By Robert Emslie
When I was a lad, I built plastic scale models like they were going out of style, which sadly, they eventually did. Still, back then I had quite the collection; Mustangs, Corvairs, TR4s, Model Ts, you name it. And for a time, many of them were painted a uniform primer red. That was because I couldn’t afford the multi-hued Testors paints from the model shop, but was quite pleased to find a rattle can full of self-leveling primer in the garage. Don’t tell dad.
Today I still have a couple of models squirreled away in the garage, being saved for retirement I guess. In the mean time, I have graduated to playing with the full-sized editions, however not of as ambitious a scope as back in my 1/24th scale days. For many car people the model phase never ends, and for some a particular model may serve as a reminder of a life-long ambition. Are you one of those?
Maybe it’s a Ford GT, or Lamborghini Countach in all their die cast glory that serves as a constant talisman of the real deal. For many, the model may be as close as they’ll ever come, but like holding a pristine lottery ticket, it provides a necessary sense of what might possibly be. Are you a member of those with potentially Quixotic visions? Do you keep a model of your dream car?
Image source: Alldiecast
Jeff Glucker
<img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/5145545927_ef9419f861_z.jpg" width=550>
Soon
I have this 1:12 scale Ford GT. It is my pride and joy.
<img src="https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/74951_480470372011413_2074644689_n.jpg"width="500"/>
1:12, nice!
Still saving up for it
<img src="http://www.multitoysgame.com/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/AUTOART_MERCEDES_-_BENZ_300_SEL_6.3_1970_-_BLACK.jpg" />
Is that AutoArt?
I got a 1961 BRG with cream coloured interior E-Type roadster from my Nana when I was about 4 which ended up leading to a collection of about 20-30 1:18 scale models on shelves around the room at my Dad's house. Last year I was lucky enough to drive an E-Type around Goodwood circuit for 3 laps. It was a coupe and a series 2 with a black interior but still, dream realised man.
Never thought about it that way- I just collect what's cool. And I want to own cool.
I do have a Ford GT40 and Ford GT in Gulf colors on my coffee table.
I have a lot of dream cars, and I have a fraction of them in scale model. My 8 y.o. son has most of them 🙂
Yep… I have a few 1:18 scale 240Z's and a R35 GTR. Also have a odd scale E30 325i (Corgi) and a 1:43 Z4MC, GT3RS, E30M3, 5x 2002's, R34 Skyline GTR and a 510. My webhost is down or I'd take photos.
*cough* 2014 GT-R arrives in about a week *cough*
I still have lots of 1/24 and 1/25 scale cars packed (most of which my wife wishes I'd get rid of), and I've still got a few unbuilt cars. One I need to build one of these days is a Tamiya 1/20 Ferrari 312T3 kit, which I bought back in '78.
I buy hotwheels of my dream cars. As a rule, I don't buy 1:43 of anything except racing cars. It's a weird thing that I do, wherein I tell myself that I could conceivably purchase my dream car in 1:1 scale some day, while racing cars tend to be 1 of 1 and I will likely never own one of those…
That's basically how I built my HotWheels collection. Not all are dream cars, some are gifts, but the vast majority are. I've acquired a real red Miata but I still have quite a few dream cars that will probably remain dream cars for a long long time.
<img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8213/8352426542_fa8737405a_z.jpg">
Is that a 914? Why don't I have that 914???
I had a 1/20 914, a Bandai kit. It was one of those Bandai kits that was derived from an electric can motor-powered kit. No electric stuff, but you could see that the chassis was designed for it. The Bandai stuff was crap, compared to Tamiya.
I don't know, why don't you have one!? It's a 914-6, one of those HotWheels Boulevard edition cars. Keep an eye out!
Bought that 914-6 for a Porsche nut/co-worker buddy. Kept the 2002 Tii from the same series for myself
<img src="http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120519163551/hotwheels/images/thumb/1/11/BMW_2002.2012_White.jpg/320px-BMW_2002.2012_White.jpg" width="600">
HWs has some nifty cars this series including the E30 M3 and a hot looking Datsun Z.
<img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fiJpAs4O6hU/UOPIS1jgrZI/AAAAAAAAMy0/8QTVF8RziJc/s1600/IMG_0630.JPG" width="600">
<img src="http://www.southtexasdiecast.com/hwguide/images/2013/2013_159.jpg" width="600">
Oooh, that E30 is nice! I've been seeing that Z. I hope they release an orange 432 version of it.
I was just given that Z as a gift.
You need a Volvo, or Polonez. It's okay, they're really hard to find. First one that I noticed was the DMC-12, cool disc.
I could probably go for a C30 or maybe a P1800.
