Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

On ‎3‎/‎9‎/‎2020 at 12:32 PM, Datsuncog said:

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2020 at 9:45 PM, Spottedlaurel said:

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2020 at 11:50 AM, Datsuncog said:

Is the DAF girder truck a Superfast? If so, and they're also £2 each, I'd be interested in that and the tipper version if you're heading back there and they still have them please. I need a top for my Not Mint in Tatty Box example.

Just picking up on this now - I honestly can't remember which wheels are on the DAF, but I'll take a run over to the model shop and see if they're both still there.

Seemed pretty good value, given how uncommon complete versions of these trucks seem to be. The Ergomatic was virtually mint too, despite the extreme flimsiness of the hut on the back.

So took a run over to Smithfield this lunchtime, but no joy - both the DAFs were goneski. In fact, everything in the above pic (bar the Ergomatic site hut truck, the Mod Tractor and the Rod Roller) had now sold through.

Some new stuff in the carry-case trays, though - some decent-looking Majorette buses, for one:

£1 each on the London buses, £2 on the airport coaches (JAL, TWA and, erm, Coca-Cola) should they interest anyone.

Overall a real mixed bag, and prices all over the place - some quite nice early 70s Superfasts in there for £2, but then tatty 2000s Hot Wheels marked up at £4. Most odd.

What also bugs me is the abject rubbish stacked up, comprising rows and rows of unwanted Lledo promos...

...while the really interesting stuff is bagged up in these stupid '£30 bags', whereby fairly good Lesneys and other decent-to-resto grade stuff is packed into freezer bags along with broken Days Gone and cheap 90s Maisto rubbish.

For example, this no-name 1/43 Fiat 132 is of interest to me, and perhaps others here...

But the Matchbox Ford A Series, Scammell Tractor, Majorette towtruck and Bburago Porsche 935 also in the bag are of somewhat less interest (since I have some of them already).

£20 for the bag = £4 each, and I just don't think the others are quite worth it.

Similarly, this very clean Corgi Ford Mustang III appeals - but I have no desire for the generic Tonka and other Hong Kong pull-back rubbish also in the bag, so it's a bit off-putting.

Grrr.

The only person who's generally behind the counter of the shop seems to be the owner's mum, so there's little point in appealing to her to let me start opening bags and such.

I may well try to have a little chat at some point with the owner, if I can find him, and see what's what...

In other news, there are a few more loose models now in display cases outside:

These weren't so badly priced: £2 for the Speed Kings Miura; £3 for the Matchbox Dinky Tucker Torpedo. £3 for the Corgi XJS too.

Bit dearer down below: £10 on the Superkings Mercury Cougar at the very back; £20 on the Corgi Capri funny car.

MoY and Solido vintage cars £3-5 each; Matchbox Dinky around the same.

The prices are on a sticker under each car, so to see their price I basically had to lie on the floor and look upwards through the glass shelf.

Classy.

1980s US Matchboxes aren't bad value for £5 each, mint and boxed.

Atlas Dinky repros each around the £15 mark.

Original old stuff unpriced, but probably big money.

In one of the cabinets inside, there was a Dinky Triumph 2000 the same as the one I bagged on Friday for Amishtat.

The blue-green paint was maybe slightly better, but the white roof was much more scratched.

£45 on it. Yikes.

The boxed Superfast still make me go a bit weak at the knees, though.

Quite a few of those plastic Hungarian pirate Bedford car transporters, too. No price on them, though. Probably best regarded as curios only.

And because I can't leave without buying something, apparently...

Not bad for £2, though I didn't notice the rear wheel was wobbly til I was taking pics later. The axle's fine, it's just part of the wheel collar that's broken off on the inside.

Is there meant to be a moving slidey-bit that allows the 'grit' to pour from the hopper? Might be stuck on this one.

Could do with a bit of a scrub, though happy to set it aside if anyone wants it...

…and of course, give me a yell if there's owt above that interests anyone, in lieu of this week's Tat Friday!

 

Oh, and there should be a few more Tat Boxes touching down with some folks either tomorrow or Friday - I think I'm fully up to date now, and everything paid in full has now been dispatched. Enjoy, kids!

