These Pocketbond Classix yellow boxes have been showing up with some regularity in the post. I’d have never thought they would have elicited as much excitement as a 4mm wagon or coach, but they are really fun for one night projects…

The Classix Morris J van in "R&S Tomkins Fresh Fruit & Vegetables" is shown straight from the box. What a wonderful little vehicle, it is hard to believe the shell is diecast, the thinness of cab walls and details makes you think injection molded plastic, not metal. This van is suitable for the 1950s onward, I believe production ceased in 1961.

Two British Railways “blood and custard” Classix vehicles are pictured, another Morris van and a Ford E83W. This cruel close-up photo shows the level of detail. You aren’t likely to mistake these for 7mm scale vehicles, but the printing is very fine, and what paint defects are there can be touched up or hidden with a bit of weathering. I did note my Ford had unpainted wheel hubs. Maybe BR ordered these E83W 10cwt vans with black hubs, however I later touched up my E83W’s hubs with some American Poly Scale boxcar red to match the wheels on the Morris. Both of these vehicles are I believe appropriate for the 1950’s paint that they wear.

Another cruel close-up photo, this time of a Classix Ford Mk1 Zephyr Zodiac. A very nice vehicle too, but it is let down just a bit by the hood, which is a separate casting, and the overly deep side window frames. The thin clear plastic insert used for the windows doesn’t fill this deepness, and is one of the items that keep one from mistaking this for a larger scale vehicle. The printing is superb though, even the small Ford badges have been printed in color…

The definition of cute! A Classix Austin A40 Devon in light brown paint. This model isn’t straight from the box. It has some Microscale Micro Kristal Klear added to the side windows, with the original plastic window inserts. I’m trying to hide those deep side windows and get things a bit more flush. A master modeler would no doubt cut individual window panes and glue them in place, but life it too short! The nice thing about Kristal Klear is that if you don’t like it, you can pull it out without damage to the vehicle.

The first thing I do to all my vehicles is drill the rivets out and take them apart. Don’t be afraid to disassemble them, it makes painting and detailing far easier. I use a slow speed electric screwdriver with a drill bit. A 5000 RPM mini drill works well too, but it’s a tad more dangerous and heat is a bad thing…

Parts is parts! That van interior makes me think a version with windows is coming soon. Now is a good time to paint those seats or glue a driver in place. The R & S Tomkins printing on this side of the van was off a bit.

Always tinkering, I decided to see how hard it is to remove the printing on a Classix vehicle. I successively tried a decal softener, turpentine, and finally Chameleon paint remover before the white printing came off. Of course the paint remover took some of the green off too.

Once I starting taking paint off the Morris van, I couldn’t stop. Here’s a shot buck naked, not wearing anything but the black side skirts. That’s really a nice die cast shell. A little work with a small file helps clean things up- the paint had hidden some of the fine flash that is around the windows.

The Austin, suitably weathered, a real rot-box. I’m keen on the 1962 to the early 1970s era, so the Austin is a bit old for my period. Add a little wear and tear weathering though and she’s good for another decade or two. The rear windows have Kristal Klear in them, a driver has been added, the front wheels turned slightly. The idea is to bring the model to life. I regret no opening up the sunroof…

Our pair of blood and custard vans after some weathering. I decided to try painting the deep window frames on the Ford black to hide them. Both vehicles then had a dirty black oil based wash applied to the cracks and crevices, and then a light airbrushing was applied with acrylic mud below and grimy black on top. I also airbrushed on a matt clear coat to make the cars easier to photograph. Once again the front wheels were turned ever so slightly.

The Ford again, running a file along the inside edge of the window would have helped even things out before I painted the window frames black.

Another pair of Zephyrs is pictured. I airbrushed a matte finish on the Police car. I wish I hadn’t, because it turned a dark grey instead of black. I suspect Police vehicles were kept in a clean condition and this automobile looks weathered now. The light grey civilian Zephyr has also had those deep window frames painted black. It does help improve the looks of the vehicle somewhat.

The Zephyr pictured again with an Oxford Diecast Mini. The Mini was in Unigate Dairies livery. The dairy lettering came off easily with a cotton bud soaked in turps. I also cut the front wheels in half down the centerline- it came with double width tires, that didn’t look right to me. The driver’s side window was also removed- a driver will be added at some point.

A collection of British Rail vans in yellow. The two Minors are Oxford Diecast products, the Bedford HA is Lledo. All three have been given matte coats, had the front wheels turned slightly, windows left open, and weathered. I’ve been warned that some of the Lledo vehicles are 1/72 not 1/76, but I haven’t measured them myself.

Another shot of the Lledo Bedford HA van, it’s a nice vehicle, but those wheels let the model down. The next photo will be a Lledo pair of vehicles photographed after weathering and detailing. That Ford van is HUGE; it must surely be 1/72. I’ll have to watch where I park it…

It's a gathering of Oxford diecast vehicles! A Humber Super Snipe estate, a Ford Zephyr 6 Mk3, a Vauxhall Cresta, and a Ford Anglia 105E

The Ford Zephyr 6 Mk3 in pale blue.

Somebody nicked my Western's nameplate!