Shite in Miniature II

[Amishtat]

Possibly, it had been about a bit. 

[morrisoxide]

Today Tesco had a fresh box of Matchbox (that rhymes) on the shelf. I don't know if they were on offer but they where 90p each 

This is what I got.

 

 

I really like this Cadillac.

They also had a Mk2 Golf in orange and a new Mercedes in white but I didn't fancy them. 

[eddyramrod]

My Tesco hasn't had any new MB stock in ages!

[morrisoxide]

Me neither, I had given up going to Tesco's because of the massive queues outside but more importantly the lack of MB. 

Are you after anything in particular? I could swing by Tesco's and get you some if they still have them.

[MarvinsMom]

12 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

Apart from the Chrysler, Land Rover and Anglia these are available for £2 each or 3 for £5.

ford prefect please, if  still available.?

[eddyramrod]

On 7/24/2020 at 11:22 PM, morrisoxide said:

Me neither, I had given up going to Tesco's because of the massive queues outside but more importantly the lack of MB. 

Are you after anything in particular? I could swing by Tesco's and get you some if they still have them.

Yes, a couple of the 1959 Dodge copcars if possible please!

[morrisoxide]

31 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

Yes, a couple of the 1959 Dodge copcars if possible please!

Yeah that's on my list too, I'll grab you one or two if I find some. The Crew cab Dodge, 76 Civic and Subaru SVX are also on my list.

There was a few 1933 Ford Coupes and 1947 Chevy pickups maybe a Sambar if you're interested?

 

[eddyramrod]

I don't think those are for me really, but thank you for the thought.  What generation is the Dodge crewcab?

[morrisoxide]

D Series late 60's. But I guess they won't be available in the UK, because they went nuts for them in America.

[MarvinsMom]

used to be a fella in Old Malton had a blue one of them Dodge crew cab trucks, just like the one Kevin Bacon drove in Tremors!

sadly not seen it about in years though

 

[bunglebus]

Looks like I'm going to Tesco today - 90p?!?

[eddyramrod]

On 7/25/2020 at 2:00 AM, morrisoxide said:

D Series late 60's. But I guess they won't be available in the UK, because they went nuts for them in America.

Ah right.  Also not for me, but again, thank you.  I was hoping for a 2009 Ram.

[2cvspecial]

6 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Looks like I'm going to Tesco today - 90p?!?

90 p is cheap for one 

[Spottedlaurel]

Matchbox were also at 90p in my local Tesco yesterday. Sadly it was still all the old stock.

Been making progress on the various kits. Most dramatic change has been to see the Datsun Roadster back in blue again:

1:24 Fujimi Datsun Fairlady Roadster kit by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

I think it's Ford Bermuda Blue, which seems to be a good match for generic pastel blue colour it was originally (and which had has been painted on the floorpan and underbonnet areas, hence the desire to match it up). Quite why they still produce and stock paints going back this far I don't know, but I'm glad they do.

[AndyW201]

Had a delivery this week.

Many thanks to @bunglebus for picking this up for me and posting it over.

With my new found love for 1/36 Corgis, one of these W115 Mercs was definitely on the want list. When they were new in the shops they seemed to pass me by, there was always something else that caught my eye. But I've always wanted one, especially in the bronze/gold colour scheme, ever since seeing one in a shop with a matching coloured caravan sometime in the early 80s. So this one at a fiver was an opportunity not to be passed up.

Lovely condition with a minimal amount of marks and chips and a small scratch in the windscreen. For a near 45 year old toy though, it's bloody good! Nice to see the star still standing proud.

Good to see seperately moulded rear lights, and the boot badge moulded in the correct font. The opening boot was a nice surprise

As has been mentioned, it's nice on this model to see the proper Merc style steering wheel modelled, and the Merc shape headrests. The dash is spot on too.

I'm pleased to report the A pillars are as good as new too. I'm stoked with it!

Headed over to Tesco earlier. Matchbox stock is at least from this year now, alas no Civic still. There was an empty card from a Golf, where someone had awarded themself a 100% discount (they're only 90p ffs), so grabbed another 2002, I've already got a carded one, so this'll do to open.

Also found a couple of Hot Wheels I've been hunting for, for a while. The Quattro is a little honey,

I then had a run over to Stockton to my mate Anth's model shop. Bad mistake, he's just had a delivery of new Corgi releases, and I never leave his shop empty-handed...

