Morris Minor Owners Club

just found this link for minor models and others www.TimsDiecast.co.uk bit pricey but i guess you get what you pay for

I have the Sunstar 1:12 Minor 1000. It's very good for the most part except for the over-sized bonnet and boot hinges (understandable since true-scale parts would be too fragile) and the rather clumsy "Minor 1000" decals.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Good grief -- £100?! That's insane. But I can see how a model might not just be for show: if you have a Minor you suspect of being modified or deteriorated, a model may be helpful to see how your Minor should be.

That Sunstar model is, I guess, worth the price (though I'd be loathe to spend $150 on ANY model), considering its detail. You spotted the worst of the mistakes, bjm -- I'd add that the valve cover is too wide and the rear lights are too low. Nonetheless, what with its complexity, it's a very well done little thing. Looks better than some real Minors I've seen.

Now watch them electrify it and have working lights and a running motor. And watch the price double...

i see what you mean about the hinges

I saw that in a model shop in birmingham today, £114.... for the *more popular* vw beetle and camper it was £150!

Just thought I would show you my model[frame][/frame]

that looks good

i think the shop offers %10 off to mmoc

bjm38 wrote:I have the Sunstar 1:12 Minor 1000. It's very good for the most part except for the over-sized bonnet and boot hinges (understandable since true-scale parts would be too fragile) and the rather clumsy "Minor 1000" decals.

I'm pretty sure they are photo etched badges and not decals. I think the clear plastic peels off and it' s just there to protect the photo etched parts.


Regards,

Tim.

I really think that this is a very good model even accounting for the few faults which, incidentally, are more noticeable in the photographs than in life. A £100 seems a lot of money to spend on what is effectively a toy for adults. If I could get back all the money I've spent on model cars over the years I would be able to buy that Traveller I've always wanted![frame][/frame]

Timbohan wrote:I'm pretty sure they are photo etched badges and not decals. I think the clear plastic peels off and it' s just there to protect the photo etched parts.

Hi Tim,

Good news...you were right, the clear plastic does indeed peel off. Bad news...the offside bonnet badge visible in the photo fell off! Fortunately, I managed to replace it with tweezers and a little clear acrylic to act as adhesive. The purists out there are going to say it's still not quite right but I daren't try to adjust it any more.

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The badge on the boot isn't quite centred but it's more trouble than it's worth to try to fix that.

Thanks for the tip.

Bernard

That is a truly impressive amount of detail for a model - I can see where the price tag comes from!

The level of detail is quite something, you can even read the mileage on the speedo. Nearly everything that should move, moves, right down to the trafficators, the sunvisor and twin glovebox lids. However, as with all of these models it's not really intended to be pawed, even by adult hands.

It looks a little incongruous in its case next to an 18" long model of Lady Penelope's FAB 1!

Bernard

SGTBILKO wrote:I really think that this is a very good model even accounting for the few faults which, incidentally, are more noticeable in the photographs than in life. A £100 seems a lot of money to spend on what is effectively a toy for adults. If I could get back all the money I've spent on model cars over the years I would be able to buy that Traveller I've always wanted!

You're right, the pictures do tend to highlight the shortcomings of the model - certainly my 47yr-old eyes don't focus too easily anymore on something small unless it's really well-lit. I tend to buy ready-made models more these days for that reason, though most of my collection's 1960s British TV sci-fi stuff. [/SAD GIT MODE]

Fingolfin wrote:Good grief -- £100?! That's insane. But I can see how a model might not just be for show: if you have a Minor you suspect of being modified or deteriorated, a model may be helpful to see how your Minor should be.

To be honest I dont think it would help, it may be very carefully and intricately made but some of the features still aren't correct for the year as this will have been modelled on a real car that has been changed/modified since new..... sorry for being an anorak

Anorak, huh? That's a new one on me. It's okay. I suppose I was desperately grasping at straws to try to justify such expenditure. Truth is, I just don't have that kind of money to blow on a model -- when I should be using my meager moneys to fix up the real one!

Sidney'61 wrote:"some of the features still aren't correct for the year as this will have been modelled on a real car that has been changed/modified since new..... sorry for being an anorak "

So c'mon then andy, do tell us whats wrong with it, the door cards should be plain on a 2door?

The door cards were plain for that era yes but I'm not going to go into any more detail so as not to upset anyone who's bought one as all-in-all it still looks a fantasic model.

Just thought I would post a couple of pics of two models from my collection. They are hand made white metal models and not to be confused with die-cast. The first is from the late seventies, made by Mikansue which later became Western Models and the second from circa 2000, made by Brooklin Models from their Lansdowne range. They are 1/43rd scale.

with regards the bonnet hinges on the original post, i've got a similar model (got it for my 18th b'day, so it wasn't me that shelled out for it!) but the first thing i did was open the bonnet to a reasonable height and it came off in my hand then i noticed the sticker saying 'do not open beyond 60 degrees'! i think they must have had numerous complaints regarding that and settled for oversized hinges that work rather than realistic ones that break!