[Datsuncog]

Meant to say, I also swung past the Belfast branch of The Entertainer today while gallivanting onwards to Smithfield; a display of Hot Wheels was in situ but no Volvos that I could see.

Some white Honda CRXs and rally-liveried Land Rover S3s seemed to be the height of it for shiter interest.

[flat4alfa]

Did I read right - the boxed Superfasts are £5?

[junkyarddog]

I quite like the Maxi Taxi Capri!!

A fiver you say.......

I'll have a ponder.

[sierraman]

£5 is cheap for a Maxi Taxi. 

[Datsuncog]

36 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Did I read right - the boxed Superfasts are £5?

Heh, only the US yellow-boxed models from the mid-80s are a fiver - the original Lesney Superfasts start at £20 for late 70s/early 80s models, and go upwards... though I've a hunch at least some of the boxes are repros.

There are also some UK Matchbox from the early Universal era in there - light blue window box - between £5 and £8, but some of them seem a bit suss (clearly played-with toy, but in a seemingly sealed box) - plus a few US carded Lesneys, though they're more around the £15 mark, and tend to be less-appealing stuff like construction and agricultural vehicles.

18 minutes ago, junkyarddog said:

I quite like the Maxi Taxi Capri!!

A fiver you say.......

I'll have a ponder.

Yup, I believe so - seems not bad! Let me know and I'll make some enquiries!

[flat4alfa]

53 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Did I read right - the boxed Superfasts are £5?

It was the Maxi Taxi I was intending to ask about  in my next question but I seem to have been beaten to it!

[Datsuncog]

Daah, what are the chances... and I'm sure I've posted about that one before and all.

That said, there could well be more than one Maxi Taxi - there's a whole bunch of drawers full of Matchbox under the counter...

[flat4alfa]

I’d like one for a fiver, but if he’s playing the repro box fraud game, I’m inclined to give the lot a swerve out of principle!

My cynical head tells me that the £30 tat bag nonsense confirms this

[bunglebus]

I'd be up for a Maxi Taxi too at that price!

 

Couldn't give a monkey's about the box, actually limits the appeal to me, as then I have to keep the box somewhere without damaging it

[flat4alfa]

Agreed but if the price is being inflated just because it has a dubious box, I’d take the model out the box in front of him and offer on that as the box is of no use to me. Might wipe the smug look off his swindling face. The git.

 

/ other sweeping generalisations are also available on Tat Wednesdays

[flat4alfa]

Anyone got a spare Deora 1 in tat condition and wanting a new owner please ?

Just want to paint in a modern colour and sit it alongside my Deora II and Deora III so I can stop twitching

[flat4alfa]

On 3/10/2020 at 6:04 PM, flat4alfa said:

Sainsbury's here just have slim boxes.  Nowt in them but dubious special editions like Marvel and Pixar etc

 Going to furtively attack B&M on way home tonight.   That's another proper pestilence central.

Update

Sainsbury's were hopeless.

But B&M - despite the mess (which I had to clear up just to get to the bottom of it all) - delivered:

Never seen the Buns of Steel before.  Made me giggle and that's a good thing.

First Vulcan I've seen in the wild

Really wanted the Skull Shaker in the red.  Anyone have a spare or swaps?

Rodger Dodger 2, sucumbed this time.  It is quite smart and pulled at my daft mahooosive engine interest.

[flat4alfa]

I think I may have got the panic buying thing a bit confused.

[eddyramrod]

I might trouble you for an Ovlov if I can't find any in B&M tomorrow...

[flat4alfa]

Don’t waste the fuel, the top one is yours I’ll send it up to you post haste

[flat4alfa]

Might even throw in the loo roll

HANG ON WHAT AM I SAYING

[eddyramrod]

22 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

Don’t waste the fuel, the top one is yours I’ll send it up to you post haste

Very kind, thank you.  I'll adjust the cost of your pending box accordingly :)

[flat4alfa]

20 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Oh, and there should be a few more Tat Boxes touching down with some folks either tomorrow or Friday - I think I'm fully up to date now, and everything paid in full has now been dispatched

As TAT COG FRIDAY has been cancelled this week, perhaps I should settle up before post lady is self-isolating

[BL Bloke]

I paid a visit to the various charity shops in Stourport on Monday for some potential mini-chod fondling. The first two shops had nothing but I had more luck in the third and came out with a couple of Hot Wheels in the shape of a '68 Mustang Shelby GT500 and a playworn '67 Chevelle SS.

