Shite in Miniature II

[155V6]

3 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Are you keeping the Custom Camaro?  that’s the only one I have missing now

I'll probably keep it,I've got 9 of the 16 so might as well try & get them all

[uk_senator]

36 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

Didn't get to the toy fair today as I was outvoted, but picked these up for £5 at Brighton Marina market

I had the Corgi Mangusta with removable chassis (still have it) but not seen a Dinky one before and it is every bit as nice as the Corgi really...

 

@uk_senator I worked in Bethnal Green for twenty years or so from the late 80's and pretty sure I used to see that FX4 breakdown truck around and about. Funnily enough this came up on my BookFace feed the other day ...

 

 

So you remember Bethnal Green was FX4 central! 😂
There was quite a few FX4 towing rigs knocking around, I wish I had pics of his old one.. His still had most of the rear end still fitted (like the Transit above), as opposed to it being converted into a pickup. Pretty sure there were some pics of them online from back in the day when I looked, probably on Flickr!

[155V6]

3 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Wait

NEED TO SEE MORE OF KNIEVEL

It's one of these,by Paladone

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/326460976818?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=_6iESJINR42&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=UdnbkHTuRz6&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[Datsuncog]

Very little to report over in this part of the world for miniature tat either - I called into the main standalone Entertainer store in central Belfast last week, to discover that their small Matchbox display has been cleared out and replaced with Hot Wheels monster trucks.

It used to look like this:

But now it looks like this:

Which was most unfortunate.

They'd moved the Working Rigs, multipacks and singularly unloved 70th Anniversary series over beside their Hot Wheels (which are mostly just stale items from 2023 and 2024).

But all the regular Matchbox mainlines and most of the Germany Series vehicles had been moved to a table over by the entrance, which leads me to wonder if the brand has much of a future with The Entertainer...

Absolutely no Moving Parts to be seen: but given that the same ones that they had here a few weeks ago were now to be found in the model shop just a stone's throw away in Smithfield, I think I could make a wild guess what had occurred.

They'd nearly doubled in price during the hundred-metre trip to Yer Man's shop - going from £4.30 in The Entertainer to £8.50 (now scrawled on the packaging in marker pen, of course).

Nothing new in Tesco, Poundland, B&M, or Home Bargains either. Or Smyths.

No PSNI meat wagon Drift-Enders to be seen yet.

Meh. This hobby...

[FakeConcern]

9 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

 I've asked him to look for a scrap Corgi A60 for me.

I'm fairly sure I have a Corgi driving school Cambridge with collapsed suspension somewhere.

[Spottedlaurel]

Was pleased to find the mainline Datsun 1200 pickup in a Tesco the other day:

Genuinely didn't know about it at the time, great to see it as a non-Premium.

Smyths in Ipswich yesterday had nothing, should have popped into The Entertainer in town while I was down there.

Making progress on this 1:24 Daihatsu Move by Fujimi:

 

Wheels are from an accessory set, because I can't build anything out of the box.

[bunglebus]

From Facebook, make of this what you will

Amazing Discovery from a Long-Lost Airfix Store! 

At the beginning of the 1990s, one of the Airfix stores was shut down, closing the doors on a legendary British brand that had been producing plastic model kits since 1939. Known for its detailed aircraft, military vehicles, and ships, Airfix was a staple in the world of model-making. For decades, the store remained untouched—until recently, when its backroom was finally reopened.

Inside, a true time capsule was uncovered! A massive collection of original Airfix plastic model kits was found, forgotten for more than 30 years. But among these treasures, something truly special stood out—a huge crate containing 250 Majorette models from 1987-1989! 
Pontiac Fiero Turbo, Porsche 911, Ferrari, and many more, all perfectly preserved as if waiting to be rediscovered.

The new owner of the store took the Airfix models, while I had the privilege of rescuing the Majorette collection, ensuring these classic diecast cars could finally see the light of day again!

This is one of those rare finds that remind us how many hidden gems are still out there, waiting to be uncovered! 

[quicksilver]

I smell BS. If those are untouched new-old stock why are they all unboxed? Didn't Majorettes always come in those individual blisters? Unboxing them now would be madness.

[sierraman]

Interesting find but then what do you do with them all? 🤣

[bunglebus]

2 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

I smell BS. If those are untouched new-old stock why are they all unboxed? Didn't Majorettes always come in those individual blisters? Unboxing them now would be madness.

