[Closed] Just a personal observation and no disrespect intended...

Operating features - there or not there. I kind of feel like...

knowing that they ARE there - yet not really ever having to realize their "feature" to enjoy the look of the car - makes the allure or amazement of the image all that more of a wow factor for me. Its like I am glad that i have 372HP under the hood of my real car, but i have never really had the need to use it, maybe other than to show off a time or two. Just like when I show off my DM 1958 Bonneville that has a removable record player. Its just a wow factor that make me and others appreciate them all the more....

I'll go out on a limb here stating my collection habits are different from most others

My new purchases were always opened, inspected, admired and after a brief time packed back in their boxes and kept in a safe place. Occasionally I will repeat the opening and sometimes its as though I just received all over again. (go ahead - call me crazy) I also have a rather large selection - maybe 50-60 cars purchased via ebay at a greatly reduced price that allow me to play with - painting, altering, engine swaps etc. - I even built a fairly decent replica of my dad's one bay Atlantic gas station in Cleveland, Ohio. I recently purchased five (5) distressed cars - most repairable that will - or should keep me busy for weeks - somedays are better than others - having 10 thumbs sometimes intricate work is a bit... I have threatened to show pix from time to time - even based on some requests - everytime i settle in to do it - somebody includes a masterful picture of one of their own creations and i realize, well maybe ill show some other time - like who needs this humiliation LOL. My greatest concern is I will tire of this hobby - but so far so good - and I just turned 70 last week.

C'mon, Ron! Let's see 'em! All of us are humbled when compared to the Read Brothers. I for one...

... love seeing the modification work of collectors. I'm sure many others do too.

You would be right, too. I do from time-to-time but don't make it a regular habit.

You know what I can't understand is...

...how Brookfiled collectors Guild managed to make the Viper GTS in resin with working features at an extremely affordable price. Didn't Danbury Mint buy that company?
Any of you that own or have taken a close look at this car know that it is chock full of detail and has working features. So there is proof that it can be done and at a reasonable price. Why is no one addressing this elephant in the room?

ok - ill try - but promise no laughing - this was originally the green version

photo no longer available

Cool! You should do a separate post so that all can enjoy. This might be buried too far down...

... for most to see.

Is that Viper 1:24th???

That was my intent LOL - I will take more pix of some of my more creative work and show thanks

Yes it's1:24..

.. you can find in in the Car List & Reviews on this site.

Spoken from a Wise Respected Young Man - I agree Marlowe

My version of this hobby is the operating features

Operating features was "MY HOOK" that got me started

Besides .... We never drove cars that had NO operating features

Part of this collecting die cast cars ... is to show and display under the hood, to show what the trunk looks like, to show off the inside interior

Back in 1995 ... when I got involved in this great hobby - if started out the way it is headed now .... I never would have got started .... I'd continued on in my hobbies in life

Die cast are not the end all

They can come ... and ... They can go

I don't stress over it

My mom health and my 9 grandkids are far more important than "WHAT IFS"

I got the die cast cars what I want

I set aside a budget, all my cars are paid off

I enjoy what I have
and I buy it

No self imposed limits - no worries

If I want 1 more ... I go to the markets and take a look around

And I enjoy my die cast car hobby on a full blown rigid limited fixed income.

If you put cottage cheese in front of me to eat .. I was taught to say no thank you - not at this time ... and move on ... always be polite - it never hurts

Hand me a resin ...my reply to you is .... "No Thank you - not at this time"

I like full operational features

I understand that time change and that this die cast market is changing

It is up to me and to me only if I want to play in the changing areana or watch from the side lines

But I'm not going to be moan, worry and stress about the what if's

We no longer live in the sweet by and by

We now live in the nasty now and now

If I do not like resin - I will not buy resin - no big deal

No Worries - be happy

Die cast cars are not investments

Diecast cars are a lot like a boat stored in FLORIDA

It is a money pit - never expect to get your full investment back at any time

Enjoy when and where you can ... and father time will remind it time to sell

You see .... there are only 2 happiest days when buying a boat and a die cast car

Happy Day #1 ... The day you bought it and brought it home

Happy Day #2 ... The day you sold and got rid of it

I'm very thankful for the die cast cars that I have

I always have ... I always will

They are my time capsules of history

AND

They are fully operational as well !!

The same can be said about the composite (not resin) models that AutoArt is producing. Right now it's just opening doors, but I think they probably will attempt hoods and trunks if they haven't done so already. Unfortunately for me the new composite models are more than some of their diecast models I want on the secondary market. I like the opening features the 1/24 and 1/18 scales diecast have and can't yet see me buying resin models regardless of price.

nice job Ron, did you use "rattle cans" or do you have a spray gun?

rattle cans - actually new age automotive colors which is a challenge finding colors to that era