Shite in Miniature II

[andy18s]

Erm...

[sheffcortinacentre]

Shouldn't it be "le duel"?

[DoctorRetro]

Had a quick go at the front lights etc. Just a rough draft in permanent marker. 

[flat4alfa]

The plasticard is proving useful then

'Holden Dealer Team' on an Escort has always been an interesting* decoration choice!   Are you going to leave the tampo intact just for the hell of it?

[flat4alfa]

Anyone have a few spare any condition Matchbox Chevrolet vans? 

[bunglebus]

A few arrivals, couldn't resist the BTTF DeLorean as I have the 2nd and 3rd versions

 

20200425_105025 by RS, on Flickr

 

Slightly tatty Zylmex Monza

 

20200425_105114 by RS, on Flickr

 

Another version of the previously discussed Eldorado, Rockets this time. It's tatty enough that I don't feel bad trying to paint it in something approaching the original finish - anyone got spare wheels?

 

20200425_105218 by RS, on Flickr

 

A few more Corgis

 

20200425_105248 by RS, on Flickr

20200425_105340 by RS, on Flickr

20200425_105417 by RS, on Flickr

 

Blue version of the Rough Terrain Truck

 

20200425_105437 by RS, on Flickr

 

This must be one of the oddest castings out there, Wig Wam Van

 

20200425_105519 by RS, on Flickr

20200425_105514 by RS, on Flickr

20200425_105502 by RS, on Flickr

20200425_105525 by RS, on Flickr

 

Big old CF2 Ambulance

 

20200425_105641 by RS, on Flickr

20200425_105655 by RS, on Flickr

20200425_105719 by RS, on Flickr

 

Most importantly, the M2 screws I use to put my customs back together finally arrived, I was getting desparate!

[bunglebus]

I'm having a slight personal disaster. Anyone got a tatty one of these with good glass?

 

20190719_140656 by RS, on Flickr

[DoctorRetro]

23 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

I'm having a slight personal disaster. Anyone got a tatty one of these with good glass?

 

20190719_140656 by RS, on Flickr

Got this, has got toybox marks on the glass though 

[flat4alfa]

Clear glass on mine 

But Bader-Meinhof* got to the rear window

 

* me with a drill, circa 1984

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, TheDoctor said:

Got this, has got toybox marks on the glass though 

Looks spot on - red interior is actually ideal for my evil plans too, making a big one of these

 

20190610_131013 by RS, on Flickr

 

That green one is how my one started life but has had a poor repaint - trying to get it off the glass has resulted in big problem; brake fluid didn't touch it, hot water and caustic soda did but made the already sun damaged glass go really dark. Seemed like it was possibly lacquer on it, sanding and polishing didn't do much so I risked stripper. It's now opaque  

[DoctorRetro]

20 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Looks spot on - red interior is actually ideal for my evil plans too, making a big one of these

 

20190610_131013 by RS, on Flickr

 

That green one is how my one started life but has had a poor repaint - trying to get it off the glass has resulted in big problem; brake fluid didn't touch it, hot water and caustic soda did but made the already sun damaged glass go really dark. Seemed like it was possibly lacquer on it, sanding and polishing didn't do much so I risked stripper. It's now opaque  

Pm me your address again (cleared inbox the other day) and I'll get it to you. 

[Spottedlaurel]

Now the Skyline is finished I've started some more kits (yes, plural). This is the most advanced so far:

1:24 Tamiya Audi Quattro UR kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

1:24 Tamiya Audi Quattro by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

Original was built by me at 14, started and finished the same weekend. My stepdad picked up the rally version years ago, about to be chucked-out at a house he was working at.

I'm going to build it as an upgraded road car, using the twin headlight grille. Even if I could be bothered to do those decals, I doubt they'd be any good after 30+ years.

[sheffcortinacentre]

Oooo fire up the quattro!

[bunglebus]

As the Mrs is using the die cast repair shop or "kitchen" as she calls it, I thought I'd scan another catalogue. This time, Dinky 1974. Some very stylish pictures in this one

 

Dinky 1974 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974001 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974002 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974003 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974004 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974005 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974006 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974007 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974008 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974009 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974010 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974011 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974012 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974013 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974014 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974015 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974016 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974017 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974018 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974019 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974020 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974021 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974022 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974023 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974024 by RS, on Flickr

Dinky 1974025 by RS, on Flickr

[bunglebus]

Another day, another cock-up. Got the Rockets Eldorado all nice and shiny, ready for some paint something like the original finish.

 

20200426_142538 by RS, on Flickr

 

The idea was to thin some of the clear finish Humbrol paints and airbrush it. Unfortunately you either need Humbrol specific thinner, or it just doesn't like being sprayed. What came out of the airbrush resembled cobwebs. Fortunately I tested it first so none went on the car. Back to the drawing board...

