Shite in Miniature II

[Split_Pin]

That white Majorette Ford 9000 lorry with the red deflector, is that 50p on account of being bigger?

[egg]

Can I have the Rover 800 please (red/grey) as long as the glass unit is intact.

[Datsuncog]

On 3/29/2019 at 10:54 AM, Split_Pin said:

That white Majorette Ford 9000 lorry with the red deflector, is that 50p on account of being bigger?

Yup, that's also 50p. Anything in those two boxes seems to be 50p, regardless of scale - which is handy. I'll scuttle over shortly and see if I can bag it for you, if you fancy it!

[Datsuncog]

On 3/29/2019 at 11:14 AM, egg said:

Can I have the Rover 800 please (red/grey) as long as the glass unit is intact.

It's not, sadly! Some little toerag has bust the back screen with a pointy object. The same fate has befallen the Corgi Juniors AMC Pacer - otherwise I would have grabbed the pair of them. Vexing, I know...

[Datsuncog]

Meanwhile, a parcel showed up at Casa Datsuncog last night (via eBay, via Argos)...

Yes, I think I might be going down the diecast wormhole again. Spending ££££ on proper models, that is, rather than just hoovering up market stall tat. And after all my model divestment last year, too.

You may have seen that I've been going through my collection of old model catalogues recently, and have come to the conclusion that late 70s/80s Mettoy-era (and just after) Corgi 1/35s are actually still very, very appealing to me. This stunning revelation arrived after I found these at the market a few weeks back:

And they are just bloody lovely toys.

So I've had a good riffle through the catalogues and drawn up a list of those models I'd really like to own. Some I owned as a kid and smashed up or otherwise lost. Others are ones I always wanted, but never had. Annoyingly, a few are ones I did own but got shot of last year - but hey ho. It tends to be plain saloon cars which appeal most - not the police versions, not the rally cars - and I think they need to be in good nick to make this a worthwhile enterprise.

So last night...

Yeah. 

The Supra in navy blue over silver dates from 1985, and is a model I only ever saw in catalogues, never in real life. Given its comparative rarity (only offered for a few years) they can be pricey. This one wasn't too dear - but does have a factory paint flaw to the offside (smudged the silver into the blue) which wasn't mentioned in the listing, plus a few other paint 'bubbles' to the bonnet. Still, it won't really affect how I might display it. Just nice to have one, finally.

(Pics are a bit shit, sorry - will re-take some in daylight)

Opening doors and boot, and a hinged parcel shelf and tipping front seats. I'm not sure whether the headlights pop up and down, like the 'Magnum P.I.' Ferrari 308 GTS did - only it had an operating lever underneath, and I can't see one on the Supra. For fear of forcing the lights down and never being able to get them back up again, I've left them alone for now.

The BMW 325i E30 is one which I did see on the shelves at Woolworths and whatnot, though usually tampo'd up as a touring car. I'd seen a few in plain red, but then this one popped up in black, which I think suits it rather more. Of course, the solitary black example I could find was a fair bit dearer than the red ones... but I really like this model, despite not being much of a Beemer-licker in real life. The box states 1990, which seems about right. 

Opening bonnet (well, sort of - it opens about an inch), doors and a sliding sunroof, plus tipping seats, all add play value. There's a tiny bit of paint bubbling, but overall this is a cracker.

I feel a bit odd, as these weren't overly cheap by my mingy-stingy 50p standards - but the boxes are good and crisp, and I'd be reasonably confident of being able to move them on without losing a king's ransom should my interests move on (again).

I'd guess that, as blokes of my age start to realise their golden future is increasingly tarnished and retreat to their childhoods in search of a crumb of comfort, these soon won't be quite so affordable and I'd rather not miss the boat...

Anyone else feeling the love for these larger 1980s models?

[quicksilver]

I had one of those Beemers in grey (rehomed at Shitefest 16 I assume) but never even knew Corgi did a Supra. IIRC the bonnet mechanism mimics the real 3-series - you pull the front up a bit and then pull the back edge to tip it forwards.

