clovis

I am building Lindberg's 1/16 Model T. I would like to build this model as if the car is showing some wear, as if it is a heavily used 1 or 2 year old car. I would like to show foot wear on the side steps of the body of the car, as if the area has been stepped on so many times that the paint has worn down to the steel. If I paint this area Testor's steel, and then spray on my topcoat, and then use 400 or 600 grit sandpaper to remove the topcoat/body color, will this give me the worn look that I want? The step area has both a Ford logo and a raised tread molded into the step of the body, much like the 1:1. Thanks in advance!!!!! This model building hack can use all the help he can get!!!!!

I am building a 1/16 Model T by Lindberg. This model, like the 1:1 version, has raised lines in the fenders. I would like to accent those raised body lines to give them a little more depth. I already have dark gray primer on the body, and the top finish coat will be flat white. (Yes, white on a Model T...I know...) Is it possible to accent those body lines? How so? Sorry to ask such beginner questions...I am just a hack trying to improve my skill set. Thanks in advance!!!!!

Very, very true.

I'm surely not the only person to have had a build go bad. A few years ago, my sister called me a little out of desperation, and asked me to help build a vintage Smithsonian Hellcat airplane kit with her newly adopted son. He had started the kit, much to my chagrin, but we only had about 5 days to complete it for the 4-H fair, and it was the busiest week of the entire year for our family. Let me tell you, that build was a D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R. If anything could go wrong with that build, it did. First, I found that he and his bother had opened the sealed kit, several weeks prior, and lost part of the cockpit. While that part was being found in the depths of a bedroom closet, I discovered that back in 1987, someone at Revell decided it would be okay to ship a sprue that hadn't completely filled during the injection process. Not a big deal, until I learned that the landing gear were two of the parts that were not completely formed. I spent hours working on the landing gear, figured out how to construct it out of new material, had him glue it up, and I taped the assembly up on a glass sliding door at my sisters that was tripled locked and never opened. Well, that door does get opened, and we found that out when his brother saw two neighborhood kids and a dog in their backyard. You can guess that the assembly was smashed to smithereens, with little pieces scattered all over the dining room floor. Of course, the paint didn't want to dry in this Indiana summer humidity, and when it did, I found a hair dried into the paint on the body. And as you would expect, both of the wings fell completely off this model after I thought they were solidly glued, partly due to not enough glue on the right surface area and partly due to faulty design of the kit. It wouldn't have been a fun build had the entire model not been dropped onto the floor, just before adding decals, and as you would suspect, the decals would not seem to come off the paper no matter how long we soaked them. Now remember, at this time, I hadn't built a model in over 25 years, save one, for my own daughter's 4-H project. I felt like I was out of my element, and definitely out of my skill set trying to fix and build non-existing parts. I had nothing other than spare sprue and Testor's cement as resources. The most annoying part was an adult baby-sitter, who was watching the boys that week, that had never built the first model in her entire life, decided that she should run her mouth with professional model building advice, and do so in a non-stop fashion, especially when we were at critical times during this build. Out of all options, the day before the project was due, I hastily built some hard stands for the plane, and he displayed it as if it were in a repair shop. As much as I hate to admit this, there were several times that I considered trashing the whole project, literally tossing it into the large Rubbermaid trash can that resides in my sister's garage. I simply didn't have the heart to do that, for this boy had three adults, promise in three prior years (while he was in foster care) "that I'll help you build a model", but dropped the ball completely. My nephew even asked in confidence during the build, "will you really help me finish this kit?" He was able to eke out a Reserve Grand Champion (second best of all plane models) and a coveted spot on the winner's podium. All in all, I was happy with the end results, and very happy for him...but what a COMPLETE DISASTER!!!!!! Have you had kits that were disasters? Please share your story! .

I am new to the hobby after a 25 year hiatus. I have a total of 3 kits in my stash. One is being built right now, and one needs to find a new home since it is incomplete. The third one is a Ferrari, and the little one wants to paint it gloss pink and add glitter to it when it is built. I am trying to stay very strict with myself about building what I buy. But then again, that could all change if I found the right deal on ebay, or found a stack of kits at a flea market or garage sale.

Thank you for the replies. It is kind of amazing how kit prices will fluctuate on the auction site. I've periodically checked prices and have found some that have given me sticker shock, but 6 months later, would be considered cheap. Any chance that group builds are driving some of the demand?

Yikes!!! What if that thing had blown while someone was driving it? Do you all remember the pictures that circulated on the 'net many years ago of a NOS bottle that exploded in a car in someone's garage? Wow. It cracked the brick cement joints on the house.

There are several kits that take me way back. One kit is the Revell 1/32 Corsair with the box art from the mid-1980's. It is often listed on ebay, and when I see that plane, I immediately think of those days and that build. One of my favorite builds of all time.

