DaveM

I have been building model cars since about third grade or so. (Maybe a year or two earlier if you count the snap kit of Snoopy's Bugatti.) That's roughly 44 years of hacking plastic. I used to enjoy the hobby, and I had big plans for every kit I purchased. Now, those kits are piled up in storage units, tying up the upstairs bedroom and inspiring more headaches than dreams. Life changes as we go through it, and so must our pursuits. The 24 hour build was a wake up call for me. I take care of a relative 24/7, so I knew there would be some challenges to do the build. I am currently unable to leave the living room for more than a few moments at a time. I used a bed alarm and a voice monitor to try slipping up to the paint booth, (Upstairs, vented out of an unused bathroom window) but her dementia is getting too severe to allow me to do tasks in other parts of the house anymore. ( can only take a shower when there is an aide watching over her.) I have only completed two models in the three years since I moved over here. My house is shut down for now, and will probably end up getting sold. It's clear that I can't do a lot to currently build models. I was going to buy a Pace paint booth to make things a bit more efficient, but there's no use in spending that kind of money for something I won't get to use. The real problem is that I don't see building models in my future either. Even after I am done caring for my Mother, I will have to handle an estate involving 5 storage units, three houses, huge garages packed from floor to ceiling and a year's worth of work. Then I will have to jump right back into the working world full time (or beyond) and stay there well past 70 to make up for lost time. With my health issues, my plan is to work right up until I drop. I don't see enough free time to build even a small fraction of my stash. There are to many other things (people) that are much more important to me than plastic models. The other problem I have is that somewhere along the way, I stopped enjoying it. The stresses of building now heavily outweigh the pleasures. I still dream of building a cool model, and I like planning builds, but my reality is stalled projects, botch ups that require more fixing than I am willing to tackle, and a whole slew of half started projects. Most of the last year was spent cleaning parts, gluing engines and parts with seams together and mocking things up on several kits. Each kit stalled when it got to the point of needing primer or paint. I haven't shot actual colors, or run the airbrush in almost two years. The primer has been mostly shot on the back patio from a spray can. I was thinking of doing a bunch of priming and painting this Summer, and sitting by the fireplace assembling and foiling during the Winter, but even that is a pipe dream at this point. Also, my eyesight is a problem. (My eyes are actually quite healthy, but I have that middle aged focus thing where bifocals don't quite have the right range and even though I can work on my models, it leaves me with quite a bit of eyestrain after a few hours.) and my fine motor skills aren't what they used to be. My hands shake a little bit, and I tend to drop more photo etched parts than I hang on to these days. I will be selling off all of my sealed kits this year, as well as all of my complete unstarted kits. Most of the builders and parts kits will be sold, tossed out or given away. I will also be getting rid of my spray gear, detailing supplies, resin and tools.. I will hang onto my Tamiya rattle can lacquers. If I get a nice day in the Summer at the same time as an aide is working with my Mother, I can jump out to the back yard and spray a few parts. I might still complete a model or two on my terms, but I will keep it low key and simple. I will only work on things that I am enjoying. I am hanging onto a small pile of started kits and partial builds, plus a couple of pet projects just to play with in my spare time if I choose to. If I don;t feel like working on them, I don't have to. Any building I do in the future will be strictly recreational and just for fun. I have enjoyed my times on this board, and I greatly valued the input and opinions of many of the modelers here. (Even when we disagreed, or had spirited debates, I never let it get too personal) It really hurts to give up the hobby I have enjoyed for most of my life, but the last few years have not been very productive anyways. I will still stick around the board here. I will still post comments on your models when I see something that knocks my socks off. (Which is quite often around here) I might even stick a picture of one of my models up if I actually get something finished, (It might be easier to finish a model after I sell off my three shoeboxes of detailing materials!) This has been a great hobby, but it doesn't fit into my life any more. I am at that stage of life where simplification is the most important thing to me. I will see all of you around, I may be gone for a little while, as this decision and the plans to sell out have been kind of an emotional shock, but I will keep an eye out over here. I will still post a bit, but I won't be actively building serious models any more. Thanks to all of you, and I hope all of you builds fit together perfectly, all of your paint jobs are dust free, and the manufacturers make that kit you have been hoping for. Goodt luck, and it's been a pleasure chatting with you all on this board.

This thread has some stuff in it. Great topic! I hope you post progress on your Lincoln.

