I was in michaels (like hobby lobby) yesterday and found out that the glue together model car kits of my childhood are now TWENTY DOLLARS!!!
Yep, times have changed and it's the same model you bought when you were a kid. These big 1/8 scale cars I scratch build cost from $150 to $400 just for materials, but it takes a few months to build one as opposed to whipping one of those 1/24 scale babys out in a week or so.
Physical size means little on how long or how difficult a model is to build....... 1/32 scale Aston Martin DB5................... (I'm sure you have all seen this though) The Humbrol paint tin is there to show scale. Scratch-built (With the exception of the body) from brass tube and plastic card. Doc.
That car is cool and to do something as well as that one you are building takes months, I'm sure. I admire those talented folks that build well, in smaller scale. I, personally, can't see that good to do it correctly.
Maybe if you just build it by the instructions, but not if you are chopping, sectioning, frenching, etc. It can take long time when building a custom or a hot rod!
Sometimes it's worth checking Craig's list and finding some private deals on model kits, especially people selling collections. If you itemize how much each model kit would cost by buying a collection, you'll probably have a good deal. Then you can keep the good stuff and sell the rest, maybe recoup your costs or spend the money on materials. I know somebody that has been doing this for years
I do not know about that. I have offered my collection of unbuilt, started, and semi-finished for several months. No takers.
I really dig the chassis work on that sprinter! I finished this up a couple of weeks back. Fourth and final build out of the AMT Special Edition "Tin Box" Double Dragster kit. I milked it for all it was worth!
Keeping with the 1/8 scale theme. I had this kit when I was 9 and it didn't turn out as nice as I wanted. So I was able to buy this repop a few years back and I'm finally getting around to building it!. Now to decide how to build it, the kit comes with extras to build a number of styles from 50's rat to 60's custom or traditional hot rod with V8(pontiac) or flat head. Mel
Old Sprinter, looks cool. I'm with Doc tho, I've spent many countless hours on 25th scale kits and scratch builds. Size doesn't necessarily matter. Doc, the little Austin is too cool. gbk, cool work... melsfine39, I'm working on one of these too, hope to get time to finish it this next year... My oldest brother built one back on it's first or second release, lights worked and all. I have several bits and pieces of it and kick myself that I didn't save the rest. So how about it, shall we get some more 1/8 rods on here today, even if you've posted 'em before? Even if they're in progress? Even, maybe, stuck in the mud of daily life? He's mine for the newbs... As an example, I haven't gotten too far on this since I first posted it:
I'm always impressed with how nice the 1/8 Revell Deuce roadster kit is. IMHO far nicer in detail than the increasingly dated looking 1/25 kit. I build exclusively in 1/25 but I must admit that car really tempts me. Jigger, how much of the stuff on your (very sharp looking!) build is original from the kit, kit-bashing and/or aftermarket stuff? I know zilch about the Big Boyz...
The grille is out of the 1960's kit, I was experimenting with the red . If you look closely, you can see where my brother got glue on the ribs and they melted a bit. I will probably use the new kits 'stock' grille in chrome or try to get the pot metal look of a real 'stock' grille. Not sure. The other kit bashing I've done was simply to use some of the Strom 97's I'd kept from that earlier kit. Scratch built, so far, just the stacks which I made using aluminum tube. Everything else came with the kit. This newer re-issue came with several goodies the original didn't have including the flat head with vintage speed equipment, the very nice Bias pli tires, steel Ford rims, rings, spider caps and Deluxe caps, as well as the stock firewall and Bee hive oiler. A few other details I've done were to fill the lower half of the headers, left with huge open gape as casted. Why that wasn't addressed when the new stuff was created is a mystery to me. I also took the tuck and rolled custom firewall the kit comes with and reversed it, using it, instead, as the interior side of the wall. (I'll post pics some time for you tho it may be a while.) Lastly, for now, I de-chromed the rear axle/torque tube of the old kit and painted it for this version so I could keep the newer, glue free, cleaner one for use later, should I choose. FYI, check melsfine39's picture if the box art, you can see that a full fender version is possible. It looks great that way, esp. with the V-8 and Mags (in the skinnys) Very 1960's show car, very.
Yep, Deuces, that's the one. Ours was molded in Yellow though. I kept the instruction booklet which os exactly like your only inked in yellow rather than red. I know the 1:1 that Starbird built for Monogram is/was the red, full fender version, just like the box. How cool to get a complete, NOS () kit like that. Bet it didn't come cheap...
Yeah, it cost a pretty penny.. I plan on saving this one for when I retire... Along with the BiG Drag and some other 1/8 scale kits.. Yours come with a little mini razor saw blade for cutting the doors open??? This one did..
Thanks Jigger. I like the paint on your roadster, you could almost call it done as a stripped car to run on the salt! Thats a great idea to use the tuck'n'roll firewall on the inside, such a simple conversion but I never would have thought of it!! Doc.
Thanks doc, it was just one of those ideas that just kinda pops in your head so I ran with it, I like the motor turned toper with the gages too so it was a tough decision. Maybe you're right on the while strip down, I'd thought of that a bit. With what I have left to do, it could be my entry for the Bonneville contest theme, maybe??? Hmmm... I like the cut of your jib old boy... Cheers.
Here's my big Monogram roadster. This is all that I've accomplished in over 20 years. At least all of the chrome parts are still sealed in the original bags so nothing got lost or scratched. I'll finish it someday
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