Shite in Miniature II

[flat4alfa]

2 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

This one is an absolute swine to get hold of! Seems to be one of the rarer ones in the partwork

This fella seems to have cornered the market

 

[danthecapriman]

28 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

This fella seems to have cornered the market

 

Well that explains that! I’d certainly be repainting a few of those though.

[Datsuncog]

On 02/01/2024 at 09:34, flat4alfa said:

I thought Fresh Cherries were originally 1:87 but range later replaced by 1:64

Yes, I thought so too - only had two of them pass through my hands, but that seems about right:

A larger scale 1982 Dodge Aries, picked up at the market five years ago (and I had to check that several times because it seemed wrong, but yes indeed - January 2019 is five years ago now) - I'd guessed it as around 1/65 or thereabouts. Base suggests 2007 design.

Bizarre choice of subject matter, since these were Chrysler's absolute grey-porridge cars - though that didn't stop Hot Wheels producing an even more unlikely Aries wagon in-period, as part of their mainline range.

And then there was this smaller-scale Mercury Bobcat, a badge-engineered Ford Pinto, found on the stalls back in June 2019:

Great colour, but lamentably lacking a wheel somehow.

I'd guess-scaled this at 1/85, based on how it appeared next to a HO scale Mk2 Transit by Herpa.

But I'll not argue with 1/87 and 1/64!

I seem to recall TK Maxx having a load of the Fresh Cherries range in stock roundabout 2008 or so - I was intrigued when I saw them on the pegs, especially their rendering of the Dodge Omni (the Talbot Horizon's transatlantic second cousin), but I wasn't really buying diecast around that time, so I just left them. Never saw them again.

As I remember, they were priced about the £2.99 or £3.99 mark, so not really dear but not amazingly cheap either. They were probably about the same price as Oxford Diecast's railway scale models at the time.

Nice little range, though - well worth seeking out.

[Datsuncog]

On 30/12/2023 at 14:30, Datsuncog said:

Did manage to score myself this quite nice Chevrolet racing rig, though.

They had the Rover P6 on a trailer in there last week, which I took a shine to, but the queues were nuts so I just left it. They were all gone by the time I returned, though.

I snoozed, so I losed.

I've popped it from the blister pack now; they're really quite a nice duo. Pics later.

Pics quite a bit later...

Eh, you've probably seen this one before, but it's new to me, so here y' go anyway.

Seems to be a 1972 Chevrolet C truck fitted with a rear ramp body, carrying a 1961 Chevrolet Impala coupe.

Tampo detail on the all-metal grille isn't bad, given the scale.

As Premium Hot Wheels, the bases on both are metal and they're fitted with rubberised tyres.

The deeply dished rims on the Impala look pretty good.

I've no idea if this is meant to be any specific racer's colour decoration, but it looks the part. I know Mattel seem to be pretty free and easy in their general approach to racing decor, so I try not to get too hung up on it. But given the prices of their premiums, it wouldn't exactly kill them to just be a little more careful...

The C-series truck, modelled on the last of the second-generation 'Active Line' cabs before the introduction of the squarebody Gen-3 line for the 1973 model year, looks really decent (despite additional cat hair, not evident until I started cropping the pics).

I've never seen one of these wedge-bodied transporters in real life, but it seems like quite a good compromise to carry a car plus space for tools and parts.

Moulded-in ramps and straps add further realism, and the painted chequerplate appears decently finished.

Overall - a nice little combo. Not the sort of thing I'd usually go for, but it's really rather appealing and after I clocked it in The Entertainer I kept thinking about it for another week before buckling...

The reduced sale price of £12-odd was a little less salty than full RRP of like £19 or something.

[Datsuncog]

On 30/12/2023 at 14:57, bunglebus said:

I see the P6 still from time to time if you want one - Perks is an app just for NI and IOW apparently!

If you happen to find a Rover P6 from that range along with the vaguely Ford Econoline-ish 'Rally Hauler', then I'd be interested... cheaper's better, obviously, but I was surprised just how disappointed I was to find no more on the shelves last Friday.

Hmm.

Will also investigate the 'Poundland Perks' thing - if it's a card that knocks 1/3 off Hot Wheels, then I'm there for it...

[sheffcortinacentre]

7 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Here’s a few recent arrivals for my 1:43 collection. All from sellers in Europe since they seem so scarce over here!

First, and my favourite, Chevy Suburban. 
This one is an absolute swine to get hold of! Seems to be one of the rarer ones in the partwork. Absolutely fantastic looker though, great detail and printing for badges etc too. Really looks like the real Suburban too.

 

Another Bimbo van! This time a yank, Grumman box truck. 
Very plain basic vans but definitely captures the look of the real ones. 

 

Bought this one on a whim really but glad I did as it looks brilliant!    
Nissan Patrol. Again, great detail on it (there’s even little gauges on the dash!) and looks just like the swb Patrol. I’ll probably repaint this one into a more standard civilian colour tbh, Spanish fire brigade doesn’t really mean much to me!

Where did you get the suburban? I know someone who wants one.

