June 15, 1998
By: Richard Carlson

I've always had models of my current car. I started with a Renault R5, moved on to 2 VW Sciroccos, followed with a Miata and now that I have a Z3, I needed a suitable scale model to display with the rest. I had found a couple of models which were red 2.8's or black 1.9's, but I wanted a black 2.8. The Baba had suggested that I contact http://www.babybimmer.com.

I called the number on the page and started talking to Michael J. Izor - a self-confessed car model addict. Michael's tastes in mini-cars is very narrow, he only collects BMW's. However, he's managed to collect over 4500 of them!

I think my request for a black 2.8 Z3 seemed sort of mundane to Michael. He's used to harder challenges. He checked his inventory and told me it was mine for $28.50 plus tax plus shipping. Plus shipping! Hey! He's only out in Natick! I could just drive out there and get it! Michael seemed amenable to a visit, so we set up a time.

It was a great day for a drive! The sky was blue, the sun was hot and the road was long and twisty! Michael lives in Natick, Massachusetts about a half hour from my home. Natick is a lovely town, filled with old trees and old victorians. Michael says he "lives in a beautiful, big old Victorian home, in a state of elegant decay (yes,  both of us)". We found the house without too much help (thank god for cell phones). Michael greeted us at the door as he picked up his mail - more toys, no doubt.

Michael took us on a guided tour through his wonderland of mini-cars, models and toys. Before seeing it, I could not imagine that there were 4500 different BMW models in existence. Michael has turned his home into a museum, devoted to miniature BMW's.

There are several display cases in his office where he also has his computer. The cars are not arranged in any particular historical sequence, but they do tend to be grouped together by model or by size.

Leaving his office, there is a long hall lined with the smallest cars in his collection, the 1/87 scale models. Each one of those cases contains about a hundred cars! I immediately found the sections devoted to the Z1's and Z3's.

Michael's collection runs from classic BMW's to BMWs of the future, like the Alternative Fuel car (which never saw production as a real car, but, quite unusually, got to be a production model in 1/43rd scale.)

The crown jewel in Michael's collection cases is this old display case from a dentist office. It houses some of his older collectibles, including a small silver 2002, his first miniature which he purchased, along with a full-scale 2002 in 1970. Michael paid $1 for the 2002 (the small one). It was only the first of a large number of dollars which have gone towards his "hobby". Michael worked for many years as the CFO of a local television station, but has now decided that buying and selling model cars (mostly buying, he admits) is a much more fun way to make a living. We agree!

Michael's collection rambles on from room to room. It includes memorabilia, much of it from his years as BMWCCA treasurer and president. He showed us this neat little gizmo which was designed by BMW engineers. It's a miniature set of pistons which are driven by a solar panel - a remembrance of a particular conference held by BMW.

Although reception to the Z3-coupe has been somewhat lukewarm on the Z3 board, Michael had no hesitation adding one to his collection.

We had a great time at Michael's. After the tour, he gave me my model 2.8 and we took the long way home, knowing we were driving not one, but two BMW Z3 2.8's! If you're in the Massachusetts area and are looking for a little bit of BMW to put on your desk or shelf you should be sure to give him a call. If you're lucky enough to get an audience at casa-Izor, take him up on the offer of a tour!