Shite in Miniature II

[AndyW201]

So, as mentioned, I finally found a guy on a diecast site willing to buy all 71 of the James Bond partwork collection I had. By good fortune, he was only about 15 mins down the road from me, and he owns a model shop.

This came as a surprise to me as I had no idea there was still a good old-fashioned old school model shop in Teesside, so it was easy for me to drop the models off and have a look around the shop.

Fark me! The place looked promising from the outside, I knew the guy is big on trains (he's an official Hornby, Farish, Bachmann etc, stockist), so there were a few trains, and diecast buses and trucks in the window. Went in, and I only knew the bloke! We both worked at a shop in Redcar nearly 30 years ago and we were both mad on cars and passed our tests at about the same time. Much reminiscing of flying about in my 1 litre Metro MG replica back in 1991!

Had a nose around the shop and it didn't look too bad. Anth is also a stockist of Oxford diecast, it's the first time I've actually seen most of the 1/76 range in the metal and I'm tempted to start a collection of those! At least they don't take up much room...

He looked through the James Bond stuff, liked it and payment was sorted. He was at that time going through a collection of 300 Corgi OOC buses that he'd just bought, all mint, now needing reuniting with their boxes! Anth said, look through that door, the "main stuff"s through there. Went through into the back room, Holy Shit!!!

Sadly, he doesn't really deal in vintage or play worn stuff, so nothing to threaten Tat Friday! But the place is a treasure trove for anyone, like me, who likes stuff from the 80s/90s onwards, Vanguards, Minichamps, Norev, Solido. Absolute shitloads of buses, EFE, Britbus, Corgi OOC, etc. Quite a few cheapies, like unbranded partworks, Cararama, Oxford diecast, etc. He said he does deal in a lot of French stuff, I did see the likes of Renault Lagunas, Renault 19s,  Meganes and the like, plenty of AS friendly stuff.

Prices were very reasonable: unboxed but mint 1/76 buses started at about £5 up to about £40 odd for sought after mint/boxed. 1/76 Oxford diecast like Capris, XR3is were between £3-£5, a mint Cararama 1/43 BMW E46 (never seen one in that scale and a very nicely detailed one it was too) caught my eye at a fiver. Naturally, I was attracted by a massive amount of Vanguards, all part of a massive collection that looked like brand new, around the £15 mark on average. 

I meant to take photos but frankly I was like a kid in a sweet shop and clean forgot. I don't think I took most of it in, but I will return and get pics.

So, anyone with any sort of interest in the above could do worse than give TigerTaz models a look. They have a website and any shiter within reasonable driving distance from Stockton on Tees should give them a visit. I got the impression good deals can be done face to face in the shop itself. But a lot of his prices knock the stuffing out of eBay chancers.

Of course , I couldn't leave empty handed could I? More soon.

[Split_Pin]

My wife's family come from Stockton, may have to see if I can find an excuse to go into the town when we are next down there in May! Sounds like a grand place, I'm particularly interested in the 90s French items.

[Sudsprint]

14 hours ago, bunglebus said:

 

Polistil Ferrari Mondial

 

20200224_120802 by RS, on Flickr

20200224_120757 by RS, on Flickr

 

It's actually the Bertone designed 308 GT4 (predecessor of the Mondial)

[bunglebus]

31 minutes ago, Sudsprint said:

It's actually the Bertone designed 308 GT4 (predecessor of the Mondial)

Fair enough - not that up on Ferraris

 

20200224_120816 by RS, on Flickr

[Datsuncog]

On ‎2‎/‎23‎/‎2020 at 2:59 PM, FakeConcern said:

Corgi Bentley Continental...

[…]  also did it have a spare wheel in there?

It does!

And, while I initially thought it was just a mock-up (since the hub and tyre are quite different from those elsewhere on the model) it turns out that it's a real wheel.

I'm guessing that the function of the opening boot was to showcase this novelty of a real, removable spare wheel - complete with a hole in the wheel well to trap your finger in facilitate removal.

