Shite in Miniature II

[flat4alfa]

On 16/12/2023 at 17:11, shampooefficient said:

Could you help me find a saloon Omega facelift that doesn't look like a failed experiment involving Lego and a blowtorch? Got a couple of pre facelifts in civvy and plod livery but have never found the 2000-2004 model...

Rialto Models (Holland) did a B2 Omega in 1:43 and resin.  Available in kit or built form.  Saloon and Estate bodies.

Tins Toys (China) did a die-cast effort in 1:43

Otherwise I'd look for a sister model Cadillac Catera MY2000 facelift.  

Holden Commodore VZ / Chevrolet Omega (Brazil) kept the separate grille (not part of the extended bonnet) to the end, so that won't help.

[bunglebus]

Wheel variations!

[Split_Pin]

It could just be the light but that bottom one looks closer to the shade of blue my original car was.

[eddyramrod]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

To cheers myself up I thought I'd have a look at what I think is one of the most oddball toy cars of my childhood.

Majorette No. 253 Oldsmobile.

I was given this twin set as a gift when I was around 2 or 3, probably for Christmas, so that would be 1981 or 1982. 

The opening bonnet, the sail boat (which originally had a folding mast) and the Ford Cortina-like proportions always made it feel like quite a relevant toy and I played with it a lot. Sadly the original car from my childhood is long gone, probably stolen or swapped away but miraculously the fragile boat (together with the trailer) survived.

About 5 years or so ago, I bought from ebay, at quite considerable expense, a replacement car. They are seemingly quite rare now and I had to get it directly from France. I'm also convinced the original car was a lighter shade of blue however the overall condition of the replacement was almost identical to my childhood example.

At that time I also carried out some research on the real car and what a weird choice of subject. The Oldsmobile Omega 2nd Generation was a short-run US domestic subcompact car which suffered from quality issues, together with an on-paper performance and specification that is as forgettable as your last potato. Its therefore an extremely strange choice for a French toy car manufacturer but I'm so glad they made it.

The real car was transverse engined and front wheel drive with an option of 2.5 4 cylinder or V6 engines but some artistic licence from Majorette sees it with a longitudinal V8, much more suitable for towing a yacht. I'm sure a Yacht owner could have afforded a more powerful car though!

I had two or three of those but they were early casualties of my Diecast Clearance.  Naturally since then I've decided I should probably have a model of the equivalent Buick, which I was offered about 20 years ago when I had my 1980 Century Limited sedan.  Which means I need to find a playworn Olds to modify and paint.  The Skylark I nearly bought was maroon.

[Split_Pin]

Incidentally the 1st Generation Olds Omega is almost identical to the Chevy Nova which Matchbox made a model of. So I technically have both generations now.

[Spottedlaurel]

Another Majorette I didn't know about!

I actually prefer not knowing the full list of what they offered, makes it more exciting when I stumble across something that is new to me (like the Giulietta a week or two back).

[flat4alfa]

Previously posted Majorette catalogue scans. 

@Spottedlaurel Do not click!

[Datsuncog]

It's the surprise element of finding something I didn't know existed that made me so excited as a kid - and I think that's still the part I like the most.

I went through a spell of buying up sequential catalogues and collector books so I'd know all there was to know about certain manufacturers' product range, but... y'know, there's something to be said for the magic of a surprise find.

Hence my continued market pilgrimages...

[danthecapriman]

11 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

It's the surprise element of finding something I didn't know existed that made me so excited as a kid - and I think that's still the part I like the most.

I went through a spell of buying up sequential catalogues and collector books so I'd know all there was to know about certain manufacturers' product range, but... y'know, there's something to be said for the magic of a surprise find.

Hence my continued market pilgrimages...

I do like that element of it too, but I get fear of missing out!😆

So many times I’ve missed opportunities then when you find out it is/was a thing years later Theyre either rare and hard to find = expensive.     
or.    
considered collectible & vintage = expensive.    
 

