Some hobbies grow into obsessions. Others become museums. Scott Bader Los Angeles is proof of both. His private museum in West Hollywood holds one of the most extraordinary collections of vintage slot cars in the world. If you love automotive history, 1960s car culture, or appreciate someone who turned a childhood passion into a world-class archive this story deserves your full attention.
Why the 1960s Was the Golden Age of Slot Car Racing
Between 1963 and 1967, slot car racing swept across America. Indoor tracks opened in neighborhoods from coast to coast. Kids saved up to buy miniature die-cast cars and raced them on plastic tracks for hours. It was not just a toy it was a full culture, deeply tied to the real-world car obsession of that era.
That window lasted only four years. By 1968, the craze had faded almost completely. Most of those slot cars ended up in attic boxes, garage sales, or worse. Very few people held on. Fewer still turned their passion into something permanent and meaningful.
Scott Bader was one of them.
Scott Bader’s Journey — From Revell Raceway to West Hollywood
Growing up near Los Angeles, Scott used to ride his bicycle to a local indoor race track called Revell Raceway. He raced slot cars as a kid, dreamed about cars constantly, and then life moved fast. He built a career, founded a company, and went on to lead Inline Distributing — one of the largest construction product distributors in the western United States, now operating ten distribution centers across the country.
But the love for racing never left. After stepping back from full-time operations around 2010, he returned to two things real cars and slot cars. He spent time competing as a professional driver in endurance racing behind the wheel of a Porsche GT3R. He cruised Van Nuys Boulevard as a teenager. He raced a 1969 Camaro at local dragstrips.
That real-world connection to motorsport only deepened his respect for miniature racing history. The two worlds full-size and 1/24 scale always ran parallel for him.
Scott Bader Los Angeles: Inside the Slot Car Museum
The Los Angeles Slot Car Museum officially opened in 2008. The purpose-built display facility was completed in 2014 and sits within Scott’s private property just above Sunset Strip in West Hollywood.
Walking into this museum is not like visiting a standard exhibit. Twelve monitors connect together and play continuous video footage from the slot car era. The soundtrack running through the space is pure 1960s. And the smell in the air? Oil of wintergreen — a vintage tyre additive that any serious slot car racer from that decade would recognize the moment they stepped through the door.
The main display holds thousands of slot cars, original accessories, and period literature — much of it still in factory-sealed packaging. A separate storage room contains five full aisles of shelving with individual file drawers. Each drawer holds more cars, kits, motors, and parts that span the full breadth of the hobby’s most celebrated years. This is not a casual collection. It is a deeply curated archive of American racing culture.
What You Will Find in the Collection
The museum focuses on the 1963 to 1967 era, the peak years of slot car racing in America. You will find cars from the major manufacturers of that time, covering both hand-built professional racing models and factory-produced ready-to-race kits. Rare models, some still unopened, sit displayed exactly as they left the factory decades ago.
Beyond slot cars, the collection includes a significant number of vintage model kits. These cover cars, racers, and machines from a period when model building was taken seriously by young enthusiasts across the country. Together, the slot cars and model kits create a portrait of 1960s American car culture that no book or documentary can fully capture. You have to see it in person to understand the scale of it.
The Full-Size Racing Cars Next Door
Scott’s passion does not stop at 1/24 scale. His property also houses a serious collection of full-size racing machines. A 1967 Camaro Z/28 built for Trans-Am competition. A 1966 Corvette that remains one of the most successful B Production class cars in American motorsport history. A 1969 Lola Can-Am car. A Formula Atlantic March from the mid-1970s. Even a Formula One car that finished second in the 1971 World Championship.
Each car connects to a real chapter in racing history. Seeing them alongside miniature versions of similar machines from the same era makes the entire collection feel complete in a way that is genuinely rare.
Spots Are Limited Do Not Wait
The Los Angeles Slot Car Museum opens to the public only a handful of times each year. Access is by appointment only. This is not a walk-in destination. Openings fill quickly, and there is no guarantee of when the next one will be scheduled.
If you have been thinking about visiting, act now. The experience, the sights, the sounds, the smell of that tyre oil in the air is unlike anything else in the city. People who visit once tend to talk about it for years.
Why Scott Bader Los Angeles Stands Apart
Across the collector community, Scott Bader Los Angeles has become a reference point for anyone serious about slot car history. His work through the museum preserved thousands of items that would have otherwise vanished. He gave the hobby a permanent home and a platform that commands real respect.
For anyone who grew up around slot cars or anyone curious about the era when miniature racing ruled American living rooms the LASCM is a direct line to that history. Scott built something rare. The golden age of slot car racing is not just remembered here. It lives here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Los Angeles Slot Car Museum?
It is a private museum founded by Scott Bader in West Hollywood, housing thousands of vintage slot cars, kits, accessories, and period memorabilia from the 1960s golden era of slot car racing.
How do you visit the museum?
Visits are strictly by appointment only. The museum opens to the public a limited number of times per year. You can schedule a visit at lascm.com.
What era does the collection focus on?
The collection centers on the 1963 to 1967 period the four years when slot car racing was at the height of its popularity across the United States.
Who is Scott Bader?
Scott Bader is the founder of the Los Angeles Slot Car Museum and the CEO of Inline Distributing Company, one of the largest construction product distributors in the western United States.
Why is access limited to appointments only?
The museum is located within a private residence in West Hollywood. Appointment-only access ensures a personal, high-quality experience for every visitor and protects the integrity of the collection.