Shite in Miniature II

[barrett]

So I dug out this lovely old Politoys Alfa 2600 coupé the other day. I can't remember where it came from  - either a very cheap, poor ebay listing or possibly and even more poorly listed job lot with a couple of worthless 50s Corgis. Anyway, the wheels are really delicate wire spoked jobs with rubber tyres, and two of the wheels have always been damaged making it impossible to display nicely. I had a dig around in the dregs of my childhood diecast collection and found a set of Corgi wheels from the Marcos Mantis which are approximately the right size. This is a screw together base so it all comes apart easily and I'm quite happy with the result (although the axles are too wide).

This is such a nice little thing. Four opening flaps, nicely detailed engine and interior, with full dash detail and separate gear lever. In terms of quality and accuracy it's streets ahead of similar British toys of the period - I'm guessing these Politoys weren't cheap to make or to buy.

Anyway... does this mean I'm a model car collector now? Oh dear....

 

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

23 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

1958 Chevrolet Apache Fleetside

@eddyramrod @sheffcortinacentre

15ish years since I last watched "more American graffiti"  was confusing chi ( from TVs Tarzan ) road.

Much underated film.

[Jon]

1 hour ago, barrett said:

 

Anyway... does this mean I'm a model car collector now? Oh dear....

 

 

Yes, I think it does. I'll be seeing you and your adenoids down at the next (plastering) table top swap meet.

Do let me know which Eddie Stobart official spotters's regalia you'll be wearing, so we don't turn up in the same garment, though.

[sheffcortinacentre]

22 hours ago, flat4alfa said:

While on the subject, Logan ran a 1989 Ford F-250 fitted with a camper attachment

But there were no punching Orangutans or rail dragsters in X-Men though

I'll go now.

This is a demountable, whereas philoes is a shell or cap ( what we'd call a truckman),milners appears to be a sort of homebuilt tall cap.

[barrett]

13 hours ago, Jon said:

Yes, I think it does. I'll be seeing you and your adenoids down at the next (plastering) table top swap meet.

Do let me know which Eddie Stobart official spotters's regalia you'll be wearing, so we don't turn up in the same garment, though.

Don't be silly, I only wear MG regalia! I'll leave it up to you to decide which one I am

[bunglebus]

Found a boxed 1:40 Polistil 928 to go with my monster sized one. Somehow a wheel has gone missing if anyone has a spare/tatty donor?

[quicksilver]

On 12/31/2020 at 1:48 PM, warch said:

Bit of festive joy appeared in my postbox this morning, a Bedford TK by EFE in 1/76 scale. It is a 1979 V suffix in the livery of Bloxwich Lock and Stamping Company. I quite like old lorries, they have a very appealing wheel size to cab size ratio, modern trucks tend to be quite top heavy looking by comparison. I saw a lovely looking TK on The Professionals last night. 

That's a right bitsa! The Bloxwich cab is from one of these:

This was one of my first EFE purchases from the much-missed Beatties in Milton Keynes shopping centre when I was no more than 12 or 13 years old in the late 1990s and it's still here well over 20 years later; in fact I can see it on the shelf in front of me as I write this.

Searching for the V reg on the excellent EFE Zone website reveals the chassis is from a Watneys beer truck but that was a dropside so the flatbed body must have come from a third model. It looks good though and most of the bits are interchangeable so I've had a lot of fun dismantling EFE trucks and reassembling them in different combinations like this.

[warch]

Cheers Quicksilver!

[Split_Pin]

My childhood pal Euan had a lovely 1/36 scale AA set in the late 1980s consisting of a MK2 Transit tow truck and a 4 door Range Rover. I always admired the proportions of the latter, pretty big for the range and a lovely split tailgate. I never found one that wasn't part of an expensive set though.

This came up in eBay for £3.99 so it was a no-brainer! Apart from a loose light bar it's in grand condition. I like the K reg plate, this must have been a late 1990s issue in the blue boxes with the street scene in the background.

