Modelhaus going, going Gone !!!!!!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Here's what I do know.  This past spring Don called me to let me know ModelHaus would not be able to attend NNL East.  He said they were absolutely swamped with orders and there was no way they could  take care of the outstanding orders and build up a sufficient inventory to do the show.   He said they were completely taken by surprise of the number of orders they received.  He said they had many orders over $1000 and that floored him since they had never seen that before.  So no, there wasn't a slick get rich quick plan in place. 

 

I don't know about this, but can only offer an opinion.  I can surmise that they had to amortize the development and mold cost over less units than the Country Squire due to the limited time it would be offered for sale. Or maybe they added up exactly what it cost to produce.   

But your statement "Everything has a limit"  is why I don't believe we will see Modelhaus continue.  Resin casting is a business where each piece needs to be individually created.  It's not one of those "create a prototype and send it off to a manufacturer" type business.  And when we are talking about a complete kit, add up all the parts and understand that each one of these needed to be hand molded,  quality controlled and trimmed.  The chrome pieces needed to be sanded and cleaned of any imperfections for chroming before they could be sent on to The Little Motor Car Company that does their chrome work.  There is a part rejection rate, and with Modelhaus quality that is higher than with some other casters. So what is the labor that goes into each kit?  

I believe that if someone bought Modelhaus, add in the cost of amortizing the purchase cost,  setting up an acceptable facility to work in,  and providing a reasonable wage for those involved,  the prices they currently charge would increase dramatically.  And that's what will kill it right there.  The average car modeler won't pay what it will cost.   

Excellent points. Though there's a fair bit of resin casting going on, the majority of it isn't really very good quality...if we're going to be honest. Most of the stuff I've seen is either too thick, not symmetrical, poorly scaled, misshapen, full of pinholes and bubbles, etc. Top-quality resin is somewhat rare, and Modelhaus has the reputation for producing some of the best.

Also, I tend to think the majority of car modelers don't really have any idea of the level of care and skill goes into making top-quality resin parts, or anything else.

Much of the popular perception seems to be that you just mix up some goo and pour it in a mold. Done. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

I'm always annoyed when I hear people complaining about the price of quality resin parts. The reality is that if you're getting GOOD resin, whoever is making it is not making much money at all, considering the time and talent it takes to do it.

Edited July 10, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Snake45]

 He said they had many orders over $1000 and that floored him since they had never seen that before.  

I believe it. My two last-minute orders combined got scarily (for me) close to four figures, and if I'd had the good sense to sit down and make a list of everything I need (instead of procrastinating until nearly literally the last minute), I could have easily gone over.

[gtx6970]

I believe it. My two last-minute orders combined got scarily (for me) close to four figures, and if I'd had the good sense to sit down and make a list of everything I need (instead of procrastinating until nearly literally the last minute), I could have easily gone over.

Same here.

Once I made my list it was easily over 1K , for parts and a couple Modelhaus exclusive kits .   This was on top of the several thousands I've spent the past 18-24 months on the kits themselves. And I decided ,,,, "naw better not "

Besides most of it was just small parts, lenses, hubcaps , steering wheels, etc, etc  Thus I deleted my list altogether.

None of the cars I 'need' parts for were real high on my 'to do' list . Most are actually after retirement builds ( about 10 years from now )

I have time, and have decided to just keep an eye out for original parts , even if it means buying a complete builder . I'll keep what I need and sell / trade / part out the remains .

I wish the Holthaus family a long and peaceful and well deserved retirement .

Edited July 10, 2016 by gtx6970

[redneckrigger]

I met Don and Carol many years ago at the Toledo Toy Shows. They impressed me then as a class act. The sad announcement that they would be closing up shop and the way they are doing so has only, in my mind, reinforced that opinion. I have a few of their products and they are of the best quality I have ever seen.

