Collector from The Lion City

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Yeow Yi Fan
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Location: Singapore

Collector from The Lion City

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:57 pm

Greetings fellow hobbyists, I am Yi Fan from the little red dot or Lion City known as Singapore. You may address me as Fan if that is more convenient for the linguistically-challenged. Anyway, I have been a guest for many months to this great site up till my official registration in November 2018. This is one of a handful of websites which I frequent every single day, along with eBay ( :shame: of course).

My first foray into diecast collecting started when I got my first Hot Wheels as a toddler. I was collecting Hot Wheels pretty much my whole life until I graduated and started working. With great (purchasing) power, comes great desirability for better (and larger) die cast models. :money: :money: :money:

Long story short, I have since dedicated almost all my efforts into building up my ideal 1:18 lineup while occasionally adding a few decent 1:64 from Tomica Limited Vintage. No more Hot Wheels for me though I still have thousands of them back in my homeland of Malaysia.

I used to try blogging about the hobby but I reckon it is best to share my collection and thoughts here in this forum of like-minded people. I will not be doing daily updates since my personal policy is to acquire only 1 model per month (This criteria was grossly neglected in the year 2018). So give and take maybe 1 write-up per month when the mood suits.

Unlike most of you fortunate ones who can own a dedicated hobby room ( :wow: or even a man cave), I content myself with a modest 700 square feet flat with my wife. (Hope to add some younglings in the near future). So with limited space I must be painfully specific with what I collect. So each new addition must have a theme or value that I can connect with. Here is how I manage my collection:

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This is my humble workplace. As you can see, it is an open office layout but that has not stopped me from displaying my 1:64 collection. It also helps that my immediate supervisor has nothing against this public display of my diecast affections.

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Not to everyone’s tastes but from where I am from, we grew up with Japanese makes. Hino trucks especially were the kings of the roads.

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I don’t consider myself a JDM fanatic but I will collect any interesting models (which I must be able to correlate with). I consider myself a Toyota guy since my dad has driven nothing but Toyotas mostly.

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Because my home is mostly unoccupied all the time since both my wife and I are working full-time, I have all my purchases delivered to my work address. I am also fortunate that there are many empty lockable cabinets which I can store any new acquisitions.

The plus side is my “receiving station” is air-conditioned so there is less concern about how the weather might affect my die cast darlings. FYI: There climate here is tropical, hot and humid, all year long so not the most ideal environment for die casts. :nt:

I bought the Norev Peugeout 205 GTi on a whim and now struggle to fit it into my existing themes. Fun fact: 205 is the block number of my flat so perhaps that is why I bought it.
Below is a newly arrived Classic Carlectables Ford Falcon which I will share when the time is right.

So, that’s about my workplace, this is how things are run at home:

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Bought this wall cabinet from a fellow hobbyist which can hold up to 20 displays. According to him, this is German-quality wood with German-quality glass which cannot be duplicated anywhere. What this means is I had to pay a premium for it. At least it saves up valuable space in my shoebox flat!

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As you can see, there are still plenty of vacant slots.

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Ah~ The IKEA Detolf... the savior of all hobbyists. The Hulk Buster and Mini Cooper will have to make way once my lineup expands. The 2 Volkswagens will remain because I like them displayed as a duo.

:shock: I was briefly into LEGO but decided to pull the plug when I came to my (financial) senses...

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Got this fantastic cloth piece from the Toyota Automobile Museum when I visited Nagoya last year. Will try to get a 2000GT (metal, not composite) one of these days to match the cloth.

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More IKEA infrastructure. My wife insisted on having our wedding album displayed. One of these days, I might have to “relocate” those memorabilia.

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:love: I really love my Escorts. One of these days I might do a special feature on them.

Accompanying my G-Wagen is obviously Almost Real’s fantastic Range Rover. :clap: It was the fantastic review you guys did that convinced me to acquire this masterpiece. By the way, I just love 2-door SUVs.

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These are displayed on my computer desk. The "founding fathers" of my 1:18 collection you may say.

I have only a few simple principles for my collection. Collect what I can imagine myself driving publicly. Basically no hypercars, no supercars and no Porsche 911s.

I like Porsche 911s but because there are so many derivatives and being a completist, I risk buying too many Porsches! Well I sort of broke my rule there with the UT Models 993 GT2. I could not resist it at that price. However, this model does not even have brake calipers so the allure might have diminished since! Might consider selling it eventually though I really love this for its “riveted-on” look.

Second rule is no modern cars. I am more old-school though only 30 years of age. You might notice that most of my collection are old releases and they are souped-up versions of your generic transport; Escorts, Impreza, Lancer, 3 Series.
( :manual: Any sales rep from AUTOart if you are reading this please continue with your composite push so that I can continue to look for your past and glorious metal releases!)