[Datsuncog]

Oh, and here's the Atlas repro Dinkys I scored this morning.

I know proper collectors will grump that they're not the same as the real thing, and of course they're quite right, but I'm kind of enjoying the novelty of opening a cardboard box and seeing something that looks fresh and new staring back at me - rather than with yellowing, faintly opaque windscreens after half a century of handling and with dust in the corners. The freshness is so unexpected - it's like travelling back in time. A little.

I'm sure I'll be passing these on soon enough, but I like them for now.

[Amishtat]

These were the stuff of my childhood too, I had the 325 in white. Don't think I've seen the Supra before though,the 505 doesn't ring any bells either which seems odd given my Dad was a Peugeot-bothered even back in the eighties. I'll have to have a rummage and see what Corgis of that period have survived, pretty sure only one or two are still boxed.

[Split_Pin]

Yup, that's also 50p. Anything in those two boxes seems to be 50p, regardless of scale - which is handy. I'll scuttle over shortly and see if I can bag it for you, if you fancy it!

Yes please!

[Split_Pin]

Meanwhile, a parcel showed up at Casa Datsuncog last night (via eBay, via Argos)...

 

Yes, I think I might be going down the diecast wormhole again. Spending ££££ on proper models, that is, rather than just hoovering up market stall tat. And after all my model divestment last year, too.

 

You may have seen that I've been going through my collection of old model catalogues recently, and have come to the conclusion that late 70s/80s Mettoy-era (and just after) Corgi 1/35s are actually still very, very appealing to me. This stunning revelation arrived after I found these at the market a few weeks back:

 

20190215_134442.jpg

 

20190215_134501.jpg

 

And they are just bloody lovely toys.

 

So I've had a good riffle through the catalogues and drawn up a list of those models I'd really like to own. Some ones I owned as a kid and smashed up or otherwise lost. Others are ones I always wanted, but never had. Annoyingly, a few are ones I did own but got shot of last year - but hey ho. It tends to be plain saloon cars which appeal most - not the police versions, not the rally cars - and I think they need to be in good nick to make this a worthwhile enterprise.

 

So last night...

 

20190328_225933.jpg

 

Yeah. 

 

20190328_233937.jpg

 

The Supra in navy blue over silver dates from 1985, and is a model I only ever saw in catalogues, never in real life. Given its comparative rarity (only offered for a few years) they can be pricey. This one wasn't too dear - but does have a factory paint flaw to the offside (smudged the silver into the blue) which wasn't mentioned in the listing, plus a few other paint 'bubbles' to the bonnet. Still, it won't really affect how I might display it. Just nice to have one, finally.

 

20190328_231218.jpg

 

20190328_231235.jpg

 

20190328_231251.jpg

 

(Pics are a bit shit, sorry - will re-take some in daylight)

 

20190328_231308.jpg

 

Opening doors and boot, and a hinged parcel shelf and tipping front seats. I'm not sure whether the headlights pop up and down, like the 'Magnum P.I.' Ferrari 308 GTS did - only it had an operating lever underneath, and I can't see one on the Supra. For fear of forcing the lights down and never being able to get them back up again, I've left them alone for now.

 

The BMW 325i E30 is one which I did see on the shelves at Woolworths and whatnot, though usually tampo'd up as a touring car. I'd seen a few in plain red, but then this one popped up in black, which I think suits it rather more. Of course, the solitary black example I could find was a fair bit dearer than the red ones... but I really like this model, despite not being much of a Beemer-licker in real life. The box states 1990, which seems about right. 

 

20190328_231320.jpg

 

20190328_231330.jpg

 

20190328_231340.jpg

 

20190328_231348.jpg

 

Opening bonnet (well, sort of - it opens about an inch), doors and a sliding sunroof, plus tipping seats, all add play value. There's a tiny bit of paint bubbling, but overall this is a cracker.

 

I feel a bit odd, as these weren't overly cheap by my mingy-stingy 50p standards - but the boxes are good and crisp, and I'd be reasonably confident of being able to move them on without losing a king's ransom should my interests move on (again).

