This is for the granny who occasionally dusts off and admires the 1/24 scale 1965 Studebaker she keeps under her bed. This is for the 25-year-old slacker who still hasn't gotten rid of his Hot Wheels stash. There's hope for each and every one of you closet collectors who are too embarrassed to share your passion with friends and family members.

The Tucson Miniature Auto Club is a haven for those who not only see nothing odd about stockpiling toy versions of their favorite automobiles, but also see it as a personality plus. Prospective members can find out about joining the club by visiting the Web site. President Lou Pariseau, 68, says his club meetings are a haven for toy-car enthusiasts of all racing stripes. Some collect old pre-made toys, and others build plastic models from kits.

"It's an interesting time," said member Jerry Rettig, 70. "We get together with a bunch of people - there are roughly around 85 people. Most of us have very similar interests in the automotive world in both real cars and toy cars." Some club members are professional collectors looking to turn a profit; others are experts in antiques and collectibles; and many are just everyday folks who fancy miniature vehicles. And at least one - Pariseau - is a man who uses the hobby as a sort of fantasy.

The retired salesman started off as an aficionado of regular cars, but, once his collection grew to 13, he decided that the hobby was too money- and space-consuming to continue. His decision: sell his big cars and start buying little ones. Now his collection has grown to nearly 1,000 pieces, the crown jewel of which is his 1949 Oldsmobile, a rare promotional car distributed by dealerships at the time. Pariseau estimates the toy is worth between $350 and $375. Pariseau says his diecast model car hobby invigorates him. "One of the things it does for me is it keeps me active," Pariseau says. "It keeps me going. I do roughly 12 shows a year in Arizona."

One of those shows is Sunday's Tucson Collectible Toy Show and Sale. Pariseau's group puts the convention together, and last year it drew 2,000 paid admissions. The collector says his show is one of the two largest west of the Mississippi River. The show offers a place to get a toy-car collection started.

Those who visit the show should beware. Toy-car lovers have a way of making their hobby grow on nonenthusiasts, even the most doubting of them. Take 47-year-old Sharon Scott, now a club board member, who started off being a bit uncomfortable with the hobby of her husband, William. "I thought it was just a little strange," Sharon Scott says. "I met this guy who had a whole bedroom filled with little cars and boxes stacked on boxes. It was kind of weird, but he could be at a bar (instead)." Their 3,000 model cars fill up two bedrooms and half the family room of their home. "They're our retirement account," Scott says. "It's much better than an IRA." Scott is a complete convert to the world of toy-car collecting who brings others into the field, just as her husband did for her. "There's not a car in the world that you can't own when you collect them in miniature," Scott says. "We were never able to afford the muscle cars we wanted, but this way we can own anything we want, any color we want. It has a lot of appeal. Building models is a great stress reliever."