Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

I like the idea of a crap Mettoy challenge! I might take a rummage and see what I can turn up...

What definitely isn't from their declining years is today's eBay arrival... yup, I resisted all purchasing for about five weeks, before cracking last Friday.

Basically, I've never seen one of these still boxed before, so... I wasn't able to turn it down.

While other mid-70s 1/36 Corgis in my collection use cardboard as their inner packaging, it seems the C415 Mazda Camper required expanded polystyrene to keep everything in place.

Still, it is in really good nick; unlike the online-acquired blue Mazda which turned up in a near-pristine box but with a fair bit of (undisclosed) wear.

Hitch-up mechanism works fine; maybe a bit stiff from lack of use.

Not only was this a cracking model, but the functionality of the camper body was really quite innovative - I've never seen a design like it. According to the Van Cleemput book, 181,000 examples of the camper found homes between 1976 and 1978, making it their third biggest seller in the light commercials category - just behind the motorway maintenance version of the Mazda B1600 pickup.

Part of my curiosity was to see what was printed on the back of the box - sometimes it's a picture of a real-life version of the toy, and I quite fancied seeing a real one of these.

Meh. Ah well.

The line drawing on the base is pretty good, though.

But stay! What's this?

Well, you may or may not recall that I scored a somewhat more used Mazda Camper last year; so I guess this new one is something of a trade-up.

While both pickups are in good nick, the camper roof of the boxless one does have a fair few chips to it.

Still, chips or otherwise, if anyone fancies a Mazda Camper, it's available..

[EDIT: now sold to Mr Ramrod!]

[Datsuncog]

11 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Did these ever have clear glass?

Nope, Gran Torino always appeared with black opaque windows, I believe.

[bunglebus]

As we're on the subject of Corgi, I was looking at the Studebaker Wagonaire and noticed the base has at least three distinct versions

[eddyramrod]

22 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

I like the idea of a crap Mettoy challenge! I might take a rummage and see what I can turn up...

What definitely isn't from their declining years is today's eBay arrival... yup, I resisted all purchasing for about five weeks, before cracking last Friday.

Basically, I've never seen one of these still boxed before, so... I wasn't able to turn it down.

While other mid-70s 1/36 Corgis in my collection use cardboard as their inner packaging, it seems the C415 Mazda Camper required expanded polystyrene to keep everything in place.

Still, it is in really good nick; unlike the online-acquired blue Mazda which turned up in a near-pristine box but with a fair bit of (undisclosed) wear.

Hitch-up mechanism works fine; maybe a bit stiff from lack of use.

Not only was this a cracking model, but the functionality of the camper body was really quite innovative - I've never seen a design like it.

Part of my curiosity was to see what was printed on the back of the box - sometimes it's a picture of a real-life version of the toy, and I quite fancied seeing a real one of these.

Meh. Ah well.

The line drawing on the base is pretty good, though.

But stay! What's this?

Well, you may or may not recall that I scored a somewhat more used Mazda Camper last year; so I guess this new one is something of a trade-up.

While both pickups are in good nick, the camper roof of the boxless one does have a fair few chips to it.

Still, chips or otherwise, if anyone fancies a Mazda Camper, it's available...

Hand raised!

[Sudsprint]

8 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Hitch-up mechanism works fine; maybe a bit stiff from lack of use

 

I think that probably goes for most of us

[bunglebus]

Anyone else sh*t themselves putting waterslide decals on? Didn't help dropping the entire sheet in the water before I'd cut them out - got away with it somehow 

[flat4alfa]

Looks GR9 !

Never used either but was recommended to spray a protection spray over decals.  Krylon Gloss Preserve is one.  There must be plenty of other digital photo paper PVC protectants about.  

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

Looks GR9 !

Never used either but was recommended to spray a protection spray over decals.  Krylon Gloss Preserve is one.  There must be plenty of other digital photo paper PVC protectants about.  

If you print your own (if only I had the tech) you have to lacquer them. These came from Black Square Decals and don't run. I've used them before and been impressed. Just waiting on the glue to dry on the glass then it can go back together

[bunglebus]

More Matchbox arrivals. I won two auctions, one for the Corvette and 57 Chevy, and the other for Red Rider/Cosmic Blues. The later started at 1p, so with combined postage was effectively free. I only really wanted the Cosmic Blues as I already have the, er, blue version. All look almost mint despite the usual missing engine on Red Rider.

