Tell us what this hobby means to you? 14 questions answered by you, Loek Voesten from Puth Netherlands.

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

It all started when I was a teenager ( sixties) and loved to build and paint plastic 1:24 scale models. Some of them are still in my possession.  Next, to that, I started to build and paint the 1:18 metal model-kits from Bburago. The Mercedes 300 SL and the F40 were my favourites.  After several years of not really looking at them, it started again a little bit around 1995-1996 with the actual BPR and DTM racing series. Still proud of having 3 DTM models of the competitors at that time. So now I am in the collector world for more than 50 years. In my Collection actually 150 models, (146 in scale 1:18, 1 in 1:24, 1 in 1:12 and 2 in 1:8).

2) What was your first diecast or memory?

Mercedes 300 SL and Ferrari F40 BBurago kits 1:18.

3) What is your favourite scale, and why?

My favourite scale is 1:18, because of the details in it and they are nice to make pictures of. They also look great in displays.

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

This is the very difficult part. Always when I try to choose a top 5, I end op with a top 15 street cars and a top 15 of racing cars.  The Ferrari 250 SWB (CMC): the Ferrari 250 GTO (Kyosho): The Bentley Brooklands (Minichamps); the Jaguar E-type (AutoArt Signature) and the Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 Coupe (Type 930) from Autoart, are a few street cars that I highly like.  Among my GT racing cars, the Aston Martin’s DBR9 (Gulf Livery) from Autoart and the DBR12 from Spark, next to the Corvettes C6R (AutoArt) and C&R (BBR) are my favourite. This list would not be complete without mentioning the Porsche 934 RSR (1976) from Exoto Racing legends.  Have a look at the pictures I send to you, they are all included.

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

The Porsche 934 RSR (1976) from Exoto Racing legends and the Ferrari 250 SWB from CMC are getting close to that.

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

UT in the past made great models, nowadays Spark and Minichamps, because they make affordable good model cars. Autoart is great but is getting very expensive. Best quality and details you can get, are within the CMC models, but also at a high price.

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

My current (and also past) themes are Supercars (street) and GT racing cars, old and new.  My overall goal is to upgrade my collection from “Bburago/Maisto” quality to the more premium model manufacturers.  A second goal is to not let it grow too much, by selling the lesser cars or giving them to my nephews and grandchildren.

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

Yes, of course, I display my models. In our living room, there is a display for max 14 cars (picture included).  In my hobby room, I have several displays. I regularly change the display in the living room, related to the time of the year. e.g. in June, there are only LeMans cars in it (picture included).

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

I like photography. To make, enhance and arrange them in an album.  Last year I made an album of my collection. The album is 30×30 centimetre and some pictures are on 2 pages. 3 example pictures of some pages are included.

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

For me it is great!  I see a lot of sites on Facebook and in Holland, there are several exhibitions and markets (e.g. in Houten near Utrecht 6 times a year).  How this is in the world outside my view??? I don’t know.

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

Stop the rising of prices.

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

I used to build and paint them  (see the pictures of the Ferrari F40 and the 288 spider).  Nowadays I sometimes do paint them. (see the black McLaren F1).

13) What does your spouse, partner or significant other think of your hobby and your collection?

My Spouse is not much interested, but she likes that I am that occupied with my hobby and accepts the display in the living room.

14) What is your daily driver?

Now I drive a BMW 5 series (F10) saloon.  Before that a 3 series coupe. I included a picture from “my supercars and their related models” from my album.