The Morris Minor neglects to have a registration plate present
The leaked copies of Issue 131 ALSO lacked license plates, though had all other details. I wonder what the two unseen Ixo issues will bring (and yes, I'm still waiting for my Minor)? Putting black trim on the convertible top might correct it, though. Upon another viewing of TB, it actually is blue, not black, although it's a slightly darker shade of blue than the body. It also has black trim, as mentioned, but with very little work, maybe adding on a matte coat once you've done the black trim, you could correct it.
In essence, it was launched by GE Fabbri in France in August 2006 and in the United Kingdom in January 2007, after trial runs in France earlier in 2005/6 (using the Norev & Eligor models).
Though I was aware of the Wiikipedia entry, confess I had really only mostly looked at the model list and not the upper history section.
Regardless, this explains why there are significant differences between, say, the Lotus {sub} offered in France and the one in the UK.
It does beg the question, though: Why retool? I recognize the manufacturers would under other circumstances be competitors but since the idea here is to produce identical product, why not just shift the tooling from one to another? Having been a product designer, I can't imagine it's cheaper to start over rather than ship the steel.
Besides the raise of the prise, I also see that the dutch site of the collection and where you could order back-issues is not longer there!
Could that mean that they would stop sooner than number 135? Of course I could give them a call, but I know that these persons on the telephone generally do not know the answer and just answer what you like to hear.
So what do you guys think?
Looking at the Wikipedia article referred to in my post above, I see the poor Morris Minor has already received a "error" credit, namely: ............ and the folded up roof is the incorrect colour; being that of the car's body.
I wonder who adds this stuff to Wikipedia. If people are going to report 'errors' they need to say what they feel the 'correct' specification to be. In other words does this person think the hood should be a different shade of blue or do they think it should be black, white, or red perhaps? The folded hood in the IMCDb screenshot appears blue, possibly with red lining and white edging. Granted, it's not quite body coloured in the photo, but it's not a million miles off. In this instance, with the car only being on screen for a few moments in a really old movie plus being a non-standard UK 'export' (LHD) model, the model makers probably took their best guess at the hood colour and IMHO came close enough. In terms of the JBCC it's nowhere near the sort of notable 'errors' that we've seen in the past.
I cannot believe I'm defending a model of a Morris Minor.
128 (thunderball)I cant believe I too am going to defend the Morris. The model is brilliant ! I can live with no number plates but that is an easy fix. No figures basic diorama but in all dare I say a welcome addition to the collection.
129 (FRWL) is the stunning Ford Ranch Wagon , what a car. I am not familiar with the car but from my point a view another welcome addition. Again no figures and a basic diorama, in all a nice model.
130 is confirmed as the Wales and Edward Rangemaster Milk Float.
Thanks for the pictures, they both look like good models. I don't personally hate the Minor, but then I've never been in one. I think of it as being "a nice car for someone else to own" , like so many others.
Necros' milkfloat is going to be a real winner. He is such an amusing character.
Great photos Diecast007 - thanks! I've just got my order in for the Ranch Wagon.
The Minor looks like it's going to have an opening bonnet in one of its future incarnations. And the folded hood looks fine to me all things considered. If anyone's really that fussed a quick paint over in a slightly darker shade of blue should do the job. Does anybody know if the licence plate was actually shown in the movie? If it wasn't, that would explain its absence.
Thanks for the pictures, they both look like good models. I don't personally hate the Minor, but then I've never been in one. I think of it as being "a nice car for someone else to own" , like so many others.
Necros' milkfloat is going to be a real winner. He is such an amusing character.
I really hope they incorporate a figure with this one, it'll be essential for the humour of it I reckon, and it won't be easy to fabricate if not included.
Thanks for the photos of the Ranch Wagon, Diecast! After the plain bases of the Savoy and Ram I am starting to appreciate the beauty of the "Ixo Standard Gravel Base".
Besides the raise of the prise, I also see that the dutch site of the collection and where you could order back-issues is not longer there!
Could that mean that they would stop sooner than number 135? Of course I could give them a call, but I know that these persons on the telephone generally do not know the answer and just answer what you like to hear.
So what do you guys think?
I think that they wouldn't announce to raise the price if they plan to end the series soon. That wouldn't make any sense. I think that for the Netherlands only one printing will be made, and when this edition is sold out there will be no reprints. So probably they have sold out of a lot of back numbers and will not get new stock. Unlike the English issues which have been reprinted, as they can also be sold in South Africa and Australia.
I have to say I am quite surprised that the Dutch magazine has been so cheap for such a long time. I don't think the higher price is related to Ixo, just that the Dutch distributor tried to keep the initial price as long as possible. The German magazine was already raised from €12.95 to 13.95 with issue 34, long before Ixo was on board. Austria and Luxemburg had €14.-- (and Switzerland sFr 24.-- - that's about €20!) from issue 2 but had no raise since then. As the German-language edition is printed in far higher numbers I think that it should have been cheaper than the Dutch. So the Netherlands have actually gotten six cars for free when taking the German price as a guideline.
