Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

Popped to the Post Office this evening, to collect some Vinted wins. Boxed BMW M1 was very cheap

Second package contained a job lot - and sadly not a scrap of protection, so the previously very nice condition cars have picked up various chips along the way.

White Arrow Corgi Transit is pretty cool, although they were MK2s in my day

TV van

A couple of single seaters, didn't know there were several different castings used in this era. I'm familiar with this F1 Racer

But not this Grand Prix Racing Car

The cleanest MFM I've ever seen

And my main targets, Road Blasters Backstabber

And the really cool one, Turbo Special. This one was near mint in the original pictures

[quicksilver]

Something a little different. Matchbox Chevrolet Impala taxi picked up for 50p from the market. A very nice casting in 1/72 scale but the yellow paint does it no favours so I've channelled the spirit of Diecast Resurrection to make a cool custom. Big new wheels (from a High Speed Freelander of all things) mounted nice and low, Honda Electron Blue paint from my randoms, and plenty of chrome (it looks much nicer in the flesh, I don't know why Molotow chrome always looks rough in photos).

And these 3D prints are TV cars. Anyone recognise what shows they're from before I add the numberplates?

[bunglebus]

My boss picked me up a few bits on his travels. Not sure where he got these Majorettes in boxes you can actually open

These were from a charity shop, hadn't seen this version of the Majorette 205 before

Very tidy Turbo Fury

And a World Class Ferrari 

Can't help but think these would have looked nicer with proper windows

[Tenmil Socket]

4 hours ago, quicksilver said:

Something a little different. Matchbox Chevrolet Impala taxi picked up for 50p from the market. A very nice casting in 1/72 scale but the yellow paint does it no favours so I've channelled the spirit of Diecast Resurrection to make a cool custom. Big new wheels (from a High Speed Freelander of all things) mounted nice and low, Honda Electron Blue paint from my randoms, and plenty of chrome (it looks much nicer in the flesh, I don't know why Molotow chrome always looks rough in photos).

And these 3D prints are TV cars. Anyone recognise what shows they're from before I add the numberplates?

Keeping Up Appearances for the Rover?

 

[ambassador84]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

My boss picked me up a few bits on his travels. Not sure where he got these Majorettes in boxes you can actually open

These were from a charity shop, hadn't seen this version of the Majorette 205 before

Very tidy Turbo Fury

And a World Class Ferrari 

Can't help but think these would have looked nicer with proper windows

Bizarrely I believe B&M Bargains in France sell those boxed Majorette.

[bunglebus]

Slightly tatty Super GT Lonesome Nosome from a few days ago

Got a quick strip, tidy up and repaint

That's it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As if. A few weeks ago I found a tin of glow in the dark paint in The Range, and knew I'd find a use for it. This was water based, which is always tricky to apply over rattle can primer. In the end I diluted the paint with water, and put on about 30 very thin coats, drying in between each with the faithful hairdryer. By pure chance, I bought a UV/blacklight from the car boot sale without any real plan for it, and it came in very handy showing me where I'd actually painted! A couple of coats of clear sealed it in

Looks pretty wild under the UV

Ironically the bit the glows the least is the glazing unit, as it's clearly been baked in the sun. A few days in hydrogen peroxide in the sun improved it a bit, as did a sand and polish

 

[bunglebus]

For those that like building stuff out of plastic blocks, it seems Hobbycraft now do Cobi

https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/cobi-volkswagen-golf-1974-set-1-35/6832931000.html

Plus CaDa

https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/cada-toyota-trueno-ae86-72-pieces/6819651000.html

Plus some Corgi bits

https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/corgi-james-bond-aston-martin-db5-diecast-model-1-43/6835141000.html

[sheffcortinacentre]

8 hours ago, quicksilver said:

Something a little different. Matchbox Chevrolet Impala taxi picked up for 50p from the market. A very nice casting in 1/72 scale but the yellow paint does it no favours so I've channelled the spirit of Diecast Resurrection to make a cool custom. Big new wheels (from a High Speed Freelander of all things) mounted nice and low, Honda Electron Blue paint from my randoms, and plenty of chrome (it looks much nicer in the flesh, I don't know why Molotow chrome always looks rough in photos).

And these 3D prints are TV cars. Anyone recognise what shows they're from before I add the numberplates?

Keeping up appearances & early Jonathan creek.

[quicksilver]

28 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Keeping up appearances & early Jonathan creek.

Bingo. Richard Bucket and Maddie Magellan.

[bunglebus]

Just happened to switch the blacklight on in my outhouse to give that Gruesome a proper charge up, and noticed some other stuff glowing. 

Windscreen from the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 

Marauder does strange things

So do my Graffic Traffics

Dinky Zodiac interior goes mad too

[ambassador84]

Case Q Hot Wheels now appearing at Aldi. Definitely the batch for anyone who has a penchant for yellow Ferraris! 😉

[ambassador84]

Left loads behind the oddly not a single TH Triumph TR6 to be found!!

