Shite in Miniature II

[Spottedlaurel]

£20 on the horsebox looks like good value, if the horses haven't bolted, but is the £15 silver Rolls a late one with an earlier box?

Orange pipe truck seems to have swapped loads with steel girders off the DAF, and is there something up with the front bumper?

[MiniMinorMk3]

Another Wednesday, another auction. More on this later.

[Tenmil Socket]

17 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

Another Wednesday, another auction. More on this later.

Not familiar with that Corgi packaging. 

[bunglebus]

Cor, green Husky Ford recovery truck! Citroen with the boat is a good find too

[bunglebus]

 

[Datsuncog]

12 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

That is unusual, Bulgarian?

How much was it?

(Out of curiosity)

Not sure if the Supra's a Bulgarian issue or not - but given the odd colour combo which isn't listed on any Matchbox wiki (or in the Charlie Mack bible), it's a reasonable guess. Either that or a pre-production colour trial...

Dunno about price either - no sticker visible, and the somewhat eccentric proprietor could be asking anywhere between £10 and £100.

I'll ask next time I'm in!

 

4 hours ago, sierraman said:

I can’t understand why they devalue them by sticking the price on the box of those seventies ones. 

I still can't get over why he writes in marker pen directly onto the packaging of the 1990s/ 2000s/ modern stuff.

I know - absolutely wild.

He's also got boxed '60s Corgis and Dinkys with three-figure asking prices, and the same John Frazer price gun stickers on them too. Way to devalue your stock when they tear the box surface/ leave adhesive residue staining/ the marker pen bleeds through...

Suddenly, those white giffer tags don't seem like such a bad idea!

 

4 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Ooh, interesting. I have several of the transporters but not the tanker. I'd be interested if it wasn't stupid money

I think the tanker was priced at a quid - I'll be sure to have a look again next time I'm back over!

 

2 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

£20 on the horsebox looks like good value, if the horses haven't bolted, but is the £15 silver Rolls a late one with an earlier box?

Orange pipe truck seems to have swapped loads with steel girders off the DAF, and is there something up with the front bumper?

Yeah, that Rolls box doesn't look right to me either - I reckon it should look like this one:

There does seem to be a piece of sprue or something protruding from that Ergomatic's front bumper, right enough.

There's a lot of weirdness about this place - I'm certain that some of his Matchbox packaging in this case are reproductions (based on, y'know, the tabs on the end flaps having something like 'Marty's Reproduction Boxes' printed on them) but the owner's become very shirty with me whenever I've had the temerity to mention this.

There's also much later 1990s Matchbox releases in what looks to be 1970s style boxes that don't look right at all, and a load of early 1970s Corgi Juniors in weird cardboard boxes that don't look at all period.

But *big* prices on them.

I also noticed yesterday that he's gone through his stapled-up Ziploc bags containing three knackered Superkings, two Maisto Shell promo Porsches and a few Corgi Cameos and added in marker pen the text '£55 now only - ' above the longstanding £40 price label, seemingly in a pretense of having knocked some money off.

If he just emptied them out into a big box for a pound or two he'd likely make a few sales; but no-one in their right mind is ever going to pay these sorts of prices for a very unappealing selection.

He's had these sitting for about twenty years now.

Strange cat - but his shop, his rules I guess...

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

I think the tanker was priced at a quid - I'll be sure to have a look again next time I'm back over!

I'll have both for that price. That Supra is definitely interesting too, isn't he the guy that gets funny about taking photos? I'd love to see the 

 

[bunglebus]

Anyway. Stuff turned up.

These copies of Kees/Polistil are terrible even by the usual standards unfortunately, appearing to be made of the same thickness metal as the tray you cook the Christmas turkey in

Panda has some material missing from the door

Escort, the one I was really interested in, has lost three pillars, partly due to poor packaging, but mostly just the terrible quality casting

Still, another package had better things inside. The result of a few Facebook auction wins, starting with a Custom Volkswagen 

Mine's better than the one posted recently, as it has a luxury sliding sunroof and side windows 😛

Splittin' Image

Someone's custom Corgi Mercedes 190?