I really hope they incorporate a figure with this one, it'll be essential for the humour of it I reckon, and it won't be easy to fabricate if not included.
I really can not warm to the latest issues without figures. There have been a few highlights but overall I find these last models very poor. The Dodge ambulance was exciting but the rest are again very poor, be it the MR Rolls (well, I am not one to say "Told you so!" but Dalko, I have to say "Told you so!" as it is the UH as predicted by me), Continental convertible (terrible windshield) or the Minor. Still think this car has no place in this collection but maybe can fill an empty space on some choo-choo-train layout.
Regardless, this explains why there are significant differences between, say, the Lotus {sub} offered in France and the one in the UK.
It does beg the question, though: Why retool? I recognize the manufacturers would under other circumstances be competitors but since the idea here is to produce identical product, why not just shift the tooling from one to another? Having been a product designer, I can't imagine it's cheaper to start over rather than ship the steel.
But the Lotus sub is just the same casting as the earlier Norev version, as far as I know (see p. 104), so they did exactly that - not retool. UH's DB5 is the former Eligor casting; the Vanquish, Esprit sub and Zao's XKR are Norev's castings re-used by UH. Only the Z8 differs considerably, as do the diorama bases. What differences do you see between the Norev and UH Esprits?
Rainier Wolfcastle wrote:
I think that they wouldn't announce to raise the price if they plan to end the series soon. That wouldn't make any sense. I think that for the Netherlands only one printing will be made, and when this edition is sold out there will be no reprints. So probably they have sold out of a lot of back numbers and will not get new stock. Unlike the English issues which have been reprinted, as they can also be sold in South Africa and Australia.
I have to say I am quite surprised that the Dutch magazine has been so cheap for such a long time. I don't think the higher price is related to Ixo, just that the Dutch distributor tried to keep the initial price as long as possible. The German magazine was already raised from €12.95 to 13.95 with issue 34, long before Ixo was on board. Austria and Luxemburg had €14.-- (and Switzerland sFr 24.-- - that's about €20!) from issue 2 but had no raise since then. As the German-language edition is printed in far higher numbers I think that it should have been cheaper than the Dutch.
The publisher wrote that it is due to earlier price rishes. They never charge it before to us, but now they said they have to.
Since I'm not a subscriber, I really have to go early to the shop, because they only get 2 or 3. And if I miss it, then I can only backorder the English one or eBay. But I have all the magazines in Dutch, so I have to be early at the shop or see if I can arrange that they hold back one issue for me.
But the Lotus sub is just the same casting as the earlier Norev version, as far as I know (see p. 104), so they did exactly that - not retool. UH's DB5 is the former Eligor casting; the Vanquish, Esprit sub and Zao's XKR are Norev's castings re-used by UH. Only the Z8 differs considerably, as do the diorama bases. What differences do you see between the Norev and UH Esprits?
It's been a couple of years at least since I had them (the French and UK models) apart but as I recall, the diorama bases are quite different and, more importantly, I believe the way the models themselves mounted to the base was different; I wanted to swap the "cars" but couldn't.
Yes, the diorama bases are different, and it is a bit strange why they had to remodel them instead of just using the same (especially as the DB5 and Esprit dioramas look almost identical). That the cars don't fit on another base is probably just because the drill holes have a different distance but that doesn't mean they had to alter the moulds, other than changing the text on the baseplate.
Did you receive the magazines, too? I have never seen one of the early French magazines, do you know if they have a different layout or content from the later issues?
Yes, the diorama bases are different, and it is a bit strange why they had to remodel them instead of just using the same (especially as the DB5 and Esprit dioramas look almost identical). That the cars don't fit on another base is probably just because the drill holes have a different distance but that doesn't mean they had to alter the moulds, other than changing the text on the baseplate.
Did you receive the magazines, too? I have never seen one of the early French magazines, do you know if they have a different layout or content from the later issues?
Oddly, molding plastic actually puts more wear on tooling than casting metal so there is rationale for retooling the bases ... but only if the original tooling had been running hundreds of thousands of units over several years, which couldn't have been the case.
Again, I haven't looked at them in awhile but it wasn't just the screws; I recall the actual receptacle in the underside of the model being different.
[Which brings up another silly point: Why the safety screws in the UK? Is there really a fear that some child is going to swallow an entire Dragon Tank or something?!]
Yes, I have both the French and English magazines for the few models I purchased before the scheme was launched in the UK; they're effectively the same save for some very minor layout changes to allow for the differences in the amount of space the text takes, French running longer.
128 (thunderball)I cant believe I too am going to defend the Morris. The model is brilliant ! I can live with no number plates but that is an easy fix. No figures basic diorama but in all dare I say a welcome addition to the collection.
129 (FRWL) is the stunning Ford Ranch Wagon , what a car. I am not familiar with the car but from my point a view another welcome addition. Again no figures and a basic diorama, in all a nice model.