[bunglebus]

Gulf RS200 😎

[bunglebus]

This Corgi plane turned up in a job lot the other day

It's from here

A little box arrived today with some overpainted vehicles inside. Looking at them, I reckon they were new or near perfect before the unknown dauber attacked them. I get the feeling they've been sitting next to a model railway for many years. To be honest, I only wanted the hut off the Site Hut Truck, but I reckon they'd make great resto projects

Another box contained lots of early Matchbox, what I'd spotted was this Morris Minor, quite a tricky one to find

These two are rather nice too

Package number three contains enough Pontiac GP Coupes to make one good one

Behind door number four is a mint in box Sand Digger 

Last one had this fantastic condition Mira Stretcha Fetcha

[morrisoxide]

I'm a bit out of the loop on this thread so this might be old news.

Tescotainer finds this afty.

[Spottedlaurel]

Bah, none of the Entertainers within Tesco around here carry Matchbox (indeed I went into a big store a few days ago and they didn't even have HWs).

[Datsuncog]

Mmm, my nearest Tescotainer outlets haven't exactly been great for Mattel stuff of late - the local Tesco Extra Hot Wheels tub has been awful since before the summer with very little but old, stale mainline mixes clogging up the place, while Matchbox mainlines occasionally arrive - but it's mostly older stuff too.

Having said that, they do have plenty of the latest HW Flying Colours semi-premiums on the pegs, which surprised me. But stuff like the Team Transports is either really old stuff from last year, or nowt.

I do like the look of that Alfa Duetto, though - one to watch out for!

[Datsuncog]

I was out and about at lunchtime today, and happened upon a few things of mild interest (if you're on the WhatsApp group you'll already have seen these - apologies for the duplication!)

B&M seem to have found some more older stock from somewhere - these F&F Silverlines from earlier in the year were newly arrived:

While the Hammer Drop Premium collection from 2024 was out in force - if you missed out on a Metro 6R4 last year, well now's your chance...

Meanwhile, the Toytown shop (independent) had a Matchbox series I'd not seen before:

Yup, six different Mini/ MINI variants from across the years, with a rather hefty price tag - detail-wise they were no better than standard mainlines, but apparently they are quite pricey if sourced from AliExpress and the like.

I'm assuming these are exclusives made for a US retailer like Walmart or Target - the model shop in Smithfield often carries surplus examples of these retailer exclusives, but even there I'd only expect to pay about £4 - I reckon £7 is a bit optimistic.

This place is the only shop I know that stocks Convoys:

The little Ford Courier pickup took my fancy, but nothing else really - I bought variations of this transporter and tanker a few months back, with the cab units swapped round and in different colours. 

Larry Otter 105E and steam loco set wasn't one I'd seen in real life before - the Anglia looks a bit better balanced without the clunky doors of the Moving Parts release, and I liked it well enough - but I don't much want a train as well...

Plenty of Collector's Series releases, but mostly ones I already have mixed in with ones I don't especially want.

For anyone wanting some more Mini action, this Playmobil rendering of what looks like a late '90s Cooper was actually quite decent for the price:

Opening boot and removable roof to get the occupants and their dog in and out, plus some 'London accessories' such as a rolled-up newspaper, a furled umbrella, a Gladstone bag, and apparently a belligerent Met police officer about to intercept with extreme prejudice...

[bunglebus]

3 hours ago, morrisoxide said:

I'm a bit out of the loop on this thread so this might be old news.

Tescotainer finds this afty.

Good find, brand new mix I've not found yet. New Hot Wheels and Matchbox due in my Tescotainer this Friday, the main store had an N case and some Zamac sets in on today's delivery 

This looked interesting 

Can you believe you can buy fake Hot Wheels 5 packs in Smyths now?

[ambassador84]

8 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Bah, none of the Entertainers within Tesco around here carry Matchbox (indeed I went into a big store a few days ago and they didn't even have HWs).

Thats what im finding too. None of the 4 Tesco stores nearest to me stock Matchbox anymore.

[andy18s]

18 hours ago, ambassador84 said:

Left loads behind the oddly not a single TH Triumph TR6 to be found!!

Any spare Rs200's ?

[bunglebus]

Never seen this before, looks similar to the short lived Colani cars

 

[ambassador84]

1 hour ago, andy18s said:

Any spare Rs200's ?

I only got two

 I can go back tomorrow and look for more.

[warch]

More eclectic partwork goodness. This is actually from a series they sold over here about 10 years ago featuring tractors (my Unimog I posted earlier was in the same collection). Some of the tractors were British or British market tractors including the grey Fergie and the Fordson Major, but I was rather more interested in all the obscure European models they released.

This, probably the smallest (all 1:43 scale) model in the partwork is a Staub RT (roto tiller) 4, which, despite the German name was and is a French manufacturer. This is described as a 1954 model.  They're essentially a two wheeled tractor converted with a set of rear wheels and a steering mechanism to work as a horticultural tool carrier, with this being fitted with a bed former for potato or root beds. 

I used to work in horticulture and can vaguely remember where my Dad (a former head gardener) worked at an agricultural college seeing a shed full of Howard rotavators, which were the British equivalent (famously owned by Tom and Barbara Good in The Good Life). They also had a pull start engine and were regarded as a bit of an ordeal to use. 