[danthecapriman]

39 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Where did you get the suburban? I know someone who wants one.

A seller on eBay. They’re nowhere near as common as some of the others in that range though.

Heres one, 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325951208896?hash=item4be434bdc0:g:QKIAAOSw7nxlfxg9

[Split_Pin]

I was admiring the Chevy Truck and car in Smyths the other day but I just can't bring myself to shell out £12 for what I still see as 2 HotWheels (albeit very nice ones). That said, I did buy the Rover P6 for something like £7 but I really  wanted that one!

A lovely display piece all the same and no doubt very nice to handle with the all-metal construction and rubber tyres.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Cheers Dan forwarded.

[danthecapriman]

53 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Cheers Dan forwarded.

Greenlight do a very nice looking 1:64 version too. I don’t have one myself but seen one, so that’s an option if the 1:43 is too expensive.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Thanks again I'll pass it on, his is the barn door version too.

[bunglebus]

Ooh

I'm going in

[flat4alfa]

20 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Seems to be a 1972 Chevrolet C truck fitted with a rear ramp body, carrying a 1961 Chevrolet Impala coupe.

I've no idea if this is meant to be any specific racer's colour decoration, but it looks the part.

I've never seen one of these wedge-bodied transporters in real life, but it seems like quite a good compromise to carry a car plus space for tools and parts.

I went off a while ago to see if it was based on a racer but the livery looks to be fantasy.  Mattel HQ is at El Segundo California after all.  Does look in-period and smart, red roof is a good contrast

Wedge ramp trucker Derrick Chargenwhirler has done a few episodes with two gen-3 ramp hauler trucks like this sort of thing.  Vice Grip Garage YT channel worth a watch if you haven't already (betcha have, what am I saying)

Greenlight do a few Ford and GM ramp combos, examples is this C-30 combo for £23 which has rampy things to lose.  Both '67 and '72 Chevrolets are modelled

Ideal for haulage patio diorama occasions.  Check out this Parnelli Jones livery Ford F-350 and '67 Mercury Cougar if you want authenticies

Sorry abut the arse.

[MiniMinorMk3]

19 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

I went off a while ago to see if it was based on a racer but the livery looks to be fantasy.  Mattel HQ is at El Segundo California after all.  Does look in-period and smart, red roof is a good contrast

 

Greenlight do a few Ford and GM ramp combos, examples is this C-30 combo for £23 which has rampy things to lose.  Both '67 and '72 Chevrolets are modelled

 

I had a quick look to see if the Impala was based on a real car, but no, as usual Hotwheels have created a piece of fiction. It is a good representation of a NASCAR from that period with a dealership name on the rear quarter and the engine size on the bonnet. The biggest mistake on it is teh number on the roof, it is teh wrong way round. All NACAR Ovals go anti-clockwise, and the numbers read toward the centre of the track and on a banked oval the number on the model would be upside down.

 

By the way, the Greenlite '67 Camaro is also based on an actual car. It was raced by Dick Gulstrand in GT class events.

1967 Dana Chevrolet Camaro racer | ClassicCars.com Journal

 

[bunglebus]

There were a few goodies hiding in the 50p tub

Juniors Polo - cracked screen sadly

The usual Frosties Pontiac - only just dawned on me that they apply the tampo after the interior piece is fitted as it covers the hood scoop

Hot Wheels Pontiac GTO that really needs a different colour interior

And to make up the Poncho hat trick, an ERTL KITT

[Tenmil Socket]

19 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

There were a few goodies hiding in the 50p tub

Juniors Polo - cracked screen sadly

The usual Frosties Pontiac - only just dawned on me that they apply the tampo after the interior piece is fitted as it covers the hood scoop

Hot Wheels Pontiac GTO that really needs a different colour interior

And to make up the Poncho hat trick, an ERTL KITT

Looking at the original pic you posted earlier I wasn't expecting you to find anything decent in there!

[MiniMinorMk3]

Another Transfer project has been completed. I decided to do a bit of low hanging fruit as I am building up to the Vitesse models with their large body covering decals.

This time it is the turn of a Solido Porsche 934.

It is a model of the 1978 Le Mans Jean Louis Ravenel-V.S.D. entered Porsche 934, chassis number 930 670 0156. The car was driven by Jean Louis Ravenel and Willy Braillard. Jacky Ravenel and Philippe Dagoreau were also due to drive but the teams race did not last long as they retired after 35 laps with a broken injector pump.

After finding some pictures of the actual car...

it became apparent that Solido had been rather economical with the decals and it would not be possible to completely replicate the livery.

The decals sheet has labels to show were the decals should be attached.

So I just put the given decals in the correct places.

I started at the rear with the number roundel and rear lights. The Decal Fix had it's work cut out trying to get the roundel to lay on the compound curves.

Next a couple of VSD decals on the bumper

.

Then the rear screen and Assubels on the left.

Again another mistake by Solido. The right side door Assubel should have the logo before the lettering.

Front end VSDs right...

and left.

Finished. I said it was low hanging. It took about 30 minutes to do this one. A bit disappointing for the realist in me, but then it is a late '70s Solido, they were made to a budget.

