"Holy Grail" Models?

[Billy Kingsley]

With 2007 almost upon us, it's time to think about what we will be chasing after in the new year, also known as, Your "Holy Grail"!

I, personally, have been very fortunate as to have been able to aquire most of my "grails", but there are still a few that I would like.

#1 on my list is a 59 Edsel kit, it doesn't matter if it's hardtop or convertible, as long as it's unbuilt. I only buy unbuilts, as I do already have a built 59 convertible.

I did not buy any true "grails" in 2006, though I did get three kits I had been wanting. (and lo and behold, Dave Burkett is reissuing one next year!) That was the 71-74 Mercury Cyclone NASCAR version. The other two were an AMC Pacer and a Gremlin.

Overall in 2006 I bought 153 kits (counts kits I was given as gifts) and 23 Resins or resin conversions. I also bought three promos, bringing my entire collection to...5.

57 of those kits came from a collection I bought, from board member and fellow club member (and good friend) Matt Trotta. 3 of the resins came from that purchase as well.

My kit total is down this year, the past two years I've aquired more then 200, which, admittedly, is way way too much! I bought or was given 276 in 2005 and 268 in 2004. Those are the only two years I've fully documented when and where I got things.

Though, there is a high likely hood I will get more kits for Christmas, as I have the last...4, I think...years in a row. It's actually pretty much all I asked for this year!

I couldn't tell you how many NASCAR decals I got this year. Probably about 250, but that's just a wild guess. I don't keep track of when I get them, just what I have so I don't know for sure, and just estimating. It's probably not more then that, but I did have to get a new case to store them in.

I completed 30, and lost track of how many I started. 2006 was my best modeling year ever though! Even though 30 is not my highest number of completions (and there is a slim chance I may finish one more) the quality is the best I've ever turned out, except for two of them that stunk up the joint, LOL. I completed my first resin, I wired and engine for the first time, I got printed in Model Cars for the first time, I scratchbuilt with plastic for the first time and I won an award for the first time.

So 2007 has to be pretty good if it wants to top 2006

So, how's about you? :?:

[bob paeth]

Billy your activities and additions to your collection tire an old guy out. My "grail" is just the opposite you yours. In 2006 I sold the last of my kit collection and am now compiling my list of promos for the same reason. I haven't stopped building nor will I ever, God permitting, but I am slowing down. More power to you and the other members here on the site. I guess my "grail" is to make it through the year 2007 saying ..................WOW, another year "down the tubes"

Bob :shock:

[customplassic]

Wow! that is a substantial amount of models to get in one year! Were do you keep all these? A warehouse?

Ive only had 2 kits and 1 resin in the past year....This upcoming year....I see an easy 20. The two I got right now are my "grails", both kinda hard to come by and both have personal meaning. 1-4runner...im a big fan of import SUV's, especially custom ones. 2. 81-87 Cutlass resin....ive been trying to find one for years and I finally found one.

[paulcolt]

i myself had a banner year as well.

built 49 kits and bought a grail in Toledo-59 Chev impala conv. from SMP.

built but not painted,real great deal.

[Steve H.]

Billy your activities and additions to your collection tire an old guy out. My "grail" is just the opposite you yours. In 2006 I sold the last of my kit collection and am now compiling my list of promos for the same reason. I haven't stopped building nor will I ever, God permitting, but I am slowing down. More power to you and the other members here on the site. I guess my "grail" is to make it through the year 2007 saying ..................WOW, another year "down the tubes"

Bob :shock:

I'm kinda like Bob... slowing down but never quitting. Only bought a couple kits, some resin, some detail stuff. Finished 4 models, but hope to make it 5 by year end. Thats my regular pace for building the last several years.

I need to figure out what to thin out from my stash, because I just don't need 'em all anymore. Of course, right after I sell stuff off, I need it! :?

All in all, its been a good year... Making models, making friends...

P.S. Bob, about those promos... :wink:

[PatRedmond]

Grail? Nothing right now.