130 is confirmed as the Wales and Edward Rangemaster Milk Float.
Enjoy the photos
For those of you who have not seen these .
Also we are now at 129 so three more deliveries and that's it ! Stating the obvious I know but now is the time to really push for an extension . I am going to write to eagle moss and see if I can get an official line on why the collection is being halted. I am not disputing anyone on the forum , I just think its really strange how nothing official has been posted on the james bond car collection website or indeed to us the subscribers.
Certainly I agree and have said before the models do come alive with detail such as figures or token road decor and our two newest issues look good are of an acceptable standard but would have been enhanced considerably with the addition of figures and detailed diorama. The Ford Ranch wagon does look good but I am not sure if it is the correct colour . The magazine shows the vehicle in the movie and it appears to be very pale blue in some of the pictures but one picture it appears cream as we have in the model ?????
The canopy for the Morris is adequate and in real life would have been either grey, white or dark blue . As much as I dislike the Morris as a diecast this one is a good one far superior to the corgi/ vanguard versions.
I have been collecting diecast for many years with the majority of my collection being loyal to corgi. One thing though since subscribing to this I have bought less corgi. This collection has been fantastic value and at £7.99 per piece it's a bargain so in some ways the faults are insignificant. I just bought a corgi vanguard and was charged £16.99 cheapest I could find at that moment for the said model. £9 more how can that be justifiable? I read the Dutch collection has had a price increase, I am surprised here in the uk we have not also had an increase . £9.99 even £12.99 the collection would still be worth the money. Though figures would need to make a guaranteed return as would the detailed dioramas on a par with early issues.
Which brings up another silly point: Why the safety screws in the UK? Is there really a fear that some child is going to swallow an entire Dragon Tank or something?!
Usually awkward screws such as the 3 point type used to attach the UH models are used to stop 'DIY interference' either from a UK Health and Safety nannying point of view (we have a lot of that in the UK, directed at grown adults) or to make consumers visit expensive retailers to get repairs done. This is common with cars sold in the UK - dealers want customers to pay through the nose for the simplest of problems, such as replacing a light bulb, so often fit weird screw types on the units to make DIY as difficult as possible, or downright impossible without the right tools.
It doesn't appear that the JBCC 3 point screws are fitted for either of these reasons, so it could well have been a money-saving decision. Bulk buying the 3 point screws rather than crossheads may have been cheaper, or the factory was possibly already geared up for fitting 3 point types on other die-cast jobs.
The Ford Ranch Wagon is very poor? In what way? This is actually a VERY good model of the real car from my initial impressions, though I'd obviously have to compare it to real photos. I'll get back to you on this one.
EDIT: Checked it out against several photos. The side mirrors/reflectors at first appear to be oversized, but are correct for an export model. As for the actual body and wheels, nothing appears to be particularly problematic. The color is wrong for the two-door, but correct for the four-door (FRWL was rather notable for its automotive continuity gaffes).
As for the Minor, I wouldn't call it "very poor", though I would call it middling. The UH Rolls-Royce is a notch below the Minor, which at the very least is formed correctly. The UH Continental is horrible; I won't be getting either one of the UH models. The Continental almost appears to have a reworked windshield from another car in the collection; it's not even close to any factory Lincoln pictures.
EDIT AGAIN: This leaves the Wales & Edwards Rangemaster and Land Rover Defender 110 (a Discovery will not be making an appearance in Skyfall) as the only two unseen models. I'm betting the collection ends after that.
The Ford Ranch wagon does look good but I am not sure if it is the correct colour . The magazine shows the vehicle in the movie and it appears to be very pale blue in some of the pictures but one picture it appears cream as we have in the model ?????
The canopy for the Morris is adequate and in real life would have been either grey, white or dark blue . As much as I dislike the Morris as a diecast this one is a good one far superior to the corgi/ vanguard versions.
As I remember there were two Ranch Wagons used in FRWL, the pale blue was a 2-door and the cream was a 4-door. One appears only in the level crossing scene, which might have been filmed nowhere near Turkey where the other's scenes were filmed.
The Vanguards Morris Minor Drophead was originally released by Corgi Classics in 1994 so ought to be judged by the standard of that time. The tooling was improved by Corgi when it was added to the Vanguards range towards the end of 2001 (front end greatly improved, for one thing) but it's still an old mould.
As far as another extension goes, I am ambivalent. There is definitely scope for more models to be included, but I am not keen if it means a slow-down in deliveries again - one model a month doesn't work for me ... and that's my 2c worth on that.
Which brings up another silly point: Why the safety screws in the UK? Is there really a fear that some child is going to swallow an entire Dragon Tank or something?!
Usually awkward screws such as the 3 point type used to attach the UH models are used to stop 'DIY interference' either from a UK Health and Safety nannying point of view (we have a lot of that in the UK, directed at grown adults) or to make consumers visit expensive retailers to get repairs done. This is common with cars sold in the UK - dealers want customers to pay through the nose for the simplest of problems, such as replacing a light bulb, so often fit weird screw types on the units to make DIY as difficult as possible, or downright impossible without the right tools.
