Shite in Miniature II

[junkyarddog]

Been a while since I found something new.

Roadkill Rotsun,and the Forza Mk2 Escort. 

Escort was found stashed behind some Hotwheels track sets with a Mainline Yellow submarine,away from the main displayThought is was the Holden first of all,was happy see it wasn't. 

[AndyW201]

Had to get in a bit of late night shopping on the way home last night, first day driving the recently-acquired W202 as well.

Amazingly, our local Tesco, a barren wasteland when it comes to fresh diecast, actually had some newer Matchbox in!

Now I'm not anti-modified cars by any stretch, I've owned quite a few, but it has to be said that Matchbox are really knocking it out of the park lately with nice, standard looking releases with factory colour schemes and graphics, etc. This F150 being a good example. A lot of the time, I'm starting to prefer the Matchbox releases over Hot Wheels. Just a shame Matchbox are even harder to get in my neck of the woods...

This is the first of the Renault Kangoo casting that I've bought, it's the first livery of it that I've liked.

For a smol commercial vehicle, it's nicely finished and detailed.

Shame they don't do the Mercedes Citan version but you can't have everything...

Have to say, like, they do love their modern SUVs...

Saying that, I'd rather see a case full of real cars like these than a case full of airport tugs, speed cameras or fantasy shite like mobile toilets or dildos or whatever...

This is a casting I've not seen before, this another example of the Matchbox version being far more attractive than the Hot Wheels IMO,

Of course, my favourite find was this,

What a little sweetie! I think this just pips the silver GTi to be my favourite version of the Golf. No Volvo alas, but I was chuffed just to find some newer releases.

Some new Hot Wheels too, but after a hoik around, I didn't find much. Doesn't look like this case is one of the classics ..

I've now got this, and the Turquoise one. I know they're both Barbie branded releases but this Corvette casting is a really nice one.

First time I've seen this 'Cuda in the wild too, with the new wheels,

Let's hope, as @bunglebus alluded to in an earlier post, that  Entertainer taking over Tesco's toy supply might mean newer stuff appearing more regularly. Not that our Entertainer is much use on that score...

[Bren]

This arrived over the weekend

I have never had this one despite seeing it in the matchbox 1987 catalogue and having much want. In fact of the new releases that year I only got the jaguar xj6.

I am waiting for something else to arrive frlm the same era but the royal mail are not doing well.

[danthecapriman]

Tipper body is almost done. Just a few details to add really. 
Reinforcing strips all added. This end is up against the back of the cab, and still needs the cab roof protector making and sticking on. I’ll add a couple of closing sections on down the sides too, then a couple of lengths of round tube in the middle going down to the chassis to look like the hydraulic rams for lifting the tipper.

Still need to build the rear wheel arch’s too. 
But I’ve added two dummy hinge plates which actually now help align the tipper and chassis perfectly. Also cut off the diecast battery box and air cylinders from the chassis, I’m going to swap the fuel tank to the other side and probably fit battery box and spare wheel (if I can find one!) where the fuel tank was originally. The front axle was slightly too wide for my liking so I’ve chopped a tiny amount off one end, now with the wheels refitted they tuck under the new cab much nicer.
Forgot to take pics, but I’ve also made the tailgate and fitted that with a tube & rod hinge across the back of the tipper.

 

It’s getting there, albeit slowly! 
Still to do:     
Make rear wheel arches for tipper body. 
Make rear halves of the front wheel arches. 
Make cab interior.  
Make cab door mirrors.
Filler & sand down cab roof back section.   
Make new fuel tank. 
Refit and/or make new - exhaust, prop shaft, rear light assembly/bumper. 
Make new front bumper. 
Make cab roof protector. 
No doubt loads of other stuff too!

[bunglebus]

I'm in Manchester this week, stopped at a Tesco nearby for a few bits and there was a new case

Found the regular Treasure Hunt near the top, a couple of Protons and RS2000s - and this

It has been 1609 days since I last found a Super Treasure Hunt in the wild. I think I'm slightly in shock

 

[junkyarddog]

Congrats on that $uper,I've never found one on a short card!!

Some great finds on here the last couple of days 😁

[Vincent Velocette]

[AndyW201]

So, the last few other bits found recently,

At the B&M next door to Tesco, I found a few of these F&F editions. I managed to get all 10 of the last collection, but these seem to be it for this one. Naturally the Skyline 2000 GTX was nowhere to be seen, but these aren't bad models in their own right, barring the Crass & Spurious connection,

I was pleased to find the Datsun, as it seems to be another sought-after one.

Being a semi premium (but without real riders wheels) edition, these do have a nice bit of tampo detailing.

And I do always love a '70 Charger,

Smyths, as usual had nothing apart from a dozen or so each of the Boulevards that no one wants, shit loads of the £9.99 Jay Leno sets (that seemingly no one wants, though I'm tempted to get one just for the Mercedes renntransporter thing), loads of empty shelf space and a load of mainlines from 3 or 4 cases back.

