Shite in Miniature II

[matt79]

This is a weird one, not something I've seen before, made by Corgi 24 years ago- https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/914634590366967/

Is it OMG RARE VALUABLE WORTH ££££££!!!!!111!!!,  or tat? 

More pics, coz why not? 

[danthecapriman]

Just to prove I’m not completely against Vanguard’s models, here’s a bunch of recent buys, all harvested as cheaply as I could! 
I like doing repaints of course so usually the police car versions of many Vanguard’s are the most common releases and also cheapest to get. Ideal for custom jobs.

Jaaaaaaaaag XJ6 S1.

Atlas editions Cortina mk2 (I really wish they’d do a 4 door!)

Pair of Moggy Minors.

Anglebox van.

Granada mk1 and Rover P4.

Obviously these are all older releases so probably the cheapest for that too, but some have obvious damage or bits missing making them even more suitable to custom jobs. 
Anglia van will be fine with some new mirrors and holes in roof filling. 
Granada needs mirrors and a front bumper, which I’ll probably have to make. 
Rover P4 needs a tyre (anyone got a spare??) and front bumper ends.

Despite their age they’re all really nice models. Maybe not quite up to modern specs but they’ll suit my needs and they don’t look out of place even shoved straight on a shelf on display.

[danthecapriman]

On the projects, I got some bits I was waiting for so got a few hours on these.

D series cab is glued back together. Just been filing a few bits down and getting it ready for a skim of filler on the front corners. You can see the big flat shelf is now mostly gone!

 

Made up a new fuel tank for the AEC. 
12.7mm (!?) tube, plastic card ends and back mounting with some thin micro strip retaining straps. Filler neck and gauge are just styrene rod of various diameters glued into drilled holes in the tank.

    
Tank mounted to chassis.

Made a little battery box for the other side.

With tipper body on. 
Tipper body has been painted dark grey. I also made up a length of tube for the exhaust as that’s often visible on these trucks. I need to trial fit the cab to mark out where it’s got to go. It’ll most likely be fitted under the cab front step though on this one.

   
Cab has had a bit more of a rub down and another wash to get rid of the dust, but that’s nearly ready for colour, which I haven’t decided on yet because I’m an indecisive idiot!

 

[ETCHY]

  On 15/02/2024 at 15:44, danthecapriman said:

Just to prove I’m not completely against Vanguard’s models, here’s a bunch of recent buys, all harvested as cheaply as I could! 
I like doing repaints of course so usually the police car versions of many Vanguard’s are the most common releases and also cheapest to get. Ideal for custom jobs.

Jaaaaaaaaag XJ6 S1.

Atlas editions Cortina mk2 (I really wish they’d do a 4 door!)

Pair of Moggy Minors.

Anglebox van.

Granada mk1 and Rover P4.

Obviously these are all older releases so probably the cheapest for that too, but some have obvious damage or bits missing making them even more suitable to custom jobs. 
Anglia van will be fine with some new mirrors and holes in roof filling. 
Granada needs mirrors and a front bumper, which I’ll probably have to make. 
Rover P4 needs a tyre (anyone got a spare??) and front bumper ends.

Despite their age they’re all really nice models. Maybe not quite up to modern specs but they’ll suit my needs and they don’t look out of place even shoved straight on a shelf on display.

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Have you ever considered getting hold of a Corgi XJC & doing a Steeds Jag replica ? The Corgi casting is way nicer than the Dinky one so might make a good basis if it's do-able ?

[eddyramrod]

  On 15/02/2024 at 17:12, ETCHY said:

Have you ever considered getting hold of a Corgi XJC & doing a Steeds Jag replica ? The Corgi casting is way nicer than the Dinky one so might make a good basis if it's do-able ?

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I have a Corgi XJC here, recently arrived; I also have a big cabinet full of film and TV cars.  I not only restore, but also modify, adapt and repaint.  I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions...  

[ETCHY]

  On 15/02/2024 at 17:26, eddyramrod said:

I have a Corgi XJC here, recently arrived; I also have a big cabinet full of film and TV cars.  I not only restore, but also modify, adapt and repaint.  I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions...  

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Oooh cool. Did you see the video I posted recently in the Youtube moments thread on Steeds Jag ?

[danthecapriman]

  On 15/02/2024 at 17:26, eddyramrod said:

I have a Corgi XJC here, recently arrived; I also have a big cabinet full of film and TV cars.  I not only restore, but also modify, adapt and repaint.  I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions...  

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  On 15/02/2024 at 17:12, ETCHY said:

Have you ever considered getting hold of a Corgi XJC & doing a Steeds Jag replica ? The Corgi casting is way nicer than the Dinky one so might make a good basis if it's do-able ?