A JOB would be nice though.... :roll:

[Jairus]

Grail? Nothing right now.

A JOB would be nice though.... :roll:

I second that!

[Billy Kingsley]

Bob, I couldn't imagine not having my kits! I've only ever sold one and I do regret it (though I regret charging my friend for it instead of just giving it to him, not that I don't have it anymore)

Chad, they pretty much fill up my basement...They are in my bedroom, the living room (mom's not happy about that but whatever I get for Christmas will probably be there for a while unless I build it), and I have some in storage, though not many. The empty boxes go there.

I have way too many kits...But I can't stop buying them. I think I'm addicted!

[Jason Rothgeb]

Well Billy for me it's about BUILDING the grails instead of buying them. I'm not as old as some of the the guys who posted on this thread, 36, but I am slowing down in terms of buying. I probably have 200 or so if I counted, but I never have given the fact the kits are spread over 4 locations and two states. Pair this with the fact that I am lucky to get ten done a year, one last year and three this year, and you can see why I've slowed down.

This heightened level of acquisition in years past has led me to have purchased a lot of the kits I remember from my youth including the Kenny Bernstein Funny Car, and an MPC Supra like the one our family had, an IROC like the Mock ROC I just sold (IROC appearance with V-6 performance), an 87 GTA like the one I just bought that sucks up a large amount of the money otherwise spent on models in the future, a 53 Monogram Chevy like my brother got for his birthday, and Revell's Model A Pick-up all these kits are just waiting for me too pull out of a tub or get off the shelf and start working on.

Make no mistake, there are still a lot of stuff from my childhood that I would not mind picking up, and most of them now have a "Model King" label on such as the 37 Chevy, the 51 Henry J, the 53/54 Chevy, but I am taking a pass for now until I have either more space, or less unbuilt kits. One kit on the missed it the first time, I am picking it up now list for 2007 is the Revell 69 Daytona Charger, Yes I would like the Nascar parts but I am enough of a factory stock fool to be plenty have that back in any form especially since the racer was somewhat lacking anyway without a legitimate set of decals or a single carb manifold.

[bob paeth]

Billy, I have sold most of my collection because I could see that I would never build them, I moved in to a mobile home with limited storage, and the money bought be a nice used car. I didn't sell everything as I still have a few 1/25 that I saved and I have all of my 1/16 scale stuff. I have had my "day in the sun" with model kits after having had over 2 thousand at one time. You are young yet but you will find that as you grow older your values will change as mine have. With the ability to scratch-build parts, I have found that I mostly build straight out of the kit. This saves me money and is every bit as challenging as kit bashing.

Bob :shock:

[jbwelda]

my one holy grail: the tamiya birdcage maserati.

oh thats right, that was just a dream.

but i did restore a busted up birdcage slot car body and the scratch built chassis it was on.

a holy grail ive yet to attain: the wild dream/tognotti t double kit. maybe this year if the prices drop to a reasonable level. not cheap, thats too muc to ask for, but reasonable. like a hundred dollars reasonable. i know i know...

to tell the truth nothing coming out from the major manufacturers do much for me.

as for building, this past year i finished maybe 4 cars but made major progress on the same number that had been languishing in the corner for a long time in some cases. so it was a good year.

[Jeff Johnston]

well..I got 2 grails this year.

An unbuilt AMT 1967 Galaxie and another 1/20 scale Bandai Fiat X 1/9

I bought probably 10 kits this year, and received a couple as gifts.

Funny how people think is too many kits LOL. I have about 40 unbuilt kit..or kits in partially built or restorable condition. That's enough for me right now. Of the 40 there are a few that I may never build (like a woody)...but most I will build.

Also, I'm kinda wierd because I eventually sell my build ups. There are a few I'd never sell. But, as times goes by, I will sell a bunch of builts to make room for something new. I get more of a kick out of the building process I guess. Don't get me wrong, I love to display them, and I always have 20 or 30 on the shelf. But eventually I will sell them on ebay to be replaced with something new.