Lastly, metal only. Die cast metal is what got me into this hobby in the first place. :rockon: Nothing against resin as I really enjoy looking at other hobbyists’ resin collections.

If you have read this far, thank you for your patience and time. This will be my thread where I will write about my thoughts on my existing collection or new additions. Not reviews since my want-list consists mainly of old releases from the major brands.

(I have my hidden Ford Cortina Lotus and Plymouth Road Runner (GMP) which I hope to post something about one day. My missus will get naggy if she sees to many new models in such short space of time.)
Last edited by Yeow Yi Fan on Sun Jul 14, 2019 1:54 am, edited 8 times in total.

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[KRAFTIG]
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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Fri Jan 18, 2019 12:21 am

Thanks for sharing your collection and perspective. I do display a few low-end models at the office too, and why not! I feel for your lack of space. With children soon it will get even smaller.
Any sales rep from AUTOart if you are reading this please continue with your composite push so that I can continue to look for your past and glorious metal releases
Hilarious! :rotfl:

PS You should complete the DCOTM feature! :deal:

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Yeow Yi Fan
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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:45 am

[KRAFTIG] wrote:You should complete the DCOTM feature! :deal:
:lol: Wow. What an honour. Perhaps in a year or two once my collection shapes up nicely. It is still too "assorted".

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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Fri Jan 18, 2019 11:21 am

Cool!

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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by seppuku » Fri Jan 18, 2019 1:48 pm

Hello there and welcome!...:)

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Yeow Yi Fan
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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Sat Jan 19, 2019 12:11 am

seppuku wrote:Hello there and welcome!...:)
Hi there seppuku!

:worthy: What fantastic collection you have there. (If I could take one it'll be either the red V12 Zagato or the US Postal Truck... :rotfl: )

Thanks to you, I only realized who Rosso43 is and that he is from Hong Kong. :shock:

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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by OLECO MOTORS » Sat Jan 19, 2019 5:18 am

Interesting collection!

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Yeow Yi Fan
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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Sat Jan 19, 2019 9:54 am

OLECO MOTORS wrote:Interesting collection!
Thanks. Your 1:43 collection is very diverse and it seems this scale has the largest range of collecting options.

( :wow: I cannot imagine how I can manage if I get into the 1:43 scale! So many cars that I wish were in 1:18 die cast metal...)

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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Sat Jan 26, 2019 1:45 am

(Deleted duplicate post).
Last edited by Yeow Yi Fan on Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Yeow Yi Fan
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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Sat Jan 26, 2019 1:54 am

With the current trends in both the auto industry and die cast scene, I do not see myself getting new releases in the near future. Which is why I intend to do things differently here. I will leave the new product reviews to the veterans while I focus on the past releases in my slowly expanding collection. :deal:

I consider myself a very lazy writer which has seen 3 failed hobby blogs but now that I no longer need to maintain a dedicated webpage ( :worthy: Thank you Administrators!), I will try to publish at least 1 post per month starting with this recent acquisition:

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I have always wanted to get this Cortina even though prices were prohibitive from the very limited listings you could find on eBay. I got just the push I needed when a friend of mine gave me an old copy of Octane which did an article on both the Mk I and Mk II. This gentle push became a massive shove to my senses when Jay Leno’s YouTube channel did a feature on an immaculately restored Cortina that belongs to his garage staff Jim Hall. Speaking of which, I highly recommend you watching this :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLpdBvxWj8g

Anyway, this subject vehicle possesses 2 traits that I like; being a homologation special and was a collaboration with Lotus.

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I simply like homologation cars because of how they are connected to the everyman’s cars you can see on the road. Which is why there are no supercars or hypercars in my collection because I just cannot see myself driving one on a grocery trip.

Secondly, I have a soft spot for Lotus cars. You know you always have a certain feeling for that one car brand? Well, it’s Lotus for me. When I grew up in the 90s, Lotus was under the ownership of Proton, the first Malaysian car company. I thought it was just so cool that a historical brand like Lotus was owned by a Malaysian car company that produced mostly Mitsubishi-conversions. Top Gear would have you believe that Proton produce only rubbish cars. This is not entirely true because there have been some landmark cars in the past such as the iconic, in local context, Proton Satria GTi which was, you guessed it, developed by Lotus.

