| I wrote and article about two months ago on the | | | | estimates they are in the dozens. |
| popularity of Hot Wheels. I did it because I found | | | | Steve also indicated that he has built a nice list of |
| some sites to feature on my hobbies page and I | | | | repeat customers over the years as well. "This is |
| had not realized how popular the toys were to | | | | not a high production business by any means. You |
| collect. Do not let the title of this article fool you, I | | | | are working with very small cars and some of |
| am not modifying my previous article. Out of the | | | | the detail work involved to produce a high quality |
| approximately thirty articles I have written in the | | | | car is time consuming and requires a lot of |
| past months the article about Hot Wheels was | | | | patience." This was a quote offered by Steve in |
| my most popular. I decided to look more into this | | | | one of our e-mails back and forth. He also told |
| hobby. | | | | me that he will even do a car based on a |
| Part of my research consisted of trying to | | | | customer's specifications on a rare occasion. |
| contact some webmasters focusing on Hot | | | | Steve spends most of his time on the collecting |
| Wheels. I spoke with the owner of I tried to find | | | | of the cars because the rare cars are just not |
| out what it is about these toys that drew such a | | | | plentiful enough to supply his modification side of |
| following. The owner's name is Steve Zalimas. He | | | | things. He did ask me to pass along a message, |
| has been playing with and collecting these cars | | | | which I will gladly do because he gave me the |
| since he was little. He does not recall what drew | | | | courtesy of helping me in researching this article, |
| him to it. He did not even know other people | | | | that if you do not see a car on his site for sale to |
| collected them until the last ten years or so. | | | | contact him. They sell off faster than he can |
| What Steve did share with me is the not only are | | | | produce them so he may be working on the |
| the original Hot Wheels worth money but he | | | | exact modification you are looking for. |
| makes most of his money off of his modified | | | | Steve does this as a hobby and for relaxation |
| cars, hence the title of this article. Steve said he | | | | mostly. He is not in it for the money so he |
| has been modifying these cars for a few years | | | | couldn't give me an estimate on how much he |
| now. The modifications consist of things as simple | | | | has made over the years with his modifications. |
| as changing wheels to a more rare set of wheels, | | | | He said he doesn't always sell them for money |
| unique paint jobs, turning hard top cars into | | | | either, sometimes he will trade a modified car for |
| convertibles and more. No car he modifies is the | | | | a car he has been needing for his personal |
| same. He cannot remember all the different | | | | collection. It is obvious that this hobby is hotter |
| combinations he has done over the years but | | | | than I ever expected. |