Canberra model vehicle Collectors Club - Nov meeting - Diorama Night

Tonight was the November meeting of the Canberra Model Vehicle Collectors Club, and it was an excellent turnout with over a dozen members - plus two new model collectors who came along (and may join). Held as usual, upstairs at the Eastlake Football Club in Kingston. 

 Its amazing how much time you can spend talking about Dinky restorations

 I took along the latest Revolution Models resin cars - they were the topic of much discussion. these are a series of Commodores - Clubsports, SV99 etc. 

 Dinky restorations

 Screwed baseplate of a repainted Dinky Morris Oxford

 Much neater restoration, with replica rivets used

 The quality of repaints/restos was another very popular discussion theme. 

This months 'theme' was officially 'Dioramas'. Nice use of plastic railway buildings here. The buildings had LED lighting in them, and the Hotel sign had alternate flashing letters. 

 I like this Chrysler a lot. Tomica?

 Star Wars diorama

 and of course - the Capital Diecast Garage wrecking yard...

Canberra Model Vehicle Collectors Club - Feb 2011

Im not sure if there was a January meeting, but this was the first Canberra Model Vehicle Collectors Club meeting I have attended this year, and tonights theme was 'colour'.  It was a well attended meeting with over ten people present and lots of discussion about recent diecast bought or seen. 

As well as cars on display, some trading took place and new cars were shown off. I have to remember to take three Hot Wheels falcons to the next meeting. Louie the Volkswagen tragic had a neat Wiking box set with three Volkswagen Beetles, some little plastic people and a round tobacco tin shaped garage, all in a nice presentation box - scale about 1:87. Another person had a lovely 1:43 Dinky Tucker Torpedo.

Hot Wheels 1:64  Plymouth Roadrunner Superbirds and Dodge Daytonas. 

I thought about the theme and selected the Hot Wheels Winged Warriors as I knew they would make a colourful display. This year the winners wont be announced until the end of the year. So I dont know who won Februarys comp.

After my embarrassing displays last year, over the festivus period I created a base to display my diecast efforts on at the CMVCC meeting this year. Its a picture frame with the glass replaced with a sheet of MDF with sandpaper and railroad grass glued to it, and a white line painted between the sandpaper and grass. It's supposed to look like a road with a grass verge. I used the same grass on my diorama of the diecast wrecking yard. Although I thought this would be simple to make, it wasnt. but I am pleased with this result - although I may make a second improved version if I have some spare time.

 Del Prado Ferraris in 1/43

 Red Volkswagen Beetles in a range of scales

 Green Dinkys and Corgis

 Pink Corvettes

This is a Matchbox Corvette!

Discussing important diecast events like a car advertised as 1:43 is really only 1:42!

At this meeting the themes for the rest of the years displays were discussed. The themes I remember are: 

• Non-articulated trucks
• unusual diecast
• diorama
• same car in a range of scales
• less than four wheels
• Australian cars.

Being February, dues were also due. I received a member ship card and a warm feeling. There were several recent diecast magazines to pore over while people chatted, and I also asked dumb questions which were answered well. I learn something new at every meeting. 

The highlight of the evening for me was P76 related - I was given the details of the AFP constable shown standing next to the P76 used as a police car, in the photo used in Hal Moloneys book on the Leyland P76 several years ago. I plan to follow this up. 

The next meeting will be at 7.30 PM on Monday 7 March at the Eastlakes Club in Kingston.

Canberra Model Vehicle Collectors Club - Nov 2010 Meeting

On a cold  and wet November evening, the members of the CMVCC gathered at the Eastlakes Football Club to talk diecast and peer at scale model diecast vehicles. I'd forgotten all about the meeting, and had missed the last one, but I had run into Peter the day before at the EPIC Swap meet, and he had reminded me. 

Peter had just taken delivery of a bunch of Morris Minor diecast. They are N scale and 1:76 scale by Oxford Diecast. 

 N-scale Morris van

Very attractive and detailed 1:76 Morris convertible. This reminds me of Arthur Beares car from 'Mother and Son'.