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It is quite a nice model, that Corgi one. The Dinky version looks very odd to me! Wasn’t it from Dinky’s  ‘cheaping out’ period?

[ETCHY]

  On 15/02/2024 at 17:58, danthecapriman said:

 

It is quite a nice model, that Corgi one. The Dinky version looks very odd to me! Wasn’t it from Dinky’s  ‘cheaping out’ period?

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Yes I think it was produced abroad for Dinky. The roofline is just all wrong. 

[MiniMinorMk3]

  On 15/02/2024 at 15:44, danthecapriman said:

Atlas editions Cortina mk2 (I really wish they’d do a 4 door!)

 

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The only way of getting a 4-door MkII has been to get very spendy with some of the hand made resin and white metal makers.

I've had two pass through my hands in the last 15 years. 

Minicar 43 white metal 1600E.

This is a nice looking model made by Pathfinder.

It's a series 2 with the gauges in the dash.

The Rostyles look good.

Only 300 were made in red and 300 in gold, hence when they come up for sale you need deep pockets.

Second is this newer resin cast version by British Heritage Models.

This is in the best colour Aubergine.

It has lots of photoetch details like the window frames...

and rear badging.

The sunroof looks good as well.

These are not limited in production and are still available direct from the manufacturer. They also did a series 1 version.

[MiniMinorMk3]

PS Matrix have done a 1600E in green and gold, both limited to around 400 pieces.

No doubt these will be double the price in 12 months time.

[bunglebus]

A Dinky and Matchbox XJC

 

[Bren]

My latest purchases

like the skoda I got last week I saw this in the 1984 catalogue but never managed to get it until 40 years later. It has a few chips but the plastic base and rear bumper have not yellowed.

Planet scout. Had this one in the 70's. I like the blister packs of this period.

[sierraman]

Ex @155V6 Mercedes 190E gets new wiper and door mirror. 

[bunglebus]

  On 15/02/2024 at 19:40, Bren said:

Planet scout. Had this one in the 70's. I like the blister packs of this period.

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Interesting that they put the weird un-named tractor unit on the card, never a popular casting

[Datsuncog]

[Datsuncog]

Definitely getting a little bit brighter by the time 7.30 draws near...

Damp, but not overly cold.

Quiet inside the market...

But the stalls we come to see were up and tatting - and so were the familiar faces, of course.

[Datsuncog]

On arrival, all I could see of any great interest was a small box of mostly repainted Corgi and Dinky, some of which were slightly familiar...

Mmm. I think a few of these have been on the stall back in January - the repainted red Dinky Porsche 356 sticks in my mind, as does the Corgi custom Corvette in that shade of purpley-blue that seems to be the colour of every Hyundai i10 locally.

Hmmm...

Most of these have been monkeyed around with to a greater or lesser extent. Dinky Pontiac ambulance has been inexpertly drilled, partly painted, and is currently held together with sellotape.

I'll be honest, I'm not really seeing a tenner's worth on these.

Missing a-posts and Humbrol everywhere? Think I'll pass.

Thanks, but no thanks.

I'm sure someone's had their fun dickying up these old tinplates, and it's good to see - but I think their resale value's pretty low now.

Meanwhile, m'learned friend had already been through and made his selections before I even made it through the doors:

Solid blue Corgi Mk3 Escort seems to be the same main body colour as the police version, and hence took his interest... Budgie Wolseley police car is quite decent. Corgi and Dinky Minis, in Cooper and Clubman flavour, also took his fancy while an early Dinky Lagonda completed his haul for the day.

[eddyramrod]

That box is something I'd give a tenner for, in its entirity, but each?  A quid a go.  

Budgie Wolseley should have speakers on the roof; I shaved mine down and painted it beige.

[Datsuncog]

The Usual Suspects in Lledo Corner were back, inevitably...

At £2, this 1/43 Hongwell rendering of a Bini floppytop was probably the best of a bad bunch:

But I didn't much fancy it myself.

Some military odds and sods also appeared...

And some unwanted Rio and MoYs put in an encore performance from last week.

Some interesting stuff was set up at the back of the stall, including this plastic Marx hovercraft:

But these are generally big-league prices.

Just as I was thinking that was it, Market Blokey began to unload another box - which initially filled me with hope, but that soon settled...

Even at a fiver, it seems these Days Gone sets aren't really shifting.

Matchbox Dinky Commer van wearing HMV livery was ok, despite the box taking a lot of UV flak over the years and so crumbling away to flakes.

