Art & Inspiration Model Kits that Inspired the young hoodlums

I had a HUGE box ( HUGEBOX) of left over parts from previous builds. I used it to build my DREAM cars, Cragar mags, slicks, skinneys etc. When we moved I threw it all away, asked my son if he wanted it but no go. Now i regret that moment as there was a lot of really bitchen parts there, my garage space is very limited and desk top building is where its at. OH WELL, LIFE GOES ON, MITCH

 

This is the only one that I kept out of all the models that I built. I know its not HAMB freindly but.....It's the one I'd like to recreate in real size. I know it's not HAMB friendly but it was my friends car and I've always thought it was fuckin outta sight. Every time he started it , 400 poncho with tight compression and a giant cam, the windows in our house would shake and my Dad would bitch (ha ha ), that's the sign of a great HOTROD as far a Im concerned.

 

I bought both of those kits, at Woolworth's in Athens Ohio, sometime in the early '70's. I still have some bits and pieces, including the roof from the sedan delivery, that I attempted to graft onto an AMT '49 or '50 Ford. The orange car came with a 409, if my memory is correct, with chrome fenderwell headers. There was a similar style Henry J also, I may still have pieces of one in the basement. Guess I will get on them again, winter is here

 

I’m still wondering that....

 

I used to buy car models for like a buck ninety eight,,,, now there 20 bucks. What the he'll happened ???

 

used to buy gas for 28 cents a gallon, now it's 2.80 a gallon. used to buy a new car for 2500, now it's 25000. Used to buy a new house for 15,000 now it's 150,000

 

Years ago I took this:

and built this:




Rough around the edges, but you get the idea. This would be my dream car built full size!

 

Most can probably guess from my screen name which kits inspired me

 

Just like the real cars, most of my kits were unfinished, still have a bunch of them, so maybe some day. Bob

 

Build something small over the Holidays....Santa does.

 

Merry Christmas Don

 

.......................and to you and your Family as well, Ron. Have a great one.

 

Built many as a kid, $1.25 a piece at the time.
Couldn't wait until I saved up enough to buy another kit.
I remember Revelle kits were cool, as many had workable steering, opening doors, front springs..although their fitment wasn't as good as AMT's.
Never kept one model once I had real cars, but the models were the predecessor to my lifelong desire to have cars I felt were so much more than just transportation.
At now having close to 100 real cars in my lifetime, I think I finally surpassed the amount of models I built.
Never did airplanes or GI Joes, just cars.

 

Started very young around 7/8 years old 1955/56 don't recall too many details (kit names) other than it was a learning experience as they were difficult in the beginning, do remember what a mess with the glue, learning to paint, as time past, got pretty good and built many cars, kustom builds, airplanes, ships, etc., used to enter cars in a store called HobbyHorse, I won a few awards in my preteen, early teens, one I was especially proud of was recreation of a local modified I created.(kept that car and little trophy for years, but it got lost through time) My Dad took me to the local modified races 2/3 times a week. I also had trains on 4'x8' table, built the model houses, painted roads, paper mocha tunnels, mountains etc. My Mother was/is why I developed many skills/interest/artistic/crafts, always very supportive of whatever I showed interest in, my Dad's deal was a little help/guidance, Figure it out, make it happen was what I was told. My parents were not wealthy, definitely not Ward and June, but I have many good memories from my childhood and in my later years realize how lucky I was in so many ways. As I'm aging out, all my children appear to be happy, successful, very busy people, I sometimes wonder what they will think when they become "Old Timers"

 

I still have my Invisible V8 model. Unfortunately, it's torn apart for rebuilding, just like my hot rod trucks.

 

My older brother got the Green Hornet model (pictured on page one) for his first venture in to the car hobby. Probably around 1961.

 

I could have written this......describes my experience exactly. My first was a Revell 1956 Ford Sunliner, then Revell ‘56 F-100.....built and modified several of each plus many, many others over the following decade.

 

I had several, A friend had this one that I admired, He said he had it placed prominently on top of the TV in the family room when his younger brother decided to shoot it with one of those toy suction cup bow and arrows, destroying it

 

............If it's "invisible", how do you know that you still have it?

