Shite in Miniature II

[Richard_FM]

3 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

I suppose it's because they were what I saw in toy shops as child of that decade, but I do find the early-mid '70s box art and colouring to be very attractive. Just seeing your photos of them in a window display is pleasing.

I remember Matchbox used to supply toy shops with display cases for the 75 range, though often the cars weren't in their boxes.  With a few cars I used to keep the box as a garage, but usually they would wear out being treated like this!

[flat4alfa]

11 hours ago, Richard_FM said:

I remember Matchbox used to supply toy shops with display cases for the 75 range, though often the cars weren't in their boxes.  With a few cars I used to keep the box as a garage, but usually they would wear out being treated like this!

If you mean the card boxes, yes they fell to bits. Surprising find in that Cash Converters window back the page - if the Hot Wheels one wasn’t there it would be a time warp back to my childhood and I can smell crumpets for my tea.

There were plastic boxes too, although I’ve never seen those, thinking they were US market only

 

Don’t remember any of those, just shop display cases and those child’s carry cases with the lift-out plastic drawers that survive everywhere 

[sierraman]

2 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

I’ve never seen those, thinking they were US market only

Lesney supplied the Formica shop displays, I’d love one of those, in the meantime I think I’ll just have to knock one up from some MDF...

[flat4alfa]

Dinky Toys went one better with their Mini-Dinky range

Each model came with its own garage, where it could be tucked away safely while it ate itself away due to ‘zinc-pest’

I have a good few of these Mini-Dinky now, all handled and loose, yet but have never found a garage, where did they all go…

Probably ‘plastic-perish’

[flat4alfa]

5 hours ago, sierraman said:

Lesney supplied the Formica shop displays, I’d love one of those, in the meantime I think I’ll just have to knock one up from some MDF...

Some do survive, although sell very well at auction when they turn up.  Which is why we have to make our own!

Also I remember the rotating shop displays well.  

Majorette also had something similar, not cylindrical but an upright cube, I think it was.  I remember taking ages over one choice and got my Dad annoyed...  it was a Simca 1300 Police, remember it well and still have it.

Yet I can’t remember what I just went out the office for

[sierraman]

If I could reproduce the Matchbox logos then I’d probably knock one up. I did make a really basic one a while ago from some 11mm ply. 

[eddyramrod]

I've reached the finish line with some more restos...  Let's begin with what arrived in a job lot wearing some horrible matt black all over it, a 1990s Chevy Caprice.

I thought the champagne gold was more appropriate.  This was probably a police car, going by the vacant holes in the roof and the green-and-white paint that lurked under the black.  Well now it can be a detective car.

Toofer next: Corgi Lotus Elan and Spot-On Renault Floride, both owned from new and resurrected with the aid of Mr Flowers.  The Lotus has gone into my Screen cabinet, as Emma Peel's car.

Now another job-lot arrival, and again a former police car, although this time I had to remove the roof fitments myself.  I had already done a Husky S1 to match my S2 Daimler that I had a little over 20 years ago, but I'm slowly replacing the small-scale models in the Personal collection with 1/43 (-ish) because they're easier for me to deal with.

Including hand-painting the whitewall tyres!

Now... here's one I've done nothing to, apart from taking it out of the box.

Among the James Bond partwork collection is this 1980s Dodge Ram pickup, which chases Bond in Licence To Kill.  It's part of the multi-petrol-tanker setpiece that sees off the baddie.  So, above is the "before" picture.

And this is "after."  Except it isn't really, because the movie pickup survives in the cabinet; this is an extra one that arrived recently.  It was more or less as-new, so a bit too good to paint really, but since I was only doing details it didn't matter.  I wanted it white, but it needed to have these red stripes you can see.  For why, Keats, for why?  Because years ago - 2000, maybe 2001 - MrsR and I were out for a Sunday drive in my first Cadillac when we saw this half-hidden behind the hedge on a farm.  With a For Sale sign on it.  So obviously I pulled in and made enquiries.  I got as far as sitting in it and starting the engine (petrol 360 V8 which is 5.9 litres) and agreeing a price with the farmer.  But I failed to raise the money in the timescale, and someone else got it.  So this goes in the Personal collection as one I nearly had.

There are several more on the bench so there might be another instalment in the near future.

[Tenmil Socket]

15 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I have realised that I picked these up from all manner of people over the years. 

 

I remember getting that blue Metro from Toy N Hobby when I was a kid… I need to find another. 
 

[tom13]

Anyone seen this? I assume scam but there are comments below from people who have supposedly bought it?

