Shite in Miniature II

6,793 · February 11

5 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

That has taken me back to age 13! Not that I or my mates ever found a model of a Spitfire with clipped wings, cut down fuselage and bubble canopy, but I certainly modified both a 1/72 Airfix (or maybe Frog?) Mk IX and also a 1/48 (can't remember what make) like that and didn't forget the larger rudder. I'm pretty sure I actually did a MK XIV with the RR Griffon bulges in the engine cover above the exhausts.

I do still have some parts of 1/48 aeroplane kits in the loft, probably P51D and Tempest rather than Spitfire though.

I'm interested to know what year those Matchbox kits were made if anyone knows.

Without checking the box I think they were introduced in the early-mid 70s and were still available in the mid 80s when I bought mine.

12,264 · February 11

Just now, warch said:

Without checking the box I think they were introduced in the early-mid 70s and were still available in the mid 80s when I bought mine.

Early 70s would have been when I was making kit planes, but maybe my local model shop didn't have Matchbox and when I was a bit older and went to Beaties in Lewisham where they had a massive selection I think I was only interested in the 1/48 ones.

3,053 · February 11

23 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

I'm interested to know what year those Matchbox kits were made if anyone knows.

I remember making a couple in the mid to late 70's, what stood out to me was better quality mouldings to Airfix and used different colour plastics.

43,509 · February 11

On 09/02/2025 at 10:15, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Missing bonnet Mustang GT.

I keep being drawn to this…

Must be a sign…

What are your plans for it?

Would like to repair and line it up against my Mini-Dinky fastback ; Hot Wheels orig 16 Custom Mustang ; etc

43,509 · February 11

The Matchbox MB38 Ford Model-A Van.

Around for 25 years.

SO MANY VARIATIONS

Got rid of the lot, except two

Cured !

60,175 · February 11

This must be the weirdest variation - why are they so similar?

Even the way the base is done

43,509 · February 11

DAMN! Forgot about the Majorette. That one will have to go now too

43,509 · February 11

Oh no!! Just remembered there’s an ERTL somewhere too. Argghhh

22,857 · February 11

4 hours ago, Lord Sterling said:

That's those types of cars that probably started my dislike of cheap Chineseum made tat.

I used to sometimes get these from well-meaning relatives, but they were always undersized, the plastic underneath seemed to be made from wet cardboard and they just generally looked undersized and cheap compared to Matchbox, Majorette etc...

Agreed. When you look at the beautiful quality of 60 year old Lesney castings and then compare them to modern Chinesium tat, they're leagues apart. Like most things, we nailed quality and it was made on these shores, but that was very much in the past, and is unlikely to ever be repeated.

February 12

The best thing to happen to MB38 was to be replaced by this little bundle of joy, which has alluded me for some time... until today:

28,756 · February 12

I have a little project in mind, but it needs a tank. The sort of thing you would normally find filled with petrol. I have a couple but they're too big for the chassis I intend to use. I'm therefore thinking a smaller scale might work. Who's got what available in something like 1/64 scale? Rigid or artic, I don't mind, it won't hurt to have choices. I would also like to find a couple of boat trailers, like the sort of thing Corgi used with the Batboat.

As always, condition doesn't matter much, I can work with most things. Price is much more important.

33,816 · February 12

On 10/02/2025 at 14:06, quicksilver said:

@Split_Pin was it you who wanted a Rover 75? Now available in 1/43 from CMAC on ebay. He also had the estate but it's currently out of stock, and various other Rovers.

Got one! Can't wait to build it.

6,069 · February 12

8 hours ago, MVX11V said:

The best thing to happen to MB38 was to be replaced by this little bundle of joy, which has alluded me for some time... until today:

WANT!

2,876 · February 12

8 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

I have a little project in mind, but it needs a tank. The sort of thing you would normally find filled with petrol. I have a couple but they're too big for the chassis I intend to use. I'm therefore thinking a smaller scale might work. Who's got what available in something like 1/64 scale? Rigid or artic, I don't mind, it won't hurt to have choices. I would also like to find a couple of boat trailers, like the sort of thing Corgi used with the Batboat.

As always, condition doesn't matter much, I can work with most things. Price is much more important.

Could you use an electronic capacitor for a tank?

45,046 · February 12

12 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

I keep being drawn to this…

Must be a sign…

What are your plans for it?

