Slot Addiction
Hornsby Slot Car Swap Meet
Last month I was invited by the Australian Scalextric Racing Collecting Club to attend their annual slot car swap meet at Hornsby in northern Sydney. The event has been running since 2013, implemented after some of the committee members experienced similar events in the UK, where swap meets are a big deal. Much like classic car swap meets, they are places for collectors to trade those hard to nd items, or grab a bargain on a new car or spare parts.
The invitation came from Dominic Grimes, president of the club, who you may recall was also instrumental in entertaining our British visitors Martin and Gary Cannell when they came to Bathurst last year.
The club itself has been around since 1992, formed by a small group of slot enthusiasts to connect people who enjoy slot cars, grow the hobby and give it a local voice. With an everexpanding membership here and abroad, the members meet regularly to buy, race and repair slot cars in their garages, lofts and basements or wherever they can build a temporary or permanent circuit. Members also get a monthly 36-page magazine produced by the club that keeps them up to date on the slot car world. The Hornsby swap meet is one of the key events on the club’s calendar, held on the rst Sunday in March. Dominic and the club committee have been working hard to grow the event from the 10 stalls when they rst started, to 40 this year. The club estimated that there were over 1500 items on sale this year, including cars, track sets and accessories.
Most sellers were old-hands, looking to move on items they were prepared to part with and there was quite a range available. Sellers came from far and wide: two from Melbourne, one from Brisbane, while another came from Wagga with a trailer loaded with 500 new-old-stock cars, some still in their plastic shrink wrapping, some at real bargain prices. Included amongst these were many V8 Supercars, some autographed by the real drivers, and most highly prized by Australian collectors.
Other stall holders were there with old collectibles that ranged from well-worn to carefully-preserved. It was wonderful to see some of the old Scalextric sets with their painted artwork, looking just as they would have on Christmas Day when some of these grey-haired hobbyists were small children.
Amongst the more valuable items I noticed on the day were both issues of the very rare Bob Jane Camaro in mint condition, the #7 for $225, and #76 for $300.
On the other hand, there were some bargains, with some old ’60s bits and pieces going for pennies. I noticed a different experience from buying on auction sites like eBay – there was a real community feeling of like-minded people.
Interesting collectors’ items included an analogue speed calculator, old pit buildings and trackside gures.
There were some real oddities from the past including Power Rangers sidecars and old grannies in wheelchairs.
One man’s trash could be another’s treasure. Something that really attracted my eye was a large cardboard box with pieces of a Scalextric control tower with a footbridge, but it was
quickly snapped up before I could enquire further. A search on collectors’ sites shows that these combinations can go for up to $500 in mint condition.
As well as the collectors’ tables there were stalls of new cars run by hobby retailers, including club sponsor Slot Shop in Arncliffe, and Slotz-a-Fun near Wyong.
To help keep things entertaining, there was a ‘Cool Wall’ to vote for your favourite new Scalextric release for 2019. Based on the tally, it seems as though the John Goss XB Falcon and the Jim Clark Lotus 25 will be very popular this year. Club activities were also promoted, including memberships and race meetings. Jason and Steve from the club were hosting races on the Slot Shop mobile Scalextric track kindly provided free by the owner, Eddie Palminha.
Anyone who didn’t pick up what they wanted on the day doesn’t have to wait until next year’s swap meet. For those interested in joining the club, there is the annual Member’s Slot Car Auction at the end of August featuring a select list of 300 lots. The auction aims to offer some slot cars made in every decade since the 1960s. Information on the member auction or joining the club can be found on the club’s website www.scalextricaustralia.com
If you are unable to get to Sydney for the swap meet or member auction, Dominic runs a slot car trading service called Slot Cars Alive. Dominic has around 400 cars for sale and through his extensive contacts can even help you track down that elusive item without having to resort to eBay. Similarly, Phil Smith provides the same service in the UK, but you need to be mindful of postal charges. You can nd them both on the internet at www.slotcarsalive.com and www.philsmith.co.uk
As for yours truly, how did I go? Well, not having been to a swap meet, I was unsure what to expect. I’d prepared a wishlist of cars and after thinking through the process, realised there was no point going along with a credit card – I’d need cash in small notes. That then started me thinking about a spending limit, so I prioritised the list and went hunting. Thankfully I got the opportunity to talk with the stall holders before they were overwhelmed with buyers. I found one car near the top of my list, a Pioneer 1967 notchback Mustang. Regular readers of AMC can probably work out what I might do with it.
I had also hoped to get hold of one of those Bob Jane Camaros, but those prices were a bit higher than I’d expected, so no dice there. The second car I picked up wasn’t originally on my list, but I’ve been hearing good things about old Ninco classic cars and I picked up a Jaguar XK120. With some minimal tuning they are good fun to drive, and the XK120 ts in nicely alongside the C and D Type Jags in my Le Mans collection.