[Split_Pin]

3 hours ago, quicksilver said:

That's a right bitsa! The Bloxwich cab is from one of these:

This was one of my first EFE purchases from the much-missed Beatties in Milton Keynes shopping centre when I was no more than 12 or 13 years old in the late 1990s and it's still here well over 20 years later; in fact I can see it on the shelf in front of me as I write this.

Searching for the V reg on the excellent EFE Zone website reveals the chassis is from a Watneys beer truck but that was a dropside so the flatbed body must have come from a third model. It looks good though and most of the bits are interchangeable so I've had a lot of fun dismantling EFE trucks and reassembling them in different combinations like this.

Those EFE TKs are probably the nicest model you'll see of that truck. I had 2 brewery ones, a long and shorter wheelbase, a Roadline box van and a lovely Pickford's pantechnicon in their 1980s livery. Why did I sell them all!

I'd love to see one of these created in miniature:

 

[Jon]

22 hours ago, barrett said:

Don't be silly, I only wear MG regalia! I'll leave it up to you to decide which one I am

Despite his stereotypically-coloured BRG airtex top, MG botherer right of centre is obviously high on life - and don't the ladies just love it?!

No, you're more a pressed jeans, shapeless pullover man (cotton/viscose mix - washes easily). Much more the type to concern themselves over obsolete toys.

 

Speaking of which.....

 

As we return to my fantastical made-up time-travelog of tosh, I left you last instalment with the above device, to transport me about my fanciful scenarios. But it's not very American, is it?

 

This is, though! To further its 'apple pie' quotient even more, it's a model from the era of American Motors Corporation. This apple pie is so American, the filling came straight from a can! What a pleasingly blue scene, by the way.

 

Here's a snap of me visiting the (locally) famed DC7 Steak House, where they pride themselves on good plane meals!!!!! I had the seitan WINGS and a side of cour-jets. Except they called them zucchinis, so that didn't work.

 

After that meal, I certainly HARBOURED a thirst, so dropped by this gaff for a glass or two - it was very MOOR-ish. Then it was time to set sail on further adventures.

 

Then the best of American workmanship resulted in us both taking an unscheduled break. But to give credit where it's due, the Jeep chose its functional stopgap in the most metaphorical of spots; the lo being its lapse and the hi being the memorable night which ensued, courtesy of the utterly wonderful cocktail lounge you see here.   If you haven't awoken contorted in the back of a small 1970's off roader after 11 coconut eggnogs, then you haven't lived, I say.

 

OMG BARN FIND!!!!!!!!

 

What better way to enjoy motoring than sitting still in it for hours, staring out its small windscreen at 2 of the finest motion pictures, accompanied by crackly tannoys to issue the sound? Marvellous.

 

 

[flat4alfa]

On 1/4/2021 at 8:58 PM, barrett said:

Anyway... does this mean I'm a model car collector now? Oh dear....

That Politoys Alfa 2600 Sprint is very nice and not one I knew of.  Must spend a bit more time looking at the Italian diecast brands.

So are you a model car collector now, you ask?  🙂  You might like a glance of this 1:43 line-up:

The Solido Thesis is one to get if you haven't already - its very nicely done and available cheaply even in promotional dealer boxes

However the paint on the earlier Solido Aurelia GT chips very easily - not sure how it quite got into that state

The Brumm Aprilia is nicely done - despite some zinc pest - and can more expensive used .  While the bumpers stay put, they do loose much of their chrome effect.  Never mind, the Molotow pen would fix that

I would have put the Polistil Beta Berlina in the line, but it's like a cheap toy in comparison....  not unlike the real thing, some may think!

[sierraman]

16 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

My childhood pal Euan had a lovely 1/36 scale AA set in the late 1980s consisting of a MK2 Transit tow truck and a 4 door Range Rover. I always admired the proportions of the latter, pretty big for the range and a lovely split tailgate. I never found one that wasn't part of an expensive set though.

This came up in eBay for £3.99 so it was a no-brainer! Apart from a loose light bar it's in grand condition. I like the K reg plate, this must have been a late 1990s issue in the blue boxes with the street scene in the background.

The loose light bar TADTS, I’ve 2 both have rickety lights on top.