It's a feature I've never seen on another model... I wonder whether this concept ultimately gave rise to the idea for Corgi's Golden Jacks range - where the car's wheels could be removed and refitted.

A really lovely feature - thanks for pointing that out, or else I never would have guessed!

[AndyW201]

So, while in the model shop on Sunday, as mentioned I couldn't leave without doing a purchase. With all the Vanguards models there, and that range being a weakness of mine, I went the predictable route...

I love the old pre-Corgi slidey yellow box era cars, and the Onyx green Granny is one that has eluded me for a good few years.

My obsession with Vanguards goes back to  when I happened upon them on a small model stall in a local shopping arcade circa 1996. I had always wanted a nice model of a 105E Anglia, as the 105E was one of my Dad's favourite cars. Just like the Corgi Classics of a few years earlier I was quite excited to find a new model range of 'bread and butter' classics at a reasonable price. Back then cars like 105Es, MK1 and 2 Cortinas, Farina Oxfords and the like could still just about be seen on the roads being dailied. Without hesitation I grabbed the white/maroon flash Anglia super, and still have it now. Somewhere...

A few years on, and on a day trip to Whitby, circa 2000 and after the usual struggle to park, ended up in a side street. Right opposite a model shop.

Lovely!

In there was a selection of the latest Vanguards releases. By then they had properly upped the game. Loads of nice detailing, separate glazed light units, realistic wheels (especially the Marina Super ones) and sprung suspension. But what grabbed me was the subject matter. Allegro!!! Marina!!! Dolomite!!! MK1 Granada!!!!! Cars I had been wanting for years but had either not been modelled, or modelled in period and expensive/hard to find. I was spoiled for choice but ended up with the MK1 Granada Ghia in white and the Marina 1.8 Super, also in white.

And that was it, some 25 years or so later I'm still buying them. Although not as many nowadays as they are somewhat more expensive than the £9.99 that Marina cost all those years ago. Favourites in my collection include the Copper Brown Consul GT (Not the Sweeney car honest guv as we've put a black vinyl roof on it), the green Talbot Sunbeam Ti, the Granada MK2 series 2 2.8i, the signal green MK4 Cortina 3.0S and the Cavalier MK2 SRi 130. I also have all of the Boy Racer collection, the Hidden Treasures barn find collection, the Taxi collection (bought cheap when I was on the taxis myself) and a couple of specials like the Haynes box set Capri 2.8i and XR3, and the Ashes to Ashes Granada police car and shot-up Quattro set. 

Ah, memories. (Wipes tear from eye)...

So, this Granny leapt out at me, Onyx green is one of my favourite 70s Ford colours and looks great on the MK1 Ghia.

It came with everything, as can be seen. The only thing that gave away the fact that the car had ever been unboxed was that the mirrors were loose in the packet rather than on the sprue. The car itself doesn't look like it's ever been on display.

(It does look better with the mirrors though)

Price; 

I was well happy M8!

[egg]

New arrival, anyone got a spare canopy? Model supplies do them.

[bunglebus]

4 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

 

It's a feature I've never seen on another model...

 

Only other one I can think of is the type 34 Karmann Ghia which has a removable spare tyre, pushes out from underneath 

 

[flat4alfa]

Detachable spare tyres AND rear axle.

Not quite the same, granted.

[flat4alfa]

On 2/25/2020 at 2:01 PM, Datsuncog said:

 I wonder whether this concept ultimately gave rise to the idea for Corgi's Golden Jacks range - where the car's wheels could be removed and refitted.

Just for annoying completeness...

[Bradders59]

I would be interested in a Model of a Chevette HS  (because I owed one a long time ago) and a Gilles Villeneuve liveried Ferrari F1 car (because I idolised him) if anyone ever comes across such things.

Providing I don't have to sell my one working kidney to fund them.

[warch]

I really miss toy cars with realistic play features, like steering, suspension, removable wheels etc. My Corgi Land Rover has coil springs, a clear 25 years before it's real life equivalent got them.

