Shite in Miniature II

[flat4alfa]

48 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Wait while the truck is on the bypass and hijack it or drag the trailer at the services while the drivers asleep. 😂

Bruce Reynolds rang.

He can get a few together for a Great Toy Robbery next Monday, but not earlier as Buster Edwards has taken June away to Canvey to cheer her up.

[Jon]

The other day, I rejoiced after finding my Spot On NSU Prinz, which was hidden in this tasty Siku box:

So here's some words on the German and a little comparison, to boot.

 

Those more spatially aware readers may have worked out that in order to store a boxed car within another box, something has to give. And in this instance, it's the boat and trailer that were AWOL when I bought this, hence making it affordable. Incidentally, the seller was ridding himself of some incredibly juicy wares at the time, including a mint/boxed Impy Firenza, which I was high bidder on for 99.9% of the auction duration...

This Toronado was a nice consolation prize though, at a fraction of the cost.

 

Unsurprisingly, compared to a larger 1/42 scale Prinz, it's still longer!

 

This is a fairer scale comparison, I reckon.

 

I picked up this Pilen Toronado recently and I think it's fair to say that's it's a more accurate represention of the real thing.

First up, let us mirthily LOL at the inboard, skinny wheels of the Siku. Note also the hole at the rear, which is in lieu of a sticky out tow bar. Quite a neat solution, despite meaning only an early Siku car can connect to a early Siku trailer. I'm not sure quite what the tow hook looks like on the trailer and I doubt that one will ever come up for sale within my price tolerances. No great loss though, since the trailer would tower over the car so much.

 

A negative element of the Pilen is that I feel like it's overall a bit short/squashed. The lines are way more accurate but the Siku more embodies how long I feel a Toronado is. Especially the overly long bonnet.

 

Seemingly, Siku and Pilen somehow muddled up the font scales between the two castings.

 

Up front, it's more difficult to define the Siku effort as a Toronado - but top marks for appointing 4 tiny jeweled headlights. And all 10 O L D S M O B I L E letters, which are clearly legible.

 

The Pilen has an ace up its sleeve though, with closing headlights. A much sleeker look and it makes the casting look several years newer.

 

At the back, Pilen leads again but all the details are there on the Siku, just a lot more blocky. The Pilen wheels are also a good rendition of the trims seen on (later?) Toronados, too.

 

I'm no @AndyW201 when it comes to documenting interiors but I can report that both have them. The jarring gear stick and vertical steering wheel render the Pilen a distant 2nd to the Siku, which has a believably shaped centre console and even folding seats! I cant think of another casting this small that has those.

 

Finally, it wouldn't be one of my posts without a bit of needless artwank, eh?

 

So there we have it - two stabs at the same car, one ostensibly more accurate than the other but neither of them an actual loser. I'd rather not be ridding myself of either but if only one could stay, it'd be the Siku on scarcity alone.

[Datsuncog]

Cheers for that Jon - love the pics, and the writeup!

Two brilliant rarities there, neither of which I'm likely to encounter in the wild, so it's good to get such a detailed portrait and comparison of them.

[Split_Pin]

The Pilen Tornado looks uncannily like a Corgi casting, with a new interior and opening doors. Even the colour and the headlamp mechanism is the same.

[flat4alfa]

On 3/18/2020 at 4:24 PM, flat4alfa said:

WEDNESDAY TERRIFIC TORONADO TRIBUTE.  Who did it best?

In the white corner: the del Prado 1/43 scale example.  Length and breadth are spot-on at 1:43

In the blue corner: the Corgi Toys example with pop-up 'jewelled' headlamps.  It proves to be a little stumpy though as it measures to 1:51 for length and 1:48 for width...

But what's this!?  The del Prado model maker has fitted it with a rear differential!!  Oh my, it was going so well too!

I'm sure @Datsuncog mentioned this 'feature' in the past, but it was still alarming to see.  Maybe it's a horizontal cut-n-shut?

Corgi vs Del Prado Oldsmobile Toronado comparisoning  ^

[Split_Pin]

That's right Corgi went to quite some lengths to cast in the detail of the FWD transmission. 

Does anyone have both to do a comparison?

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, Jon said:

A negative element of the Pilen is that I feel like it's overall a bit short/squashed. The lines are way more accurate but the Siku more embodies how long I feel a Toronado is. Especially the overly long bonnet.

