Shite in Miniature II

[eddyramrod]

Today has been a "nice spring day" here.  Naturally, with the sun out, I decided to get some drilling done, so that on the next suitable day I can get the cosmic soda out and strip some paint.  So these are the shells, freed from their chassis...

Should keep me busy for a few weeks!

[bunglebus]

More finds. Nosing through the Hot Wheels tub at Sainsbury's, somehow just knew I was going to find an error

No side tampos

I also got wind of an extraordinarily cheap deal on Alibaba for some fake Hot Wheels 

Most of these I recognise the original casting, some are definitely doing their own thing!

Mustang looks familiar 

So does Purple Passion

Barracuda 

Chevelle

Nomad with terrible "Candy Strirer" livery is a highlight 

Can't say I recognise this one though 

Beetle is predictably bad

59 is quite cool in its own way, but definitely doesn't look like any of the Mattel versions I've seen

[ambassador84]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

More finds. Nosing through the Hot Wheels tub at Sainsbury's, somehow just knew I was going to find an error

No side tampos

I also got wind of an extraordinarily cheap deal on Alibaba for some fake Hot Wheels 

Most of these I recognise the original casting, some are definitely doing their own thing!

Mustang looks familiar 

So does Purple Passion

Barracuda 

Nomad with terrible "Candy Strirer" livery is a highlight 

Can't say I recognise this one though 

Beetle is predictably bad

59 is quite cool in its own way, but definitely doesn't look like any of the Mattel versions I've seen

I got mine from Alibaba too. Many of these castings are actually M2 MACHINES copies as well as some Hot Wheels. The silver wagon is an M2 Machines copied 1957 Chevrolet 150 Handyman.

[bunglebus]

One other arrival, for several years there has been a Corgi DeTomaso Mangusta lurking in the restore pile, that had an unfortunate reaction to brake fluid when I tried to get the paint off the glass

I happened to notice a nice original one on eBay with no bids - and I won it

[sierraman]

Some of those sixties Corgi castings were magnificent. 

[eddyramrod]

Most of them were!

I love the old castings, even the really simple 50s ones that had no interior, no suspension, not even windows until Corgi decided we deserved them.  They're so rewarding to strip and restore, the factory detail is excellent.  Later ones with opening bits were often just as nice.  Things started going wrong when Corgi went to 1/36 scale, and Dinky tried (unevenly) 1/42.  Even then, some were nice models, but the detail was beginning to slide.

[ambassador84]

Brand new Guisval Renault 5 which they brought back into production a couple of years ago. Their fragility means they are only really suitable for careful collectors even if they are still technically sold as toys.

[ambassador84]

Fresh from the Guisval factory as part of their Reedicion line of reissues. Quality is sub par but then again they were never as robust as any equivalent Matchbox.

[ambassador84]

Guisval "Reedicion" reissue of their VW based Beach Buggy.

[ambassador84]

Despite looking like something dragged out of a charity box this Guisval Seat 127 really is a product of 2025. You buy these for their charm and history, not for any meaningful semblance of qualiteeee 😉

[Datsuncog]

22 hours ago, ambassador84 said:

Shame our UK retailers have zero imagination when it comes to stocking stuff like this...

TK Maxx is capable of surprising me, on occasion:

My local branch had a load of these Shuang Da branded toys a year or so back; the StreetKa was pretty nicely done.

Despite their limitations, I really like those reissued Guisvals - I had a few as a kid, and was most disheartened when they just fell to bits during fairly undemanding play. My bronze Mk1 Fiesta was the one I mourned the most.

Mira toys had a wonderful heft to them:

Just a shame that they really lost their way in the 1980s!

Great to see some from your collection, welcome aboard and thanks for sharing!

[ambassador84]

6 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

TK Maxx is capable of surprising me, on occasion:

My local branch had a load of these Shuang Da branded toys a year or so back; the StreetKa was pretty nicely done.

Despite their limitations, I really like those reissued Guisvals - I had a few as a kid, and was most disheartened when they just fell to bits during fairly undemanding play. My bronze Mk1 Fiesta was the one I mourned the most.

Mira toys had a wonderful heft to them:

Just a shame that they really lost their way in the 1980s!

Great to see some from your collection, welcome aboard and thanks for sharing!

😅😅😅 glad I'm not the only one who scooped up those Shuang Da from TK Maxx. Many of those castings including the StreetKa, Cobra and an Audi A4 cabriolet and BMW 3 Series convertible are ex High Speed castings which clearly got snapped up by Shuang Da after HS closed down.

Great memories of finding Guisval and other Spanish brands like Mira on my first holidays abroad in the late 80s as a kid. I kept them all in mint and boxed condition but stupidly sold many off some years back.