I asked the question and apparently they were all unboxed and in boxes/crates ready to go elsewhere. Found in the UK too if you believe the author:

There were no original boxes — the models were packed in large cardboard trays, one on top of another.
It looked like they were prepared for packing on a special order for a local English company.
Back in those days, it was quite normal for local models to be packaged for other companies as well,
and they were often released in company-branded boxes as promotional products.

Such custom packaging was a common practice at the time! ✨
A fascinating piece of collecting history!

[Split_Pin]

57 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

From Facebook, make of this what you will

Amazing Discovery from a Long-Lost Airfix Store! 

At the beginning of the 1990s, one of the Airfix stores was shut down, closing the doors on a legendary British brand that had been producing plastic model kits since 1939. Known for its detailed aircraft, military vehicles, and ships, Airfix was a staple in the world of model-making. For decades, the store remained untouched—until recently, when its backroom was finally reopened.

Inside, a true time capsule was uncovered! A massive collection of original Airfix plastic model kits was found, forgotten for more than 30 years. But among these treasures, something truly special stood out—a huge crate containing 250 Majorette models from 1987-1989! 
Pontiac Fiero Turbo, Porsche 911, Ferrari, and many more, all perfectly preserved as if waiting to be rediscovered.

The new owner of the store took the Airfix models, while I had the privilege of rescuing the Majorette collection, ensuring these classic diecast cars could finally see the light of day again!

This is one of those rare finds that remind us how many hidden gems are still out there, waiting to be uncovered! 

Initially I was hoping for some Renault Express', Renault 11s, Peugeots, Golf GTi, maybe a Transit or two. But apart from the 300ZX those are the more boring releases. 

Plus they are mostly the same. If he or she thinks they're a 'privelaged' 'Collector' then crack on.

[bunglebus]

Just been to rescue my Corgi Model Club delivery from two doors down, well done Amazon delivery 

I think this is now the third use of the Oldsmobile casting, and apparently quite an unusual colour scheme that sold in low numbers, certainly not one I've come across in the wild. Free catalogue this month but no Atlas For Men advert, swizz!

[sierraman]

4 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I asked the question and apparently they were all unboxed and in boxes/crates ready to go elsewhere. Found in the UK too if you believe the author:

There were no original boxes — the models were packed in large cardboard trays, one on top of another.
It looked like they were prepared for packing on a special order for a local English company.
Back in those days, it was quite normal for local models to be packaged for other companies as well,
and they were often released in company-branded boxes as promotional products.

Such custom packaging was a common practice at the time! ✨
A fascinating piece of collecting history!

There’s a pallet load of boxes of Matchbox Superkings buses doing the rounds on marketplace that were done for the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce or something like that. I’m guessing they ordered too many and they ended up stuffed in the back of a depot for years until someone at the council decided they’d got to go. 

[High Jetter]

1 minute ago, bunglebus said:

Just been to rescue my Corgi Model Club delivery from two doors down, well done Amazon delivery 

 

 

 

I think this is now the third use of the Oldsmobile casting, and apparently quite an unusual colour scheme that sold in low numbers, certainly not one I've come across in the wild. Free catalogue this month but no Atlas For Men advert, swizz!

 

I had that blue Olds when I was a kid. For years it was the only yank tank I could identify with any certainty.

[bunglebus]

Put the Dakota back together

I repaired the roll bar and painted it a different white to recreate the look of original plastic.

Something very pleasing about the uninterrupted white with just the coloured windows brightening things up

The two recreations of rare white editions fit in well too

I've got two more stripped and two Specials I could add to the pile, still looking for more

[quicksilver]

3 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I asked the question and apparently they were all unboxed and in boxes/crates ready to go elsewhere. Found in the UK too if you believe the author:

There were no original boxes — the models were packed in large cardboard trays, one on top of another.
It looked like they were prepared for packing on a special order for a local English company.
Back in those days, it was quite normal for local models to be packaged for other companies as well,
and they were often released in company-branded boxes as promotional products.

Such custom packaging was a common practice at the time! ✨
A fascinating piece of collecting history!

I suppose that's possible but still seems unlikely. Why would a special order of that size go through a shop rather than the customer dealing directly with the manufacturer? Why did the customer not make any attempt to claim them or the shop not make any attempt to sell them and recoup what they were owed by the customer? It's a nice collection but the story just doesn't ring true.

[danthecapriman]

4 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Just been to rescue my Corgi Model Club delivery from two doors down, well done Amazon delivery 

I think this is now the third use of the Oldsmobile casting, and apparently quite an unusual colour scheme that sold in low numbers, certainly not one I've come across in the wild. Free catalogue this month but no Atlas For Men advert, swizz!

That Olds looks good. I’ve got an original one here somewhere. See if I can dig it out later.