Thank you for all of the replies!!!! They are appreciated!!!! I am still shopping for a deal on an MPC 1/24 kit. Hopefully, I can snag one when someone lists one with a super low start, and no one else is bidding. I'd love to have either of the 1/32 HK Models of the B-25 or B-17. I've read a pre-production review on the B-17 kit, and it looks awesome!!!! It also comes with a hefty pre-order price of $287. I am a budget builder, and there is no way I can justify almost $300 for a kit. The B-25 is selling for $175 or so on ebay. Maybe someday... BTW, my big fear about any of the vintage kits is that I get a warped fuselage, or have severe problems with the molding of the kit, like we did on my nephew's Smithsonian kit. Again, thank you, and keep the posts coming!!! I love learning new stuff!

Thank you, Art. There is a squared facsimile of a frame on the bottom of the body, but it isn't much, and it certainly isn't realistic. A modeler with a better skill set than I have could easily whip out a frame for this kit. I still might look at the Evergreen the next time I'm at the LHS. Thank you again for your helpful posts!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!! I appreciate it!!!!!

Harry, Thank you for your continued help. I appreciate it it very much. What color did you paint the engine block and tranny assembly? I have a dark gray primer down. What brand, and what sheen? Gloss, satin, or flat? I've also been working on the gas tank. How did you get yours to look like a brand new steel tank?

And, I am curious... If I decide to build the frame from stock, and ditch the faux body that came with the kit, what size of C-channel should I buy for this 1/16 kit? If the real 1:1 had a frame that was 5 inches tall, would I buy 5/16" C-Channel?

BTW, I am thinking about painting the body of my 1910 Model T in white. (Yikes!!!!) Would the underside of the fenders have been white, like the body, or should they be black? If they are to be black, flat or gloss?

Wow... Thank you for the replies. They are very much appreciated!!!! I am starting to lean towards building this kit as a barnstorm car. Sure, it will be a bit of a fantasy piece. Budget is a bit of an issue, and a trip to the LHS is 20 miles, one way. Their prices are stout on most items, including their Evergreen, so I should probably pass right now. I have already started shopping for another cheap kit of this model on ebay, and this will give me time to look for and study the books that you all have suggested. I think it would be fun to build a pic of the 999-II that Art posted, and I am already dreaming about building some early Indy 500 cars, Thanks so much!!!!!!!!

I built quite a few kits back in the day, about 25 years ago. I've been back to the hobby for a few months now. I knew that people collected kits, both for the fun of collecting, but also "to build someday." Over the years, especially since the advent of the internet and ebay, we've seen a meteoric rise in the price of some kits. Many kits still bring astronomical prices, especially for rare stuff in an original box. Here is what I want to know: On occasion, I see a vintage kit in the completed listings on ebay that sold for $300 or more. What is the buyer going to do with that kit? Build it, or add it to their collection as an unbuilt kit? Will they ever build it, or is it considered a Holy Grail, never to be touched...just admired in it's original box? What makes some kits so desirable, and fetch 'moon money' when listed as an auction? What are the driving factors that push model kit values? Why do prices surge and then fall drastically, with no rhyme or reason? Six months ago, 1/32 P-51 kits were smoking hot, but are now dead; P-47 kits were at give-away prices, but now super strong. I am also curious: I looked up a Revell Corsair airplane kit last year, like the one I built as a kid, and they were selling for $65 to $100. Were those going to be built, or collected as sealed collector items? (The market is soft for that kit now.) (I am also into Lionel Postwar trains, so I clearly understand the desirability of untouched C-9 and un-run C-10 trains in original boxes. Not too many smart people would crack open a 60 year old factory sealed Lionel box and run it, unless they were rich, and didn't care.) Thanks in advance!!!

While I have immensely enjoyed building a recent car kit, (and have started on a second car kit), my real love in life is military history, namely WWII airplanes in the European theater. I'd love to build another larger scale airplane with my daughter for next year's 4-H fair. I really like the larger scale stuff. The bigger, the better, IMO. One of my last builds was a Bf-109. I think it was a 1/24 MPC kit that I bought second hand from a friend of mine. I absolutely loved that build, and look back on that kit as one of the favorite times of my life. But that was 27 years ago, and I know a lot has changed in the model industry since then. What should I expect from all the new manufacturers of plane kits these days??? Trumpeter and Hasegawa are new players since my hay day, How are those kits? Quality? Ease of build? (I like challenging kits, but warped fuselages and ill fitting parts are not fun for me.) Whatever happened to the old MPC kits? I'd love to build another Bf-109. Any chance that Airfix has the molds to the old MPC 1/24 kits? How are the Airfix kits? Anyone else have nightmare issues with any of the vintage Revell 1/32 airplane kits? I fought a Revell Corsair kit as a kid with both seam lines and landing gear, and then had a D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R build a few years ago with my nephew's Smithsonian Hellcat. (If anything could go wrong with a model, we experienced it in the worst way!!!) Who else is making large scale kits? I'd love to be educated about what is on the market these days, so please fill me in!!!!! Primarily looking for European Theater stuff, but the Pacific might be alright too. Thoughts and opinions please!!!!

