Shite in Miniature II

[Split_Pin]

DAFs are pre 1975 at least, probably older, going by the model they are based on. Same type as the Superkings 'Pallet Truck'.

[bunglebus]

There don't seem to be very many Husky castings to chose from, more's the pity. The sizing is a bit odd with Husky, often there are are two sizes of the same vehicle, but the difference between them is so little that you wonder why they bothered. This one has a metal undercarriage so is the larger version

This is the smaller version and is for milk, rather than fuel. Often missing the cap that forms the rear of the tank

There is almost nothing to chose between them

Guy Warrior is clearly a Husky but is branded Corgi, so is in the period of change to the Juniors range. occasionally the metal base vehicles turn up with no branding, just a Corgi sticker

Talking of Juniors, there were two Matras, both with the delicate split tailgates intact

Nova has had a makeover. Just needs a Peco exhaust and some TSW Stealth wheels now 

Then Bazza can show off to the birds on Southend seafront. Here's his mate Dazza pumping out the tunes from his Kenwood system

There were no less than four Buick Regals in the box, but I don't recall seeing this odd blue colour before

C111 has obviously been parked in the sun for years

The only larger vehicles are this pair, one of four sets sold like this

 

[Datsuncog]

Liberated a couple more of the Continental Selection from their blister packs yesterday, in honour of the '1980s Motoring in Poland' thread - FSO Polonez and 125P.

Both were the epitome of bargain-basement UK motoring in the 1970s and 80s, with most examples sold suffering badly from fairly approximate build-quality plus the impacts of their cost-conscious owners, who may not have been the most fastidious - leading to massive depreciation on what was already a very cheap car, and vanishingly few examples remaining.

Polonez proportions are perhaps a tiny bit off, and there's a definite ding to the casting above the windscreen - but I can forgive all for that amazing colour. 

I mean, there's not exactly a whole heap of model versions to choose from, really!

Underside detail is pretty good.

The 125P is probably superior in terms of dimensions and finish, and that ochre shade is also tremendous.

Things wot I learned about these while idling on Wikipedia:

• Polski-Fiat was originally set up in 1932 to build a range of Fiat cars, buses and trucks under licence in Warsaw - but WW2 put an end to that.
• FSO was set up in 1948 to build a licenced copy of the GAZ M20 'Pobeda' as the FSO Warszawa, but later expanded to build the home-grown two-stroke Syrena model.
• The letters in FSO stands for Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych, which translates as 'Passenger Automobile Factory'. Mmm, functional.
• In the mid-1960s Fiat were looking to expand into Eastern Europe, and so cut a new deal with the Polish government to use the FSO factory in Warsaw, reviving the Polski-Fiat marque - a policy that also allowed VAZ to build the 124 under licence in the USSR.
• The 125P was launched in 1967, using the bodyshell of the brand-new Fiat 125 launched the same year, but using the older mechanicals from the previous-generation 1300 and 1500 models. The Syrena also remained in production alongside, surviving until 1983 (although built by FSM rather than FSO at that point).
• The Polonez was developed from the floorpan of the 125 mated to a hatchback bodyshell heavily derived from Fiat's experimental ESV-2000 safety car, which Giorgetto Giugiaro seemingly tidied up a little one lunchtime.

• The name was derived from 'polonaise', a folk-dance, and was selected following a readers' poll in a Warsaw daily newspaper.