Yet another Vanguards Ford...

Still, this is a version I (and quite a few collectors) have been asking for for a while now. They've done quite a few hot Escorts but this is the first 1600 sport that they've done. Back in the late '80s/early '90s round our way, a lot of the local boy racers liked their RWD Escorts and 1600 sports were popular (pardon the pun...) as they were cheaper and more plentiful than the MK2 Mexico and RS2000. They preferred the X-flow to the Pinto too...

So this one is slightly different to the many Mexico versions that have been released, no front spoiler, no rear spoiler, and nice to see it on standard dartboard steelies rather than RS 4 spokes. Signal orange is a great colour on these and the graphics are spot on. Attention to detail includes the factory tide mark along the bottom of the front valance and the sills!

Looks like a period Peco big-bore on there too. Takes me back....

Nice wipers, and Corgi are finally starting to listen to criticism about lack of interior detail, the Escort sport (and the Cortina S models) now have transfers on the seats to look like the stripes on the real thing, 

Weirdly though, it looks like they've used MK1 Capri front seats with no front headrests,

Not often I can afford to buy Vanguards brand new nowadays, but I got a pretty good deal on this (they're already cropping up on ebay around the £35 quid mark), and I'm well chuffed with it. Though I think I'll have to drop the back end slightly like I had to with the green Mexico. At least its easy to do on these and does improve the looks somewhat.

[andrew e]

Something a bit different for a Saturday afternoon ever seen one of these? It’s about 3”/75mm long approximately. Any idea of value or are we talking “curio” not “heirloom” ?

There’s one on eBay, they do crop up occasionally but might be worth you lot keeping ‘em peeled for these in tat boxes ?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEGO-Bedford-Truck-Modelcar-1-87-HO-Scale/312877339666?hash=item48d8f15412:g:~V0AAOSwAFJd6pXx

[bunglebus]

Well, I found one - it's got bent axles and a front/rear bumper corner missing, but at least I own one. Not seen this colour before.

 

20200725_143333 by RS, on Flickr

20200725_143339 by RS, on Flickr

20200725_143345 by RS, on Flickr

[AndyW201]

Thought I'd be safe doing the weekly big shop at Aldi, till I spotted this 3 pack,

Nice re colour on the Alpine and Fairlady. And only £3.99 too...

No more diecast buying this week now!

[DoctorRetro]

Sorted the missing rear lights on the Ertl Celica by printing some off from a photo onto self adhesive photo paper. Worked out OK... 

[Split_Pin]

9 hours ago, TheDoctor said:

Sorted the missing rear lights on the Ertl Celica by printing some off from a photo onto self adhesive photo paper. Worked out OK... 

Crikey you've still got that! Nice one!

[Crusty Sills]

On 7/20/2020 at 5:43 PM, bunglebus said:

Is it the blue one?

Yes. Sorry for late reply not logged on in a few days. 

[Jon]

On 7/22/2020 at 9:37 AM, andrew e said:

Anyway being an Essex boy, I thought I’d have a go at a @Jon style backdrop. I’ve a bloody long way to go to topple the master ?

I most definitely didn’t plonk the XR2 on an IPad and take a picture ?

Glad to see my backdrop posts are catching on with others! The one I've quoted above is a very fine effort - I especially like the neon reflections on the bonnet!

 

Here's a few more of mine:

Did I mention I was recycling subjects? Quite happy with the lighting on this one and the crappy paint job of the truck suits its surroundings.

 

Again, quite happy with the drab lighting, to go with the slightly darker image. I guess that's the lottery of shooting on film, sometimes.

 

I was thinking of letting this Majorette Ford truck go but it seems to photograph quite well. Sadly, it's obvious I got the scale slightly wrong here but I doubt I'll try again, so enjoy* as much as you can.

 

Couple of nice Matchboxes to play around with. I think the finer details of earlier castings lend themselves better to these period shots but the modern issue wagon holds up OK.

 

The canoe roof rack thing is a little clunky, as are the wide tyres and blacked out windows but the single shade paint job is satisfyingly muted. What's most interesting to me is though is that I've been to this location!

 

Here's the photo I took in June last year. There's been a lick of paint but it's still easily recognisable. Shame I wasn't able to get a more similar shot, but who was to know all these old photos would be published? I'd only stopped to bag a couple of very worthy spots, languishing in a field right beside it:

 

Sadly, I don't have a Herald model yet, although I'm glad to say that Mrs_Jon sanctioned a rather more extravagant than usual die cast purchase today, which should fit in just fine with these old 35mm backdrops.

