Shite in Miniature II

[Amishtat]

Visited a couple of boot sales myself this week and there was no end of Days Gone and those 60s/70s Matchbox veteran series up for grabs, none of it expensive. Not a lot to grab my attention really, managed to resist a tatty Dinky Dodge Royal in police livery and a Corgi Thrushbuster (what a name..)

These though I thought were worth grabbing.

Never heard of Matchbox Speed Kings before, thought they were just Superkings until I got back to the car and looked at them properly.

I'd sort of been idly waiting for one of these to turn up for reasons I can't explain, this is better than some I'd seen despite a bent front axle. A little cartoonish in its proportions and what a strange choice for a model.

And finally a couple of these because I'd like to build a model railway one day. This would also have a garage on it with some bangers being built in the back yard in the vein of the Capri a few posts back.

Now you can get a 1/76 mk.1 Transit and Granada that even gives you scope for a period tow car, I'd only need to make a trailer.

[Amishtat]

Completely forgot to put in the previous post, there was one thing at the boot sale I forgot to mention. A Mini dinky Corsair, I've never heard of this brand before. Annoyingly it was in pretty nice condition, a sort of greeny gold metallic but the bootlid was missing. For that reason I left it there even at two quid but one of you is probably going to tell me I should have bought it

[Datsuncog]

On 4/19/2019 at 3:55 PM, Amishtat said:

Completely forgot to put in the previous post, there was one thing at the boot sale I forgot to mention. A Mini dinky Corsair, I've never heard of this brand before. Annoyingly it was in pretty nice condition, a sort of greeny gold metallic but the bootlid was missing. For that reason I left it there even at two quid but one of you is probably going to tell me I should have bought it

Heh, you're right... Mini Dinkys were made under licence in Hong Kong, using a really crap alloy so most of them suffered terminal zinc pest and imploded after a few years... they're really quite hard to find now, I understand. A nice haul anyway, for today!

 

I'm with you on the Speed Kings/ Super Kings thing - this was news to me recently, that 'Speed Kings' was the name given to Matchbox's line of larger cars, while 'Super Kings' was reserved for commercial and construction toys. 

There were also 'Battle Kings' (tanks & military) and 'Sea Kings' (diecast ships) so mebbe when they killed those lines off, there seemed to be no point in keeping Speed Kings and Super Kings apart.

 

I think the Super Kings name became used for all their larger vehicles in the late '70s, but I'll have a flick through my catalogues and find out exactly when that happened.

[Datsuncog]

On 4/19/2019 at 3:06 PM, vulgalour said:

Yes please. Do it the same as the last one, if you don't mind?

No worries - I'll take a sweep next week and see what I can find. Let me know if there's any specific ones you're looking for!

[Remspoor]

Visited a couple of boot sales myself this week and there was no end of Days Gone and those 60s/70s Matchbox veteran series up for grabs, none of it expensive. Not a lot to grab my attention really, managed to resist a tatty Dinky Dodge Royal in police livery and a Corgi Thrushbuster (what a name..)

These though I thought were worth grabbing.15556844985015885987331540158572.jpg15556846225734631100283641713105.jpg15556847187826955221568185737266.jpg

Never heard of Matchbox Speed Kings before, thought they were just Superkings until I got back to the car and looked at them properly.

I'd sort of been idly waiting for one of these to turn up for reasons I can't explain, this is better than some I'd seen despite a bent front axle. A little cartoonish in its proportions and what a strange choice for a model. 15556848990732247965343159966921.jpg

And finally a couple of these because I'd like to build a model railway one day. This would also have a garage on it with some bangers being built in the back yard in the vein of the Capri a few posts back.

Now you can get a 1/76 mk.1 Transit and Granada that even gives you scope for a period tow car, I'd only need to make a trailer.

15556852730625065740035609853229.jpg

 

I have a ebay alert for all things Westminster because I own a real one and those Westie estates are popping up all the time. Cheap as chips.

[Amishtat]

I have a Westminster too, unfortunately the only A99 model I've seen is beautiful but just too expensive for my tastes.

[Datsuncog]

On 4/19/2019 at 4:08 PM, Datsuncog said:

I'm with you on the Speed Kings/ Super Kings thing - this was news to me recently, that 'Speed Kings' was the name given to Matchbox's line of larger cars, while 'Super Kings' was reserved for commercial and construction toys.