• The unintentional (?) safety slant meant that it was one of very few cars from Eastern Europe that satisfied US safety legislation, and could be sold over there (assuming anyone wanted one). Mandatory EU crash testing in 1994 confirmed that it provided surprising levels of driver and passenger safety - the same round of testing that condemned the Rover Metro as a death trap.
• The Polonez was designed to be fitted with Fiat's perky twin-cam 2.0 litre engine, but problems with licencing meant that at the time of its launch in 1978 it retained the ancient 1300/1500 units instead.
• The Polonez was also designed as a direct replacement for the 125P - but in the event, the 125P remained in production until 1991, by that stage a 25-year old bodyshell attached to 40-year old oily bits.
• A very small number of 3-dr Polonez Coupés were produced, which used the same front doors and rear windows, and looked for all the world like someone had simply wobbed over the rear door shut line and handle.
• The Polski-Fiat brand was killed off in 1983, with all cars branded as FSOs after that date - except for the 126 'Maluch', which reverted to Fiat branding, previously only used for export versions of these cars.
• Nearly three-quarters of all Fiat 126s were Polish-built at the separate FSM factories in Tychy (until 1979) and at Bielsko-Biała; Italian production having ceased in 1979. The 126 then became the 126p after 1983, while remaining available from Fiat dealers, and in 1987 was developed further into the 126 BIS - now with a hatchback and with a unique Polish-designed water cooled 700cc engine.
• The licencing deal with Fiat expired in 1991, and after that Fiat bought the FSM factories in Tychy and Bielsko-Biała, renamed it Fiat Auto Poland, leaving the Warsaw FSO plant to go it alone. The Cinquecento and subsequently the Seicento were both built at Tychy, while production of the aging Uno was moved to Bielsko-Biała  in 1994, with the Fiat Siena and Palio models later taking over the production lines. Today, Tychy builds the Fiat 500 while Bielsko-Biała builds Fiat and GM's joint 1.3 multijet diesel engine.
• The 125P and Polonez ceased production in 1991 with the loss of the licenced Fiat engines, and UK imports halted altogether. The Polonez was re-engineered and reappeared as the facelifted Caro/Prima, now available with a bewildering variety of engine options including the 1.4 Rover K-Series; the Ford 2.0 Pinto and the PSA XUD, although not in UK rhd spec.
• FSO sales resumed in the UK in 1994, with only the Caro now available in either 5-dr hatch or pick-up format.
• FSO were bought out by Daewoo in 1995, forming Daewoo-FSO. A factory expansion allowed the Nexia and Espero models to be built at the Warsaw plant, soon followed by the Matiz, Nubira and Leganza models.
• FSO withdrew from the UK market for the final time in 1997, with sales now minimal. The lightly warmed-over Caro Plus continued to be sold throughout the rest of Europe until 2002, but no longer in Blighty. 
• During the period of its brief ownership by Daewoo (1997-2000), Ssang Yong Musso, Korando and Chairman models were also assembled at the Warsaw factory.
• In 2000, after Daewoo's collapse, FSO found themselves independent again. They continued building the Caro alongside ex-Daewoo Matiz and Lanos models under the FSO name, which were also shipped to the Ukraine for assembly under a deal with AvtoZAZ.
• Also in September 2000, Fiat finally pulled the plug on the 126p after a Polish production run of nearly three and a half million examples.
• Polonez/Caro/Prima production finally ceased in 2002, after 24 years. FSO's Warsaw factory continued to build the ex-Daewoo Matiz and Lanos with Chevrolet badges following a licencing agreement with General Motors, going on to build the Aveo there.
• At the point of the MG-Rover Great Unpleasantness in 2005, a joint deal with FSO was seen as the last-gasp effort to rescue Longbridge. Sadly, after the identity of MG-Rover's supposed Chinese partner kept changing, FSO bosses got cold feet and ended talks (or maybe they were still annoyed about the K-Series).
• The licence to build the Chevrolet Aveo expired in 2011, and was not renewed. FSO still survives, but the Warsaw factory nowadays builds automotive sub-assemblies and other manufactured parts under contract rather than complete cars.  And also, weirdly, Lego.

[bunglebus]

17 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

The 125P and Polonez ceased production in 1991 with the loss of the licenced Fiat engines, and UK imports halted altogether. The Polonez was re-engineered and reappeared as the facelifted Caro/Prima, now available in a bewildering variety of engine options including the 1.4 Rover K-Series; the Ford 2.0 Pinto and the PSA XUD

Christ. I think I'd rather have the old Fiat engine, although a warmed-up Pinto in a Polonez could be fun.

As for functional names, "Peoples Car" does exactly what it said on the tin. None of your computer generated monikers back then

[andrew e]

Those DAF wagons are fabulous - what kind of fool would let them go in a job lot 😉 as mentioned there a DAF 2600, this points the way to 1970 for the cab: 

https://majorette-model-cars.fandom.com/wiki/Daf_Vehicles

Which led to this:

https://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_nkw=majorette+daf+2600&_trksid=p2334524.m4084.l1313&_osacat=0&_odkw=majorette

[bezzabsa]

Well Rovers and metro turned up today..