Would like to repair and line it up against my Mini-Dinky fastback ; Hot Wheels orig 16 Custom Mustang ; etc

No plans for it. I could wait twenty-thirty million years for a worse one with a bonnet to turn up but it's likely that I will move it on.

I know I said a few weeks ago that I should have a sales thread to get rid of some of the stuff I have recently purchased. I still plan to do this but keep getting distracted by other things. When I do get round to selling some stuff I will go through the thread and see who expressed an interest in what and let them have first refusal on said items.

11,047 · February 12

On 10/02/2025 at 17:34, bunglebus said:

Nursery stuff - I'll put this up as links as times have changed there are pics of kids in the bath etc

https://flic.kr/p/2qL2kq1

https://flic.kr/p/2qL1nEr

https://flic.kr/p/2qL2ke4

https://flic.kr/p/2qKZbZy

https://flic.kr/p/2qL1o4Z

https://flic.kr/p/2qL1nUa

https://flic.kr/p/2qL1nT8

https://flic.kr/p/2qKUB9B

https://flic.kr/p/2qKUB4b

And the rest

A couple of those Diamond Ts were among my first ever (terrible) attempts at kit building when I was about 12. The originals are long gone but I found a couple of second-hand built ones recently and painted them up as replicas to a much better standard with a few mods.

.

I also had the LRDG Chevy but it didn't look anything like this newer interpretation that has the Airfix Opel Blitz cab grafted on.

These kits still seem pretty sought after as they rarely come up for sale and tend to go for high prices. Even though they've been obsolete for so long there's clearly still a lot of people who want to build them.

40,659 · February 12

Life’s great mysteries part 1. Why are these Rover 3500 always scabby? Is it art imitating life? Were the shells all left in somewhere damp? Was the paint a bit shit?

45,046 · February 12

Here some small Corgis from last week.

First up is what looks like a fantasy vehicle, but is actual a Marcos Mantis XP

It raced at Spa on it's only appearance.

Also it is a Growler. The cog on the bottom makes a clicking sound

Next is a pair of VWs

These have been used a bit.

Cheap skate Corgi used the same casting as the police version and covered the hole with a flower decal.

These two show the perils of price stickers being left on a diecast for a long time. The TR7 is easy to fix, being black, but the Rover will need some careful colour matching.

Both look good if you stay low.

Mint Minty Green Escort.

Even has red lenses.

Zakspeed Capri is also Mint.

What a colour for a Volvo 245. You wouldn't loose that in the Ikea car park.

Still has rear hatch.

Kojak Buick Regal.

Just a few small chips on this.

Clean R5 Turbo

Those mirrors are a bit big.

Two Aston DB6 models.

The blue one has a bit of scratched up tampo.

The yellow is one of the Weetabix give aways.

Blue has a metal base, Weetabix has a plastic base.

45,046 · February 12

Finally there was a Double Prescot of XJ-S models.

The Saint made a return with...

a plastic Corgi Juniors base

The red has...

the same plastic Juniors base.

The Racing Green has...

a black painted Corgi metal base.

Finally the white has...

a black plastic base.

60,175 · February 12

16 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Marcos Mantis XP

Rockets and Whizzwheels without sticky-out engine bits

40,659 · February 12

Love the black TR7. I had one exactly the same at my Grandmas, all the paint came off and I hand painted it Matt black. It’s very probably still in the garden buried where she lived.

45,046 · February 12

Just won some stuff at another auction.

£130 + commission

£75 + commission

£35 + commission

Off to pick them up now.

45,046 · February 12

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Rockets and Whizzwheels without sticky-out engine bits

The casting is modified quite a bit. No cut outs for head lamps, reshaped side windows, wheel arches reshaped and extended rear bumper.

Here's the car at Spa in 1968.

It survives and has has appeared at Goodwood and other historic events.

Marcos Mantis XP | Marcos Heritage

Quote

In 1968 the Adams brothers were commissioned to build a mid-engined, pure sports racing car for sister company Marcos Racing, with a view to competing in group six 3 litre GT racing and Le Mans 24 hours.

The design was typically Adams, with stunning angular lines utilising time proven Marcos engineering in the wooden chassis, fibreglass and masses of perspex.

The construction included side mounted fuel tanks and radiators, the usual Marcos deep sills, and semi gullwing doors and a huge perspex engine cover. The car was initially powered by a 3 Litre Repco Brabham Formula One engine and fitted with state of the art fully independent suspension.

6,727 · February 12

This looks like a good one.

