DISPLAY OR NOT?

@donderbeestje 

I think you get it you understand.  What I'd say (from my viewpoint), is that if people buy these cars as an investment, then they are not quite (my opinion) true old car fans.  And if they buy them when they don't have the room to display them, that doesn't seem to be a rational decision to me. 

You touched on the joy of sitting in your car room and seeing different cars and different things about them each time you are in the room.  That is 100% what I do and ever time I'm in my car room, I'm surrounded by a very comfortable and relaxing enviroment. 

My friend in Wisconsin who I mentioned at the onset of this "Display or Not?" topic, seldom goes in to the closet he has his boxes of cars in and actually looks at them.  He's admitted, it takes to much time to even look for certain cars.  And that is where I question, why he has the cars at all.  Oh, and he is a single guy, so there is no real space issue if he'd choose to display them.  I have no idea why he buys them to then put them in a closet. 

I agree with you that it helps if your spouse/partner etc. is okay with the cars, and I'm fortunate to not have that problem.  Any live-together relationship is a matter of respecting each others hobbies/collections/space.  My wife and I have no problem doing that. 

I remember when I purchased my very first 1:24 scale diecast (Danbury Mint's '57 Chevy convertible).  I immediately rationalized that something that cost this much money needed to be displayed.  I never anticipated or thought about any additional models, but I knew I wasn't going to buy it to keep it in a box in a closet.  My wife and I went to a hobby store named "Miniature Merchants" and I purchased a wood trimmed glass case with a felt bottom on the inside for $55. 

Then came model #2 (DM's '49 Mercury Coupe), and eventually it was another model and then another.  I wanted them, and I was going to display them.  Now in comparison to many here on the Forums, my collection is small (348 1:24's & 21 1:18's), but every one of them is displayed.   

mine began as many others have, as an organized array to hold each treasure snugly and securely in a dust resistant environment............ built from a pair of UT display cases.......assembled,the structure measures 7`H x 9`W.......best viewed from a sitting position aboard the old Lay-z-boy

at first,everyone began to settle in nicely

as word spread (especially among those great unwashed truckers)zoning restrictions began to require multi-level structured parking 

this would apply to all but the largest of the trucks

as of this writing,and nearly 3 years after the fact,the display cabinet doors are always kept shut ........ but many,many,many of the cars,trucks,etc have gone "Free Range",and a few, regrettably,have gone full feral......the police vehicles are looking into this matter

beautiful case John, great size, looks like right room positioning and your photographic lighting skills have transferred over to the display area. The subtle lighting affects viewable in pic 8 are just perfect for multi colored models and the timber material. Well done sir!

@geoff-jowett ............... Thanks Geoff 😉 .........I find myself glancing over at the cars as I watch tv, and thinking of various scenarios as I do.....when the inspirations slow down, that means it`s time to shuffle a few pieces.....I have  several more of the glass-doored oak units that could be refinished and put into use but I lack the floor space here to swing even a small cat

@john-barry 

I am totally impressed.  Thanks for the awesome "play-by-play" and the great photos too.  

@georgeschire  ...........Thank you very kindly George 😀 ......

SUPER cool John!!!

@john-barry

Great case and fantastic lighting. Especially that dark background/wall gives the cars  something special. 

@perrone1 Thanks Tony 😀

@donderbeestje Thank you DB ! 😎

@john-barry 

AWESOME! Planning, carpentry skill, beautiful wood, OH My . . . .

Loved seeing the cases fill as time progressed and your "fun" commentary. Seems as if "nature abhors a vacuum" tis true because with that big basement (?) space is now overflowing the cabinets and the diecast police cannot keep up.

@georgeschire 

George, wonderful thread you started, Thank you. Rarely look at anything other than 1/43rd scale Forum, but decided to today and am glad I did. Very enjoyable. I have some 1/24th models and will post them in the "Car Story Room" soon, meanwhile here are a few quick shots of favorites from my office. (seen daily)

JB you're the man. Question...do you have a basement? I ask because all of the houses around here are built on slabs.

@stewil 

Thanks for sharing some of your collection.  I like your "seen daily" comment.  That is my whole point in having our cars displayed.  It's the only way to totally be able to enjoy them.  And every day, when I walk in to my car room, I always seem to notice a different model and it's like it brand new again.  I'm confident if all my models were stored in some closet in their boxes, I'd not have that joy.  Thanks again for sharing your cars.  

Showing 1/24th Scale in the Car Story Display Room. The displays use models various scales to tell stories of automotive history/evolution, street and/or race venues. Am fortunate to have both space and light and it is all due to my wife, am very Blessed. Was happy with my office and models in drawers or trays used in automotive history presentations, with a few on display. My wife who wasn't a car person looked at some of the Franklin and Danbury Mint models and said we should clean out a basement room to let others see the little gems. Sounded like work, I wasn't happy, but went along. My thought was to put up some shelves, paint the concrete walls, leave all the pipes & floor joists exposed, but put up more lighting. Bev said NO, we are going to "do it right, just once". She also found all the display cases from stores going out of business except the North built in one containing a mix of 1/43rd and 1/18th scales. I hope you enjoy seeing the little gems.

Entrance view of the display room. East wall.

The message in the center of the wall amidst the cars.

This is how I explained the display room to my four year old niece when she 1st stepped into the room, stood stock still with only her head swiveling, stunned, taking it all in. She "got it" then, is 19 now, and still loves the Car Story Room. I transferred the explanation into print on the wall because if it worked for her it might work for others too.  

Seen within the display case in front of the wall display is my attempt at poetry which explains the relationship between race and street cars, i.e., "racing improves the breed".

Right side of a modular display case from a toy store. Was 104" tall cut down to 72" and plexiglass sheet added.

3rd from bottom is a used car lot in 1973-4 when high gas prices and insurance costs brought lots of muscle cars onto the market for little $$$$$. How many of us wish we had just put the car up on blocks for ~50 years to sell now?

Background poster is of a Ford junkpile, mostly Ford models in front.

Left side of the 16' long display display, depth ~2'. South wall.

The GM junk pile.

NASCAR, trucks & rods, and Bugatti repair

Back wall of Ferrari's top, Corvettes across bottom, Cobras & BMW's on right.

Looking left to the north built in wall display.

A better view

The West wall. Snoopy is flying into the sunset in his Sopwith Camel being chased by a Conga line of colorful German "butterflies" arranged in evolutionary order of front line service, 1914 - 1918.

24th scale closeup. Some of the most interesting 1/24th Mint models IMHO.

Penultimate PIC which almost completes the tour. LSR and super car display in the front cabinet.

But wait, There's more. Three 1/24ths in the LSR display.

My favorite is the 1925 Model T Salt Flats Racer

Finally the tour ends at the entrance, door is to the left.

The other side of the 1/2 wall is a bookshelf containing car stories. The car story room is an automotive reference library with books, visual (DVD's & TV car stories), with the models serving as 3-D examples of the automobile's story.