Shite in Miniature II

[danthecapriman]

2 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

See if you can spot my silly mistake on this re paint Haha

 

Two of the same door!? Nice finish on it though.

[Richard_FM]

23 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Thanks. I'll probably never top the completion rate of 2020, but I am still plodding away with a few. Got a Celsior and Fiat 131 Abarth to finish, and I've just started on a couple of Datsun 240ZGs.

Good to hear!

[danthecapriman]

10 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

That's all looking great! I don't know how you get on with it so quickly...

I always think I’m slow! 
It’s frustrating at the moment with all my modelling stuff being packed away. Which unfortunately means I can only go so far with certain things. All my paints for brush painting are packed, chrome pens packed, air brush packed… most of my tools are too. I spent ages looking for a steel ruler the other day! Couldn’t find any of the 3 I’ve got so had to go buy another one! Drives you mad.

[Surface Rust]

6 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Took the head staggers and unboxed the Premiums Escort RS1800 from last week.

It's a corker.

Fairly weighty, too.

For such a small model, the level of detail's fairly impressive.

I tend to think of these as quite pricey items at £9, but then again a new Oxford Diecast 1/72 model costs something similar these days...

I'm quite enjoying all the slightly more workaday British/ European/ Japanese vehicles coming from Mattel at present - for so long, their output seemed to be focused on European exotics and American muscle cars, and I've only got a certain level of enthusiasm available for them.

Mk2 Escorts prepped for tarmac rallying are something of a rural Ulster institution - it's amazing how many oul lads on hill farms way up in the Sperrins have something squat and square under a tarp in the corner of a barn... "Aye, she's Cosworth BDA engined... had a wee knock in her on one of the night stages on the Circuit of Ireland back in, lessee, must be '94 or '95... but I'll get her going again!"

Growing up, there were two brothers down the road who had sundry knackered performance Mk2s rotting away in their front garden, along with a few Mantas and (more unexpectedly) a Delta HF Integrale.

So, in a way, this feels like a very local model - and kinda special because of it.

Special enough to evict the Group 2 P6 from its trailer?

Maybe.

Not convinced you'd see many service vans in those colours rolling round the Sperrins, but the Escort looks smart.

There's just something so right about a MK2 rally car.

[Datsuncog]

[Datsuncog]

Very bright moon this morning... initially made me think that the neighbours had left their outdoor lights on overnight.

A crisp 3°C, but no snow, ice or frost thankfully...

The main stall was busy by 7.30:

But I managed to slip into a gap...

[Datsuncog]

As well as the tinplate stuff left over from last week, there was some new stuff out on the stall:

Kinda mixed.

But there were new tat boxes. And they weren't half bad. Some smaller stuff...

And some bigger stuff.

As ever, our local friendly Nemesis was already having a good old hoke, with a fair few goodies set to the side.

Curses.

Small stuff involved many of the Lesneys and Huskys we know and love...

Quite a few had been on the receiving end of the Humbrols, though.

Majorette gooseneck camping trailer was quite nice, though.

Again, bit of a mixed bag in the bigger box...

A lot of repaints in here, and a wide range of eras. Noddy Car is by Morestone.

Matchbox from the fifties to the nineties, plus assorted modern bits.

Dinky Rover P4 looked ok; Lesney King Size Foden missing its tipper flap but otherwise not bad. Corgi Pug 505 cycling support car a bit worn, and lacking accessories.

Corgi DS saloon quite clean (there was a Safari in there also); Highway Maintenance Mazda B1800 had sadly suffered from hitting a lump of debris at speed.

Thunderbird was an odd one - labelled as a DCMT Roadmaster, so pre-dating the Lone Star branding.

Worn, but still eminently displayable.

Brace of Corgi Whizzwheels R-R Vigilants - paramedic and police variants.

Dinky Hudson Hornet not all that common, I don't think.

And this tired but still fairly magnificent Polistil Citroen BX in 1/24 scale...

As you may imagine, I was happily picking through the boxes and scooping potential purchases, when I thought to enquire what the tariffs were looking like this week.

Ten pounds on the stuff in the big box.

Five pounds on the small stuff.

And the 1/24 items?

£20.

Oh.

[Datsuncog]

So that was a bit of a gunk.

The maddening thing is that he's looking £2 for boxed MoYs, Lledos and EFE trucks in here...

But he wants £5 for the chipped, unboxed MoYs and Days Gone and the Humbrol'd EFEs in the smaller box.

I mean, what?

Really?

So, in a bit of a tizz, I went for a wander to Think About Things.

[Split_Pin]

I was about to say please can you nab that BX for me.....

