Unique 'library' of car models

Every car is a friend

The story of my hobby of collecting model cars with Tuan Anh started with his collection of 250 cars in France. In his hometown of Hue City (Thua Thien-Hue), Tuan Anh had a "huge" collection of about 1,000 cars. On the first day he came to France to study 6 years ago, he brought 15 model cars with him.

Tran Viet Tuan Anh with his car model collection in Hue City

"To date, the number has increased to 250. In France, there are many second-hand markets and many of them are model cars. There, I can buy a car in good condition at a very cheap price. In addition, when traveling or going to car exhibitions and museums in Europe, I often buy model cars as souvenirs," Tuan Anh said.

Tuan Anh held his first model car in his hands since birth, but to really have the consciousness to play and collect it had to be counted from 2008. At that time, because of his passion, when he got high scores, his parents often rewarded him with model cars. Right from the beginning of this hobby, Tuan Anh classified cars based on the brand and the relationship between the car brands in real life. There are many different ratios but the most common are 1/64, 1/43, 1/18, 1/12 and divided into 3 segments: high-end (BBR, MR...), mid-range (Kyosho, Autoart...), popular (Welly, Burago...). The larger the size and the higher the quality, the more meticulous and complete.

From his passion for collecting car models, Tuan Anh now owns a real-life Opel Astra car.

"Model cars usually have a body made of metal or plastic. They are also divided into two types: dynamic - the type that allows players to disassemble parts; static - the type that cannot be disassembled, mainly for display," Tuan Anh said.

"I have never considered my cars as just objects. To me, they are like pets, like friends. So, every time I buy a new car, besides feeling like I really own the car, I also feel very happy as if I have a new friend," he shared.

Tuan Anh said it was difficult to choose a car that he liked the most because he had memories with almost every car. But to tell about a car that "has a story", it was 2 Peugeot 106 models. It looked quite damaged, but the story associated with it was very special. That was one time Tuan Anh was too playful and refused to study, his mother was angry with her son so she threw away these 2 cars. From then on, Anh always remembered that if he wanted to pursue his passion, he must first study well.

Library of memories

Recounting the journey of searching and conquering his favorite cars, Tuan Anh remembers most of all spending 2 years both researching and saving money to buy a Hot Wheels Lamborghini Murcielago SV model, 1/64 scale, as small as 2 fingers. This is one of the very rare cars and its value is also quite high in the collector market.

"The most expensive car in my collection is a 1/18 scale Pagani Huayra, which cost 6 million VND at the time of purchase. On the contrary, the cheapest car I ever bought happened to be a 1/64 scale Pagani Zonda. I bought it at a second-hand market in France, for about 20,000 VND," Tuan Anh said.

He said that every model car enthusiast has a passion for cars and probably dreams of owning one of those prototypes in real life. In 2009, he saw in a magazine a car called Opel Astra, which was only sold in Europe. At that time, no company produced a model of that car, so everything was just a dream... By 2021, he had fulfilled this childhood dream: owning a 1/43 scale Opel Astra model and that prototype in real life.

Lamborghini Murcielago SV *(left)* and Koenigsegg Agera R *(right)* models. Both are 1/64 scale and are very rare cars from Hot Wheels.

"In France, the 1/18 or 1/64 scale is not as popular as the 1/43 scale, a scale that I rarely play with. So when I came here, I gradually owned more of this scale, a fairly balanced scale, having the sophistication of the large scale, but also having a small size that is easy to carry and display," he said.

Since childhood, Tuan Anh has always brought with him at least one car model wherever he went. He has maintained that habit until now. He considers each model a lucky charm. Playing with cars and being passionate about cars has also influenced him a lot during his studies. From studying economics in Hue to studying for a master's degree in graphic design in France, he has had many projects related to cars. Notably, in his final year of his bachelor's degree in graphic design, his project was to design the dashboard behind the steering wheel for the Bugatti Chiron. "No matter what job I do, I always try to stick with my passion for cars. That is also a unique feature that I want to aim for," Tuan Anh shared.

For Tuan Anh, the pinnacle of his hobby of collecting model cars is understanding the car he buys, knowing its story and its connections to the world of cars. An indispensable thing in his collection is that when he looks at a car, memories come flooding back. Therefore, the collection is also a library of memories, not only his own but also his parents'. "That is the pinnacle I always want to reach," Tuan Anh said. (continued)

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thu-vui-suu-tam-do-doc-la-doc-dao-thu-vien-mo-hinh-o-to-185240730222720255.htm