Nope. Hot Wheels manufactured version 

Lastly, a pair of still sealed Matchbox Model A hot rods

[junkyarddog]

45 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Not sure if the Supra's a Bulgarian issue or not - but given the odd colour combo which isn't listed on any Matchbox wiki (or in the Charlie Mack bible), it's a reasonable guess. Either that or a pre-production colour trial...

Dunno about price either - no sticker visible, and the somewhat eccentric proprietor could be asking anywhere between £10 and £100.

I'll ask next time I'm in!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256327707592

This is on ebay,so I'm guessing it's Bulgarian.

It was just idle curiosity as to it's price.

I'm not interested in it,so if anyone wants it,you're welcome to it.

[sierraman]

56 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Not sure if the Supra's a Bulgarian issue or not - but given the odd colour combo which isn't listed on any Matchbox wiki (or in the Charlie Mack bible), it's a reasonable guess. Either that or a pre-production colour trial...

Dunno about price either - no sticker visible, and the somewhat eccentric proprietor could be asking anywhere between £10 and £100.

I'll ask next time I'm in!

 

I still can't get over why he writes in marker pen directly onto the packaging of the 1990s/ 2000s/ modern stuff.

I know - absolutely wild.

He's also got boxed '60s Corgis and Dinkys with three-figure asking prices, and the same John Frazer price gun stickers on them too. Way to devalue your stock when they tear the box surface/ leave adhesive residue staining/ the marker pen bleeds through...

Suddenly, those white giffer tags don't seem like such a bad idea!

 

I think the tanker was priced at a quid - I'll be sure to have a look again next time I'm back over!

 

Yeah, that Rolls box doesn't look right to me either - I reckon it should look like this one:

There does seem to be a piece of sprue or something protruding from that Ergomatic's front bumper, right enough.

There's a lot of weirdness about this place - I'm certain that some of his Matchbox packaging in this case are reproductions (based on, y'know, the tabs on the end flaps having something like 'Marty's Reproduction Boxes' printed on them) but the owner's become very shirty with me whenever I've had the temerity to mention this.

There's also much later 1990s Matchbox releases in what looks to be 1970s style boxes that don't look right at all, and a load of early 1970s Corgi Juniors in weird cardboard boxes that don't look at all period.

But *big* prices on them.

I also noticed yesterday that he's gone through his stapled-up Ziploc bags containing three knackered Superkings, two Maisto Shell promo Porsches and a few Corgi Cameos and added in marker pen the text '£55 now only - ' above the longstanding £40 price label, seemingly in a pretense of having knocked some money off.

If he just emptied them out into a big box for a pound or two he'd likely make a few sales; but no-one in their right mind is ever going to pay these sorts of prices for a very unappealing selection.

He's had these sitting for about twenty years now.

Strange cat - but his shop, his rules I guess...

I don’t get how these places stay in business? Rent, rates, heating… must be losing a fuck ton every week due to their complete lack of awareness about their own specialist subject. 

[sierraman]

58 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Not sure if the Supra's a Bulgarian issue or not - but given the odd colour combo which isn't listed on any Matchbox wiki (or in the Charlie Mack bible), it's a reasonable guess. Either that or a pre-production colour trial...

Dunno about price either - no sticker visible, and the somewhat eccentric proprietor could be asking anywhere between £10 and £100.

I'll ask next time I'm in!

 

I still can't get over why he writes in marker pen directly onto the packaging of the 1990s/ 2000s/ modern stuff.

I know - absolutely wild.

He's also got boxed '60s Corgis and Dinkys with three-figure asking prices, and the same John Frazer price gun stickers on them too. Way to devalue your stock when they tear the box surface/ leave adhesive residue staining/ the marker pen bleeds through...

Suddenly, those white giffer tags don't seem like such a bad idea!

 

I think the tanker was priced at a quid - I'll be sure to have a look again next time I'm back over!