The AMT kit is a great old tool that lets you build a stock '29 roadster. It has fenders, hood, hood sides and therefore can be used to make a street rod that retains more of the stock body parts. It is an older tool, but with a bit of care, it can make a pretty nice model. It also has stock running gear and suspension, although it's simplified. If you are doing a period correct '50s, or '60s Model A rod, you might want some of the AMT suspension and driveline parts. The body is also much closer to stock than the Revell one. The Revell '29 replicates aftermarket bodies that have raised wheel arches to clear big tires while being lowered a bit more. The AMT kit has the stock wheel cutouts, and is better for a traditional rod than the Revell. On one of the old threads, people talked about mashing the two kits. I did some mocking up and figured I could build two pretty nice models from the two kits by mixing and matching some parts. My basic idea was to build a highboy from the Revell kit, and then take the channeled chassis and mash it under the AMT body. The Red Ram has already been mentioned, and is excellent. The AMT kit has even more parts than the Revell kit if you can believe it. A really crafty modeler could probably build three cars with the two kits if they had a spare (or resin) body laying around.

I think the Panthers got chewed out in the locker room after letting Seattle get back into the game last week They showed up for both halves today! They are a really strong team, and I think they will be very hard to beat. I'm hoping the Broncos can pull it off, though. I want to see Peyton get another ring so that he has at least as many as his kid Brother! I will also root for anybody who knocks the Patriots out of the playoffs. If the Panthers show up for both halves, the way they did today, it will be a long day for the Broncos. Arizona is a really good team (Second best in the NFL) and Carolina just destroyed them on both Offense and Defense. I think if the Superbowl had ended up being New England vs. Carolina, the Panthers would rout the Patriots. The 1985 Bears had a song too. Remember the Superbowl Shuffle?

Thanks for jumping in. I have made two attempts and almost finished one. This year is going to be my year! How do you post to the fotki? I was just going to post on Facebook, but I am realizing that isn't the right way to do it. Does Gary set you up with the link? I am going through the stack this weekend. I am also going to do a pre 24 build, where I take a shot at finishing something I started, but have not gotten to the painting stage. This will make sure my paint setup is working, and my tools are all sharp and ready to go. My short list of 24 hour candidates includes a '63 Impala (revell), a '50 Olds Custom, a K.S. Pittman Willys, a '69 Camaro, a '55 Chrysler, a 71 Duster, a '65 Galaxie, and a '57 Chevy. I was also thinking of doing a 1/24 Monogram kit (Or Revell reissue of one) That would open up things like a '30 Coupe, '29 Woody, '57 Nomad, '70 Chevelle, '77 GMC Plow truck, '77 Chevy Street Van, and many others.

Not sure what is allowed as far as linking to other sites, but they have a Facebook page every year. I hope somebody a bit more "in the loop" than I am will see this thread and direct the traffic to the right place. Make sure you look up the right facebook page, as every year had a separate thread for the build. Gary Kulchock runs it, and he can give you the correct info. I have only done a couple of these, but they are lots of fun.

It looks like Revell came through with a big winner here. Great subject, and it looks like it needs to be on my shelf. I hope they sell a zillion of 'em and are convinced to do a Pontiac, and Buick based on the shared platform. How long before the lowrider guys latch on to this and start making flat hoods and base model grills and fascias for them? I know I will try to make a couple of non Hurst street and drag cars. I may also try to do a street stock racer, depending upon how the chassis and floor pan are molded. These could be donor cars for a lot of street stock models if they have separate frames and floors. I am also thinking that Round2 should reissue their Monte Carlo for kitbashing purposes! (And their El Camino) I am turning the thermostat down right now so I can afford these when they come out!