Also the Kojak Regal.

But at £20 and £10 respectively it's a no from me.

Dreamers!

[Datsuncog]

There wasn't very much to be seen anywhere else. The Irish Tat stall seems to have slowed down the procurement of new items lately, so there was nowt there to tantalise or tempt.

The Charity Stall seemed to have sold the Corgi Supervan from last week, and the best they could offer was a chipped and trackless Joal digger and a Majorette Transit Mk3 minibus.

I quite fancied the Transit, but as ever, the stallholder was nowhere to be seen.

I stood around for a few minutes, impatiently, and when no further evidence of a proprietor appeared, hid it under a stray plush rabbit for retrieval later.

On wandering back to the stall, more items had appeared up top...

More boxes of Corgi and Lesney too.

But honestly, I can't be paying those sort of prices for these. I'm not quite seeing a tenner's worth in most of the items offered.

I'm not seeing £20 in a Polistil Jag XJ12 with missing lights and broken bumpers, either.

Apparently The Nemesis does, and in fairness that Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle does look quite clean and complete, so more power to his elbow.

Some boxed stuff had also appeared, but I wasn't quite feeling it.

I didn't even ask how much the boxed Quartermaster was - going by the rest of the wares, probably more than my house is worth.

One thing that did catch my eye was this Corgi Classics set...

While I've minimal interest in acquiring a Bedford OB coach or O Series Pantechnicon, especially in made-up liveries, it seems this set is a slightly unusual piece of Corgi corporate history, reflecting the Mattel takeover of 1991 and closure of the Fforestfach factory.

And it's signed (smudgily) by the then-head honcho of Corgi, Chris Guest.

Presumably this was only made available to Corgi Club members.

Maybe it's not that rare; I'm just not aware of having seen another.

Box is a bit knackered at the back, plus the cartoonist's pic looks a bit like a police manhunt photo.

Mildly diverting as a piece of diecast history, then - but not a set I've any great desire to own.

So, what to do then?

The Nemesis handed over a wad for his purchases and left into the brightening morning; while I just stared at the boxes of not-quite-worth-it tat and wrung my sad little hands.

Argh. Dilemmas. Decisions.

No. Not worth it, not today,

Maybe he'll have the box items back at a lower price point next week; that's happened before.

I went back over to the Charity Stall, hoping to still come away with something from this morning's tat safari, only to find some other rotter had already moved the rabbit and swiped the Transit.

What do we say, kids?

[Split_Pin]

I remember that Corgi set well from the collectors magazines at the time.

[flat4alfa]

11 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

What do we say, kids?

[flat4alfa]

Wait ....is that Budgie Tefal-Head Foden £10?

[Datsuncog]

Yes, but the trailer was missing its base, hitch and axles.

Also, The Nemesis bought it anyway...

[Datsuncog]

Even a late, post-coffee spin over to Alan's Emporium couldn't turn things around:

Meh.

I think it's a something of a busted flush today, kids.

Some decent stuff, but waaaay too spendy.

Ah well. Swings and roundabouts, hey?

Happy Friday, nevertheless!

[flat4alfa]

 

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Yes, but the trailer was missing its base, hitch and axles.

Also, The Nemesis bought it anyway...

Boo... ah well

Never seen one of those, apparently why is because they are scarce.  In 1:76, produced 1961-64

Creating a base out of plasticard shouldn't be too much of a headache

The real thing.  Thompson Brothers produced these 

Notice the Foden badge just covered by Esso logo badge.  Two extended ones 'Python MkII' were used at London Airport.  Not sure why/when Pluto became Python

ESSO airport fleet also had AEC at Dublin.  Check out the pre-'Aer Lingus' branding Boeing 707

[quicksilver]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

 

 

@Datsuncog was this in the £5 or £10 box? If the former can you grab it for me please?

Nemesis got a bargain with that Budgie Foden. A battered trailer missing its tractor unit went for almost as much on ebay recently and the only one currently for sale is even worse and £35!

[danthecapriman]

How incredibly frustrating! But your right not to get suckered into overpaying, which it most definitely was.

Mr Nemesis must have spent some coin though!

[andy18s]

So this arrived a few days ago,missing it's mirrors but at half the normal price I couldn't say no.

And the Mrs is a Scooby fan so a win win for me....

[sierraman]

Does the Nemesis flog them on through EBay do you reckon or does he just collect?

[flat4alfa]

BP commissioned Thompson Brothers AEC Mammoth Majors as well

BP also commissioned SARO AEC Mammoth Majors.  This one is fondling a BEA DeHavilland Comet 4B

Budgie produced a model of the SARO

 

[bunglebus]

Boxed Quartermaster is cool but as you suspect, probably not a bargain 

[MiniMinorMk3]

2 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Apparently The Nemesis does, and in fairness that Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle does look quite clean and complete, so more power to his elbow.

