For the first time in days I stepped into the garden today - to carry out some light duties the Missus and me have been badly with the Grandkids' colds and they're always stinkers.
It's Spring in Blighty and the bees are out, so I thought I'd get busy too and take a few snaps in the sunny shade with my new Zylmex Bubble, Zee Toys' Silhouette, I bought last week.
My recent trip to a fab vintage toy shop was a salutary lesson in why you shouldn't rush.
The Missus and me agreed I'd be in there twenty minutes, whist she mooched elsewhere. In hindsight, it wasn't enough!
I looked and rummaged among the thousands of items in the shop with a view to a couple of investments and maybe something for myself, perhaps even a Redline.
The shop always carries a few sixties Hot Wheels in a locked cabinet. Once opened I made my choice, a nice Silhouette, not perfect, but one I could touch up a bit. Result! It went in the bag the assistant had open.
Next I chose a small Action Man soldier, which I guessed was a modern version of my beloved Little Big Man. The assistant opened the cabinet and having pointed at the little fella I walked off to look for more goodies.
This came in the form of an Action Force cruiser, a palitoy vehicle I'd not seen before. That went in the bag too.
With the twenty minutes up and a small discount applied by the assistant I went away a happy boy.
Until, that is, I got home!
Alas, for some reason the assistant had put in a full-size modern Action Man skin diver instead of the little guy!
But that wasn't all.
To some extent it got worse.
When choosing my Hot Wheels Silhouette Id simply assumed it was a redline since it was surrounded by .... Redlines.
Turns out it isn't a Redline at all!
Here's a proper Mattel Silhouette.
Since getting my ace new American redline Deora I've been after some surfboards to finish it off.
I want it to look like this complete one I saw online.
I touched it up with a green sharpie and set to on the surfer trail.
I considered alternatives like repro redline and corgi surfboards but they're all too dear.
I then thought of stuff we might have in the house; plastic, nail files and ...... pen tops.
My first attempt was a pair of shocking pink boards cut from some play-doh pot lids. I also cut off some pen top clasps to see how they looked too.
Time to hit the road and ride the waves!
Have you got any surfboards on or off a car?
I was lucky enough to pick up two lovely and original redlines this week.
A blue Hairy Hauler for Junior ( minus window) - his first redline too - and a green Deora for myself ( minus surfboards).
After my Rrrumblers Rip Code Oven disaster I wanted a quick win and move on to something else.
Using a sweets coffin box, an old bike and a painted rider I knocked this up in an hour.
Rubbish I know but I've moved on to another Revvers.
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When I was making my copy Boneshaker below I came across quite a few boney bike toys.
Here's Mattel's glorious 1973 original Boneshaker.
Here's Mattel's Chopcycles Ghost Rider. Chopcycles were a motorcycle version of Sizzlers. I adore the flowing stylised ghost. Those Mattel designers were something else back then.
My home-made Revvers Camper caravan is finished.
It's not that great at all but it was fun to do and something that I'll never own for real. Hope you like it.
Here's Mattel's super cool vintage original with the Nomad pulling, my inspiration.
Here's my home-made caravan with a Nomad rod.
The wheels are Lego with a redline drawn on.
To emulate the metal base I used baco-foil. I opted for simple stick-on 'windows' and kept it to a minimum. It was the last thing I did at midnight last night!
My wheels stick out a lot but I quite like the dragster look it's created!
My new "bodge-job" is inspired by the wondrous Hot Wheels redlines Revvers camper, a beautifully sleek yellow caravan done the way only Mattel knew how.
Here's Mattel's wonder.
Wanting something die-cast size I began with a cheapo coach.
I then cladded it in plastic to mimic the square edges and swept rear.
