Shite in Miniature II

[quicksilver]

This has just arrived. Transit?

 

Nope, it's a GAZ Gazelle, a Russian knock-off Transit. 1/72 scale from the Autogrand Russian Series, obtained from a Bulgarian seller.

 

A GAZ Chaika is also on its way from Bulgaria.

[Felly Magic]

A bit of fettling on the front of that Transitski and you have a proper Transit mk3 minibus. I have 2 versions in 1/43 scale, the blue security van & the ambulance. 

[mercrocker]

Best keep that Transitski away from any Ladas or Moskviches - they seem to have a fatal attraction towards each other judging by the youtube videos I have watched.....

[MarvinsMom]

after watching A LOT of carcrash tv, those white lada's are the ones to avoid.

 

and from what i've seen there is only rule of the road in russia, and that is there are no rules

[Felly Magic]

I'm sure most people on the road in Russia are drunk, and they do have a very high adult male mortality rate, because a lot of those videos you see are of fatal accidents. 

[rml2345]

From extensive viewing of Russian dashcam videos I'd be avoiding roads TBH. GAZ Gazelles appear to be the world's least stable light commercial, trams just plough into things, Ladas are lethal and those orange Kamaz tipper trucks fuck off in all directions regardless of whether there's a driver or not.

[Split_Pin]

From extensive viewing of Russian dashcam videos I'd be avoiding roads TBH. GAZ Gazelles appear to be the world's least stable light commercial, trams just plough into things, Ladas are lethal and those orange Kamaz tipper trucks fuck off in all directions regardless of whether there's a driver or not.

And no matter how serious the crash, the wipers ALWAYS come on!

[egg]

Hong Kong Playart truck for shale, cost of postage

 

[Junkman]

Some French Dinky stuff has been acquired.
 
An Atlas partworks repop of the French traffic signs set:
 

 
 
BMW Neue Klasse:
 

 

 

 

 

Alfa Romeo 1900 Super Sprint berlinetta by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera:

 

 

 

 

 

Renault 4L:

 

 

 

Note that this model appears to have been conceived before the real 'trelle went into production,

since it lacks the strengthening rib in the middle of the bonnet.

[Datsuncog]

Although a fair chunk of my recent minishite disposals have been driven by a desire to make my collection more streamlined (as well as the more mercenary nature of digging myself out of the debt pit that TAZ's untimely, yet somehow hilarious, demise put me into), here's the ones that don't really fit into the main collection but which I just couldn't part with, ultimately...

There's something about Dinky's Bedford TK tipper that I just like... the plan is to get this one stripped and repainted to look as standard as possible, and then obtain replacement plastic drop-downs for the tipper bed.

 

This is the buggered-up Dinky Transit that I reckon is worth a second chance, and probably the first candidate for caustic soda treatment.

I was holding off getting the necessary bits (glazing, rear tailgate) until Steve Flowers' website came back online, but still can't find what I need - but Acme 3000's store on Ebay does, so will probably go with them.

I'll be going full Code 3 on this one; there's a tin of unused Citroen Admiral Blue in the shed (from the XM) so I was wondering if navy would suit it... will probably remove the warning beacon and fill over the hole in the roof too, for a standard tradesman's van look.

 

This was a bit of a childhood favourite, though it's in horrible nick now: a once-blue Whizzwheels-era version of the long-running Corgi S2 Land Rover.

It's pretty battered, with a missing A-post and the beacon pushed down rattling round the interior, but I've still a lot of love for this little thing, which (despite the scale discrepancy) used to perform duties on my Britains farm. My half-arsed 'resto' in the early 90s, consisting of going at it with Tamiya paint markers in dark green and silver was not, in all honesty, a resounding success.

I think the reason I liked it so much was because it had one element of realism that was missing from nearly all of my other toys, and therefore made it waaaaay better - it had a dent in it.

I dunno how it came to be there and I dunno why, but that little ding on the top edge towards the tailgate made me love this little thing so much. That, more than anything, made it seem closer to being a full-size vehicle.

So the plan for this one is a drill-out, a strip-down, some repairs to the A-post, paint in as close to the original shade as I can muster, and then new wheels and glazing. And the dent is staying.

 

Then we've got this one, which is staying exactly as it is.

A Corgi Ford Zephyr Motorway Patrol Car, in a heavily playworn state - but this is the only remaining toy that belonged to my dad, since one day his older brother saw fit to surreptitiously gather up his (substantial) collection of Dinky and Corgi cars and sell them all to a secondhand shop to procure some beer money, which was nice of him. This one survived as it had rolled under a sideboard and was discovered later during a house move. So it's kinda special.

[Split_Pin]

Its great to have things which tell a story and much more loveable than something which is over-restored.

[Felly Magic]

Those Transit tailgates always snapped. Curse DC for having such tempting prices, he's gone and performed open wallet surgery on me again, and 2 more are heading to Felly Towers, good job I sold my Minder Capri

[junkyarddog]

Today's diecast cast bodge is this rather sad Mira Chrysler Alpine.