Sometimes finding out about these things early on means you can get one before the prices go up. There’s certain things I really like and it’s usually those same things that end up commanding the premium prices years later when I’m after one. 
It does ruin that little bit of excitement you get when you do discover something new and different though.

[Split_Pin]

I am still discovering new shite in miniature. For example I didn't know Polistil made a very fine Lancia Beta until this year or that big Dodge Ambulance thing. 

Here's one:

A Mebetoys Volvo 343 in 1/25. I'd have had a funny turn if I saw that in a shop as a kid in 1982.

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Another Majorette I didn't know about!

I actually prefer not knowing the full list of what they offered, makes it more exciting when I stumble across something that is new to me (like the Giulietta a week or two back).

I spotted a Celica on eBay earlier which I'd not been aware of. Wasn't cheap as part of a job lot unfortunately 

[shampooefficient]

2 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Rialto Models (Holland) did a B2 Omega in 1:43 and resin.  Available in kit or built form.  Saloon and Estate bod

 

MASSIVE thank you! Tooo the Google tin!

[danthecapriman]

3 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I spotted a Celica on eBay earlier which I'd not been aware of. Wasn't cheap as part of a job lot unfortunately 

I’m 99% sure I had one of those years ago. Pretty sure it was in one of those big multipack trays of chinesium cars you could get cheaply. 
I got rid of them all years ago though, assuming it survived, but I wish I hadn’t now!

[Tenmil Socket]

On 12/12/2023 at 10:28, Tenmil Socket said:

I paid for a job lot off eBay last night, buy it now.

Any 'gems' amongst them (these weren't my era so not fully clued up on them)?

The parcel has been received. Hoping to go through it tonight if I get chance.

£8 postage and they only live a couple of miles away! 

[sierraman]

33 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I am still discovering new shite in miniature. For example I didn't know Polistil made a very fine Lancia Beta until this year or that big Dodge Ambulance thing. 

Here's one:

A Mebetoys Volvo 343 in 1/25. I'd have had a funny turn if I saw that in a shop as a kid in 1982.

I think I’d have immediately wet myself in excitement upon seeing that. 

[andrew e]

The bonnet on the olds is a bugger to open - either that or I used to bite my fingernails as a kid!

[Split_Pin]

27 minutes ago, andrew e said:

The bonnet on the olds is a bugger to open - either that or I used to bite my fingernails as a kid!

Probably for the best as Majorette opening bonnets tend to break off very easily!

[sierraman]

I remember the Ford Thunderbird they did had a bonnet prop? 

[Split_Pin]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

I spotted a Celica on eBay earlier which I'd not been aware of. Wasn't cheap as part of a job lot unfortunately 

I had one of those, bought from a newsagent on the Island of Arran in 1992, together with a Citroen XM and an ElCamino and glider. I thought it was quite a strange looking thing but the pop up lights were fun. Mine was white with rally graphics so quite close to those I remember seeing on telly when the car rallying was on.

[bunglebus]

Should I feel a bit guilty cleaning the kid paint off this Tonka bug?

it was quite funky

Paint came off after a bit of a soak in oven cleaner, then a polish for the plastic body and a whizz over with a brass brush for the base.

The wheels are really odd, they look dirty but they're actually clear plastic, and incorporate a sort of guide that locks into the body

[flat4alfa]

20 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

I didn't even know French Dinky was a thing until recently and this R16 is the first I've bought

I need to compare it to the Corgi one which has folding rear seats to this ones sliding seats

Have a catalogue.  For Meccano France 'Dinky Toys' 1965, it made the cover!