It doesn't appear that the JBCC 3 point screws are fitted for either of these reasons, so it could well have been a money-saving decision. Bulk buying the 3 point screws rather than crossheads may have been cheaper, or the factory was possibly already geared up for fitting 3 point types on other die-cast jobs.
Yes how many times have we heard by a tradesman or retailer ' special bit required' . The worst example I have heard was somebody wanted a replacement ford badge for their mondeo to be told that will cost £345 plus Vat . You can't buy the badge on it own you need to buy the whole grill...........
Back to topic, can you buy a tool to fit the screw head never seen one or is that also a special bit
Dalko, have you looked at the model and the original on IMCDB? What are these things on the front fenders? Parking lights? On the model they are about the size of rearview mirrors. And the colour? Again "faded", this time to white? For you it may be a VERY good model, for me it isn't. But then I generally do not worship Ixo like you seem to do. If one doesn't care for the Bond connection, just buying whatever car fits on his layout - I wouldn't even call this "collecting" without a given theme - then this may be a good model, as the Chevy C-30. For me, as these are not part of my core collecting interest, as they have no connection to the film as they are modelled, they are not good models as part of the JBCC.
Edit: OK, the pale blue was the 2-door, so I am wrong here. Would have been the more interesting model, IMO. Ixo's QC again poor, as the left "fender thingy" is crooked on DC007's.
Have you looked at the model and the original on IMCDB?
No. I avoided it because there were two cars used, a four-door and a two-door. The IMCDB entry gives you the two-door, which is light blue and filmed in Turkey. The four-door, which is white, was filmed in the UK and has UK-spec side mirrors. Watch the movie before you jump to a conclusion of such a ridiculous nature.
Ixo's QC again poor, as the left "fender thingy" is crooked on DC007's.
Will have to see the model to judge QC...one model does not an entire production run make. Heck, I have Brooklins with misshapen tires. As for the fender thingies, they are parking lights, not side mirrors (sorry), watch the film closely: the gympsy camp scene is filmed in the UK, while the driving scenes are filmed in Turkey. Something similar occurs with the truck being pushed across the tracks was filmed in Turkey (a Fargo D300; the first letter of the badging when viewed in hi-def is not a "D", but it has five letters, so not a DeSoto) but the truck's other scenes were filmed in the UK (with a 1961 Chevrolet Apache 1-Ton Stakebed, replete with British spec parking lights required on trucks imported during that period). You COULD buy a left-hand drive passenger car in the UK in the early 1960's, but it had to meet certain import specifications, including the parking lights.
Have just looked on imcdb and if RW expected that car they have put wrong number of doors on as well as getting colour wrong and putting extraneous items on front wings. Before criticising the jbcc model I would want to look at the film again like it says on imcdb this is a continuity error and two cars were used. Maybe someone will snatch the scenes where bond got out of the car to see how good a model it is.
On screws in base both uh and ixo used the funny triangular heads and ixo have a screwdriver available which you'll see quite often on ebay.
The morris looks okay too even if I already have the corgi.
Looking forward to both models but not looking forward to uh models to come. I'll nail my colors to the mast ixo are better than uh and we will see that as the series dies off.
Okay, just watched the film (well the two relevant scenes...note that the car looks bluish [kind of; not in the closeups] at night, but I believe this to be lighting-related...when it departs the gypsy camp, it's the same color as this one). The parking guides are just that, parking guides, as opposed to side mirrors. Mea culpa. However, they're also oversized when compared to even the RHD Galaxie (imported into the UK as a sedan in 1960). Believe it or not, they are correctly sized. A good scale in the film itself was using the letter "F" in the word "FORD" just above the grille. However, the lights are also ring-shaped and flat at the front and back. In other words, you have to drill a small hole through the center of each light and file them flat to get them correct. I'll need to actually have the model in hand before I can tell what kind of drill bit I need and just how much filing I'm going to have to do, but it's not that big of a deal.
Which brings up another silly point: Why the safety screws in the UK? Is there really a fear that some child is going to swallow an entire Dragon Tank or something?!
Usually awkward screws such as the 3 point type used to attach the UH models are used to stop 'DIY interference' either from a UK Health and Safety nannying point of view (we have a lot of that in the UK, directed at grown adults) or to make consumers visit expensive retailers to get repairs done. This is common with cars sold in the UK - dealers want customers to pay through the nose for the simplest of problems, such as replacing a light bulb, so often fit weird screw types on the units to make DIY as difficult as possible, or downright impossible without the right tools.
It doesn't appear that the JBCC 3 point screws are fitted for either of these reasons, so it could well have been a money-saving decision. Bulk buying the 3 point screws rather than crossheads may have been cheaper, or the factory was possibly already geared up for fitting 3 point types on other die-cast jobs.
