Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

Matchbox face left, right?

[danthecapriman]

Got a load more done the last few days. 
UAZ van has had the little windows behind the cab doors filled over, then primed. 
Both Buicks are being primer sprayed, the ex cop car has also had roof holes filled & sanded. 
Moggy Minor is now in the spray booth getting its main colour coat. 
A60 L car has had its roof hole filled. I want this to go rock solid before I start sanding it to shape though as it’s a big hole!

And, I’ve unwrapped the masking from the SEB Escort van and Dinky Transit,

Both came out really well I think. There’s a few bits that need tidying or tiny touch ups but overall pretty good. 
The Transit was just a random colour scheme really, I wanted to do something slightly different to a plain colour but also see how good my masking was!   
There’s still bits to paint, like bumpers, lights etc but I’m happy with them so far.

Another one went through the paint stripper today too - MB KingSize Mercury Commuter wagon. Another ex cop car that’s getting the civilian makeover!
 

[Datsuncog]

50 minutes ago, andy18s said:

Can I take the Presidential trio and the quad/trailer combo please Tim?

Sure thing - will put those aside for you!

[danthecapriman]

This one cleaned back nicely. And quickly! Old paint just shrivelled up and peeled straight off.

Dont they look nice in bare metal!? 
I think the dull patches are where the paint was chipped off for a long time and it’s tarnished the metal. Everywhere that was covered with paint still has shined up really nicely. Looks like new. 
This one is a really nice one, minimal damage, scratches etc into the metal. One of the Corgi Buick’s I’m doing was awful! Big dark patches everywhere, deep scratches into the roof, chunks missing on corners, dents the lot! You can certainly tell the ones that got used and abused!

[bunglebus]

I agree with all the above. Often the best ones to restore are completely overpainted as it protects everything.

Any excuse to post bare metal Commuters

[morrisoxide]

6 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Matchbox face left, right?

Look Mum I'm a Hot Wheels.

That reminds me I need to make the Smiler Grogan car from It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World Film.

I couldn't find a decent pic so have a video.

Did you see it, the way he went sailing right out there?

I'm sure the people at Matchbox are slowly making all the cars in this Film.

[bunglebus]

IMCDB FTW

And there's a black version

[Spottedlaurel]

I don't bother showing too many of my kit purchases on here, but I got a nice batch last week:

This one from @inconsistant on here. With what has been done to it so far I might continue with as a police cruiser, I have a couple of Joker Goon Car versions of the same kit to build in other ways.

Monogram did a series of these quite basic but nicely proportioned kits, I've done several others in the range. Happily I can build this one without the front spoiler.

Very pleased to get this one off eBay as BIN purchase. Early Fujimi release that I'm unaware of having been reissued, and it's about as close as I'll get to being able to replicate the much-loved 160J SSS I had back in the '90s:

One of the few kits that I've brought into the house and not stored out in the garage.

[Jon]

I spotted an SSS languishing unprotected at a public car park in the centre of Dunedin, in March 2022. 

 

Tow bar fitted naturally, because New Zealand.

I'm glad to say that when I passed it again in March this year (whilst collecting my van for a nice road trip back to the north island), it was in the same spot, equally intact.

Great to see it undisturbed - although plying the streets would be better, of course!

(Slight apologies for off topic non mini tat chat)

[Datsuncog]

Saturday's shopping safari didn't bring all that much new to tickle the Mattel aficionados in our midst...

Home Bargains had some from Hot Wheels' latest case on the pegs, but only about five of them, oddly.

Five-packs not bad value, though. Cheaper than Tesco et al.

Poundstretcher still well loaded up on older longcard Hot Wheels and Matchbox - at a price.

I'm still pinning my hopes on these going half-price sometime soon.

Couldn't resist picking up a couple from the early 2023 Matchbox range in cardboard boxes:

I know, I know, I've already got both the Ami and the Eagle in blisterpack format, and at £2.50 a pop they're amongst the dearest mainlines in chain stores - but there's just something so right about them when they're in little rectangular boxes.