[DarylH]

Grail score for '06

Airfix 1/12 Bentley

Monogram 1/24 Bugatti type 35

AMT 1/25 Penske Cam2 McLaren

Jorgensen trans-kits for 1/20 Shadom DN3 and Parnelli VPJ1

Orange House 1/20 March 761

......and on the military side, a Glencoe 1/74 USN Subchaser.

Also had a Pocher 1/8 Fiat given to me....not a grail but very sweet!!

[93Z34]

After the rough and tumble year I've had I guess I've been forced to look at the hobby a bit differently now than I did before. My family went for over 4 months with no income and at one point I was looking at liquidating my whole model collection to satisfy the burning desire for things like food and rent. When something like this comes at you totally out of the blue, it tends to shift your focus on other "grails" that mean just a bit more than kits of plastic.

With that being said, I have scaled WAY back on buying and stockpiling kits. I still check out the shelves at Wallyworld and the lhs, but my actual spending has dropped off considerably. I am trying to save a sizeable amount for the NNL East next March so I can get some of the kits I can't find around here though. Whether I'll be able to muster any money to spend there remains to be seen.

I have dug out some old kits I had originally started, some dating back to the early 90's in an attempt to build what I have and not keep stockpiling kits. I do still pick up the Nascar kits as that is my passion and I have enough decals to build over 300 different Nascar kits from the 80's to the present day. Hopefully by building projects I've already started I can cut the size of my unbuilt collection down some as I'm currently over 1500 models, most of which are still factory sealed.

As I sit here this morning and think though, there are some kits I would really like to get my hands on and hopefully I will one day be able to track said kits down:

1) Monogram Wrangler Dale Earnhardt 1983 T-Bird

2) Budweiser Peterbilt 352 Cabover & Trailer

3) International Paystar Logging Trailer Kit

4) International Trans Star II Cabover

5) Autocar Tractor

6) JoHan Sox & Martin Cuda

7) Monogram Bobby Allison Miller Buick Regal (White w/red numbers)

I guess that about covers it for now. I'm sure I'll think of more, but these are the ones that immediately come to mind. I've also begun channeling money to my 1:1 toys as well. I am putting money into our 2003 Monte Carlo SS and my 2000 Dodge Ram pickup as well. We'll just have to wait and see what 2007 brings...

[crispy]

Hey 93Z34--Is this the kit you are looking for?

2006 has been a great modeling resurgence for me. I built 6 with many more projects under way.

As far as grails go, I seem to buy one and move on ot the next. The latest grail I picked up was the Miami Vice Scarab. I'll be building that some time in '07.

The next grail I just bought from Tom at Hobby Heaven, a Jeep Honcho Racer. One of the first kits I bought myself and built as a kid. That should be here on Monday.

I haven't any other grails yet, well not until I see something someone built.

My boss asked me why I buy all these kits. I explained to him that you have to get some of this stuff now as it can be discontinued any day. IT could happen that the stuff never gets re-issued. He saw my point.

Anyway, I look forward to the new releases for '07. My job situation may change, so I may have to watch from the sidelines as new releases come out.

Chris

[93Z34]

Sure enough Chris...that's the Earnhardt kit I'm looking for...You lucky dog!!!

[ismaelg]

I've always considered myself a builder, not a collector. But there is no way to draw a line between the two. That been said, I still consider myself 90% builder, 10% collector.

This was a great year for me. I finished 8 models (6 cars 2 helicopters). Yet I only bought about 10 kits: 6 cars (of which 3 were built: Z06, Ferrari 308 and C6 snap convertible), a Revell chopper bike, 2 helicopters and 1 armor WWII model.

Grails? I have just won on eBay 2 airplane grails, all the way from UKRAINE!!!! But I don't really expect them to show up before year's end. There are some cars I'd like to get, but I haven't bought them because I don't think I have a chance to build them anytime soon.

