Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

Much miniature arrival at Casa DC over the past while...

First up, an eBay win from @garycox's digital emporium of wonders:

The Matchbox Dinky DY9 Land Rover S1 is one I coveted from its release, all the way back in 1990 or so. But for unspecified reasons, I never managed to acquire one.

I briefly owned an unboxed AA version, picked up cheap at the market, but I passed it on because really it was the plain civvie version I was after.

[EDIT: that was waaay back in December 2020 - it was dusty and horribly sticky but actually cleaned up ok. Think it went to Eddy in the end, along with the A35 van!

This is the chosen one.

The detail really is pretty good on this one, with branded rear mudflaps and everything.

And the canvas-effect hood even lifts off, to allow a closer look at the interior.

TWO spare wheels.

That's pretty far out.

Yes, of course you can get much better models these days - but given that these were retailing at around a fiver some 35 years ago, I think it's Not Bad.

One point I will pick up on; the ground clearance maybe isn't quite as good as the real thing. But, so long as I don't display it at eye level, I doubt that'll bother me...

Very pleased to finally have this one!

[warch]

19 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

Much miniature arrival at Casa DC over the past while...

First up, an eBay win from @garycox's digital emporium of wonders:

The Matchbox Dinky DY9 Land Rover S1 is one I coveted from its release, all the way back in 1990 or so. But for unspecified reasons, I never managed to acquire one.

I briefly owned an unboxed AA version, picked up cheap at the market, but I passed it on because really it was the plain civvie version I was after.

This one.

The detail really is pretty good on this one, with branded rear mudflaps and everything.

And the canvas-effect hood even lifts off, to allow a closer look at the interior.

TWO spare wheels.

That's pretty far out.

Yes, of course you can get much better models these days - but given that these were retailing at around a fiver some 35 years ago, I think it's Not Bad.

One point I will pick up on; the ground clearance maybe isn't quite as good as the real thing. But, so long as I don't display it at eye level, I doubt that'll bother me.

Very pleased to finally have this one!

I wouldn’t say no to one of these, it’s actually a really good representation of the real thing. I did also have the AA one but would’ve preferred this one. In real life I find commercial or sign written versions much more interesting as the vast majority of old Landies are painted in boring Bronze Green (all five of the ones in my family are).

As I’ve mentioned on here before I quite like model cars to be quite robust at the expense of not having any fine detail to break off or get damaged. They’re a good halfway house between toy and model in this respect. My 10 year old nephew loves them, you could drop one and not damage it.

[flat4alfa]

12 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

In that case, I think we're gonna need a three-way comparison at some stage...

Five-way, if the US headlamp version by Summer is allowed a look in?

And let’s not forget THE SHARPENER, playing the ultimate variation of usefulness 

[Spottedlaurel]

Not a great haul so far on this year's French holiday:

Altaya Suzuki was found on the first day, then had to wait until a visit to Jouet Club to find the rest. Typically when we wnt to do our shopping at the nearby hypermarket I found several more examples of the Supervan at two Euros less. It's a fantastic little thing though, nicely detailed and the wheels look better than the artwork suggests, with an appropriately deep dish.

Didn't get to King Jouet or the toy shop in another local town yesterday due to an insanely large, busy market so I'm hoping they will turn up something on a quieter day, and there's still the prospect of a boot sale or two.

[Datsuncog]

Following on from the Land Rover, a rather impressively sized BungleBox™ landed soon after:

The bootsale bargain Matchbox playset - still sealed after 12 years! - occupied most of the box, unsurprisingly, but there'll be more on that later.

The smaller stuff was also excellent, though:

I'd completely forgotten about the tidy Whizzwheels NSU Ro80 from one of the recent forum sales, so that was a lovely surprise to find.

The undamaged waste compactor for a Dinky Bedford TK bin lorry, which appeared in a box at a car boot sale stall, will replace the broken and flapless unit on my otherwise very clean example.

The 2025 release Matchbox Citroën 2CV remains one I've still not encountered in the wild - so I'm most obliged to @155V6 for picking that one up on my behalf, and then couriering it to @bunglebus for inclusion in the parcel.

Likewise, I have seen not a peep of the first release version of the Hot Wheels Drift-Ender in any of my usual diecast hunts, so I'm equally grateful to Rich for picking this one up on my behalf, or I simply wouldn't have found it.

To my eyes, the subject and livery is very clearly a nod to the PSNI's fleet of armoured Land Rovers, known locally as 'meat wagons'.

