Shite in Miniature II

[Split_Pin]

It was completely different to any other MB at the time. I never even noticed that it didn't have any opening features. It was identical to the neighbour's Sterling and seeing it in Miniature was awesome to an 8 year old. Its the flush windows that look really good.

[MAF260]

Some haul today, very happy!

B&M bangers:

followed by a clearly recently restocked The Range:

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, RoadworkUK said:

Always thought Matchbox caught the 800's lines extremely well.

I think it was the first Matchbox I ever noticed to have a sunroof panel. I remember seeing it for the first time in WH Smith, Clacton, on a rotating display, and being consumed with want. 

Well here it is done, sort of 

There's still a little bit of pink staining to the plastic infill part between the upper and lower body - I'd always imagined this would be part of the interior, but it isn't. As I mentioned the other day, the rear lights are a separate piece too, so there are six main components here, plus the wheels, axles and suspension spring. 

Boot sale didn't have much on offer today, my usual seller was absent, so I picked up half a dozen tatty Matchbox, and a 26th variation of the Corgi Buick Regal.

I did persevere with the one I'm customising, as I realised I couldn't use the earlier, nicer body with the later, 3 post, jacked-up base, which was an essential part of the style I'm after.

The later one is really bad, I took a couple more comparison pics today where you can see the messed up rear lights and terrible casting lines on the rear quarters and A pillars 

[FakeConcern]

On 17/09/2025 at 11:06, AndyW201 said:

Hey @FakeConcern, have you got the Universal Hobbies C4? Currently available from Jumajo on ebay.

Works out at about £25 with the postage.

 

On 17/09/2025 at 19:40, FakeConcern said:

That looks excellent! I don't have many road trim C4 Coupes in 1/43 the best is a Norev facelift Loeb, the Bburago version is pretty terrible TBH. all the rest are rally versions. I do have quite a few Nu Ray 1/32 and a few smaller scale Hot Wheels & Majorette which are all very good.

I really want that one, but it's a bit more than I want to pay so I'll have to wait until I've drunk a bit more wine!

Thankyou @AndyW201 for thinking of me and posting it,,,

[AndyW201]

Was gutted yesterday. Been off work all week, and had to nip to Portrack with the Mrs after taking the kids to school. She wanted to nip into The Range, which left me near to Smyths just after opening time, after a delivery.

Yeah, still too late! Despite the mainlines being all old unsold stuff as usual, there were 4 guys at the diecast section, with the store manager in tow, with handfuls of new box stuff, including one guy with the new M3 Touring Super TH. So now I know why there's fuck-all there when I go on a Saturday. Ah well. (Though a couple of them looked a bit sick when I dropped into the conversation that I'd found the Matchbox  Super Chase Cobra in Tesco.) The Mrs remarked in the car on the way home that the sight of me in the diecast aisle with a load of other middle aged men was one of the most tragic sights she'd ever seen... 🤣

Still, all was not lost. I finally found a 1/43 M3 that had escaped the scalpers' attention,

Further to the recent Vanguards price discussion, I honestly dont think these are bad value at £18.99 for a fairly well detailed 1/43 model.

The metal base especially giving it a nice, weighty 'feel'.

Something I noticed when trying to photograph it under the lights is that this isn't really a factory-fresh representation, as there is a hell of a lot of flake in the silver paint.

The wheels appear to be a bigger upgrade from the standard BBS jobs too.

Sunroof is a proper stamped job rather than a decal. Interior is a bit hard to capture through the blue tinted glass,

But the seats are decent and sculpted, Recaro-style.

And the centre console is recognisable as an E30 one, with details like the handbrake, electric window switches and a gearknob that actually looks like one.

Being a slightly modified  M3, it should make a nice period companion to the Ixo custom Merc 190 Cosworth I got not long back, as they were rivals in their day.

[AndyW201]

17 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

 

"1 sold in the last 24 hours"...

👀

[danthecapriman]

25 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

 

That’s nice! 
You must be as weak willed as I am!😄

I keep saying to myself ‘no, you have enough. DONT’ but really I know damn well I’ll end up buying whatever it is later that day anyway. 
I was looking at a(nother) truck model yesterday… this morning it’s in my eBay orders list. Along with the other two from Spain I definitely shouldn’t have bought. 
It’s like a disease!

[danthecapriman]

11 minutes ago, AndyW201 said:

Was gutted yesterday. Been off work all week, and had to nip to Portrack with the Mrs after taking the kids to school. She wanted to nip into The Range, which left me near to Smyths just after opening time, after a delivery.

Yeah, still too late! Despite the mainlines being all old unsold stuff as usual, there were 4 guys at the diecast section, with the store manager in tow, with handfuls of new box stuff, including one guy with the new M3 Touring Super TH. So now I know why there's fuck-all there when I go on a Saturday. Ah well. (Though a couple of them looked a bit sick when I dropped into the conversation that I'd found the Matchbox  Super Chase Cobra in Tesco.) The Mrs remarked in the car on the way home that the sight of me in the diecast aisle with a load of other middle aged men was one of the most tragic sights she'd ever seen... 🤣

Still, all was not lost. I finally found a 1/43 M3 that had escaped the scalpers' attention,

Further to the recent Vanguards price discussion, I honestly dont think these are bad value at £18.99 for a fairly well detailed 1/43 model.

The metal base especially giving it a nice, weighty 'feel'.

Something I noticed when trying to photograph it under the lights is that this isn't really a factory-fresh representation, as there is a hell of a lot of flake in the silver paint.

The wheels appear to be a bigger upgrade from the standard BBS jobs too.

Sunroof is a proper stamped job rather than a decal. Interior is a bit hard to capture through the blue tinted glass,

But the seats are decent and sculpted, Recaro-style.

And the centre console is recognisable as an E30 one, with details like the handbrake, electric window switches and a gearknob that actually looks like one.

That is actually good value for a 1:43 like that. A Vanguard’s would be at least double the price.

Looks a lovely model too. The thing that keeps me from buying those 1:43 Hot Wheels though is the ‘boy racer’ style of them all. Some are worse than others, but I wish they’d do them more standard. Saying that, that M3 looks about the best of them so far.

Your missus is right too🤣     
It must look absolutely ridiculous to ‘normal’ folks.