# Huge slot car collections



## bambino (Oct 8, 2011)

Hi all

Just curious, a few days ago I knew a guy who says he owns close to 1500 slot cars (HO or 1/64). I was like wow can't imagine that many slot cars! 

The guy is about 50 y.o. and says he has been collecting for the last 40 years. 

Have you heard about huge collections? How big is the biggest slot car (HO or 1/64) collection you have known?

I only have about 70 slot cars (only HO or 1/64, I don't feel any attracted to other scale), very modest, I guess, and I don't feel as if I want more.... 

I have browsed websites after websites that sell slotcars (HO or 1/64) and seems Im content with what I have (by no means I claim that I already know all of the sites that sell slotcars)

Personally, I have only bought what I like, regardless of it being a vintage hard-to-get or just a very common, cheap car you can get around the corner anytime... The point is I must like it... Im unsure I can really like 1500 slotcars


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Collecting happens on many levels. Over time I've realized that it's something you cant generalize due to the many facets within the hobby at large. 

Like food or drink it's quite possible that your tastes could change over time. In the beginning I thought I was doing something...later I realized it had morphed into something else...and finally it changed into what I do now....which I wont be surprised to have change again later....ya know?


----------



## Gear Head (Mar 22, 2005)

Ok, this thread was obviously started by one of our TM's. Don't fall for it guys. I'll now resume work on my 7 car collection.


----------



## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*Yes.. there are many facets ........*



bambino said:


> Have you heard about huge collections? How big is the biggest slot car (HO or 1/64) collection you have known?
> 
> Personally, I have only bought what I like, regardless of it being a vintage hard-to-get or just a very common, cheap car you can get around the corner anytime... The point is I must like it... Im unsure I can really like 1500 slotcars


Not sure of actual size, but rumor has it that if you had as many as Bob Beers has... you'd burn yours. :lol:

I started off for my second plunge into slots (2001), buying them like they were only a very few left in the world. I bought EVERYTHING I could afford. THEN... I really began to noticed scale, details, and found I only really liked certain ones I had bought. So my tastes changed and I began to offload everything I didn't find myself regularly reaching for. The result is that I now have (maybe) 50 cars tops. Also, along with my tastes, I found I wasn't happy with the amount of dough I had tied up for what had become more or less "inventory" just sitting there. Plus, I like to run EVERYTHING, so some of my budget is for good quality spare parts.



Bill Hall said:


> Like food or drink it's quite possible that your tastes could change over time. In the beginning I thought I was doing something...later I realized it had morphed into something else...and finally it changed into what I do now....which I wont be surprised to have change again later....ya know?


My latest efforts are at customizing what I have or what I see that peaks my curiosity and could become a new "favorite". Paint and decals cost money too, so I spend some of the budget in that area. Then there's the layout... money for trees ...don't grow on trees either ! !

So it's become what I *really* need, what I can afford, and then what I want to take on in terms of a new project. There are very few unmolested box-stock examples in my "collection" these days. :dude:


----------



## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

Just a quick chime in on those expensive little trees. I have found rose bush branches with some lichen glued to them, look perfect.

As for collecting, I think my collection is around 550.


----------



## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

+1 pretty much the same for me,,, you get really excited and into it, then as you calm down you see the mistakes you made, then you start to slow down and really evaluate what you like and want. 

After that point you get picky and cut way back as you become satisfied. you branch into some unknown areas to see if you like them and if you do you explore that road for a while. 



tjd241 said:


> Not sure of actual size, but rumor has it that if you had as many as Bob Beers has... you'd burn yours. :lol:
> 
> I started off for my second plunge into slots (2001), buying them like they were only a very few left in the world. I bought EVERYTHING I could afford. THEN... I really began to noticed scale, details, and found I only really liked certain ones I had bought. So my tastes changed and I began to offload everything I didn't find myself regularly reaching for. The result is that I now have (maybe) 50 cars tops. Also, along with my tastes, I found I wasn't happy with the amount of dough I had tied up for what had become more or less "inventory" just sitting there. Plus, I like to run EVERYTHING, so some of my budget is for good quality spare parts.
> 
> ...


