Shite in Miniature II

[MiniMinorMk3]

Next from Lot 380 are some Huskey and a Corgi Junior.

The Juniors Range Rover is in excellent shape...

with just some slight paint losses  along the roof edge and right rear corner. 

Yet another Studebaker Ambulance joins the collection.

Sliding roof and rear door intact. Patient has been lost on the way to the hospital.

S & D Refuse Van is excellent. 

The chrome on top...

and on the base is great.

The cattle is now in the trailer with the tractor.

But we have a problem, the trailer is a Huskey...

the tractor is a Corgi.

[Tenmil Socket]

They’re in good condition!

[MiniMinorMk3]

There was a selection of MB Regular Wheels in Lot 380.

MoY bus has nearly all it's decals.

Marshall Horse Box is in good shape.

Also has ramp in place.

Pickfords Van is good...

with just minor losses to the decals.

Commer Pick Up is tidy.

Singer 300E Van has lost most of its decals on the passenger side.

Driver's side is better.

Bedford ambulance is good.

Also has both doors.

Two well used Berkley Cavaliers...

both with broken towing eyes.

Later Trailer Caravan is in good condition...

with just minor losses on the raised edges.

Continuing the caravanning theme we have a VW Camper.

Doors have survived...

but roof glass has two cracks in it.

Snow Trac is great apart from having no tracks. I think I have one is worse condition with tracks so these will soon be swapped.

Aston is in fine condition.

But the driver has probably given up as they just can't get in the points this season.

Last we have a nice red Pontiac Grand Prix.

This was one of my favs when younger and ever since I have always liked the stacked light yanks of the mid 1960's

I'll be parking this next to the purple Superfast I got a few months ago.

But for now it is on towing duty moving that pikey house.

Must be out of fuel already.

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

Now for the boxed items from Lot 380.

First is a Regular Wheel Scaffold Truck

Almost in minty condition and complete with scaffold.

Talking of minty condition, the Pipe Truck is.

It looks like it has been out of the box a couple of time as there's a bit of wear on the box. The wheels on the truck look like the have never see and hard surface.

The Miura, however, has been in and out of its box a lot. So much that the end flaps on the box have given up and gone.

Lots of paint chips but still a fair example of a narrow wheel gold Miura.

ISO has also seen a lot of action.

Again narrow wheel but in pale blue instead of the original metallic blue. Tow hook still there.

The MG 1100 must have only been out on a Sunday.

It is in near minty condition and the box is fairly good.

Field Car has been used.

Seeing how there is not much wear on the wheels I guess these were raced on the track.

Road Dragster is heavily chipped.

Box is also crushed.

Beach Buggy has seen a lot of action.

As has the box.

Firebird looks great...

apart from chrome loss on the scoops.

From the front the Firebird looks chunky, but at the rear it looks a bit thin and pinched.

There a note stuck to the box explaining that the buyer could not get a No.10, but this was the nearest thing.

No.10 at the time was Piston Popper. Imagine the disappointment on little Johnnies face when he got the Firebird instead of an all action Piston Popper.

 

[danthecapriman]

Some lovely stuff there @MiniMinorMk3 personally I’d have preferred the Firebird to the piston popper!

Those Gilco road signs are absolutely lovely though, I’ve never seen them before.

[bunglebus]

This morning's boot sale and town finds

[bunglebus]

At the boot sale pretty early today, which gave me time to nip into Basildump afterwards for a bit more Hot Wheels hunting. An Asda voucher that needed spending allowed me to get this Majorette Porsche...

...plus a couple of 10 packs for the exclusive versions I was after - the rest will get flogged on

Porsche has a mis-matched panel vibe going on

Bone Shaker

32 Ford

Got the Beetle already, but here it is freed

Datsun 620

Taking of Hot Wheels, I grabbed this lightly squished Custom Fleetside at the boot sale

It's the US version, rather than Hong Kong, funny enough so was the only other pink one I've found - under a lovely coat of blue kid paint

Colour is really vibrant and appears to be orange under the pink, causing a very unusual effect 

This one came through the post, decent condition Romping Rabbit 

Even if the A pillar has an odd bend in it, seemingly a casting defect 

Fished this very clean Jeep out of a box of junk, just needs a couple of tyres

Cossie was from a charity shop 

Glow Racers Quicksilver...

... obligatory glow test

This was a good find, only the second Aerocar I've got my hands on. If only someone was 3D printing the missing bits...

