As we drove home from an auction yesterday, Baz and I discussed one of our newly acquired items. We’d managed to get our hands on Minichamps 1/6th scale motorcycle. Neither of us have had one of these before and as we marvelled about the detail and accuracy of such a fine-looking model, it wasn’t long before our conversation changed tact, as it often does with us both.
Before we knew it, I uttered those immortal words that makes a toy collector shudder.
‘I wouldn’t mind a few of these’.
I couldn’t believe it! Why did I say this? Have I not got enough cars, planes, helicopters, soldiers, tin-plate, plastic models in my collection already, without going into motorbikes!
Once I had realised that I simply couldn’t go down the motorbike road, the conversation turned to if I were to have only one model of a motorbike in my collection, what would that be?
No problem! This was an easy question to answer. It would have to be the ultimate one – and in my opinion, that is the bike which Steve McQueen rode in The Great Escape, magnificently reproduced by Minichamps. We all know the scene, and most people know that the bike was a Triumph TR6 Trophy which was made to look like a BMW. The jump scene is still one of my favourite movie scenes, despite the jump being made by a stuntman and not Steve McQueen, although it is reported that he also made the same jump off camera!
Our conversation then took another twist.
“Here’s one for you Baz; What would be your three ultimate Steve McQueen diecast model cars”, I asked.
Quick as a flash, and before Baz could scratch his head I told him my 3 choices.
There’s lots to choose from as quite a few manufacturers offer cars, vehicles and figures of the King of Cool.
My 3 models of choice would be:
My first choice would have to be the 1968 Ford Mustang GT Fastback from Bullitt. The greatest car chase ever in a movie, and a great film also. The difficulty here is choosing which scale to plump for. Personally, I think you must go big and that’s why my second model of choice would be Greenlights 1/18th version.
Second choice is what must be one of the nicest Jaguar’s ever produced and that is the Jaguar XK-SS. Now before anyone says that wasn’t in a movie by Steve McQueen, that’s not what we are discussing. Not only was Steve McQueen one of the coolest people ever to grace our planet, he’s also high up there in my estimation because he was a collector himself! His collection was legendary and had no barriers. Part of his car collection included a Jaguar XK-SS and it was rumoured to be his car of choice. It’s a cool car and again I think you need to go big to have this in your three, hence the reason for choosing the Auto Art 1/18th.
And last but not least, I would have to plump for Hot Wheels Ferrari 250 Berlinetta Lusso, and once again I’ve opted for a 1:18th model Steve McQueen had one of these, as well as several others as he was a big lover of the marque. The chestnut brown exterior sounds dreadful but in fact it looks really good (even though I believe all Ferrari’s should be red!). Hot Wheels have captured the colour magnificently on this model
The topics of conversation Baz and I get into when we are together never cease to amaze me. I wasn’t surprised when Baz disagreed with me of my choices. He never like things I like. He still thinks a Porsche 911 is boring – and Steve McQueen had one of those!
I rest my case.
PS If you want to know the sort of things Steve McQueen collected the check this list out from Bonhams Steve McQueen Sale & Collectors’ Motorcycles & Memorabilia in 2006. I’d like to know what they would fetch now!
What would be your three ultimate Steve McQueen diecast models? Leave your choices in the box at the bottom of the page. We’d love to hear from you!