 

Yeah, that Rolls box doesn't look right to me either - I reckon it should look like this one:

There does seem to be a piece of sprue or something protruding from that Ergomatic's front bumper, right enough.

There's a lot of weirdness about this place - I'm certain that some of his Matchbox packaging in this case are reproductions (based on, y'know, the tabs on the end flaps having something like 'Marty's Reproduction Boxes' printed on them) but the owner's become very shirty with me whenever I've had the temerity to mention this.

There's also much later 1990s Matchbox releases in what looks to be 1970s style boxes that don't look right at all, and a load of early 1970s Corgi Juniors in weird cardboard boxes that don't look at all period.

But *big* prices on them.

I also noticed yesterday that he's gone through his stapled-up Ziploc bags containing three knackered Superkings, two Maisto Shell promo Porsches and a few Corgi Cameos and added in marker pen the text '£55 now only - ' above the longstanding £40 price label, seemingly in a pretense of having knocked some money off.

If he just emptied them out into a big box for a pound or two he'd likely make a few sales; but no-one in their right mind is ever going to pay these sorts of prices for a very unappealing selection.

He's had these sitting for about twenty years now.

Strange cat - but his shop, his rules I guess...

Matchbox Bridge Layer in there as well, most probably for more than it would cost to build an actual bridge. 

[Datsuncog]

15 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I don’t get how these places stay in business? Rent, rates, heating… must be losing a fuck ton every week due to their complete lack of awareness about their own specialist subject. 

My guess is that he makes enough money on the railway modelling and plastic kits side of the business to balance out the fact his diecast stock rarely shifts much. There's times I've been in and some old buffer in a navy blue peaked cap has been busy dropping £300 on a Bachmann loco and some bits of scenery.

Whenever I worked in a model shop as a teenager, our plastic kits retailing at £10 cost us around £1 to buy in from the distributor - so excellent margins on them. Plus extra profit from add-on sales of brushes, glue and Humbrol paints.

Although he stocks new-release Vanguards and Oxford models, I don't think they're anywhere near as profitable. He also stocks a lot of film and TV related 1/18 stuff, and rally stuff by Whitebox, which probably shift alright.

He's literally the last bricks-and-mortar model shop left in Belfast, so kind of has a monopoly amongst those giffers who don't trust buying things with computers.

It's also in a really dodgy part of town that's now mostly demolition sites, 'hydroponic indoor gardening shops' and seedy places offering XXX-rated DVDs and poppers, so that's probably reflected in the rent rates!

[Datsuncog]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

Isn't he the guy that gets funny about photos too?

He is. Very funny about a number of things.

Sometimes there's The World's Most Unhappy Shop Assistant behind the counter instead - who might in fact be his mum?

She doesn't seem to give a monkey's about photography, or indeed anything else, so that could be an opportunity!

I'd be interested to see what's written on the base of that Supra also.

[andrew e]

Midweek bootsale madness! Two battered boxed Corgis for £15. Look at the mark up 😉

C111 has careful play marks but I think I’m the first to release the saloon as it has both windscreen pillars AND the bonnet gunsight badge! Wouldn’t budge on either at a tenner but happy to deal for the pair! I was happy to for two 45+ year old toys.

Certainly lots of play value with opening doors and boot, and it’s a hefty old thing too.

Just opening doors on the C111, I have a soft spot for these full size too.
Last picture illustrates the size race from1/43ish to 1/36 - lots more toy cor your money, it was well into the .80’s when Matchbox stepped up the size.

[MiniMinorMk3]

15 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

That is unusual,Bulgarian?

How much was it?

(Out of curiosity)

 

The Supra is a 1988 Bulgarian Issue. It came in quite a few colours from there. It also came in a bubble pack.

15 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

 

Metallic pinky-purple Supra with a red tailgate is an odd one.

Hot Rocker Capri in red is a late issue version - but is that box kosher?

 

 

That Hot Rocker box maybe a Japanese issue. I have not found anything on the web to verify though.

