Lamley Daily: Tomica Sigma MC74 Mazda

Model: Tomica Sigma MC74 Mazda

Release: Tomica main line

Where to get it: eBay

Why I am featuring it: My parents have been welcome but accidental enablers to my hobby ever since I was in a pushchair and this car is sort of proof of that. One day when I was about 8 or 9 they returned from a charity shop with a book about Jaguar’s 1988 Le Mans 24 hours victory, “The Cat Pounces” by Ian Briggs and Michael Cotton. I loved it, so much so it still sits on my shelf to this day. It introduced me to a names and cars that would stick with me. Hans Stuck, Jan Lammers, Kunimitsu Takahashi. Cars and liveries that would later appear in diecast form in my collection: Sauber-Mercedes, Porsche’s ever dominant 962, Toyota’s 88C and Nissan’s R88C, Leyton House, Italya Sports and RLR colours that I was smitten with. But one chapter was about the Japanese competitors that year and the history of Japanese marques at the famous endurance race. I remember I was particularly taken with the picture of the 1974 Sigma Mazda among other things. The MC74 managed 155 laps and was celebrated as the first Japanese and indeed rotary powered car to finish the race, but was retrospectively classed DNF. I loved the look of it, even with the battle scars shown in the book. It’s been a favourite race car of mine ever since. No surprises then when a few years ago I found this loose Tomica on eBay I immediately bought it. I haven’t a clue what it’s worth (I paid about £8 if memory serves me right) nor do I know much about its history as a Tomica casting. I just know it’s one of those diecasts that takes me back to my childhood. Happy memories then and happy collecting now. And that’s as good a reason as any for it to be here.