Paid £2.00 for this Rover as it was very tidy. Seller was trying to direct me to his Frosties Siku Jeep/Corgi XJS/Porsche Targa, as apparently they are "good collector ones maaaate". Knob.

I have a CF already, but who can resist the working signs? Not me

I know the Speed Wheels put people off, but it has 5 opening bits and tilty seats. Also shedding its red paint at an alarming rate sadly

Brute was another eBay win. I'd like to do a mad custom one

This is today's best eBay arrival though, Shabak T3 Synchro in eye searing orange that doesn't photograph well

[Datsuncog]

Not an awful lot to report this week on the diecast front...

Took advantage of a dentist appointment on Tuesday to have a swing through the diecast hotspots of central Belfast.

Nothing new of any note in branches of Poundland, B&M, Home Bargains or Poundstretcher, though The Entertainer seems to have reinstated their Matchbox display in another aisle, complete with more of the Mix E mainlines:

Or maybe it's been there for months and I just didn't notice; it's entirely possible.

First time I've seen them take the trouble to put multiple examples of the same release on individual pegs, though - generally they're all just mixed in together.

Matchbox Mix E cases seem to be becoming more widespread - several Poundland stores were now displaying them (though many others seem to have restocked with 2023 releases, curiously), and I finally got a proper look at the local Tescotainer aisle on Wednesday:

Goodly amount of blue Morgans and yellow Autozams, but no 2CVs of course.

The Hot Wheels selection remains pretty duff - this store got in some A-case selections back at the start of the year, but seems to just keep refilling with older 2024 mix stuff now.

Premiums consist mainly of unwanted Pop Culture releases like the Beatles truck and the Jay Leno Mazda Cosmo, with a few Mystery Machines and shortie T1 drag vans sprinkled in.

When I passed by last week and saw Nemesis II hoking through the Matchbox tub, I clocked that new Alfa Sprint in the Boulevard collection hanging up - that was since gone, and also any of the red Lancia Deltas that might have been there too. Ah well.

Took a bit of a mooch round some of the charity shops while I was out and about this morning - some rather overpriced but still interesting items turned up in the Ulster Hospice shop:

Matchbox Super GT rendering of the Saab Sonnett III wasn't bad, though the far side was quite a bit more chipped. ERTL KITT wasn't mint but still quite presentable.

Amusing no-name BMW E30 cabrio was a bit steep for a quid.

Corgi TR7 was fairly reasonable, but this is what happens when you put sticker price labels on old toys...

Away from the toys, I also found these F&F oddities:

Made by Mattel, but not Hot Wheels branded and a good bit bigger than HW - perhaps an odd intermediate 1/50 or 1/55 scale instead?

Seemed to be marketed as the 'Filmmaker' range, with some sort of video software download included, presumably so you can emulate Dwayne & Co's implausible automotive antics in miniature and upload them for social media purposes?

Probably alright value at a fiver a pack, but not so much my sort of thing.

Lastly, a look round the Blytheswood Care shop turned up a Universal-era Matchbox Chevrolet wrecker, two Burger King promo Matchbox generic pickups, and a slightly improbable battery operated Land Rover Freelander monster truck, amidst a few Zuru odds and ends:

Dithered over the Chevy wrecker, but ultimately left it to find a new owner - also because I'd have felt bad handing over a note for a 20p toy, and nuking their change.

Ah well - at least with the back garden looking a bit less awful, I might get a chance to photograph some of my existing stuff:

[bunglebus]

7 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Goodly amount of blue Morgans and yellow Autozams, but no 2CVs of course

Same here

Although Sainsbury's had some up to date 5 packs on an offer

[bunglebus]

42 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Made by Mattel, but not Hot Wheels branded and a good bit bigger than HW - perhaps an odd intermediate 1/50 or 1/55 scale instead?

Those are real oddities, especially the MK1 Escort - why did they bother making a whole new casting?

 

 

[Split_Pin]

Finally managed to get some browsing done today.

Forester pre-emptively lifted for @Datsuncog

Baja beetle to sit on the shelf with my monster beetle  (as its always broken so has become an ornament)

[sierraman]

Went to car boot again, no talk of ruptured fannies today but a few bargains nonetheless. 