If you could measure the length and breadth of each, I'll put them into the spreadsheet to find out of the lot, who did it worse

[bunglebus]

I'll post this here as none of us will ever see one in person 

[flat4alfa]

US $125 https://www.ebay.com/itm/126021291238

I'm pretty sure BungleCustoms™ can do a better job

[mat777]

A recently completed commission for my, made by a talented member of British Phantom Aviation Group who has constructed a lot of the dioramas regularly auctioned for group funds.

Having seen his work, I asked if he could make a 1/72 version of my restoration project Sea King, ZG875, in the markings and weathering it would have had when written off in 1999. Despite claiming not to be a pro modeller, and being more used to 1/48 fast jets, he's done an admirable job!
It's built from an old Revell 04450 "Nato Tigers" Sea King, as this was the only HAS.6 kit we could find, with decals from aftermarket sheets.
As nice as a larger 48 version would be for the SK, the rest of my aircraft models are 72 and I wanted to keep things in scale, and I'd have struggled to fit a 48 in the available space earmarked for it.
It's now proudly completing the lineup on my "50 Cold War Shades of Air Defence Grey" shelf in my display cabinet 

 

[bunglebus]

Completely missed this shelf the first time I went in. 

Also realised they have a lot of old-school grot mags too

[flat4alfa]

I've just have to get a set of those glasses

[Dick Cheeseburger]

14 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

I've just have to get a set of those glasses which should help with the faraday

EFA

[Datsuncog]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

they have a lot of old-school grot mags too

They know their market...

[egg]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Also realised they have a lot of old-school grot mags too

Not ones with VHS tapes attached? *sad face*

[FakeConcern]

I have a few (about 50 I think) die cast I want rid of, is it best to put them on this thread or should I start a new one to avoid clogging it up?

[Nibbler]

I seldom buy big stuff. But this Safrane Bi-turbo bought in a charity shop and the massive Tatra 613 just had to be mine! 

[bunglebus]

36 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I have a few (about 50 I think) die cast I want rid of, is it best to put them on this thread or should I start a new one to avoid clogging it up?

I'd start a thread in the boot sale bit, and let us know when there's an update! 

[bunglebus]

16 minutes ago, Nibbler said:

I seldom buy big stuff. But this Safrane Bi-turbo bought in a charity shop and the massive Tatra 613 just had to be mine! 

What make are they (Tatra especially)?

[Nibbler]

27 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

What make are they (Tatra especially)?

Safrane is Ottomobile.

Tatra is Triple9 Collection.

[Spottedlaurel]

Stumbled across a village hall type place today which seems to be permanently set up to host a weekly charity sale raising funds for Ukranians. Not sure if they do charity shops otherwise here, I haven't seen any and this place was very busy, giving me the added bonus of seeing a 505 in the car park. I purchased these:

Prairie something of a restoration project, but for only 50c I couldn't pass it by. Majorettes were a similar price, Mercedes definitely better than the one I already have. Hadn't seen this double decker before, just titled "British Bus". Any thoughts as to what it's meant to be?

[Split_Pin]

The bus is fictitious which is why I have never bought an example. I prefer the Matxhbox 'Londoner' which is a DMS Class Daimler Fleetline with either MCW or Park Royal bodywork.

[flat4alfa]

2 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

I have a few (about 50 I think) die cast I want rid of, is it best to put them on this thread or should I start a new one to avoid clogging it up?

Could you cut it back a bit, say just 35 for now. It’s getting a bit stacked back here. Asking for a friend with a Faraday cage.

[bunglebus]

Londoners

London Bus

[Split_Pin]

The London Bus is a Leyland Titan. I had one of those for a while but I think I moved it on because I got an EFE version. I wouldn't mind finding another one.

[mat777]

21 hours ago, Jon said:

The other day, I rejoiced after finding my Spot On NSU Prinz, which was hidden in this tasty Siku box:

So here's some words on the German and a little comparison, to boot.

 

Those more spatially aware readers may have worked out that in order to store a boxed car within another box, something has to give. And in this instance, it's the boat and trailer that were AWOL when I bought this, hence making it affordable. Incidentally, the seller was ridding himself of some incredibly juicy wares at the time, including a mint/boxed Impy Firenza, which I was high bidder on for 99.9% of the auction duration...

This Toronado was a nice consolation prize though, at a fraction of the cost.

 

Unsurprisingly, compared to a larger 1/42 scale Prinz, it's still longer!

 

This is a fairer scale comparison, I reckon.

 

I picked up this Pilen Toronado recently and I think it's fair to say that's it's a more accurate represention of the real thing.

