The 12th annual Guinness World Records Day is being celebrated all over the globe today with upwards of 600,000 people hoping to secure their place in the history books.
In celebration of #GWRday 2016, Guinness World Records adjudicator Samer Khallouf flew out to Lebanon to recount Nabil “Billy” Karam’s record breaking collection of model cars and dioramas.
It has been confirmed that the racing driver owns a staggering 37,777 toy cars which he displays in a privately-owned warehouse in Zouk Mosbeh – 10,000 more items than when he first set the Largest collection of model cars record in 2011.
In the video below, Billy explains his collection began largely because he was determined to get back toy cars stolen from him as a boy – an obsession that kept on going.
The avid collector also owns the Largest collection of dioramas with 577 unique items depicting many scenes from his racing career, from cherished race wins, to terrifying accidents.
Billy’s model sets also show famous battles, including World War II’s Battle of the Bulge, and even a cartoon battle scene of the famous fictional Gaulish heroes, Asterix and Obelix, fighting Julius Caesar’s army.
Other dioramas on display include a train station, an airport, cowboys and Indians, scenes from classic films such as Grease and Scarface and an old-fashioned cigar factory.
“Since we are young in Lebanon, Guinness World Records is a sort of dream, sort of something fantastic to be part with and when I got this record it changed a little bit my life,” said Billy.
Guinness World Records Day was first launched to celebrate the day the Guinness World Records book sold its 100 millionth copy.
Keep up with all of the events taking place on Guinness World Records Day 2016 with our live blog.
