Not all spam mail is bad news

This was one mighty attractive model that Doug was delighted to meet…

Junk mail on the internet is a pain, but just occasionally it throws up something of real interest. I began spitting blood when my e-mail system was deluged by sales material from an American model company named Exoto. I haven’t a clue how they got my address, but every couple of days another colourful, seductively illustrated missive would arrive extolling the delights of its latest 1:18-scale Jaguar D-type, Chaparral 2F, Lotus 49 or Ferrari 312B and its 1:43 transporters. It was nice to see what was available, and the fine detail shown in the photos was quite incredible, but prices of $500 to $1500 or more were way beyond my interest.

But I didn’t hit the spam key and the e-mail deluge continued. And then I noticed that some prices were tumbling, until they became affordable. So — very reluctantly — I expressed some interest, and at their bargain basement sale prices one or two Exotos now reside — to Mrs Nye’s boundless delight — out here on the Surrey fringe. Having spent long years entranced and intrigued by Chaparral and being a Cobra Daytona Coupe admirer I have to say that Exoto’s renditions of both — replete with wiring, piping, the finest gauze covers, even true-scale spare-wheel retaining bungees in the Cobra’s case — are fantastic to behold. It might have begun with junk mail, but I’ve become a fan. Oh dear…