DSCF1220 by timothy jones, on Flickr

DSCF1222 by timothy jones, on Flickr

DSCF1221 by timothy jones, on Flickr

The last shop had a lot more cars than the others, so many that I came out with a small bag full. 

DSCF1223 by timothy jones, on Flickr

Here are the contents.

DSCF1224 by timothy jones, on Flickr

Matchbox Bedford Horse Box. No horses but in very good condition.

DSCF1225 by timothy jones, on Flickr

There were a few Chevy van but I thought one was enough.

DSCF1226 by timothy jones, on Flickr

Cadbury's Flake liveried Matchbox Transit.

DSCF1227 by timothy jones, on Flickr

Last Matchbox, a 2006 Bentley Continental GT.

DSCF1230 by timothy jones, on Flickr

Next up,  a Hot Wheels 'Texas Drive Em' Ford pickup.

DSCF1229 by timothy jones, on Flickr

RATLOOKYO Hot Wheels 'La Troca' 1950 Chevy Pickup.

DSCF1228 by timothy jones, on Flickr

Welly  Jaguar S Type with racing graphics.

DSCF1231 by timothy jones, on Flickr

Last, but certainly not least, a Corgi Vauxhall Nova.

DSCF1232 by timothy jones, on Flickr

At 50p each I was happy with my haul. The Horse Box and Nova probably being the finds of the day. 

 

 

[flat4alfa]

11 hours ago, BL Bloke said:

a Hot Wheels 'Texas Drive Em' Ford pickup.

At 50p each

I'll happily triple that for your '72 Ford Texas Drive EM

[bunglebus]

Thursday could be the new friday, 50p tat box located 

[bunglebus]

Pull up a comfy chair kids, this might take a while

 

New 50p tat box provided a Skybusters DC10

 

20200312_143542 by RS, on Flickr

 

Micro Machines size Hot Wheels Corvette Stingray

 

20200312_143522 by RS, on Flickr

 

Tic Tac (?) 007 Aston

 

20200312_143444 by RS, on Flickr

 

Hot Wheels Treasure Hunt Dodge van

 

20200312_143309 by RS, on Flickr

 

For £1 I got this Rolls too

 

20200312_143410 by RS, on Flickr

 

If there's any interest, He had this Budgie Routemaster missing some tyres for £4

 

20200312_130036 by RS, on Flickr

 

And this Corgi Yellow Submarine for £5

 

20200312_130024 by RS, on Flickr

 

Also received a delivery from the Tatcave

 

20200312_110244 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_110222 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_110154 by RS, on Flickr

 

Think I need to line this up with the Matchbox version

 

20200312_110126 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_110045 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_110102 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_110009 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105931 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105941 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105909 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105816 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105838 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105757 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105735 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105429 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105600 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105357 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105300 by RS, on Flickr

 

Headlamps work!

 

20200312_105338 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105234 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_105205 by RS, on Flickr

 

Mrs (quite attractive actually) postie dropped off some goodies too

 

20200312_104442 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_104519 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_101822 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_101757 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_101738 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_101721 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_101702 by RS, on Flickr

 

Most exciting of all was this

 

20200312_095151 by RS, on Flickr

 

Which means this is back in its rightful place

 

20200312_100304 by RS, on Flickr

 

Now  I have three complete sets - only other is a German issue with a Merc SL

 

20200312_100809 by RS, on Flickr

 

I was up early today so had a wander around the town's three charity shops, in one I got this lot;

 

20200312_095118 by RS, on Flickr

 

Think this is a Zylmex;

 

20200312_095056 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_094951 by RS, on Flickr

 

Engine donor;

 

20200312_094927 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_094831 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_094710 by RS, on Flickr

20200312_095300 by RS, on Flickr

 

Spider car is a Buddy L tinplate from 1980

 

That whole lot cost me £1.40...