 

I once used the back of my SPV to scrap ice of the bedroom windows back in about 1969. We didn't have central heating back then, just electric blankets to keep the cold at bay at bedtime.

 

2 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

One thing that did catch my eye was this Corgi Classics set...

 

I wouldn't spend much on that Corgi set.

Vectis usually just put them in lot with other over produced Corgi sets that no body wants anymore

Vectis Auctions | Search

[bunglebus]

Had a bit of a strange diecast experience myself, I'm on a mission but the Mrs popped into Entertainer. They had a new case but it was the F from 2023. While she was on the phone to me asking if I wanted the red RS2000, someone leaned over her and nabbed it, staff were going to go and ask for it back but then saw the couple hide it in the hood of their pushchair - so are being watched for when they try and leave without paying.

Hopefully they'll get banned from the shop and be one less competitor

[bunglebus]

Lots of stock in Poundland and Poundstretcher in Burton on Trent.

Shame I've been sent here a week early though

[Split_Pin]

51 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Had a bit of a strange diecast experience myself, I'm on a mission but the Mrs popped into Entertainer. They had a new case but it was the F from 2023. While she was on the phone to me asking if I wanted the red RS2000, someone leaned over her and nabbed it, staff were going to go and ask for it back but then saw the couple hide it in the hood of their pushchair - so are being watched for when they try and leave without paying.

Hopefully they'll get banned from the shop and be one less competitor

How strange ! 

I'm on the lookout for one of those. When I last saw ine, Payday was too far away to justify it!

[junkyarddog]

4 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Wait ....is that Budgie Tefal-Head Foden £10?

That's fantastic,never knew this even existed!!

[Datsuncog]

9 hours ago, quicksilver said:

@Datsuncog was this in the £5 or £10 box? If the former can you grab it for me please?

It was in the £5 box - though I dunno if he was looking a fiver or a tenner on it, as it's nominally a two-piece item. He's pulled that on me before, where an articulated item is charged as two separate items - vaguely annoying from a 50p box, but potentially ruinous from a £5 box.

However - if it's still there next week, I'll ask and I'll nab it for you if it's not too pricey!

Unfortunately I had to scoot on at 9.30 so I could get home and get logged on - since the New Year, my place of work is now shut on Fridays, and staff have to work from home. Which ain't great for market exploits...

9 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

How incredibly frustrating! But your right not to get suckered into overpaying, which it most definitely was.

Mr Nemesis must have spent some coin though!

He must indeed... I'm not quite sure how he manages to do it week on week. From earwigging, it seems that weekly hauls in the region of £70 to £100 are not uncommon...

9 hours ago, sierraman said:

Does the Nemesis flog them on through EBay do you reckon or does he just collect?

He says he just collects them for himself, though I have my suspicions.

Possibly he buys some speculatively for other collectors but if it turns out they're not so keen, he tries to re-home them another way; or he finds a better version of one he already has and then punts the lesser one on. He's passed various bits and bobs on to me (sometimes free).

I think searching local eBay sellers hasn't brought up any hits for the stuff I've seen him take, but maybe he trades through closed Facebook groups?

He is a big fan of Budgie stuff, it's something he's mentioned numerous times. So we can draw some comfort that the Foden Pluto tanker will probably be cherished...

[MiniMinorMk3]

Time to finish the Record R5

Spot lights painted, and one fitted.

All on.

Decals next.

All done including the door mirrors and some other touch ups.

I even took the trouble to angle the lower spot lights like the actual car. Unfortunately the lights are all the same size, unlike the original that has a pair of Super Oscars and a pair of Oscars.

I might do some more careful white touches on the edges of the lamps later as they look a bit wobbly in the pictures.

At the rear I have done the pillar vents with matte black.

This one was a bit of a pain, but I am happy with the result.

 

Hopefully the next transfer project will go better. Time for another Lancia.

 

[Tenmil Socket]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Had a bit of a strange diecast experience myself, I'm on a mission but the Mrs popped into Entertainer. They had a new case but it was the F from 2023. While she was on the phone to me asking if I wanted the red RS2000, someone leaned over her and nabbed it, staff were going to go and ask for it back but then saw the couple hide it in the hood of their pushchair - so are being watched for when they try and leave without paying.

Hopefully they'll get banned from the shop and be one less competitor

I quite often see the packaging in shops with the cars missing. Must be to keep the little rug rats quiet after they've finished their sausage roll?