[MiniMinorMk3]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

 

It's the US version, rather than Hong Kong, funny enough so was the only other pink one I've found - under a lovely coat of blue kid paint

Colour is really vibrant and appears to be orange under the pink, causing a very unusual effect 

 

I spy black paint on the rear vallance which makes me think that that is a Skyshow Fleetside. Also pink colour was only available on Skyshow, not regular Fleetside. A score of 10 calculates into a value of $226-$250 for a minter.

On Line Redline Guide

 

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

This is today's best eBay arrival though, Shabak T3 Synchro in eye searing orange that doesn't photograph well

 

 

That's one I have not seen before, good find.

[sierraman]

20p each paid on these. 

[Split_Pin]

Can never have too many 1308GTs.

[sierraman]

7 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Can never have too many 1308GTs.

It’s rough but it’ll provide spares for if I find another one that tailgateless. The C Class is another from the 90’s era that’s surprising hard to find. 

[bunglebus]

47 minutes ago, sierraman said:

20p each paid on these. 

Graffic Traffic Prairie!

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

I spy black paint on the rear valance which makes me think that that is a Skyshow Fleetside. Also pink colour was only available on Skyshow, not regular Fleetside. A score of 10 calculates into a value of $226-$250 for a minter.

On Line Redline Guide

Never heard of it! This was my other pink one

 

[sierraman]

20 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Graffic Traffic Prairie!

Is there a way to get the bloody pen off it? 

[bunglebus]

29 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Is there a way to get the bloody pen off it? 

Nope. Repaint or enjoy* as it is

 

[flat4alfa]

Never knew of this 'Sky Show' Hot Wheels thing until today

Looks gr9 fun

[eddyramrod]

Yep, I had the SkyShow from new.  Didn't take long to break the launcher off the back of the Fleetside, but hey, that's kids for ya!

[flat4alfa]

Cor look at this - HELICOPTERS as well

[flat4alfa]

For page 1959

Hot Wheels 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Woodie

Never seen one of those.

[morrisoxide]

From The Entertainer today no sign of a 2CV. But whilst queing I spotted an new open box of Matchbox just off to the side of the tills. That garnered me the Land Cruiser (is it one word or two?), gold Chevy and Golf Ruff Rabbit.

I like it that you can now mix HW & MB in 3 for2 deal.

Nice detail in the LC.

[morrisoxide]

Also at my local car meet, there was a chap selling some miniature tat. Opening bonnet boot on the Beetle.

Never heard of Darda Motor toys before. I gave it a squirt of WD40 and removed some carpet fluff and it's off like the clappers.

[FakeConcern]

1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

For page 1959

Hot Wheels 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Woodie

Never seen one of those.

OK as the Austin Mini/Se7en was released in 1959 here's the earliest Corgi version I owned

I kind of regret restoring it a few years ago now

 

 

[FakeConcern]

On 08/05/2025 at 09:10, Tenmil Socket said:

I’m starting to feel left out, I’ve never owned a Spot-On… not even held one in my hand ☹️

So which Spot On toy car would you choose?

On 08/05/2025 at 15:13, eddyramrod said:

That can be addressed; you're close enough to make a visit up here a simple daytrip.

As Terry said in American Graffiti: come in, I'll let you touch it if you like.  Even the Humber!

I had to watch American Graffiti again as I didn't really remember that bit. It's so much better than I remembered it being.

I bunked off school to see it in Bromley Odeon with my best friend, when we told our English teacher the next day he said we should have seen The Exorcist that was on at the same time.

I think we made the right choice!

 

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, morrisoxide said:

Also at my local car meet, there was a chap selling some miniature tat. Opening bonnet boot on the Beetle.

Never heard of Darda Motor toys before. I gave it a squirt of WD40 and removed some carpet fluff and it's off like the clappers.

Some good scores there, especially the early Majorette Beetle. 

Darda are still very popular in their native Germany, you can buy the cars and spares in the larger department stores

There are even copies (the orange one) 

 

[MiniMinorMk3]

11 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

So which Spot On toy car would you choose?

I had to watch American Graffiti again as I didn't really remember that bit. It's so much better than I remembered it being.

I bunked off school to see it in Bromley Odeon with my best friend, when we told our English teacher the next day he said we should have seen The Exorcist that was on at the same time.

I think we made the right choice!

 

I used to go to Bromley Odeon in the 1970s. When I was 12 my dad took me to see Rollerball, which was an AA rated film. That's a 15 in new money. I saw Jaws there and a late night double feature of Live at Pompeii and The Song Remains the Same.