[barrett]

This is quite interesting, if you want to see some 1970s Spanish plastic toys
https://miniaturas70.jimdofree.com/

[bunglebus]

4 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

I'll happily triple that for your '72 Ford Texas Drive EM

 

20190228_101020 by RS on Flickr

 

Pretty sure it's a 90's release?

[Datsuncog]

More recent than that, I think  - Hot Wheels re-released the Flying Customs range only a couple of years back; Poundland had dump bins full of them at one point. The Ford/Texas Drive Em was one in the range.

I think I sold mine, still its blister pack, to someone on here two years or so ago?

[bunglebus]

Correct as usual - 2013

[flat4alfa]

Oh you wallies ?

Look at the grille....

The 1972MY Ford F-100 :

The Hot Wheels attempt at that grille :

 

[DoctorRetro]

@bunglebus, Love the spider car, I'm sure I had one when I was a kid.

 

[Datsuncog]

Either way, that's a cracking haul - well done, and huzzah for Tat Thursday!

In other news...

Maxi Taxi procured for a fiver.

Box does indeed appear original - so while @junkyarddog has a ponder, draw close and I'll tell you a curious story...

See, I was correct that there was more than one Maxi Taxi in the shop... another one was positioned at the front of the Superfast cabinet... with a coloured 1-75 box.

And there was also the earlier incarnation of the same Rolamatics Capri just a little further in, the MB67 Hot Rocker in yellow-green.

Also sitting on a box.

So I asked the shop-lady if she could unlock the cabinet and take a look at them.

I should point out that the shop-lady, who has worked there for at least ten years across three different units in Smithfield, appears to have absolutely zero interest in toys in general and cars in particular, and seems to exist in a permanent state of barely-suppressed baffled rage at being left in charge of a shop full of annoyingly tiny rubbish which attracts an endless stream of annoyingly fussy men who ask awkward questions, such as the authenticity of boxes.

I was one such man today.

She unlocked the cabinet, and I removed the pair of them.

Both boxes were clearly repros. The Hot Rocker's packaging wasn't too bad, it just had that slightly dull, slightly out of register appearance with too-crisp cardboard corners. It was certainly something to enhance a good model that had turned up on a tat stall; the model itself was pretty good, but not quite mint.

I turned it over. £15. Yow.

The Maxi Taxi box was... weird. It appeared to be a 1-75 era box, but it looked all wrong - I've since looked them up online, and it didn't look quite the same. But it was an abysmal scan, dark and smudgy and very blurred.

I turned it over. £25. Christ.

I explained that I didn't think the boxes were original, and thanked her for her time.

So she put the £25 Maxi Taxi with the fake box away, and then I paid £5 for a Maxi Taxi in an original, albeit US issue, box.

Now, I've since had a flick through the Charlie Mack book with is valuations and while the earlier Hong Kong made Lesney versions do command a small premium over the later Universal era Macau made examples, it is only a small amount. I'm not even sure if the expensive one was a Lesney,  but either way, this seemed a bloody odd way to price things.

In the cheery spirit of "we might all be dead next week", I threw caution to the winds and bought these too.

Yup, K146 and K147, the Superkings Jaguar XJ6 and BMW 750iL respectively.

I've had my eye on these two for a while; I previously owned police versions of both of these, but still prefer the civvie versions.

These were a tenner each, which seems about the going rate (including post) off eBay.

Annoyingly, the Beemer's bonnet is a bit skew-wiff and won't close properly, so I'll have to take a closer look at that.

Otherwise, they're nice toys from that era when I stopped seeing my cars as just playthings and started to appreciate them more as miniatures. I've kinda ignored the bigger Matchbox in favour of Corgi for the last while, so  it's nice to try summat different.

They do seem quite a bit cruder than Corgis of the same time, as previously discussed, but I kinda like them anyway.

So! Kind of an odd selection, but sure there has to be something to keep the magic going if I can't get to the tat stall tomorrow...