[AndyW201]

Unboxed the Escort, ready to put on display. Didn't like the ride height, the problem with the Vanguards casting is that it also includes cooking and Ghia models and the chassis is the same on them all, so the sporting versions all sit well up at the rear. The front already sat a bit low on this one, so just a slight tweak at the rear was done. Sits more like a sport now.

[Christine]

Charity shop £1 each this morning ..The funky  red recovery one doesn't float my boat but i thought Vulg would like it ,when we /if we ever get a Southern meet  arranged  !

 

 

 

[Split_Pin]

Lifted from my Instagram feed, I'll just leave this here.....

 

[AndyW201]

Gaah! I had that in bronze, bought in Palma Nova in 1983. Didn't take long for the key to get lost, sadly.

Always thought it odd that most key cars of that time were exotic, sporty cars, and the Spaniards chose a large wafty 4 door saloon....

[flat4alfa]

Getaway car

Santander branch robbery, Palma Nova, August 1983

[junkyarddog]

Bought this Citroen CX at the market yesterday. 

Repainted and fitted with more modern matchbox wheels.

"Dull as ditchwater M8"

[AndyW201]

More poking about in the loft earlier, 

Having ticked the Sierra and Merc 240D off the Corgi 1/36 list, I've been looking around for a Capri S, another one that passed me by when younger. No bargains to be had at the moment though. Then in the loft I found this,

Sadly not the original '70s release, this was bought at the much missed Modelzone in the Metro Centre. Don't think I paid much for it really, every time I went to that Modelzone, I managed to grab a few bargains!

This one is dated 2001. On eBay even these re-releases command high asking prices, this is the boggo one with the cardboard cut-out Bodie and Doyle. Even so, they seem to hover around the £40-£50 mark and about £60-£70 for the one with the proper figures. The original 70s release can get into three figures...

The diorama inner plinth looks pretty good.

The model itself is true to to the 70's original (don't think the original had the number plates printed though). Obviously stood next to a modern day Minichamps or Vanguards version it looks a bit wonky, but it's just chock-full of charm. When I was a kid, this was one of THE toys to have (though for my 5th birthday I distinctly remember choosing the Jaguar XJ-C 5.3 over the Capri!)

Still looks good though,  it has plenty of Capri-ness. Again this differs slightly from the original by the wheels, although these wheels are a lot more Ford-like, looking a lot like a set of RS 7-spokes.

The S decals, and Matt black window frames and handles are nicely done, and the Recaro 'fishnet' seats are well captured for the time.

Even the underbonnet detail stands up well, for a model with its origins in the '70s.

I think I've mentioned before, but back in the day, a toy car with an opening hatch and a tipping parcel shelf was a thing to get excited about. 

That might have been just me though...

Speaking of Corgis in 1/36,

 

Not sure how I came by these, I think it was an offer through the mail from Corgi (I actually used to send off the little coupons that came with the models and used to get little catalogues sent, often with special offers). I had a fleeting interest in the new MINI at the time, so got these. They came as a set, along with a little mahogany shelf to display them on. However they went straight in the loft, they've never really been looked at. Until now...

Nice to see these representing the early Cooper in it's 'pure' form, even down to the standard Cooper wheels. Nice packaging too.

These models kind of show the slight identity crisis Corgi were still in at the time, regarding scales. 1/43 was big at that time with collector's (2001 when these were produced) and I would have expected these to be in that scale. My guess is that these were made in 1/36 to carry on the lineage with the old Mini casting, which I'm sure Corgi were still trotting out at that time, and beyond.

It makes for a good solid chunk of model though, helped by a metal base.

Baseplate is actually a bit loose on this silver one, and I can't see how it attaches, no visible rivets or screw fixings. I think that 19 years might be a bit late to send it back too. Bugger...

Shape and stance is captured well, nice wipers and headlights, loses points for the tampo printed rear lights though,

Great interior detail though,

 

[Split_Pin]

I've never seen that type of Corgi Mini before, they look excellent. The Classic Mini casting in that same scale is my all time favourite Mini model. I've got about 20, mainly the 'facelifted' 1989 casting. The earlier one with the headlights on sprues is quite hard to find. I think it was perhaps temporarily discontinued some time around 1980.