NT BUZZ catches up with The 403 Collective, a group of diehard die-cast collectors from Goa
CHRISTINE MACHADO | NT BUZZ
Abhishek Kumar can still vividly recall how he came to own his first Ferrari. “I used to live in Mumbai when I was younger. One day, I saw a Ferrari drive past right in front of me. I was wowed, and I knew I had to have one — somehow,” he recollects.
Soon after, he persuaded his father to take him to a store in Churchgate, where he picked out two die-cast cars: a Ferrari and a Mustang. That simple moment ignited a lifelong passion. “My interest kept growing. I got more into cars and started learning more about them. Right now, I’m more into collecting Porsches and vintage die cast cars,” says Kumar, who today owns over 1,000 die-cast models.
Kumar now shares his love for cars with fellow enthusiasts in Goa through The 403 Collective, a group of like-minded collectors. “Initially, we had a WhatsApp group where we’d share updates about new finds and collections. In March 2023, we decided to host a meet-up, which eventually led to the formation of this collective,” he explains. The name 403 comes from Goa’s PIN code prefix.
The group today has over 35 members from across Goa, as well as Goans living in Mumbai and other parts of India. “While most of us are men, we do have a few women in the group who attend our meet-ups,” says Kumar. “Our youngest member is around nine years old.” One of the group’s aims is to spread knowledge and avoid the misinformation that often circulates on social media. “There are times when someone buys a car and then tries to sell it at an inflated price. Newcomers to the hobby might not know the actual value and could fall for these scams. So we try to educate each other,” he explains.
Another highlight of being part of the group is getting help to track down one’s ‘ISOs’ — the group’s slang for ‘In Search Of’. “Sometimes a member is on the lookout for a specific model. We all try to help them find it,” he says.
The group meets once every two months, with each gathering built around a theme — like a ‘black cars only’ meet or a ‘Japanese cars’ showcase. These events often include competitions such as a DIY car customisation contest or diorama-making contests. In fact, a few members of the group are skilled at creating detailed dioramas, which they sell to help others enhance their displays.
Last year, the group was invited to showcase their collection at the Vintage Car Rally in Chicalim on Liberation Day.
Tips for new collectors
According to Kumar, you don’t need a specific theme to start a collection. “You might like everything and anything. There’s no limit to that,” he says.
But whether you’re a new or seasoned collector, the most important rule is to collect what you genuinely like — whether it’s a small Rs. 100 car or a Rs. 10,000 model. “Never follow the hype. Quality is always better than quantity,” he advises.
Many die-cast cars can be found in local toy stores. “The cheapest cars available are the small Hot Wheels ones — the 1:64 scale. But even within the same scale, you can get cars that cost Rs. 5,000, Rs. 6,000, even Rs. 10,000,” he explains. “It all depends on how detailed the model is, how rare it is, and a few other factors.”
Collectors often place international orders or discover rare models through social media platforms.
And equally important, Kumar emphasises, is how the cars are maintained. “We take care of these cars just like we would our real cars,” he says. “You have to clean them regularly, as dust can damage the paint. It is also important to roll the cars occasionally. Plastic wheels are more forgiving, but if a car has rubber wheels and they stay in the same position for too long, it can affect the model. So, we make sure to keep them moving.”
“Each piece tells a story”
Arun Halankar has always been fascinated by miniature cars and Hot Wheels. “They were my little escapes into imagination,” he says.
Now, as an adult, collecting die-cast cars has become his happy place. “I’m especially drawn to classic American muscle cars and European modern classics. There’s something about that era — the raw power, the design, the character — that just feels timeless,” he explains. “Each piece in my collection tells a story from a time when cars had soul.”
Halankar’s collection includes around 200 cars, but the one that holds the most special place is the 1:64 scale Speed Racer Mach 5. “That car takes me straight back to my childhood. Watching Speed Racer sparked the obsession — and the Mach 5 was where it all began,” he says.
“Ferrari F40 is my favourite car”
When Sherman Fernandes was around five or six years old, his aunt gifted him his first toy car — a 1:24 scale model Corvette. Today, the 38-year-old still has it. Over the years, he has steadily added to his collection, which now includes over 500 cars. “My Ferrari F40 is my favourite car and scale model. But I also have Herbie and Michael Schumacher’s 2010 F1 car,” he says. Besides cars, Fernandes also collects die-cast bikes.
Maggi and Dioramas
As a child, Hot Wheels were Abhay Shetgaonkar’s favourite toys. He vividly recalls how he and the other kids would spend entire days racing the cars in the mud.
After growing up, he drifted away from the hobby — until one day, while buying a gift for his friend’s son, he picked up a Hot Wheels car for nostalgia’s sake.“Then it became one car a month… and slowly more,” he laughs.
Today, Shetgaonkar has a collection of over 5,000 cars, covering nearly every brand in the 1:64 scale. “I especially love collecting vintage and classic car models,” he says.
One standout in his collection is a Maruti 800 model with a fun backstory. “In the early 1990s, local shops would give out these promotional cars if you returned three or four empty Maggi noodles packets. They were very rare and are now highly sought after,” he shares. A civil engineer by profession and an artist by hobby, Shetgaonkar also creates dioramas to help display his cars. “I wanted to photograph my cars in realistic settings, so I started making dioramas that depict scenes from cities or villages,” he says.
His first diorama was a model of Geeta Bakery in Panaji, followed by other iconic locations like the Panaji Post Office, a ferry boat, and more.
