Cupboard parking

Prasenjit Bordoloi

From toy stores of all scales, Prasenjit Bordoloi collects small-scale cars on a large scale.

We're looking at a shiny red 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500 K Type Special Roadster, a sparkling piece of work that could be anybody's dream drive.

Its 20-something owner, ad-man Prasenjit Bordoloi, pries open the hood to one side "" "It works just like this in the real car" "" he assures me, and as he turns the miniature steering wheel, the front wheels move in tandem. Built on a scale of 1:18, this red hot baby is one of Bordoloi's many cherished "dinky" cars.

"Many of them are gifts from friends and colleagues," he says, "Like this Mercedes was a gift from my colleague. Everyone found it childish to collect dinky cars, but now they have gotten over it," he grins.

Usually stacked away in cartons and more cartons in the cupboard of his South Delhi residence, today 100-odd colourful dinkies from his 300-plus collection are on a test drive around his office table.

And I'm duly charmed by the lilac and purple vintage beauties, turning them around admiringly on my palm. "Though they are hard to find, I have a fancy for the vintage ones," he admits, showing off a powder-blue 1956 Cadillac convertible, the sweetest little thing I have seen in a while. Another favourite is his Dodge Convertible, he says, which is special for its rugged look.

Working as a copy-editor at Oxygen Communications, Bordoloi says the idea of making a collection out of dinky cars struck him a couple of years ago in this very office. "One of my colleagues had displayed a few from his collection at work and that's when I wondered to myself, 'Why don't I start collecting them?' I have always loved cars, especially as a child. So I was quite taken with the idea."

So, from little toy stores tucked away in the lanes of South Extension to big toy stores in Ansal Plaza, Landmark and so on, Bordoloi bought everything in sight "" though he was always particular about the quality and the brand.

A good brand makes cars to scale, meaning that the miniature has the look, proportions and feel of the real car. Scale varies from car to car, though "" one can be 1:18 while another is 1:44. Concept cars, meanwhile, are either made just to serve as toys and don't exist as real cars, or if they are actually produced life-size, they are just for show and not for sale.

Bordoloi's preference, however, is quite clear. "I don't like concept cars. I like to have scaled-down versions of originals. So I usually stick to brands like Maisto and Matchbox, which are made in China or Thailand," he says. And he makes sure they are not fakes, checking for the name of the model and scale at the back of the toy.

Detailing is another aspect that impresses him. Take for example his Volkswagen New Beetle, with a small yet clear VW logo at the centre of the steering wheel; this is also true of his Audi A8.

Also part of his collection is a handful of warplanes, which fascinate him in particular. He shows me a Hellcat "" "As a kid, these planes always intrigued me. You know how in every war movie, there's usually a child who plays with a warplane toy? That image stayed with me," says Bordoloi.

While looking up dinky cars online, on social networking sites like Orkut, he has found others like him who are also looking at exchanging repeat purchases. "There are dinky car groups online where I have met people whom I can exchange cars with. Sometimes, if I end up buying two of the same car, it's best to exchange one for another," he says.

And these toys, with a price tag of Rs 70 upwards "" it can go into four figures "" could actually be an investment. Decades down the line, who knows, one could become a millionaire selling these babies!

Bordoloi reveals his plan: "A friend of mine advised me to keep each of the boxes that these cars come in, and many years later it could sell at a great price. Who knows? In case I need money then, I can look for collectors!"

Bordoloi has a head start: some of his dinky cars are almost famous. His orange 2002 Pontiac Concept paired with the green 1961 Jaguar featured in an advertisement for the much in-focus Auto Expo in the capital early this year. It's really not money for nothing.