Shite in Miniature II

[danthecapriman]

Escort grill fits after a bit of light sanding around the back edges. I think it might be where I’m filling the mould a bit much and the excess spills over the top a bit. Comes off easy though.

[bunglebus]

A few tatty Matchbox arrived earlier, really only keeping the Super GT Fandango

But it did conveniently provide me with a couple of handy wheel donors as I need two dot-dash ones

Having taken the army truck thing apart, I realised they were too wide, so the fantasy tipper thing was used instead. That's one of the other wheels balanced on the base of the Mill, I don't want Carlos Fandango sticky out ones thanks

[Christine]

4 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Before looking at the latest diecasts to have found their way to me here's what has been happening with 1/24 plastic stuff:

I've been doing this as a quick rebuild of a kit I first built around 40 years ago. I think that's the original box top (on a more recent issue of the kit I bought a while back) and possibly even the tinlet of Humbrol #2 that I used to brush paint it with back then. It's an incredibly delicate kit and I managed to do a half-decent job back then, so I thought it was worthwhile getting it back into the cabinet.

Genuine barnfind dust and patina! Has since been given a careful wash in soapy water. I was contemplating wet sanding it, but I don't think it needs it.

What I needed from the second kit to replace what had gone astray over the last four decades. I limited it to only using parts that aren't 100% necessary to build the second kit with modifications (someday).

Where I am now, should be able to finish it off this weekend.

Also nearly there with this Skyline GT-R by Fujimi:

 

 

More has been done since the above photos, again I'm hoping I can get it done this weekend or at least over the Christmas holiday.

I made that Lotus 7 kit too, it went together pretty good for an elderly kit from a charity shop for 4 quid . I painted it sparingly with Ford jasmine yellow cellulose  , left over from my Fiesta mk1 .. 

 

 

 

 

[bunglebus]

More stuff to find, these are in the UK apparently 

Whereas these are on AliExpress 

[bunglebus]

CMC delivery. This one was very not cheap and I did consider skipping it, but I procrastinated and the order went through anyway. It's a really nice, seriously heavy bit of kit, and I definitely don't have an original one to compare it to

[warch]

Ooh working steering!

[danthecapriman]

That Ecurie Ecosse is gorgeous.   
I just had a quick look on eBay to see how much!😬

My original,

[quicksilver]

On 19/12/2025 at 17:07, danthecapriman said:

Same here. I quite like the Capri, but the truck kind of lets the set down. If it was a real truck it’d make it much more appealing.

I guess this is one reason why the Ferrari set has been so popular. Both the truck and car are authentic and it isn't let down by a nicely detailed and realistic car being paired with a naff generic truck. Some of those Hot Wheels trucks look to me like cheap no-name Chinese tat and certainly not worthy of premium collectors' status.

[Spottedlaurel]

Lotus back in one piece, hopefully at least as good as when I first built it in 1985:

 

 

Good to have it back in the cabinet again and not languishing in the spares/repairs box.

[bunglebus]

I was persuaded to visit the late boot sale today, as it's on every weekend weather permitting. As I suspected, it was mostly market stalls so all I brought home was a Corgi SL with plastic top that I'd not seen before 

And a MFM Specials F40 which isn't bad now I've given it a good scrub 

[AndyW201]

Did a few AliExpress purchases recently, this is the first to arrive.

Usually the only stuff I get in this scale are from Hot Wheels and Matchbox, so as this DCT- Shadow Merc was on offer, I thought I'd see what these premium, extra detailed models are like.

I was impressed with the packaging, coming in a small display case and plinth, with a retaining insert to keep it from rattling around. (It did have a fancy outer card box too, but the dog got that, unfortunately...)

It's a nice, well captured model. Unlike a Hot Wheels premium, which is kind-of like a toy but with more detail and better wheels, this seems more like a shrunken 1/43 Minichamps model, or similar. Rubber tyres are fitted on proper Merc AMG Monoblock wheels, no generic rims on this one.

Proper glazed lights, seperate plated grille, and amazingly for this scale, a photo-etched, stand-up three-pointed star.

Glazed tail lights, rear screen heating elements and decent looking seperate AMG tailpipes at the rear.

I dont think it's easy to do a very detailed interior at this scale, especially as it's way less expensive than the Kaido House cars and the like, but they've made a decent stab at it. Its a bit of a mystery why it has cream seats up front and a black rear seat, but that's the only complaint really.

So yep, I'm pretty impressed with this one. Shame they didn't do a W202, but I'm happy with it's bigger brother. Especially at the princely sum of £3.42 including shipping (!).

Got a couple more items from the same site coming over, but I have a feeling it'll be after Christmas until I see those now.

[Christine]

Big chunk busted off of the Foden tipper body.. built up a new bit and repaired it . Just a tailgate to fit now.

 

 

 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

19 hours ago, bunglebus said:

CMC delivery. This one was very not cheap and I did consider skipping it, but I procrastinated and the order went through anyway. It's a really nice, seriously heavy bit of kit, and I definitely don't have an original one to compare it to

Such a lovely model. I guess the Chinese are using original tooling for all of the repro models? 

[matt79]

A few of the more interesting items that I have picked up recently....

These Fronteras, the blue one was a charity shop find, the black and pink was a nice bonus find within a job lot purchase. 

