Shite in Miniature II

[sierraman]

Sometimes it’s a labour of love, by time I’ve spent £16 on bits from Steve Flowers and his postage it won’t have been worth doing the Zodiac. On cost alone I’d be as well binning it and buying a half decent one but sometimes you have to write it off as spending £16 to pass the time. Of which £16 doesn’t go very far! What’s that about 3 pints in a reasonably useable pub. 🤣

[Split_Pin]

That's true.

Anyway, I went into Hobbycraft tonight and the store manager didn’t even known what Plasticard was 😂😂

So I'll maybe just carry in with the 14 meantime until it arrives from somewhere online.

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

I went into Hobbycraft tonight and the store manager didn’t even known what Plasticard was 😂😂

I went into Hobbycraft tonight and the store has CLOSING DOWN 40% OFF signs inside and out

[bunglebus]

I've got a bit of a mad work schedule at the moment, so I've not been home to look through my newest goodies until tonight.

Starting with Hot Wheels, the Mrs was kind/silly enough to intercept Entertainer's latest delivery via video call while I was away, and came home with a large stack for me, although this Porsche was one I found in Home Bargains on Tuesday 

Taking of which, the new colour 911 keyring was located

As well as the Mustang Funny Car

Nice purple Dodge

And a bit of a bonkers Mazda

GR86 in a kind of orangy bronze

Stripey Viper

And Ford GT

I'm not a Ferrari kind of guy, I suppose this one's significant after Mattel's long break from having the licence for them - but I don't think I'll be keeping it

Most of the fantasy stuff doesn't excite me, but I quite like the styling of the Madfast, reminds me of both jet dragsters from the 70s and fantasy Matchbox of the same era 

Mattel Dream Mobile looks really good in red to celebrate 80 years of the company - not an easy one to photograph though

Gordon Murray in a new colour

As is the Mustang in a classic black

The paint on the Mercedes is nuts, absolutely love this

Miura also looking good in black and gold

But this looks even better. I've been itching to find this 635

Head and tail lights are part of the window unit, so customising it should give great results 

However this one's staying exactly as it is!

[bunglebus]

Next door to the Home Bargains where I bought the Porsche, is a Morrisons, and they had 8 packs of Matchbox for £4 each - I grabbed one of each set immediately!

GT40 and the red ovloV are the standouts here for me

Second set contains an exclusive colour E Type

The Cadillac looks good too but I didn't get a close-up

Staying with packaged stuff, @Spottedlaurel tracked down the regular Porsche from the recent National Icons set

As well as the Civic I could never find from the Speed Graphics releases 

Plus one of the new Fast Wagons premiums

I'll come back to that delivery shortly, but first a different one - Matchbox Dinky Porsche 356. I'm not tempted to try and find all of this series, but they are nicely made things, and I've never had my mits on this one before

Yet another box contained one of the surprisingly elusive Matchbox Retro 70s cars that came out in the 90s, this time it's the turn of the Pi-Eyed Piper to be recreated, with some extra detailing as usual. I'll find my original for comparison at some pount

Back to the Spotted  Laurel box for the last boxed buy, with this Corgi 2CV

[FakeConcern]

23 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Love the Spot-On’s @FakeConcern 

That Thames is absolutely lovely.

For the Triumph TR3 -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/372546209980?_skw=tamiya+ts&itmmeta=01JV8B92Z11HK4WARCWKW5NADV&hash=item56bd7c08bc%3Ag%3Ay7UAAOSw33Ffup7s&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAAA4FkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1ftr5jPd7l1xSj7LqtKPsr4Fxl1olRHh6YpT6IY8EQVmfWEfjDu2g%2FCvntn9IHu9CXK1TldMaFmrC%2BvgyZ0JNCmn9kJD7QOx3%2F71F2VnVfhG1gh9zF0CdHcUWF6kudXCaxE4axp8anaIgfqbYL4Nk5ByPb7LPNTvO7vYO7n9cAoOd6ueX4RFeyvVWsFSMj6m3APJQn2Blnpn47WfZWUpUWgCqL3cZMhsVsElSgfge7h6kvIaC94yoYMl5L3aTxgxLBL2USjHRm56K3MB3kD68sv|tkp%3ABFBMnLCki9pl&var=641326629693

Tamiya Ts-41 Coral blue.

This is what it looks like, probably not 100% but not far off?

