Siku Audi 5000 wagon (100 Avant)

Old Sikus are one of my favorite collecting passions.  I particularly like the ones from the '60s and '70s, since the '80s versions ran larger - more like 1/55 scale than 1/64 scale - and have oversize wheels/tires.  A few of those older Sikus are among the nicest models (commenting on the model itself - not necessarily the condition that that particular model might be in!) in my collections.  

However, when I came across this '80s Siku Audi 5000 wagon at the local flea market with a $1 or $2 price tag on it - I instantly snapped it up.  It's labeled as an Audi 100 Avant - but to those of us who grew up in the USA in the 1980s, we will always remember it as an Audi 5000.

The Audi 5000 was a favorite car of mine - a big square but still somehow aero - one of the first examples of the rounded square styling theme.  I especially liked the wagon versions of the 5000, though they were much rarer than the sedans.  So to find a beautifully detailed and modeled diecast 5000 - and a wagon! - was a delightful treat. 

Of course - as a late 80's Siku - it IS large - and it does have the large kind-of-ugly '80s Siku wheels on it.  I should have photographed it against a more known Matchbox or Hot Wheels model so the reader gets a sense of it being over-scale for 1/64.  On the other hand, the 5000 being a large car in real life allows me to feel like the large size of the model is not TOO large. 

Overall, a fun car.  The tailgate opens up nicely.  The detail is reasonable (what I'd expect from a mid-80s Siku).  The car has a satisfying heft to it.   The only real downsides are the unexciting taupe paint color (certainly not helped by it no longer being shiny) and the previously mentioned scale. 

This particular version is not at all mint - but still very presentable.  Not my favorite Siku, but far from my least favorite.  A great addition to the collection!

Rare Flea Market Find: Mini Dinky Cadillac Coupe De Ville!

Mini Dinky is a curious brand of toy cars.  An offshoot of the market leading Dinky Toys, but with cars made in 1/64th Matchbox size.  I wasn't even aware of the brand until I bought a set of cars containing one...  And even now, in my entire 7,000+ diecast collection, that one car is the only passenger Mini Dinky car that I have - the white '65-ish Ford Mustang.  For years I've been periodically scouring EBay for Mini Dinky diecast cars (made difficult since searching for Mini Dinky invariable returns normal Dinky scale models of a Morris Mini...) with very little success.  Those that I do occasionally find have obnoxious price tags on them. 

(Note that I DO have the nice yellow Mini Dinky construction toy set (road grader, etc.), which while still rare are more readily available on EBay).  

 

But today I ran across this model at the flea market and scooped it up.  It's an early '60s Coupe De Ville, with opening hood and trunk, in a scale that is close to true 1/64th scale, meaning that the car is a smidge longer than a typical Lesney Matchbox, such that it is slightly too long to fit into a standard Matchbox carry case.  Given the length of an actual Coupe de Ville, the longer-than-normal length of the Mini Dinky seems very appropriate (though perhaps still a tad short).

The detail is excellent, with a beautifully detailed old-school metal grill, nicely detailed rear end with long and narrow tail lights, and a detailed baseplate.  

As is typical of a toy from this era, both baseplate and body are made of sturdy metal.  The wheels have a high quality rubberized feel to them, gripping reasonably on a hard surface.  

My particular model is in good/great but not mint condition.  While nothing is broken or missing, it is a bit dirty, with non-lustrous and scraped-up paint.  

Overall, a very valued find for me and a worthy addition to the collection.