Regarding the probable situation where people are buying on speculation for future re-sale, on the surface, it is business, pure and simple. If those resellers buy and resell as Modelhaus product, well, it is capitalism. I dare say we all have done something along this line, somewhere in our lives, whether it be buying a bunch of close-out kits for resale, taking a risk on a real estate flip, buying a collector car and reselling it for a profit, or whatever. BUT, it is also my opinion that those who may be buying in huge amounts to resell are doing so in a selfish way, in that they KNOW that there was only a limited amount of time to do so, that Modelhaus was going to close, and that their fellow modelers would be scrambling to try to get pieces and parts that they need and procrastinated on. By placing those huge orders, they hastened the closure date, and are hurting their fellow modelers, of whom they obviously don't care. THAT is my problem with the issue, not the fact that they are going to resell.

I run a gun shop. I buy and sell guns, new and used. When someone comes into my shop to sell a used gun, I ALWAYS ask what they want for it. Sometimes it is too high and I make a counter offer. Sometimes, however, it is a good deal and I pay their asking price. Sometimes, I even point out that they are asking too little and pay more than their asking price. But, once I pay the person, it is mine, and the whole idea is to resell it for a profit, which I do. Gouging, however is not my style.

Back in 2013, just after the tragic Sandy Hook incident, gun dealers nation wide were experiencing problems getting product. Several distributors, (middlemen), were selling their wholesale product at retail or more to dealers who then had to mark up OVER MSRP to make their sales. One of these distributors that we dealt with, was caught doing so by Smith & Wesson, who ended their 50 year relationship with them. I don't doubt that if Modelhaus was selling to dealers who were gouging over the MSRP, that they would have done the same thing. I am sure that Don and Carol know that they are stocking the stashes of those who hope to make a killing on their products in years to come. I also think that they would have announced and handled their closure differently if this bothered them. But I DO still harbor a resentment for those who did order such huge amounts, for resale, because of the fact that they may have prevented those who buy for themselves to build, from getting what they wanted.

I wish Don and Carol all the best in their retirement, though I do hope that someone can fill their upcoming void.

[1930fordpickup]

Well said Tom. 

I think we will see models for sale with the replacement parts before we see just parts for sale . 

I also wish Don and Carol the best in whatever they decide to do from here on out. 

[vairnut]

Well I missed out on getting in my last couple of large parts orders. Did get a large mail in order sent in June and 2 online orders placed in May. I have a large amount of restorable built ups and other resin kits I have been trying to complete before they closed. I used to order the parts as I started to rebuild a model or add wheels/tires or other parts to resin kits from other manufacturers that didn't include them. Even have some older Modelhaus kits that did not include all stock parts.

Although I may not build all of them I at least wanted to make them complete, since w/o Modelhaus trying to find the needed parts will be much more difficult. The cost of the parts needed to complete the kits/builts that I've ordered is more than the difference I could sell them for. I wanted to make them complete rather than possibly offer them with missing parts or unrestorable parts. I have lots of parts to send out for plating but still come up short. May have to try casting parts but what I need will need plating so that will be difficult.

I will miss Modelhaus having been a regular customer since the 80's and they very much deserve to enjoy a well earned retirement. Hope they take a very nice cruise or vacation, buy a nice classic car, lakeside vacation home, or do whatever they want with the overtime income prior to closing.

As for out of production profit, check out the WIngnut Wings website for 1/32 WWI airplane kits and then look at the selling price of their discontinued kits on Ebay. Kit prices more than double as soon as the kit goes out of production - and all sell. Supply and Demand is all it takes.

 

 

[Ed Dingo]

Well I missed out on getting in my last couple of large parts orders. Did get a large mail in order sent in June and 2 online orders placed in May. I have a large amount of restorable built ups and other resin kits I have been trying to complete before they closed. I used to order the parts as I started to rebuild a model or add wheels/tires or other parts to resin kits from other manufacturers that didn't include them. Even have some older Modelhaus kits that did not include all stock parts.

Although I may not build all of them I at least wanted to make them complete, since w/o Modelhaus trying to find the needed parts will be much more difficult. The cost of the parts needed to complete the kits/builts that I've ordered is more than the difference I could sell them for. I wanted to make them complete rather than possibly offer them with missing parts or unrestorable parts. I have lots of parts to send out for plating but still come up short. May have to try casting parts but what I need will need plating so that will be difficult.