The Rolls is wrongly boxed. The original red Shadow was model number 25 that started as a regular wheel and then became a Superfast. They came in that style box with the Superfast logo on a blue. That silver one is a number 39 Shadow II which came in the later orange sided box.

[bunglebus]

As I was in Smyths yesterday looking at a fresh restock of Hot Wheels Fat & Fabulous silverlines, I grabbed another MK1 for a little detailing. In fairness there's not a lot to do, all the lights and handles are done already so I just put a coat of matt black on the interior, painted the fire extinguisher that you can't see from outside, painted a few bits on the base and spotlights, and fitted the Creative One 64 wheels I had intended for the Whizzwheels MK1, before I changed my mind

It's a pity about the smoked glass, earlier releases had clear. I might have one in the customising box, hmm...

[quicksilver]

17 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Absolutely! Actually a lot of the reason I don't do the bigger cars is a lack of custom wheel choices. I've got a few Scalextric wheels I picked up as they're about the right size. 

Talking of which I might as well show what it is the Mebetoys wheels have gone on

Pretty pleased with how they look, especially the happy accident of taller rear tyres

I've done a fair bit of work on this one cleaning up casting lines on the roof

I didn't take any before shots but there were some heavy lines diagonally to each corner.

I also tried to sort out the disaster that was the rear of the casting, particularly the casting lines again

Next I tried to improve the doors, which had material missing in the hinged sides

There's now chemical metal to build these areas up. Time for primer....

You might notice I also added something Corgi omitted - tail lights! I was looking on eBay for styrene tube, but it was all too big. Then it occured to me that I had various bits of ball point pen ink tube things, so I cut a couple of thin slices and glued them in about the same place as the real thing. I'm hoping to use Krystal Klear and clear red paint for lenses.

Paint colour TBC but I'm leaning towards something that acknowledges the dodgy yellow overpaint it had when I got it

 

Looks good on those wheels and the tail lights are a big improvement. A 70s custom look like this would be cool.

 

[Split_Pin]

2 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Not sure if the Supra's a Bulgarian issue or not - but given the odd colour combo which isn't listed on any Matchbox wiki (or in the Charlie Mack bible), it's a reasonable guess. Either that or a pre-production colour trial...

Dunno about price either - no sticker visible, and the somewhat eccentric proprietor could be asking anywhere between £10 and £100.

I'll ask next time I'm in!

 

I still can't get over why he writes in marker pen directly onto the packaging of the 1990s/ 2000s/ modern stuff.

I know - absolutely wild.

He's also got boxed '60s Corgis and Dinkys with three-figure asking prices, and the same John Frazer price gun stickers on them too. Way to devalue your stock when they tear the box surface/ leave adhesive residue staining/ the marker pen bleeds through...

Suddenly, those white giffer tags don't seem like such a bad idea!

 

I think the tanker was priced at a quid - I'll be sure to have a look again next time I'm back over!

 

Yeah, that Rolls box doesn't look right to me either - I reckon it should look like this one:

There does seem to be a piece of sprue or something protruding from that Ergomatic's front bumper, right enough.

There's a lot of weirdness about this place - I'm certain that some of his Matchbox packaging in this case are reproductions (based on, y'know, the tabs on the end flaps having something like 'Marty's Reproduction Boxes' printed on them) but the owner's become very shirty with me whenever I've had the temerity to mention this.

There's also much later 1990s Matchbox releases in what looks to be 1970s style boxes that don't look right at all, and a load of early 1970s Corgi Juniors in weird cardboard boxes that don't look at all period.

But *big* prices on them.

I also noticed yesterday that he's gone through his stapled-up Ziploc bags containing three knackered Superkings, two Maisto Shell promo Porsches and a few Corgi Cameos and added in marker pen the text '£55 now only - ' above the longstanding £40 price label, seemingly in a pretense of having knocked some money off.

If he just emptied them out into a big box for a pound or two he'd likely make a few sales; but no-one in their right mind is ever going to pay these sorts of prices for a very unappealing selection.

He's had these sitting for about twenty years now.

Strange cat - but his shop, his rules I guess...

