oldcarfan Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 I'm so excited... and I just can't hide it! I got a couple of my long-time wants. A few years ago my wife and I started a tradition. Instead of buying gifts for each other at Christmas, we would buy for the kids and family. Later, after income taxes are gone and done, we each get a portion of the refund to buy what we want. A while back I started a thread about the Monogram curbside kits of the late 70s. The Datsun 240Z, Ferrari 308,MB 450SL, Porsche 911 and 924. I loved these as a kid. I would build them, tear them apart and build them again until there was nothing left. Well guess what auctions I just won? Not all of them, but a couple of my favorites. I just got an unbuilt 924 still in the box and last night i won an unbuilt MB 450 convertible and it comes with another unbuilt 924! Got them all for less than the price of a new kit. I'm planning now on doing one 924 stock and the other outlaw style. Now I've just got to find the others at a good price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Congratulations Gary. Yeah EBAY can be wonderful when you can get the cars that you really want, at a price that you can really afford. Just be careful that you don't go too overboard as it's easy to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithJackson Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Thankfully, I have resisted the siren call of eBay for the most part, but I did win an auction the other day for a bunch of interior pieces which will be helpful since I am just getting into using an airbrush and it will give me some good practice pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfan Posted March 4, 2016 Author Share Posted March 4, 2016 I usually avoid it because the temptation is strong and She Who Must Be Obeyed keeps an eye on finances. This is the one time of the year I can get by with a little spending. Oh, and I just checked the mail and my Flintstone 1927 Roadster body and 1934 Ford Tracknose coupe body came in. I really lucked out on the Mercedes and the 924s. I kept getting outbid and then finally came across these that had no bidders. Anyway, no more eBay till next year. All in all, I spent about $50 for everything. Now I'm really stocked up on projects to start and not finish! LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyser Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 Cool score. Great series of cars, I remember the thread. Series bigger than I remembered, and I have a bunch. 308 is really nice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 ebay can be fun ... something we never had as far as finding those odd kits!Which 924 kits did you get? ... Arii or Monogram. and two kits .. cool. I had two 1:1 924's so I really like them! I have both of those kits to build the '81 2924 Turbo I had and seem to be using parts of both kits to make it right.I'll be looking forward to seeing your build(s)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfan Posted March 5, 2016 Author Share Posted March 5, 2016 ebay can be fun ... something we never had as far as finding those odd kits!Which 924 kits did you get? ... Arii or Monogram. and two kits .. cool. I had two 1:1 924's so I really like them! I have both of those kits to build the '81 2924 Turbo I had and seem to be using parts of both kits to make it right.I'll be looking forward to seeing your build(s)!They are the Monogram 1/24 curbside kits. The one I've just received is the original showroom stock issue, molded in red. The one I'm waiting for is the white one with the fender flares and the Martini decals. Kind of hoping it has the stock parts. I was looking on Austin Craigslist today, and there is a 1:1 924 and a 944. Both are asking less than $2000. if I only had a garage... and tools... and money... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Ebay has been great for me!Being born in 1962, & not beginning to build models until around 1970, you can guess how many old annual kits I missed out on.Ebay has given me pretty much my one & only chance to live those years I missed.Say what you will about ebay, but where else would I ever find a Johan '66 Chrysler 300? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 They are the Monogram 1/24 curbside kits. The one I've just received is the original showroom stock issue, molded in red. The one I'm waiting for is the white one with the fender flares and the Martini decals. Kind of hoping it has the stock parts. I was looking on Austin Craigslist today, and there is a 1:1 924 and a 944. Both are asking less than $2000. if I only had a garage... and tools... and money...The Monogram is the more accurate body we decided in this discussion against the Arii kit. ... you might find it interesting.The fender flairs sound like they'd make a different build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Gary...Congrats on the kits. Its nice to find or get a hold of ones we had a s a kid...been working on finding some myself but it wont be from e-bay I just cant compete with those guys on my budget. Glad you got ones that mean something to you...its nice to be able to relive some childhood days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike999 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Congrats on finding the wants! I recently went looking for some junker 1/24 Monogram classics. Needed wire wheels