I'd never thought to even look at a model. Had to find one first
<img src="http://www.modelspot.co.za/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/Mercedes_Benz_19_4c646709c1dfa.jpg" width="600">
I try to focus on cars that I’ve actually owned, rather than cars that I hope to one day own. I have a 1:43 diecast of my first car (Spitfire). I have a 1:43 of my second car (MR2). I have an unbuilt 1:24 model of my third car (Corvette). I have an unbuilt 1:25 model of my fourth car (S10). I have a 1:43 of my fifth car (MR2). I have a 1:43 of my sixth car (Maxima). I have a 1:43 of my seventh (Cherokee). I only have a 1:64 of my eight car (Checker), but I will buy a 1:43 at some point. Then there is a gap. I have a 1:43 and a 1:18 of my thirteenth car (XJS), a 1:64 of my fourteenth (Fiero), a 1:43 of my sixteenth (Fiero GT), and a 1:18 of my seventeenth (and current) car (GTO).
Some of them aren’t 100% representative of the exact vehicle that I owned, but most of them are even close to the right color. some cars that I've owned have never been made into a model, and that saddens me.
Same here. I have a model or representative model of most of the cars I've owned.
Unbuilt 1987 Grand National plastic model (representative of my 1981 Buick Regal Turbo) 1st car
1:18 die cast of a 1969 Corvette ZL-1 and a Hot Wheels 1975 Corvette (for my 1977 Corvette) 2nd Car
Unbuilt plastic model of a T-Bird S/C (for my 1992 T-Bird S/C) 3rd car
1:18 die cast of a 1996 Red Corvette Coupe (for my 1994 Red Corvette Coupe) 4th car
1:18 die cast of a Green 1996 Z-28 convertible (for my green 1996 Z-28 convertible, mine had a brown top, the model has a grey top) 5th car
Hot Wheels Z3 (for my 1996 BMW Z3) 7th car
I still need to find a few for other misc. cars I have had and trucks I've had.
I have dream car models too, specifically a McLaren F-1
<img src="http://i.ebayimg.com/t/UT-Model-Limited-1996-McLaren-Ferrari-GTR-F1-Road-Car-1-18-Die-Cast-Art-Auto-/00/s/OTAxWDE2MDA=/$(KGrHqNHJFQFDyuRE1ueBR!ZYDHJzw~~60_12.JPG"width=500>
Nobody offers a 1/18 scale Sierra XR4i, the first car I'll be rushing out to buy when the means arrive.
I have low aspirations.
If you get an XR4i instead of our XR4ti, you'll have normal aspirations.
I'd have to say no, because I can't really say I've ever had a single dream car. I've always said that if I won the lotto, I'd have a fleet of stupid '70s-'90s sleeper cars instead of some crazy exotic, and there aren't too many scale models off the oddball stuff that tickles my fancy.
Yes, the one in the middle.
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dofLXgmnSl8/S6jpc7BmbRI/AAAAAAAAAG8/g5EatP2ueEE/s640/2009-12-13%252014.03.31.jpg"width=600>
I dig the canoe with wheels.
You're not alone. That's the one that earned "Best in Show" at the Pack's Pinewood Derby.
This year there was confusion with the district rules and one boy brought a turtle on wheels that he had modeled out of clay (so evidently) himself. I want to say it was fourteen pounds, but I'd be exaggerating a bit, they let it compete in design, I wish it had won.
Our rules are quite rigid, down to the requirement that the car be built with the long overhang to the front. My son and I forgot about that one, which is why Lightning has his tongue sticking out.
<img src="http://ocdn.eu/images/pulscms/MTk7MDMsMjA4LDAsMCwx/7bac0d442f653cb31c65ff619179359d.jpg"> Ha! Rules not so stringent here, Jake ran his backward this year since it had long ears and would not fit correctly on the peg. Also, have a happy happy today!
Thanks, Bud! Took the day off to go on my daughter's field trip.
I like the picture. Our newest addition is 9 weeks. She's a sweetie.
Is it somebody's birthday today? You have my wishes for a very Happy Birthday! 😀
Thank you, ma'am. I've long since passed the age where I'm interested in observing them. Fortunately, my daughter did me a solid by being born on April 18th. This year I'm feeling a tad guilty on her birthday – she's 16 and nowhere near ready to be a Hoon, mainly because I've been working too much to teach her how. Top priorities now – fix the Alfa and teach her how to drive a stick.
Glad you you got to spend the day with your daughter! Field trips are great cause you get to see how your kids interact with their peers on a day to day basis, it surprised me what social butterflies all my kids are. I assume that the new pup in your profile pic, very cute! A sweet 16 to your daughter too and happy 29th b-day to you then!
No, I didn't get the 1:18 Otto E39 M5 right when it came out and now the prices are going up too much. Unless there is another run or something I don't see myself getting one. I did just get my other dream car in 1:18 for my birthday this year, a 1:18 Kyosho F40.
<img src="http://www.kolectia.com/include/php/image.php/1%2018%20Otto%20Models%20BMW%20M5%20E39%201998%20Metallic%20Blue%20-%2010097.jpg?width=640&height=480&image=10097">
Wow, that's amazing. But then I dig the E39, the last 5 Series that didn't require you to buy iDrive.
