Are my old model cars worth anything?

I have a dozen or two model cars in a box in the basement that are just collecting dust and starting to fall apart with age.
I built all of them in the 1970s and very early 1980s. The usual stuff: '66 Malibu, Camaros, Novas, etc., etc. Mostly Monogram, with a coupe Revell and/or AMT kits. Also one of those big Trans Ams and a metal '67 Vette model. They sat on a shelf for 20 years in my parents' house, then in a box in their attic for another 5 or 10, so a lot of them have parts falling off, etc.
Are they worth trying to sell? I'm guessing that only mint-in-box, unbuilt models from that era are worth money? Most of these are all built, and most of them are modified or customized in some way. Many of them I painted. All of them are built competently, but by a kid or teen not an adult.

(The funniest modification I did is when I put the LT-1 350 from a '69 Nova kit into a '78 Monza kit, in place of the 305 it came with. As if it mattered - they're both little tiny plastic small-block Chevy motors!
What's really funny is that I still know that 25 years later. It has 6-2s on it. I was big on mix-and-match from different kits and LOVED the Monogram kits that let you build multiple ways because it meant leftover parts for other cars!)
I have no where to put them and we need more space in the basement so they have just got to go.
-If they have zero value, I'll give them to Goodwill or something.
-If they have just a little value, I'll donate them to the HAMB drags next year.
-If they have enough value to make it worthwhile, I'll eBay them and use the cash to buy parts for my '51 Chevy.

What do you think? Junk, treasure, or somewhere in between?

 

Obviously they would be worth more if they were unbuilt and still in the original boxes. But, depending on what you got there are always people looking for old bodies that just aren't available in new kits. I have a closet full of built and unbuilt models and organizers full of "extras" for when I decide to start building again. I miss building them but just haven't had the time.

 

You should post some pics. That would help in putting a value on your collection.

 

EvilBay is a good place to look and compare what you have there. Old kits even built are worth more with the boxes than without. The old box art is popular and gives the kit a tie in with the era when it was issued.

Built kits fetch less than un-built kits unless they are ultra rare or well detailed. Really badly built kits are known as "glue bombs".

I wheel and deal lots of kits, mostly selling whole kits rather than already built ones. You are probably best selling them in one big lot or classify them as you see fit into smaller lots. You might get a little more selling them individually, but it takes more time and you have to wade through more buyers and potential non-payers.

Bob

 

As everyone else has said, they are worth something to the right person. I buy and sell unbuilt big scale models, and ofcourse unbuilt command the highest prices............but it depends on if these models have been reman'd in the past 10 years, and what kind of condition they are in. You mentioned the TransAm, this kit is getting harder and harder to find as it is 1/12 scale. As long as all the parts are there and nothing is badly broken it should still be worth $25/50. You mentioned the "metal" 67 Vette, is it a big scale or smaller
scale.
I just sold an 1/8 scale model in unbuilt condition for almost $500.

How about posting some pictures???????????????

 

A couple of years ago we had a garage sale (it'd called a "tag sale" down south), and I drug a box of my old model cars out of the basement. These were all built when I was a kid in the 60's, glue all dried out, falling apart, missing bits, three or four 1/24th scale, and a "Big Duece" in very decrepit condition. My wife looked at me like I had just sprouted another head, and said nobody will buy those things.

The first guy in the garage bought the whole box for 20 bucks. Beat hauling 'em to the dump!

 

I have bought some over the years even though I haven't built a model in years. I think of them as parts cars and never pay much. Someone will probably buy them but they are not like a Mickey Mantle rookie card.

 

I like 'em....

http://s447.photobucket.com/albums/qq199/carsplanestrains/model car boxes/?start=all

 

Some are worth plenty... Especially unbuilt in the box. I've seen rare stuff go for close to two grand. I've paid over 800 myself on some hard to acquire units..........

 

Some old models bring big bucks. Sell them and blow your money on a big car!

