James Turner - January 2016 • DiecastSociety.com

James Turner – January 2016

Tell us what this hobby means to you? 13 questions answered by you, James Turner from Newcastle, Australia.

We’re always looking for more collectors to feature on DiecastSociety.com Diecast Collector Of The Month (DCOTM). Click HERE for all the details! ** Remember, for your efforts all winning candidates will be mailed a pair of www.DiecastSociety.com decals! **

 

1) What first got you collecting diecast? How long have you been collecting? What is your total model count as of today?

I got into collecting at a really young age (mainly Hot Wheels & Matchbox cars), so as I got older diecast became a natural progression. Now its become an obsession. I got my first diecast car for Christmas when I was 6. Now I’m 23 and have over 140 cars.

2) What was your first diecast or memory?

My first diecast car was a Christmas present when I was 6. It was an Alan Jones Ford Falcon EL in 1/43rd scale made by Classic Carlectables. The poor car has had a hard life for a diecast model. Its a bit dusty now (a legacy of not having display cabinets when I was younger) and the front left wheel has fallen off more times than I care to admit (Playing ‘Bathurst’ too many times as a kid) but I still happily display it with all of my other cars.

3) What is your favourite scale, and why?

1:18th scale. It doesn’t really need an explanation does it? The size and detail are why I like it. I can still remember when I got my first 1/18th car and it made all of the other cars I owned at the time look average. From then on, I’ve been 1/18th all the way. (Not that there’s anything wrong with other scales.)

4) What are some of your favourite models to date? Did you share any photos with us?

I’m a Craig Lowndes fan first and foremost, so I do have quite a few favourites. The 2000 Holden Commodore VT by Biante/AUTOart was my first 1/18 so I’ve always had a soft spot for it. Other Lowndes favourites include the 2002 Ford Falcon AU by Biante (better known in Australia as the Green-eyed Monster-arguably the best looking touring car ever!), the 2006 Bathurst 1000 winning Ford Falcon BA by Classic Carlectables and the 2012 Bathurst 12 Hour Audi R8 LMS by Spark (The Red-Back Spider makes fantastic livery!).

I’ve also got some other models that I’m quite fond of. They include the Channel 9 sponsored 1979 Chevrolet Camaro that infamously rolled over during the 1982 Bathurst 1000 by Classic Carlectables and the ‘Crocodile’ Audi R8 that won the Race of a Thousand Years in Adelaide on New Years Eve in 2000 by Maisto (Its great when the works Audi teams come to Australia, they always have great liveries).

The Mad Max V8 Interceptor and Le Mans Porsche 917K by AUTOart are also among my favourites.

5) Is there a model that has eluded you, a holy grail of sorts?

There is one model in particular, that eludes me, unfortunately it hasn’t been made yet. The 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour winning Ferrari 458 GT3 driven by Peter Edwards, John Bowe, Craig Lowndes & Mika Salo. As well as being a Lowndes fan, I also love GT3 racing so to see Lowndes in a Ferrari at Bathurst in person was awesome. To see him win was just the best thing ever. So since February 2014, I’ve been waiting. I think the main thing is the GTE/GT2 458 is just way more popular and readily available. And then of course, there’s the Ferrari licencing department…

6) What is your favourite brand/manufacturer, and why?

Any brand that makes Lowndes cars! I don’t really have a particular favourite, but some brands are better than others…   AUTOart are making some damn good models at the moment.

7) Describe your current theme and what your overall goal is?

There are 3 themes to my collection. Firstly there’s my Lowndes theme. At the moment, its made up of 32 1/18th cars with over 20 1/43rd, 1/64th cars & helmets.  Secondly I have my 1/18th Movie/T.V. themed collection.

Finally I have an ‘everything else’ collection in all different scales. It ranges from Formula 1, Indycar, A1GP, Australian Touring Cars/V8 Supercars, Marcos Ambrose NASCAR’s, Sportscars/GT and dioramas and sets.  I don’t really have an overall goal, but eventually I’d love to have every single car that Lowndes has raced in 1/18th. He’s still racing so there’s plenty to get!

8) Do you display your collection? If yes, how?

Absolutely! I’ve never understood why some people don’t display their collections. I work for a hobby shop and i silently scream when customers tell me that they don’t display their cars. Why go to the effort of making a big investment and just leave them hidden away in boxes?  I have 3 IKEA Billy book cabinets for my collection. One day I would love get some proper custom built display cabinets when budget space isn’t an issue.

9) Do you have any other hobbies, passions or addictions?

I’m a self-confessed motor racing addict/nerd/anorak/die-hard. I’m also heavily involved in on-road radio-control car racing in my local area. It’s something I’ve been doing since I was 8.

10) What do you think about the diecast hobby as it stands today?

I love it. My passion for it keeps growing.  There’s a lot of naysayers at the moment who say that the model car market is doomed and finished and I find that incredibly frustrating and upsetting. Admittedly some of them have a point. Yes some models are getting more expensive and yes quality has dropped ever so slightly for some brands, but that’s no reason to get completely disillusioned with the hobby. There’s still some fantastic models being made with excellent quality. Most collectors I speak to are just as passionate about collecting as they’ve ever been.

Another big talking point is resin. There are plenty of collectors on forums all over the world who say “I’ll never buy a resin car.” I have several resin cars and they’re just as good (if not better in some cases) than diecast. And if they look just as a good and are cheaper than diecast, what’s the problem?

11) If you could change one thing about the diecast hobby what would that be?

Cheaper models! I always say to my friends: “Don’t start a model car collection! It’s bad for your bank account!

12) Do you modify cars? If yes, what are some examples?

The only time I’ve ever modified cars is when I’ve had to apply tobacco decals. (There’s often many swearing fits!) I wouldn’t trust myself to do a custom job!

13) What is your 1:1 daily driver?

I’m little bit ashamed to admit this as a car and motor racing nut, but it’s a Suzuki Alto. It’s a good little car.

dcotm_jamesturner (9) dcotm_jamesturner (8) dcotm_jamesturner (7)

dcotm_jamesturner (6) dcotm_jamesturner (5) dcotm_jamesturner (12)

dcotm_jamesturner (13) dcotm_jamesturner (14) dcotm_jamesturner (15)

dcotm_jamesturner (11) dcotm_jamesturner (10) dcotm_jamesturner (3)

dcotm_jamesturner (2) dcotm_jamesturner (1) dcotm_jamesturner (4)

2 Responses to "James Turner – January 2016"

  1. damnyou says:

    Nice collection!

  2. Raoul says:

    Super collection ,
    j’adore les voitures Australiennes

Leave a reply