[Small Beginnings: Models fueled Rush drummer's passion for cars]
Neil Peart was interviewed for the latest issue of classic and collector car magazine Hagerty where he talks about his love of classic cars, car model-building, and his own personal collection of classic cars and car models. From the interview:
... Neil describes himself as "a car lover since infancy." Growing up in the 1950s and '60s, he had many Dinky Toys and Corgi Toys. His father attended a car show in Buffalo, New York, each winter, and upon his return would bring Neil a 1/25-scale promotional model of the latest Pontiac or Oldsmobile. "I thought those were really special," Neil says. "I was fascinated by shiny, monstrous, noisy, grown-up cars, and had toys to play with until I could have the real thing." ...
... Though he didn't keep any of his old toys and models, Neil has since amassed quite an impressive model collection focused primarily on sports cars and GT cars of the 1950s and '60s, plus a handful of pre-war Bugattis. In the mid 1980s, Neil discovered 1/43 hand-built models, and since then he has made a point of visiting a network of shops around the globe.
The bulk of his model collection today is in that small 1/43 scale. "I acquired a couple of genuine masterpieces of miniaturization," Neil says. "A Ferrari GTO with tiny sliding plastic windows, opening doors, and perfect engine detailing, and a Bugatti Type 35 with the piano wire attaching the bodywork rendered perfectly, as are the leather upholstery and bonnet straps. I define these delightful creations as expensive—and worth it." ...
... Neil has commissioned 1/24 renderings of his personal cars: a Porsche 911 Speedster, BMW Z8, and a pairing of the Aston Martin DB5 and the modern DBS. Says Neil, "These tiny jewels of intricate craftsmanship give me pleasure just in contemplating them."
The article also includes several great photographs of Neil and his collection of cars. You can read the entire article/interview online here. Many thanks to Todd V for the heads up.
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