I know its not Smyths official Facebook page either.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02V1VyKJWgUrNUrDf1T2GVvNcXJzJ1pG2hRoK1sh34sLJauyv8jjxm76EvJt8pF85Vl&id=61550915647320

[flat4alfa]

4 hours ago, sierraman said:

If I could reproduce the Matchbox logos then I’d probably knock one up. I did make a really basic one a while ago from some 11mm ply. 

Which era would you like, Sir?

[matt79]

10 minutes ago, tom13 said:

Anyone seen this? I assume scam but there are comments below from people who have supposedly bought it?

I know its not Smyths official Facebook page either.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02V1VyKJWgUrNUrDf1T2GVvNcXJzJ1pG2hRoK1sh34sLJauyv8jjxm76EvJt8pF85Vl&id=61550915647320

I'm calling scam.

I've seen the same Facebook ad supposedly from The Entertainer with exactly the same offer, however this offer wasn't mentioned anywhere on The Entertainers proper website though, (couldn't find anything online via Google when I searched for the offer either.)

(Guess if it was genuine it'll be 100 of the shite fantasy castings anyway)

 

[flat4alfa]

Scam, report it

 

[Datsuncog]

Though ask him if he has any Cosworths in there, first.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact, you could probably do the scammer's nut in asking questions about which castings and colour variations they have, until their patience snaps and they block you.

[w00dy]

2 hours ago, tom13 said:

Anyone seen this? I assume scam but there are comments below from people who have supposedly bought it?

I know its not Smyths official Facebook page either.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02V1VyKJWgUrNUrDf1T2GVvNcXJzJ1pG2hRoK1sh34sLJauyv8jjxm76EvJt8pF85Vl&id=61550915647320

I was imagining a scammer with a little sign in his backpack trying to quickly snap a photo before he gets caught, but sadly it;s just photoshop.

 

[sierraman]

Found a matchbox Volvo 240 today!

[flat4alfa]

 

He said, step in my TRANSPORTER
So I can teleport ya
All around my heavenly body

This could be a close encounter
I should take care not to flounder
Sends me into hyperspace, when I see TOM's pretty face

He's just a Cosmic Guy
Also drives Ford Galaxy
My heart's at zero gravity
He's transmitting on CB frequency
On his Bedford.

Sends me into hyperspace, when I see Tom's pretty face

Sends me into hyperspace, when I see Tom's pretty face

 

 

Jamiroquai was created by Jason Kay from a Rutland boarding school, who became a homeless crim at 15.
The name of the band is a compound of Jam session and American tribe Iroquois.
He has a net worth of £51M and spends much of that on daft hats.
His dog ate Denise Van Outen's pants.  Good dog.

[sierraman]

Glorious. 

[danthecapriman]

5 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Glorious. 

Phwoor!! That looks good! I’ve yet to see one myself but it’s good to see they’re out there. I’ll definitely be on the hunt for one of those.

[sierraman]

6 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Phwoor!! That looks good! I’ve yet to see one myself but it’s good to see they’re out there. I’ll definitely be on the hunt for one of those.

I’ll keep an eye out for you if you want? They only had the one today. 

[danthecapriman]

25 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I’ll keep an eye out for you if you want? They only had the one today. 

Yes please if you don’t mind!👍

[Split_Pin]

That looks ace, well found. I'll keep my eye out for that one.

[Remspoor]

Today I lived a bit dangerously . Went to a big city.

First to a second hand shop. Saw only a few die-cast tat. Expensive. No makers names could be seen.

later went to another shop and near bu found a German brand shop called Tedi.it sells, well all sorts. As can bee seen in the images on this webpage. The shop I visited was a bit* more chaotic.

https://expansion.tedi.com/es/requisitos/

Some die-cast for sale. Matchbox was not priced. But the Hotwheels in the other bin was 1.5€ a time.

The Hotwheels image turned out really rubbish so I am not going to embarrass myself and post it here.

Ford Police Interceptor, Mini Cargo Truck,  Ford Mustang, Road Stripe King, Camaro, plus one or two others were in this bin.

 

[RoadworkUK]

Bargain!

 

[FakeConcern]

Managed to get to the Boot sale last Sunday

Buggy & Motor Home Mrs Concern's buys obv

I was a bit taken aback when I got home and found how big the Dinky Truck is...

That will have to go with the Corgi 1/36 I'm not* collecting at all.

Mrs Concern decided she didn't want this funny little buggy, but I like it and managed to find out what it is

Larami Corp 903

Only in the US & known as a Dime Store Toy Car

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175701444319

I also bought a couple of early Corgi Land Rovers with no interior or suspension

I've never owned a flat sided one of these Lan Rovers and these are both quite good really for 99p (+P&P) I was very happy. They have thetow hook in place and most of the paint. I need some of the big tyres for them now & I may get a tin canopy for one of them

[Richard_FM]

12 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Some do survive, although sell very well at auction when they turn up.  Which is why we have to make our own!

