Shite in Miniature II

[bolognasal spray]

71b-JeepGladiator.jpg

 

I've got a few of those and always fancied doing a "code 3" job - e.g. wheel swap with some decent Hot Wheels red lines - esp. with enlarged rear wheel (which admittedly might involve flaring the wheel arches or setting them inboard and doing something even more drastic, tricky and terrible to the actual bed of the truck. Lack of skill, tools and commitment decree that I've never even tried to source the requisite wheels never mind attach them. Yet the dream persists.

[bolognasal spray]

Do you mean the five Lesney Matchbox which were re-cast during their 40th anniversary with silver wheels  both in a boxed set and individually in blisters with mocked up boxes.    Like these...

 

 

 

917409_140818183204_IMG_2972.JPG

 

I've got a 1:43 version of the steam roller somewhere. Not sure if it's Matchbox though - I suppose it must be but I honestly can't remember. Locating it would probably take the best part of a long weekend. : - (

[Junkman]

Actually, since you're here, can you clear up something for me on wheels?  I've got some old Lesneys with silver wheels and I have conflicting information as to whether they are a short run of re-released cars using the original moulds or just a normal option that was offered, like the short-lived chrome hub wheels with separate tyres.

 

All Lesneys up to some time in the 1960s had silver, or rather, grey wheels.

Some reissues had them too, so it would be a matter of seeing the chod in question to determine what it is.

[vulgalour]

Mercrocker:  not like those, though that is I think what some folks are referring to when they say silver wheels.

 

Junkman:  I reckon these are just standard 60s ones then rather than some sort of re-release.  Plastic silver, occasionally a bit swirly looking, like badly mixed paint.  Bit tricky to photograph to demonstrate, they always end up looking grey, in person the silver is more obvious.

 

Code 3?  I see various codes mentioned and they seem to mean the square root of fuck all.  Apparently, if there's an indistinguishable mistake, they're worth loads more.  I just like getting knackered old models and making them nice again, the state I buy them in they're never going to be worth anything untouched.

[egg]

Unless I'm much mistaken, and it's far from impossible, they are original wheels. 

 

http://www.fcarnahan.com/pg/wheels.html

 

 

 

[mercrocker]

Ah, VL, it was the re-issue bit that made me think of those......MB "regular wheels" were, as Egg displays, available at various times in different formats, often on the same casting as time went on.... 

 

That No.27 - the Cadillac Sixty Special for example is known with silver plastic, grey plastic (fine and knobbly tread) and has been recorded with different axles at each end.  I bet somewhere there is a small black wheel or silver metal wheel example.   Add to that the crimped, as opposed to peened axle ends and there are so many variations.   That's before people start arseing about with them....

 

All Code 3 really means is altered after the factory - either as in a retailer adding in-house decals or a kid in his bedroom with the Humbrol.   It really doesn't mean anything more specific than that in my opinion. 

 

There are some genuinely short-runs of various wheel combinations particularly where a model's production life overlapped changes to wheel design across the range.   There is a lot of interest nowadays in "Transitional" models - those that gained Superfast wheels on an otherwise un-altered "Black wheel" model but they were common enough back in the day.... 

 

It's all interesting to those who collect variations but not necessarily valuable.

[sierraman]

There’s a shit load of variables, I didn’t realise how many until I bought the book on them.

[sierraman]

Bonus points for which was the last issue as a Regular wheels?

[mercrocker]

I reckon the Iron Fairy Crane was the last actual black plastic wheel issue, the Lotus Europa came out with tyred silver hubs at about the same time.

[sierraman]

Iron Fairy Crane correct.

[Junkman]

All Code 3 really means is altered after the factory - either as in a retailer adding in-house decals or a kid in his bedroom with the Humbrol.   It really doesn't mean anything more specific than that in my opinion.

Correct.

 

Code 1: Not altered in any way.

 

Code 2: Altered by the factory, e.g. promotional models for a customer.

 

Code 3: Altered by anyone except the factory. Like Mercrocker says, this isn't qualified in any way, it just hasn't happened at the factory.

[quicksilver]

My understanding of Code 2 is that it applies to models that were modified by a third party with the permission of the factory, whereas Code 3 models were modified without the factory's permission. If anyone remembers those crappy 'View Vans' you could get as souvenirs from various tourist attractions, they're a good example of Code 2. Lledo supplied blank models to a company called Stevelyn, knowing the latter would apply sticky labels depicting the various attractions they were to be sold at.

