism in miniature models.

https://matchbox.fandom.com/wiki/Mixopotamus?so=search

Others at the same time included the Lock Boxer dog-security van, the self-explanatory Grasshopper Tow Truck, the Bull-Dozer, the Go-Rolla (a gorilla crossed with a road roller), the Milk Moover bovine tanker, and so forth.

I don't think these were particularly popular, and only lasted in the mainline range for a year or so. This one seems to be a 2004 only release, with no variations or any later outings in gift sets.

Surprisingly, I don't hate this - despite representing a bit of a low point in Matchbox design history, it's kinda chunky and the mixer barrel spins round.

But it was acquired for the kids, so... not one for my collection, no. It'll hopefully go on to fulfil its destiny, in time.

Curios now... and I plucked these from the sales thread simply because they interested me:

This no-name Chinesium 1970s Ford F-series pickup in police colours was one I don't think I've ever seen before.

Despite the cheap-looking wheels, the front end's not badly modelled.

And an opening bonnet with a detailed engine inside is a bit of a rarity at this end of the market. Nice.

Unfortunately, it's not been terribly well engineered and is a right bugger to close, but never mind.

Separately moulded load bed seating is another unusual touch; I dunno if this might also have had a canopy too, as there's a retaining slot in the rear panel. Comedy tow hitch adds further options for play.

No idea of a manufacturer - but I daresay one of you tat-fiddlers will be able to identify it from the D125 code.

Possibly from the same manufacturing stable is this poorly disguised Chevrolet Corvette targa:

Round pop-up headlights?

Rectangular rear lights?

Somebody's trying to avoid a legal writ.

It's a pity, in a way, as it's not a bad model. The manner in which the interior moulding's been extended to form a red stripe sandwiched between the black plastic base and the silver diecast body is a nice touch, even if it's a bit crudely done (I think Corgi used the same technique on their Juniors-size Corvette C5).

At this price point, I don't think anyone would be expecting such a detail - so clearly someone in the anonymous design team took pride in building in such a subtle touch.

With a code of D76 on the base, and a similar weird leather-effect patterning, it's quite possible this has come from the same manufacturer as the Ford.

My curiosity's satisfied now on both the Ford pickup and the legally-not-a-Corvette, so if anyone wants to take them for the 10p paid, I'll gladly add them to a Tat Box for you...

Good times! Thanks so much for these, @danthecapriman!

And now... what happened yesterday?

Read on...

[MiniMinorMk3]

14 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

 

Corgi Whizzwheels Monte Mini with half a roof rack, no sump guard and no lights at all. Paint not too bad and both roof wheels still attached so I'm very pleased with it.

 

 

 

 

Two type of wheel were used on the WhizzWheels Rally Cooper.

One on right has repro decals and roof rack with incorrect wheel in.

It does have a sump guard and base shows that it has been raced and rallied, a lot!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

18 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

So, in relating what turned out to be even more of a rollercoaster weekend for old toy cars than I'd expected when I started typing yesterday, I should probably start with the DanBox arrival from the otherwise tat-free Tat Friday:

Nope, these two pull-backs aren't normally the sort of thing I'd go for - and I feel the need to hastily explain, once again, that these aren't really for me. In a (probably psychologically parlous) effort to relate to my brother's kids, I'm assembling a small box of interesting diecast which may amuse them at some point when they're a little older.

I seriously doubt they'll experience quite the same paroxysms of joy that a load of broken Lesney did for me when I was about three, but this stylised Porsche 911 and Beetle cabrio look like they'd be quite jolly scooting around the floor under their own motorised power, with their cheerfully daft and nonsensical graphics.

Although they're quite different scale-wise, these both appear to be from the same manufacturer, going by the codes on the base. The Beetle also has a stylised 'S' which may be a logo of sorts. The Porsche has a UK importer sticker adhering to the underside too, suggesting these were sold loose from trade packs rather than individually boxed. You know the sort

These are actually in very good condition, with opening doors and frunks, so even though they've minimal collector interest I'd hope they don't get trashed. But kids will be kids, I know...

This no-name Austin FX4 taxi isn't in bad nick, and may scrub up alright.

There's a bit of axle shonk, but the plated bumpers might respond okay to some Molotow treatment to make 'em shiny silver again.

Luckily, a screw-on base should make repairs a bit less involved and a bit more kiddy-friendly.

The flip-down jump seats and divider screen make me suspect this is more-or-less a straight copy of the 1/35 Corgi FX4 from the late 1970s - I've a lovely boxed original example tucked away (sourced from @Dick Longbridge, I think), so I'll do a comparison at some point.

A bit of black Sharpie should render the paint chips a bit less noticeable - since this is also destined for the toy box, a concours resto seems a bit overkill...

Next, something for me!

A late-70s Matchbox Super Kings Scammell Crusader tractor unit.

