cobraman Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 While rearanging one of my cabinets I came across this Cobra model that I built a long time ago. It is the only model I have left from back in my younger days. This was built back in mid to late 60"s . As I recall it was the first time I ever used any putty. While the model has seen better days it shows that the molding I did all those years ago has never cracked. The front spoiler and rear spoiler as well as the modified rear fenders were all molded and held up well. What is your oldest build ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2002p51 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Well, my oldest model is this one: I built this from an AMT annual that I bought new in '63. I repainted and re-decaled it about 25 years ago, but all of the original work on it was done in 1963. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Well, my oldest model is this one: I built this from an AMT annual that I bought new in '63. I repainted and re-decaled it about 25 years ago, but all of the original work on it was done in 1963. Very nice ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W-409 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 It's my first build, built back in 2002 when I was six years old. AMT '60 Ford Starliner, brush painted and box stock build, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I wish I had some of my old builds from the 50 and 60's. All were thrown out when clearing my things out of my Mother's attic! I do have the hood off a '40 Ford Sedan I chopped, channeled and sectioned along with many other modifications back in 1962 when I was 16. Here's a couple badly taken and scanned photos of the whole car also ... all there is left of it I paint a little better now ... this was my first candy paint job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7000in5th Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I love it when this topic comes up! Here you go kids, back before injection molded plastic was common in our world, building a model car meant buying an Ace kit that had a bunch of balsa blocks in a box. We then glued them together and carved off everything that didn't look like the car we wanted to build: After a lot of carving and sanding, you rode your bike to the hobby shop to buy a bottle of sanding sealer and brushed that on the car then sanded some more. You, of course, discovered that one bottle was not near enough so another trip or two was in order until the surface was reasonably smooth. Of course this encouraged customizing since making a custom was easier than fussing with all the trim details: In the picture above, taken with my Brownie Hawkeye in about 1950, when I was 10 or 11 years old, you can see the result. I am very proud to say that I still have that car: The unbuilt kit is a combination of two kits that I found in an online auction. It is a lot of fun to show the 'before and after' when touring the model room. You can see a lot more about this car HERE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggon Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) Well, Drew's got me beat by a year! I did this Dodge in '64 at the ripe old age of ten. It shows some scars from travelling for 48 years, but is completely untouched from how I first built it. I do have the fenderwell headers. They fell off years ago and I havent put them back on...yet... Oh, and please note the not-so-great hand lettering that I am still proud of! Edited June 14, 2015 by Draggon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2002p51 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Well, Drew's got me beat by a year! I did this Dodge in '64 at the ripe old age of ten. You young wipper snapper you! I was 17 in 1964. Except for the age-dulled chrome, your Dodge still looks pretty good. I hand lettered that '63 Ford too when I first built it. At that time the only reference I had was the limited race reports in a few magazines like Motor Trend and Hot Rod. It was all in black and white so I had no idea what color the car was. So I painted it white, of course, but did all the lettering and graphics in black! That was the reason the car got repainted and Fred Cady decals applied some time in the early '80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggon Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hey Drew, I saw your great Ford in SA awhile back. Loved both versions, but wasnt that an emotional choice, going from your lettering to decals? I've got a few hand lettered survivors, and really hesitate to update them to decals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 The oldest of my own is the Revell '56 Chevy 210 'Bad Dream' issue I built at age 7 in 1977. I've got some builtups I've bought used that are older--with the oldest being an original issue AMT '58 Edsel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2002p51 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hey Drew, I saw your great Ford in SA awhile back. Loved both versions, but wasnt that an emotional choice, going from your lettering to decals? I've got a few hand lettered survivors, and really hesitate to update them to decals. I've had this debate with my friends several times. On the one hand, as my skills have gotten better I have the urge to upgrade some of that old low quality work 'cause I relly don't like the way they look. The other side of the argument is that poorly done model sitting there is a physical example of that improvement in skills. I have rebuilt some and have some that I will leave alone. As for the hand lettering, for those of you really young guys, (like under 40) back in the '70s if you wanted to build a race car model other than what came from the box you had no choice but to hand letter it. There was no Fred Cady, Slixx, Yesterdays, or any of the other aftermarket decal companies. This wasn't all that big a deal for me because I was doing pinstriping and lettering 1:1 scale race cars in those days. And just like vinyl killed the lettering business, aftermarket decals have made hand lettering models unnecessary. I still have a dozen or so models in my collection that are hand lettered. Here are a few: And this last one is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. I have a decal sheet to re-do this car and it's very tempting to do so. Anyway, I apologize for taking this thread off on a sidetrack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1930fordpickup Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) Why not just redo the 63 with a new kit and leave your nice looking older work as it is Drew ? I forgot to tell you that those are some nice kits. Edited October 2, 2012 by 1930fordpickup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 My oldest build, done in late 92, or early 93. Monogram's 69 Superbee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragline Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I don't have a pic but my Dad still has my 1/32 Monogram Fiat gasser i built from around 1976 or so. of course he also has almost everything I have done since then. About 450 builts in his collection. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Kron Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 (edited) Wow 7000in5th, that's sure to be oldest. Amazing that you not only have the original build, but that you have reconstructed such a fine example of the original kit. Nico, Draggon and Foxer, you may be decades apart, but those are all mighty nice for as young as you each were. And Drew, all that hand lettering is just beautiful! Here's my oldest build (which I've shown before, so apologies for those who have seen it). A fuel dragster built from both chassis in the Tony Nancy Double Dragster kit when it was a new release. Wheelbases were getting longer by the month back then.. No plastic sheet existed so I used to build my bodies from cardboard index cards. The motor and some of the decals are from the original Revell '55 hardtop kit, although I don't know where the scoop came from. My mother glued the car to a display base she bought after I went away to college, and eventually mailed it to me, which is where the case and model got damaged. It's followed me around ever since. A few years back, when I decided to start car modeling again, I dragged it out with thoughts of restoring it, but by then the tires had melted and I became seduced by its ancient prehistoric funk - .so I decided to leave it as is. I plan to build a modern duplicate of it but am missing the blower drive and decals to get it done. Hope you all dig it: Edited October 2, 2012 by Bernard Kron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2002p51 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 No plastic sheet existed so I used to build my bodies from cardboard index cards. I remember doing that too! My parents were heavy smokers (in the '50s, who wasn't?) and the cardboard that cigarette cartons were made of was an ideal material. In fact, the interior panels of that '63 Ford above is made from that stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2002p51 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Why not just redo the 63 with a new kit and leave your nice looking older work as it is Drew ? You know, I've thought of that but then I'd have two models of the same car, so I don't know. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Circa 1988 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cobraman Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 I love seeing old builds. Keep them coming ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Winter Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 My oldest Build, my first build back in 2004 with my dad, and it's brother I built back in January. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Draggon Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I dug that rail when ya first posted it B. I love it just as it is, floppy wheel and all. But for all you guys, isnt it hard to tear apart something so old to re-do it? I've got a few from the dark ages, that I know I can do better on, but cant bear to update, nor can I bear to reassemble with all the flaws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 This is the oldest build that I have that was built in the early 70's and I sure wish that I had a few more of my older builds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathskull59 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 well my most old 2 models i built was back in 2010 2009 and still have survived many mods to them are the 37 ford flat bed 40 fordp/u and 32 5 window rat rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deathskull59 Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 all 3 of them has changed alot now but i still got em. and the 32 now has a chopped top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaina Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 this was the first model that i built. i think i was about 9 so that would make this model about 20 yrs old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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