 

One of the model bus sites also has a 'Code 4' listed, their argument being that Code 3 models are those professionally refinished for resale whereas Code 4 are things amateur modellers do for their own collections, but I haven't seen that anywhere else. As Code 3 seems to cover everything from adding a bit of paint to a complete structural rework, I'd like to propose an alternative definition: Code 3 is for cosmetically altered models (i.e. repainted or added details) whereas Code 4 is for structurally altered models (e.g. converting a bus to open top).

 

Just to confuse things further, 'Code 3' is also an American firefighting term and is the brand name of a manufacturer of fire engine models. These Code 3 models are code 1 factory-finished products!

[stuboy]

Not so shite, depends on personnal preference, hot wheels focus

[Noel Tidybeard]

Rover 2000 TC

 

 

Rover 2000 TC GT

 

 

golden jacks FTW :mrgreen:

[vulgalour]

Focus needs silver paint and three spokes, really.

[Christine]

Always thought the 2 door coupe was a better looking car 

 

[stuboy]

Focus needs silver paint and three spokes, really.

has crossed my mind...

[morrisoxide]

Picked a few Hong Kong specials and a Sterling Rover at a charidee shop. I do like the casting on the TR3. I'm sure I have a yellow turtle deck Model T in the same style.

 

The "Boa" generic looking muscle car pops open when the front bumper is smashed. It's quite astonishing that the two parts are still together.

It's also stamped Hong Kong does that mean it's made by Yatming?

 

[sierraman]

I’ve nothinh but bittersweet memories of those Rover Sterlings. On one hand I remember being at primary school and a really vile weedy kid in our class ‘borrowing’ it and scratching the side on the pavement then trouble at the mill after braying him in the face afterwards. On the other hand I can remember my Grandfather taking me to Post Office to buy one of the silver Laser Wheels variants. Still looking for the multipack only yellow version.

[mercrocker]

Picked a few Hong Kong specials and a Sterling Rover at a charidee shop. I do like the casting on the TR3. I'm sure I have a yellow turtle deck Model T in the same style.

DSC_1145 (2).jpg

 

 

 

 

I have that T as well! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both these and your TR are Marx Bulldogs....

[morrisoxide]

I have that T as well! 

 

 

 

PIC_0005.JPG

 

 

Both these and your TR are Marx Bulldogs....

Thanks that's the one! That T does look very Marx now you mention it. Think I've got a light blue Merc Cougar with a very small back window somewhere.

P.S. Nice table top! 

 

Edit. That light blue Merc is like this one found on google. Check out that ace cardboard interior!

[mercrocker]

I had one of the Cougars as well!   Amazingly crude compared to, say, the contemporary Lesney model but I suppose they would have been cheap.   Given their HK origin they must have cost pennies to have made!

[junkyarddog]

I picked up this Marx Cadillac last weekend at a boot sale.

 

[egg]

Been after one of these for a while...

 

[MorrisItalSLX]

That has some lovely detail, you can clearly read the badges front and rear. Just lovely.

[mercrocker]

Egg, you are fast becoming the Duc du Norev around here....

[egg]

I'm afraid* there are more to come...

[vulgalour]

Had some new arrivals today.  I bought a couple of small joblots that had useful spares and when they arrived, I found there were more useful spares than I'd anticipated.  I shall soon have a 1948 Maserati courtesy of an almost completely knackered Saladin.  Just a wheel and axle swap so there's no need to take the Maserati apart and I likely shan't repaint it, I've found it's a difficult one to get cheap so I'm pretty chuffed with this since they were less than a quid for the pair.

 

 

 

The Zephyr 6 in the same lot is a little gem.  Excellent glass and interior, and enough paint on it that I don't feel the need to repaint.  Another one that's usually more than I want to pay for less than a quid.

 

I shan't go through the rest of the lot as they're a bit dull.  From my last repaints update I found I hadn't photographed this one which turned out okay.

 

 

Finally, I'm considering repainting this Victor as an Envoy for no other reason than because I can.  Tend to be cheap and easy to get hold of, this one cost me about 50p, definitely not Vauxhall's finest hour when it came to styling and the Canadian Envoy is even more clumsy

[egg]

I'm just working on my 2nd Victor as it happens. This latest one has a tow hook like yours, but I prefer the one's without.

 

Good to see you back on this thread, as goes without saying really, but I'll say it.

[junkyarddog]

That yellow vw is sweet.

 

Amazing how good these matchbox castings are.