Yes how many times have we heard by a tradesman or retailer ' special bit required' . The worst example I have heard was somebody wanted a replacement ford badge for their mondeo to be told that will cost £345 plus Vat . You can't buy the badge on it own you need to buy the whole grill...........
Back to topic, can you buy a tool to fit the screw head never seen one or is that also a special bit
The screwdrivers are called 'tri-wings' and as Maz says there's a load of them on eBay:
Alternatively you can get 'socket/driver' sets with tons of different size heads with different configurations - star, crosshead, tri-wing etc etc from UK 'cheap' stores or from eBay, like this set:
I would advise getting a variety of sizes, like would come with the 'socket/driver set', as the standard (branded) Ixo screwdriver is too large for the triangular screws used on UH bases.
Dalko, have you looked at the model and the original on IMCDB? What are these things on the front fenders? Parking lights? On the model they are about the size of rearview mirrors. And the colour? Again "faded", this time to white? For you it may be a VERY good model, for me it isn't. But then I generally do not worship Ixo like you seem to do. If one doesn't care for the Bond connection, just buying whatever car fits on his layout - I wouldn't even call this "collecting" without a given theme - then this may be a good model, as the Chevy C-30. For me, as these are not part of my core collecting interest, as they have no connection to the film as they are modelled, they are not good models as part of the JBCC.
Edit: OK, the pale blue was the 2-door, so I am wrong here. Would have been the more interesting model, IMO. Ixo's QC again poor, as the left "fender thingy" is crooked on DC007's.
Ok to settle this debate on the small objects at the end of each wing take a look at the picture
When I first opened the box i thought strange for such a big car such small wing/fender mirrors, it wasn't until i opened the magazine it actually explains what they are. They are called parking markers and on this car they were nicknamed 'Gunsight' ornaments on top of the front fender. They were designed to offer the driver reference points for the front of the car and help make parking in tight spots easier. So actually they look ok considering the size of the model. Anything bigger would look out of scale
Regarding the colour I agree with Dal 110 as in the magazine the two pictures are clearly day and night so would give a reasonable explanation of the contrasting colours. Another explanation would be continuity in the 60's might not have been as high on the agenda when FRWL was made . As some of the scenes were at night and in a different country it was highly likely to save on cost they thought they could get away with it having two different cars with light shades albeit one white and one pale blue. Lets face it most of the cinema audience would not notice anyway , its only diecast collectors who would notice something like that anyway. The pale blue one is actually foor door as per magazine photo of film shot. maybe three cars were used ??
Wrong number of doors, not sure where this is coming from as the car is a four door station wagon as seen in the movie???
Ones reasoning for collecting is neither here or there. In fact if you want to buy diecast string them up and spray them silver thats the individuals choice. What one does with ones models is their business. We all have favourite manufacturers , ive said already i could not see beyond corgi at one stage anything else was not a true collectable diecast . I have grown older and wiser and its the model that counts not the company that makes it.
Thanks for the links for 'special' screw driver , a purchase is necessary me thinks
I would advise getting a variety of sizes, like would come with the 'socket/driver set', as the standard (branded) Ixo screwdriver is too large for the triangular screws used on UH bases.
Okay, got on the phone with my uncle (who both works for Ford and is an unofficial Ford historian) and he confirmed that the parking markers varied in size for foreign markets. Further, for markets using right-hand drive, only one marker was fitted as standard. A second was optional. I have no idea why this is, but if you google "RHD 1960 Ford Galaxie", you'll see exactly what he told me. Regardless of size, parking markers were made of metal (chromed) and were flat on both sides with a roughly 2.5" hole through the center.
The pale blue one is actually foor door as per magazine photo of film shot. maybe three cars were used ??
With early 1960's color film, it's always difficult to tell regarding the color of an object at night. When Bond leaves at dusk the next day, the car hasn't changed. It's still a four-door wagon. BUT it seems to have lost quite a bit of color...
If you put the film on, it's even starker. When Bond and Kerim leave the Gypsy camp and Bond asks Kerim "did you get that package from the hotel?" they do a pan shot of the car...which is stark white. Bond also gets in the car by opening one of the rear doors...while Kerim is sitting up front behind the wheel.
Ones reasoning for collecting is neither here or there. In fact if you want to buy diecast string them up and spray them silver thats the individuals choice. What one does with ones models is their business. We all have favourite manufacturers , ive said already i could not see beyond corgi at one stage anything else was not a true collectable diecast . I have grown older and wiser and its the model that counts not the company that makes it.
Well said. It's very easy to be dismissive of someone else's collecting habits/motives just because they don't match your own. Far less easy to be more open-minded and try to understand different approaches to what is essentially the same hobby, which ultimately could be rewarding. A bit like power boat fans never giving yacht sailing a go, and vice-versa.
As far as favourite manufacturers go, I tried that years ago and didn't get on with it. Either you end up as a 'completist' spending hundreds on models you don't really want but think you ought to buy(especially repeats in different colours), or else your 'favourite' changes direction and the collection reaches a bit of an unsatisfying end. My mantra remains the same: If you like it, buy it. Don't worry who makes it. If it turns out to be less than you were hoping for, sell it and forget it.