I will miss Modelhaus having been a regular customer since the 80's and they very much deserve to enjoy a well earned retirement. Hope they take a very nice cruise or vacation, buy a nice classic car, lakeside vacation home, or do whatever they want with the overtime income prior to closing.

As for out of production profit, check out the WIngnut Wings website for 1/32 WWI airplane kits and then look at the selling price of their discontinued kits on Ebay. Kit prices more than double as soon as the kit goes out of production - and all sell. Supply and Demand is all it takes.

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2016 by Ed Dingo
wrong key

[Ed Dingo]

I concur, Jeff. I sent in my final order 2 weeks ago and was sorta surprised at the total. I started paring it down. Failed there. The parts I ordered were to replace missing ones, worn ones, etc. Will I ever finish the cars and use up the parts ordered? I hope to hell I will. If for some reason not, then at least they will be complete for the next person. Wish I could have done this years back. Got a supply of small bags and started labeling the resin and aftermarket parts and extras I have accumulated over the past few years. Macomb is great for picking up stuff too, now to organize it all so when parts A arrive, I can place them with car A, and so on. No hurried hunting. No speculative purchasing here, just trying to complete the incomplete.

Edited July 10, 2016 by Ed Dingo

[High octane]

Well if no one buys the business from Don & Carol, I can see it going by the wayside just like JoHan with kits and parts NEVER to be produced again. it wouldn't surprise me one bit.

[Dave Toups]

Perhaps it's begun...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MODELHAUS-1992-BUICK-ROADMASTER-RESIN-RESIN-1-25-Model-Car-Mountain-/142049174371?hash=item2112ca6363:g:1mIAAOSwRQlXf~9w

I doubt he'll ever get that price for that kit. Oddly, the same seller had several other Modelhaus kits listed a few days ago for LESS that what Don sold them for. They're gone already, of course.

[Dave Toups]

My last order was over $1,000, barely. It was tough mailing it in since I've never spent that much on model stuff at one time! That's what I get for procrastinating. I didn't buy any of it to resell, BTW. Like a lot of folks, it was mostly parts I need to complete built-ups I had that were missing parts. I don't know how many times I've bought built models that were missing a bumper or tail lights and saying "I can get them from Modelhaus". We won't be able to say that any more and it's a shame. The service they've provided is something we're unlikely to see again. Nothing lasts forever, though, and Don and Carol are great people who deserve a long and happy retirement.

[High octane]

My last order was over $1,000, barely. It was tough mailing it in since I've never spent that much on model stuff at one time! That's what I get for procrastinating. I didn't buy any of it to resell, BTW. Like a lot of folks, it was mostly parts I need to complete built-ups I had that were missing parts. I don't know how many times I've bought built models that were missing a bumper or tail lights and saying "I can get them from Modelhaus". We won't be able to say that any more and it's a shame. The service they've provided is something we're unlikely to see again. Nothing lasts forever, though, and Don and Carol are great people who deserve a long and happy retirement.

AMEN!

[Bob Ellis]

My last order was over $1,000, barely. It was tough mailing it in since I've never spent that much on model stuff at one time! That's what I get for procrastinating. I didn't buy any of it to resell, BTW. Like a lot of folks, it was mostly parts I need to complete built-ups I had that were missing parts. I don't know how many times I've bought built models that were missing a bumper or tail lights and saying "I can get them from Modelhaus". We won't be able to say that any more and it's a shame. The service they've provided is something we're unlikely to see again. Nothing lasts forever, though, and Don and Carol are great people who deserve a long and happy retirement.

Good point Dave! To me I want to buya built model very cheap if it is missing bumpers.  Now it is like the 1970s where you have to make parts . The parts guys on eBay will charge more now for spare chrome parts.

[vairnut]

Good point Dave! To me I want to buya built model very cheap if it is missing bumpers.  Now it is like the 1970s where you have to make parts . The parts guys on eBay will charge more now for spare chrome parts.

That has been the case for some time now. Ever since I started trying to get parts to complete the project cars I have the prices for original parts needing rechrome have been more than Modelhaus replacements. Lots of $12 - $15 bumpers that need replating found on Ebay but why pay more than nice replacements ?