Also gained another Peugeot Quasar, for some reason an obsession of mine as a kid

Finally this rather lovely Norev MK1 Golf 

[bunglebus]

I can't wait until it's daylight, this looks the nuts. Well happy

And a real one

 

[Lord Sterling]

Yo. I bought myself one of those MB Estates that Matchbox are chucking out at the moment.

I decided to "improve" the front end as it really didn't look very Mercedes-like. My efforts were a bit shit but added a bit more Merc-ness to it. Apart from thats its nice.

[sierraman]

39 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

Yo. I bought myself one of those MB Estates that Matchbox are chucking out at the moment.

I decided to "improve" the front end as it really didn't look very Mercedes-like. My efforts were a bit shit but added a bit more Merc-ness to it. Apart from thats its nice.

Have Tesco got any new stuff in?

[BL Bloke]

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I can't wait until it's daylight, this looks the nuts. Well happy

And a real one

 

Great job, I haven't seen a Gulper for ages and you've got two . I've only seen pink ones before, didn't know they did them in white.

[bunglebus]

I've been trying to find an original, one sold on eBay just before I began my search and none have come up since. I've had various pink ones which I should have kept, as I had to buy one to make my white replica. There are both orange and yellow interiors to find, as can be seen in my pics ^. The white ones seemed to have yellow inside, so that's what I chose.

Current one

The now-white one

Previous one that's been and gone

Don't think its stablemate the Milligan's Mill came in anything but Kermit green (but there are orange/yellow interiors), although I have had two different types of supercharger scoop on my current/previous examples - and some where it had gone AWOL

I don't have a tat-buying problem...

[bunglebus]

I didn't even notice until I looked at my pictures again - the Gulpers have different scoops too

 

[Split_Pin]

On 28/01/2021 at 10:38 PM, bunglebus said:

Funny enough - one was in today's job lot

 

They really are about the same quality as the cheapest Chinese shite that your distant aunt used to send you for Christmas in a box of 10, except it's actually a proper car not generic 

I think that is actually a later one as I'm fairly sure those wheels didn't debut until the new models were introduced for the BP promotion in about 1987. I could be wrong though.

Those Gran Torinos were 1970s though as my cousins had a couple. The roof light seemed to like to break off and fall inside. I'm going to go up in the loft late and see what ones I have.

[Split_Pin]

Just now, Split_Pin said:

I think that is actually a later one as I'm fairly sure those wheels didn't debut until the new models were introduced for the BP promotion in about 1987. I could be wrong though.

Those Gran Torinos were 1970s though as my cousins had a couple. The roof light seemed to like to break off and fall inside. I'm going to go up in the loft later and see what ones I have.

 

[155V6]

Has anyone got the custom version of the XJS with the larger rear wheels & sidepipes?.I had one years ago,but gave it to a mate.There's also a Buick in a similar style.

[RoadworkUK]

Hey, speaking of XJSs; does anybody have one of these?

I don't, but I might well have done were it not for self-control. I was the opening bidder on one on eBay that was at £12.50 this morning. It ended at a frenzied £22.50, though — beyond what I'll pay for something on a passing whim.

It's broken, too. The vendor says it "needs looking at", re. the roof mechanism. Among its features this has an electric folding roof.  Perhaps it adds to the authenticity that a thirty-plus year old miniature Jag convertible would have dodgy roof electrics.

There are other features, too, that I feel could add to the play value for somebody desperately clinging onto his thirties.

Does anybody have one? Are they in fact as irredeemably shite as I suspect they might be?

[sierraman]

I had the Porsche 911 with the flashing headlights and horn and the Mercedes 500 SL, offered both on EBay, no interest even at a fiver plus postage, both were boxed and mint. In the end I gave them the kids to play with outside, they fell to bits so now only the doors remain. 

[Jon]

9 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

Hey, speaking of XJSs; does anybody have one of these?

I don't, but I might well have done were it not for self-control. I was the opening bidder on one on eBay that was at £12.50 this morning. It ended at a frenzied £22.50, though — beyond what I'll pay for something on a passing whim.

It's broken, too. The vendor says it "needs looking at", re. the roof mechanism. Among its features this has an electric folding roof.  Perhaps it adds to the authenticity that a thirty-plus year old miniature Jag convertible would have dodgy roof electrics.

There are other features, too, that I feel could add to the play value for somebody desperately clinging onto his thirties.

Does anybody have one? Are they in fact as irredeemably shite as I suspect they might be?