 

GOT pictures ????

 

Price them!

 

Dave, If you need to fund the Chevy list them on the Bay. If you have time I've listed leftover parts in different auctions, all those junk boxes I has with leftovers from the '60's brought in some needed money. People are restoring models too these days.

 

Now I can find an answer to the often thought question. IF a kit is worth that kind of money do you brake the seal and look at the parts........build it.... or just shake the box and hope the real parts are in there?

 

I built a lot of models when I was younger. Then in my early 20's I bought several model kits and only built a few as I was more into actual autos, but I do have to say that I still have my KISS Custom Van from when I was about 8-10 years old, still unbuilt in the original box that I have never been able to bring myself to build. Anyways maybe you could find a young child to give them to and that might get that child interested in the car hobby or something related.

 

Last summer while we were moving into our new house we were trying to purge of stuff as we were downsizing to a smaller house. I brought a box down from the attic full of all the models I built as a kid, been in the box for 40 years. Took them out, unwrapped them, saw that they were falling apart (attic heat-not good), thought about all the hours I spent building them. Carefully wrapped them up, back in the box, closed my eyes and tossed them into the dumpster. Been bugging me since but I felt they had no value and did I really need them if I never looked at them.

 

I bought a 1/25 scale 1959 Olds 4 door flat top that was put together for $5 bucks in a antique store. So I don't think you'll get all that much for your cars.

 

Stuff from the 70's and 80's aren't worth that much.
Kits that are still sealed are worth the most.
Build models without the boxes are worth little.
It all depends...
Look 'em up on Ebay to get an idea.
You're not going to get rich.
Post photos of 'em here if you can...good luck

 

Could you post some pictures?

 

here's one i just sold. woohoo
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&item=120363693599

 

what about old Model car science and model car builder mags from the 70's
I have about 25 or so those

 

Give them to an interested kid and maybe you can start him on his way in the hot rod world.

 

I know they aren't worth a fortune or anything, I just didn't know if they were worth anything at all.
None of them are sealed in the box. Most of them don't have the boxes at all. Almost all of them are built.
I will try to remember to take some photos tonight and post them since there seems to be so much interest. (And PM's)
If I list them on eBay I'll post a heads-up here on the HAMB and do free shipping as a HAMB discount. Sound good?

 

the model car section on ebay has a bunch of models. built and unbuilt. I bet I've sold $1000.00 worth over the last 6 years. be sure you get them in the correct catagory as there are several.

do a search and see... even junk models are worth something to someone... search "model junkyard" on ebay, this term is used to sell groups of used and abused kits and extra parts.

my friend was going to throw his built up kits from the 70's in the trash, I rescued them and got $150.00. funny thing is I offered them to a guy who looked like he was in charge at the model car show at Goodguys thinking maybe he could give them to a kid or something and he didn't want them.

whatever you do , don't toss them out.

 

Check this link out. They look for donations too.


http://www.themodelcarmuseum.org/index.html

The International Model Car Builders' Museum​

 

Big Dad, put those model mags on ePay as a 'lot' and you might get more than you think!

 

Okay, here are the photos. There are 13 or 14 all together, plus the big Trans Am and the little bitty '36 Ford. All are complete except the '36 roadster. I have one that is unbuilt, the last one I ever got. Ironically, it's a '53 Chevy. (This is ironic because the first real car I built from the ground up was...a '53 Chevy!). I painted the body on that one, so it's not mint.
The dark red Corvette slot car I'm guessing is in a seperate category as far as value? It's older - I got if from my Dad. If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably from the period when the 'Vette was new.
Any guesstimates?

 

There is a group here on the hamb that build models. Sell or give 'em to somebody there,,,, a fellow hamber.

 

Any idea about this kit as in how rare and possible value ? Thanks !

 

Are you sure it's all there? Ifn so, I'd give you 20 bucks but I have to know the scale first. Gary