Even as a spotty teen I remember the distinct change from the highly detailed Mira to their new cheapo range which no doubt hastened their demise.

[ambassador84]

The hype surrounding the Matchbox 1983 Ford Fiesta Mk2, predictably here in the UK, still hasn't died down yet despite the green one being vastly better supplied than the debut red version which hardly got a look in here! Could you imagine the hoarding and scalping if they ever do a MK1! 

Happily Guisval are here to service your Fast Ford Needs with their ancient Mk1 casting which they've been producing on and off since the late 70s. New or old they can get fairly expensive on the secondary market despite still being in production. 

[ambassador84]

Guisval "Reedicion" Seat Panda.

[ambassador84]

Guisval "Reedicion" reissue of their gorgeous Land Rover Tow Truck.  I always thought these were Corgi Juniors copies but apparently this utilises their earlier pick up casting.

[bunglebus]

59 minutes ago, ambassador84 said:

Guisval "Reedicion" reissue of their VW based Beach Buggy.

 

Original Buggy Volkswagen 

Buggy Skoda - Do they still make this one?

 

[ambassador84]

4 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Original Buggy Volkswagen 

Buggy Skoda - Do they still make this one?

 

You'll be pleased to hear they do. I'll upload some pics when I get the chance 🤪 ☺️ 

[ambassador84]

Gorgeous new Matchbox Moving Parts 2023 Toyota Century. Such a crying shame so few of our chain retailers actually bother to stock them despite their obvious appeal to both collectors and children. I know The Entertainer and Sainsburys regularly do but as we all know they all too often sell out quickly without restocking adequately!

One of my favourites so far this year and one which in my opinion have done a better job than the Majorette equivalent.

[ambassador84]

New recolour for the Matchbox Moving Parts Opel Mokka 

[ambassador84]

Being the tight Yorkshireman that I am I do baulk at the price of Hot Wheels premiums here and indeed anywhere in Europe. On average they are £9 each and for me that tips the balance between value and desire especially as I know they are half the price elsewhere in places like Japan and the US.

Mattel are definitely losing out to the scores of newly established premium 1:64 diecast brands hailing from China. 

This stunning Peugeot 505 estate cost just over £5 and that includes postage from China! No metal chassis or Real Riders but far less clunky looking with some exquisite levels of detailing. This being made by DCT.

[sierraman]

The moulds on those Guisvals look bloody knackered! Must get mine out of the loft later. 

[ambassador84]

28 minutes ago, sierraman said:

The moulds on those Guisvals look bloody knackered! Must get mine out of the loft later. 

They are really poor if I'm honest but the owner clearly has no money to repair them. Even generic Chinese diecasts are better made 😅

[bunglebus]

Various boxes of tiny tat have arrived, starting with Matchbox 

Bought a pair of everyone's favourite Porsche, the Super Kings K101, as the red one looked in better nick than my current one 

But the white one is actually the standout, can you see it?

My other one:

Funny enough I was asking an avid Super Kings collector about this version a few days ago, and he suggested the blue sides were dropped before production 

Smaller stuff includes a Maxi Taxi - I wonder if black Square do the decals?

Gun to go behind the usual Jeep

Talking of Jeeps, a CJ6 - but for some reason having a slightly different base to my other one, what did this change achieve?

This version of the turbo nutter 205 isn't common, in great condition too

Escort cab, tatty but with the unusual 5 arch wheels instead of 8 dot

[Tenmil Socket]

3 hours ago, ambassador84 said:

The hype surrounding the Matchbox 1983 Ford Fiesta Mk2, predictably here in the UK, still hasn't died down yet despite the green one being vastly better supplied than the debut red version which hardly got a look in here! Could you imagine the hoarding and scalping if they ever do a MK1! 

Happily Guisval are here to service your Fast Ford Needs with their ancient Mk1 casting which they've been producing on and off since the late 70s. New or old they can get fairly expensive on the secondary market despite still being in production. 

That is wonderfully poor!

[bunglebus]

They were quite decent, a silver base would probably help

 

[ambassador84]

30 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

They were quite decent, a silver base would probably help

 

That looks a lot more substantial 

[Tenmil Socket]

Does it have the tow hook?

[bunglebus]

12 minutes ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Does it have the tow hook?

Nope

Hadn't noticed that!

 

[bunglebus]

Goodness me this little Mira Fiesta is testing my patience. Managed to drill a 1mm hole in place of each of the axle pegs, and broke two bits off inside the base! Luckily I can still push a short axle through a wheel into each hole.

Then I started testing a few options, and they stick out more on one side of the casting than the other

The base isn't symmetrical! WTF

[bunglebus]

I'll ignore that for a while and look at some new bits instead, such as these diddy Schuco Piccolos

Packaging is marked Shell, promotionals?

Anyone know what this belongs to?