Racers Den: March of the Toy Soldiers

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There are so many “traditions” out there, a plethora, all of which we can’t possibly be aware of. But within the club portion of Gran Touring Motorsports (GTM) there are staples like field trips to the DC Auto Show, Summer Bash and the Animal House. There are up-and-comers like Ski Club and there are still others not everyone might remember, like our Fantasy Football and Virtual Racing Leagues. But there is one more tradition at GTM that many petrol-heads within our group get excited about each year … and that’s the “Greater York (Pennsylvania) Toy Extravaganza.”

This year marks the 40th anniversary of this iconic convention. In keeping with tradition, it is held at the York Country Fairgrounds in York, PA and the show is open to the public only on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It utilizes the square footage of both wings of “memorial hall” packing in more than 800 tables worth of antiques and new/old collectibles. Vendors come from more than 15 states, making this the second largest show of its kind in the country. You can buy, sell and trade items from 9am through 5pm and admission is $5 for adults, while kids 12 and under are FREE. #whoknew?

If you’re truly “obsessed with cars” like I am, there’s no doubt you probably have a collection of miniatures somewhere in your home, office, man-cave and especially in your garage… maybe even on your keychain!
Maybe you collect 1/64-scale Hot Wheels or Matchbox, 1/43-scale miniatures, 1/32-scale slot cars, 1/18-scale diecasts… or 1/1-scale “reals” – either way, the Toy Extravaganza is a great way to stock up on new as well as long forgotten “pieces” you might want to add to bolster your collection.

The show experience

I was introduced to this convention back in 2011 by a former coworker (Randy, also a fellow car enthusiast – with a really radical Hot Wheels inspired Generation-1 Acura NSX) who moonlights as a Hot Wheels dealer and has had a booth at the show for over a decade. Granted, I’ve been “collecting cars” since I was a kid, but it wasn’t until I was an adult (and later talking with Randy) that I realized “how to collect them” and “what to look for.”

Even though my custom-made acrylic 1/64 display cases (seen earlier) can hold 300+ cars, I’ve purposely left open space so that I can curate additional cars that I fancy. This means that what you saw there only scratches the surface of my collection, or the surplus I have available for sale; which means there’s tons of reasons (excuses) I make to drag my family on this pilgrimage each year.

There’s plenty of “new-old stock” and carefully preserved vintage items for all types of collectors (as seen above). Are you missing that 1978 holiday-edition Hess Truck? No worries, a couple of vendors have that – new, in the original box.

Wandering from table-to-table, you’ll find tons of items that disappeared off the shelves of your local Walmart or Target now offered with a considerable markup, but you’ll also pause and say, “I didn’t even know that existed” like the (above) “LeMans” board game, from 1961 that was made in… Baltimore, MD.

Outside of the expected Legos, Barbies, vintage Action-figures, etc., you’ll find dealers with booths specializing in specific types of Motorsports as well: Formula-1, NASCAR, Outlaws and more.

“All original not re-pop NHRA stickers and pins,” the woman running the booth made sure to tell me as I looked over the selection.

Not just “toys,” but collectibles, including memorabilia. I’ve picked up many vintage racing stickers (or 3 dozen) to use in decorating my garage. Or maybe you stumble across some officially licensed ALMS/SCCA merchandise from 2003 (below). #boxofchocolates.

Collecting has been an evolution…

In the beginning, if it was a miniature and it had a VW/Audi logo on it, I *had* to have it. Then it became, “no more Beetles, but if it’s GTI, Scirocco, UR-Quattro or 914 – must have!” But the upside to a show like this is that every year is different and as it changes so do our tastes in collecting, which keeps us coming back. Fast forward to 2022… we’re getting through the show in less than 3-hours and I’m only looking for T1/T2 buses with Motorsports “Service Liveries.”

Speaking of Service Trucks, this custom made HESS flat bed hauler with matching Lamborghini Countach, made me look several times. Clocking in at $225 … where else will you find another?

Going to this show with friends and family is a lot of fun, especially when you experience that: “I had one of these as a kid!” moments of nostalgia. Sharing in that wave of excitement makes you feel young again, but there is a sobering moment of remorse when you look at the price tag and say: “Dang! I wish I’d kept mine… This is worth a fortune!” #thanksmom. … and so the treasure hunt continues! #happyholidays.