Granted, this car is actually a Ford but it is more Lotus than Blue Oval to me. The internal bits are mostly Lotus, heavily based on Ford, while actual assembly took place at Lotus not Ford. Generally speaking, the ‘tuned by Lotus but sold by another major company’ is a fascinating subject matter. Speaking of which, why has no one made a die cast Vauxhall Carlton Lotus?! :nt:

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The interior is very spartan but it looks like a place I do not mind spending too much time in in a traffic jam. Love the wood-rimmed steering and very detailed shifter.

Some notable deviations from the actual vehicle; (1) the rear view mirror is white not black, (2) the shift knob is a wood-finished piece not black and (3) there should be some vents on the dash that duct fresh air in.

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The rear has some equally nice touches too. Check out the hinge of the boot. Fun fact: the spare wheel and battery were relocated from the standard Cortina due to changes to the rear suspension with the added benefit of better weight distribution.

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The Lotus-Ford Twin Cam with its 100+ horses. Love that the carburetors are as large as the engine. Kids nowadays will be like “What the f*** is this s***? Where are the plastic covers?”. :tut:

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How I managed to acquire this Cortina is an interesting story. I found it via a British classic car site specializing in producing automotive components and parts. According to the proprietor, this model was bought directly from Lotus Cars when he was working for a Lotus specialist. It was considered a Lotus stock with a designated Lotus serial number.

By the way, I simply adore the packaging of these AUTOart Millennium series. Elegant artwork across all sides of the box with some informative description at the back. Those were the days.

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The Lotus serial code was simply applied over the AUTOart reference number. I was hoping for something more elaborate. This is one packaging I will not dispose of given the provenance.

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Undercarriage detailing, especially on the rear solid beam axle, is greatly appreciated! As this one has the A frame members instead of leaf springs, this would suggest an earlier release model.

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Having started my die cast hobby in the 1:64 scale via Hot Wheels, there was a time when I simply had to collect every single new release in the market. Even at such a small scale, it was important to recognize the perils of the “gotta collect ‘em all” trap. There was a time when I got burnt out and quit the hobby momentarily. In fact, I quit the collecting hobby 3 times! So when I realized I still have the passion in die cast scale model collecting and decided on a larger scale, I knew I needed a new approach and focus.

I cannot simply collect what I like since real estate is a premium here. I focus mainly on models that have very interesting historical and technical significance. In retrospect, I have to approach acquiring a new model like how most enthusiasts would when buying an actual vehicle. Do I see myself driving a Ford Cortina Lotus Mk I with my wife on her way to work? Absolutely!

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Shiny dog dish hub caps so that you could look at your victory-celebrating face.

Ford/Lotus made only ~3,000 of these wonderful machines.

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To the uninitiated, this is just your typical old car. Lord knows what terrible things I would do just to have this in my non-existing garage

I paid £185 for this plus a £25 shipping. At my local currency that is almost SGD 381 but loving every single quid I spent on this.

Thank you.

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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Sat Jan 26, 2019 9:22 am

Sir, very well written, love the flow of words. I wish you would have found us earlier. I had this model in my collection, absolutely superb, this is went AUTOart produced some gems. I sold it, a rare sell from my collection, $50CND mint in box :(

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Yeow Yi Fan
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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:43 am

[KRAFTIG] wrote:Sir, very well written, love the flow of words. I wish you would have found us earlier. I had this model in my collection, absolutely superb, this is went AUTOart produced some gems. I sold it, a rare sell from my collection, $50CND mint in box :(
:worthy: Pleasure is mine good Sir.

I actually enjoyed researching more about this Cortina when preparing for this post. This really reinforces my admiration for the model even more!

I have a few pre-orders expected and some identified models in the pipeline coupled with my existing line-up, there is no shortage of writing materials. Only issue is which one(s) to write about. :o

(P/S: :wow: :wow: :wow: CND 50??)

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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by [KRAFTIG] » Sat Jan 26, 2019 10:49 am

Yes, $50. I bought it for $40... No one wanted it! Write about them all. If you can create a consistent background for your images I would even publish reviews on classic pieces. Food for thought. Happy collecting!

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Yeow Yi Fan
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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by Yeow Yi Fan » Sat Jan 26, 2019 11:09 am

[KRAFTIG] wrote:Yes, $50. I bought it for $40... No one wanted it! Write about them all. If you can create a consistent background for your images I would even publish reviews on classic pieces. Food for thought. Happy collecting!
About the background though, I am still trying out different setups to find the most ideal configuration for me. :geek:

Lack the sufficient tools at the moment.

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Re: Collection from The Little Red Dot

Post by StratosWRC » Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:24 am

Haha yeah I was the one he bought it from for $40. I originally bought it for about $100 I think? Sold it to him for $40, bought it back at $50 and a couple years later sold it for $160 I think on ebay. By then they became rare and the auction had lots of european bidders. Go figure. Love the review by the way

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