Dave Van, you're not the only one! I bought the Testor's version of the '48 to do a stock Ford. Now, I will use the new Revell kit instead. This kit looks like a major win for Revell. Now, let's see who will be the first person to hack one up and pour the guts from a few drag racing kits into the Revell body to make Fat Jack's '46. (Might have to source the '46 trim from the IMC/Testor's kit, or from the Custom coupe version?) Even if you don't copy the Fat Jack car, the fat tire, fat fendered revolution was kind of fun at one time. A pro street or Q16 doorslammer would stand out in today's retro and rat rod environment. I am also thrilled to see the '83 Olds. If the kit is decent, I will grab a few. These things were everywhere 25-30 years ago. Half of the cars at the dragstrip were Supremes, a bunch got cut up along with their Monte Carlo brethren to make street stocks at the local dirt tracks. Every High School and College campus in the state of Michigan had a single black stripe leading out of the parking lot from guys (And a gal or two!) trying to do the "one wheel squeal" while leaving class. They became pro streeters, Lowriders, drag cars, street machines, boulevard cruisers, oval trackers, autocrossers, family cars and everything in between. They (Along with their Chevy, Buick and Pontiac stablemates) were the last RWD mid sized muscle cars on frame rails. Almost everybody over 30 has driven or ridden in one of these at one time or another. (I even know one young woman who was born in one!) Hopefully the kit gets the look right, and the sales shock Revell into realizing they could make a good profit off of giving us Buicks, Malibus and Pontiacs off of the same platform. (In this day of CAD and modular tooling, it might be easier to do a second kit based on the same platform than to start from scratch?) I hope the aftermarket can jump in with non-Hurst trim, flat hoods and all of the other stuff to make some different versions and years of this car. I will check out the '30 coupe, and if the roof is not too messed up, I will get a few. Just being able to have all of the extra parts to swap back and forth with my five '29 Roadster kits will justify a couple of these. I'm thinking of trying to set up an older blower on the nailhead motor and stuffing it in the coupe body with a roll bar and some cheaters. Somebody has already suggested a neat idea for a club challenge. Everybody starts with a Coupe and a Roadster kit. Swap and mix parts and build... a Coupe and a Roadster. We are thinking of calling it the "Worlds most efficient kitbashing contest", as, unlike most other kitbashes, we will still get a model per kit used. Hopefully Revell will knock out a version of the "A" with a full hood someday, as that would allow some really slick rods to be build. (Hint hint! stock height '29 Sedan with a killer VINTAGE flattie, cool heads, three strombergs, an optional S.C.o.T. style blower and some vintage wire big and little wheels and tires would make the velcro on my wallet come loose! ) I am glad to see the F350 out again, as I have a couple of the Galaxie trailers that would look great behind one of these. I will also check out the bike, as I built a couple of them when they were out in several varieties, and they were great fun. I also want to see what they have done to the '69 Camaro. If they have added any parts to it, I will probably grab one or two, as these are still some of the nicest kits to build. The 1st quarter had very little to interest me, but this quarter will more than make up for it. Between these kits, Round2's reissues and the Moebius Pontiacs and Comets, this is going to be a tough few Months on the budget. Here's hoping the family likes Ramen noodles, 'cause that's what they're getting!

Great to hear. I hope it's as nice as the Ventura! I don't buy as much as I used to, but a nice Cyclone with a few variations could pry my wallet open more than once. (Hint, Hint. A nice base model Comet would be great!) Another cool thing about this kit, even though I shouldn't say this on a Moebius thread, is that it will probably cause Round2 to release their 1964 Comet Caliente. They tend to reissue kits similar to new releases. That would make a great kitbash since the two cars were built on the same platform. If a racing version came out, that would really increase the possibilities for a kitbash or two. Thanks for keeping us posted.

You know, 1.3 billion would fund a touch more than the kits I mentioned earlier in the thread. I would probably walk up to Moebius and tell them, "Here's a blank check, take your '61 Pontiacs, and make a nice accurate '61 Buick Le Sabre/ Invicta and an Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 and Starfire. And then I would give them the go ahead to do all of the Ford trucks from '58 to '79. I would also do a series of classic bikes in 1/25, including a nice pre unit Triumph Bonneville, A BSA Rocket, Norton Commando, a couple Panheads, Sportsters, one or two AMF era Shovels. Just for jollies, I would throw in an accurate CR125 Elsinore, a TT500, a Kawasaki Triple, early Honda 750, and a CBX! (Maybe they could be accessories in the pickup kits.) I would also toss a few nice snowmobiles into the pickup kits, like a vintage SkiDoo, a Rupp 440, an older Polaris, and an Arctic cat El Tigre, all with nice motors and details under the hood. An Early Honda three wheeler, and a couple of well done go karts would be fun too. It probably wouldn't even put a dent in that jackpot! Another fun thing would be to make new tools of some of the kits that are just flat worn out or old. A nice '36 Ford would be a good start. Some new tools of Mopar "E" and "B" bodies would be nice, giving us Challengers, Road Runners and Coronets. A '68 Coronet and even a '69 in 1/25 would be welcomed by a lot of modelers. New tools of the '67--77 or so Chevy and GMC pickups are in order, as are some new classic Fords. It's a shame that one of the most popular and desired classic trucks in the real world has to be represented by the AMT 1953 kit, and the Revell '56 Ford kit. The '53 is a decent kit, for its age, but the real truck is popular enough to warrant a nice new series. I could also make a case for tooling new '68-'69, and '70-'74 Chevelles, and then doing the matching GTOs and Buicks in 1/25. Even Vans deserve a little love. I think the early Econolines are overdue for a kit, as are the 1964-1969 Chevy vans. Even if I tooled all of this, I would still only have made a small dent in 1.3 billion. Lottery tickets are $2.00. Dreams are priceless. (I might even end up buying a ticket on a lark!)

