Incredible Mike Steytler Model Car Collection

In Montagu in the Western Cape we visit Mike Steytler who has been collecting Ferrari model cars his entire life. He opens his Ferrari room and takes us on a tour.

Words and images: Wilhelm Lutjeharms 

Mike Steytler’s corporate career took him from Johannesburg to as far as Malawi. When he and his wife decided to take life a little easier, however, a decision was made to move to the town of Montagu.

He admits that when he spotted the side building next to this house that was for sale, he knew it could be converted to take his large Ferrari model car collection as well as the various books and framed pictures. But, before I enter, he kindly makes me a cup of coffee and explains how it all started.

• Start your own model car collection here.

“My father worked for BP, so we would often go to motor races. Then that was also the era of Scalextric, and there were also Ferrari cars you could race with this game. I was in boarding school and during this time I also read Motorsport magazine. That was during the Sixties and early Seventies. When I went to university, one of my friends was a complete car nut, and he was extremely knowledgeable about Ferraris and the engineering aspect of cars. I think this sort of narrowed down my passion to Ferrari and race cars. I was a huge Niki Lauda and Jody Scheckter fan.

“I used to religiously buy books and magazines from Motor Books in Johannesburg. One time when I visited, they had model cars, which they never had before. I think that was the time I bought my first model car.

“Initially I thought I would concentrate on Ferrari, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz models. But, it didn’t take long for me to realise that it would not be possible – there were simply too many. In the early years it was easy to buy the models as there were a number of hobby shops. Later on, I started using the Internet and websites like Ebay. Now I often order directly from specific shops or individuals, often from overseas.”

Mike realised that he would have to have a cut-off in terms of when to stop collecting, and with Ferrari’s 75th anniversary last year, he saw it as a good point to stop his collection in terms of keeping it up to date. But, he sighs and said that after Ferrari won this year at Le Mans, he cannot not have a model of the winning car in his collection! It is any collector’s true predicament. 

He would also often buy up to three models of a certain car so they can be displayed with a front, rear and a side view. If he does do this, he will buy three different models in three different price brackets in terms of quality.

Mike also focuses on limited edition and gold-plated models. These could be racing cars with certain liveries from a specific race, or another example will be a model car that had been made to look like the Ferrari from a specific race that was involved in an accident. The rarer, the better.

“It is about variety. If there is a model that has different spot lights, or there is a right-hand drive version compared to a left-hand drive version, I will acquire that model as well. 

“I currently have too many and I am looking to sell a few, as I currently don’t have enough space to display all my various models. It takes time to narrow the collection down and to streamline it, but in the end I’ll be selling around 600 models.”

As I eventually put my camera down and walk through the collection, the attention to detail on these 1:43 models is quite astonishing. For those of us who appreciate a quality model car, we will be able to spend a good couple of hours here, drinking in all the details.

Then there is the paintings and pictures, books, magazines and even model versions of engines. Being an air-conditioned room, grabbing a book and taking a seat seems very alluring on this warm summer’s day.

With around 2 200 cars, it is safe to say that Mike’s collection is the largest Ferrari model car collection in South Africa, or at least one of the largest and neatest.

Mike has also been to Ferrari’s hometown in Italy, Maranello. During the visit he did everything a Ferrari enthusiast would do, including renting a Ferrai for the morning to enjoy in the surrounding area.

Mike’s focus might be on model cars, but it is clear that he has a wealth of knowledge of their cars and the history in terms of racing and classic cars.

Before I leave, I asked Mike what his dream, life size, Ferrari would be. His answer doesn’t come as a surprise: “I qualified as an accountant in 1981, and then I went and looked at a Dino 246. It is, for me, an extremely beautiful car. At the time it cost R41 000 and my salary was R400 per month, so there was no way I could afford it. But, to this day I would love to own one. The old classic Ferraris really appeal to me.”

The collection can be visited by enthusiasts by appointment. More details can be found on Mike’s Facebook page called A Passion For Ferrari.