And after the trouble getting the roundel on the rear to sit on the model I am going to have to get some of the better decal stuff from Microsol. I used to use it years ago and should have just got some more straight away.

 

 

[sierraman]

What is VSD? I remember having it on anything Spanishified as a kid, I figured it was a brand of fags or something? 

[bunglebus]

The race numbers look good but I don't like that VSD livery. Might be accurate but they make it look more toy-like somehow 

[bunglebus]

C cases in Entertainer. Not the most exciting mix but I pulled a couple of bits out

[danthecapriman]

This arrived today with a few others. Unusual car to do a model of!

A 1.3 no less! 
Im not totally sold on the green tbh, but it’s a lovely model. The interior is great too, just could do with a wash in grey/black to highlight some of the details a bit more. Rear lights and wheel trims are awesome.

[sierraman]

1 minute ago, danthecapriman said:

This arrived today with a few others. Unusual car to do a model of!

A 1.3 no less! 
Im not totally sold on the green tbh, but it’s a lovely model. The interior is great too, just could do with a wash in grey/black to highlight some of the details a bit more. Rear lights and wheel trims are awesome.

Wouldn’t the 1.3 have had steels with hub covers? 

[flat4alfa]

2 hours ago, sierraman said:

What is VSD? I remember having it on anything Spanishified as a kid, I figured it was a brand of fags or something? 

French, not Spanish.  However, the colourful 1981 Paris Dakar (class-winning) Overfinch Range Rover sponsorship and BMW Sauber M1 'rainbow' liveries (amongst others) was how it became known globally

VSD is a French weekly news & celebrity magazine, rivalling Paris Match, originally published on Thursdays.

First issue 1977.   Name was formed from the first letters of the following days into the weekend: Vendredi (Friday), Samedi (Saturday), Dimanche (Sunday)

 Isabelle Adjani - cor, remember her?

Current issue, now published on Wednesdays.  Subtitle currently: Voir (see), Savoir (know), Découvrir, (discover)

 Audrey Fleurot drives a Volvo in her TV show, so maybe she should be on here

[danthecapriman]

1 minute ago, sierraman said:

Wouldn’t the 1.3 have had steels with hub covers? 

No idea tbh. 
It’s weird like that, as being a 1.3 it’d be very basic, but the model has a much more Vanden Plas or MG look to it in places.

But, it’s left hand drive so maybe it’s some weird spec we didn’t get here? I know some countries had funny tax rules so you could get the smaller engines but higher spec trim and options.

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

The race numbers look good but I don't like that VSD livery. Might be accurate but they make it look more toy-like somehow 

The Solido decals are pants to be honest. There are companies that do good decals such as Le Mans Decals. Ideal for completing a particular grid where some models are not avaiable.

Porsche 934 - Le Mans 1978 nº69 - LEMANSDECALS

 

As for the VSD sponsorship, this 1/18th Minichamps shows the early Magazine logo with the days of the week.

Quartzo modelled the 1981 Le Mans VSD BMW M1

[sierraman]

17 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

French, not Spanish.  However, the colourful 1981 Paris Dakar (class-winning) Overfinch Range Rover sponsorship and BMW Sauber M1 'rainbow' liveries (amongst others) is how it is became known globally

VSD is a French weekly news & celebrity magazine, rivalling Paris Match, originally published on Thursdays.

First issue 1977.   Name was formed from the first letters of the following days into the weekend: Vendredi (Friday), Samedi (Saturday), Dimanche (Sunday)

 Isabelle Adjani - cor, remember her?

Current issue, now published on Wednesdays.  Subtitle currently: Voir (see), Savoir (know), Découvrir, (discover)

 Audrey Fleurot drives a Volvo in her TV show, so maybe she should be on here

One of life’s massive questions answered there thank you

[danthecapriman]

Here’s a pair of other similarly more unusual car choices from similar sources to the Montego.

Again, really nice looking models. I’m trying not to open them yet as they’re in blister packs not cases. 
The Fiesta is a driving school car, but I want to do it in metallic black like a car my sister used to have, a 1.4 Ghia which was a gorgeous car and it absolutely flew too! Died of rusty sills in the end. 
The Focus is very dark blue at the moment (looks black in the pic) but I’ve got a tin of Jewel green metallic here for it eventually to make the 1.6LX my parents bought new.

 

[Amelia]

I may have missed this, I've not checked in for a while. Have we seen this?

I've picked up an extra one in case anyone wants it...

[flat4alfa]

18 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Quartzo modelled the 1981 Le Mans VSD BMW M1

Didn't know about that one, it looks the best of the lot

Other efforts have been by Solido

Minichamps (also did a 1:18)

IXO

Spark

Ignoring Solido, notice there are two variations on the livery, car 51 and car 72.  That's because Team BMW Zol'Auto ran two cars

[bunglebus]

Entertainer finds, other than a couple of doubles for a mate, amount to these two.

Rockin' Railer reminds me of the 70s Matchbox dragster, and has a Rolamatic type feature to boot

BMW is a recolour