Lottery lot.ter.y noun 1. a special tax levied against people who are bad at math It's fun to dream about powerball, and how many kits I'd finance if I won, but in reality, I won $2.00 by not buying a ticket. I am terrible at games of chance. The last time I played Lotto, I got a phone call from the lottery commission the next morning telling me that my picks were so far off that I owed them another $2.00 But I hope somebody on here wins it and does finance a few of the tools discussed in the other thread.

There are a lot of choices out there. I would start with '55- '57 Pontiacs, including the three years of the original Safaris. Then I would use the chassis tooling, and the CAD work for the common GM parts to do '55 - '57 Oldsmobiles and Buicks. As long as I was that far along with the tooling, I would also toss out a 1/25 scale '56 Bel Air. By the time I had done Hardtops, Coupes, Convertibles and wagons from B.P.O. in all three years, I will have gone through most of the two million. Other thoughts include doing a '64 Chevelle, and following up with '64 and '65 Cutlasses, Buick Specials and Pontiac Tempest/GTO . I might toss in some wagons (Vista Cruiser, anyone) Another one would be a 1961-1966 Ford pickup. My other pet project would be the commercially unfeasible , but really cool, 1971-1973 boat tailed Buick Rivieras. If the jackpot was really high, I'd do a Mack B. I might have to win powerball a couple of times in a row

I am afraid that I am like most other modelers on here. I have enough kits to last me a few hundred years at the rate I build. I am now trying to keep the stash from growing by finishing two kits and selling a couple of kits for every kit I buy. I don't buy a lot of reissues, as I have a few copies of most kits released since the mid Eighties. New kits have to be a subject I want, and have to be shaped correctly for me to even look at them. I usually get out of the Hobby store in pretty decent shape, these days. I usually end up with a few magazines, some evergreen and plastruct, some paints, a parts pack, or detail item or two and a few sheets of balsa. (Planes, you know!) I am more likely to buy a slot car, or a game to play when the kids come home from college, than I am a model kit. I am starting to get the stash ready for a massive selloff, (Just reducing the kits I know I will never get to) so I might be more ready for the 2017 releases, whatever they are. I really don't buy kits like I used to. Cathie is looking over my shoulder as I type this, saying, "Less shopping, more building, Dave!" Maybe I should make that my sig.!

If they could release the Dodge truck with the bikes, I would buy even more. Notice this box art might hold the record for most motorcycle brands on one decal sheet! Is this truck still around, or did this one morph into the Little Red Express?

A lot of things go South over the years...Jobs... Birds... Tattoos! I had the street machine that was molded in a really dark color. I would get a kick out of having this kit in white! I know the Revell version of the '67 Charger is a much nicer kit with better detail and the ability to be built stock. I still like the looks of this kit. The few I have seen built, and the one I did 20 years ago, all had a great look to them. They are a bit dated, but they build into a nice Carter era street freak that would make a stock Pinto, Vega, Monza or Arrow wet itself! I think I have another copy of the old issue in my storage unit, but I can't get in there until Spring. If it shows up at the LHS, I might just buy this one for the 24 Hour build. I don't remember any real problems getting the body and interior together on this kit, although I think I remember foiling it during the Clarence Thomas hearings. I guess that was a few years back...

There is a downside to polygamy. He also had 700 Mothers-In-Law... You don't have that many kits... Keep buying until your storage unit bill costs more than your health insurance and then get back to us. Seriously, if you don't think you have too many kits, then you don't! I agree, though, straighten them out, and get them stacked more securely on shelves to keep the bottom ones from being ruined. Part of the fun of this hobby is the big pile of raw kits just waiting to be transformed into works of art!

