Shite in Miniature II

[Split_Pin 9,431]

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 9,431]

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 13,050]

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

 

 

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 622]

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 4,200]

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 13,050]

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 Matchbox 75 Superfasts, but the price of them in m/b form is quite frightening...

[Datsuncog 13,050]

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 13,050]

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 9,431]

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 13,050]

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 622]

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 13,050]

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 622]

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 4,200]

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 4,200]

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 5,507]

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 9,431]

 

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 9,431]

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 8,920]

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 816]

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 16,628]

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 16,628]

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!

[Spottedlaurel 5,507]

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)

 

Trade for a Tomica or two?.....

 

All this Corgi talk got me looking at what I have:

 

 

A mixture of stuff that I've had since I was young and others added purchased more recently from toyfairs, fellow AS folk and the odd charity shop. Jaguar XJ-C purchased from a certain Friday market stall awaiting despatch to me....

 

 

Anyone recognise this garage? I've had it since the '70s and it originally had curved red plastic doors giving it a rather 1930s look. I always thought it was by Corgi, as the scale was about right, but a look tonight shows no maker's name on it at all so now I'm not so sure.

[vulgalour 37,490]

Try this thread: http://www.vintagebritishdiecasts.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=3455&hilit=METTOY+GARAGE&sid=ffb0acbeaad20b086c62586bfe437321 It's probably the Segic branded one mentioned right at the end of the thread.

[cms206 14,105]

I've got shitloads of the 1/36 Corgi Sierras. Best toy casting of the 80s, by far.

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[captain_70s 9,586]

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.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rare-Corgi-Honda-Ballade-Driving-School/333044934328?hash=item4d8b0666b8:g:FsEAAOSweshcUfKw

 

Has "Honda Ballade" cast into the boot lid and base, the Triumph versions said "Triumph Acclaim HLS"!

[vulgalour 37,490]

 

Ooh, a new arrival.  I wonder what's inside?

 

 

MYSTERY!  Let's come back to that in a bit.  I'd put dibs on the Pickfords major pack low loader thingy which while broken, looks fixable using bits I already have.  It's nice, I like it.

 

 

 

I'd asked Dr Datsuncog to just grab a random bunch of things from the magical 50p boxes to stick in with the parcel to make the best of the postage so it was a complete unknown what would arrive.  This is a great way of me ending up with stuff I like that I wouldn't actively go looking for, things like yet another Boss Mustang.  Underneath all that black overpaint it's in surprisingly complete and unbattered condition, so this should restore well.

 

This has a nice heft to it, like you could give a younger sibling concussion quite easily without trying too hard when you threw it at them in a fit of pique.  Again, in pretty good shape underneath the tatty paint.  Probably going to go white or silver on this one to compliment the red interior.

 

The camera goes up and down!  Best thing ever.

 

A Runabout Barchetta.  I kept meaning to grab one of these, always seemed to get distracted before hitting the BIN button.  I'll be redoing it in the concept's original white and red, because I can, and it's surprisingly well detailed for a Corgi.

 

A Husky I don't have.  It looks like this is the same basic casting as the camper version.  It's missing a bit too, but they always are.  Not a problem, it has potential all the same for me to do something with it.

 

Finally, on the diecast front, there's this.  I'm tempted to recreate the blue van conversion that was done over on the blue forum a couple of years ago because it worked surprisingly well and cheap though it may be, the casting on this one is surprisingly well detailed.

[vulgalour 37,490]

Let's check out the bonus mystery of mysteriousness.  It's a couple of catalogues from back when this sort of thing was 6d and 2p.  I don't actually have any ephemera at all, so it was fun having a look through these and admiring the artwork.  I hadn't realised just how much weird stuff was available either.

 

This motorway set would have given me loads of entertainment while it worked if I'd had one back in the day.

 

Then there's this, which is bonkers and genius in equal measure.  Seems to work on the same principle as the tilting ballbearing mazes that are infuriating, but with worse controls and no edges. Brilliant!

 

Best of all has to be this advert.  The font.  The scene.  Perfect.

[SierraMikeHotel 3,997]

Does anyone fancy these?  The boxes are a bit knackered but the kits are still in plastic bags inside so I believe they're probably complete.  They've been in a loft for about 20 years so may be a bit warped.

 

 

Yours in return for a contribution to the Macmillan fundraiser that I'm doing.

 

PM me, please, as I'm not on the forum very much at the moment (just a lack of time).

[sierraman 12,261]

Latest Matchbox purchase from a new found source. Immediately thought of Eddy with this one looks right up his street!