johnbuzzed

But, in it's own way, isn't the use of such product names a form of advertising? I know that when I was a kid I wanted to use nothing but STP, Goodyear tires and Champion spark plugs in my cars when I grew up. Why? Because I was constantly exposed to their trademarks via decals in the model car kits that I bought. Edelbrock, Accel, Isky, et al- so many speed and automotive equipment manufacturers names have been familiar to me for so long I have allegiance to them in one form or another. The kit manufacturers even printed them on the outside of the boxes- I don't think that hurt kit sales.

Thank you. I don't mean to slight any builders of any other types of models (besides car models) but there comes a point...

The "educational" part can the ability to realize one has made a boneheaded mistake and take the appropriate action to avoid making such mistakes in the future. This might not be rocket surgery or brain science but many of those lessons that can be learned from building models can be applied to life in general, e..g.: Patience is truly a virtue. Do some research. Sometimes it really does help to follow instructions. Relax. If at first you don't succeed... Practice makes perfect (well, a lot better than when you started). Et al.

But you are complaining HERE, on what you clearly perceive to be an automotive forum. Are you aware that there are forums here at the Model Cars Magazine website for big rigs and commercial stuff? Perhaps you might want to air your thoughts there, where you might reach your desired audience. I wouldn't go on any of the truck or big rig, farm equipment or construction equipment forums in regards to a '67 Plymouth Fury kit because I realize that the audience for such a kit would most likely not be there. How do you know that there was no "need to disagree" among the "hundreds of truck modelers"? Perhaps the comments made in regards to those certain car or cop car kit(s) are simply being ignored by those truck modelers on that "model truck group". You just seem to keep going on and on and on and on and on and on because no one has replied along the lines of "You know, you're correct. All of the major manufacturers should immediately start production of farm equipment kits as well as construction equipment kits, no matter the cost to them. History means little here and the manufacturers should completely disregard it." There- are you happy? Will you stop now? WRITE TO THE MANUFACTURERS. CONTACT YOUR FELLOW FARM AND CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT MODELERS. WE HERE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO MAKE YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE.

So, go back to the truck discussion group if you think we here are "clueless". Why are you banging your head against a wall in what seems to be an attempt to convince us of something that to you, we apparently don't care about? Spend your resources on writing to the manufacturers and discussing with the group on Facebook. If "There are VERY few truck modelers that even bother with this forum.", why are YOU here?

If you guys really want those types of kits produced, perhaps you should contact the manufacturers and let them know. Do your part but I don't think that trying to convince we who don't agree with your points will help your cause.

When I'm at Hobby Lobby or Michael's, should I see someone who looks "lost" or very curious while looking at the models and supplies, I'll try to offer some advice on paints, good kits for a beginner, etc. It helps to keep the hobby going and might just prevent a project from becoming a projectile. If there's time, I'll even mention the local club(s) and contests. Today's beginner could be tomorrow's long-experienced modeler (like so many of us), and I would like to think that I was able to help keep the continuum going. I honestly don't know what the hobby is doing. The world is changing at an almost frightening speed, especially as we get older, and there are too many variables for me to make any determination. Those of you who can are better than I.

I also build aircraft (primarily 1/48 WWII fighters), armor (1/72 and 1/35), naval vessels and some sci-fi subjects. But I started with cars and I'll always be partial to them (and pickups). Way back I did build an GMC Astro, an MPC Mack and a tanker trailer. Again, that was way back- about 40 years ago. I honestly no longer have any interest to build a big rig or any kind of farm or construction equipment- it simply doesn't float my boat- but that doesn't mean I do not appreciate the efforts of another modeler who does. Through the years, there have been all kinds of kits available, including visible human figures, various bird species, early hot air balloons, blimps, non-functional scale locomotives, pistols and rifles, aircraft cockpits, missile collections, Frankenstein's monster, suits of armor, dinosaurs, giant insects... All had some appeal to someone at sometime, but how many actually are still produced? And they all were and are "different". I'm not knocking anyone for building whatever they want to build, nor am I saying that there is something wrong with being "different". I have even recently given thought to building some of the N-gauge structures that I have for my (future) layout for something different, and they would be built with the same care and attention to detail as the rest of my modeling subjects. I just have my likes and dislikes and my opinions. "Why not try something different?" For the manufacturers, the simple answer is: $$$.

This is not specifically a model car forum, even though the name of the magazine is "Model Cars Magazine" (italics mine). There are sections for trucks and other models here- you just need to look a little harder. In my opinion, construction and farm equipment kits just would not be the big sellers (at least here in the US) that the manufacturers would need to justify the expense to produce them. As Americans, we all have been or will be DIRECTLY exposed to the "automotive world" in some way in our lives. It's how most of us were brought home from the hospital after we were born and will be the last ride for a lot of us, too. Cars and light trucks (pickups) will always be the "big" sellers because they're all over the place and it seems as though just about everyone has one or the other. Unless you live next to a construction site, farm or mine, the kinds of equipment in question just aren't often seen, and not very popular. NASCAR kits always seem to sell. When you realize that every weekend, for 36 weeks, the world is exposed to them via television, you'll know why. But you won't find too many Bonneville kits on the shelves- they're just not that popular with the "mainstream" general public, even though a majority of them are cars. Same with extreme off-road 4x4s, mud boggers, tractor pullers...RV's...ATVs... If they're not in the face of the general public very often, they're not gonna be big sellers. You can walk into just about any supermarket, big-box discount store or chain bookstore and find all kinds of magazines about ordinary cars, street cars, street rods, drag cars, NASCAR race cars, pickup trucks, low riders, doinks and dubs but not much about big rigs, farm or construction equipment. I'm not saying those kinds of kits won't sell at all but the demand won't be the same as that for the ubiquitous Deuce, '55 Chevy, Shelby Mustang, etc. I'm trying to be generic here, not playing favorites with any particular cars and I mean no offense to anyone who prefers any of the types of vehicles that I mentioned. I would venture to say that much of the farm and construction equipment is produced as die-cast so that they can be played with, like Tonka and Buddy L stuff. I don't think you'd find too many kids playing out in the yard with built-ups of the old Ertl or AMT kits that have been mentioned. If you truly want to see something different in kit form, you're gonna have to do a lot of research, networking and "legwork" to get it done. I wish you good luck with that. Otherwise, get a lot of Plastruct and Evergreen and K&S and a lot of swap meet glue-bomb built-ups and have at it. A lot of modelers do that already.