Also I remember the rotating shop displays well.  

Majorette also had something similar, not cylindrical but an upright cube, I think it was.  I remember taking ages over one choice and got my Dad annoyed...  it was a Simca 1300 Police, remember it well and still have it.

Yet I can’t remember what I just went out the office for

I remember a newsagents in Marple had a carousel like that!

[eddyramrod]

I had a look round town today for the Volvo 240.  Smyths is still under construction so can be disregarded, but I did look in Tesco, Morrisons, Poundland, Home Bargains, BuM and The Entertainer.  Not a 240 to be seen, although I did find the HW P1800 gasser.  But didn't buy one.

However, I also looked in most of the charity shops.

Several of these are HW, some are no-name, but with one exception they are all available, 50p each + post.

That one exception is the Corgi Junior Merc 190, because it's going to get painted to resemble one a friend owned, that I drove on occasion.

In the same bag was this Junior w114, which is going to become the cherished 114 of one of my Cypriot friends.

I also picked up this:

...which is rather bigger, maybe about 1/36-ish.  Like most of the little 'uns it's in lovely condition.  Unlike them it'll be a quid.  If they don't sell here they'll go into the stock in the boot of the Jag.

Now... who remembers what I said the other week about fibreglass cars?  Specifically, metal models of same; there's an inherent wrongness about a metal model of a fibreglass car for me.  However, I do have some, see below!

Starting with Lotus, and a few Bond cars.

Also Marcos...

The ubiquitous Beach Buggery...

Those are the Juniors, now for the seniors...

Not shown are the two that are still on the bench awaiting assembly, that have been through my resto process.

Let's look at the legendary Chevrolet Corvette...

The white one is a Junior, and is my rendition of Faceman's Vette from the A Team.

I'm pretty sure the Dodge Viper and Plymouth Prowler are fibreglass; anyone know for sure?

Now I know Reliants are fibreglass!

These are the Vanguards casting.  I could do with one more for painting purposes, at scrap price obvs.

The Renault Espace is/was fibreglass, n'est-ce pas?  Et aussi the Alpine?

And now some more Wants.  Scrap price always, of course.

These above are all from the Bond partwork collection.  There are actually two different 1960s Ford station wagons; I'll be delighted to see either land on my doorstep.  The gold Chevy is also offered as a police car and again, I'll be happy with either version.  The black car is a 1957 Ford Fairlane from Thunderball, also available as a white-over-brown convertible from Die Another Day.  I don't actually need either car, although it's often handy to have one for parts, but what I do need is the front bumper!  I have a convertible that's missing that piece, and I'm pretty sure the bumper off either will work.  Pretty please!

[bunglebus]

Bit early for this morning's assignment, so I had a squiz at Matchboxworld's Insta

Ruff Rabbit III is I think the Golf Country, a good one to compare to the 80s original 

Yes, Moggie is coming to the mainline, and I'll be lining that Continental up against an original Lesney too

I hadn't realised that the Cadillac ambulance had gained a large sunroof at some point - I wonder if I can fit the glazing into an appropriately modified hearse version so you can check out the infamous arm sticking out of the coffin?

[bunglebus]

Random bits in Asda

[NorfolkNWeigh]

12 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

Managed to get to the Boot sale last Sunday

Buggy & Motor Home Mrs Concern's buys obv

I was a bit taken aback when I got home and found how big the Dinky Truck is...

That will have to go with the Corgi 1/36 I'm not* collecting at all.

Mrs Concern decided she didn't want this funny little buggy, but I like it and managed to find out what it is

Larami Corp 903

Only in the US & known as a Dime Store Toy Car

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175701444319

I also bought a couple of early Corgi Land Rovers with no interior or suspension

I've never owned a flat sided one of these Lan Rovers and these are both quite good really for 99p (+P&P) I was very happy. They have thetow hook in place and most of the paint. I need some of the big tyres for them now & I may get a tin canopy for one of them

Seems somebody at VAG ( Italian Asian Wedding Rental Division) was influenced by the Dime Store Buggy.

[sierraman]

Saw the VW ID5 in The Entertainer as well, can’t stand the real thing but the diecast looked good. I can see the Volvo gets scalped, loads up for £9.99 delivered on eBay, I figure they must be making £1-2 per item, seems hardly worth it! In real terms they must be working a loss. If you could get £30 for it let’s say you’d be laughing, I’d completely get it. 
 

If the opportunity arises though I feel a Volvo 240 custom coming on, so the old style wheels like the Capri had, brown paint finish, bits of primer here and there. So I’ll keep an eye out when they’re a bit more common.