----------



## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Aurora, Tyco, Lifelike, AW, etc.'s main objective is to make the buyer's eyes twinkle and make you say "I got to have one of those"... Then it becomes an addiction!!! Some call it hording, but I know my limits... RM


----------



## mr_aurora (Oct 18, 2005)

*By far NOT the largest slot car collection*

Many people ask me "How many slotcars you got?". I have never been and never will be the man with the most slot cars. There are way more collectors who have far more cars than I. My collecting theme is The Aurora Plastics Company as it pertains to slot cars. History and historic artifacts like the Ford/Aurora Racing Program and it's cars and trophies are more up my alley. Telling the stories and being known as somewhat of an Aurora slot car historian is what my collecting is all about. Others collect quantity, others race, It's all good in my book............... Speaking of my Book...... Bob Beers


----------



## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

insufficient Areo Car versions you are out of the club 





Hilltop Raceway said:


> Aurora, Tyco, Lifelike, AW, etc.'s main objective is to make the buyer's eyes twinkle and make you say "I got to have one of those"... Then it becomes an addiction!!! Some call it hording, but I know my limits... RM


----------



## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Okay guys I'll ante up. Only cause my wife and both daughters are into the slot thing too. I've been collecting for 42 years (since I was 6) and slots have been the only hobby I stuck with. So over that span of time I have amassed a little over 5200 slot cars. Not all at once! That would get me killed. But I have a nice collection of most of the brands that came and went and the ones that are still here. Most are older cars from Aurora, Tyco, Faller and some of the niche cars like Bachman, Atlas, Riggen, Dynamic and Cobra. All see track time and most have a personal history with me, old friends or family. Oh, and there are still quite a few I'm still looking for!:thumbsup: That's what keeps it fun.

-Paul


----------



## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

slotcardan said:


> insufficient Areo Car versions you are out of the club


----------



## Gear Head (Mar 22, 2005)

OMG 5200! :drunk:


----------



## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

5200, wow...lets see here...Depending on the track, if you ran 1 different car, 1 lap every 30 seconds (breaks, TM calling, travel time to exchange cars, crash retrival, etc.)...and running in a 2 hour period a day... and...and...and... RM


----------



## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

pshoe64 said:


> Okay guys I'll ante up. Only cause my wife and both daughters are into the slot thing too. I've been collecting for 42 years (since I was 6) and slots have been the only hobby I stuck with. So over that span of time I have amassed a little over 5200 slot cars. Not all at once! That would get me killed. But I have a nice collection of most of the brands that came and went and the ones that are still here. Most are older cars from Aurora, Tyco, Faller and some of the niche cars like Bachman, Atlas, Riggen, Dynamic and Cobra. All see track time and most have a personal history with me, old friends or family. Oh, and there are still quite a few I'm still looking for!:thumbsup: That's what keeps it fun.
> 
> -Paul


would LOVE 2 C u'r pics of them :thumbsup:

Bubba 123 :wave:


----------



## torredcuda (Feb 1, 2004)

I have only 100-150 in varying states from #9 condition to junkers.I have also gotten a little picky as to which ones I collect and have gotten more into modifying/restoring them.I don`t see my collection ever going much over 200.


----------



## HadaSlot (Oct 22, 2007)

The link I will provide is a story about a friend of mine that I met in my VW days. Very cool guy. In the picture with him is a wall of briefcases stacked all full of cars hence the name " Wall of Gold." http://www.howorld.net/archives/bios/kilgore/kilgore.html


----------



## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

Most of mine are in boxes (packing boxes not the original boxes) with the exception of the original tjets and the stuff I run on the track. I'm holding out digging them all out until I get my display shelves built. That's hard for me, because I want them accessible. But I've learned from my past impatience that stuff gets broke, misplaced, dirty and all of the above in the basement. I have one nice display case my wife bought for me 4 years ago and I rotate stuff in and out of it. I'll start taking pictures each time I swap stuff out. As for keeping track of it all, I wrote a database program a couple of months ago that tracks all of them including pictures, front and back, condition, where I bought/traded for them, etc. So far I only have 700 entered. I need to take more photos and make more entries! 

I sold about 2000 cars off back in the 80's to get the down payment on my first house. It was easier to find the next house than it's been replacing the cars I sold off. But that's part of the fun too.

I'll start working on getting some photos together.

-Paul


----------



## jobobvideo (Jan 8, 2010)

hilltop,
love that drawer...43's and that dang 33 I still can't win on epay.

