A Car in the Hand is Worth Two on the Floor. Unless They're Redlines...

T O Y  C A R S — Toy cars have always been part of my life. Here I am at about the age of 2 aboard an Army passenger ship leaving Germany for my upcoming big 'debut' in the States, lol. I have a big smile on my face because of the car I have in my hands. I have many photos of myself as a child, holding toy cars in most of them. I still have most of the toy cars to this day. I'm pretty sure the car I'm holding in the photo above is the gray '40s sedan looming large, confronting a first series Corvette in the image below:

Not So Gently from a 2008 photoshoot

War Looms, from the same shoot. 

T H E   C O L L E C T I O N — Classic mid-60s Matchbox Carrying Case featuring the Ford GT40, (also near the front of the group on the floor), and it's contents of original late '50s and '60s "Made in England by Lesney" scale models. None are in mint condition; rather they're what's known as 'played with' lol. I 'improved' some of them as a child as well, adding paint and/or silver trim... I especially enjoyed the 'accessory' Matchboxes, the separate boat and trailer, the Travel Trailer with lift off roof, and the models with rooftop luggage. The Ford Corsair (UK) with it's rooftop boat was a favorite, too.

Vintage Hot Wheels Redlines, along with their racing tracks and rare pink joiners! These particular Hot Wheels date from 1967-69, the first years of the famed toys. There are lists and lists online that rate the various cars and colors and production dates, in terms of desirability and of course, value. I just have them because I've always had them, and always will. The purple '67 Tbird with the matte black roof was my favorite back then. I always have liked 'plain' production model scale cars, not the crazier racing cars or even Hot Wheels own creations. As you can see, I owned a few of those, but I much preferred accurate representations of real cars. I think it helped my imagination, since I 'drove' these cars every time I played with them. I'm sure every little boy and girl did.

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M A T C H B O X E S   M A K E   T H E   B E S T   G I F T S — To this day I like to give little cars to people, young and old. No one really ever seems to need anything, so gifts are a chance to give a bit of yourself to people. I sincerely hope the little cars I give out to friends, officemates, and little kids give them as much joy as they do me!