[bunglebus]

6 hours ago, Jon said:

Did you have a flat en-route or did someone pinch the spare?

[flat4alfa]

8 hours ago, Jon said:

Here's a snap of me visiting the (locally) famed DC7 Steak House, where they pride themselves on good plane meals!!!!! I had the seitan WINGS and a side of cour-jets.

Of course I had to look that Douglas DC7 up

First glance, I thought the slide was coming off the wing! 

http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/misc/steakhouse.htm

[flat4alfa]

A Made in Hong Kong PRE-LOCKDOWN purchase arrived the other day.  Only just got around to opening box since quarantine.

Yes, it's supposed to be a VW Type 3 Notchback.  Made by HP Toys.

Measures equally to 1:29 scale, that means both in length AND width, for a change...  even Dinky and Corgi didn't always get that always right.

I have seen a few of these go for daft money, some as much as £30 with the matching caravan.  I've no interest in caravans.

This has lost its bumpers and headlamps, no biggie because could paint it 90s 'Cal-Look' to get away with creating bumpers?  This model generally seems to lose its front boot lid, but not this example!

Couple of LEDs for headlamps would do, covered by with circles of plasticard glued home.   But will I ever get around to it?  Well we have 8 weeks of lockdown, will see.

Yes of course it's lightweight plastic toy with limited detail, with the chassis screwed home; but it is what I wanted in this scale. 

The friction motor is now much quieter after an oiling and it goes quite well, doing a circuit, bumping off the 'Armco' as it goes.

Nabbed for cheap offer on a poor listing.  I'll go now.

[Split_Pin]

I love oddballs like this, I have a fair few  myself, mainly from Europe though. As these are eminently fragile, I'd say this one is in great condition.

As you say a few lamps and away you go. I'd be tempted to raid a spares bin for the bumpers, the wonders of old cars without sculpted ornaments at each end!

[bunglebus]

7 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

A Made in Hong Kong PRE-LOCKDOWN purchase arrived the other day.  Only just got around to opening box since quarantine.

Yes, it's supposed to be a VW Type 3 Notchback.  Made by HP Toys.

Measures equally to 1:29 scale, that means both in length AND width, for a change...  even Dinky and Corgi didn't always get that always right.

That's awesome, I'd like one of those in my collection.

[flat4alfa]

37 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I'd be tempted to raid a spares bin for the bumpers

Do have a fair few off the myriad of broken/self-disassembling similar-scale kits all over the place.  Will see. 

Originally, quite liked the idea of this sort of thing:

Along with simple decoration like this:

[AndyW201]

Well, the FB Corgi Vanguards site has been busy today, with the announcement of the 2021 releases.

Let's just say if you like old skool Fords, you're laughing! (And skint...)

Mostly re colours of course, but some nice ones, and a couple of surprise new castings.

I might have done a pre-order...

[bunglebus]

Never have I ever

[Amishtat]

I have, but not since about 1984

[Datsuncog]

Yup, I think they've had a few issues with their official Corgi website (which was still down when I checked again a few minutes ago) - some decent new stuff though, and I can't pretend I'm not a bit tickled by the RS2000 and Mk IV RS Escorts... given the intense interest in Blue Oval stuff I'm kinda surprised they still haven't produced a Mk2 XR2i, but maybe someday...

I still think Vanguards' early 2000s stuff was a nice blend of good modelling, reasonable cost and interesting subject matter, with some brilliant chod-tastic choices like the Princess, Avenger, Marina, Mk3 Cortina, Allegro, Talbot Sunbeam and Mk2 Cavalier.

I understand the BL stuff didn't sell all that well, which maybe explains the Ford fixation at the minute, but there's still a few later Austin-Rover products I'd really like to see produced in 1/43...

