Shite in Miniature II

[bunglebus]

Boot sale is open for the first time this year, so up at sparrow's fart to check it out. Must have walked about half of it without finding much of interest. Then I saw this guy

there were more behind the stall that I went through too - hundred of boxed 90s-2000s Hot Wheels. Apparently he imports a shipping container full every year, and is about to get another so he will be a good contact. I could have spent £60 easily but managed  to limit myself to 24 including some doubles to sell on...

[RoadworkUK]

12 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Boot sale is open for the first time this year

Wherezat? I could have fully bankrupted myself the one time I visited North Weald.

[bunglebus]

4 minutes ago, RoadworkUK said:

Wherezat? I could have fully bankrupted myself the one time I visited North Weald.

Boreham - same guy does the Wednesday one near Colchester, Weeley on a Sat and Boreham on Sunday - but not next week as there's a car show at Stonham Barns apparently.

Here's some other things that caught my eye;

RR pedal car was lovely but a bit steep at £50

Managed to refrain from snapping up any of these Lledos despite overhearing the selling saying he had loads more - can't think why

Monster adjustable spanner amused me for some reason

 

[Lord Sterling]

15 hours ago, RoadworkUK said:

We're off on holiday on Monday, and that meant I had to go up into the loft to get our suitcases.

Hey, while I'm up here...

Time for a bit of 1/18 salivation.

This is another from the "thank god somebody made a 1/18 of that" category. Models of the kind of machines that mortal folk could aspire to own. Of course, with Blighty sadly lacking a domestic maker of large-scale models, and certainly not affordable ones, hopes of finding a Rover SD3 are slim, but plenty of popular European hot hatches have been immortalised in my favourite size.

This is Solido's rendition of the Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9, and I reckon it punches quite comfortably above its weight.

Generally speaking, I reckon it's fair to say that if the headlamps look good, the model will look good. In the world of 1/18s this is a model from towards the affordable end of the spectrum, yet the headlights are free of mounting stubs (the foglights aren't but who's counting?), and the headlight focus lines look terrific. The front grille looks oddly twisted, as if the car has suffered a mild front-end shunt, but then again a high percentage of GTis went through exactly that kind of ordeal.

Inside, only the door doglegs give the game away that this isn't a high-end model. Everything else is beautifully done. The seat upholstery is well-observed, the dials are clear and I reckon I could twist those HVAC dials and set the interior temperature just so.

Somebody on Twitter pointed out that it's wearing a 309 GTi steering wheel, and that's an interesting point. I've noticed before that, when a model is designed a few years down the road from the subject matter being released, modifications to the 1/1 prototype can make it into the 1/18 version. An amusing example of this is the Bosch battery modelled in Maisto's Porsche 550A; the code on it reveals it as being for a Skoda Fabia, possibly because the museum or individual who owned the 1/1 just put whatever battery on it that he had lying around.

The GTI's battery is quite nicely observed, too, and while everything underbonnet is a bit shinier than it's likely to be in the 1/1, it all looks convincing otherwise. Again, the bonnet rises on doglegs, but if you choose the camera angle right, nobody need ever know.

Solido's rendition doesn't go as far as including an opening boot, so...

Here it is, closed.

The black ribbed panel looks like it might have taken a whack at some point, too, but I love how well observed the badges, the wiper and even the heated rear screen element are.

These looked great when your rear view mirror was full of one of them, didn't they?

This was typically a more common view. Check out those foglights.

Interestingly, while I was aware that Solido still offers the 205 GTi, and sundry other 205 variants, I didn't realise that the model has changed somewhat, and —in my view — not for the better.

I have a 1/18 Peugeot 205 GTi. It currently resides at Mother_Sterlings house. I think its a Solido model bought from TK Maxx I think. It was many years ago when bought.

[155V6]

All I got from 2 car boots was this

One of the sellers had this though 😎

[junkyarddog]

Now that's a cool old wagon.

[bunglebus]

Here's a selection of the haul I came home with;

Guy was holding this - I thought he'd sold it but clocked me looking and said "ignore the price tag" (£2.00). I assumed he'd paid that and was flipping it for £20 or something - 50p later it was mine

Golf is missing sadly but the Pug is there

Here's my Hot Wheels haul. I really should get more off him as I can easily make money selling the doubles on eBay

Single most expensive thing I bought was this Matchbox carry case for £2.00

Which came in handy

Here are some of the cars I found to transport in it

2009 produced '56 Mercury has a metal base and opening hood

 

Austin Healey looks squashed but they're made like it

No-name Audi is quite decent

Majorette 405 is a bit shonky

These two are probably the best 50p finds, regular wheels ISO...