<img src="https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/301280_711837549710_1206757443_n.jpg" width="400"> Yes I do. Also I did have a red Polonez as a little boy, but it got crushed on a flight emigrating to USA.
I'm a child of the modern age! My dream cars are in a Gran Turismo garage. My favorites are on a rotating desktop background at work.
I did used to though, now my nephew plays with 'em, as it should be. I discovered the other day I painted a Citroen XM black with gold racing stripes.
I have a huge amount of Hot Wheels and Matchbox, but none are really my dream car because. . . well, that's a custom design.
I have a bunch of Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupes, which is my #2 choice.
In a sense. One of my brothers made this for me:
<img src="http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu125/mharrell_photographs/miniMini1.jpg" width="500">
It's remarkably true to life, but with better panel gaps.
It probably goes faster too!
No dream cars on my desk at the moment, but I do have two 240Z cars right now.
I need a scale 250GT California…
Hello, my name is Cabezagrande, and I am addicted to models.
As a massive scale model nerd, yes, in several scales for each. I have probably 50 GT40s/Ford GTs (my ultimate dream car) in scales ranging from 1:100 scale to 1:10. Probably 30 Cobra Daytona Coupes in a similar scale range. Probably 300 Mustangs of various generations and scales. Probably 100 F40s in various scales. Maybe 100 Skyline GT-Rs of various generations and scales. Maybe 50 RX7s. I think I'm over 1500 total models, although probably a little more than half of those are 1:64s, and a further 300 are 1:48 or smaller than 1:64, so that part of the collection doesn't really occupy much real estate.
Yes, I have a 1:18 scale Series III Landrover and a 1:18 scale Defender 90, several BMW Oilhead motorcycles and a Herpa HO scale Mini in Purple for my wife, plus random odds and ends like a Lego VW Wesfalia and a Hot Wheels VW Brasilia (because they should be rewarded for modeling such an unusual car. I also have an HO scale Trabant, which came packaged with a flatbed tow truck.
If bikes count, I *HAD* this one…until it got wrecked in a move. I am tempted to buy another kit and do it again.
<img src="http://www.spruebrothers.com/gmwimages/images/Tamiya/tam14047.JPG">
You should try the real thing, a redline like a gas turbine and just as much torque!
No. If I sat and stared at a model 2012 Boss 302 Mustang I'd decide that going in hock until the End of Days to buy a real one was my only possible life choice.
Orange Boss 302 sits aside my GT40s.
Here's your answer.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/IbwRKL0.jpg">
I have a ton of 1:18 models I collected when I was younger, sorta grew out of the habit though. Anyways, yes I certainly do have a scale model of my dream car. Though this isn't the actual one I have.
<img src="http://blog.yimg.com/3/GlR0oCp7s5_EzTQf3v3m3Xk8Ceh13Fggm8sP7GelDfRfW_F6_QL_EA–/73/l/2P9IsvM4MO_fZOhfdEm88A.jpg">
That is a picture of the Kyosho, which I have. It was ridiculously expensive, but has a very high level of detail. The seats slide, for instance.
Yeah I think mine is a Hotwheels. Kind of the other end of the spectrum, really.
The seats slide? Jeebus!
Not so much a dream car as it is a delusion car but, to answer the questions, yes….yes I do.
<img src="http://www.mercedes-benz-classic-store.com/$WS/classic-store/websale8_shop-classic-store/produkte/medien/bilder/gross/Bild33.jpg">
That car will serve as personal inspiration for an upcoming project…
Damnit, Hooniverse. If you're going to keep* costing me money, you should at least make a T-shirt in a colour other than white**.
A model of that car? I thought "No, certainly such a thing does not exist."
It does.
<img src="http://www.otosale.com/images/products/Norev/143/880009a1_Michelin_Mega_Track.jpg">
*Whoever posted a link to dealextreme.com. That would have cost me ~80$, but several things were out of stock, so it was only 40.
(I also collect cheap knives.)
**black, dark green, dark blue, or grey.
i have the auto art 1:43 e28 m535i, and a e28 535i. wish it was a euro m535i..
<img src="http://www.diecastlovers.com/normale/AutoArt_BMW_5Series%20E28_Rq2Q.jpg">
I don't, but this is still nice.
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/UqyL7aB.jpg">
I have a 1/43 scale f40 a 308 in the same scale a 69 (i believe) GTO and 63 split window vette. I also have a ton of those road & track series meisto 1/35 scale everyday cars. I have so many hot wheels I cant display because I have no place for them. So I keep the newest and most interesting ones parked on top of the fridge like its the top floor of a giant parking garage.
I also quite like the Phantom Corsair sitting on my desk…
http://hooniverse.info/2012/03/12/1938-phantom-cor…
Yes, I do. I have a 205 Rallye in scale 1:43 and in scale 1:18… The only thing missing is scale 1:1!
<img src="http://images.forum-auto.com/mesimages/688353/Peugeot205rallye.jpg">