I'd guess these stepped into wider popular culture last year, when the semi-fictional film Kneecap, concerning the eponymous and somewhat controversial West Belfast rap trio, led to the subjects arriving in a mocked-up PSNI Land Rover instead of a limo for the film's world premier at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

The 'CC' lettering on the model's roof is likely a nod to Hot Wheels' design manager Craig Callum, who came up with the finished version of this release. A Glaswegian now working at the Hot Wheels HQ in El Segundo, California, I'd say he's someone who knows exactly what he's designed.

The irony is that while the Hot Wheels D and F cases were available pretty widely in Northern Ireland, the E-Case - which included the Drift-Ender - was one I couldn't find anywhere, despite looking pretty extensively.

You'd think that the second release of the Lotus Type 49 in red and gold wouldn't be hard to find, yet unlike the ubiquitous green and yellow release from last year this one's also proving strangely elusive. While I'm not hugely into F1/ Grand Prix racers, it's a beautifully rendered little model and I always think you need more than one, so they can have a race you see...

The Mini van is the one I have actually encountered on the pegs in recent weeks, but held off buying as I knew I already had one set aside. I'm keen to compare this casting against the early 2000s Matchbox version, just to see what's different between them.

So yes - once again, all thanks to the AS MiniShite massive for assisting in tracking down these hard-to-find items!

[eddyramrod]

Yesterday, for the first time in ages, I was in a position to drop into The Entertainer in town.

It's gone.  Closed up, weeks ago according to the signs.  

So I went down the street to the smaller BuM of the two we have, but nothing of any interest.  Although I suppose having stocks of mainline MB and HW is a win anyway!

[danthecapriman]

5 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Not a great haul so far on this year's French holiday:

Altaya Suzuki was found on the first day, then had to wait until a visit to Jouet Club to find the rest. Typically when we wnt to do our shopping at the nearby hypermarket I found several more examples of the Supervan at two Euros less. It's a fantastic little thing though, nicely detailed and the wheels look better than the artwork suggests, with an appropriately deep dish.

Didn't get to King Jouet or the toy shop in another local town yesterday due to an insanely large, busy market so I'm hoping they will turn up something on a quieter day, and there's still the prospect of a boot sale or two.

That little Suzuki is an odd one, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.

[Spottedlaurel]

28 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

That little Suzuki is an odd one, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.

Suits my tastes better than much else than would have been in the series.

[danthecapriman]

38 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Suits my tastes better than much else than would have been in the series.

What else was in the series? Not sure if I’ve seen that one.

[barrett]

48 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Suits my tastes better than much else than would have been in the series.

There's a Reliant Robin van in that series, I think... if you happen to spot one on your travels, please pick it up for me!

[Datsuncog]

6 minutes ago, barrett said:

There's a Reliant Robin van in that series, I think... if you happen to spot one on your travels, please pick it up for me!

I was looking at that on the Jumajo.fr site the other day - nice little thing.

[eddyramrod]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

That little Suzuki is an odd one, I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before.

My Brit neighbour in Paphos had one.  White, too!

[bunglebus]

On a mission into Dorset today, stopped at a BuM near Stonehenge and found a load of Color (sic) Shifters that were proper cars ( and the Dream Mobile)

And then, on a clip strip:

😎

The Mrs has just called to say Entertainer have the M case but it's been raided. However, Tesco have a full case they're holding for me which I'll rip open in the morning 

[Spottedlaurel]

4 hours ago, danthecapriman said:

What else was in the series? Not sure if I’ve seen that one.

I'm just going from what's on the cover of the magazine, would be interesting to see if there are more Japanese things.

4 hours ago, barrett said:

There's a Reliant Robin van in that series, I think... if you happen to spot one on your travels, please pick it up for me!

Will do!

[MAF260]

Decent pickings from the supermarket shop earlier.

Street Weiner is puerile enough for me to buy it. Annoyingly I discovered I already have a Drift-Ender, so am happy to pass it on if anyone is struggling to find one.

[ambassador84]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

On a mission into Dorset today, stopped at a BuM near Stonehenge and found a load of Color (sic) Shifters that were proper cars ( and the Dream Mobile)

And then, on a clip strip:

😎

The Mrs has just called to say Entertainer have the M case but it's been raided. However, Tesco have a full case they're holding for me which I'll rip open in the morning 

I've also stumbled on Case N at Smyths Toys. The good news it's the case with the rather tasty Jaguar XJ6 V12 coupe, the bad news is I was too late to the pegs to find any!