Comments
The leaked copies of Issue 131 ALSO lacked license plates, though had all other details. I wonder what the two unseen Ixo issues will bring (and yes, I'm still waiting for my Minor)? Putting black trim on the convertible top might correct it, though. Upon another viewing of TB, it actually is blue, not black, although it's a slightly darker shade of blue than the body. It also has black trim, as mentioned, but with very little work, maybe adding on a matte coat once you've done the black trim, you could correct it.
Though I was aware of the Wiikipedia entry, confess I had really only mostly looked at the model list and not the upper history section.
Regardless, this explains why there are significant differences between, say, the Lotus {sub} offered in France and the one in the UK.
It does beg the question, though: Why retool? I recognize the manufacturers would under other circumstances be competitors but since the idea here is to produce identical product, why not just shift the tooling from one to another? Having been a product designer, I can't imagine it's cheaper to start over rather than ship the steel.
Could that mean that they would stop sooner than number 135? Of course I could give them a call, but I know that these persons on the telephone generally do not know the answer and just answer what you like to hear.
So what do you guys think?
I wonder who adds this stuff to Wikipedia. If people are going to report 'errors' they need to say what they feel the 'correct' specification to be. In other words does this person think the hood should be a different shade of blue or do they think it should be black, white, or red perhaps? The folded hood in the IMCDb screenshot appears blue, possibly with red lining and white edging. Granted, it's not quite body coloured in the photo, but it's not a million miles off. In this instance, with the car only being on screen for a few moments in a really old movie plus being a non-standard UK 'export' (LHD) model, the model makers probably took their best guess at the hood colour and IMHO came close enough. In terms of the JBCC it's nowhere near the sort of notable 'errors' that we've seen in the past.
I cannot believe I'm defending a model of a Morris Minor.
Looks good to me
128 (thunderball)I cant believe I too am going to defend the Morris. The model is brilliant ! I can live with no number plates but that is an easy fix. No figures basic diorama but in all dare I say a welcome addition to the collection.
129 (FRWL) is the stunning Ford Ranch Wagon , what a car. I am not familiar with the car but from my point a view another welcome addition. Again no figures and a basic diorama, in all a nice model.
130 is confirmed as the Wales and Edward Rangemaster Milk Float.
Enjoy the photos
Necros' milkfloat is going to be a real winner. He is such an amusing character.
The Minor looks like it's going to have an opening bonnet in one of its future incarnations. And the folded hood looks fine to me all things considered. If anyone's really that fussed a quick paint over in a slightly darker shade of blue should do the job. Does anybody know if the licence plate was actually shown in the movie? If it wasn't, that would explain its absence.
I really hope they incorporate a figure with this one, it'll be essential for the humour of it I reckon, and it won't be easy to fabricate if not included.
I think that they wouldn't announce to raise the price if they plan to end the series soon. That wouldn't make any sense. I think that for the Netherlands only one printing will be made, and when this edition is sold out there will be no reprints. So probably they have sold out of a lot of back numbers and will not get new stock. Unlike the English issues which have been reprinted, as they can also be sold in South Africa and Australia.
I have to say I am quite surprised that the Dutch magazine has been so cheap for such a long time. I don't think the higher price is related to Ixo, just that the Dutch distributor tried to keep the initial price as long as possible. The German magazine was already raised from €12.95 to 13.95 with issue 34, long before Ixo was on board. Austria and Luxemburg had €14.-- (and Switzerland sFr 24.-- - that's about €20!) from issue 2 but had no raise since then. As the German-language edition is printed in far higher numbers I think that it should have been cheaper than the Dutch. So the Netherlands have actually gotten six cars for free when taking the German price as a guideline.
But the Lotus sub is just the same casting as the earlier Norev version, as far as I know (see p. 104), so they did exactly that - not retool. UH's DB5 is the former Eligor casting; the Vanquish, Esprit sub and Zao's XKR are Norev's castings re-used by UH. Only the Z8 differs considerably, as do the diorama bases. What differences do you see between the Norev and UH Esprits?
Since I'm not a subscriber, I really have to go early to the shop, because they only get 2 or 3. And if I miss it, then I can only backorder the English one or eBay. But I have all the magazines in Dutch, so I have to be early at the shop or see if I can arrange that they hold back one issue for me.
It's been a couple of years at least since I had them (the French and UK models) apart but as I recall, the diorama bases are quite different and, more importantly, I believe the way the models themselves mounted to the base was different; I wanted to swap the "cars" but couldn't.
Did you receive the magazines, too? I have never seen one of the early French magazines, do you know if they have a different layout or content from the later issues?
Oddly, molding plastic actually puts more wear on tooling than casting metal so there is rationale for retooling the bases ... but only if the original tooling had been running hundreds of thousands of units over several years, which couldn't have been the case.