I think I like these, but I keep buying them and then getting rid of them again, so I can never remember whether I have one or not at any given time.

Maybe that's telling me something...

I find it hard to believe that RCMP ever used Jaguar S-Types as police cruisers, but I'd love to find out that it were true.

Fiat Marea in Polizia colours kind of unusual, but perhaps an outlier for Belfast collectors.

Ah well. Time to see what else the market has to offer...

[eddyramrod]

How much are the partwork police cars?

[Datsuncog]

Some new stuff had appeared on Colin's Irish Tat stall:

The latest Vanguards Mk1 Escort release, for starters.

Just not something I can get very excited about, I'm afraid.

He also has the 1/72 Royal Rover P5 and 'Lady Di' Metro supposedly arriving today from Oxford, but too late for this morning's stall set-up.

Some new Greenlights had arrived too, though:

And some of the stuff we've had before, too.

Apparently the Hot Wheels Mariokart models are good sellers for him.

The Charity Stall hadn't much of interest - a box of assorted toys held some minor promise, but ultimately was mostly rubbish therein - a broken Majorette tow truck couldn't really raise my pulse.

So - time for a coffee, and a think...

[Datsuncog]

  On 16/02/2024 at 09:32, eddyramrod said:

How much are the partwork police cars?

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£5 each. They appear to be by Hongwell, and have been opened - hence missing light bars etc.

[eddyramrod]

Thanks Tim.  That's more than I would care to pay for those.  Have a great day!

[Datsuncog]

While snapping pics and tutting earlier, The Nemesis had approached me with a proposition.

(Of the diecast variety, you understand.)

He'd brought in the Whizzwheels Marcos this week - and a few more besides.

I'm kinda coming round to the appeal of these models, and Corgi's doomed hope to compete with Hot Wheels by 'upgrading' some of their existing castings with nylon speed wheels - though, going by the chatter on the Corgi Model Club groups, some still see them as vastly inferior to the 'golden age' castings of the mid-60s, and have no reticence in expressing this.

So I jumped on them.

(Not literally.)

[Datsuncog]

  On 16/02/2024 at 09:38, eddyramrod said:

That's more than I would care to pay for those.

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Yeah, I wouldn't either!!

They may well show up in the £2 selection in coming weeks - and if so, just tip me the nod.

[Datsuncog]

Mini Marcos GT850 in white, as profiled a fortnight ago:

A fairly uncommon model in Whizzwheels form, as it wasn't a great seller and didn't stay in the lineup for long.

This isn't trashed, but it's been messed with a bit:

Various paint touch-ups and tampo loss are evident.

The clear lenses over the headlights are missing too - and the base indicates it's been taken apart at some stage.

Overall, a good guilt-free restoration candidate - either back to its original white, or in the rare pale blue that only came with the Transporter Set.

I know @FakeConcern expressed some interest the other week - but if that's waned, then it's available to anyone who fancies it for the £10 paid.

[Datsuncog]

More Marcos fun, with this  incarnation of the 3-litre wearing Teledial speed wheels:

Apart from a few knocks, this one's very clean.

The original opening doors feature had been lost by the time this example was produced, but the opening bonnet with a shiny engine's still there!

It's in pretty honest condition, with the bonnet sticker in good fettle too.

Also up for £10, to whoever might fancy it.

[Datsuncog]

I've kind of had an eye out for one of these ever since I saw one in the @bunglebus collection:

I hadn't realised the German peelermobile had made it into the Whizzwheels era, though without its directional steering functions.

Jaunty little angle on the nearside door decal.

Apparently there are a fair few variants of this, including one with a white body and green wings.

But it's a nice little thing, so I think I might just keep this one for myself, for now anyway.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

My mid 40s Dinky Toys 25b Type 3 Covered Truck arrived yesterday. 

To say I'm pleased is an understatement. This thing is in stunning original condition, especially considering it's approaching 80 years old. It even has its original finish showing inside the canopy. Someone has stored this beauty very well for many decades. 

My main issue now is trying to avoid the slippery slope of buying 30s and 40s Dinky!

[Datsuncog]

Lastly, there's this...

Yup, another early Whizzwheels placeholder, created by jazzing up an older casting - it's the Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato.

In Very Orange.

Typically, this would show up after the impressive lengths taken by @FakeConcern to recreate a Whizzwheels version using an earlier rubber-wheels car and the base from the utterly trashed Whizzwheels version that showed up in a tat box last year.

It's not perfect, mind...

Given that the rest of the car's in very nice shape, I really don't know what's happened here.

But with a little work, and a donor grille and headlight, this could look pretty well.

£10 paid, and £10 takes it.