Shite in Miniature II

[Split_Pin]

MC Toy, thats triggered it, the Golf I had said that on the base. I jad a Peugeot 309 which I think was by them too.

[155V6]

Sure they did an Escort mk3?

That's the red Escort in the pictures,it's a convertible with the hood up & it looks a bit odd.I've seen a Police version with a light on the soft top 

[quicksilver]

Now those bring back memories - I'd forgotten about MC Toys but now I remember Woolworths used to sell them under the Chad Valley name and their odd choice of subjects appealed to me far more than Matchbox and Hot Wheels. I certainly had the Granada, 2CV and Trabant and probably more.

[Spottedlaurel]

I'm not an avid diecast collector but I have been buying boxed Superfast over the last 20+ years. They now live in this cabinet which was my grandparents' and has been in the family for 50-60 years:

 

Finally back on display... by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

At one time I was going to sell them off, but Mrs SL persuaded me not too! I manage to get to a fair once a year or so, where I usually struggle to get more than two or three to add to the collection (not many to choose from and they're often not cheap nowadays, rather more than £3-4 I used to pay in the early '90s).

 

Matchbox Superfast 1-75 collection by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Majorette Garage, Roadways road and Superfast by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

I do like that Majo-Kit stuff, would like to pick up more at some point. I don't remember it when I was young, even in places that used to sell the Majorette cars.

 

Speaking of which:

 

Toyfair purchases - French assortment by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Majorette Scania boat transporter by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Majorette Scania ‘Supertrans’ Container Lorry by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

I've had the boat transporter since a holiday in France back in 1980, the container truck was a more recent find.

 

Corgi Ford Transcontinental + various Dinky/Corgi by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Other stuff I've had for 35+ years.

 

Tomica diecast collection by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

By rights I should collect more Tomica stuff, but it's difficult to find and I don't want to resort to buying it online.

 

Skoda Estelle, Rover 800/Sterling and Simca/Chrysler Alpine by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Kits are more my thing and I add far more of them to my stash than I am ever likely to build.

 

Improved model storage/workbench 2015 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

And a couple I've recently managed to complete:

 

by Spottedlaurel by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Arii 1:24 Nissan Laurel Hardtop C32 kit - finished by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

[sierraman]

I've decided recently through buying Sierra jr cars that I'm taking collecting Matchbox cars back up. I'm pleased to say it's making me tremendously happy getting all the variations. Looking forward to a summer of car booting.

[Split_Pin]

SL that second picture took me down memory lane. I have owned at least half of these as a kid. I still have a few. I remember the Matchbox clear plastic display case that my local newsagents had for these cars.

[mercrocker]

Impressive collection, there, SL....

[Junkman]

I'm not an avid diecast collector...

Yeah, right.

And I'm not an avid plastic kit collector.

[Spottedlaurel]

Cheers all. I started buying the boxed Superfast back in 1991. I had a couple of old tinplate army trucks which I sold to a shop in Ipswich for £166, mainly to fund the purchase of a rubbish Clubman estate after I'd written-off my 309. They had some Matchbox stuff for sale and it appealed as it was cheap and was just what I had (or at least remember seeing in toy shops) as a child of the '70s. For once I was ahead of the game, as I think most collectors saw the post-regular wheels stuff as a bit tacky so prices were pretty reasonable.

 

It strikes me now that buying Corgi stuff of similar scale (Juniors/Whizzwheels or whatever they called it in the '80s) would be a fairly cheap way of building up a collection. They don't see to be too much money and offer some different subjects. I never liked them much when I was young though, the plastic bases made them a bit light and they didn't go so well on tracks.

 

Corgi Juniors vs Mattel Hotwheels by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Still have these, the Container Port comes out every so often for my son:

 

Matchbox Playset Container Port by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Matchbox S-800 Stunt Jump set by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

1970s toy garage by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

The Stunt Jump set came with a BMW and, rather oddly, the CX estate. I used to add further track and see how far the cars would travel, best I recall was a pink Lotus Europa which had lost its doors. Or sometimes I'd just let stuff crash on the ramps and build up a scene of carnage.

 

As a bit of a daydreamer the catalogues gave me plenty to think about and I've picked up a few (the originals got chopped up and stuck into scrapbooks, or just fell to bits).