My stash has always been small. It is now at about 55 cars (about 40 Vettes, about 10 Ferraris and some others) 12 helicopters, 8 airplanes, 1 armor and 1 chopper bike.

Looking forward to 2007 and to keep sharing this passion with all of you !

Thanks,

[MrObsessive]

Well I got my latest grail via UPS just the other day. In the nice brown truck came Danbury's 1/12 scale '56 Corvette! I wanted their '57 when it came out early this year, but for some reason there was only a very short run on them and was soon cancelled, much to my chagrin.

Danbury sent me a mailing showing me this beauty and it was an instant GOTTA HAVE!!

Here's a few pics of what it looks like.............believe me when I tell you that everything works! The only thing this model doesn't do is run!

Ismael, if you're out there........you'll especially love this one! 8)

More can be seen here.

Now if they can just do a '55 or '57 T-Bird in that scale..........

[Daniel Peterson]

Well, young William...

I've probably purchased 25-30 kits, not counting the ones I won in raffles and such. Nobody buys me kits because, well...they just don't.

Building has been a joke this year, but I may actually finish the Barracuda by New Year's Eve.

The only grail (since a grail by it's definition is the only one) on my radar was a Lug Bug kit, which it turns a great clubmate of mine was willing to part with. I was stoked when I got it, even though it was "gently started" by him. To put this in to perspective, I had been looking for one on and off for about 30 years. :shock:

Watching you evolve over the past few years has been a real gas, and I can't wait to see what you do in 2007.

[Billy Kingsley]

Thanks, Dan! You've always had a kind word of encouragement and I truly appreciate it!

I am really looking forward to 2007 as I will finally get a permanent workspace for the first time ever. Have to get some electrical work done first, and then a permanent workspace can be built. It won't be too big, but it'll be better then what I've got now: A wobbly fold up card table, or barring that, lately, I've been sitting on my bed to do any work.

I havn't completed anything since October, and I want to, bigtime! I MAY get my 63 Impala wagon done this week...but that remains to be seen. I still need to do about 1/4 of the work on it.

I'm looking forward to 07, bigtime!

This applies to a couple of you all so I'll just post it like this:

You can't build your grail unless you buy it!

I thought back on this thread though, and I hope it didn't make me sound like a greedy, material-based person though.

[lordairgtar]

Didn't finish anything this year, but I did acquire some of my "grails". A Renwal 66 Stuts and a Renwal 66 Packard. Also a Johan sealed 66 Marlin and a 62 Chrysler 300.

[gasman]

been a slow year for me, finished only 4, compared to 12 in 05, bought alot less in 06 too, been busy with other things this year.

as of grails, I don't really have that many left, did get a very restorable MPC 72 Challenger, and a mint Monogram Lamborghini LP500S

[Rob Hall]

Been a slow year for me...started about 20 kits, finished zero, bought 75 or so new kits, maybe 20 old kits to restore.

I spent way too much time on Internet message boards/forums talking about models rather than actually working on them...

[ogarfield]

My one most wish to find & build holy grail is, the AMT Funny Gremlin F/C........This car has eluded me forever....The one I had as a kid got destroyed along with others like this one during the hard times my mom & I spent moving house to house after my dad died. It seems I know a lot of good folks that collect models, but no one here, where I live has one.

[Jason Rothgeb]

I thought back on this thread though, and I hope it didn't make me sound like a greedy, material-based person though.

Not at all Billy. I think everyone who knows you has nothing but admiration for your enthusiasm.

It would be one thing if someone who had aquired as many kits as you have had done it solely for the purpose of aquiring them, but when someone who has a collection like yours and fully intends to build each one and build everyone better than the one before, you gotta admire it.

I gotta agree with DP on his post as well. I have really seen your building progress over the last few years and it has been a joy to watch. Especially since you are at the age when a lot of guys, myself included, drift away from the hobby for any number of reasons. So keep building and try to raise the bar in 2007. No small task, given you have had your cars pictured in both magazines at your young age.