These Cyber trucks have arrived in various job lot purchases. I was going to move these on, but I'm now thinking of adding them to the projects box (although modern and futuristic, to me they have something of a 70's / 80's concept car feel and look, which could be a good base for a custom model.....)

These hotwheels monster trucks were a charity shop find, they contain a fairly compact well detailed 1/64 scale  V8 engine inside, which can be used for custom models.

And courtesy of @Lord Sterling was this tow joe, which will be added to the projects box as I have a plan for this....

Hopefully the Xmas break will provide me some time to do mess around with diecasts, as I haven't had time recently.

[bunglebus]

4 hours ago, Dick Cheeseburger said:

Such a lovely model. I guess the Chinese are using original tooling for all of the repro models? 

As far as I know they're scanning the originals to reproduce them, so one has to come apart each time. They're pretty accurate, only the Made In China bit is different other than a few details like the rivet style.

A couple of individual models have had changes to comply with modern regulations or car maker's whims, such as a screw in the battery cover on the Cadillac ambulance and a VW logo on the base of the East African Safari/Polizei Beetles. Worst was the big holographic sticker on the box of the Mini Magnifique, which could have gone on the bottom with the barcode and gumph

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I’ve sort of lost my die cast mojo in the last year. Only picked up a couple of Hot Wheels ( XJ-C and 928). And a Matchbox ( Volvo 244) , recently.But I’m determined to get back into it.

My family obviously think I’m 5 and bought me a Hot Wheels advent calender, haven’t got the heart to tell them how awful it is !
Anyway opened them all today

Just need to hide, erm I mean store safely, now.

[bunglebus]

22 minutes ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

My family obviously think I’m 5 and bought me a Hot Wheels advent calender, haven’t got the heart to tell them how awful it is !

Looks like the start of a hot rod project to me

[Christine]

I've got 2  blown V8 engines but i dunno what they're  from !   2p

 

[bunglebus]

Left one looks like the usual Matchbox jobbie

I actually need one for another Draguar

 

[Christine]

The other must be a big block rat then !

 

[Christine]

Daily mail today . Silly cow decided to see who was most careful with her parcel ..RM , parcelfarce .,evri etc... so she puts a  wine glass , wrapped in a bit of bubble wrap, in a ....padded envelope... and it got bust ..RM one didn't .. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/lifestyle/article-15399815/christmas-parcel-package-test-delivery.html

[sheffcortinacentre]

A few months ago someone mentioned about a largeish model shop in/near Lincoln, looks like I'll be over that way middle of Christmas week & was gonna have a look .

But I can't find the post/details of it. Can anyone help? 

[bunglebus]

This one's had a long, interesting life - and nearly didn't make it.

Superfast Pontiac GP seen in a job lot, but red, exciting!

You may be able to see that it wasn't always red...

Yep it's a purple one, with some tasteful customisation. Bought via Vinted and should have gone to my local shop, but came up as "delivered" all of a sudden. After various conversations with the seller, Vinted and InPost, it seemed it was mis-scanned so should have arrived in the next day or so, but it didn't, or the shop couldn't find it anyway. Started a case on Vinted and waited - then realised by doing this it stops you getting tracking updates or even being able to access the tracking info. Luckily I have the InPost app, which showed it was now ready for collection...except the shop still couldn't find it. Was accepting that it was lost for good but checked one last time this morning and there it was!

Interestingly it has larger wheels than my recent resto, despite me replacing them like for like

[bunglebus]

Trying to progress my Milligans Mill project but I've had some problems with the primer. Normally the Paint Factory stuff is really good, but having bulk bought some, it's giving a finish like 80 grit which is rather annoying.

After a lot of sanding the top coat looks alright

Found a broken base with a really good engine and the correct colour body prop (mine had a yellow one from a Gulper, usual misbuild situation on these)

A quick bash with the Molotow has made it look really good 

[bunglebus]

Found a red Celeste going cheap

[bunglebus]

Strange wheel error I've just found in Poundland, not seen this happen before 

Dodgy tampo on this Mustang too

[bunglebus]

Found another can of the colour flip paint in Poundland, yellow/green rather than the yellow/pink I used on the Matchbox Impala recently. Just need a victim to try it on now

Waiting for me at home was this Playart Miura 

Plus another Mira original, Renault 18. This one's a heavyweight 

[FakeConcern]

I've been working on a New Ray Citroen C4 Coupe to make a model of Daughter No2's VTS (one that I owned before her).

It was only after seeing these pics I noticed I'd missed out putting silver on the door mirrors

I cut a hole in the roof and used Glue and Glaze to stick down some celluloid for the panoramic roof

Printed out some stickers for the dashboard screens

I'm also making one of the other VTSs I had using another New Ray model. 

I was very lucky to have another model with the correct Citroen Resolfen wheels so I could mould some resin ones for this

What was very annoying and strange is that one wheel on the white one is made with the spokes facing the wrong way and obviously I moulded some of the wheels from that and had to re do them

 

[sierraman]

What sort of Diecast tat do people remember getting in Christmas past as a kid?

[Christine]

American la france , twice ,   chitty bang bang,  twice .    Airfix MotoRace  sets , mostly returns without cars as my dad worked in a model shop..i had tons of track ..still got it!  Holmes Wrecker..