 

{Model kits that Inspired me?} Model cars have always been a way for me to build the cars, { Hot Rods. } I could never build for real. So I guess all of them! I was either to young, lack of skills, to poor, or no space to store the real ones. But I've had people ask me, how many cars do you want anyway? { I'll say only one. } That is only one, of each year, make, and model! Lol Ron....

 

I have this kit also.....

 

You should see the new release of this one... It comes in a deluxe kit with 2 complete engines.... One with a nice tri-power setup and another with 2x4 induction... Nice cast iron headers also....

 

I always liked the AMT 57 Ford,built one as a kid and recently built another one.Very cool!

 

Models were around $1.00 when I made a dollar an hour, now they are about $30.00 and that's about what I make an hour today. So really not much has changed, still expensive!

 

I remember them being $1.79 each and maybe $.15¢ for a tube of Testors glue....
This was back in '71.....

 

Summer of 1961.........10 years old and already addicted.

 

Still have a few. Would get all the SMP and AMT trophy series kits 98 cents. Always wanted the big deuce. But it was like 12 bucks. And got a $1.50 allowance. Would have took a year to save!!

 

As you can see I have had this addiction for many years. this how I saw my roadster before I started on it.

 

Close to my story...
1952.
Paper route, one day some older bullies were blocking the sidewalk with their fixed-up 26" balloon tire bikes...they ask, "Hey kid, what papers are you throwin'?"
Acting 'hard', I gave 'em my best Randolph Scott drawl: "I ride for the Call Bulletin"...(Bay area, CA. news) Guess they were impressed, they let me by.
Many folks on my route hired me to mow lawns, also.
In '50, 'Highway Pioneers' (Revell) had 1/32 scale cars, built most of 'em. (69 cents at the hobby shop!)
Favorite was the 'hot rod', '32 roadster. Took the old 1915 Center Door T and whacked the hood off, then chopped the top...sanded corners and smoothed some things, trimmed fenders, then fitted the T with the big-n-little wheels/tires from the '32...and the flathead V8. More sanding, and Voila! I almost had the '29 Tudor of Art Chrisman!
Later, 1956, some real cool ones hit:
Cadillac Eldo had a real scale engine, looked just like a real Caddy! Compared it to neighbor Ronnie's Cad in his '40 convert. He was surprised there was a real model of his engine...Yeah...
The Paperboy was way ahead of the real hot rod guy...
The Buick had scale stuff, too. So did the rest...Revell was on top!

Then...Suddenly, although it seemed like...forever...1958? AMT released the '39 Ford tudor sedan! Right on the heels of the '32 roadster...but these were BIG models!
My bud Sneaky came over in his '29 roadster pickup...he had the '39 Coupe model with him, some other hot rod guys were there (Grandma's House) and we pored over the large scale parts. Wow! Jim Rose, John Lyons, and a couple more left early, Hobby shop was still open, I caught a ride with Sneaky. I bought a '39 Tudor, my first of the big 1/25.
When the Big T came out, Noel had one...his Mom got it for him. I was amazed at the new Scale gauges, had 'glass' in 'em! Parts, once again caught me. PARTS! Build...Anything!
Soon my interests were all on my real '32 framed, channeled '30 roadster. Then some bad marriages, divorces, some great jobs...then my own shop.
Many hot rods, gassers, semi customs, cool trucks...
1978.
Had to build a 1/25 scale for a customer to see. His full fendered '32 roadster (survivor) was the 'patient'. When ne saw the fenderless model, I wrote up a repair order and tore the '32 down, refitted stuff, and delivered a '32 Highboy.
Thanks, Monogram. And Revell. And AMT... My interest was rekindled.
1979.
My model collecting resumed, once I met my 'final' wife, Joey. Whew!
Now, She jokes about a "two-thousand car garage", actually only maybe 300. Joey's working on a '41 Willys Coupe model, when she can find time.
Most models are HAMB friendly, from 1923 to 1963-1/2. (where our heads are still 'at'!)
Now.
Building again, with 4 other friends. We're all 70+, and 'Pharoahs'... all of us have Real (1:1 scale, LOL) hot rods and classic cars/trucks. Just had a group build, all '34 pickups. FUN!

 

This one, I think? But an orange FED is more like it. None the less, all my models are gone now.