redscampi

Nobody "downgraded" anyone. My opinion is that the OP would be happier in the long run by pushing himself to excel rather than take the easy road. This is how you learn and grow. The whole point of my post is that the most enjoyment can be had from doing so, and had nothing to do with criticism of anyone. Somehow I thought opinions was what the OP was after. It's up to the OP to decide how he wants to proceed.

There are several kits on ebay. A little higher priced but not terrible by today's prices. I mean, if you've been looking for years the extra cost might be palatable. There's a pre-owned one, parts sealed in the bag for $50 and free shipping right now.

Since you asked for opinions I'll throw in my thoughts, such as they are. First, what is your goal? If you're looking for realism, the only way to truly achieve it is a good smooth paint job. If you're content with something more toy-like, then polish away. I always wonder about the reasoning behind this question. To me, a good paint job is an integral part of the build. Skipping it and calling it "good enough" feels like laziness or lack of confidence. I once read a post on a social media site where someone said something like, "I'm bored, so ima slam this kit together", (His words - more or less verbatim). Why not just burn the cash instead? This feels a bit like that. I'd say, build a kit to the best of your ability including paint, don't cut corners and don't think of it as a thing you need to finish in a short time. You'll get more satisfaction from it if you put your best effort into it - no matter how long it takes.

From almost the exact middle of Texas. I heard that San Antonio area had heavy cloud cover and couldn't see much.

What a great example of craftsmanship and ingenuity. This is so inspiring I think it might be time to break into my van stash and go to town!

I've tried to organize but I keep getting more kits and don't want to waste time sorting them. Basically I put them where they'll fit. That said I'm close to critical mass in the allotted space and I'm strongly considering building a storage room in our walk in attic. A lot of what you see here is 2 kits deep.

Someone complained about a free model? 😳

I have an early AMT 49 Ford kit in this situation. The box is pretty hammered but the seal is more or less intact. I’m also tempted to open it to straighten the box, but I have other 49s and there is a price tag of 2.99 on the kit which would be lost. It’s part of the kit’s provenance if you follow me. First world problems, right?

lol! I was just telling my wife last night that we had just missed the van craze by a whisker. I’m almost 64. I was old enough to appreciate the concept but not to indulge.

Thanks Mike. You're right, they do! I've been on a vintage van kick lately. I've grabbed some old 70s Fords and a couple of Chevys but the Dodges seem to all be crazily priced glue bombs or partial kits. I was just casually poking around and stumbled upon this with a "reasonable" BIN. I just hit the button! I like that the previous owner retained the shrink wrap top to help protect the box.

I just snagged this off Feebay this morning. It was not cheap but not as bad as you'd think. I figured it was a much more interesting alternative to a couple of trips to Walmart or Ollie's for run of the mill kits. I had to have it. Needful Things, you know. I mean, when's the last time you've seen one for sale in this condition?

That is by far one of the most realistic builds I've ever seen. Brilliant!

Or more. I've bought several inexpensive kits in recent months to fill in my collection (which does not need filling). it seems like there's a conspiracy that requires any kit you buy, say you win an auction for $5, to have shipping rounded up so it'll be $30 minimum. Kit costs $10? Shipping nearly twenty. Kit costs $20? Shipping is magically twenty-five. Kit costs $300? They'll still gouge you for thirty bucks.

Nice build. Beautiful paint. I loved this kit when I was young and it holds up very well.

Congrats, you found some good ones!

Great design exercise! It's obvious quite a bit of thought went into this custom. Colors are spot on too.

Ollies is a store where merchandise that doesn’t sell at normal retail locations can be purchased at a pretty steep discount. They buy big lots from major retailers. The downside is that there is usually no continuity of products. You have to check back frequently to find the gems.

For anyone interested, there is an absolute feast of paper models on the internet covering any subject imaginable. (People, places, things, buildings, cars, planes, etc.) Hundreds are free, some with amazing detail. There are even more relatively inexpensive pay-and-download kits. Many good kits are from foreign countries' creators and hosts, so it really pays to learn a few foreign language search terms. You can even find a lot of great props for dioramas. I used to do paper modeling as a really inexpensive alternative to this hobby. You really only need a decent printer, card stock, a good straight edge and some good paper glue. Elmer's will work, just go easy. Start small and learn some techniques and you can turn out some really neat stuff for cheap. Paper model sites tend to come and go, so if you're interested in a particular kit, download and save it, it may not be there tomorrow.

Love this! Nice clean work and attention to detail. I'm a sucker for C cabs.

I'm right in the path in central Texas. They're expecting local populations to double. A friend of mine from the northwest invited himself and his extended family to stay with us and camp in our yard...without even a pretty please. Cousin Eddy...

Well... I bought another project. FYI - This is my first El Camino. Maybe my last based on old age and disposition. I realize 4th generation cars are not everyone's cup of tea. Not my favorite years either. However, prices for these are still reasonable compared to other gens. Also, this one has a lot going for it mechanically speaking. Relatively rust free too. Those wheels are being repainted for the time being and will be replaced with something more to my taste later. Also an altitude adjustment and a few handling mods are already on the table. One thing I found out fast is there is not much aftermarket support for these years (73-77), so I'll need to be a bit creative for some things. But I wanted a light project and driver rather than a garage queen.

Time for a small block V8 swap! Nice looking Pinto. I had a 1980 for awhile. It leaked fluids from every system. I swear that car would run with no oil or water in it. I tried my best to kill it...

Stupendous! I love this model.

To go down a slightly different path...some kits I built (or wanted to build) when I was young that were iconic for me.

There was an urban legend at work that a guy walked out of the front gate with an entire roll of heavy gauge copper wire wrapped around his torso under his coveralls. Supposedly he fainted from the weight and stress and they found it when they undid his zipper to give him some air. I hired in while they were doing mandatory lunch box checks at the gate. Guys had to prove there were no tools or fasteners in their boxes. Still, a lot of local hot rods were put together with airplane grade hardware.