Yellow & Plod are virtually mint.Blue is a bit careworn..BUT has a rear hatch glass, where as the yellow n plod don't!!!

Plod also has more heft to it..strange as only difference is the blue light bar!!!

 

[sierraman]

A Rover and FSO tie up, Christ can you imagine what that would have been like. Rover really were despacito by the end. I’m surprised they didn’t announce a tie up with Rod Hull and Emu or Ted Rogers and Dusty Bin. 

[bezzabsa]

2 minutes ago, sierraman said:

A Rover and FSO tie up, Christ can you imagine what that would have been like. Rover really were despacito by the end. I’m surprised they didn’t announce a tie up with Rod Hull and Emu or Ted Rogers and Dusty Bin. 

FSO Polenez V8......... why not!!!

[antony denman]

19 hours ago, bunglebus said:

That Jag looks ripe for a cheap blowover in something inappropriate 

yes here one i did earlier in jasmine yellow jag lovers its a ford colour 

[bunglebus]

39 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

Well Rovers and metro turned up today..

Yellow & Plod are virtually mint.Blue is a bit careworn..BUT has a rear hatch glass, where as the yellow n plod don't!!!

Plod also has more heft to it..strange as only difference is the blue light bar!!!

 

Did the SD1 ever came with a metal base? As for tailgate glass, I'm still not sure whether they always got lost or whether Corgi deleted it as a cost-cutting measure

[flat4alfa]

47 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

Plod also has more heft to it..strange as only difference is the blue light bar!!!

It's the armour protection

Steel plates in the doors and under seats.

Probably.

[Spottedlaurel]

12 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

As for tailgate glass, I'm still not sure whether they always got lost or whether Corgi deleted it as a cost-cutting measure

My solid blue civilian SD1 that I've had from new has tailgate glass.

[flat4alfa]

57 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

FSO Polonez V8

[Spottedlaurel]

9 hours ago, MarvinsMom said:

won't the glazing bit clean up with some very fine wet 'n dry?

i have had some success with that on a couple of glazing units for diecast cars that were in a mancky state like that.

A first go at it hasn't seen much success on the side glass, but I'll keep trying - got nothing to lose so long as I can keep the front and rear screens intact.

9 hours ago, bunglebus said:

I'd start with T-Cut. Gone off using things like brake fluid after a couple of disasters

Good idea. I happily use brake fluid for bodyshells, but I was wary of trying it on clear pieces.

[bunglebus]

I've had it work perfectly time after time - until it sends your clear piece translucent. DOT 3 is supposed to be safer than DOT 4 but both have caused me problems

[flat4alfa]

 

On 11/8/2017 at 2:34 AM, Junkman said:

The elephant in the living room are those Mini Dinkys.

That's the stuff that separates the boys from the collectors.

You can't find that kind of shite even at toy fairs or on eBay.

Remember this?  ^ 

Then this:

On 7/21/2020 at 12:30 PM, flat4alfa said:

I appear to have a bought a Mini-Dinky without much evidence of serious self-destruction ?

Any more love for Mini-Dinky ?

The Chevrolet Chevy II now has another Mini-Dinky friend !

A Chevrolet Corvette Sting Ray no less

Quite pleased with this.  Nicely cast, is complete and has those turned not cast wheels.

Odd that the front axle is shorter than the rear, but doesn't detract too much, from most angles

I think Mini-Dinky will become the only range I'll be seeking out from now on (in ~1:64 that is) as all other bucket list boxes seem to be ticked.

A  bite has been taken out of the bumper end, but just after the turn which is lucky

Not only that, it was grabbed for £1.99 😊

[bunglebus]

Very nice. Not tracked any down yet

[flat4alfa]

Missed out on this MB 230SL, because lousy photos (this is zoomed in 10x!), seller wouldn't respond to messages ...and I procrastinated.

Then found out it sold for £3 !

Cockbadgers.

[flat4alfa]

On 11/19/2020 at 3:35 PM, sierraman said:

Seventies Dinky WW2 Jeep, missing bits but I’m sure it’s of use to someone. 50p plus postage. 

Do you still have this I wonder?

[flat4alfa]

On 6/5/2018 at 1:13 PM, junkyarddog said:

More from yesterday(bank holiday here)

Mini dinky jag e type.

