There are Several Projects Going On

• The Category Project

  There are categories associated with each variation. I am currently working on populating this, and building out the supporting machinery for this field. Plus, there are many newer categories that need to be added. In the most recent version much progress has been made with this but I'm still working on it.

• The Catalog Project

  The catalog needs to be maintained on a monthly basis. It is currently up to date but it will always have to be updated and newer variations inserted. I also want to be able to allow download of variation lists in JSON and CSV formats, and have multiple pictures of variations. Also, many external links are currently broken.

• The Lineup Project

  There are several flaws with the current yearly lineups. These fixes need to happen, among others:
  • fix listings for some of the other countries
  • add Challenger/Viper no. 1 transition around 1996, and similar transitions
  • add previous year / next year buttons

• The Convoy Project

  This is an import and update of John Baum's Convoy Project website. It is complete as it sits, but will need to be completely redone when I can add the trailers to the castings database. Then the Convoys themselves will be added as a new kind of multi-packs. And, someday, convoys after 2008 have to be added.

• The Collectibles Project

  This should be a new division of the website, much like the Convoy Project. I don't have a clear idea of what it will look like.

• The Sky Busters Project

  Work has begun on documenting Sky Busters, but there is much more that needs to happen. It would be nice to give them their own front page as well.

• The Originals Project

  Several years ago, a user named Marcel wrote an excellent history of Matchbox Originials. He sent me a copy of it but so far I haven't gotten to integrating it. I really need to.

• The Ephemera Project

  Advertisements, catalogs, posters, packaging -- all forms of printed items made by Matchbox is of interest to collectors. I'd like to add more of these to the database.

• The Credits Project

  This is mostly done, I just need to add credits where they are known but not currently in the database.

• The Restoration/Customization Project

  There is a lot of information around on how to customize and restore diecast. I'd like to add a curated customization how-to section to the website to gather this information.

• The Factories Project

  You can now display lists of models by where they were manufactured. Unfortunately, a lot of variations are still missing this information. I'd like to complete these lists.

• The Reader's Guide Project

  To help with researching information for this site, it sure would help to have an index of articles from the various newsletters that were published over the years.

• The Programming Project

  Much still needs to be done in the realm of the programming that supports this site. Some of this includes:
  • Add an API
  • Create a mobile-frendly site
  • Redesign the database schema
  • Document the BAMCA library
  • Move to a modern web framework

Want to Help?

• Pictures of variations that we don't have pictures for are helpful. I prefer a shot taken over the left front fender and on a light-colored background, like this. For Code 2's, I am much less picky. The largest size I use is 600 pixels wide, so if your pictures are at least that large, that's great. Where appropriate I also add pictures of comparisons and details.
• Product pictures are also always handy, especially for items in the database that don't have pictures yet. The size varies by the format of the page I'm using, but the widest is no more than 800 pixels, so anything bigger than that is good. Product pictures should be as close to straight on forward as possible, without introducing glare from a flash.
• If you're interested in being a curator for one of the sections mentioned, please get in touch with me. I'd love to work with others on these projects.
• I need information, and particularly publications, which would become property of BAMCA.

  I am missing the following Matchbox USA newsletters:

  • May and June of 1980
  • July of 1995
  • March through December of 2012
  • all issues from 2013
  • January and February of 2015
  • February and April of 2016
  • August of 2017
  • March of 2020
  • January of 2021

  I have copies of some old issues but would like to get originals:

  • April and August through December of 1980
  • January and February of 1981
  • January through October of 1982
  • July of 1984

  I am missing all of Connecticut Matchbox News, which was the name of Matchbox USA through March of 1980.

  I am missing the following AIM newsletters:

  • May, 1970 to April, 1972
  • June, September, December of 1972
  • January, April, November of 1973
  • June, 1990 to November, 1991
  • June, 1993 to November, 1996
  • June, 1997 onward

  I am missing the following MICA newsletters:

  • Volume 1, issues 1, 2, 4
  • Volume 2, issue 3
  • Volume 14, issue 3
  • Volume 15, issue 4
  • Volume 19, 20, and 22

• If you're a programmer and want to take part in script development, by all means get in touch. The site is developed in Python for the cgi-bin scripts, with some PHP thrown in. The data is stored in a MySQL database, and the repository resides at GitHub. These skills would be intrinsic to most of the work going on here. Front-end help to make the site look snazzier would also be welcome.
• Even bug reports help! If you see anything wrong, either with the information, or a picture, or a bug in the programming, please let me know. Hit the "comment" button on the relevant page, or on the main index, or send an email to "bugs@bamca.org". I'll get on it as quickly as I can.

Contact me by using the "COMMENT ON THIS PAGE" button, or by sending an email to volunteer@bamca.org, and I'll respond soon.