The El Camino was from the fairly depleted pegs in Poundland; it was a comparative bargain at £1.50, and I bought it because I thought I didn't have it yet - but now I think I might already have it, only I can't find where I put it.

Yup, first world problems and all that.

Gonna try Tesco in the morning and see if they have anything to delight in the toy aisle...

[Spottedlaurel]

8 hours ago, Jon said:

I spotted an SSS languishing unprotected at a public car park in the centre of Dunedin, in March 2022..........

That's wonderful! Even has the Enkei wheels like I found for mine.

[sierraman]

I had a book years ago all about building model kits, it had a Mercedes 350 SEC in it done in rally finish, that’s as much as I can remember. Any clues to the title?

[Spottedlaurel]

18 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I had a book years ago all about building model kits, it had a Mercedes 350 SEC in it done in rally finish, that’s as much as I can remember. Any clues to the title?

Maybe this kit? Can't immediately think of the book, the best I found were by Mat Irvine (who worked for the BBC and used to occasionally appear on TV, stuff like Saturday Superstore). There was a small paperback, then an enlarged hardback some years later.

[sierraman]

12 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Maybe this kit? Can't immediately think of the book, the best I found were by Mat Irvine (who worked for the BBC and used to occasionally appear on TV, stuff like Saturday Superstore. There was a small paperback, then an enlarged hardback some years later.

That’s the one but they’d done some really cool weathering to it. I think it might have been a Hamlyn book? 

[sierraman]

Found it! Automobile Year Book 1983. Full of some really good contemporary stuff from the time. 

[Split_Pin]

Speaking of kits, I fancied getting another to keep my wife company in the New Year when she starts building her doll's house. I reeled at how much the price had increased in last couple of years or so. £60-£70 for a 1/24 Italeri lorry and between £30-£40 for a similarly scaled car. 

Does anyone know where I can buy reasonably priced kits? 

Otherwise, I'm out.

[Jon]

30 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Speaking of kits, I fancied getting another to keep my wife company in the New Year when she starts building her doll's house. I reeled at how much the price had increased in last couple of years or so. £60-£70 for a 1/24 Italeri lorry and between £30-£40 for a similarly scaled car. 

Does anyone know where I can buy reasonably priced kits? 

Otherwise, I'm out.

I was in a model shop in a nearby town a while back and they had one of those Italeri 1/24 Mk2 Transit kits available, at a smidge over the £20 mark, from memory.

I was sorely tempted but then remembered my terrible past history of building kits, so didn't buy. If you've not made one, the price sounds right and you could wait until late January to receive it, I'd happily nab it for you, if it's still there!

[Split_Pin]

Just now, Jon said:

I was in a model shop in a nearby town a while back and they had one of those Italeri 1/24 Mk2 Transit kits available, at a smidge over the £20 mark, from memory.

I was sorely tempted but then remembered my terrible past history of building kits, so didn't buy. If you've not made one, the price sounds right and you could wait until late January to receive it, I'd happily nab it for you, if it's still there!

Thanks Jon, I got one of those for Christmas in 2021, together with the Police Range Rover. They are both fantastic kits! They are both still for sale in Hobbycraft for about £40 (which is partly what prompted my post as I'd never want my wife to spent that much on me now) so if anyone else wants one I'd suggest hitting Jon up!

[sierraman]

39 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Speaking of kits, I fancied getting another to keep my wife company in the New Year when she starts building her doll's house. I reeled at how much the price had increased in last couple of years or so. £60-£70 for a 1/24 Italeri lorry and between £30-£40 for a similarly scaled car. 

Does anyone know where I can buy reasonably priced kits? 

Otherwise, I'm out.

I saw the Range were selling Italieri the other day but yes they’re £40, I’m not convinced I’d make anything like a good enough job of them! 