 

I'd guess that, as blokes of my age start to realise their golden future is increasingly tarnished and retreat to their childhoods in search of a crumb of comfort, these soon won't be quite so affordable and I'd rather not miss the boat...

 

Anyone else feeling the love for these larger 1980s models?

I love these too but not as much as 1/24 Bburagos.

 

They were a staple of my childhood. My friend had the Supra in white, it was ace and uncommon even when current.

 

I have:

BMW 325

Various Mk3 Escorts

A LOT of Minis

A miniMetro

Mercedes 190 2.3 16

A few Sierras

A 2CV

Mk3 Transit

a Couple of Plaxton Paramounts

2 Mercedes vans

A Peugeot 505

A Volvo 760 Turbo

A Rover Sterling

 

The last two were issued later on in the 1980s and were very nice indeed in terms of detail.

[Datsuncog]

On 3/29/2019 at 11:38 AM, quicksilver said:

I had one of those Beemers in grey (rehomed at Shitefest 16 I assume) but never even knew Corgi did a Supra. IIRC the bonnet mechanism mimics the real 3-series - you pull the front up a bit and then pull the back edge to tip it forwards.

Ah yes, right enough - I do remember seeing the 325i in silvery grey too, it was also very nice. I think the bonnet mechanism might be a bit out on my one - I managed to get the front edge up and tipped over the grille, but it then seems to jam halfway when I pull the back edge up - there's a thin pivot bar secured under the plastic engine, that seems to bend - so I decided not to force it. Still, a really nicely detailed engine bay under there.

The black version just makes me think of the ones I saw blezzing around the Financial District during a school trip to London in 1990, not long before the recession hit... has a weirdly powerful nostalgia vibe that, for me, seems to tie in with Pebble Mill at One and electro tracks with overechoed drums... and I can't say I wouldn't fancy a blast across the Westway at night in a 325i with a cassette of this playing over the Blaupunkt.

 

On 3/29/2019 at 11:39 AM, Amishtat said:

These were the stuff of my childhood too, I had the 325 in white. Don't think I've seen the Supra before though,the 505 doesn't ring any bells either which seems odd given my Dad was a Peugeot-bothered even back in the eighties. I'll have to have a rummage and see what Corgis of that period have survived, pretty sure only one or two are still boxed.

Yeah, I think the 505 was only offered in red for one year - it also appeared in a beige taxi livery, a white rally car, and as a Tour de France support car with bikes fitted. Seems they weren't big sellers, and disappeared from the line-up when Mettoy went belly-up in late 1983. I'll try to pull together a list of what I'm looking to find!

[Tenmil Socket]

Meanwhile, a parcel showed up at Casa Datsuncog last night (via eBay, via Argos)...

 

Yes, I think I might be going down the diecast wormhole again. Spending ££££ on proper models, that is, rather than just hoovering up market stall tat. And after all my model divestment last year, too.

 

You may have seen that I've been going through my collection of old model catalogues recently, and have come to the conclusion that late 70s/80s Mettoy-era (and just after) Corgi 1/35s are actually still very, very appealing to me. This stunning revelation arrived after I found these at the market a few weeks back:

 

20190215_134442.jpg

 

20190215_134501.jpg

 

And they are just bloody lovely toys.

 

So I've had a good riffle through the catalogues and drawn up a list of those models I'd really like to own. Some ones I owned as a kid and smashed up or otherwise lost. Others are ones I always wanted, but never had. Annoyingly, a few are ones I did own but got shot of last year - but hey ho. It tends to be plain saloon cars which appeal most - not the police versions, not the rally cars - and I think they need to be in good nick to make this a worthwhile enterprise.

 

So last night...

 

20190328_225933.jpg

 

Yeah. 