[eddyramrod]

I've got one in the paintshop now, not to mention a couple already done.  I can see I'll have to have a photo session when I've done this one...

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, quicksilver said:

I suppose that's possible but still seems unlikely. Why would a special order of that size go through a shop rather than the customer dealing directly with the manufacturer? Why did the customer not make any attempt to claim them or the shop not make any attempt to sell them and recoup what they were owed by the customer? It's a nice collection but the story just doesn't ring true.

Might have been a cancelled order. Does fascinate me when you hear of these old toy shops finishing up and them finding old diecast on a dusty shelf. I recall reading a while back about one in a seaside town that finished up, wish I could find the article. They were left with old Matchbox Big MX sets which figures as they were both ECP and unpopular at the time so them lingering into the 90’s seems plausible. 

[sierraman]

Found it 

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/treasure-trove-untouched-old-toys-8972742.amp

[bunglebus]

That's the dream isn't it, stumbling on a stash like that?

[Lord Sterling]

Miniature shite collectors! Does anyone have any 1/43 scale number plates they don't need, preferably from Dinky/Vanguards?

Got a couple of recently bought models here that need some fresh plates. I've got some but most are used up and the others I've got are pretty awful examples.

Yes, I've had a look on eBay and there isn't much on there that interests me. What does it a tad more than I want to pay. And no, I don't have a working printer to print my own, I don't like printing numberplates on paper anyway. 

£ash paid, nae issues. Ta.

[bunglebus]

Volkswagen delivery day today

First up, very nice Siku 181, missing the roof as usual but has the aerials etc

Next is this extremely nice Sand Cat, annoyingly it's picked up a handful of chips on one front wing, seller has been good about it but I'm still tempted to keep this and try touching them in. It's not often I find one quite this tidy

Lastly the real oddball, a Conrad T3 ambulance 

[sierraman]

20 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

That's the dream isn't it, stumbling on a stash like that?

Then just as you dash back to the cash machine, you arrive back and some fucker has took the lot for £20 and will probably retire off the proceeds of selling it at a Swapmeet. 

[MiniMinorMk3]

58 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Lastly the real oddball, a Conrad T3 ambulance 

 

 

 

That casting ended up as Gama-Mini, they even kept the same wheel design. Here's one I photographed earlier.

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

By the way, the Schabak version is better than the Conrad/Gama.

 

Their T4 is quite good as well

[Datsuncog]

Speaking of new-old stock forgotten in a shop somewhere...

I was over the moon when these two Corgis landed the other week, courtesy of @Spottedlaurel (and very carefully packaged!) - a  #493 Mazda B1600 pickup, and a #319 Jaguar XJS. Both are first-releases of their castings, from 1975 and 1978 respectively.

Given the multiple identical models found in the antiques shop in question, and the fact they're absolutely factory fresh, the supposition that these came from some unopened trade cases seems plausible.

And my goodness, they're just lovely. No fading at all to the boxes.

I'll take some individual pics at some point, but at the minute you can see they fit in pretty well with some of my other 1/36 Corgis...

[Datsuncog]

Oh yes, and as mentioned further upthread - the release literature for the Mazda pickup showed it as a solid blue colour, which is why I suspect (but cannot prove) that the slightly incongruous two-tone scheme on production versions was a last-minute decision to jazz up a model that otherwise might have seemed to lack a little of the usual Corgi sparkle.

[Spottedlaurel]

Great to see them with the others! Nice to see the red Elite and blue Escort in boxes, just as I would have had them as presents 45+ years ago.

When I was looking at my Corgis the other weekend one or two things came to mind. The change in font to Corgi on the boxes wasn't always reflected in the baseplate of the vehicle, I found at least one where it had the new style letting on the baseplate but older font on the box, I'd have thought it would be the other way around as the box would be easier to update than the moulding.

Also I think the Mazdas I found might not be quite the earliest version, as I have an unboxed blue and silver one with no circle evident in the bed for the cherry picker version. The non-circle version also has subtly different application of the silver paint, with the sills left in blue whereas the 'with circle' variant has silver sills. Will try and post a photo tonight.

[Spottedlaurel]

8 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Oh yes, and as mentioned further upthread - the release literature for the Mazda pickup showed it as a solid blue colour, which is why I suspect the slightly incongruous two-tone scheme on production versions was a last-minute decision to perk up a model that otherwise might have seemed a little bland.

Hmmm, chrome/unpainted rollbar/ladder rack on the Mazda? Most of mine have it painted in the main body colour, only the Hulk version is in chrome.