Ever since a toddler, I have been interested and driven by classic cars. When I was in nursery, I used to lay all my toy cars out and pretend to sell them. I have always wanted to be a classic car dealer ever since I was crawling around. The year of 2015, after I left primary school I bought a Corgi Toys Commer Constructor set in original mint boxed condition for £50 which I then sold a week later for £80. There was and still is no better feeling for me than concluding a sale in which you and the buyer feel good about. I continued buying and selling Vintage toys all throughout my early teens. I was classed as '‘the weirdo” at school, but that didn’t stop me dealing in 1:43 wheels. My favourite model was the Matchbox Superfast Ferrari 250 Lusso which I still have today to remind me of my journey.
Eventually when I had climbed to the top of the ladder, I started buying in job lots to reduce the total price and maximise profits. The most memorable deal I had was seventy-five Matchbox Lesney cars in mint-boxed condition. I bought these from an ex-pilot in Mallorca for 550 euros. He shipped them over in a wooden crate, padded thick with wood chippings and newspaper. I almost felt as if I had travelled back to the 1950s.
When COVID first struck in 2020, schools closed and I was sent home with no work to do apart from continue with my business which was very difficult as all the toy fairs were cancelled and also restricted stock on the market.
This is when I sat myself down and had a think; “I can’t afford to buy a classic car, but what else can I afford to progress towards it?'“
A week later I purchased my first Raleigh Chopper. It was a Mk2 in Infra Red that had been restored over a ten year period after being found in Pangbourne river. Over the next couple of years, I have continued my Chopper journey with selling almost 15 bikes and collating a collection of rarities.
I hope very much to deal in classic cars soon and fulfil my childhood dream!