 

20190328_233937.jpg

 

The Supra in navy blue over silver dates from 1985, and is a model I only ever saw in catalogues, never in real life. Given its comparative rarity (only offered for a few years) they can be pricey. This one wasn't too dear - but does have a factory paint flaw to the offside (smudged the silver into the blue) which wasn't mentioned in the listing, plus a few other paint 'bubbles' to the bonnet. Still, it won't really affect how I might display it. Just nice to have one, finally.

 

20190328_231218.jpg

 

20190328_231235.jpg

 

20190328_231251.jpg

 

(Pics are a bit shit, sorry - will re-take some in daylight)

 

20190328_231308.jpg

 

Opening doors and boot, and a hinged parcel shelf and tipping front seats. I'm not sure whether the headlights pop up and down, like the 'Magnum P.I.' Ferrari 308 GTS did - only it had an operating lever underneath, and I can't see one on the Supra. For fear of forcing the lights down and never being able to get them back up again, I've left them alone for now.

 

The BMW 325i E30 is one which I did see on the shelves at Woolworths and whatnot, though usually tampo'd up as a touring car. I'd seen a few in plain red, but then this one popped up in black, which I think suits it rather more. Of course, the solitary black example I could find was a fair bit dearer than the red ones... but I really like this model, despite not being much of a Beemer-licker in real life. The box states 1990, which seems about right. 

 

20190328_231320.jpg

 

20190328_231330.jpg

 

20190328_231340.jpg

 

20190328_231348.jpg

 

Opening bonnet (well, sort of - it opens about an inch), doors and a sliding sunroof, plus tipping seats, all add play value. There's a tiny bit of paint bubbling, but overall this is a cracker.

 

I feel a bit odd, as these weren't overly cheap by my mingy-stingy 50p standards - but the boxes are good and crisp, and I'd be reasonably confident of being able to move them on without losing a king's ransom should my interests move on (again).

 

I'd guess that, as blokes of my age start to realise their golden future is increasingly tarnished and retreat to their childhoods in search of a crumb of comfort, these soon won't be quite so affordable and I'd rather not miss the boat...

 

Anyone else feeling the love for these larger 1980s models?

 

Absolutely... Matchbox Superkings too. The Sierra Cosworth!

[Amishtat]

That might explain why I don't recall the Peugeot, I'd have been three when they went bust. No thanks on the Healey, much as I like it I don't need it

[Datsuncog]

On 3/29/2019 at 12:01 PM, Split_Pin said:

I love these too but not as much as 1/24 Bburagos.

They were a staple of my childhood. My friend had the Supra in white, it was ace and uncommon even when current.

I have:

BMW 325

Various Mk3 Escorts

A LOT of Minis

A miniMetro

Mercedes 190 2.3 16

A few Sierras

A 2CV

Mk3 Transit

a Couple of Plaxton Paramounts

2 Mercedes vans

A Peugeot 505

A Volvo 760 Turbo

A Rover Sterling

The last two were issued later on in the 1980s and were very nice indeed in terms of detail.

It's great to find a niche! I also really like 1/24 Bburagos (and that Alfa you scored the other day off cms206 is great) - but probably prefer the Corgi. Still, hopefully that means avoiding any unseemly eBay bidding wars...

That's a cracking Corgi collection you have though, some real lovelies in there!

I do have the Volvo 760 Turbo, in dark metallic green - it's one of the very few cars from my childhood that survived my toybox without significant scrapes, or being condemned to Death By Humbrol in my juvenile and cack-handed attempts at 'super-detailing'... which is why I couldn't bear to sell it last year, and I'm now very glad I didn't. I'm actively looking for the Sterling... annoyingly, someone had a m/b example on eBay last weekend as a Buy It Now for £20, and while I was mulling it over, it sold...

I'm also looking for a Sierra (again, had one but sold it last year); an Opel Rekord; a Mercedes 190 (preferably an early version without the bodykit and spoilers); a Honda Prelude (had, sold, doh); a Renault 11; a Rover 3500 SD1; a plain Chevrolet Caprice; a Lotus Elite; and possibly a Range Rover if I can find one in a solid colour. Renault 5 Alpine, VW Polo, Triumph Acclaim and maybe the MG Maestro (with headlights!) would also be on the list somewhere. But I'm an irritatingly fussy bugger and I have all sorts of views on colours, wheel types etc etc so it'll probably keep me busy for the next ten years trying to track these down.