Let's not forget that old cars sitting out in the open or stored away in barns, garages or car ports are generally someone's dream. Most people are sentimentally attached to those cars, no matter the make, model, or year...in any condition, whether they are meticulously stored or left rotting away under a tree. Generally speaking, the guy that pulled an old car into a barn still has hope, after all these years, to repair and restore it, so he or she can enjoy it in all of its glory. And truthfully, even a '64 Mustang convertible, even highly optioned, and with an original V8, that has been left in an Indiana field for the past 22 years is worth what to a collector? $500? Okay, let's go on the high end of $2,500. To those who own those cars, and still own those dreams, $2,500 is not really going to make any difference to them whatsoever. And in their mind, once it is gone, it is gone forever. While I am still on a soapbox, this topic leads me to something else. I have a close friend that owns a solid '69 GTO that he bought over 10 years ago, and got a killer deal on it. The car had been stored for about 15 years before he got it. The body is straight as an arrow, but the body is really, really rusty with surface rust. He has spent a ton of time and a good bit of money getting it road ready, and the motor is super strong, and sounds great with new 3" exhaust. But paint and body is going to cost what...$6,000 or more? A new replacement hood would cost $1,000 plus shipping. Not everyone has that kind of money laying around, and not all of us are willing to use a credit card to pay for it. You wouldn't believe how many people walk up and say idiotic things like "You ought to fix that up and paint blue flames and put Chip Foose rims on it" or "Dude, you need to get that painted" or "If that was mine, I'd __________". It is funny that not a single person has offered to pay for $1,500 worth of interior work, or pay $52 for a reproduction side marker lens. And it is really funny to see all the people who make offers to buy the car, and think they are going to steal it for $800. My friend has over $1,000 in new tires and exhaust alone. While I also hate seeing cars rot away, and left unattended, I also realize that the saddest part to seeing old Detroit iron is that someone's unfulfilled dream is sitting there wasting away, day after day, year after year. And more often than not, those broken dreams were a result of health issues or a death in the family. And to me, that is really heartbreaking.

Harry, I still have a billion and a half questions: Since you recently built this kit, do you have any thoughts on how to rake the front end a bit? I'm not sure how to do this since the back springs sit in the square opening on the faux body/frame, FWIW, I've never modified or cut a model...ever in my life. Okay. Thanks so much for all of your help!!!!! I do appreciate it!!!!

Art, Thank you so much for your post!!!!! I do have Testors Rubber color, but no working airbrush at this point. Any ideas on how I can use the thinned Testors rubber without an AB? Again, thank you so much for your posts!!!! You are a wonderful writer, and it is always a joy to read your VERY informational posts!!!!

Harry, Is there any chance you could post a picture of the bottom side of your car? What color did you paint the bottom side of the fenders and faux frame? If it is a different color or shade of black, did you tape off the top from the bottom? Where exactly did you put your tape line on the body?

Harry!!!!!! That is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You had the same idea that I did about wood floorboards. They look great!!!!! I have a million questions, but here are a few to start: How did you get such a basic kit to look so nice? Your paint is absolutely stunning. How did you get the gaudy plated brass parts to look so realistic? Did you strip the plating and paint them? What color did you use? Brand? Enamel or Acrylic? As for the wood dash/firewall...how did you get that to look so great? Color? brand? Seats? How can I get my seats to look that good? Will you be my coach on this project???

I love it!!!!!! What got me thinking about modifying the kit was that I have some parts left over from an AMT 1/16 Mustang, and I thought they would be cool as parts Lindberg 1910 Model T if I build it as an early hot rod. Then I started thinking about the early barn stormers and early racing...and thought the car would be cool built and painted that way. Now I wish I would have bought several of the same kit when someone was dumping them super cheap on ebay with a 99 cent start and $5 shipping. I'd like to have: One to build as an early hot rod, just like you did. One to build as an early barn storm or back yard racer. One to build with a scratch built frame, to look like the car in the pics that Art posted. Thank you for the replies!!!!!! .

Art, Let's say I get really wild and decide to buy some Evergreen stock. This kit is 1/16 scale. How would I determine what size to buy to be accurate in scale for the frame?

You are exactly right about this kit. The body/fenders/floorboard and frame are one unit. Have you built this kit in the past?

I always think "What charger? Why do you need to charge a battery?"