Again, I haven't looked at them in awhile but it wasn't just the screws; I recall the actual receptacle in the underside of the model being different.
[Which brings up another silly point: Why the safety screws in the UK? Is there really a fear that some child is going to swallow an entire Dragon Tank or something?!]
Yes, I have both the French and English magazines for the few models I purchased before the scheme was launched in the UK; they're effectively the same save for some very minor layout changes to allow for the differences in the amount of space the text takes, French running longer.
For those of you who have not seen these .
Also we are now at 129 so three more deliveries and that's it ! Stating the obvious I know but now is the time to really push for an extension . I am going to write to eagle moss and see if I can get an official line on why the collection is being halted. I am not disputing anyone on the forum , I just think its really strange how nothing official has been posted on the james bond car collection website or indeed to us the subscribers.
Certainly I agree and have said before the models do come alive with detail such as figures or token road decor and our two newest issues look good are of an acceptable standard but would have been enhanced considerably with the addition of figures and detailed diorama. The Ford Ranch wagon does look good but I am not sure if it is the correct colour . The magazine shows the vehicle in the movie and it appears to be very pale blue in some of the pictures but one picture it appears cream as we have in the model ?????
The canopy for the Morris is adequate and in real life would have been either grey, white or dark blue . As much as I dislike the Morris as a diecast this one is a good one far superior to the corgi/ vanguard versions.
I have been collecting diecast for many years with the majority of my collection being loyal to corgi. One thing though since subscribing to this I have bought less corgi. This collection has been fantastic value and at £7.99 per piece it's a bargain so in some ways the faults are insignificant. I just bought a corgi vanguard and was charged £16.99 cheapest I could find at that moment for the said model. £9 more how can that be justifiable? I read the Dutch collection has had a price increase, I am surprised here in the uk we have not also had an increase . £9.99 even £12.99 the collection would still be worth the money. Though figures would need to make a guaranteed return as would the detailed dioramas on a par with early issues.
What do others think?
Usually awkward screws such as the 3 point type used to attach the UH models are used to stop 'DIY interference' either from a UK Health and Safety nannying point of view (we have a lot of that in the UK, directed at grown adults) or to make consumers visit expensive retailers to get repairs done. This is common with cars sold in the UK - dealers want customers to pay through the nose for the simplest of problems, such as replacing a light bulb, so often fit weird screw types on the units to make DIY as difficult as possible, or downright impossible without the right tools.
It doesn't appear that the JBCC 3 point screws are fitted for either of these reasons, so it could well have been a money-saving decision. Bulk buying the 3 point screws rather than crossheads may have been cheaper, or the factory was possibly already geared up for fitting 3 point types on other die-cast jobs.
The Ford Ranch Wagon is very poor? In what way? This is actually a VERY good model of the real car from my initial impressions, though I'd obviously have to compare it to real photos. I'll get back to you on this one.
EDIT: Checked it out against several photos. The side mirrors/reflectors at first appear to be oversized, but are correct for an export model. As for the actual body and wheels, nothing appears to be particularly problematic. The color is wrong for the two-door, but correct for the four-door (FRWL was rather notable for its automotive continuity gaffes).
As for the Minor, I wouldn't call it "very poor", though I would call it middling. The UH Rolls-Royce is a notch below the Minor, which at the very least is formed correctly. The UH Continental is horrible; I won't be getting either one of the UH models. The Continental almost appears to have a reworked windshield from another car in the collection; it's not even close to any factory Lincoln pictures.
EDIT AGAIN: This leaves the Wales & Edwards Rangemaster and Land Rover Defender 110 (a Discovery will not be making an appearance in Skyfall) as the only two unseen models. I'm betting the collection ends after that.
As I remember there were two Ranch Wagons used in FRWL, the pale blue was a 2-door and the cream was a 4-door. One appears only in the level crossing scene, which might have been filmed nowhere near Turkey where the other's scenes were filmed.
The Vanguards Morris Minor Drophead was originally released by Corgi Classics in 1994 so ought to be judged by the standard of that time. The tooling was improved by Corgi when it was added to the Vanguards range towards the end of 2001 (front end greatly improved, for one thing) but it's still an old mould.
As far as another extension goes, I am ambivalent. There is definitely scope for more models to be included, but I am not keen if it means a slow-down in deliveries again - one model a month doesn't work for me ... and that's my 2c worth on that.
Yes how many times have we heard by a tradesman or retailer ' special bit required' . The worst example I have heard was somebody wanted a replacement ford badge for their mondeo to be told that will cost £345 plus Vat . You can't buy the badge on it own you need to buy the whole grill...........
Back to topic, can you buy a tool to fit the screw head never seen one or is that also a special bit
Edit: OK, the pale blue was the 2-door, so I am wrong here. Would have been the more interesting model, IMO. Ixo's QC again poor, as the left "fender thingy" is crooked on DC007's.