[Frogchod]

Has humbrol formalae changed ?

Back in the 70s I just used white spirit.

Humbrol cheapo air brush too

 

[Spottedlaurel]

Pretty sure I had that Dinky catalogue when I was young, and looked at it endlessly.

Looking back at it now there is an odd mix in the range, like they were trying lots of different things to try and keep up with other makers.

[Split_Pin]

Gosh that Capri is something else. I have the Police version and it is very heavy and well detailed. The correct Ford steel wheels are a nice touch.

I'd be interested to know the reason why they made just one model. Were they expensive? I know that Polistil had started to make 1/25 scale models at that time which were comparably detailed if not quite as well put together as the Dinky. 

My theory is that when the Besana brothers started producing their 1/24 Martoys range in 1974, soon to become Bburago in 1976 with greatly reduced detail compared to the others, they were possibly cheaper too. Interesting to see the timeline of Polistil models through the 70s, at the time the Capri was released they were quite heavy with full opening features and detailed parts, but by  the latter half of the 1970s bases became plastic, and by the mid 1980s they only had 3 opening features.

[flat4alfa]

I read in the Toy Wars book (Giles Chapman) that the 1:25 Capris were such poor sellers it was the only one released

[bunglebus]

3 hours ago, Frogchod said:

Has humbrol formalae changed ?

Back in the 70s I just used white spirit.

Humbrol cheapo air brush too

 

Might be worth a try, thanks

[bunglebus]

2 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Looking back at it now there is an odd mix in the range, like they were trying lots of different things to try and keep up with other makers.

The large Mogul pressed steel toys certainly look like they were going after Tonka, but I have no idea when the big yellow toys started arriving in the UK.

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Gosh that Capri is something else. I have the Police version and it is very heavy and well detailed. The correct Ford steel wheels are a nice touch.

 

1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

I read in the Toy Wars book (Giles Chapman) that the 1:25 Capris were such poor sellers it was the only one released

I'd no idea 1:25 Corgis existed, the rally one especially looks amazing. I'm guessing they don't exactly turn up in the 50p tat box very often!

[flat4alfa]

?

[bunglebus]

Cool, more Blackwalls I need to find. Just checked and my Baja breaker is the green 1980 mainline release

[Datsuncog]

53 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

The large Mogul pressed steel toys certainly look like they were going after Tonka, but I have no idea when the big yellow toys started arriving in the UK.

Yeah, I think that Tonka toys were available in the UK in the early 70s - I'd read that the Mogul range was an attempt to muscle in on Tonka's patch, but they were rather more expensive than the US-made competition so simply didn't shift in the numbers needed.

I didn't realise that some of them were made to be compatible with Meccano though - that sounds like quite an interesting proposition, to use the trucks as a chassis to mount other youthful engineering projects.

I probably should crack out my Meccano...

[bunglebus]

26 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

I probably should crack out my Meccano...

I sold all mine years ago on eBay, went to Australia of all places. Nice cheap* shipping

[Datsuncog]

Oddly, I never used my Meccano much - it annoyed me a bit, as the cheapo tools supplied never worked all that well. So whenever I attempted to get the dragster I'd just built fired up with the electric motor, the lack of tightness meant there was so much twist in the chassis that the worm wheel would just jam against the pinion crown and go nowhere...

Maybe I should have another go - doesn't look like it's been touched since 1992!

[flat4alfa]

13 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Gosh that Capri is something else. I have the Police version and it is very heavy and well detailed. The correct Ford steel wheels are a nice touch.

I'd be interested to know the reason why they made just one model. Were they expensive? I know that Polistil had started to make 1/25 scale models at that time which were comparably detailed if not quite as well put together as the Dinky. 

My theory is that when the Besana brothers started producing their 1/24 Martoys range in 1974, soon to become Bburago in 1976 with greatly reduced detail compared to the others, they were possibly cheaper too. Interesting to see the timeline of Polistil models through the 70s, at the time the Capri was released they were quite heavy with full opening features and detailed parts, but by  the latter half of the 1970s bases became plastic, and by the mid 1980s they only had 3 opening features.

From Car Wars (Giles Chapman)

[flat4alfa]

12 hours ago, bunglebus said:

The large Mogul pressed steel toys certainly look like they were going after Tonka

[Split_Pin]

Giles doesn't mention the reason why the Capri didn't sell so based on the fact that the Mogul toys were expensive I'll speculate that the Capri was about twice the price of the Italian equivalent.

He's right about the play value of the Italian models, they were an absolute joy (until they fell to bits!) and they remain so just now. They have an authentic Italian charm. The Capri is lovely but it's somehow a little sterile in comparison. I'm very glad to have one though.