I bought a bunch of small cardboard boxes from Staples; they're about 10x4x4 when folded together (you buy them flat in a package). They close with a large flap and they're pretty sturdy. I then bought a lot of cheap toilet paper. Each of my "good" built-ups was wrapped in TP; first the long way (around the grille to taillights), then crossed or folded over and wrapped around the short way (driver to passenger). This was done in one continuous wrap with one length of TP. The wrapped model was then carefully slipped in a gallon size (I think) zip lock plastic bag. That bag with the wrapped model was then placed in one of the cardboard boxes; the box was closed and sealed with a strip of packaging tape and the contents of the box was written on the box. All of those boxes were placed in appropriately sized corrugated cardboard boxes from the U-Haul store. All of the models that I packed in this manner survived a lengthy stay in a POD en route from LI to NC, being offloaded once, re-moved to a second rental house, then re-moved to our newly purchased house. I tried to handle those boxes myself as much as possible so that if something were to happen, I would have no one to blame but myself. If I remember correctly, there was minor damage to just two models. I was very happy with the results.

I had the Impala/Chevelle and the Aquarod/Chevy van kits when they first came out. "sigh..."

Art, are the tires on current kits made of PVC? If they are made of polyvinyl chloride and can be produced with good, crisp detail, no mold marks or sprue issues and have more of a realistic matte finish (I don't like the shiny ones at all), then I guess I have the info I need.

In my opinion, the farm tractors and construction equipment would have a relatively small following as kits, but I could be wrong. I would be happy with a lawn tractor or two. There is a lot of stuff available in die-cast but much is in other than 1/24 or/25 scale so that can turn off some people, myself included. As for tires- I think a lot of us would rather see well-molded tires as found in the more expensive kits from Tamiya, Aoshima, etc. The technology is there to produce tires in rubber or a rubber-like material (NOT VINYL), with good detail. And while you do have a good point regarding updated online info, it is a cottage industry, so time would be at a premium for a lot of the aftermarket suppliers. Some don't even have a website...

I think you hit the nail right on the head, Art.

Doesn't matter to me at all, one way or the other.

Yeah, I can't understand the need for engine covers either.

Well, we're sorry to hear that you're sick. Keep in mind that some of the tire parts packs can be pricey (MSRP), not too much less than the cost of some kits. Also keep in mind that today's economy is just a bit tough and sometimes the change that gets saved must be used on priorities. I've been there quite recently- it sucks.

Back on June 20 of this year I made a promise to myself to not start another build until I have finished all of the in-the-works stuff that I have. There's an awful lot of them and some of them date back to the late '90's. Several are "projects", many aren't. And I have close to 100 kits on the shelves (including aircraft, armor, naval vessels, starships and cars). Yikes. Each day I can think of ideas for many of them. I have to write it down or when I get to a particular kit, I'll have forgotten what I had thought of. I have more notes on current and future builds than you might think (right, Rich?) Carl, if you're not sure of what to build next, I think Dean Milano's jar pick is a good idea- but you gotta keep an open mind, be firm and not return any slips of paper back to the jar. Good luck and let us know what you decide.

One more thing- I will support any business that sells models or supplies, be it a big-box discount store, mom-and-pop LHS, craft store, on-line, vendors at contests... I do try to stay local and keep the $ where I live, but the situation might not always allow for that. So, the little bit of wealth does get spread around and it helps everyone.

That Javelin with the Minilite wheels is a natural classic- that's what the AM team used in Trans Am racing back in the day. As for "Pro Touring", I can take it or leave it but in most cases I would rather leave it. I feel the same about "Pro Street". Too often, it's just too much, for my taste. "Overkill", if you will. And I don't think either genre will be considered a classic in the future, but that's just my opinion. For the same reason, I don't care for a lot of the customs of the '50's and '60's. Almost like the van trend of the mid '70's- too much is just too much. Again, just my opinion. As an old guy, I would prefer my '60's or '70's muscle car to have the classic look of the times. Slightly jacked in the rear, slightly lowered in the nose, 5 spoke Americans or slotted ETs, "big fat tyres", Turbo mufflers... It wouldn't bother me if it couldn't stop on a dime or do >1G on a skid pad; if I want a car to do that with the necessary cash outlay involved I would buy something contemporary. But, in any case I would want enough torque to do burnouts at every light

Not too often; maybe once every two or three months but we do it together. My wife shops for her stuff and I for mine- which can lead all over the store, depending on what I'm looking for.

Try googleing Model King or Model Roundup. I think you'll like the results.

What's a "football"?

I think the logo on the door, just under the mirror is "FARGO". If I remember correctly, that was the name used by Dodge for Canadian sales.

That would be sweet; perhaps if I were a bit younger, and with some more bench area- or retired with a lotta time on my hands. There was a review of the kit and the lighting kit for it in a very recent issue of FSM.