No. I avoided it because there were two cars used, a four-door and a two-door. The IMCDB entry gives you the two-door, which is light blue and filmed in Turkey. The four-door, which is white, was filmed in the UK and has UK-spec side mirrors. Watch the movie before you jump to a conclusion of such a ridiculous nature.
Will have to see the model to judge QC...one model does not an entire production run make. Heck, I have Brooklins with misshapen tires. As for the fender thingies, they are parking lights, not side mirrors (sorry), watch the film closely: the gympsy camp scene is filmed in the UK, while the driving scenes are filmed in Turkey. Something similar occurs with the truck being pushed across the tracks was filmed in Turkey (a Fargo D300; the first letter of the badging when viewed in hi-def is not a "D", but it has five letters, so not a DeSoto) but the truck's other scenes were filmed in the UK (with a 1961 Chevrolet Apache 1-Ton Stakebed, replete with British spec parking lights required on trucks imported during that period). You COULD buy a left-hand drive passenger car in the UK in the early 1960's, but it had to meet certain import specifications, including the parking lights.
On screws in base both uh and ixo used the funny triangular heads and ixo have a screwdriver available which you'll see quite often on ebay.
The morris looks okay too even if I already have the corgi.
Looking forward to both models but not looking forward to uh models to come. I'll nail my colors to the mast ixo are better than uh and we will see that as the series dies off.
The screwdrivers are called 'tri-wings' and as Maz says there's a load of them on eBay:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nintendo-DS-triwing-tri-wing-and-star-screwdriver-set-/220563925655?pt=UK_VideoGames_VideoGameAccessories_VideoGameAccessories_JN&hash=item335aa26a97
Alternatively you can get 'socket/driver' sets with tons of different size heads with different configurations - star, crosshead, tri-wing etc etc from UK 'cheap' stores or from eBay, like this set:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/33Pc-Security-Bit-Set-Star-Hex-Tri-Wing-Spa-Torq-Offset-Driver-Tools-/261118511303?pt=UK_Hand_Tools_Equipment&hash=item3ccbe048c7
On a US forum this set was recommended about a month ago:
http://www.amazon.com/Silverhill-Tools-ATKTR4-Triangle-Screwdriver/dp/B004IUEHYS/ref=sr_1_1?
This is from a US source but the same is probably available from UK sources.
Ok to settle this debate on the small objects at the end of each wing take a look at the picture
When I first opened the box i thought strange for such a big car such small wing/fender mirrors, it wasn't until i opened the magazine it actually explains what they are. They are called parking markers and on this car they were nicknamed 'Gunsight' ornaments on top of the front fender. They were designed to offer the driver reference points for the front of the car and help make parking in tight spots easier. So actually they look ok considering the size of the model. Anything bigger would look out of scale
Regarding the colour I agree with Dal 110 as in the magazine the two pictures are clearly day and night so would give a reasonable explanation of the contrasting colours. Another explanation would be continuity in the 60's might not have been as high on the agenda when FRWL was made . As some of the scenes were at night and in a different country it was highly likely to save on cost they thought they could get away with it having two different cars with light shades albeit one white and one pale blue. Lets face it most of the cinema audience would not notice anyway , its only diecast collectors who would notice something like that anyway. The pale blue one is actually foor door as per magazine photo of film shot. maybe three cars were used ??
Wrong number of doors, not sure where this is coming from as the car is a four door station wagon as seen in the movie???
Ones reasoning for collecting is neither here or there. In fact if you want to buy diecast string them up and spray them silver thats the individuals choice. What one does with ones models is their business. We all have favourite manufacturers , ive said already i could not see beyond corgi at one stage anything else was not a true collectable diecast . I have grown older and wiser and its the model that counts not the company that makes it.
Thanks for the links for 'special' screw driver , a purchase is necessary me thinks
Thanks
With early 1960's color film, it's always difficult to tell regarding the color of an object at night. When Bond leaves at dusk the next day, the car hasn't changed. It's still a four-door wagon. BUT it seems to have lost quite a bit of color...
http://pics.imcdb.org/0is503/bscap0298fi.3681.jpg
If you put the film on, it's even starker. When Bond and Kerim leave the Gypsy camp and Bond asks Kerim "did you get that package from the hotel?" they do a pan shot of the car...which is stark white. Bond also gets in the car by opening one of the rear doors...while Kerim is sitting up front behind the wheel.
Well said. It's very easy to be dismissive of someone else's collecting habits/motives just because they don't match your own. Far less easy to be more open-minded and try to understand different approaches to what is essentially the same hobby, which ultimately could be rewarding. A bit like power boat fans never giving yacht sailing a go, and vice-versa.
As far as favourite manufacturers go, I tried that years ago and didn't get on with it. Either you end up as a 'completist' spending hundreds on models you don't really want but think you ought to buy(especially repeats in different colours), or else your 'favourite' changes direction and the collection reaches a bit of an unsatisfying end. My mantra remains the same: If you like it, buy it. Don't worry who makes it. If it turns out to be less than you were hoping for, sell it and forget it.