I'm also interested in Matchbx 75 Superfasts, but the price of them in M/B format is quite frightening...

[Datsuncog]

On 3/29/2019 at 12:18 PM, Amishtat said:

That might explain why I don't recall the Peugeot, I'd have been three when they went bust. No thanks on the Healey, much as I like it I don't need it

My thoughts exactly!

Nope, I don't remember seeing the Peugeot on shop shelves either (guess I'm the same age as you then!), but I've seen the odd one at model fairs and the like. It's a hefty old thing with the metal base on it; the wheels are just a little bit too wide-set for it to sit quite right, but overall it's really nice.

I've been surprised how much I like it, carrying it around the house with me like a puppy, hence the (slightly shamefaced) realisation that there's more going on with these Corgis than I'd expected... but it probably took the clear-out last year for me to divest myself of other people's childhoods, and focus more on the things that I liked when I was very smol...

[Datsuncog]

On 3/29/2019 at 12:17 PM, Tenmil Socket said:

Absolutely... Matchbox Superkings too. The Sierra Cosworth!

Yeah, the Cosworth was ace... I had one in white, first release from 1990 I think, but the plastic bits had yellowed from sitting on a shelf and I'd tried touching up a few chips with Humbrol so... it was re-homed last year, along with quite a few others.

[Split_Pin]

Re the Volvo, that was exactly the same story with mine, it survived in mint condition as I loved it so much.

 

I also remember now that I have the Rover SD1, Renault 5 (standard version), Polo, Revopak refuse collector and Porsche 924 with the flimsy rear hatch intact.

 

Others which came and went were a couple of Lotus Elites, a couple of James bond cars (they are still safely in my brother's custody), an R5 Turbo, a few MK2 Transits (including a milkfloat which I regret selling), a couple of Jaguar XJS and a Peugeot 205.

 

Regarding the Cosworth, I 're-purchased' one last year to replace my long-gone original, which I got in May 1989 when 'F' registration was still current. I was king of my street for a few days at least!

[Datsuncog]

Okay, so that's the Majorette Ford cabover procured for Mr.  Split_Pin. Looks in reasonable nick, with even its wingmirrors intact.

Any takers for a mildly dog-eared 1983 Matchbox catalogue? It was in the 50p box too, and was getting rather mashed about by some of the rather less delicate box hokers who also frequent the market, and tend to go at it with all the finesse of a hyperactive labrador on a neatly tended lawn... happy to add it to anyone's box, if they fancy it.

1983 is, of course, the first production year post-Lesney bankruptcy when the company was sold to Universal Toys and became Matchbox International, so it's interesting to see what the new company was pushing in those dark days of the toy car trade...

Oh, and that Triang Healey had gone by the time I made it back over, along with the Dinky repro Mini Countryman and Thunderbird, and all the £2 Lesneys. Looked like everything else was still there, though.

Whew!

EDIT: catalogue taken by Tenmil Socket - thanks!

[Tenmil Socket]

Okay, so that's the Majorette Ford cabover procured for Mr.  Split_Pin. Looks in reasonable nick, with even its wingmirrors intact.

 

20190329_141621.jpg

 

Any takers for a mildly dog-eared 1983 Matchbox catalogue? It was in the 50p box too, and was getting rather mashed about by some of the rather less delicate box hokers who also frequent the market, and tend to go at it with all the finesse of a hyperactive labrador on a neatly tended lawn... happy to add it to anyone's box, if they fancy it.

 

1983 is, of course, the first production year post-Lesney bankruptcy when the company was sold to Universal Toys and became Matchbox International, so it's interesting to see what the new company was pushing in those dark days of the toy car trade...

 

Oh, and that Triang Healey had gone by the time I made it back over, along with the Dinky repro Mini Countryman and Thunderbird, and all the £2 Lesneys. Looked like everything else was still there, though.