 

Matchbox UK diecast catalogues 1977-87 by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

January 2014 Toyfair purchases by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Today's haul at the toyfair... by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

[daveb47]

Anyone know if there is a Volvo 940 estate model available.

Any scale

[mercrocker]

Anyone know if there is a Volvo 940 estate model available.

Any scale

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-43-NEO-Scale-Modles-Volvo-940-Estate-GLE-Station-wagon-/141855331913?hash=item21073c9649:g:WZ0AAOSwNyFWcvOt

 

Don't look at the price, though,....

[Felly Magic]

There is a cheaper Volvo 740 estate (facelift) in the Volvo collection by Atlas Editions that is about £17 with shipping from Chinese ebayers, plus quite a few other Volvo flavours including a 360 GLE in saloon flavour

[Mr Lobster]

^ which is quite possibly coming to a retailer near you next year

[Felly Magic]

OOOOOOOOH, SVM in miniature!!!

[Six-cylinder]

]

There is a cheaper Volvo 740 estate (facelift) in the Volvo collection by Atlas Editions that is about £17 with shipping from Chinese ebayers, plus quite a few other Volvo flavours including a 360 GLE in saloon flavour

I can't find the Volvo 360 saloon, can you help me please.

[Split_Pin]

SL I used to do the distance test too. The original lesney Superfast were the best as the skinny tyres, if still rolling freely, offered the least rolling resistance. A tatty BMC 1800 Pininfarina was epic from memory.

 

I too used to use and abuse Corgi Juniors cars but like most things, time has made them golden and I love collecting them again. They seem to be quit a good deal less collectible than Hotwheels or Matchbox too.

 

I have started replacing the lost and fallen now, starting with the Loctite Renault Trafic and others from the big BP promotion in 1988. I also have the Hertz chevy van and the fine Gas liveried one is on my radar too!

[Felly Magic]

 

 

Showing as last one in stock

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-43-Volvo-360GLE-UK-1985-/172018119071?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255

[Split_Pin]

I think one of the large plastic Stahlberg original dealer models would be just as ace!

[Six-cylinder]

 

 

Showing as last one in stock

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-43-Volvo-360GLE-UK-1985-/172018119071?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255

Thank you, I have bought that.

 

Have you ever seen a 5 door hatchback 340/360 at that sort of price?

[Felly Magic]

Nope, just the 343 I got a while back

[Split_Pin]

Good miniature shite-camaraderie there FM 😀

[Felly Magic]

All purchases of mini shite are on hold for me atm, as the Almera looks terminal thanks to swmbo

[Six-cylinder]

Nope, just the 343 I got a while back

I have this 3 door and I have seen white Whizzwheels 3 doors. I think I have seen a 5 door but it was a stupid amount of money around £70.

[Felly Magic]

I do have some model bus shite on it's way to me soon too though, watch this space, as it is a one off

[Felly Magic]

I have this 3 door and I have seen white Whizzwheels 3 doors. I think I have seen a 5 door but it was a stupid amount of money around £70.

If you read the badge on the wing, it is a 343 badermatic! It's a little corker

[sierraman]

Missed out on a stahlberg Saab 99 other day at a market. Looked like tat for 50p, thought fuck it I've bought enough today. Gets home checks eBay out they go for £50-60. FFS!!

[Split_Pin]

Dont get too down, unless its an early Stahlberg and in mint condition, they usually go for between 30 to 40.

 

You live and learn!

[sierraman]

Still that'd have been £29.50 profit!

[Rebuilda]

Talking of one off's... I have taken on the job of making some trophies for the Dutton Owners Club. Starting from nothing but photo's and of course the one parked in the drive (which helps). 

The carved clay master is looking a bit rough but plan is to make a resin cast of it, clean it up and then recast in clear resin for the trophy, might even plate one if I can get my hands on the tech.

 

This is the current clay master fitted with a set of 1/43rd minilites from ebay.

 

 

Legerra-web by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr

 

And this is the real thing.

 

IMAG0298 by Adrian Southgate, on Flickr

 

Once I have the complete resin cast I'll need to lower the profile of the windscreen, adjust the rear wheel arches, smooth the body out and cast the wheels separately to get the detail. The back bumper is obviously missing from the real one but you get the general idea. 

[Felly Magic]

I have this winging it's way to me, a Code 3 repaint I've had done of one of the buses I drive. 

 

 

Plus I gathered my model Transits together and snapped em, with bonus pimpage of the Post Office Telephones van