Are you the only one you know ?

I think when you actually show someone your 1/18 scale diecast car they are delighted and amazed at the cool details. Yet, I don't think it registers with many of them to actually buy and collect such vehicles. They are perhaps mystified that someone would actually buy and collect numbers of such models.

Also, perhaps later generation weren't so much part of the car culture/American Graffitti type of vehicle (aka rolling bedroom/date conveyance)

Pure chance. Happened to be walking through a mall in 2003 and saw a model of a Cobra Daytona Coupe. When I was a kid I had pictures of Daytona Coupes all over my bedroom walls. I bought it on a whim. I then decided it would be cool to make a little two car display with it and a model of an FIA spec Cobra roadster. My search for the roadster took me to the internet and sites like this. The first thing I found was a better quality model of the Daytona Coupe. Move ahead to today and I have 346 more models but am still waiting for a 1:18 scale FIA spec roadster (I do own 2 in 1:12 scale) to go with my 78 other Cobras

 211 of my cars have been modified in one way or another and I too find the scale a good fit for my fat fingers. And that first Daytona I bought also became my first custom build

My Father and brothers have collected diecast cars.  A former coworker was big on 1/18 race cars.  He passed away about fifteen years ago.  Another coworker bought one of my cars. I haven't seen him since I retired. Several times while at Walmart, Hobby Lobby and Target, I have spoken to other collecters about what I collect.

Posted by: @franklemire

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"I then decided it would be cool to make a little two car display...."

Frank, I can relate (undoubtably, like countless others ). 

Growing up, and as a young man, I went from toy cars, to trains, to models, then to slot cars, then R/C cars, then real cars....    then, one day I spotted an "up scale"  2-car Hot Wheels American Graffiti set.   

That ONE set morphed into a "heathly"  1/64 collection.    THEN... a friend gave me a Maisto 1/18 1959 Cadillac; I was amazed by the "detailed quality!"    🙄 🙄 

That ONE car morphed into a "healthy"  1/160 - 1/6 collection of "stuff!" 

- The moral of the story Frank: It only takes ONE!  😀 😀 

- To Benjamin's point: If it wasn't for "online comradery,"  I'd have but a few folks to engage with.   Most people I know appreciate my collection; however, they really don't give a ****!  

@chris Indeed you are correct. Sites like this are a lifeline for people like us. And interestingly we are as diverse in what we collect and why we collect it. I have to admit that much of what is discussed here or on any other site has only passing interest to me. I'm at heart a military history guy and my base collection is a study of the development of sport racing cars from the 1950's to the mid 1970's and the wars that were fought on the race tracks of the world. The most prominent items that share space in my car room are history books on the American Civil War. I study them both with equal interest. I have to admit though the cars are more fun.

Posted by: @franklemire

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"...the development of sport racing cars from the 1950's to the mid 1970's..."

For such a "narrow window"  in which to base a car collection, it's fair to say you've exploited those parameters quite well - to their maximum.  You've managed to collect & catalogue scale treasures in ways Egyptian archaeologists & museum curators would be envious of. 

Who knew, or could've guessed, that you're really a military history guy? 

(P.S.    I have a fair amount of 1/18 WW II American & German military "stuff"  that I've posted from time to time.  Like you, I've had to augment many to achieve greater authenticity. ) 

Like many Forumites I collected Dinky, Corgi and Matchbox toys as a kid and wrecked them all eventually.  Next onto building models, mostly AMT, which I loved.  Mid teens my focus went to 1:1 scale and stayed that way until I was in my early 20s, when I stumbled upon a collectibles swap meet and bought a mint Matchbox yellow Citroen, which rekindled the nostalgia flame and slowly led to the build up of a substantial Matchbox regular wheels and MOY collection plus very many Dinky, Corgi and assorted other 1:43 vintage toys.  In the mid 1980s I was introduced to Brooklin models by a work associate who had a dozen or so....and the hook was set for many years of 1:43 white metal model collecting of various marques; including membership in a number of Brooklin Clubs and three trips to the UK for related events.  It has been a wonderful hobby from both a collecting, artistic, interpersonal and nostalgia perspective, which continues on today with this forum to name one.  I must add that in the two areas I have lived since my model collecting was reborn very few people nearby have been of this interest; most have lived a good distance away.  The computer age has sure been beneficial in this regard!

Posted by: @jack-dodds

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"The computer age has sure been beneficial in this regard!"

Yep!  😀 😀      I (we ) used to have to leave the house....    😉 

@jack-dodds I agree Jack. The guys who really got me into the hobby lived in Maine and Georgia and once I got into custom modelling my best information was coming from a fellow collector in Germany. Being able to 'share' the hobby is what keeps me going.