Evening.  Are you keeping this little one?

[Lord Sterling]

Hmmm. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, do you really know yourself?

I'm not sure I do.

Took a minor bimble over to Ma_Sterling's today. I have a couple of days off. I was looking for my 1/18 Peugeot 605 I bought many years ago. I couldn't honestly find it. I looked everywhere (as much as I could be arsed) but the loft had a lot of dust and debris and I really didn't feel like digging through too much stuff. The places I found the other cars in the loft didn't turn anything up.

As I searched a couple of crates I keep other model cars in I found something I was half looking for. A bunch of 1/64 Peugeots. I didn't realise I had so many:

All by Norev (I think) but tye unboxed 407 is by Majorette. There is a 508sw, 3 x 407s (2 x saloons and 1 estate), a 308, 307sw and a standard 307.

So I have 2 x 1.64 models of the car I drive.

Go me.

[flat4alfa]

On 3/2/2021 at 5:42 PM, flat4alfa said:

POST LADY HAS CHANGED.  The nice smiley lady today is a lot shorter, but seems equally as strong,

In a bulky box was this job lot.  You are seeing them after a scrub.

Rover has lost its stickers and steering wheel; those steering wheels seem to have a habit of that.  The Rolls Royce Corniche HAS NOT BEEN SMASHED  IN THE BACK.  The (genuine) Corgi FX4 Taxi Cab has the interior divider, I think that was a sticking point before. 

Dinky Bedford TK has its stickers and is fully functional.   The Fiat Strada is a Solido and despite the smart colour is a bit weedy in this company.

What are they worth together I wonder?

Asked that last line as a tease.  But no bites.  Ah!  Never mind, my fault for being a nobber...   Anyhow, this was in the job lot, so to cheer me up Asterix has decided after working it out, it was got for about 50p

Dinky Plymouth Fury with the NASCAR Carlos Fandango wheel set.  Another ticked off the list (at long last)

Job lot, job jobbed!

[eddyramrod]

I promise this is it for Bond cars for the moment!

But they are lovely little models, how am I supposed to resist?  You may well have spotted that one is the Connery Mustang, yet again; I wanted one I can paint yellow, to be Eleanor from the original Gone In 60 Seconds.  I know I got the green version of the old Corgi the other day, but I think that's too good to paint, considering its age.

Sitting on top of this cabinet you can see eight of the partwork Bonds, all still sporting their outer cases.  I'm reluctant to open those.  I have duplicates of at least three of these without their outers, and those, I have no reservations about opening and unscrewing (if I can!).  Some of the recent arrivals are rather tightly screwed in place, so if I want to display them in the cabinet I'm going to have to work out how to access them.  Of course the screws all have that ridiculous triangle-drive head, which doesn't help.

MrsR is extremely anti.  She constantly threatens to bin them secretly one by one at any moment, and all at once if I go first.  Completely failing to recognise how valuable my collection has been to me all my life.  I know I'm the last family member who will care; I just want to enjoy them while I'm able. 

[junkyarddog]

1 hour ago, flat4alfa said:

Evening.  Are you keeping this little one?

Evening.

I am for the moment,sorry.

[sheffcortinacentre]

There used to be a FSO 125p with a cologne 2.8i V6 in it yellow if memory serves. Back in the late 80'sish.

[bezzabsa]

3 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

My solid blue civilian SD1 that I've had from new has tailgate glass.

seems to be a theme, Blue SD1's with rear screens

 

[bunglebus]

10 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

I got the green version of the old Corgi the other day, but I think that's too good to paint, considering its age.

 it was going to get customised if I kept it anyway, but I had another one to keep original.

What's the green vehicle in the bottom left cabinet? The one next to this

 

 

[bunglebus]

9 hours ago, bezzabsa said:

seems to be a theme, Blue SD1's with rear screens

 

A quick check of my pics reveals

So who knows? Did they fall out, were they not always fitted or did Corgi delete it?

[bunglebus]

Still sealed

No window

[eddyramrod]

22 hours ago, bunglebus said:

 it was going to get customised if I kept it anyway, but I had another one to keep original.

What's the green vehicle in the bottom left cabinet? The one next to this

 

 

It's an unrestored Dinky SHADO Mobile.  I love me some Gerry Anderson, me, I does.