And "Auto Steer" Mercury"

Slightly moth-eaten Camper was an odd one - stall was abandoned so I stuck 50p in the charity tin on the table. Hope they didn't want more for it!

Sterling

Got a couple of Super GTs including the Lotus

Corgi Metro

Vanguards Thames for the custom box

This was on one of those tables that screams "dealer" with individual price tags on everything, however...

...can't really complain at that price

 

[Amishtat]

First boot sale I can find locally isn't for another two weeks and I'm definitely not counting the days, dear me no.. That's a pretty good haul for a morning's work, I defy any of us to have resisted the ambulance at that price. 

[RoadworkUK]

5 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Boreham - same guy does the Wednesday one near Colchester, Weeley on a Sat and Boreham on Sunday - but not next week as there's a car show at Stonham Barns apparently.

Drat Wednesday car boots. Actually, drat having a job and not being able to go to them.

[bunglebus]

The Wednesday one was where @Amishtat had some great finds, that's the day I normally do my mum's shopping and DIY jobs while the mrs does some cleaning for her, as it's her day off. Can't even get there early as the kids have to be taken to school. V annoying!

[Amishtat]

1 hour ago, RoadworkUK said:

Drat Wednesday car boots. Actually, drat having a job and not being able to go to them.

I was sooo lucky in that respect. Work didn't start until eleven (or, more precisely, until I got there) so there was always plenty of time for me to delve through bollocksed diecasts and I was never late once*. In reality I don't think anyone even noticed towards the end, one of my managers knew I frequented the Wednesday sale but I didn't tend to own up to what I'd bought.(I already was "that guy" and didn't need to make it worse..) Hence Tat Wednesday reveals were either on the dashboard of a Volvo 740, the floor of a Parcelfarce Sprinter or the top of the microwave, depending on how the rest of the day panned out. On a sunny morning, provided I'd been organised enough to leave home early enough with cash in my pocket, there was a simple pleasure in strolling about in the sunshine rummaging through boxes of toy cars which a few of you will probably understand. Can't help but worry there'll be fuck all at the Dumfries one, or it'll piss down or something. Ah well. 

TL, DR: You ought to go one sunny morning. Give yourself a couple of hours, there was almost always something there to tempt the discerning collector. And the atavistic hoarder. 

[flat4alfa]

I went car boot today but it was hopeless, despite the sunshine and a packed field, there was very little in the way of model cars

So @bunglebus the AFX set is welcome here when you’re finished with it as I don’t have one of those

 

[bunglebus]

Think I did well out of that, despite the missing Golf - the Pug goes for about £15 without the rest of the set. Not especially into slot car stuff but couldn't leave it there for 50p. Main problem is postage as it's fairly big and heavy

[andrew e]

@bunglebus you had a successful haul this morning, that AFX is ace 👍

Seeing that monster adjustable spanner got me excited - haven’t got one that big 😁 the old boys used to rib us “because real engineers use the right size spanner - not bodgers shifters” even though they had them hidden in the van too! Sod using an insulated one (orange handle next too it) though! 

Mine don’t get used much these days, but they are nicely arranged!

[flat4alfa]

49 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Think I did well out of that, despite the missing Golf - the Pug goes for about £15 without the rest of the set. Not especially into slot car stuff but couldn't leave it there for 50p. Main problem is postage as it's fairly big and heavy

Yeah must sort out a meet up.  Any trips direction M4 corridor coming up?

[bunglebus]

Have got a jaunt to Scotland next month but not got too many details yet

[bunglebus]

Found another approximate copy of the Gruesome Twosome

base reads ITEM NUMBER 3127 MADE IN HONG KONG 

there are a couple of obvious broken bits, not quite sure what purpose they served 

trying to research obscure plastic toys is often a fruitless task. It did come with this Porsche which used to be remote controlled by wire

that one says MADE IN HONG KONG and TOYS in a cog logo

[155V6]

Another Norev Laguna just arrived,thanks to @bunglebus for the tip-off.This one is quite near to the colour of my real one,so I'm not sure whether to try & remove the tampos,or get some large Gendarmerie stickers made up 😁

I also got these two at the weekend the Accord because I really liked the colour scheme,& the Gasser  because it made me laugh.