Thanks Dan, I already have the Coral Blue and it's too bright and much too blue, but good news I got different Tamiya paint colour meant for flexible plastic in a proper model shop in Worthing which I think is a good match

I'm going to use it anyway.

 

5 hours ago, sierraman said:

Sometimes it’s a labour of love, by time I’ve spent £16 on bits from Steve Flowers and his postage it won’t have been worth doing the Zodiac. On cost alone I’d be as well binning it and buying a half decent one but sometimes you have to write it off as spending £16 to pass the time. Of which £16 doesn’t go very far! What’s that about 3 pints in a reasonably useable pub. 🤣

I agree financially it isn't worth it, but you end up with something unique that was created by you and in some way expresses your individuality, plus re using something that would otherwise be scrapped is a better use of resources!  

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

That's true.

Anyway, I went into Hobbycraft tonight and the store manager didn’t even known what Plasticard was 😂😂

So I'll maybe just carry in with the 14 meantime until it arrives from somewhere online.

I'm not at all surprised that The staff in Hobbycraft had no clue, they never know anything about that sort of thing, bring back Beatties! We went to Hobbycraft to look for paint and they no longer stock the Tamiya spray or Plasticote spray paints. Also the model section has shrunk to a tiny section on one side near the back of the store. Most of the stuff they sell now is a boring kit to enable someone with no skill or imagination to produce a useless artifact.

Anyway back to Miniature shite and we went to Ford Market where I picked up a few bits and bobs

Mrs Concern got the Dinky tyre rack and the tiny die cast sailing boat.

I picked this up for Eddy

This was £1.50 if someone would like it

I got these for £5 which was a good deal

The Gloworm Crapi even has the strut thing, but is missing the driver and funnily enough I bought a chassis for one at the toy fair for 50p and it has a driver.

All three versions of Corgi racing trailer, almost complete VW wrecker just no hook and a Dinky Spitfire with driver and seat belt. A50 still has what looks to be intact glazing pushed down inside the slightly squashed roof.

We went into Arundel for a coffee and looked in the junk shops, some nice stuff today, but didn't buy any...

I really had to restrain myself to not buy the Mebetoys Alfasud!

 

 

[bunglebus]

Along with the boxed Corgi, were two Carreras

I've forgotten who it was on here that had lots of different versions of the Majorette pickup, but having found out it was made as a camper, I needed to find one

Much to my amusement, the orange roof beacons are still fitted, and visible through the windows

Was the plastic part used in anything else?

It was joined by a clean ovloV estate

And an opening bonnet Beetle

The next package I opened confused me slightly, as it contained...a yellow, opening bonnet Beetle!

Oops, oh well that's one for the repaint pile then!

Lastly, an Alme Golf, looking for all the world like an overgrown mix of both Majorette and Matchbox 

[Split_Pin]

8 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

they no longer stock the Tamiya spray or Plasticote spray paints

Ah I thought that was just me that couldn't find it any more! That is annoying as there is a nice Tamiya Suzuki superbike I've had my eye in for a while but I would need a specific Tamiya blue for it.

[sheffcortinacentre]

4 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

That's true.

Anyway, I went into Hobbycraft tonight and the store manager didn’t even known what Plasticard was 😂😂

So I'll maybe just carry in with the 14 meantime until it arrives from somewhere online.

I find nowadays staff at all levels don't have a clue re what the company they work for does, all they know is how to sell stuff.

[Spottedlaurel]

Not very up-to-date reportage from last weekend......

Saturday morning autojumble and show:

Bought a few things from this seller before. Slight mark-up on what they would have been originally, but he seems like a decent chap and they're all things I'd have struggled to find myself. He was the source of the Speed Graphics Civic and Corgi 911s I got for @bunglebus

 

Randoms from various stalls, I think only the red Mercury wagon cost me any more than £1.

[sierraman]

6 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

I find nowadays staff at all levels don't have a clue re what the company they work for does, all they know is how to sell stuff.

See Halfords…

[Spottedlaurel]

Then onto the Sunday morning toy fair just outside Ipswich. This had bonus @trigger content, when I saw him by chance and got a look at his Mk2 Cavalier (and ever-improving Escort Cabriolet). Also, by neat coincidence, the P-reg Dolomite he owned a while back was parked at the toy fair.

Corgis, I think all 50p each.

Majorettes, all 50p each apart from the 127 at £1. Excalibur and Ferrari F1 are new to me.