True! That would save some time. I tend to build factory stock, vintage drag or street rod/custom/street machine stuff. I tend to go for shiny. I might skip the clear this year.

I would buy a few of each of those too. I might get one or two more of the Oldsmobiles, myself, but they are both great looking cars. But, I hope they consider the earlier GMs also. We could still use some good 55-57 Pontiacs, (Including Safaris) and the Buicks and Oldsmobiles from those years would make great kits too.

It's Noon, Saturday to Noon, Sunday. I am pretty sure that is in Eastern Time Zone. (U.S.)

Comparing the United States to European countries misses the point. The United States were a collection of separate states that banded together with a limited federal government for defense, commerce and common goals. It would be more appropriate to compare the U.S. to the E.U. (Along with N.A.T.O. for some of the functions) with its 28 separate nations coming together, but still retaining their individual identities. Let's see how well that works a few decades down the road when the E.U. declares that students in Sweden, France and Turkey all need to learn the same lesson on the same day. (From the same outline and in the same language!) The Tenth Amendment to the Constitution gives all powers not specifically mentioned in the Constitution to the states. This is where things went awry for the U.S.A. Over the past 227 years, the United States has transformed from a group of states working together, to a single federal government that exercises absolute power over the states. The way the government gets around the Tenth Amendment is to tax every citizen of the U.S., and give back the money to the states that comply with the rules on highway construction, speed limits, school curriculum, building codes and all of the other minutiae it dictates. For example, the Fed is prohibited from making absolute laws for highways, as that is one of the areas the Constitution leaves to the states, but they get around this by taxing us for billions and billions of dollars, and then giving the states that comply with their requests some of their own money back. There is a real struggle right now between the states and the federal government to divide up these left over powers. That is the quick and dirty explanation to those outside the U.S. as to why the American schools are resisting some of the reforms so much.

If they did a double billing with these guys, would they be the Eighth Dogmension? Thanks for posting that, Harry. I always forget how good they were. In honor of your name, I'm sticking with the "Hair" theme here too! (I think the Cowsills actually mention you in the song "Hair" as they keep talking about "Some Harry Guy" )

Different cultures view different things as offensive. This product was viewed very differently in Asia than it was in the U.S. I do agree that the Hitler Creamer is a bit tacky, though. In some countries, Hitler is not the bad guy he was here. Many unhappy subjects of the British Empire adapted Hitler as a hero just for the purpose of whizzing off Britain. I know during WWII, certain segments of the Indian population were supporting the Nazis just hoping to get out from under British rule. Putting Hitler on products probably satisfied the desire to stick it to the Brits. (A sentiment that still exists in many parts of India and even Pakistan)

Thanks for the lesson! I have never been to Australia, so I am pretty much going on what I learned in Middle School Geography and World Studies class. (Back in 1975 or so...) Sounds like a Land Cruiser would be a lot better than a rally car for most of this. I see the Tamiya reissue comes with a RHD dash... Up in Michigan, the locals know not to swerve for deer. We add in the additional factors of snow and ice to our "Living Slalom" course. (BTW, we tend to refer to deer as "SpeedBeef" up here) Thanks again, Dave

May I ask who does the 1961 Beswick decals? I am about to pull the trigger on a '62 Beswick kit, and I would love to build a '61 to go with it.

I too would prefer late and correct. I think the Ventura is the big winner of the year. I don't have mine, yet, but I was able to grok one a few days ago. I helped clean up a bunch of the parts and participated in the test fitting of a buddy's kit. The kit is just that extra step better than the Satellite and Ford Trucks. Moebius went from hitting solid singles to smacking it out of the park with this kit. It was cool to see how much tweaking was done after the first test shots were made. The few changes raised this kit from "meh" to a must have. The wheels will take a bit of sanding and fitting, but when done, they should really stand out. The only change I would make (Besides the almost invisible parking lights) would be a return to more conventional construction on the glass. Most of us on the board can make it look right, but I can't recommend this model to an inexperienced or intermediate builder because of the glass. Other than that, this will probably end up being the queen of my shelf when I get it. This might be the best kit of the Year. Moebius took the time to listen to the critics, fix the problems and they nailed it. I can only hope the Comet will be this good. (Please make the Comet be this good a kit!) Okay, Dave. What's next? (so I can start selling family heirlooms to fund my Moebius collection)