The paint's a little rough, but it's complete and surprisingly the axles run straight - most of these seem to have annoying amounts of bend in them, including my later childhood original.

This allows me to complete a K-17 Container Truck, assembled using the various odds and ends I've found at assorted market stalls over the past few months.

The other bits of the set are still packed away, but hopefully I'll get to reunite them in a little while.

Another kiddie-focused piece, then:

A Matchbox MB8 Mixopotamus - dating from around 2004.

Yup, this was from the collector-reviled Hero City/ Ultra Heroes range from the early '00s, where vaguely animal-themed vehicles were produced in an effort to provide wide appeal and playvalue to kids who maybe didn't much care for realism in miniature models.

https://matchbox.fandom.com/wiki/Mixopotamus?so=search

Others at the same time included the Lock Boxer dog-security van, the self-explanatory Grasshopper Tow Truck, the Bull-Dozer, the Go-Rolla (a gorilla crossed with a road roller), the Milk Moover bovine tanker, and so forth.

I don't think these were particularly popular, and only lasted in the mainline range for a year or so. This one seems to be a 2004 only release, with no variations or any later outings in gift sets.

Surprisingly, I don't hate this - despite representing a bit of a low point in Matchbox design history, it's kinda chunky and the mixer barrel spins round.

But it was acquired for the kids, so... not one for my collection, no. It'll hopefully go on to fulfil its destiny, in time.

Curios now... and I plucked these from the sales thread simply because they interested me:

This no-name Chinesium 1970s Ford F-series pickup in police colours was one I don't think I've ever seen before.

Despite the cheap-looking wheels, the front end's not badly modelled.

And an opening bonnet with a detailed engine inside is a bit of a rarity at this end of the market. Nice.

Unfortunately, it's not been terribly well engineered and is a right bugger to close, but never mind.

Separately moulded load bed seating is another unusual touch; I dunno if this might also have had a canopy too, as there's a retaining slot in the rear panel. Comedy tow hitch adds further options for play.

No idea of a manufacturer - but I daresay one of you tat-fiddlers will be able to identify it from the D125 code.

Possibly from the same manufacturing stable is this poorly disguised Chevrolet Corvette targa:

Round pop-up headlights?

Rectangular rear lights?

Somebody's trying to avoid a legal writ.

It's a pity, in a way, as it's not a bad model. The manner in which the interior moulding's been extended to form a red stripe sandwiched between the black plastic base and the silver diecast body is a nice touch, even if it's a bit crudely done (I think Corgi used the same technique on their Juniors-size Corvette C5).

At this price point, I don't think anyone would be expecting such a detail - so clearly someone in the anonymous design team took pride in building in such a subtle touch.

With a code of D76 on the base, and a weird leather-effect patterning, it's wuite possible this has come from the same manufacturer as the Ford.

My curiosity's satisfied now on both the Ford pickup and the legally-not-a-Corvette, so if anyone wants to take them for the 10p paid, I'll gladly add them to a Tat Box for you...

Good times! Thanks so much for these, @danthecapriman!

And now... what happened yesterday?

Read on...

I was trying to work out who bought my old FX4 a while back! Glad to hear it's staying in your collection. 

[bunglebus]

35 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Beetle also has a stylised 'S' which may be a logo of sorts.

Speedwell (seems to also/sometimes be Sunnyside). Got a few of their efforts

[bunglebus]

44 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

no-name Chinesium 1970s Ford F-series

Zylmex - I'll take that one please

[bunglebus]

45 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Possibly from the same manufacturing stable is this poorly disguised Chevrolet Corvette targa:

Yep, also Zylmex. Exciting* headlight variation to find

[Datsuncog]

On 7/15/2023 at 2:16 PM, Datsuncog said:

I then wandered on down into town... I haven't really had much call to be back around my hometown for a fair few years now. I can't say I feel very attached to the place, for a variety of reasons, but I've been coming through a kinda introspective phase and somehow felt a bit of a tug to go back and have a nose around.

So this kinda sets the scene. I puttered on down towards the town centre to see what there was to see.

I was still thinking about diecast, but was basically on a bit of a nostalgia trip.

This place, tucked away down a little sidestreet, used to do brilliant snowballs - which in this part of the world involves two hemispheres of chewy sponge, almost scone-like in consistency, glued together with jam and then rolled in thin icing followed by desiccated coconut - but it's now a Boba Tea shop. Which wasn't yet open at 9.30 in the morning.

In fact, not much at all was open. And it was kinda hard to tell what was closed-right-now and what was closed-for-good.

Bingham Mall, once home to multiple small traders selling oddities and collectables, was definitely giving off vibes of the latter kind.

The years have not been kind to central Bangor.

This used to be the Clark's shoe shop and a branch of H. Samuel on opposite sides of the junction with King St. Both now long gone.