[flat4alfa]

Dinky Leyland Octopus has spare tyre underneath

[flat4alfa]

Dinky Toys went one better by introducing the detachable head

 

/ coat

[flat4alfa]

9 minutes ago, Bradders59 said:

I would be interested in a Model of a Chevette HS  (because I owed one a long time ago)

Pop over to https://www.grandprixmodels.com

Quite cheap when you compare the going international rate for a kidney at $280k

[Bradders59]

Ooh, thanks for that. Not cheap, but I really am tempted. May spend some time convincing myself it would be a sound investment.

[Bradders59]

Villeneuve Ferraris look like an even more sound investment.

https://www.grandprixmodels.com/Search.aspx?selected=&keywords=Villeneuve Ferrari&order=orderByName&stock=showALL

[eddyramrod]

Tat Wednesday today.  Andy messaged me the other day to tell me he has fresh stock.  He's normally on site Wednesday, Friday and Saturday so I'll be in there today to see what he's got.

[Sudsprint]

The early Corgi Whizzwheels Lamborghini Muira had a removable spare wheel (a legacy of intended Golden Jacks production).

 

[eddyramrod]

Today's Tat arrivals then...

Atlas Jag, which has suffered somewhat, and a Bburago Fiat Uno, which hasn't really.

Here's the Uno with the Bburago Clio he already had.  Don't they look well together?

BMW 8-series and Merc SL are in 1/24; not my thing but someone might like them?

Disco and Freelander are about 1/32...

As is this plastic Sprinter ambulance, to my eyes anyway.

Minor is slightly bigger than 1/32, maybe more like 1/28.

And we'll finish off in 1/43, with this nice little Alfa Spyder.  I'm considering having that myself, but haven't reached a decision yet.

[junkyarddog]

Picked up this Guisval Citroen BX a while back,needing some TLC.

Last Sunday at a boot sale I picked up a near mint example. 

Here it is alongside the freshly repainted one.

You like it Smoll Eddy?

"Very floaty M8"

 

[egg]

Whereever smoll Eddy lives he gets to spot the very best shite. 

Good job on the BX.

[flat4alfa]

3 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

Minor is slightly bigger than 1/32, maybe more like 1/28.

I've a few of those Saico Minors, but not the Plod one

If it's there next time I would like.  I can replace the missing bits off a donor

[bunglebus]

Better variation on the Lotus 3 pack from Aldi

 

20200226_180045 by RS, on Flickr

[eddyramrod]

On 2/26/2020 at 6:46 PM, junkyarddog said:

You like it Smoll Eddy?

"Very floaty M8"

Full-size Eddy actually quite likes a BX too, having driven a couple at launch.  I very much doubt I'll ever own one but in their day, they were a nice little family car.

I bet that shocks a few!

On 2/26/2020 at 8:22 PM, flat4alfa said:

I've a few of those Saico Minors, but not the Plod one

If it's there next time I would like.  I can replace the missing bits off a donor

Leave that with me, I'll nab it on Friday.  Can't see it running away.

[Christine]

I need a cararama Grande Punto  2 door ,any version, as it's being turned into a van ..not the Punto Evo model ,the front is wrong on that one

[DoctorRetro]

Black bumpers

 

[eddyramrod]

@TheDoctor  I totally applaud the effort you've put into that Polo, and the results are superb.  However, you've probably noticed I've failed to "Like" your postings about it.  Only because in 1990 my beautiful triple-black Princess was written off by a mk1 Polo!  Something like that affects one.......

[FakeConcern]

4 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

@TheDoctor  I totally applaud the effort you've put into that Polo, and the results are superb.  However, you've probably noticed I've failed to "Like" your postings about it.  Only because in 1990 my beautiful triple-black Princess was written off by a mk1 Polo!  Something like that affects one.......

Triple black???

[junkyarddog]

3 minutes ago, FakeConcern said:

Triple black???

Black paint,

Black interior, 

Black vinyl roof.