 N-scale Morris van. Thats a pen in front of it so you can comprehend just how small this car is. The tampo printing on the number plates is legible. Amazing. Very cheap too, only 5 bucks each.

Box of Matchbox Collectors Club era Dinkys. Nice Tucker Torpedo.

The theme of the evening was 'dioramas', I didn't know this as I didn't get the email, but I was BURSTING to show off my newly acquired Trax Select Force 7 in 1:43. I bought along a Trax P76 in the same colour, to show the pair. I bought a cardboard box, and a pillow case, and created a small display. Louis bought along a micro machines fold out garage, and won the diorama category.

If you are in Canberra, and collect diecast, this club is a fun place to talk diecast and display and show off your cars. We meet once a month and its very casual. Email me for details.

Dales Cars - Exhibition at CMAG - Part two

Part two of Dales Cars, and thanks for the emails. I have fixed the comments section now, so feel free to post comments. I will pick up from part one with some more photos of the Russian 1/43 cars.

Tiny little Lada Nivas.

Lots of British makes here, I see Vanguard, Corgy, Dinky.

Some more Trax photos.

I see some Leyland P76 models hiding in there.

Unbelievable! Even in 1/43 people confuse Leyland and Valiant!

It looks like a 1970's carpark!

I had a request for a blowup of Basil thrashing the Mini panelvan.

Ive always liked the Delorean. These Back to the Future cars are nicely represented in 1/43.

Since I posted on the exhibition, I have been informed that the Head of Trax came to Canberra last week, and gave a talk on selling and manufacturing little cars. I wish Trax had told people like their Trax Club members, that this was going to occur. I definitely would have attended.

Dales Cars - Exhibition at Canberra Museum and Gallery - Part One

At the Canberra Museum and Gallery there is an exhibit of a local diecast vehicle collector 'Dales' collection of diecast cars. It is running until 7 February. I visited it yesterday and was amazed at the excellent presentation and placement of the cars. It was simply stunning. I took quite a few photos, so I will split this over two posts. I had to use my camera phone, so the photos arent doing the cars justice. Go and visit it yourself.

The display is in two parts, one at the front door to the CMAG, and the second main part in the CMAG proper. This is in the entrance.

A nice brochure has been prepared for the exhibition, thats it stapled to the white plinth. Photography is superb. They may have used an actual camera, as opposed to the phone in their pocket.

When you arrive in the CMAG gallery area, you walk up to the small display area. Yes, those glass shelves hold tiny cars. They are behind glass doors.

Large central cases also have tiny cars displayed in them. One case is devoted to USSR made 1/43 cars. The bulk of the collection is cars from 1950's to the late 1970's primarily British and Australian cars.

This photo is a bit blurred, but this is a nice collection of Routemaster buses in various scales. 90 percent of the collection would be in 1/43.

Whoever set these out had a keen eye. Nice triple pairings of DeLoreans and Herbie Lovebugs. Yes thats John Cleese/Basil Fawlty thrashing a recalcitrant car. Dale has some interesting collection sub-sets in his main collection. In the CMAG display area, they are grouped under 'miscellaneaous'.

An assembly of primarily British cars.

I believe this is from a Dinky two-pack with Mr Beans Mini. This is the Reliant Robin nemesis that featured in several Mr Bean episodes.

The Trax collection. Ive never seen a more complete set of Trax's. A few more photos below.

My collection seems woefully inadequate compared to Dales. His pockets must be deep!

Matchbox/Dinkys.

More Matchbox/Dinkys - mainly the later ones.

Beautiful wall display of Trax 1/24 cars.

Nice Falcon. Looks better when not photographed by my phone.

Interesting sub-collection of Russian cars. In the centre are Russian limousines.

Not too many people in Oz would have a collection of Russian cars, not just the glamorous ones, but ordinary vehicles also.

According to the brochure, Dale started collecting when he was a child, mainly Dinkys that his father gave him. The bug rebit him in 1992 when he bought some of the new Dinkys and discovered his old Dinkys were now worth quite a bit.