I guess I'm a little behind ya'll... ~130 Nascar (Lifelike and Tyco)...I'd get into tjets but they don't like my banked turns...


----------



## TheRockinator (May 16, 2007)

In my current field of vision---102 HO complete + another 66 JL Pull back bodies. I have probably another 200+ In boxes and drawers. 1/32, just getting started on those so no more than 50. All are runners or were when I had my HO track and all 1/32 will be runners after I build my 1/32 track. Still got to get the garage cleaned out.....

Later The I'm a piker compared to many but I DO have 2000+ Hot Wheels! Rockinator


----------



## madsapper (Jan 25, 2001)

I am in the 600-700 range. Lost count a while ago. I did the same, bought hot and heavy in 2001, then decided I would go with just tjets, and traded and sold most of my others (big regret). I have recollected most of what I got rid of, as well as some others.

Now if I could move the JL diecast I bought in the 2000-2003 time period, that would clear up some space!


----------



## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

I have several hundred complete running cars; that number may be approaching 1000 at this point. Probably a couple hundred more not running that are either bodies only or have partial chassis. I understand what you all mean about collecting habits and tastes changing... I have started looking for vintage Tycos, which I never had much interest in, and have eased up on the incessant compulsion to stop at every yard sale, flea market, and thrift store within a few miles of anywhere I happen to be. Kinda kicking back now and trying to decide what I want to DO with all this cool stuff now that I have it. I mean, I still go to the dungeon and run them around pretty often, and I try to change up what I'm running as much as possible, but maybe now I'll focus more on making my display/storage racks look better and landscaping my layout. Or finding a better way to store/display all the peripheral stuff like set boxes, oddball controllers, stuff in original packaging, AFX tuning units, like that...

Still having fun with little toy cars, just considering the different directions I can take it.

--rick


----------



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

The most important thing bambino is buy / collect/ run what makes you happy, and don't try to amass too much too fast. Slow and steady additions, picked up one or two at a time is much saner. The advantage to doing it that way is each purchase / win has a better chance of being memorable, giving that particular win a chance to become a story, rather than just a purchase. 

Not to put a dig on those who can and do collect big time, keep in mind... huge collections are more than just a large financial undertaking. They can bring grief just as easily as joy, and can sometimes cause more trouble than they're worth.  Think security systems, insurance rates, and in a pinch, say if you needed money in an emergency, you'd more than likely lose money selling them just to cover yourself. While many look at a collection as an investment, unless they were started decades ago and built slowly, the odds of them appreciating in any substantial value are slim.

Like tjd said... Buy/ win / run what you like. And I'll add, anything beyond that number is just something that collects dust (shelf queens).


----------



## A/FX Nut (May 28, 2004)

I have around 500. Some in the package and those would be the Autoworld cars and 1 TYCO Dale Earnhardt Car & Semi Combo. Most of them see the track. This is true of the Thunderjets.

Randy.


----------



## tomhocars (Oct 19, 2005)

I won't say how many cars I have because it's an addiction,not a brag.I got into collecting HO 27 years ago.Previously I collected 1/24 and 1/32.cars.Here are some pics.Tom Stumpf
http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii245/Tomhocars/Collection/
http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii245/Tomhocars/custom cars/
I sold 2,000 vibes,t-jets AFX and Ogauge before I took these pictures.


----------



## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

joeskylight will tell us how many cars Tom Stumpf really has!


----------



## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

Hilltop Raceway said:


> Aurora, Tyco, Lifelike, AW, etc.'s main objective is to make the buyer's eyes twinkle and make you say "I got to have one of those"... Then it becomes an addiction!!! Some call it hording, but I know my limits... RM


LOL, Hidden in the lower sock drawer, and lets not forget how many of these STP cars did Randy sell already.


----------



## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Those are just his runners...


----------



## blue55conv (May 23, 2007)

*You are going to make me count them?*

Collections come in all sizes. My collection is large. No matter how many cars you have, there is someone else that has more. Or there is someone that has a car you don't have. Compulsive collecting is an addiction. Instead of celebrating the cars I do have, I lament the cars I don't have. My house is overrun with storage boxes. Here in Texas we have no basements. I recently purchase more flat file cabinets. I am trying to organize things so I can show off the collection (like the old days).