However there were a few of these, which have always intrigued me,

And, after I ignored the silly generic castings, I found a few that seemed to be the desirable ones. Apart from the Focus. Predictably that one had sold out.

Again, semi premium, so as well as the neon tampons, you also get all the light, grille and badge detailing. I just wish they'd bring this Golf out as a nice, normal factory spec mainline...

The Civic EK9 is one of my favourite current castings,

[bunglebus]

Big Pink Slips in Asda. Bargain

[junkyarddog]

4 hours ago, Bren said:

This arrived over the weekend

I have never had this one despite seeing it in the matchbox 1987 catalogue and having much want. In fact of the new releases that year I only got the jaguar xj6.

I am waiting for something else to arrive frlm the same era but the royal mail are not doing well.

I gave one of mine a going over with a weathering kit,to give the impression it had just come off a muddy forest rally stage!

[bunglebus]

Went a bit silly with mine

 

[junkyarddog]

Very eastern European.

[AndyW201]

That Skoda was my favourite Matchbox release at the time, just for the fact they actually did a Skoda 130, probably the Hot Wheels Proton of its day.  

Mark, one of my mates at school was a fellow model car nut, rally car fan  and loved Eastern European cars, (his dad had had  various rear engined Skodas and his brother had a Polonez Prima). He must have had at least 50 of those Matchbox Skodas at the time, most with different rally liveries added by him. I've always wanted to do a road version with one as a 130LSE with vinyl roof, probably in the Terracotta colour the posh versions always came in.

[Spottedlaurel]

Only paid £1 for my MIB Skoda back in 2007/08....

[Spottedlaurel]

53 minutes ago, AndyW201 said:

So, the last few other bits found recently,

At the B&M next door to Tesco, I found a few of these F&F editions. I managed to get all 10 of the last collection, but these seem to be it for this one. Naturally the Skyline 2000 GTX was nowhere to be seen..................

I'll try and remember to drop into a local B&M tomorrow - there was plenty of the Skyline around here a few weeks ago.

[Split_Pin]

49 minutes ago, AndyW201 said:

Skoda 130, probably the Hot Wheels Proton of its day

This x1000

I remember being both awe-struck and dumbfounded at finding one in 'The Rummle' in Crail on my holidays in about 1987 or 88. I couldn't believe they'd make a car like that which at the time was the butt of many jokes. I stupidly swapped it some years later but I have bought 2 from Sierraman to salve my conscience. 

[sierraman]

I don’t know how you’d do a standard one unless you could find a way of grinding the engine cover down to remove the spoiler.

[barrett]

My childhood 'restoration' involved a small flat piece of card taped to a cocktail stick, which gave me an opening 'normal' boot and actually didn't look totally shit. I think my one got painted sort of 'desert sand' colour which was the closest I had to beige. Once a 'shiter...

[Datsuncog]

Quite pleased to find the previously profiled Hot Wheels Nissan multipack down in Home Bargains today, for a fairly reasonable £7.99...

(I say reasonable - for some reason, it's still more expensive to buy this 5-pack than to buy 5 individual mainlines off the adjacent pegs at £1.49 each...)

Rare to find a pack where every model's worth having, though! This is the first 5-pack I've bought for a long, long time.

[Spottedlaurel]

@AndyW201 it's your lucky day. Popped into B&M, they had just one 1971 Skyline left so I got it for you.

Had a look at the HWs etc. Scattered in several locations through the store, and evidence of the fairly recent case including the older Land Rover, but nothing that I felt I had to have. A few Matchbox dotted around, but still the AMC, green Ranchero etc. 

[bunglebus]

Another day, another Smyths. 

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise that there are lots of Thundercats left, and no Escorts

[Tenmil Socket]

On 05/02/2024 at 14:39, bunglebus said:

These...well. they were a job lot and one especially piqued my interest.

First up, 80s poster favourite

And another that's a bit more up my street

Things are definitely improving here

However this was the one I really wanted to have a good look at, and it does not disappoint

Which mark of Escort is this supposed to be exactly? Body says 3/4 but those headlights look like 5 to me

None have anything on the base. They do say if you're proud of your work you should sign it

I've had that Escort before and got rid, it was very disappointing! 

[MiniMinorMk3]

Day 3 of the 5 Porsche Project.

 

The Valvoline car now the front...

and left side done.

Just the right side to do

On the Obermaier...

that has some of the sponsor logos and numbers on.

Finally the Joest has the front end stars on.

Not much else though.

Still two boxes to open, maybe with the Valvoline nearing completion it will be time to get them started.

[danthecapriman]

2 hours ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Day 3 of the 5 Porsche Project.

 

The Valvoline car now the front...

and left side done.

Just the right side to do

On the Obermaier...

that has some of the sponsor logos and numbers on.

Finally the Joest has the front end stars on.

Not much else though.

Still two boxes to open, maybe with the Valvoline nearing completion it will be time to get them started.

They look absolutely fantastic. Nice work.

I wonder how many of them ever got completed to the standard of yours?! I can’t imagine kids would have done so well at doing those transfers!

