Shite in Miniature II

[sierraman]

The Prarie is the rarer colour combination. I have the silver one.

[Pillock]

I had the Mercury Stable decades ago, and never actually knew what it was. But I do remember the glass tailgate with the white top.

I was always quite fond of that era Matchbox, with the springier suspension and dished wheels.

[eddyramrod]

Predictably, I have several of those Sables, all purchased long before I owned a full-size one!

[junkyarddog]

This was a  matchbox Roller convertible,

all these seem to be found with the windscreen either missing or broken.

Decided to turn it into a coupe,using the roof and glazing from a Hot wheels 07 mustang.

 

Not that happy with it,but decided to show it anyway.

[Christine]

Tesco's put out a new box of hotwheels tonight ..just as i went in for a packet of biscuits    £1.50  Lots of American muscle ...can't be arsed to get me camera so pinched pics off ebay     

 

 Just dunking them in my coffee..........

 

 

 

 

[mercrocker]

This was a  matchbox Roller convertible,

all these seem to be found with the windscreen either missing or broken.

Decided to turn it into a coupe,using the roof and glazing from a Hot wheels 07 mustang.

 

Not that happy with it,but decided to show it anyway.

 

 

Idea has potential....I immediately thought of this when I saw the first pic - 

 

 

[andrew e]

Beast FTW - did John Dodd's folly ever get modelled?

[mercrocker]

Don't think so, but Junkman will probably know.....

[Christine]

Spitfire engine ..out of a tank wannit?

[mercrocker]

Boulton-Paul Defiant, IIRC. 

 

A fighter that was then used as RAF trainer. 

 

 

Like this.... 

 

 

[sierraman]

The version shown in the picture caught fire, then got remodelled as it is today.

[junkyarddog]

Have lots of bits 'n pieces in the scrap pile,

decided to combine some into Mad Max road warrior style cars.

 

 

Good fun to make,quite pleased with them.

[mercrocker]

Hot Rod Horsey Horseless!   Love it....We used to make stuff like this with left over* (i.e. CBA to make it properly) bits from Airfix and Revell aeroplanes and battleships.  

[Felly Magic]

I see Jack Odell snook his name on to that donor engine (backwards if you notice), as he worked for MBX before starting his own firm

[Felly Magic]

Mr Lobster is evil, he just made me part with monies for something in a scale I haven't collected in a while, a 1/24 scale Sappy Cossie partwork doobry, almost certain to get OMFGSCENETAXYO.

 

On another note, my local Poundland had in a dump bin full of Matchbox/Hotwheels, 1/43 scale Dodge Viper's and Maserati coupe's which look like DeAgostini partworks

[eddyramrod]

Oh that's where those partwork cars have gone now?  They've disappeared from my two branches since I bought the DB4 (which is lovely).

[Split_Pin]

I think bargain books have some too.

[Junkman]

There has been some diecast receivage.
 

































 
Actually, this one isn't a diecast. It's made from "Composite", which I think is a fancy word for what we used to call plastic.
 

[Mr Lobster]

There has been some diecast receivage.

  

Actually, this one isn't a diecast. It's made from "Composite", which I think is a fancy word for what we used to call plastic.

 

 

 

These are what we sometimes refer to as 'melty' Don't leave it in direct sunlight or anywhere too hot as they do have a tendency to do things they aren't supposed to. Ask me how I know etc...

[Junkman]

Thanks for the tip!

 

Good thing my models are kept captive inside their boxes in a dark dungeon.

[mercrocker]

Also known by me as "Norev Fatigue"......

[RayMK]

Also known by me as "Norev Fatigue"......

 

I'll have to find my 1960s Norev Renault 4 van to see if it is still ok.  Real car dashboards and man made fabrics deteriorate in the sun, so Norev problems should not be a surprise.  Presumably, modern plastics are more resistant to U/V and heat damage.

[Junkman]

It depends which 'modern' plastic is used.

Those yank styrene models seem to last quite well. The earliest ones I have are from 1958 and they are like new.

But anything made from acetate or similar is d00mt.

[Split_Pin]

It's the diecast Norevs you have to watch. I had a lovely Audi A6 that cost quite a bit crumble to pieces in front of me.

[Junkman]

Sadly that happens with more diecasts, even from the highest end manufacturers.

It's called zinc pest and caused by an incorrect proportion of metals in the alloy.

The effect occurs years after casting, so it will pass initial quality control.

[Bren]

Hot wheels redlines do it spectacularly.

[RayMK]

In the early 1980s my dad was digging his garden and found a Dinky Post Office van, probably the immediately post war issue.  It was in a terrible state and he almost chucked it there and then.  Fortunately, he kept it to show me and gave it to me as I seemed to be keen.  After much effort and body filler it actually looked decent.  Years went by, and the filler was rejected.  More attempts to rectify it were made but it still deteriorated after a few years.  

 

Yesterday I rushed upstairs to find the Norev Renault 4, pretty sure that I knew where it was.  Well, it wasn't.  Nor were the Hubbly Ford Model A metal kits (built) that I mentioned a while ago.  This means that they are in the loft.  Since I put a box or two of stuff up there (20 years ago?), I have lost the ability to safely climb a ladder, so retrieving them requires the co-operation of my son.  Watch this space.  It will eventually come up trumps with some lousy photographs.

[Split_Pin]

Check online for a 'hit-list' of 1/18 models that are prone to zinc pest.

 

It's like Russian Roulette (pun intended) buying anything made in what was the USSR. I've lost 2 to it already and I have only ever bought about 25 or so 1/43 scale examples in my lifetime.

[Junkman]

Did someone say warped Norevs?
 

[Spottedlaurel]

Real car dashboards and man made fabrics deteriorate in the sun...........

 

Imagine how stupid it would be to leave models on a dashboard in the sun then.

 

Model car mishap by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Sadly I don't need to imagine......

 

Edit: This photo was back at home, I don't have that flowery oilcloth on my dashboard.