- Mk 1 Metro (basic casting could be fitted with different noses and paint to make bASe City, high-end HLS and sporty MG versions)

- Maestro - ditto

- Montego, and in particular a Montego estate, as load-luggers seem to be woefully underrepresented in small scales - though Vanguards did choose to model the ADO16 only in Countryman format, which was a bold move

- Morris Ital - wouldn't take much more than some tweaks to the earlier Marina tooling to commemorate the final Morris passenger car (Austin-Rover tried this trick too)

- Austin Maxi - still amazed no-one ever produced a metal model of this until Oxford Diecast's railway scale version a year or two back; bigger would be better, I think.

More broadly, I'd also love to see:

- Vauxhall Viva HC saloon (Oxford's Firenza wasn't bad at all mind, though I'm surprised they've yet to release a silver Droopsnoot version)

- Vauxhall Victor/VX490/Ventora FE

- Vauxhall Chevette hatchback

- Mk2 Polo Breadvan

- Bedford CF van (I know IXO do an Opel Blitz variant, but last time I looked they were kinda pricey)

- Dodge Spacevan

- Mk3 Transit (only a matter of time, surely?)

Any others you'd like to see in this scale, while I'm dreaming pleasantly?

[Datsuncog]

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Never have I ever

2 hours ago, bunglebus said:

 

Ooh, I had Matchbox soap too - not in a triple-pack box though, just individual ones in a clear plastic wrapper, which arrived with my brother and I as stocking fillers one Christmas.

The Blaze Buster as depicted above was done in yellow, but I also had the Police Patrol (Rolamatics Range Rover) in blue.

I thought I could play with them in the bath to avoid getting my real Matchbox cars wet - you can imagine my horror when they went all melty and the detail wore off. Wish I'd kept 'em dry, of course! Life's lessons...

[eddyramrod]

Chevette estate?  I had one of those, about 1988.

Marina van?  Never seen a model of that and it was a pretty ubiquitous vehicle in its time.

Cresta PC/Viscount.

Victor FD saloon or estate, preferably both.

Austin Westminster.

How about some Jap stuff, like a 1975 Datsun 120Y saloon?  1978 Toyota Cressida estate?  I'm going through some of my own history here, in case nobody noticed...

 

[Amishtat]

I was just about to say PC Cresta and FD, surprised a Westminster hadn't occurred to me either under the circumstances. I have seen a model of an A99 but it was much too expensive for my pocket, much as I'd like a replica of my own car. 

[sierraman]

7 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Ooh, I had Matchbox soap too - not in a triple-pack box though, just individual ones in a clear plastic wrapper, which arrived with my brother and I as stocking fillers one Christmas.

The Blaze Buster as depicted above was done in yellow, but I also had the Police Patrol (Rolamatics Range Rover) in blue.

I thought I could play with them in the bath to avoid getting my real Matchbox cars wet - you can imagine my horror when they went all melty and the detail wore off. Wish I'd kept 'em dry, of course! Life's lessons...

Didn’t have the soap but I had the chocolates one Xmas, came with a free blue BMW 323i Baur cabriolet. Still have it. (The BMW that is, the chocolates are long gone...)

[bunglebus]

Another  thing I stumbled across last night was Transpalite. These were tied in with Lesney giftware, mostly MOY of Yesteryear of course but there were a few others

Apparently these were quite short lived as many ended up with trapped air bubbles and were scrapped. You can see the E-Type has had the glass removed to try and prevent this. I don't know the production process but this problem can be solved by putting the resin in a vacuum chamber, a guy on youtube did some amazing cutaway Hot Wheels a few years ago that look very similar 

 

[Tenmil Socket]

5 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Another  thing I stumbled across last night was Transpalite. These were tied in with Lesney giftware, mostly MOY of Yesteryear of course but there were a few others

Apparently these were quite short lived as many ended up with trapped air bubbles and were scrapped. You can see the E-Type has had the glass removed to try and prevent this. I don't know the production process but this problem can be solved by putting the resin in a vacuum chamber, a guy on youtube did some amazing cutaway Hot Wheels a few years ago that look very similar 

 

That's brilliant!

[Split_Pin]

Range Rover kit progressing albeit more slowly now that I am back at work.

Good shout from @Spottedlaurel on using PVA glue on the windows, they look pretty much spotless now. This was always a weak point of my models in the past.