Mike Cook

ps. Those Petty cars are certainly impressive.


----------



## slotnut (May 14, 2009)

Hello all
I've been collecting since 1974 at age 14 and now I'm 51. In 1993 my daughter counted about 4000 loose in show cases with another 2000 new in packages. I'm collecting afx, tyco tjets and now have branched into model motoring ,aw ,jl ,dash ,among others that i like . No resin though. 
Over the past several years ive bought several collections , hobby shops so my last counts was 10000. With 1500 loose for sale or trade . I just enjoy this great hobby and still dont have all i need .



Slotnut


----------



## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

slotnut said:


> Hello all
> I've been collecting since 1974 at age 14 and now I'm 51. In 1993 my daughter counted about 4000 loose in show cases with another 2000 new in packages. I'm collecting afx, tyco tjets and now have branched into model motoring ,aw ,jl ,dash ,among others that i like . No resin though.
> Over the past several years ive bought several collections , hobby shops so my last counts was 10000. With 1500 loose for sale or trade . I just enjoy this great hobby and still dont have all i need .
> 
> Slotnut


 Although I have all my cars listed in a database, I haven't bothered to total it all up. I was probably well on my way to numbers like Slotnut (and may be close now), but then a few years back my brother-in-law passed away in his mid-50s.

I helped my sister go through his stuff. He collected a few different things, like sports cards, year books, magazines, etc. It was a real chore finding ways to sell off all those items and when that happens, you find out just how little you get in return. Plus all the work you leave for those left behind.

So I started looking around at all the slot stuff I have collected, especially since the late 1990s. I realized I had more than I could ever possibly use - after all, the cars from my childhood are still running strong. Combined with some used cars I purchased over the past 10-12 years, I have over 100 runners and I can't keep them all running at peak efficiency. They will probably never wear out, so will I ever need more runners? And what if I ever wanted out of (or reduce my exposure to) the hobby - how long would it take to sell off all these cars and what kind of return would I get?

All the new cars are still in packages as I have no place to display them. I used to buy two of everything which was just released. Now, I buy one and only if I like it (I have completely passed on some AW releases). I have been cured of the "I have to have everything" disease.

Once the euphoria of starting a collection wears off, the reality that it is NOT an investment sets in. Very few will make money collecting slot cars. The price insanity of the late 1990s and early 2000s has worn away. You do it because it gives you enjoyment.

The days of buying multiples of the same car because it is going to appreciate in value may be gone forever. We who grew up in the 1960s are the main customer base and if we don't want them 10 years from now, who will?

Joe


----------



## Ralphthe3rd (Feb 24, 2011)

*Very True.....*

Joe's closing lines are so true, and very apt, albeit sad 



Grandcheapskate said:


> .....Once the euphoria of starting a collection wears off, the reality that it is NOT an investment sets in. Very few will make money collecting slot cars. The price insanity of the late 1990s and early 2000s has worn away. You do it because it gives you enjoyment.
> 
> The days of buying multiples of the same car because it is going to appreciate in value may be gone forever. *We who grew up in the 1960s are the main customer base and if we don't want them 10 years from now, who will?*
> 
> Joe


----------



## brownie374 (Nov 21, 2007)

Hilltop Raceway said:


> Aurora, Tyco, Lifelike, AW, etc.'s main objective is to make the buyer's eyes twinkle and make you say "I got to have one of those"... Then it becomes an addiction!!! Some call it hording, but I know my limits... RM


Who makes that box I like it.


----------



## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Brownie, The boys made that box out of some scrap shelving. It started out as a cabinet to slide under the edge of my track, then I decided to use it as a display stand for the jewelry case. I had enough stuff to build the small box on top and stack em up...RM


----------



## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Beautiful case, Randy.
Gotta wonder what is in the other drawers.


----------



## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

yes, beautiful.
a similar, but not as pretty, box can be had at Horror Fright for around $60.00 when on sale. they are machinists boxes for storing tooling for lathes and the like. most have handles and large hinged top opening lid. some of they guys around here use them as race boxes despite their weight. they are sturdy and look like they could be stained and sealed easily.


----------



## Omega (Jan 14, 2000)

Come on Randy don't be shy, let see what is in your drawers.  


Dave


----------