The former Dunnes store, which then became branch of Woodsides, has been vacant for well over a decade. Maybe longer. I used to get batteries for my personal stereo and blank TDK cassettes from here; they also did toys, but mainly the sort of cheapo stuff like the pull-back Porsche and Beetle above.

This used to be a pleasing trifecta for my teenage Saturday ramblings - Oxfam, the Ulster Hospice Charity Shop, and Woolworths. All gone.

Oxfam did the kind of retro clothing I favoured in the late 90s (except it wasn't so much retro back then, so much as just other people's old shit they were throwing out); the Hospice shop often had some great vinyl - an absolutely pristine gatefold copy of Jimmy Cliff's 'The Harder They Come' soundtrack for 10p remains my all-time best charity shop find - and Woolworths, of course, had diecast.

It's funny to think how many times over the years I must have pushed through those now-sealed doors with a birthday fiver in my hot little hands and emerged, glowing, with a Super Kings Plymouth Gran Fury police car or Corgi Juniors five-pack in those familiar plastic bags.

The same goes for what was once the Wellworths store - also my happy hunting ground for Matchbox, Corgi and other diecast.

They did Matchbox Dinky models, of the kind I'd just scored from the boot sale up at the Abbey, for £2.99.

The old Wellworths frontage now optimistically boasts of all the magical regeneration investment due to happen soon.

Yeah, sure. Call me cynical, but I've been hearing this bullshit for over forty years and the town centre's still a mess of of vacant demolition sites and derelict buildings, only more and more so.

Even the 'new' buildings constructed in the mid-90s, after yet another bomb tore Main Street to bits, are now lying vacant and semi-derelict.

Easons was the bookseller where I discovered Gary Larson's Far Side books, Doug Grant and Rob Naylor's Red Dwarf novels (derived from their BBC scripts, but somehow even funnier) and Douglas Adams' incomparable Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series.

I guess in a way this place was key to helping me develop my writing style away from something more formal to please my English teachers, and into the realms of the more comedic and absurd. I mean, I also got a fair few Thomas Hardy novels from here too - but honestly, does anyone really want a Tat Friday report in the style of Jude The Obscure?

Thought not.

Easons also sold Tamiya, Airfix and Matchbox model kits upstairs in their crafts and hobbies section.

An entire shopping mall, the Flagship Centre, now lying empty too - this housed Stewart Millar, a big independent newsagent who kept a good range of Corgi, Hot Wheels and Matchbox, as well as being where I bought my treasured copies of Jalopy magazine.

It's hard to know how to feel about all this.

But my ultimate destination today was McCulloughs... a long-standing toy and model shop which, over the years, has shrunk its diecast offering down from an entire shop to a small corner amidst nursery goods and general giftware- but still, stubbornly, continues to stock Hornby train sets and models.

Fair play.

This was always the place of dreams. Opened in 1961, they had all these heavy darkwood cabinets housing Vitesse, Solido, Minichamps and Bburago models - but also original Matchbox and Corgi dealer displays from the sixties.

My diecast obsession started here, and was nourished here.

I also worked here between 1996 and 1998, just weekends and holidays - which kinda made sense, as I practically lived in the place anyway during my free time, so may as well have been paid to straighten the shelves and price up stock while covetously ogling the latest Corgi Classics arrivals. And I generally converted my wages straight into staff-discounted models anyway.

And - based on a tip-off a few months ago from The Nemesis - they also keep a lot of older stuff these days. Nice stuff. Unusual stuff.

So I was here to see what I might find, having been cruelly, cruelly denied my weekly tat expedition by the depredations of the delivery courier yesterday.

And on completing that well-worn path to the front door, I found... the shutters down.

Ah, bollocks.

[AndyW201]

42 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Speedwell (seems to also/sometimes be Sunnyside). Got a few of their efforts

Superior too. I've got a 1/24 ish Ford Ka by them, seems to be the same logo.

 

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Look out!

Giant Crab mugger!

[AndyW201]

Usual abortive mission around the shops this weekend. Quite jealous of bunglebus' Majorette haul. My local Asda have been stocking Majorette for ages but it's all overpriced 5 packs (£10), city buses and coaches,

And 2 vehicle car/truck and trailer sets, like these

None of which interest me (although I wouldn't mind the quad bike trailer with something more interesting pulling it)

Local Morrisons has finally started selling Matchbox singles, to go with the 5 packs. Possibly not the best time though as it's  that same repetitive case that B&M and Tesco have been knocking out since the beginning of time...

All was not lost, Asda had the same old load of J case stuff in the blue rummage box, mainly down to the fantasy dross now. But on the next aisle was a solitary clipstrip with these three,

Yay! More Then & Nows. Presumably there'll be a '67 'Stang to try and find that nobody near me will stock! Although I've never really been a fan of this livery anyway.

Chuffed to find this one. Love this casting, especially in this colour.