COLLECT OR!

FROM FLYING COLORS TO FULL-SCALE FINDS, THIS HOT WHEELS COLLECTION IS AMAZING

- TEXT & IMAGES BY JERRY TSAI

Like many lifelong collectors, JM's passion for Hot Wheels began in childhood—just a kid with a track set and a couple of favorite castings. But unlike some who casually hangs onto a car or two for nostalgia's sake, JM's rekindled hobby turned into a full-blown collecting pursuit that now spans over 100,000 pieces and includes rare die casts, automotive artwork, and even a fleet of real cars.

Growing up in Southern California during the 1970s and '80s, JM was right in the thick of what many consider the golden era of Hot Wheels. He remembers vividly the first playset that hooked him: the Flying Colors Double Dare drag race track. Along with it came two cars that would leave a lasting impression—the Porsche 917 and Ferrari 312P, both 1969 castings.

Like so many of us, life eventually pulled JM in other directions as he entered adulthood, and the hobby took a back seat. But over a decade ago, he found himself searching for those two specific castings again. What started as a simple hunt to reclaim lost childhood favorites evolved into a serious dive into vintage Hot Wheels collecting.