Handed down my Matchbox Car collection to my kids.

[speedracing944]

Between the ages of 5 and 11 I collected Matchbox cars every chance I could get. The early '80s was an exciting time for automobiles. I idolized the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari Testarossa and Porsche 911 turbo. I remember as a kid polishing my cars and making revving sounds as I drove them through the house. The original Cannon Ball Run movie really solidified my lust for the Countach, the sound of the engine was intoxicating.

As I grew, and lost interest in the cars, I could not bring myself to part with them. I stuffed them all in an old suitcase and hauled them around through the many moves during my childhood and adult life. I told myself I would hold onto these cars and hand them down to my children someday.

My 6 year old daughter often asks me to retell the story of when I was a little boy and how I would draw streets on huge rolls of 36" wide paper my grandfather would bring to the house and how I would play with the Matchbox Cars in the basement for hours. She has always enjoyed the story for one reason or another.

Tonight she ask me once again to tell the story of when I was little and played with the cars and the paper. "You know what?" I asked her. "Those little cars I always tell you about, the ones I used to play with as a little boy when I was about your age, are actually down in the basement. I'll go and get them and we can play with them together!" She was so excited.

I brought up the old suitcase, which hasn't been opened for 25 years, and unlatched the now rust latches. The suitcase opened reveling the miniature cars which consumed my youth. Sure enough there were the 2 Lamborghinis, a couple Porsches, including a 924 and 928, and a multitude of others. Some dating back to the late 60's and early 70's.

Because the cars were in a basement for so long, the zinc had corroded and some of the paint is no longer perfect. My daughter wanted to make a car wash straight away to clean them up. While we washed them I shared with her why each car was so special to me. The Lamborghinis were the fastest of the bunch, the cool semi truck dump trucks and the over-the-road semi truck which taught me at such a young age how to parallel park.

We played with the cars for about an hour straight, racing them about. Of course the Lamborghini was the fastest of the bunch and piloted by my daughter to boot!

I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful wife and great kids. This was such a small dream of mine which has finally come true and it means so much.

Thanks for reading.

Speedy

[Oh Haha]

Excellent story!!
One of the great things being a parent is sharing your likes with your children.


I took my son by my elementary school today and then we drove by the kid's house that I still suspect stole my case of HotWheels/Matchbox cars back in 2nd grade. Curse you to he!!, John R.!!!!

[gtilove]

pics?

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

....and then we drove by the kid's house that I still suspect stole my case of HotWheels/Matchbox cars back in 2nd grade. Curse you to he!!, John R.!!!!

I never stold a car in my life. Toy or otherwise.

[James Brown]

can you eat them, sell them for food, sustain a family on there residual income, buy ammo with them in the coming economic crises? if any answers are no, then....and I have 34 rare matchbox cars from the golden years that I consider worth as much as a MRE.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

There's always someone that will piss on another person's parade, isn't there.

Geezus man...

Great story! Let him enjoy telling it!

[James Brown]

I guess so. not trying to depress everyone, just trying to figure out what to do with my collection with out offspring to hand down to. Anyone want to pay me for it???? didn't think so.

[Noah930]

Nice story. I'm grateful that my parents saved a lot of the toys I played with as a kid. It's wonderful to see my own kids playing with those same toys 30+ years later.

Originally Posted by James Brown

I guess so. not trying to depress everyone, just trying to figure out what to do with my collection with out offspring to hand down to. Anyone want to pay me for it???? didn't think so.

There will always be people willing to pay you money for those things. Ever seen a car-oriented swap meet?

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by James Brown

I guess so. not trying to depress everyone, just trying to figure out what to do with my collection with out offspring to hand down to. Anyone want to pay me for it???? didn't think so.

My 2 YO son is Hot Wheels nutz. I'm fortunate to be able to buy a few whenever I see them. Some kid would LOVE your cars. Maybe find a deserving kid and spend some time telling him about them then make 'em his/hers.

[Oh Haha]

Mr. Brown-sell them on EBAY, use the funds for goodies for the real car. Or give them away to someone who has kids(friend, relative).

John R.-Unless you grew up in Michigan, you most likely aren't the same kid from my story.

[R K T]

I sorta have the same situation, only on a slightly LARGER scale. I started collecting model cars when I was 7....a loooong time ago. I have always been crazy about Porsches, so I ONLY collected Porsches.
All 1000 of them.....
Anyone wanna buy them?

[pavulon]

If you have some larger scale Exoto's, I could be interested... .

[Aerkuld]

I don't know if it's still the same way, but my parents used to get me big wide rolls of paper for things like that and they used to be ends-of-rolls from the local newspaper printers.

I'm sure I could have more fun with a carboard box and a roll of paper than I could have had with an X-Box.

[R K T]

Originally Posted by pavulon

If you have some larger scale Exoto's, I could be interested... .

I have a few. I used to work freelance for Exoto building their handbuilt 1/43rds.

I really want to sell the entire collection to one person. What they do with it is up to them. My last option will be to break it up and sell individual models.

Thanks.

[kaisen]

I still have hundreds of old well-loved (meaning beat to crap) Matchbox, Hotwheels, Corgis, Tomica, etc from the late sixties to mid seventies. My 12 and 14 year old sons played with them. Now my 20 month old daughter plays with them. They're not in mint condition so collectors wouldn't care about them. I have lots of Porsches.

Cool that your kids can share the same enjoyment!

[tevake]

That collection may be museum worthy, have you shopped them around the car museum world?
Wouldn't your room seem empty with them gone?

[R K T]

Originally Posted by tevake

That collection may be museum worthy, have you shopped them around the car museum world?
Wouldn't your room seem empty with them gone?

Thanks. Actually that room is already gone. We've downsized to a house that doesn't have a dedicated room just for the Porsche stuff. All the models are wrapped, double-wrapped and boxed, ready to go to a new owner.
In the 1000 models are many "museum" worthy pieces. Many one of a kind. Many from the Porsche Museum Store from the 50s and 60s. In 1970-71 a company called Super Champions produced 18 different 917s in 1/43rd scale. 40 years ago model cars were mostly considered to be toys and were in fact played with. If you run across one Super Champion 917 in fair to good condition, it will probably be 100-300 dollars. I have ALL 18 of them intact in MINT condition. I guess they are worth as much as someone is willing to pay!


Here's some of the transporters...



including the 1/8th scale Quaker State Indy transporter with the car....both are Radio Control

[masraum]

My mother lugged all of my matchbox style cars around (matchbox, hotwheels, tomica, etc...). I think I was gifted with matchbox from the age of 3 or 4 years old. I remember when I was around 4 or 5 years old, running all over my grandparents house to figure out which window sill had the car hidden on it when I'd arrive. I've got all of the cars now. I don't have any kids. I've got two stepkids who are adults (neither ready to have kids yet). I guess I'll wait to give the cars to grandkids.

[R K T]

That's our dilemma (or maybe not).....no kids, therefore no grandkids to leave the collection to.

[James Brown]

Maybe trade shows, ebay, craigslist, word of mouth is the way to go. But, I want them to go to a good home.