There were also 'Battle Kings' (tanks & military) and 'Sea Kings' (diecast ships) so mebbe when they killed those lines off, there seemed to be no point in keeping Speed Kings and Super Kings apart.

I think the Super Kings name became used for all their larger vehicles in the late '70s, but I'll have a flick through my catalogues and find out exactly when that happened.

Had a look last night - seems the Speed Kings name was last used for Matchbox's range of larger diecast cars in the 1978 catalogue - for 1979, the same range was grouped in with all the commercial, construction and emergency vehicles under the SuperKings banner.

The Sea Kings range last appeared in the 1980 catalogue, while BattleKings lasted until 1981 before bowing out (possibly discontinued as a cost-cutting measure as the financial clouds continued to gather over Lesney) - so that's my theory disproven!

[sierraman]

The seakings were an absolute failure, really unpopular. However you do see them pop up from time to time but there’s not a big market for them.

[vulgalour]

No worries - I'll take a sweep next week and see what I can find. Let me know if there's any specific ones you're looking for!

 

Stretcha Fetcha and Hairy Hustler are on my shortlist at the moment.  Also anything French.  Not that fussed about farm stuff.  Other than that, anything goes from the Lesney/Superfast/Matchbox stables.  Stoved in stuff is fine, I can always salvage axles, doors, wheels, etc. for custom builds and rescues.  Chuck me a PM with a reminder on where to send the cash and I'll sort that out for you.

[vulgalour]

The biggest disappointment I had with the seakings stuff was that they sank.  I reckon that's why they failed, what sort of kid buys toy boats with wheels?  It's also why I didn't get on with the hovercrafts, you should've been able to whizz them along the kitchen sideboard and straight into the sink where they'd stay afloat because it's a hovercraft and that's what you expect when you're 8.

[MarvinsMom]

i too have been buying more old diecast tat.

 

first off, an Corgi Hillman Husky. in fawn, or is it beige? either way its early Corgi and a proper ugly car. it must have been a left field choice 60+ years ago. today it is i guess a car that is all but extinct.

 

then when in Lincoln for "Big Mini Day" last weekend i saw this, and had to have it. while its been knocked about and played with, it still a nice little thing. plus its one of the vintage mini models that i didn't have, its the "competition" Mini Cooper. there is a yellow version as well, and its a re-work of Corgi's mini minor with jewelled headlamps.

 

and at the same time, i saw this. its a Corgi Mini Marcos, the golden jacks model though i've not been brave enough to try and take one of the wheels off.

 

then yesterday, co on holidays and with nomey burning a hole in my pocket, i saw this at our favouite local old toy emporium, and i just had to have it. its a Matchbox Models of Yesteryear, from 1956 to about 1964. and it looks pretty much mint!

 

and quiet why the pictures are on the side, well i dunno..........

[Sudsprint]

That Mini Marcos is a lovely little model. For some reason Marcos and Corgi got on well together with lots of models,

[Split_Pin]

Agreed on the Marcos. My parent's neighbour's pal had one around 1990, VUD495H and imagine my delight when a Corgi model of it turned up at the local Swapmeet for a fiver and in good nick.

 

The jack mechanism is robust, have a play!

[mercrocker]

Aye, if the wheels are still on they will be fine.   Don't under-estimate a Husky though!   They were pretty plentiful back in the day and made a good compromise between van and estate car.   An Aunt of mine had the Commer Cob version which was supplied in van form but often converted with side windows.   Local nick had a couple for a while in non-uniform two-tone brown.   The floorpan formed the basis of that for the Sunbeam Alpine IIRC.

[Sudsprint]

Dinky spend up...

[Sudsprint]

Corgi spend up

[mercrocker]

Some of my favourites there, for sure....That Camaro was one of Corgi's finest.

[DoctorRetro]

I'm off to a car boot sale tomorrow, anyone got any requests? I'm specifically going to look for diecasts.

[Sudsprint]

Aye, if the wheels are still on they will be fine.   Don't under-estimate a Husky though!   They were pretty plentiful back in the day and made a good compromise between van and estate car.   An Aunt of mine had the Commer Cob version which was supplied in van form but often converted with side windows.   Local nick had a couple for a while in non-uniform two-tone brown.   The floorpan formed the basis of that for the Sunbeam Alpine IIRC.