Randoms. Diddy Rav4 and Land Cruiser came from a model train stall, Pajero seems to be similar scale. Larger Land Cruiser and terrible 300ZX no-brand Chinese, and the Impreza by Maisto. Thought that might find a home next time I have a stall selling kits etc at the local Japanese car meet.

Toyotas, Mazda and Merc were £2, remainder 50p each.

Then onto shops:

Multipacks from Asda, rest from Smyths. The Toyota truck/off-roader set wasn't something I knew about so a nice bonus, shame they didn't have the Land Cruiser 80 from the series but fortunately that's been located for me.

 

260Z was the main point of interest in the Majorette set, I'm not sure if they've ever released it separately (I haven't seen it, even in France). Compare and contrast with their older 2+2 version (slightly smaller scale).

And finally, an arrival from @bunglebus in the week.

[Datsuncog]

I happened to be passing the charity shop again yesterday and this time I had a handful of small change, so I went in...

The others had gone, but this one was still in the basket - so I nabbed it.

The towing hook's a little bit chewed, and there's some rustiness around the axles, but if anyone fancies taking this Chevrolet wrecker on at 20p do let me know!

[ambassador84]

11 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I've got a bit of a mad work schedule at the moment, so I've not been home to look through my newest goodies until tonight.

Starting with Hot Wheels, the Mrs was kind/silly enough to intercept Entertainer's latest delivery via video call while I was away, and came home with a large stack for me, although this Porsche was one I found in Home Bargains on Tuesday 

Taking of which, the new colour 911 keyring was located

As well as the Mustang Funny Car

Nice purple Dodge

And a bit of a bonkers Mazda

GR86 in a kind of orangy bronze

Stripey Viper

And Ford GT

I'm not a Ferrari kind of guy, I suppose this one's significant after Mattel's long break from having the licence for them - but I don't think I'll be keeping it

Most of the fantasy stuff doesn't excite me, but I quite like the styling of the Madfast, reminds me of both jet dragsters from the 70s and fantasy Matchbox of the same era 

Mattel Dream Mobile looks really good in red to celebrate 80 years of the company - not an easy one to photograph though

Gordon Murray in a new colour

As is the Mustang in a classic black

The paint on the Mercedes is nuts, absolutely love this

Miura also looking good in black and gold

But this looks even better. I've been itching to find this 635

Head and tail lights are part of the window unit, so customising it should give great results 

However this one's staying exactly as it is!

Well done to your missus for finding that ever elusive Ferrari! I was at a The Entertainer store on Tuesday as I "was passing" and hoping it was their delivery day. The good news was a delivery was due imminently. The bad news is that there were already at least 6 middle aged men clearly on the spectrum and having never heard of personal hygiene waiting for the new Hot Wheels. I didn't fancy hanging around!

[danthecapriman]

8 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

I find nowadays staff at all levels don't have a clue re what the company they work for does, all they know is how to sell stuff.

See also: management of companies. They’re career managers. They’re not people who have learned about that company and started at the bottom of it on the ‘shop floor’ then worked their way up. That’s how it should be done. 
We had some useless twat who was the manager of a carpet company get a high up management job at the place I worked at - wtf does a carpet shop manager know about how to run an electricity company!?! He couldn’t even wire a plug! 
After a few incompetent decisions and a load of money wasted he was sent on his way after upsetting another manager.

 

Back on subject…

I got this yesterday. 
Another one of those SAVA Austin J4’s.

[bunglebus]

8 minutes ago, ambassador84 said:

Well done to your missus for finding that ever elusive Ferrari! I was at a The Entertainer store on Tuesday as I "was passing" and hoping it was their delivery day. The good news was a delivery was due imminently. The bad news is that there were already at least 6 middle aged men clearly on the spectrum and having never heard of personal hygiene waiting for the new Hot Wheels. I didn't fancy hanging around!

Yours if you want it 

[bramz7]

Dibs on the Ferrari if @ambassador84 doesn't want it, please. 

 

Found another TH at Morrisons this week.

 

5 so far this year, not terrible.

[ambassador84]

27 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Yours if you want it 

 

27 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Yours if you want it 

Thank you.

I'm off to Spain today for a week and if I'm not successful over there I'll take you up on your offer 😀😀

[barrett]

12 hours ago, FakeConcern said:

We went into Arundel for a coffee and looked in the junk shops, some nice stuff today, but didn't buy any...