I'm pretty sure that one of my good school mates had one of these back in the early/mid-90's, as at the time he was Jaguar obsessed and collected shite miniatures of them (I on the other hand was way cooler and collected Ford Transit castings, instead), mostly sourced from the local giant Tesco, just up the road. This only rings a distant bell though, so perhaps it was merely coveted, as I don't remember seeing any of the bits in action. That said, he had one of those GIANT Miasto XJ220s (1/12?) and looked after it very carefully, so maybe he did the same with this and just looked at it from afar?

 

Last week, I went to the Southward Car Museum, on the way home to a holiday in the south island (I've trolled documented my encounter with a Tippen Delta in the Invacar thread, should anyone be interested). As I had hoped, there were cabinets full of die casts, much of which were mint, mid-60's issued Matchbox 1-75s and Superkings - which for some reason, I didn't document. But in fairness, we have seen them all before.

 

Instead, I took a couple of shots of things I found interesting, so here they are:

First up, here's a rather snazzy panorama shot of some AA and ADACS, taken mostly for the Siku/Transit content. I estimate I own(ed) 10 of the 18 items on display here!

 

Never seen this plastic SLC before - it's a big old mamma, as the 1/24 model behind demonstrates. Can anyone identify it?

 

Some picks from the inevitable fire engine collection - am I the only one that finds this subject not that interesting? Despite the fact that I fight fires as a hobby and I collect die casts?! Anyway, I liked the jazzy wheels of this early issue Mercedes 508, as well as the opening front doors; my later issued one in Deutsch Post livery has those doors cast shut.

 

I thought this was quite an interesting segment of the fire vehicles bit, though. Any particular rarities here? There's also another example of a red SLC I can't work out the maker of! I do like the blue light attached to the sun roof, though. And don't ask me what the purpose is of a Lamborghini Firehunter - Siku do occasionally take whimsy a little too far.

 

Last of the boring reds, I promise. Documented here for @Datsuncog's 1/32 appreciation and the widespread general appreciation of seeing one with A pillars intact.

 

I've always had a soft spot for the Dinky D Series, so thought the lesser spotted tipper(?) was worthy of a shot. Am I right in thinking these were only offered as a kit? Probably not.

 

Finally, one I initially had some bother in identifying, despite it being parked amongst a load of other Dinkys. This'll be one of those exotic French Dinkys, seen occupying the back pages of many a turn of the 70's catalogue uploaded on this thread in the past. It's certainly desirable as such but in fairness, I think the casting detail of the Scammell to the left holds up much better - just look at its front wheel!

 

 

 

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, Jon said:

I thought this was quite an interesting segment of the fire vehicles bit, though. Any particular rarities here?

The just out of shot redline is probably quite sought after (they all are). I can see a Matchbox #64 Fire Chief,  Siku Lambo you already mentioned, Corgi Whizzwheels Capri, Hot Wheels Fire Chief, Matchbox Mercury Park Lane, Hot Wheels Olds 442, ??? Mercedes, another Whizzwheels Capri, an ERTL Pontiac Bonneville and Corgi Ford Torino

[Volksy]

I think the Mercedes SLC is a 1:12 Otaki kit.

I remember seeing one in Beatties model shop as a kid. 

[flat4alfa]

30 minutes ago, Volksy said:

I think the Mercedes SLC is a 1:12 Otaki kit.

I remember seeing one in Beatties model shop as a kid. 

I thought the Otaki kit only had alloy wheels style, not the steels 

[flat4alfa]

2 hours ago, Jon said:

...a red SLC I can't work out the maker of!

King Star Mini Car, Korea. 1/60

[bunglebus]

Wow, good sleuthing!

 

Something very familiar about that packaging...

[bunglebus]

I was nosing around on a Facebook group last night, someone was talking about this Matchbox Mustang

What I didn't know was the casting was modified from a Kenner Fast 111!

[bunglebus]

And with that bit of knowledge, I find there are more - 

Chevy Blazer

Mighty Mule

Sand Racer

Dirt Digger

[155V6]

I've got that Matchbox Mustang too,I always though it was a bit odd as it hadn't been modified from a standard Matchbox casting.

In other news,there were a few clip strips in Morrison's & I found this 😎

[Amishtat]

I haven't had very much to add to this thread since November as a result of house hunting and the general Chinasniffles fallout but it was a pleasure to unwrap this after it arrived yesterday. Rear suspension is a bit saggy and the roof lights are missing but it's still Escort-shaped and doesn't look like an eleven year old twat brayed it with a hammer, so it's streets ahead of the one it's going to replace. Thanks again to Jon.k. In other news, we should be moving into our new place in about three weeks and I can hardly wait to be reunited with my diecast tat, although it's unlikely to be unpacked very soon . It's been a long three months..