[bunglebus]

On 4/13/2021 at 6:02 PM, flat4alfa said:

Made in Italy garish orange special

How's the casting on your orange one? Mine are both awful, the top of the right hand wing has a big problem - it seems to have been moulded so that it sticks out past the side trim

This is after a fairly aggressive sanding - tempted to get the finger sander on it!

Just as an aside, my better example has painted headlights, the tattier one had clear plastic

[Datsuncog]

On 4/17/2021 at 4:13 PM, RoadworkUK said:

This Grand National week saw me wandering into a local charity shop (about bloody time) and investing fifty pee on this Buick, er, Grand National.

It's quite a nice thing, even if it is a little proportionally unsound, and shows no evidence of having ever been played with.

The metallic / metalflake maroon doesn't quite pop on camera, but it's gert lush in the flesh, and the "remove once - lost forever" pop-off bonnet is quite fun.

And hey, it's for charidee.

That's nice; I had one just the same, and I was never quite sure if the bonnet was meant to come off completely or if there was something wrong with my example... a surprising design decision!

It was one of many I bought during my Halfords days, purely out of boredom, as we used to have clip-strips of them next to the till.

They could travel a surprising distance on a polished floor...

[Split_Pin]

22 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Have got a jaunt to Scotland next month but not got too many details yet

Give us a shout when you are passing chap, I'm near Falkirk! Sadly there are no model shops up this way any more, they've either shut down or gone online. The monthly swapmeet is OK but Covid saw it off over a year ago.

[flat4alfa]

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

It did come with this Porsche which used to be remote controlled by wire

What size is that Langheck 935 ?

[bunglebus]

24 minutes ago, Datsuncog said:

That's nice; I had one just the same, and I was never quite sure if the bonnet was meant to come off completely or if there was something wrong with my example... a surprising design decision!

It is an odd idea as the front is easily lost - and probably had to be revised due to 'elf and safety

12 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Give us a shout when you are passing chap, I'm near Falkirk! Sadly there are no model shops up this way any more, they've either shut down or gone online. The monthly swapmeet is OK but Covid saw it off over a year ago.

Going to Perth, unfortunately I won't get a lot of free time other than sneaking off on my lunch to do a bit of Hot Wheels hunting!

[bunglebus]

3 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

What size is that Langheck 935 ?

Fairly big - about 208x91mm

[flat4alfa]

1 hour ago, bunglebus said:

How's the casting on your orange one? Mine are both awful, the top of the right hand wing has a big problem - it seems to have been moulded so that it sticks out past the side trim

This is after a fairly aggressive sanding - tempted to get the finger sander on it!

Just as an aside, my better example has painted headlights, the tattier one had clear plastic

Top of wing is ok but it has the same odd ‘split’ to the coach line on that side. Ok on the other.  They must have damaged  the die when removing the Volvo badge further down ?

[bunglebus]

Found another on eBay that seems the same. I hadn't realised there was a change to the casting from the UK produced ones

[flat4alfa]

Also noticed the coach line on the ‘damaged’ side is shorter at the rear than the other side.  Equal length on the English ones.  

[Noel Tidybeard]

22 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Also noticed the coach line on the ‘damaged’ side is shorter at the rear than the other side.  Equal length on the English ones.  

there should be a vent at the end of the trim line

[bunglebus]

That's another poor area on mine, the "shoulder" along the side is all wrong under the rear side window on the right

But OK on the left

Doing a bit of internet research, all the orange ones have the dodgy wing

and quarter panel

But so do the beige ones, which were made in England - so I think we can blame Dinky rather than Polistil

[OM646]

On 17/04/2021 at 20:34, FakeConcern said:

I've been continuing with my quest to own a model of a Volvo C30 in every scale available and first got a 1/43 Cararama from Amazon having been mucked about on ebay...

It's very well detailed for a fairly small scale...

I also got these three together on ebay...

Scale is 1/72...

Also very well detailed...

 

Because they're made by Hongwell (Cararama I believe)

Here next to a Matchbox example for an idea on the scale and also how good they are, the Matchbox looks pretty nice on its own, but next to these...

1:43 Cararamas are exceptional value. Love my white one!