Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

Got a few Matchbox in the post this morning, tidiest Fiat 1500 I've found so far - one of the earliest Matchbox with a plastic base?

Moving forward in time a bit more, one of the fairy unloved MB, but I had this exact version as a child, and this boxed one wasn't expensive 

Lastly one of the late versions of the 57 Chevy, made in Thailand 

[Split_Pin]

1 hour ago, cms206 said:

My mate picked up this version only last week for about 6 quid I'm sure he said.

I noticed there are 2 types too. The above one with no deflector and beacons and the red one with spoiler and no beacons. The Ferrari version came in both formats. I thought I'd cracked it but I've ve looked at a rear picture of the latter and the stacks are riveted to the back of the cab so I don't think its that version either.

[bunglebus]

I've dug out a table full of Matchbox which I'll stick on my sales thread at 7pm tonight

[junkyarddog]

Whilst ferreting away stuff I rediscovered this and couldn't remember if I had posted it before.

Crescent toys rocket launcher.

Couldn't imagine such a toy being sold today.😂

 

[danthecapriman]

Finally got my 3mm rhinestones today so I could finish the GUY.

The kit comes with some headlights but they’re just little moulded plastic pips you cut out and fit in the holes but I don’t think they look very good, so I got a pack of these flat backed rhinestones for just over a quid. There’s loads of them so should keep me in miniature headlights for a while.

Gave it a dirty wash and a bit of streaking while I was at it too, make it look more like a traditional British Rail vehicle!

[FakeConcern]

8 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Finally got my 3mm rhinestones today so I could finish the GUY.

The kit comes with some headlights but they’re just little moulded plastic pips you cut out and fit in the holes but I don’t think they look very good, so I got a pack of these flat backed rhinestones for just over a quid. There’s loads of them so should keep me in miniature headlights for a while.

Gave it a dirty wash and a bit of streaking while I was at it too, make it look more like a traditional British Rail vehicle!

That weathering looks so good, so many times I've seen it overdone, but that's just right! Headlights have worked out well now.

 

(Truck enthusiast now btw)

[danthecapriman]

2 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

That weathering looks so good, so many times I've seen it overdone, but that's just right! Headlights have worked out well now.

 

(Truck enthusiast now btw)

I was concerned I had overdone it at first! But it dries clearer than when it goes on. Most of the time I just use it lightly to shade in panel gaps etc.         
British Rails vehicles didn’t exactly have an easy life though, and I would imagine probably never saw a bucket and sponge either!

Theres something very enjoyable about doing model trucks and vans though. As much as I like doing the cars, the commercial vehicles seem to have much more about them with all the different liveries and uses they had. You can pretty much pick a type of truck and justifiably paint it how you want with whatever back end fitted!

 

[Spottedlaurel]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

Finally got my 3mm rhinestones today so I could finish the GUY.

Looks fantastic! One of your best yet I'd say, it has a lot of character.

P.S. Good to see your use of the Tesco Wholegrain Mustard jar! I was on Co-Op Cranberry Sauce for a while, now moved onto Tesco Finest Spiced Apple & Pear Chutney for enhanced brush cleaning.....

[Spottedlaurel]

Well-timed Tesco visit this morning, on the office milk run. Lady was just about to put out a few bits on the toy aisle and I noticed she had a fresh HW case. She was happy to let me rummage through it, and was pleased to see I started to fill the box on the shelf for her. I must have looked the part as another customer then asked if I could help her find something, and I had to explain I didn't work there (must be the muscle memory kicking in from when I did work at Tesco back in 1985-86). This is what I found:

Skyline and Chiron for Master SL as payment for helping me out on Saturday. Good to get the Treasure Hunt Delorean but the Civic is my favourite of this selection.

[danthecapriman]

45 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Looks fantastic! One of your best yet I'd say, it has a lot of character.

P.S. Good to see your use of the Tesco Wholegrain Mustard jar! I was on Co-Op Cranberry Sauce for a while, now moved onto Tesco Finest Spiced Apple & Pear Chutney for enhanced brush cleaning.....

Here’s another one, just for you!

Ive had that mustard jar a while now. I need to change the white spirit actually as there’s all bits of old paint in the bottom.

[Spottedlaurel]

5 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Here’s another one, just for you!

Ive had that mustard jar a while now. I need to change the white spirit actually as there’s all bits of old paint in the bottom.

Very nice! Good colour match:

[FakeConcern]

My pot of white spirit is at least 50 years old, but has been topped up a few times!

[danthecapriman]

6 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Very nice! Good colour match:

It’s that Tamiya pearl green again. It’s not far off is it!

It took a bit more effort to de-Americanise it than I first thought. Had to modify the grill and headlights, but I did balls up with it! Forgot to file off the US markers on the front of the wings! I painted it then noticed so it was too late. Live and learn.

[danthecapriman]

Just now, FakeConcern said:

My pot of white spirit is at least 50 years old, but has been topped up a few times!

That jars older than I am! Vintage!😄

She’s quite a handsome jar though!! Very well used.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

51 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Here’s another one, just for you!

Ive had that mustard jar a while now. I need to change the white spirit actually as there’s all bits of old paint in the bottom.