[MiniMinorMk3]

17 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

They look absolutely fantastic. Nice work.

I wonder how many of them ever got completed to the standard of yours?! I can’t imagine kids would have done so well at doing those transfers!

I've seen a few Vitesse models that have had the decals done and 90% of the time they have not been done with any help from a decal softener. One those examples the decals do start to peel off and crack, especially where they were not stuck down to the model. Without any sort of decal softener you just can not get them to sit and conform to all the curves and lumps on the castings. Also with the softener you can get the decals to slide about more when first applied, so getting them lined up is easier. 

[danthecapriman]

More work on the tipper today.

Built the cab protector, then made a dummy hydraulic ram for lifting the tipper.

Made the mud guards for under the tipper bed, with support brackets.

    
Trial fit the body and cab. I’ve had to do this soooooo many times to get the fit and sizing right!

   
Finished the tailgate too. It does actually hinge open too!

 

I’ve cut off the original cast metal light bars from the chassis. They weren’t great anyway but one was bent and they are now a bit too far under the back end of the truck so don’t really look right. I’ll make a complete new light bar/rear bumper for it instead.

Also managed to salvage the plastic cab wheel arches from the donor Iveco cab. I’ve cut these to size and altered the back corners of the cab to take them, just need to do a bit more sanding to get them fitted better. 
Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get them glued on. Then the cab just needs the roof filled and sanded, then primer!

[MiniMinorMk3]

Day 4 of the 5 Porsche Project.

Fuel caps and race decal finish the left side...

and the right side is done. However, I think their are some decals missing as there are no wheel or driver name decals. Also there are two sponsor logos missing from the right. All I have left to do are the tyre decal, mirrors and wipers. 

Onto the Obermaier which has had more sponsor logos on the left...

right...

and front. Good to see that Vitesse didn't mind advertising a rival. They could have easily blurred the Buragos like I have seen on other models. I also took the headlamps out and completed the detailing there.

The Joest car has had more sponsors...

the stripes in the front radiator ducts done...

and the front number and Porsche badge were applied along with some headlamp detailing.

The fourth car was opened.

This is the John Fitzpatrick Racing Danone Porsche Espana Porsche 956B as driven to 4th place by Emilio de Villota, Fermin Velez and George Fouché in the 1986 Le Mans 24 Hours.    

Simple drawing for decal placement.

Not much in the way of big awkward decals on this one, just lots of small stuff.

The usual diamantle, dash decal, rear wing and larger body decals were done.

Along with the big (mmm) Danone decals.

Also the headlamps were detailed.

Just one car to unbox and start now.

 

[Tenmil Socket]

I nipped to the Post Office earlier on my lunch to post parcels for @sierraman and @Spottedlaurel.

As ever the PO worker asked what was in them and I said model cars and he asked if they had any value to which I replied not really.

He then explained that he'd recently sold a bunch of old model cars that he'd purchased from the 2 nearby charity shops.

Now I wasn't planning on visiting said shops as SWMBO wasn't very happy about my recent purchases.... I thought I'd take a look anyway and in the first charity shop I spotted this...

errr no thanks!

 

In the next one I found these for 10p each.

 

[danthecapriman]

Didn’t get so much done today. Mostly odd small bits that needed filing and sanding to size etc.

Got the rear halves of the cab wheel arches filed to size and fixed on. These were cut off the cab interior moulding on the donor Iveco. The curve was about right on them so might as well use them.

 

Made up a basic interior too. Seats & steering wheel salvaged from the Iveco interior! Steering column and instrument binnacle (which is quite a prominent feature on these trucks!) are just plastic tube and off cuts of plastic card. 
Engine cover in centre is scraps of plastic box section and sheet with the ‘hump’ formed just by using bigger box at the back. Just need to make some sides for this now, between seats and engine cover, then gearstick etc.

 

Made a few more adjustments to how the cab sits on the chassis too. It was tilted slightly before but sits much more level now.

No pics yet, but the FG cab has also had its colour coat chosen and sprayed on. Not sure how it’ll come out tbh, the colour I like, but the paint itself didn’t go on great. No idea why. The nozzle on the can wasn’t the best quality either. There seems to be a lot of variation in the nozzles on aerosol cans - some companies paint have great nozzles that spray lovely and others are absolutely shit!

[eddyramrod]

I'm a dead man.

So let's have a look at what @FakeConcern sent me...

L-R back row: Dinky Transit, Corgi Transit wrecker, Dinky CF, Corgi Classics Minor van, Corgi Bedford Simon Snorkel.

Front row: Corgi Chevy Corvair, Dinky Ford Sedan, Corgi Mini Marcos, Corgi rozzer Cortina, Corgi rozzer Jaguar coupe, Matchbox KS Mercury Cougar, Dinky Jensen FF.

Enough there to feed my projects until Easter, at the very least.  Now I need a drilling day because there are parts I need off some of these, that I can't really get at until I've opened them up.  The Snorkel and the wrecker are specifically here for parts.  All the rest are likely to get restored, sooner or later.