Car enthusiasts all over the world have a special place in their hearts for scale models of automobiles. There is a certain joy in these exact replicas that wow us with their detailing and realism. At the same time we scoff at those who dismiss them as mere toys not knowing the value of these fantastic works of art. Today, car models are available in numerous scales ranging from 1:87 to 1:4. As far as collecting goes, I am no different, and the scale model bug bit me ever since my Dad bought me my first 1:64 Dinky car. And I am not alone. We collectors are huge community and there are many individuals out there with enviable scale model collections. One such collector is Ranbir Mehra from Delhi, India.

Ranbir has been collecting scale model cars for the past 23 years. He now has a collection of over 900 models in 1:18 scale. Apart from that he has 30 models in 1:12 and he also has a beautiful Ferrari F40 in 1:18 scale. More than half of his collection comprises of Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche, Rolls Royce, and Bentley. He mostly prefers die cast models by the maker BBR and resin models by MR Collection.

He started off his collection by buying cars made by Centy Toys, an Indian manufacturer of scale models. Things looked up when Model Art, a scale model specialist store opened up in his city. And the enthusiast that he is, Ranbir ended up adding around 100 odd cars from the Model Art store. Apart from that, Ranbir has often purchased cars during is travels to Europe. As of today, most of the models that he acquires shipped from dealers in Germany,(CK model cars) and Singapore (Motorsports models, Unusual43).

As a child, Ranbir would save all his pocket money and spend it on models. As a collector myself, I can very much relate to that. Not much has changed even as an adult – only that he now spends all his hard earned money on scale models. His passion for cars and collecting them has brought him a long way. He never ceases to walk past a car store without entering it or drive past a great car without passing a second glance.

I happened to catch up with him over a conversation about an insight into model collecting and how he has nurtured this hobby. Here is what he had to share:

How many years have you been collecting and what is the total count of models on date?

I started my collection 23 years ago and today I have crossed 900 models.

How did this hobby start for you? What got you into model car collecting?

I discovered the passion for the car, as a machine very early on in my life when the only toys I would ask for would be dinky cars. I was often content playing with my cars all by myself, all day long. Of the dinky cars I collected until he was six years old, I donated some and broke some. However, as I was growing up, my mother instilled in me the importance of preserving and maintaining these cars so I could build a collection.

What do you look for when you think of buying a model car?

 Basically, there are very few brands which catch my fancy , but I like to buy different specs of the same model and limited brands help me getting those cars. If you see my collection, you will not find two cars which are exactly the same. The only point I think while making a purchase Is the exclusivity part. I love limited editions. I generally try to find the number of models produced and the number I will be getting.

Your first scale model?

My first scale models were a Mercedes Benz 500K and BMW 502

What are your favourite brands (model companies)?

My favourite brands are MR collection, BBR, GT Spirit and many more.

Your most exclusive/ expensive model?

My most expensive model is a Rolls Royce Ghost Wald Design limited to 8 pieces worldwide. I got the number 1 and costed me 1200 $USD.

Your favourite car brand (Ferrari, Mercedes etc)

My favourite brand is Mercedes Benz, and I have almost 250 models of the same.

Which scales do you collect?

Basically I only collect 3 types of scales 1:18, 1:12, 1:8.

A scale model that you have on your most desired list?

I am really looking forward to a Rolls Royce Dawn and waiting for someone to make it.

How often do you clean your cars and how do you go about it?

When my collection was small around 10 years ago, I used to clean them every three months or even earlier but now because of my work I really don’t get that time and clean them every 6 months or even 8 months sometimes. I have 8 cabinets at the moment, I go cabinet wise only because my collection is placed brand wise. So it helps me remember what all I have cleaned and what is left.

Advice to those who are beginners and want to get into this hobby?

 My only advice to collectors who are just starting off with a collection would be:

These days there is a wide variety of models available and the hobby is getting expensive too, plus because of social media you can see the collections of other collectors. So the main point that I would like to emphasize is just don’t compare your collection to any ones collection and you’ll be happy. And please enjoy collecting them and don’t make this trading hobby. Enjoy what you have and try not selling and earning out of it.

While these are some pictures of his model cars, you can check out Ranbir’s entire drool worthy collection by following his social media handles :

Instagram: @mehra_model_cars

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ranbir270

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MEHRASCARS/

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