for a project, and didn't want to rob my unbuilt kits.Found a lot of 3 built-ups on eBay - the Packard boat-tail Speedster; 1934 Duesenberg roadster; and Mercedes 540K. Opening bid $17 and no one bid against me. All were carefully built with some minor painting. The glue was so old they came apart easily.So now I have a bunch of nice-looking wire wheels and other parts. And I've always wondered about grafting the Packard boat-tail onto that Duesenberg. Also, I'm pretty sure I can do something evil with hot rods powered by those massive straight-8 engines. The 540K might donate parts to building Rommel's Rod as a "stock" desert exploration vehicle. The French really did explore the Sahara with Citroen-Kegresse half-tracks in the 1930's, IIRC.I've been buying and selling on eBay since 1999. It has changed a lot and mostly not for the better. But it's still a great source, if you avoid the hucksters and ignoramuses. Which is pretty easy to do. ("Rare factory promo, all custom parts glued on and decals applied, minor paint on body/interior/chassis, opening bid $800.00.")I remember a story about the time when Meg Whitman left eBay. I forget the name of her replacement, but he came in and made a statement to the press about "we need to make more changes. This place looks like a flea market." He immediately got a bunch of emails saying: "eBay IS a flea market, you idiot." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtx6970 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 (edited) Ebay has been great for me!Being born in 1962, & not beginning to build models until around 1970, you can guess how many old annual kits I missed out on.Ebay has given me pretty much my one & only chance to live those years I missed.Say what you will about ebay, but where else would I ever find a Johan '66 Chrysler 300? Steve Same here, although I was born in 1959. I started building models in the mid to late 60s. But then it was hot rods and customs. Stock was boring . I gravitated to funnycars in the later 70s and early 80s I didn't get into the OE replica stock stuff till I was well into my late 20s or early 30s when I got back into kits . When I had kids the models were basically put away for another day. tinkering just a bit every once in a while. I didn't start looking for early annuals OE stock stuff till the past couple of years. Since then I have been on a buying binge trying to fill my want list. Which I almost have completed.,,,,, I'm down to maybe 3 or 4 kits I don't have . And 90% of what I've bought came from Ebay sellers all over the country . So Ebay has been good to me,,,very bad for my wallet. But hey, we only live once so might as well enjoy it . Its real easy to over pay for something listed there, But if your patient you can get some pretty decent deals . I have a max budget for any one kit I am looking for. Obviously some are worth more than others but none are worth getting stupid over. As a general rule. When something brings top dollar,, give it a it a week or 2 and I guarantee there will be another one listed and it rarely brings what the 1st one did . Edited March 5, 2016 by gtx6970 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbowser Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 Congrats on finding the wants! I recently went looking for some junker 1/24 Monogram classics. Needed wire wheels for a project, and didn't want to rob my unbuilt kits.Found a lot of 3 built-ups on eBay - the Packard boat-tail Speedster; 1934 Duesenberg roadster; and Mercedes 540K. Opening bid $17 and no one bid against me. All were carefully built with some minor painting. The glue was so old they came apart easily.So now I have a bunch of nice-looking wire wheels and other parts. And I've always wondered about grafting the Packard boat-tail onto that Duesenberg. Also, I'm pretty sure I can do something evil with hot rods powered by those massive straight-8 engines. The 540K might donate parts to building Rommel's Rod as a "stock" desert exploration vehicle. The French really did explore the Sahara with Citroen-Kegresse half-tracks in the 1930's, IIRC.I've been buying and selling on eBay since 1999. It has changed a lot and mostly not for the better. But it's still a great source, if you avoid the hucksters and ignoramuses. Which is pretty easy to do. ("Rare factory promo, all custom parts glued on and decals applied, minor paint on body/interior/chassis, opening bid $800.00.")I remember a story about the time when Meg Whitman left eBay. I forget the name of her replacement, but he came in and made a statement to the press about "we need to make more changes. This place looks like a flea market." He immediately got a bunch of emails saying: "eBay IS a flea market, you idiot."I've obtained a lot of the Monogram classics, as well as a bunch of OOP Heller kits on eBay. Great place to shop, as long as you keep your wits about you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfan Posted March 5, 2016 Author Share Posted March 5, 2016 Gary...Congrats on the kits. Its nice to find or get a hold of ones we had a s a kid...been working on finding some myself but it wont be from e-bay I just cant compete with those guys on my budget. Glad you got ones that mean something to you...its nice to be able to relive some childhood days.You can find some stuff for pocket change, but you definitely have to be patient and keep looking. Oh, and watch for