 

 

Not just the Alpine.. but also the Tiger 

[sierraman]

I'm off to a car boot sale tomorrow, anyone got any requests? I'm specifically going to look for diecasts.

Ditto but I’m going on bank holiday Monday instead.

 

One of my projects this year is to build some suitable shelving to display my tat in the loft, it’s such a shame to store it all in boxes and not be able to view them all.

[egg]

The after market door is still not quite right, I dare not open it! But this one isn't too bad, this isn't your one Datsuncog.

 

[mercrocker]

Those white metal doors are an arse to fit properly.

[egg]

Those white metal doors are an arse to fit properly.

 

I've filed it down as much as I can. If I do any more I'm expecting the lugs that hold it on to snap. A lovely casting by Lesney, just let down a bit by this door fixing.

[egg]

I had to have a closer look at MM's mini.

 

[mercrocker]

I've filed it down as much as I can. If I do any more I'm expecting the lugs that hold it on to snap. A lovely casting by Lesney, just let down a bit by this door fixing.

To be fair to Lesney I think they probably fitted the door before the base plate.    We shouldn't complain I suppose - the fine-ness of these castings were quite extraordinary for 1950s pocket-money toys.  

[mercrocker]

I had to have a closer look at MM's mini.

 

post-18270-0-23905300-1555764746.jpg

 

Lovely things aren't they!   It did/does irk me though, that having changed the wording on the baseplate die to read "Mini-Cooper" instead of "Mini-Minor" they never went to the bother of changing that for the radiator grille!    The only correctly-snouted Mini Cooper of the Mettoy/Playcraft era was the Magnifique.   All those superb rally cars still had the 850 grille!

[vulgalour]

I finished three projects today, photos on those later.  In the meantime, here's a quick glance at the desk.

 

Starting at the far left, the Ferrari will need a second fill on the front.  There's normally a big round dimple for putting a sticker, and I wanted it completely smooth since I'm not sticking numbers on it, I'm also hoping the yellow is going to look better than the silver I first tried, and I'm avoiding red on that one.  The little jeep could do with a new windscreen frame, have to see if I can make one, and I need to decide on a colour for it.  Landrover needs lots of work on the roof which I'll be smoothering out, and there's some annoying mould lines to eliminate too, undecided on colour.  The Commer custom van is almost there, it needs yet another round of filler work to get it where I want it, I'm very tempted to give it some 70s murals on the sides making use of some temporary tattoos or nail art decals.  Lorry on the right just needs me to decide on a colour to paint it and then it's a straightforward reassembly job.

 

[Frogchod]

This FORD has been a right mare, three times it's been painted, it's still not right

I might go for attempt 4 later in the year.

I found some very cheap Atlas 2cv vans so I've done a couple more pastis liveries

 

Big autojumble tomorrow,hopefully there'll be lots of minishite to be had.

An Anglia is top of my list

[Sudsprint]

Final batch of my recent acquisitions

[vulgalour]

It's before and after time again.  Let's start with this Capri which I absolutely adore.  The pink ended up being loads better than I expected.  Shame there was a slight fitment issue with the bonnet (which I didn't attempt to remove) which has damaged the paint on the scuttle, not a great deal I could do about that.  Otherwise, dead chuffed with this one.

 

 

Porsche 910 isn't one of my favourite models and what I started with on this one was pretty terrible, the whole thing covered in a thick coat of pewter coloured paint and completely missing the wheels. A new paint scheme and a thick-ish coat of Citadel Ard Coat varnish on the glass rescued that to an acceptable level.  Wheels nabbed from a broken Rolls Royce.

 

 

Blue Shark has been sat in my project queue for ages, mainly because I wanted a really good chrome pen and it took me a while to find out about Molotow Liquid Chrome pens.  This has the most ambitious paint job since I used automotive rattle cans for a fade from metallic blue to silver when normal people would have just accepted they had to buy an airbrush.  I'm delighted with the end result, it's how I wish the one I had as a kid had looked.

 

 

Finally for this update, the Toe Jam and Earl is now in first colour.  The mirror gold is the base colour, I've got several metallic browns to layer on top of this and may employ some orange for a bit of skinny stripe work.  The ex-Ramrod Z-car is an ideal companion piece.