First up, let us mirthily LOL at the inboard, skinny wheels of the Siku. Note also the hole at the rear, which is in lieu of a sticky out tow bar. Quite a neat solution, despite meaning only an early Siku car can connect to a early Siku trailer. I'm not sure quite what the tow hook looks like on the trailer and I doubt that one will ever come up for sale within my price tolerances. No great loss though, since the trailer would tower over the car so much.

 

A negative element of the Pilen is that I feel like it's overall a bit short/squashed. The lines are way more accurate but the Siku more embodies how long I feel a Toronado is. Especially the overly long bonnet.

 

Seemingly, Siku and Pilen somehow muddled up the font scales between the two castings.

 

Up front, it's more difficult to define the Siku effort as a Toronado - but top marks for appointing 4 tiny jeweled headlights. And all 10 O L D S M O B I L E letters, which are clearly legible.

 

The Pilen has an ace up its sleeve though, with closing headlights. A much sleeker look and it makes the casting look several years newer.

 

At the back, Pilen leads again but all the details are there on the Siku, just a lot more blocky. The Pilen wheels are also a good rendition of the trims seen on (later?) Toronados, too.

 

I'm no @AndyW201 when it comes to documenting interiors but I can report that both have them. The jarring gear stick and vertical steering wheel render the Pilen a distant 2nd to the Siku, which has a believably shaped centre console and even folding seats! I cant think of another casting this small that has those.

 

Finally, it wouldn't be one of my posts without a bit of needless artwank, eh?

 

So there we have it - two stabs at the same car, one ostensibly more accurate than the other but neither of them an actual loser. I'd rather not be ridding myself of either but if only one could stay, it'd be the Siku on scarcity alone.

I'd always liked the unusual looks of the Toronado, so sow you've sent me off to ebay for a browse myself.... even though I don't have any room!

I must say this version, a make I've never heard of before, looks very nicely detailed for not a lot of money 😉

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185963773674?hash=item2b4c4dfeea:g:3MoAAOSwn7BjOFVC&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwPqJb8crm94eCO5SCGQ%2BNmkMQIdrnbHHznftCHktUXrbR5WbJWxr6rvljcUQxTgqbLlJrcT7xDTAsZ%2FEPPiSKv%2FgL7ShieuIDzEqqDwhajLJ%2FUOVNt%2BXJ6PdumlIHK69YGm6kP1SQ2cR0%2FbeQ13bk%2Bd9eimS4z1bwd5ISNqjGPaVPR%2FdZBHzcz4AJbtIWl4Dw3I4LL%2B8OlNp8Zz23T0vdyTuq73VzOHsqOXNa1Quz4e40NFBOR4mHlN3bb8XmMTl%2BA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR_ri3OayYg

[FakeConcern]

11 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Could you cut it back a bit, say just 35 for now. It’s getting a bit stacked back here. Asking for a friend with a Faraday cage.

There won't be anything all that interesting, I'll be keeping the mint boxed, Lone Star Droop Snoot Firenza in Group B livery.

[quicksilver]

12 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

The bus is fictitious which is why I have never bought an example. I prefer the Matxhbox 'Londoner' which is a DMS Class Daimler Fleetline with either MCW or Park Royal bodywork.

It reminds me of the Metsec-bodied Leyland Atlanteans in Jakarta, so not a 'British Bus' at all but an Indonesian one!

https://busesworldwide.org/wp/?page_id=40104

 

[Datsuncog]

1 hour ago, mat777 said:

I must say this version, a make I've never heard of before, looks very nicely detailed for not a lot of money

It is nice; I had one of those beige Toronados a while back. They're good value, especially when new 1/43 models seem to start at about £30 upwards these days.

DelPrado was a magazine partwork publisher (no longer trading) rather than the actual diecast maker - and this Olds was originally supplied as one of those magazine models which seem so popular elsewhere in the world, but rarely seem to make it onto UK shelves anymore.

Mostly they're manufactured in China by jobbing diecast factories - sometimes as specially commissioned new models, and sometimes they reuse other manufacturers' old castings by agreement (like the Norev and Vanguards tooling used for various Atlas Editions collections, or the Solido castings in the Cars Of The World set).

See also: Eaglemoss (who published the James Bond Car Collection using models by Universal Hobbies and later Ixo), Hachette, and De Agostini.

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, mat777 said:

I'd always liked the unusual looks of the Toronado, so sow you've sent me off to ebay for a browse myself.... even though I don't have any room!

I must say this version, a make I've never heard of before, looks very nicely detailed for not a lot of money 😉

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185963773674

That's the 'Del Prado' magazine partwork one I post about over the page

Part of the 'Ultimate Car Collection', Issue 28

Made by Universal Hobbies, Hong Kong