For many years Mr Halcrow ran a contract drafting business and made model cars, trains and aeroplanes in his spare time.

However, as companies began to rely more and more on computers, his business wasn’t as viable as it once was.

“They thought that computers had 60 years’ experience ... so I decided to start making model cars instead,” Mr Halcrow said.

Being an avid collector of model cars himself, Mr Halcrow was well aware that it was simply impossible to get miniature versions of every type of vehicle ever made.

“I knew there were a lot that still hadn’t been made and I knew I could equal the standard of the model cars being made in Europe and the UK,” he said.

“I’d always made them as a sideline and, like a lot of collectors, I liked to have models of the cars I had owned and many were just not available.”

Word of the accuracy of Mr Halcrow’s models soon spread and he’s now making models for clients all over the world.

Model car clubs for classic prestige cars, such as Armstrong Siddeley and Bristol have also embraced Mr Halcrow’s work, with members ordering cars that look exactly like their own regular-sized collectables.

“Many of them never thought they’d get models of their cars made and some of them are very emotional about it,” he said.

“They can’t believe that the model is the same colour as their car, the same colour as their seats and has the same registration plates as their car.”

Mr Halcrow is currently manufacturing a few different cars at a time including some 1948-1956 Holdens and a Jaguar Mark 1.

A lot of work goes into manufacturing each car, especially when it comes to making the master patterns, and it can take months to make just 20 cars.

“On top of that it takes about three hours to manufacture each individual car,” Mr Halcrow said.

Of course some cars take more time than most, such as the Holden One Tonner.

“There’s a lot of detail in that car; instead of just making one body there’s a body, a chassis and a load tray,” he said.

“The original old Sydney double decker is also very difficult to make.”

Mr Halcrow has also stretched his talents to repairing a dilapidated eight-foot long model of a bridge in Kempsey.

“The bridge was pulled down in 1961 but I found the old model and restored it.”

Mr Halcrow, who lives in Boorowa, plans to come to Orange on February 13 to attend the Gnoo Blas Classic Car show and look at the life-sized versions of some of the models he has made over the years.