Perfect colour for the Datssan. 

Does anyone know if a model of the Mazda 323 BD estate (81-85ish if I remember correctly) was made? 

[danthecapriman]

7 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Perfect colour for the Datssan. 

Does anyone know if a model of the Mazda 323 BD estate (81-85ish if I remember correctly) was made? 

This type?

 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

14 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

This type?

 

Yup, that's the one. Just discovered their existence on ebay. I think I may have to relent and buy one, unless anyone on here is selling.  I'd love an estate version of it, too. 

Edit: just spotted the delivered price... maybe not then!

[danthecapriman]

4 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Yup, that's the one. Just discovered their existence on ebay. I think I may have to relent and buy one, unless anyone on here is selling.  I'd love an estate version of it, too. 

They are nice models! IXO base model I think, the premium one is usually red and can be quite expensive.

I can’t think of an estate version in model form though. Or a saloon for that matter.

[bunglebus]

Good to see Matchbox in Tesco - but it's the blue Volvo/MR2 mix again 

[sierraman]

I’ve never known a company apart from DHL, as inept at distribution as Mattel’s U.K. distribution arm. Same shit from the first month of the year! They just can’t seem to get it right, part of me thinks they are deliberately being inept so they can sack off selling here and go ‘we tried’. It must be the U.K. end of it as they don’t have this issue in other countries or for that matter in the US. 

[cms206]

Decent selection of Majorette 5 packs at my local Morrisons but the pricing at £20 without a more card seems a bit heavy...

[bunglebus]

Saw those in darkest Kent this morning too. Nice selection I think, better than the Hot Wheels 5 packs for sure

[FakeConcern]

I kind of got the Norev Jet Car Renner 12 finished today. I have been working to get the grill and headlights made by using baking foil pressed over the front of one of the plastic 12s and then filling the concave side with Araldite. Not a perfect solution and I may try a different approach at some point, but it'll do for now.

You may have seen I had the missing rear door and bonnet made up and painted the other day. The paint was mixed from several Humbrol colours and polished and is not too bad a match.

So I now have one complete metal Norev R12 and two plastic ones

I still find it very interesting that they made both

I did try painting the grill black, but it didn't come out very well so I stuck with the silver like the brown car

For some reason this one will only display upside down!

Here with most of the Norevs I have

and including both a metal (black) and plastic (blue) Citroen CX. I'd love to know what other cars they modelled in both materials

 

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, FakeConcern said:

I kind of got the Norev Jet Car Renner 12 finished today. I have been working to get the grill and headlights made by using baking foil pressed over the front of one of the plastic 12s and then filling the concave side with Araldite. Not a perfect solution and I may try a different approach at some point, but it'll do for now.

You may have seen I had the missing rear door and bonnet made up and painted the other day. The paint was mixed from several Humbrol colours and polished and is not too bad a match.

So I now have one complete metal Norev R12 and two plastic ones

I still find it very interesting that they made both

I did try painting the grill black, but it didn't come out very well so I stuck with the silver like the brown car

For some reason this one will only display upside down!

Here with most of the Norevs I have

and including both a metal (black) and plastic (blue) Citroen CX. I'd love to know what other cars they modelled in both materials

 

Interesting how you’re making your replacement grills! 
I’ve been thinking of ways to best do something similar as I need an MAN truck grill. I’ve got an original to use as a pattern so was thinking maybe pressing it into clay or play dough etc then pouring something like resin or even molten white metal into it to make a replica.

Anyone else done anything similar?

[junkyarddog]

 

I experimented with resin and plasticine.

[danthecapriman]

20 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

 

I experimented with resin and plasticine.

That looks ideal I think. Details and everything look to have come out spot on.

What resin do you use? 
Most of the stuff on eBay seems to be clear which I think is meant for jewellery etc. does it really matter?

[barrett]

14 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

 I'd love to know what other cars they modelled in both materials

I think they starting making metal 1:43s in about 1971, and at first the entire range was models they were already making in plastic, so there was a lot of crossover with both diecast and plastic versions of the same car. By the mid-70s the metal cars were the 'standard' range but they continued producing plastic versions of some as a 'budget' range. I've seen plastic versions of lots of 70s cars but they were definitely metal-only by the 1980s came round. As usual with these things, it's really annoying that there isn't a Norev nerd website which just has a complete list of models with dates and colours etc so this could be easily answered!

The one I'd really like is this metal Simca Mille coupe

Which you could also get in plastic...

[junkyarddog]

11 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

What resin do you use? 

Just ordinary fiberglass resin from one of those David's kits.

I've used car body filler too in the past.

[danthecapriman]

2 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

Just ordinary fiberglass resin from one of those David's kits.

I've used car body filler too in the past.

Car body filler’s a good idea. I’ve got that to hand at the moment so I might have a go.

Just got to liberate the pattern grill from its model first!

[junkyarddog]

Just now, danthecapriman said:

Car body filler’s a good idea. I’ve got that to hand at the moment so I might have a go.

Just got to liberate the pattern grill from its model first!

It may be an idea to add a piece of wire or similar into the mould as a bit of reinforcement.