I think I can probably guess, but what shop was that? I see a cheeky Pilen 204 which isn't something that comes up very often. Pricing all over the place there but the R17 seems like a decent price.

[flat4alfa]

10 hours ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

I find nowadays staff at all levels don't have a clue re what the company they work for does, all they know is how to sell stuff.

Because all they have experienced is minimum wage and zero prospects 

[MiniMinorMk3]

12 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I'll come back to that delivery shortly, but first a different one - Matchbox Dinky Porsche 356. I'm not tempted to try and find all of this series, but they are nicely made things, and I've never had my mits on this one before

 

 

I got on of those when they were first issued. It was far better than the 356 Speedster that was part of teh Corgi Classics range. Those Matchbox Dinky always seemed to be well proportioned. 

[bunglebus]

43 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

5 so far this year, not terrible.

Morrisons don't give a shite about the packaging clearly, I had one of those security tags stuck on the front/top of the Matchbox 8 packs. If they get nicked it's usually without the card anyway!

[flat4alfa]

3 hours ago, sierraman said:

See Halfords…

https://uk.indeed.com/cmp/Halfords/reviews?ftext=rota

[sierraman]

11 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

https://uk.indeed.com/cmp/Halfords/reviews?ftext=rota

I can’t see them lasting, the car parts side is virtually gone. They are still obviously doing the fitting bulbs sketch, I did see the other week one of their ‘experts’ doing something involved looking around replacing a battery. I would not have confidence in them getting something like that right, they’re basically just kids playing at it that’s done a fucking day course. 🤣

[bunglebus]

I honestly don't know how they've lasted, they didn't know their arse from their elbow in 1998 when I started there, and the employees seem to agree it's still the same now if I speak to them. Plenty of other ex-Halfords staff have similar stories @Datsuncog

[danthecapriman]

16 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I honestly don't know how they've lasted, they didn't know their arse from their elbow in 1998 when I started there, and the employees seem to agree it's still the same now if I speak to them. Plenty of other ex-Halfords staff have similar stories @Datsuncog

The garage I used to work in was part of a shared unit with Halfords. A long time ago it used to be the Halfords garage workshop. Because Halfords was next door we had a trade account with them but also occasionally helped them out with the fitting if they struggled.

I have never seen such incompetent ‘fitters’ in my life! They were all just untrained kids doing a part time job between college courses. Many were nice enough people but they certainly had absolutely no idea what they were doing with cars. 
One good thing they kept doing though was opening up the cases of Halfords tools out of the shop cabinets so they could use the tools on the fitting work, but they were so slack they constantly kept leaving the tool sets out in the car park! 
In the end we stopped taking them back inside for them and kept them! It didn’t seem to matter though, which is strange considering those sets must be £100 or so a time! 
Given how complex cars are now there’s no way I’d trust them on one.

[Noel Tidybeard]

rabbit hole discovered, fallen down, ordered

https://uk.corgi.co.uk/products/screen-stars-ford-capri-mk2-20s-diamond-white-jaguar-xj6-series-2-silver-cc91992

[MiniMinorMk3]

4 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

Back on subject…

I got this yesterday. 
Another one of those SAVA Austin J4’s.

I thought, is that an Oxford? A quick web search tell me it is an IXO/Altaya model. Here's another version that has some excellent shite connotations. Found for sale in Brazil.

Sava J4 Austin Servicio de Competición SEAT 1:43 Ixo Models – Totalcar Miniatures

San Miguel version can be found on Ebay.

The SAVA was facelifted and rebranded as a Pegaso.

SAVA J4 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[MiniMinorMk3]

What's coming from Vanguards in the next few months. Spoiler alert, 13 new Vanguards are being issued, of which 11 are Fords.

 

[danthecapriman]

34 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

I thought, is that an Oxford? A quick web search tell me it is an IXO/Altaya model. Here's another version that has some excellent shite connotations. Found for sale in Brazil.

Sava J4 Austin Servicio de Competición SEAT 1:43 Ixo Models – Totalcar Miniatures

San Miguel version can be found on Ebay.

The SAVA was facelifted and rebranded as a Pegaso.

SAVA J4 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yep, IXO/Altaya casting. I don’t think anyone else does the J4?

SAVA built them under license in Spain, early ones were near as damn it identical to the BMC originals. After BMC/Leyland stopped making them SAVA/Pegaso put their own front end on and carried on selling them.

The San Miguel float version, I’ve got too in addition to 3 or those standard panel vans.