shipping, some sellers offer a cheap starting price and super high shipping. Most of the kits I was bidding on ended up at 40-50 dollars plus shipping. I found some that were in the $5-10 range, and somebody sniped me literally at the last second. I finally came across a couple that nobody had noticed and lucked out. Guess it's like hunting. You have to be vewwy, vewwy quiet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfan Posted March 5, 2016 Author Share Posted March 5, 2016 I've been thinking about possible ways to build the Mercedes, and will probable do it stock, but there are some other weird ideas out there. How about this one? Not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slusher Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I'm so excited... and I just can't hide it! I got a couple of my long-time wants. A few years ago my wife and I started a tradition. Instead of buying gifts for each other at Christmas, we would buy for the kids and family. Later, after income taxes are gone and done, we each get a portion of the refund to buy what we want. A while back I started a thread about the Monogram curbside kits of the late 70s. The Datsun 240Z, Ferrari 308,MB 450SL, Porsche 911 and 924. I loved these as a kid. I would build them, tear them apart and build them again until there was nothing left. Well guess what auctions I just won? Not all of them, but a couple of my favorites. I just got an unbuilt 924 still in the box and last night i won an unbuilt MB 450 convertible and it comes with another unbuilt 924! Got them all for less than the price of a new kit. I'm planning now on doing one 924 stock and the other outlaw style. Now I've just got to find the others at a good price.Congrats on your wins Gary... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I've been on eBay since the beginning, so I've been through all the changes. My very first search was for a book I had as a kid, "Barris Cars of the Stars". I had wanted that book for years and I instantly found it. I was immediately hooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramfins59 Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I also have been very lucky in getting a lot of the older kits, builtups, promos and a bunch of diecasts for my 1950's car collection on EBAY for very low or reasonable prices. My usual limit is about $50. The shipping charges will sometimes keep me from bidding but overall I've been pretty lucky. Most of my wins have happened during the mid-week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).I've been buying on EBAY for a little over 3 years now and depending on my budget / finances at the time, I usually try to limit myself to one purchase per month. I've got over 2 dozen cars still in the TO DO pile from these purchases, and at the slow rate that I've been building lately I'll be busy for a couple of years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrObsessive Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 I've got over 2 dozen cars still in the TO DO pile from these purchases, and at the slow rate that I've been building lately I'll be busy for a couple of years. I think I might have you beat Rich! I have at LEAST that many and then some from the kits and builtups I gotten off eBay. I have some that I've bought in the early '00's that I've yet to touch. Just today, I got this gem off the 'Bay. I couldn't resist it! I actually saw it yesterday on my phone and gave the fellow a best offer. He declined my offer, so I offered a few dollars more and he accepted. It of course needs a full resto, but except for the wheelcovers looks complete. '61 Buicks are hard to come by without the roof all bent up due to those thin pillars, and I can maybe see this one on my shelf looking nice and pretty some day! eBay can be a dangerous place for your wallet though especially if you have a smartphone. It's just too easy to hit the "Buy It Now" button on your screen and your bank account will be that much emptier! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted March 5, 2016 Share Posted March 5, 2016 You can find some stuff for pocket change, but you definitely have to be patient and keep looking. Oh, and watch for shipping, some sellers offer a cheap starting price and super high shipping. Most of the kits I was bidding on ended up at 40-50 dollars plus shipping. I found some that were in the $5-10 range, and somebody sniped me literally at the last second. I finally came across a couple that nobody had noticed and lucked out. Guess it's like hunting. You have to be vewwy, vewwy quiet!I agree its a great place to find or research an old model/promo/etc. Yep I have seen some try to get you with a high shipping charge before...never found anything I needed/wanted that was in the 10.oo range myself but would be nice to. I have to like the 60s/70s models and promos....hardest ones to find too...even the parts are crazy for the ones I need them for most times. My biggest issue is the lack of a real budget to work with 90% of the time...after paying bills there just isn't much of anything left to compete with others deep pockets. Some I have been looking for parts for I have been looking for many years now with not really any luck..shame to see them just sit and wait the way they do to be restored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenGuthmiller Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I