Let’s start by saying that there are two types of people who should avoid the annual Porsche Lit & Toy Show at the LAX Hilton at all costs:
1. Claustrophobics
2. People who think that paying $29 to park at a hotel all day is rather obscene.
For the rest of us, this yearly tradition amongst the Porsche faithful is something that should be experienced at least once. 300+ vendors crowd into two ballrooms at an airport megahotel to purvey a seemingly bottomless selection of Porsche and vintage VW-related books, artwork, apparel, non-greasy parts, and of course scale model cars. It has been my desire to get a taste of this action for quite some time, so when my road rally associates Tom and Bev (owners of TC’s Garage) suggested we sign up for adjoining tables, I jumped at the chance to work alongside well-known and trusted experts in the field.
And how did it go? Well, if you’re hoping for a full report on the various models I found on display, sorry to disappoint you...I was simply too busy to leave my table for most of the day! (So obviously, vending at this hyperfocused monster of a show was a good idea!) I do have a couple of observations I thought I’d share, though.
First off, based on my brief tour of the area immediately around my table, model collectors who like the “treasure hunt” nature of our hobby will have a ball at the Lit & Toy Show, as long as they bring wads of cash. Model cars can be found lurking amongst all sorts of other Porsche paraphernalia, including lots of vintage and rare items. The thing is, there aren’t many bargains to be found...most of the vendors know what they have and don’t seem to be in a hurry to sell it, so while many are open to some negotiation on price, they’re starting from a high number.
That said, when it comes to current-production or recently released models, it pays to shop around. There were several dedicated model car sellers on site, and there were wide differences in price from table to table. For example, a dealer nearby was asking 10-20% more for TSM and Spark models than I was...it actually offended me. For vintage items, though, if you see something you like and the price is basically right, don’t wait to grab it. Two thousand people attend this show, and if you don’t buy that precious item, someone else will.
As for people watching, it’s hard to beat this show. Luminaries from the car world abound at this event. I had the pleasure of chatting with noted car collector Bruce Meyer about his famous Le Mans-winning Porsche 935, and Chad McQueen stopped by the booth for a visit. I also spotted designer Freeman Thomas stalking around, but I couldn’t get his attention long enough to get his autograph on my Matchbox VW Concept 1. Maybe next year.
Finally, for fans of 1:1 cars, the parking structure offered quite a lot of eye candy. Just be aware that it’s so hot and smelly in the parking garage that I’m convinced it’s actually adjacent to Hell.
So is it worth the expense? From a vendor’s perspective, absolutely? For model collectors in general? Maybe, if you’re already in L.A. It’s crowded and the prices can be high (without even factoring in the $10 regular admission price to the show plus the ludicrous parking fees) but there is some fascinating stuff to be found. So, see you next year?