Monday, December 18, 2006
Antique-auto enthusiast donates die-cast model collection to local museum
By: Jeff Meyers Staff Writer
December 18, 2006
PLATTSBURGH — Richard Soper has always loved cars.No matter what shape, size, make or model, if its got an engine, wheels and a place to sit, it's right up his alley."I've been interested in cars since I was a little kid," he said. "I started building model cars when I was a kid in primary school, and I played with cars from my earliest days. They've always been around me.Soper, from Beekmantown, owns a 1969 Camaro and is a member of the Champlain Valley Classic Cruisers antique automobile club. In fact, the 62-year-old retiree from Bombardier acts as the club's official photographer.But Soper has also spent the past 17 years collecting die-cast model cars that represent vehicles from throughout the 20th century. He has accumulated nearly 300 models, each one a unique 1/18 scale replica of real-life cars."There are approximately 18,000 die-cast cars available," he said. "My collection is just a small part of what is available."Still, the models are each more than a half-foot long and had begun to take up a lot of space at his home.Soper, who also had experience building jet engines for Pratt & Whitney, decided that the time was right for him to share his collection with others.So he has donated about 80 of the models to the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum, where they have been put on display for everyone to see."I wanted younger kids to have a chance to see them and maybe become interested in cars," he said. "If you get a chance to see how many different models there actually are, you can't help but become interested in them."The display has been organized so that different makes are grouped together, with the Fords dating back to a 1932 model and Volkswagon Beetles from the 1950s, 1960s and the "reborn" models from about 10 years ago.There is also a 1935 Duesenberg and the Aston Martin sports car made famous by early James Bond movies.The collection includes several antique motorcycles as well as a 1948 Ford truck decorated as an ice-cream delivery truck for Howard Johnson."I wanted to give them (the museum) a cross section of models, something that everyone would find interesting," he said. "Quite often, someone will come in and say, 'My aunt had a '57 Chevy just like that.'"It's very rewarding to know people find it interesting."The vehicles typically sell from anywhere between $30 and $100, though rare models can be much more expensive, Soper said.He buys most of his vehicles through eBay these days, but they used to be available locally when hobby stores were open in the area.Some of the models in the display case are actual replicas of full-sized cars on display at the museum, he added.Soper also spends much of his retirement time as a volunteer for the Transportation Museum."This is a great facility," he said. "It gives people a chance to see vehicles they wouldn't have a chance to see otherwise."He said he also has an interest in the history of Plattsburgh and the Lozier automobiles that were made in the area in the early 1900s. As far as he knows, there are no die-cast models for Lozier vehicles.But he is always on the lookout for new additions to his collection.
PressRepublican.com
December 18, 2006
PLATTSBURGH — Richard Soper has always loved cars.No matter what shape, size, make or model, if its got an engine, wheels and a place to sit, it's right up his alley."I've been interested in cars since I was a little kid," he said. "I started building model cars when I was a kid in primary school, and I played with cars from my earliest days. They've always been around me.Soper, from Beekmantown, owns a 1969 Camaro and is a member of the Champlain Valley Classic Cruisers antique automobile club. In fact, the 62-year-old retiree from Bombardier acts as the club's official photographer.But Soper has also spent the past 17 years collecting die-cast model cars that represent vehicles from throughout the 20th century. He has accumulated nearly 300 models, each one a unique 1/18 scale replica of real-life cars."There are approximately 18,000 die-cast cars available," he said. "My collection is just a small part of what is available."Still, the models are each more than a half-foot long and had begun to take up a lot of space at his home.Soper, who also had experience building jet engines for Pratt & Whitney, decided that the time was right for him to share his collection with others.So he has donated about 80 of the models to the Champlain Valley Transportation Museum, where they have been put on display for everyone to see."I wanted younger kids to have a chance to see them and maybe become interested in cars," he said. "If you get a chance to see how many different models there actually are, you can't help but become interested in them."The display has been organized so that different makes are grouped together, with the Fords dating back to a 1932 model and Volkswagon Beetles from the 1950s, 1960s and the "reborn" models from about 10 years ago.There is also a 1935 Duesenberg and the Aston Martin sports car made famous by early James Bond movies.The collection includes several antique motorcycles as well as a 1948 Ford truck decorated as an ice-cream delivery truck for Howard Johnson."I wanted to give them (the museum) a cross section of models, something that everyone would find interesting," he said. "Quite often, someone will come in and say, 'My aunt had a '57 Chevy just like that.'"It's very rewarding to know people find it interesting."The vehicles typically sell from anywhere between $30 and $100, though rare models can be much more expensive, Soper said.He buys most of his vehicles through eBay these days, but they used to be available locally when hobby stores were open in the area.Some of the models in the display case are actual replicas of full-sized cars on display at the museum, he added.Soper also spends much of his retirement time as a volunteer for the Transportation Museum."This is a great facility," he said. "It gives people a chance to see vehicles they wouldn't have a chance to see otherwise."He said he also has an interest in the history of Plattsburgh and the Lozier automobiles that were made in the area in the early 1900s. As far as he knows, there are no die-cast models for Lozier vehicles.But he is always on the lookout for new additions to his collection.
PressRepublican.com
# posted by RW : 11:29 PM