 

Whew!

 

How much to post the catalogue?

[Datsuncog]

On 3/29/2019 at 2:31 PM, Tenmil Socket said:

How much to post the catalogue?

Should go via a normal 2nd class stamp, I'd think - so 70p would cover postage (yes, postage prices went up last week, apparently) - £1.20 all in.

I'm probably not going to make my fortune at this racket.

[Tenmil Socket]

Should go via a normal 2nd class stamp, I'd think - so 70p would do it (yes, postage prices went up last week, apparently).

 

I'll take it please. Will pay you shortly. No rush. Post next time you're visiting the PO. Cheers...

[Amishtat]

Well that was a disappointment.

This is all the Corgis (plus one Matchbox Super king) that I could find. Doubly annoying since it means I can't find the black XJS, yellow Maestro, silver Sierra and blue Prelude I bought ftom bramz last year. Somewhere also I have a black 924 and a blue Acclaim but I wouldn't know where to look.

I remember getting the Volvo from Tescos the day it opened in 1987, how it survived that well I really don't know.

[Amishtat]

Now I think of it, whilst I know I've a Corgi Acclaim in blue somewhere, I remember having a red one in driving school livery. Was it an Acclaim too or a Honda Ballade? Doesn't seem likely they'd have changed the casting but for some reason my memory is telling me it was a Honda. Haven't seen it since I was about 14 so this might all be bollocks.

[Spottedlaurel]

I love these too but not as much as 1/24 Bburagos.

 

Have you got/do you want this one?

 

Fiat Tipos, small and large by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

I picked up one of those Majorette trucks at a sale in France last year. It goes with the small number of others I also have in that series.

[Split_Pin]

 

Have you got/do you want this one?

 

Fiat Tipos, small and large by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

I picked up one of those Majorette trucks at a sale in France last year. It goes with the small number of others I also have in that series.

Hmm I have a stickered red one and a boxed 'Taxi Radio' one but I don't have a plain red one. The Bburago Tipo is one of the best of the early 1990s. How much is it? (There's absolutely no helping me)

[Split_Pin]

Now I think of it, whilst I know I've a Corgi Acclaim in blue somewhere, I remember having a red one in driving school livery. Was it an Acclaim too or a Honda Ballade? Doesn't seem likely they'd have changed the casting but for some reason my memory is telling me it was a Honda. Haven't seen it since I was about 14 so this might all be bollocks.

I have seen one boxed as a Ballade, whether or not it said so underneath I am unsure though.

[Felly Magic]

Base, base, base, I like the buttery biscuit base..... Code 3 Ford Consul, I have also removed the headrests from the front seats

 

 

 

GT Consul, and I have corrected the wonky stripe

 

 

 

This is what the yellow one was

 

 

And it took 3 cars for the conversion!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[59Impala]

Aye, I know what it is!   Do you have the rest of it?   

I have most of it dotted about bar sadly the outer box that it all came in. It was a Xmas present circa 1965. The vehicles are still in good shape with tatty boxes, buildings are unmade in their boxes and the figures are in a tin I think. I have read that a mint Silverstone Gift Set goes for around 4k now but how was I to know? I was helping a friend on his table at Sandown toyfair a few years ago and another trader said that he just needed the base to make a complete set. I did tell him that I had it but didn't really want to sell it. 

[Six-cylinder]

I have been very strick with myself about my collecting criterion of only cars I have own/owned or had as company cars, but these do not count because they were a gift from quicksilver of this parish. 

 

I have had them a year, keep them under my desk and from time to time put my hand in their bag and pull one out to admire. This is the first time I have parked them all together for a photo call.

 

They are not for sale, nor are they likely to be restored, I just like keeping them under my desk behind the shredder!

[Six-cylinder]

Does anybody have a 1/43 Allegro they want to sell me?

 

Unboxed perfect, even scratched is fine as I plan to paint it deep red anyway and I might try to add a ridiculous grill!