The Old Irish Racing Collection

Here we go for the next installment of the tour.  

In a standing case/cabinet, I keep a variety of cars (mostly 1/43) and grouped.  Mercedes Benz W196 and 300SLR's, Shelby and Cobras, some of my Alfa Romeo race cars, Chaparral and USRRC and early Can-Am cars.  I would like to replace this cabinet with something about as wide, only taller and deeper so that I can do a better job of displaying these cars and dioramas.





A better view of the Alfa and the USRRC and Can Am cars.



I came across some display cases for baseball bats at a local craft store, which make ideal cases for models.  They fit nicely under my wall cases.  I had hoped that the would fit 1/18 scale cars, but just aren't deep enough.  The nice feature with these is a hinged cover which gives great dust protection and visibility.  Here are some of my Abarth cars and non-Gulf McLaren Can Am cars.





Moving to the other side of the garage, this case has an eclectic mix of cars.  Toyotas, Nissans, Maserati, Lola, March, turbine power, etc., many Le Mans cars, but cars of special interest to me.  




Next time we will move on to the bulk of the Ferrari collection, the F1 and Indy cars.  Stay tuned...

Thanks for showing us how amazing your collection is, Jerry!

I have been watching as much live Goodwood racing as possible given the time difference. Watched the St.Marys trophy race that finished off the weekend. Smashing action (literally and figuratively) and will catch the races you mentioned on YouTube.  😀

Moving On...  I didn't realize its been a bit over a month since the last installment, so figured I better work at finishing this up.  First and foremost, thanks for all the kind comments about the displays and the collection.  Over our winter, I am going to have a rethink over how I have the displays setup.  This will probably be the last time the collection will be photographed in this arrangement and number.  Certain life events around my wife's health this year have led me get serious about downsizing the collection and pieces I am not that passionate about.  More on that later.  For now, lets continue on the wall displays in the shop garage.  At the request of some, I have reduced the images to divide the display case contents to give better detail, but you have to look at twice the number of images!  

Ferrari sports, prototypes and GT cars of the 1950's and 60's are the major theme in this case (I hear the cheers from down under).  Plenty of red.  





Carrying on the Italian theme, The next case is a mix of Alfa Romeo race cars that don't fit in the case with my other AR race cars, as well as a heavy continuation of Ferrari race cars primarily from late 60's and 70's with a few later year cars sprinkled in.  As part of my rationalization program, I am going to set a cut-off point in my Ferrari collection.  However, I waffle on what date that should be.  





The next case has Ferrari production cars and like the race cars, tends to be more vintage Ferrari road cars.  Joining the Ferrari's is my small collection of 6C & 8C Alfa Romeo's, plus a few other Alfa's I enjoy.  Part of my reorganization will be to try and put all Ferrari's and Alfa's in their own case.  However, as Enzo Ferrari once said about Alfa Romeo, "I lived with you for twenty years: how many deeds, events and men went by! Today I remember them, each and everyone. I still have, for Alfa, the tenderness of a first love. The pure affection of a child for his mother."  So, placing them together isn't too bad, unless you are an absolute purist of one or the other.  




We move on to my Grand Prix, F1 and Indy Car part of the collection.  Even though I have never harbored a desire to pilot an open-wheel car, some of these cars have fueled my greatest racing passion from a very early age.  That passion was kindled by Ferrari and in this case are my Ferrari F1 cars from the beginning of their grand prix involvement.  Atop is one of my all-time favorite drivers, Niki Lauda and some of his F1 cars.



As a kid growing up in the USA, especially a long way from where the major racing action was taking place, the most racing coverage we ever got was the Indy 500.  It was the only racing on the radio and later TV on our three stations (yes, I remember when color TV was new).  Therefore, the Brickyard has played an important part in my love for racing and its development.  The heroes that raced at Indy (many who drank the quart of milk) and/or important Indy cars populate this case:



Some makes in F1 have stood out for me more than others.  In this case, McLaren, Lotus and Brabham are the focus.  I have to assemble a representative sample of each car they raced up to about 1985, which was when F1 started to lose its attraction to me.



I have a bit yet to go, so will finish up this tour in the next day or two.

Thanks Tom!  I haven't said much in this forum, but it has been a tough year for my wife health wise.  Earlier in the year she was diagnosed with having a heart aneurism, which would require open heart surgery.  Before she could have surgery though, tests revealed she has breast cancer.  Cancer surgery done, she is now undergoing chemo therapy and then radiation with a good prognosis at the end.  Heart surgery is still going to happen once she recovers from the cancer treatments.  Needless to say, its taken a great deal of wind out of her sails, but she is tough, has a good attitude and I know she doesn't want to go another season with me tending her garden!    While no one plans for this stuff to happen, it has been a wake-up that these types of events can happen out of the blue, especially as you get older.  It has given me pause to think about downsizing and rationalizing my collection at a faster pace.  We'll have to see if that actually happens!  

Absolutely stunning, as usual! Thanks for sharing, Jerry!

I hope all goes well with your wife.