[Split_Pin]

The windows are separate parts and were the only fiddly bit. The one on the Transit was a poor fit as well. I used PVA glue to hold them in. Sometimes they fall out but they're completely clean and not a gluey mess!

[sierraman]

I’ve also nowhere to put them where they’ll not attract a shit load of dust either! 

[Tenmil Socket]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Speaking of kits, I fancied getting another to keep my wife company in the New Year when she starts building her doll's house. I reeled at how much the price had increased in last couple of years or so. £60-£70 for a 1/24 Italeri lorry and between £30-£40 for a similarly scaled car. 

Does anyone know where I can buy reasonably priced kits? 

Otherwise, I'm out.

Would you be interested in a Tamiya MX5?

[Split_Pin]

7 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Would you be interested in a Tamiya MX5?

I am skint at the moment, but yes I would if you don't need it away immediately.

I'm wondering if there is somewhere that can be a regular source of kits for the future.  Ebay prices are just as silly.

[sierraman]

God I’ve gone down the hole of Italeri Truck Kits. Those Volvo F12 kits look amazing, I suppose when you think about it £50 is not that bad. I’d spend that if I went into town for a drink, instead I’d be in the warmth at home with my fingers stuck together with poly cement and a few cans of Directors Bitter. 

[Split_Pin]

I have very fond memories of spending many a winter evening as a teenager sat on my bedroom floor building a model kit truck. Although they won't win any prizes, I still have them on my shelf. The only one that didnt survive was a Daf 95. It was the first lorry I built in 1992 and I made so many mistakes. I learned from them though so subsequent builds were a lot better but that meant the Daf looked terrible next to them. It was too far gone to repair so some years later I bought the same kit again, made a good job of it and broke the old one up for spares.

Good times.

[MiniMinorMk3]

I built quite a few Monogram kits at our caravan in the 1970s. There was a good model shop as you got into Hastings that all sorts of great stuff. I think the kits cost about £3 or £4 at the time.

I used to be able to just about finish one in a weekend.

Here's just a few of the ones I built

One Christmas I got this 1/8th scale Corvette. Originally I built it without painting it as I did not want to get brush marks all over it. A few years later I rebuilt it, brush painting it dark red. It got scrapped when we moved house, along with all my others. It was huge and took up a whole shelf in my cabinet.

 

[bunglebus]

Stopped at Bradley Stoke on my way into Wales. This is the scene at Poundstretcher 

No bent cards either 

[bunglebus]

Had a scout around Cardiff, Poundland Poundstretcher One Below and Entertainer netted not a lot. Tomorrow I have half a day kicking my heels so I'll investigate some out of town places

[bunglebus]

Entertainer had this Chevy Monte Carlo - why do I want to put this on stupidly large wheels?

Poundstretcher had a couple of boxed Matchbox I took away

[Datsuncog]

Love the way Poundstretcher are pushing the 'Value!' angle for Hot Wheels, despite charging 68% more than the other discounter outlets either side of them (Poundland and Home Bargains, in my local shopping centre).

Still, guess I'm buying them anyway, so the joke's on me...

Quick squizz through Tesco earlier didn't yield very much:

Same old, same old. No Volvos, or much else to interest.

Hot Wheels now part of some sort of Clubcard Deal, working out at £1.75 each:

Not really much left in there worth having, though.

Jada items also getting the Big Yellow Price Ticket treatment:

These have been here for a while, but don't seem to be shifting - maybe kids nowadays don't get the transatlantic reference to 'pink slips'/ registration documents, and reckon it's something to do with Barbie...

Opened the boxed Ami last night, too:

Somewhat gratified to see these 2023 releases are just wrapped in tissue paper, rather than sealed into plastic bags like the older releases were.

This is actually quite good fun; was able to see the detailed interior by shining my phone torch behind the very dark smoked glazing unit.

It's an unlikely little toy, but I'm kinda fond of it already.

It also means I can keep my blister pack example unopened...