agree its a great place to find or research an old model/promo/etc. Yep I have seen some try to get you with a high shipping charge before...never found anything I needed/wanted that was in the 10.oo range myself but would be nice to. I have to like the 60s/70s models and promos....hardest ones to find too...even the parts are crazy for the ones I need them for most times. My biggest issue is the lack of a real budget to work with 90% of the time...after paying bills there just isn't much of anything left to compete with others deep pockets. Some I have been looking for parts for I have been looking for many years now with not really any luck..shame to see them just sit and wait the way they do to be restored. You know Mark, you might want to consider selling off some of your kits to finance restoring some others.If finances are a problem, restoring old annuals & promos is not a great place to be.Even small parts can be hard to find & expensive.On occasion, I've paid as much as &30.00-$40.00 just for a good replacement body.Hanging on to 100 damaged kits in hopes of restoring all of them could quite possibly result in restoring none.I know they have sentimental value to you, but parting out a few & selling them could net the green you need to restore a few more.Just a thought. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtx6970 Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I agree its a great place to find or research an old model/promo/etc. Yep I have seen some try to get you with a high shipping charge before...never found anything I needed/wanted that was in the 10.oo range myself but would be nice to. I have to like the 60s/70s models and promos....hardest ones to find too...even the parts are crazy for the ones I need them for most times. My biggest issue is the lack of a real budget to work with 90% of the time...after paying bills there just isn't much of anything left to compete with others deep pockets. Some I have been looking for parts for I have been looking for many years now with not really any luck..shame to see them just sit and wait the way they do to be restored. Mark,You may have done it before. But send me a list of your needs.I don't have a lot of pieces or parts kits for the early annuals stuff. But you might get lucky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC Norton Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I'm so excited... and I just can't hide it! I got a couple of my long-time wants. A few years ago my wife and I started a tradition. Instead of buying gifts for each other at Christmas, we would buy for the kids and family. Later, after income taxes are gone and done, we each get a portion of the refund to buy what we want. A while back I started a thread about the Monogram curbside kits of the late 70s. The Datsun 240Z, Ferrari 308,MB 450SL, Porsche 911 and 924. I loved these as a kid. I would build them, tear them apart and build them again until there was nothing left. Well guess what auctions I just won? Not all of them, but a couple of my favorites. I just got an unbuilt 924 still in the box and last night i won an unbuilt MB 450 convertible and it comes with another unbuilt 924! Got them all for less than the price of a new kit. I'm planning now on doing one 924 stock and the other outlaw style. Now I've just got to find the others at a good price. ....good for you, Gary,,,i love hearing and reading stories like yours that someone got kits or goodies they REALLY have wanted from great modeling memories from their past.....I know exactly how excited you feel, as I just this week got a mint sealed original annual Johan 69 GTX the BOSS that I have wanted for ever,,,its a neat feeling , and I am happy you scored on those Monograms......great story...congrats,,,,,the Ace............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louie Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I usually avoid it because the temptation is strong and She Who Must Be Obeyed keeps an eye on finances. This is the one time of the year I can get by with a little spending. Oh, and I just checked the mail and my Flintstone 1927 Roadster body and 1934 Ford Tracknose coupe body came in. I really lucked out on the Mercedes and the 924s. I kept getting outbid and then finally came across these that had no bidders. Anyway, no more eBay till next year. All in all, I spent about $50 for everything. Now I'm really stocked up on projects to start and not finish! LOL. Congratulations on your purchase. I like ebay, I don't use it that often but I like it. I prefer to buy from a hobby shop and do not have any local (40 miles away ) so I buy from a hobby shop that is online. Oldcarfan, I would like to ask you about the flintstone car bodies, who did you purchase them through. I have seen some on "ebay " but the seller has a lousy rating so I will not buy from them. Anyhow thank you for sharing this with us and I do hope that you will find the other kits on your list. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disabled modeler Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Mark,You may have done it before. But send me a list of your needs.I don't have a lot of pieces or parts kits for the early annuals stuff. But you might get luckyBill... will do....thank you need all the help i can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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