Vince Diecast Cars

Hello!

We are passionate collectors of 1:18 diecast model V8 Supercars - a husband and wife team - Alastair & Desley.

Alastair and I have been collecting diecast cars for several years.

 

We started not long after shifting to Australia from New Zealand, as we enjoyed the television coverage of the V8 Supercars. You get very limited television coverage of each round in New Zealand. We both enjoy most forms of motor racing and have been keen attendants of the Clipsal which is the first round of the V8's in Adelaide.

 

Our collecting started with 1:43 scale diecast cars because of price constraints but we soon moved on to 1:18 scale diecast models as they are much more detailed and impressive. Things really took off when we decided to increase the range of diecast models we carried in our shop in Broadbeach.

 

As we became retailers of both Classic Carlectables and Biante Model Cars our interest grew along with our knowledge. It also helped to recognize the cars easily when they whizzed past us in Adelaide.

 

We limit our collecting to race cars as you have to draw the line somewhere, and after acquiring a few models our thoughts turned to a display cabinet. We designed it ourselves and had it made by the cabinet maker who installed all our kitchen, laundry, bathrooms etc. Our cabinet is designed to hold approximately 90 cars. We have mirror backs but no overhead lights as that makes them get too hot.

Our collection is arranged in years starting at the earliest we have which shows the progression of cars over the years and how they were fairly plain in their signage in the past and how advertising is becoming more and more important as money needed for racing grows. The only problem with arranging in years is that if you acquire a, say for example; 1997 VS ATCC Peter Brock car, then you have to move everything that you have that is after that year.

Some of our favorite cars are the older models such as the  Allan Moffat Cobra and  Peter Brock Torana and VK Commodore. I admire the drivers of the earlier days as things were a lot less regulated and you were able to race basically what you liked and the drivers of those days pretty much had to do it all themselves.

When we finally retire from the Broadbeach shop we are planning on buying a motorhome and along with our cat, traveling to several more rounds of the V8 Supercar Championship. As we are in Queensland, the round in Ipswich is on the agenda as I understand it is difficult to get in and out of; so being able to stay on site would be a definite advantage. The new street race in Townsville would be another possibility.

 

If we were going to travel further afield, I would love to see the Bahrain round as from what I have seen it provides the most action as the track is wide enough for many passing manoeuvres and is not just a procession of cars.

 

When I have more time I would like to learn more about the history of V8 Supercars and Bathurst in particular. I plan on getting any information I can on Drivers the like of Peter Brock, Allan Moffat and Dick Johnson to name a few.

 

My early background in motorsport was based on the fact that my father was a Midget car driver at Western Springs in Auckland and every Saturday night when I was small was spent there. I loved the smell of the fuel and the noise. Also being pelted with dirt when the cars went around the corner was just part of the fun.

My Dad's Midget.

In those days at Western Springs, they raced motorbikes, sidecars, TQ'S, Sprintcars and full size Midgets. It was full on racing similar to Archerfield speedway.

 

Alastair has in his early days raced go karts in South Auckland so he is a bit of a petrol head as well. He used to race them with Jimmy Richards.

 

We both enjoy motorsport so that gives us something we can do together and that follows as well with the collecting as I enjoy that too.

 

I am also good at recognizing cars - we once had a farther and son come into the shop and asked if we had a model of a Lotus Elise. I said "yes" and proceeded to show them. They were most surprised that a woman would know what that sort of car was.

 

It is all good fun and I am looking forward to adding to our collection and also attending some more of the V8 Supercar racing in the flesh.

 

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