It's based on a real car from Ol Blighty.

Looks ripe for customizing, that's if we can actually find them.

45,046 · February 12

Well I spent £311 inc commission today. There were loads of Vanguards, some boxes of tat, boxes of days Gone and a couple more lots of the Corgi Club re-issues.

I bid on 8 lots today and only won three. I did originally have 26 on my target list, but most were bid higher on the web and through commission bids before the auction started.

The first lot I got was some of the Corgi re-issues. With commission the price was £170 for 11 Corgis and a box of figures.

Why did I get these? For the three Minis that were in the lot obviously.

The surfer isn't much good at holding his board up. He had to lean on the car.

At first I thought the colour was a bit bright, but it is an excellent match for a 60 year old original.

The new compares well with the old with only some very slight variation, the most obvious being the width of the tab that hold the base at the back.

The two rally cars

RAC old and new. Door decals were larger and the original had the smooth wheels.

Another detail that only a real Mini nerd would spot s the original has an Austin style badge on the bommet, the new version is a Morris style badge. However, Corgi got it wrong originally as the actual car was a Morris.

1967 Monte winner.

Again just some slight decal size issues...

and the rivets holding the spares on the roof are larger on the original.

40,659 · February 12

Again I’m wondering how hard for a dodge pot to graft an old base onto an Atlas Corgi?

45,046 · February 12

Now for the two Atlas Dinky lots. These were too cheap to ignore.

This lot was £45 including commission and include three Corgi Repros.

At that price it was difficult to ignore. Also it appears that they have never been out of their wrappers.

I'm interested in the French Dinky versions more than the English Dinky ones.

The third lot was £95 including commission, which means they were £5 each.

Again they are still in the original wrappings and include some interesting French Dinky Repros.

Also included was a tin that has all the certificates in.

I have released the Morris Mini Traveller from its box.

I did buy one of these when the were issued back in 2015. This was the first of this series of Atlas models.

Next to an original it looks much the same.

Looking at the rear the casting is not so crisp on the new version or the paint is very thick.

The hinges and door handle are also not so crisp.

Original base

New base still has original patent numbers.

I will get some of the others out for a show and tell over the next few days, but first I must get on with the TR7 that I dismantled and stripped.

60,175 · February 12

I popped into Entertainer today, where there were several brand new cases to pick over. They also had some new Moving Parts and a Transformers set - I've already got the Beetle in this one as I didn't think it would hit the shops

Smyths had the new Silhouettes series but the Porsche I wanted had gone

12,264 · February 12

41 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Well I spent £311 inc commission today. There were loads of Vanguards, some boxes of tat, boxes of days Gone and a couple more lots of the Corgi Club re-issues.

I bid on 8 lots today and only won three. I did originally have 26 on my target list, but most were bid higher on the web and through commission bids before the auction started.

The first lot I got was some of the Corgi re-issues. With commission the price was £170 for 11 Corgis and a box of figures.

Why did I get these? For the three Minis that were in the lot obviously.

The surfer isn't much good at holding his board up. He had to lean on the car.

At first I thought the colour was a bit bright, but it is an excellent match for a 60 year old original.

The new compares well with the old with only some very slight variation, the most obvious being the width of the tab that hold the base at the back.

The two rally cars

RAC old and new. Door decals were larger and the original had the smooth wheels.

Another detail that only a real Mini nerd would spot s the original has an Austin style badge on the bommet, the new version is a Morris style badge. However, Corgi got it wrong originally as the actual car was a Morris.

1967 Monte winner.

Again just some slight decal size issues...

and the rivets holding the spares on the roof are larger on the original.

You did very well winning those lots (jealous!) I have a few of CMC & Atlas French Dinky and very pleased with all of them.

Regarding the Minis, the originals and the repros must vary a bit it seems.

I don't have a repro Sun Rally Mini, but my original is a later one with the cast wheels with ridges and it has a Morris bonnet badge

My Repro Monte Mini looks to have large rivets just like the original

On the Countryman as well as the base plate tab, the other big (ish) difference to the original is the aerial is much thicker on the new one

All in all though, I think they are great to recreate the experience of 60 or so years ago of opening a new Corgi Mini...

60,175 · February 12

There were loads of new Hot Wheels in Entertainer, might have gone a bit mad 🙃

This one's part of a new Silverline series and is for a friend. The MK1 Escort is part of the set but they were all gone of course. I have it anyway as once again I wasn't sure it would hit the shops