I rather like models of obscure subjects and this is a super and surprisingly intricate model. 

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, warch said:

More eclectic partwork goodness. This is actually from a series they sold over here about 10 years ago featuring tractors (my Unimog I posted earlier was in the same collection). Some of the tractors were British or British market tractors including the grey Fergie and the Fordson Major, but I was rather more interested in all the obscure European models they released.

This, probably the smallest (all 1:43 scale) model in the partwork is a Staub RT (roto tiller) 4, which, despite the German name was and is a French manufacturer. This is described as a 1954 model.  They're essentially a two wheeled tractor converted with a set of rear wheels and a steering mechanism to work as a horticultural tool carrier, with this being fitted with a bed former for potato or root beds. 

I used to work in horticulture and can vaguely remember where my Dad (a former head gardener) worked at an agricultural college seeing a shed full of Howard rotavators, which were the British equivalent (famously owned by Tom and Barbara Good in The Good Life). They also had a pull start engine and were regarded as a bit of an ordeal to use. 

I rather like models of obscure subjects and this is a super and surprisingly intricate model. 

I’m not a massive farm equipment guy myself (love plant equipment though!) but that partwork does have some really nice interesting models in it.

I got this not long back as it’s a British type tractor to use as a load on one of my trucks.

Lovely detail on it and some really good printing on the badges etc too. 
With a bit of modification and some weathering it’ll look reet as the sort of thing used on big sites for towing a water or fuel bowser around. Loaded up on a low loader heading to the next job with these…

[warch]

29 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

I’m not a massive farm equipment guy myself (love plant equipment though!) but that partwork does have some really nice interesting models in it.

I got this not long back as it’s a British type tractor to use as a load on one of my trucks.

Lovely detail on it and some really good printing on the badges etc too. 
With a bit of modification and some weathering it’ll look reet as the sort of thing used on big sites for towing a water or fuel bowser around. Loaded up on a low loader heading to the next job with these…

They're awesome, I've seen the 3d printed plant kit on ebay, very nice indeed. I quite like tracklayers too, and do occasionally drive diggers (like my own little Powerfab). 

I have to admit the Massey 825 (or 25 as they were called over here) is less well known to me. I see they had the same dinky 4 pot engine as the later 130 model so presumably was the predecessor of that. Not often used on farms but ideal for light duties or for yard or horticulture work where (lack of) lift capacity wasn't an issue. 

[danthecapriman]

27 minutes ago, warch said:

They're awesome, I've seen the 3d printed plant kit on ebay, very nice indeed. I quite like tracklayers too, and do occasionally drive diggers (like my own little Powerfab). 

I have to admit the Massey 825 (or 25 as they were called over here) is less well known to me. I see they had the same dinky 4 pot engine as the later 130 model so presumably was the predecessor of that. Not often used on farms but ideal for light duties or for yard or horticulture work where (lack of) lift capacity wasn't an issue. 

Why were they called 825 in France/Europe? 
Like many of the partwork collections though, some of the models are considerably harder to find than others. Some of the tractors from this collection are definitely in the harder category! There’s some nice Fords but they command a premium when they come available. 
That Massey seemed (to me at least!) suitably British looking but also pretty cheap.

[danthecapriman]

A couple more items approaching the finish line on my bench.

Just before I moved house last year I started building a trailer for a Fine Fare delivery truck. It got packed away and only recently resurfaced so I’ve done a bit more to it. The transfers were starting to degrade though unfortunately. 
They’d been stored in a plastic bag in a hard backed envelope to keep them safe but the colour has worn in a few places.

Theyre still wet in the pic but they still look good I think. Probably best to get them on and varnished over to prevent further damage I think. I’ll do the second coat of aluminium colour to the trailer frames later. 
Just need to build the tractor unit now.

 
An ex James Bond partwork Merc S Class is done too. Just need to refit the painted number plates. 
Full repaint with some Holts generic metallic blue then a coat of lacquer to shine it up.

[bunglebus]

Mmm, shiny

[warch]

14 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

Why were they called 825 in France/Europe? 
Like many of the partwork collections though, some of the models are considerably harder to find than others. Some of the tractors from this collection are definitely in the harder category! There’s some nice Fords but they command a premium when they come available. 
That Massey seemed (to me at least!) suitably British looking but also pretty cheap.

Massey Ferguson have been a multinational firm since their inception with multinational or 'World' models and special market models in their ranges. The (8)25 was built in Beauvais in France (all European Massey Fergusons were built there after Banner Lane in Coventry closed in 2003) mainly for use by smallholdings or fruit growers. They were definitely sold in the UK but were less popular than the more powerful 3 cylinder Massey 35s. They look just like a 35 but were more lightly built and had a different engine and I think backend. I think they were relatively expensive to buy in the UK so most buyers went for a 35 which were built in Coventry.

As you say most of the Euro tractors can be had for a few quid, the Fordson, Nuffield and Massey ones are a bit dearer.