 

Unsurprisingly still in the catalogue for 1970

If you look at page 4 of the 1965 catalogue (and page 9 of the 1970), you can see Dinky France did their own Ferrari 250 GT that would go well with your Solido

Quote

There is an example back here, bought off flea-market in France last year 

Had to have it, only seen in photos before

Rusty wheels is not something I see much on UK-made Dinky

But still had to fork out 9 Euros for it, after a barter effort in my broken French

It has an OPENING THING!  With an effort to represent the Colombo V12

It has another OPENING THING too, which needs help staying up

 

There are also Dinky and Corgi Renault 16 examples here too, to run a Who Did It Worse? comparison, if anyone is interested

Doth do have opening bonnets and boot lid, but not only that, each has a SPECIAL MECHANISM to explore

[Split_Pin]

I discovered French Dinky from everyone's* favourite Toy Cars book in 1991 but the author makes no mention of how uncommon and expensive they are in the UK. I have only one, but it was the Holy Grail in that book for me, the Citroen 3CV which I found at a swapmeet in 1998. Thank goodness for Atlas reproduction versions,  of which I have 4 so far.

[MiniMinorMk3]

20 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

 

The Politoys Corvette Pininfarina Concept is nice, shame I didn't see the cracked A pillars and glazing due to poor light, but I think I'd have had it anyway

As far as I can make out most of them don't have the Whizzwheels/Speedwheels lookalikes on them, but I quite like that. I'm not sure if the chequred stripes would be original or not

 

That car is known as the Rodine Corvette. Originally it had a reverse slope window like an Anglebox, as seen on this Matrix model.

This link has some history of how the car came about and some pictures 

Rondine: The Chevrolet Corvette with Italian Genes - Dyler

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I am still discovering new shite in miniature. For example I didn't know Polistil made a very fine Lancia Beta until this year or that big Dodge Ambulance thing. 

Here's one:

A Mebetoys Volvo 343 in 1/25. I'd have had a funny turn if I saw that in a shop as a kid in 1982.

Have you ever seen a Stahlberg 343?

Stahlberg, of Norway, made 1/20th scale plastic models of cars for selling at main dealers. I've had a few Volvos and Saabs pass through my hands over the years.

They are very good models and coming in various colours that mimic the actual colours used by the manufacturers.

Stahlberg Models - Wikipedia

 

 

 

[Split_Pin]

1 minute ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

That car is known as the Rodine Corvette. Originally it had a reverse slope window like an Anglebox, as seen on this Matrix model.

This link has some history of how the car came about and some pictures 

Rondine: The Chevrolet Corvette with Italian Genes - Dyler

 

 

 

Have you ever seen a Stahlberg 343?

Stahlberg, of Norway, made 1/20th scale plastic models of cars for selling at main dealers. I've had a few Volvos and Saabs pass through my hands over the years.

They are very good models and coming in various colours that mimic the actual colours used by the manufacturers.

Stahlberg Models - Wikipedia

 

 

 

Yes I have one, plus a 240 GLT and a Saab 900 Kombi. Fantastic pieces and although a little on the pricey side they are very common on Ebay and you can pretty much pick any Volvo or Saab from about 1970 to 1988!

[flat4alfa]

12 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Citroen 3CV

Well I never

They didn't call it that in the catalogue, or on the box

TIL.

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

[bunglebus]

This Solido is the only old Ami I have

Apart from my partner Aimee but I don't think that counts 

[bunglebus]

On 17/12/2023 at 13:21, barrett said:

Mebetoys No A23, 1967 Chaparral 2F

Only just found my pics but I have this lovely Joal Chaparral 

[danthecapriman]

I’ve got the French Dinky Renault 4, Chrysler Saratoga and Chrysler 180. And the reproduction Ford Galaxie and Ford Thunderbird.

[bunglebus]

Had a mooch around the shops earlier. 

Poundland are slowly putting out more of the orange Opal mix of Matchbox - they had a few on the pegs last week and the bloke was trying to tell me they come in a box mixed with Hot Wheels 🤔

Home Bargains have cornered the market in monster trucks

Entertainer had a sealed B case, with no regular Treasure Hunt. Some bloke got the hump because I had "all the Escorts" (two) and he "just wanted one for the little 'un".

Righto mate, pull the other one. Probably the same bloke that took all the Escorts out of the last box they got in!