 

I still need several bumpers and wheels for 1960 - 1964 Corvairs if anybody has a stash!  I was putting off ordering the Corvair parts needed until this fall. BUMMER!

[Jon Cole]

Personally, I think the entire operation, kept whole, is just too much of an endeavor for one person (or even a couple) to take over. Unless they have experience doing the same thing, under the same circumstances. I doubt anyone out there can step up to that plate.
The best thing for the Modelhaus, is to see it divided into categories. Such as, parts. Another category would be complete kits. Maybe another for wheels and tires. Whatever would work.
Because the alternative is, bye-bye. No more resto parts.
And maybe that will happen? Maybe as they start winding down and finishing their order fulfillment, they can optimize a plan for the inventory? It would be a shame to see it go nowhere. In their case, part of retirement planning, is to sell off the assets.
So again, a big "Thank You" to Don & Carol. Sure gonna miss them.

[charlie8575]

Blast, and I was trying to get my order together!

Well, it's not a very big one, maybe they'll squeeze it in. And I'm certainly in no hurry.

Charlie Larkin

[SfanGoch]

Blast, and I was trying to get my order together!

Well, it's not a very big one, maybe they'll squeeze it in. And I'm certainly in no hurry.

Charlie Larkin

I don't think so:

 

• The web site is closed and we will not be accepting more orders, not even orders in the regular mail.

[Bob Ellis]

Got my last order today; 1958 Continental kit.I can't complain because I got a lot of nice stuff from them.They made rebuilding built cars possible for years. I think I bought parts from them as far back as 1992.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The only things I REALLY needed I didn't get in in time. I've had a couple of period truck builds hanging fire for several years waiting for me to get around to ordering some sets of their "medium duty" truck tires and wheels. They're the only thing I've ever seen on the market that have the exact look I want. 

Oh well.  

Edited July 12, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[kevin l]

scenes unlimited may have something like them

[charlie8575]

 

I don't think so:

Blast.

I really hope someone steps up and buys the masters. If someone has the money and not the time, I have the time, but not the money, and can make a full-time job of it.

Charlie Larkin

[Longbox55]

Blast.

I really hope someone steps up and buys the masters. If someone has the money and not the time, I have the time, but not the money, and can make a full-time job of it.

Charlie Larkin

I'm trying to be optimistic that someone will step up and make them an offer, possibly one of the established resin casters that can give the same quality and service.

 

Edited July 12, 2016 by Longbox55

[Snake45]

I'm trying to be optimistic that someone will step up and make them an offer, possibly one of the established resin casters that can give the same quality and service.

 

I can think of at least a few that can match them on quality and service, BUT couldn't come anywhere near Modelhaus on scale (quantity and diversity of parts offered).

[Mark]

The only things I REALLY needed I didn't get in in time. I've had a couple of period truck builds hanging fire for several years waiting for me to get around to ordering some sets of their "medium duty" truck tires and wheels. They're the only thing I've ever seen on the market that have the exact look I want. 

Oh well.  

I've got some tires that look like those.  I believe those Modelhaus tires are tweaked from 1/32 scale heavy truck tires.  I'm not sure if they are Monogram or AMT.  I got a couple of busted up trucks in a parts box deal, swiped the tires and wheels, and tossed the rest.  The wheels pictured don't look like the 1/32 wheels I had; these are probably Modelhaus originals.  The tires look like they have larger holes, and they've got two widths also.  But you should be able to find the tire they started with, if you scrounge built 1/32 scale snap tractor-trailer or heavy truck kits.  As for wheels, I think I cast copies of the ones in the Monogram 1/24 scale '91 Ford F-350 dually pickup (with a little material added to the outside) to fit those tires.  Another wheel possibility might be the Monogram S'cool Bus (seriously!)

[Tom Geiger]

I can think of at least a few that can match them on quality and service, BUT couldn't come anywhere near Modelhaus on scale (quantity and diversity of parts offered).

The good ones are already up to their eyeballs in work!   The quandary of the resin world is that it's much easier to receive orders than it is to cast things to fill them!