Hello there. I've been under quite a lot of stress these days. Free time has become more and more scarce and I find myself needing a little outlet for my creativity. I used to stay centered by making weekly videos and chucking them into the Youtube abyss. It was something I did for me, which is why I couldn't bring myself to give a fuck about anyone who didn't think I was operating on some kind of professional level. It's a hobby...it's no longer a hobby when a Patreon link is introduced.
Anyway...
The stuff I've been dealing with in the real world has kinda necessitated some kind of release. Amazon Japan kinda hit me right in the soul when I went to order the Reiwa Robocon (or Robottie if...Toei is really sure about how they'd like to proceed) CD set. Tomica released a high quality 1:64 scale model of my beloved Lexus IS?
Yes! Tomy has a line called Tomytec Neo Vintage. This line has insanely detailed models of largely humdrum everyday cars from the 1950s-1990s. You can get taxis, Dad sedans, sports cars, sport"y" cars, radio vehicles, etc. Short of train set scale model (1:87) this is the smallest way to relive some of the great cars of Japan's (and Europe to a lesser degree) past. This is where my Toyota Altezza/Lexus IS300 comes in.
I immediately made the purchase. The price tags for these cars are steep, but you can see where the money goes. Like I said, the detail on the cars in this line are perfection. The sculpts are as close to the real thing as they get AND they are very careful to maintain a scale throughout the series. These cars are 1:64 and they mean it. Hot Wheels fluctuate between scales because they have to fit on the same card.
If I can take a step back--I have another trick up my sleeve.
A few months back I found something on Amazon that blew me away--an exact replica of my Subaru BRZ. You know...the famous Ohranger one.
This may sound like a big "so what" but this model is e-x-a-c-t. It is of the facelifted BRZ (2017-2020). It's white. It even has the same wheels. So naturally I bought a couple. The difference here is that the model is made by Kyosho rather than Tomica. Check it out...
Of course I needed a garage to house them. Getting back to that Tomitec Neo Vintage line, I found a slick garage that fits the bill. It has a roll-up door and a window in the back to let some light in.
It's fabulous.
While I have both of the real cars in my driveway, I can have my little 1:64 scene to remind me of the joys of the open road when it's not available to me. Even though my Lexus is undergoing some major work at the moment...and the BRZ just fought me for an afternoon to change into it's winter wheels and new brake pads, everything is perfect in my little JDM garage.
Sure, I may be getting into a new car in the near future...but I get to live in the moment just a little bit during the craziness.
Thanks for reading this little...whatever this is. I didn't intend this as a post to show off some automotive goods (both 1:64 and 1:1 scale) but this is just a reminder to make sure you take the time to find your own thing in this crazy world. Things aren't so bad when you ignore your social media and carve out a little slice of joy for yourself everyday.
See ya!
-CC
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