Good to see B&M getting in Case F Matchbox even if all mine are still stuck on A!

[bunglebus]

Just got home to investigate some parcels - first up, a casting that has long eluded me, Matchbox Morris Minor. Overpainted and has too many fire exits for my tastes, but I'm glad I finally have one

This is kinda out-there, but these Johnny Lightning Bugaboos are nothing to do with Destiny's Child, but they are Beetles - right?

(I really don't like clowns)

Here are the Hot Wheels my Mrs found today, M case I think

Love this casting, needs customising

A kind of inverse Bandit Trans Am

Your eyes do not deceive you, this is not the grey Mercedes from last year(?), it's another new colour

Mad, fast

Blue Big Air Bel Air

Layin' Lowrider is part of the "Celebration Racers" subseries, but what exactly it's celebrating it's unclear. Maybe the "2025" flags on the card are a clue? Also have you noticed the card text now features French, as Mattel are a hip and happening, inclusive kinda company?

This is my favourite though, Bat Boat!

It's RHD, somewhere in the depths of my mind there's some factoid about boats sailing on the left, so the steering wheel (tiller?) on the right would be correct 

[junkyarddog]

13 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Matchbox Morris Minor.

Surprisingly difficult to find,and so tiny!

[bunglebus]

Tesco did indeed have a new case, M I think, so I picked up a few goodies

[flat4alfa]

On 30/07/2025 at 21:39, bunglebus said:

It's RHD, somewhere in the depths of my mind there's some factoid about boats sailing on the left, so the steering wheel (tiller?) on the right would be correct 

Yes going back to the use of oars and right-handedness being most common

Passing is Port to Port, however the tradition of placing the seating position to the right continues not least to keep the throttle to the right in the dominant hand - and away from passengers accidentally grabbing it as a hand-hold

[barrett]

Lot of cars on FB. Terrible photos but the Capri doesn't look like a re-paint, so what's up? Colour trial worth £££££? It's definitely the rally car as it has the holes for the wing mirrors

[bunglebus]

The stripey mini is worth £££, get em bought!

Actually there are several desirable ones in there, you bought them yet?

How about now?

[Tenmil Socket]

Is it possible to get FB Marketplace without having FB i.e. a stand alone app if that makes sense? 

[barrett]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

The stripey mini is worth £££, get em bought!

Actually there are several desirable ones in there, you bought them yet?

How about now?

It seems to have disappeared so somebody has! I think the lot was £45 or £50 and I guess the Mini is probably about £30 on its own so not a bad shout, but maybe not bargain of the century.

How about this lot... listed with no information, price or anything 'some of my granddads old Dinky and Spot On toys'

Some amazing stuff there but not sure I'm brave enough to ask the question...

[FakeConcern]

On 29/07/2025 at 12:15, danthecapriman said:

That Capri looks very much like the Dinky one.

 

I got one a few months ago and thought the same

 

[Split_Pin]

A long and sweaty walk to find the Spark shop in Paris. If you zoom in you'll see they close for lunch (what's that 😂) and I made it with less than 1/2 hour to spare. I can't remember the last time I was in a proper model shop.

They aren't cheap at about £38 (€45) but this 304 is really nice, especially the colour.

[bunglebus]

On 29/07/2025 at 12:15, danthecapriman said:

That Capri looks very much like the Dinky one.

Funny enough, that statement was playing in my mind, so I found the (smaller) Dinky Capri for comparison 

Going to stick my neck out and say they're just both MK1 Capris, not related

[Tenmil Socket]

I’ve just picked up COSMOCOP. My £1 Vinted purchase. Shall I put some batteries in it?

 

[AndyW201]

Local Tescotainer also had some M case Hot Wheels sprinkled on top of the L case stuff from a couole of weeks ago. Not many, mind, but manged to grab 3 for the offer,

I'm not massively into bikes, but the Hot Wheels Honda VFR is really nice, I remember it being one of the 'ones to have' back in the day.

The little Civic looks good in red, as did the Japan Historics version. I'm happy to get this one as I also have the red EF with the same livery so I've been able to make a Then & Now pairing for the first time in a long while.

I just love these Mercs. Once again, they've decided to leave it alone and not put race graphics and daft wheels on so it looks great with the front and rear detailing. Nice colour too, close to the real period MB Pearl grey.

Since my old 2.6 190E, I've really missed having a Merc with headlight wash/wipe...

[bunglebus]

6 minutes ago, AndyW201 said:

The little Civic looks good in red

That would be the $uper if you find it in a dark metallic red