 

 

Didn't bother to drill it apart,

The wheels are attached by stubs moulded into the base plate,the two front ones were snapped off,so I just cut a groove and fitted some old Matchbox wheels I had laying about.

New screen and masked it up,squirt of paint later we have this.

 

 

 

Not the greatest of restos,But quite pleasing non the less.

 

[Split_Pin]

I was supposed to be selling cars at the swapmeet last Sunday but I cant resist some old 1970s and 80s 1/64 chod from the rummage buckets under the stalls.

[Pillock]

What are you lot doing to me?

 

Popped into Morrisons for a sausage roll and some bubblewrap (two different purposes).

 

Saw this. Got excited. Forgot to buy bubblewrap. It's a Renault Trafic with OPENING SLIDEY DOOR and a towbar, from Majorette. There didn't seem to be any trailers in the range but they did have road rollers and stuff on the same display.

 

There's another row of seats behind the door that don't really photo very well.

[Datsuncog]

Just stumbled upon this at lunchtime, having foolishly wandered into my local friendly diecast emporium...

Also an opening slidey side door! And a triptych of opening rear doors! Phoar.

It's an Eligor model, and surprisingly turned out to be all plastic up-top, with just a diecast base and front bumper.

Still, that'll make it much easier for me to convert it into a hipster wank-van from which to sell miniscule 1/43-scale skinny soy caramel macchiatos, no?

[Junkman]

Made with the old Norev moulds.

Where is your diecast emporium located?

Do they have another one?

[Datsuncog]

^^^ Aha... I wondered if there might possibly be a Norev link. This one is drearily unshonky in comparison to the wonderful originals, I'm afraid.

Most of their stock (My Old Toy Box, Smithfield Market) appears second-hand, but that's not to say that there might not be another one lurking... there's a faded Eurogroats price label on one end of the box­, so it has not entered Belfast as a new item.

I shall take another look on their shelves next week - and also keep you in mind just in case the novelty fades, and I wish to move this on at some point in the future?

[quicksilver]

The Chaika has landed. I wanted a black one for the full intimidating KGB effect but they'd sold out so I had to settle for white. They also come in decadent pink, surely never a standard colour?

 

Chaika by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

 

Chaika by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

[egg]

Another before and after on a Datsuncog Lesney...

What's quite interesting* about this one is the mix of silver and grey wheels, so I've kept the original axles.

 

[egg]

And here's the latest version of my Lesney collection. Just need to restore the Tate and Lyle truck now (not pictured)

 

If I was to add any more I think they would be the Aston Martin DB2/4, the silver cloud and the 10a mechanical horse...

 

[155V6]

What are you lot doing to me?

 

Popped into Morrisons for a sausage roll and some bubblewrap (two different purposes).

 

Saw this. Got excited. Forgot to buy bubblewrap. It's a Renault Trafic with OPENING SLIDEY DOOR and a towbar, from Majorette. There didn't seem to be any trailers in the range but they did have road rollers and stuff on the same display.

 

There's another row of seats behind the door that don't really photo very well.

I saw those in a local Morrisons,but I was a bit annoyed that they'd doubled in price,so I left it.

[Pillock]

I'm waiting for the scale model roadworker set including one man with a shovel to lean on, three men with their feet up and some tiny flasks of tea.

[Felly Magic]

I sadly sold this, it was plastic, so I suspect ex Norev

 

I also had an Estafette

 

 

 

Both sadly sold in one of my clearouts

 

Anyhow, I have 2 fresh arrivals from DC Motors of this parish, GR12 CELLAR WUD BUY AGEN . The Over had missing wipers which seems common on this model, with 2 on ebay recently been the same, so spares stash raided, along with a mirror for it. Snapped it with my other very brown Rover P6B, and the casting differences are quite noticeable. Tincorner is nice, and now quite rare, shame Oxford did it in LHD, and I wish they would develop their budget 1/43 Cararama range, as they would sell by the bucketload

 

 

 

[stuboy]

friend was at an airshow and spotted this on a stall and got it for 20 quid

[Amishtat]

Wandering around a few Blackpool junk shops earlier today and I was delighted to find these at a very reasonable rate

[egg]

Top work there Amishtat

 

Split_pin and Mercrocker, you both mentioned you might have a Zodiac engine, thanks for the offer, but I've just won a breaker on the bay...I should be able to recycle the shell.

 

[Split_Pin]

Jings I completely forgot about that, sorry!

 

I have a bunch of breakers up in the loft, I will need to see what I have thats might be of use to someone.

[Noel Tidybeard]

if anyone has the bonnet for the dinky zodiac i could give it a fine new home after deciding the ACME 3000 replacement is SHIT

[artdjones]

Top work there Amishtat

 

Split_pin and Mercrocker, you both mentioned you might have a Zodiac engine, thanks for the offer, but I've just won a breaker on the bay...I should be able to recycle the shell.

 

Very Mad Max.