He sounds like a right plonker but I enjoy your report every time you visit! Most bizarre!

[Split_Pin]

57 minutes ago, andrew e said:

Midweek bootsale madness! Two battered boxed Corgis for £15. Look at the mark up 😉

C111 has careful play marks but I think I’m the first to release the saloon as it has both windscreen pillars AND the bonnet gunsight badge! Wouldn’t budge on either at a tenner but happy to deal for the pair! I was happy to for two 45+ year old toys.

Certainly lots of play value with opening doors and boot, and it’s a hefty old thing too.

Just opening doors on the C111, I have a soft spot for these full size too.
Last picture illustrates the size race from1/43ish to 1/36 - lots more toy cor your money, it was well into the .80’s when Matchbox stepped up the size.

Oh boy that 240D is lovely! I've never seen a tidy one before! 

[MiniMinorMk3]

3 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Not familiar with that Corgi packaging. 

Todays lot is in better condition than last weeks stuff.

The Corgi Twin Packs cost 65p

Made in Great Britain c1984

 

Once this stuff has been through the car wash I post some more detailed pics on the good bits.

[Datsuncog]

Looks like there's a very decent Corgi Jensen Interceptor and Jaguar XJ12 in there.

Hot Wheels Silver Shadow is a good find too!

[andrew e]

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Oh boy that 240D is lovely! I've never seen a tidy one before! 

I put it next to the one I had which I thought was very tidy (but played with!) and it looks like a junker next to it! I’m quite chuffed!

[andrew e]

Todays “50p sound alright?” Find 😳

Needed scrub (it had mud underneath!) and I’ve treated it to a little polish, but it is missing both bumpers and the bootlid (no tailgate on these CX).

Lots of opening parts though, and I’m sure the 8 year old version of me would have broke most of the bits off it before birthday bedtime - just like I did on the snowy mini rallye I had 😇

[eddyramrod]

I've got a silver 240D in  among my Projects.  I feel like I should be printing off your pics of the blue one for inspiration!

[andrew e]

Duplicate posting 👍

[Noel Tidybeard]

sorry to piss on your chips but the 240d is missing a bumper corner

[junkyarddog]

37 minutes ago, andrew e said:

Todays “50p sound alright?” Find

Bargain,even if it is missing a few bits!!!

[ambassador84]

6 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Anyway. Stuff turned up.

These copies of Kees/Polistil are terrible even by the usual standards unfortunately, appearing to be made of the same thickness metal as the tray you cook the Christmas turkey in

Panda has some material missing from the door

Escort, the one I was really interested in, has lost three pillars, partly due to poor packaging, but mostly just the terrible quality casting

Still, another package had better things inside. The result of a few Facebook auction wins, starting with a Custom Volkswagen 

Mine's better than the one posted recently, as it has a luxury sliding sunroof and side windows 😛

Splittin' Image

Someone's custom Corgi Mercedes 190?

Nope. Hot Wheels manufactured version 

Lastly, a pair of still sealed Matchbox Model A hot rods

I think the top 4 models are Kees rather than copies, I believe later versions had their name removed from the baseplates.

A company called Timmy Toys did copy most of these Kees castings but are noticeably simplified and even more crude in construction.

[cms206]

Landed these for a fiver today out the rummage boxes in the local antiques shop in town; nothing too exciting sadly.

[Lord Sterling]

4 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Oh boy that 240D is lovely! I've never seen a tidy one before! 

Yow ent seen mine. 

It was an eBay purchase and seemed in really tidy condition albeit with no box. I have added a few small details but thats about it. Its all there.

Not sure if I've shown this before:

1/43 Lotus Sunbeam.

Not who the maker is as there is nothing on the base but 1/43 Lotus Sunbeam on it.

It's a really tidy model. I think I may have bought this from Pêle-Mêle in Brussels for €heaps.

This was also bought from Pêle-Mêle iirc:

The bumpers are usually great plastic but someone has painted it all over. I only recently added the black bits, albeit not as well as I thought.