ERIK88 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 Wow! There were a lot of great stories, and excellent statements as to why the model kit industry is booming ! A member commented on how younger generations are not attracted to many of the American muscle/ hot rods of the 50s, 60s,70s, I wonder how Factual that is. I don't think American model companies are building modern sports cars because they aren't as popular with the older generations which have a bigger influence In this hobby. I can see how this industry can go into a downward spiral once baby boomers are long gone. I wonder if they will attempt to build modern muscle once model companies see this change in demographic. Nonetheless I'm going to enjoy this great era were in to the fullest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIK88 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Share Posted September 24, 2015 I would agree if it was rephrased as,"Are car model kits making a comeback in North America?"I apologize I guess I should expand my horizons sometimes .. ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIK88 Posted September 25, 2015 Author Share Posted September 25, 2015 (edited) Idk about you guys, but personally i rather not deal with the passive agressive behaviors mentioned from some of the hobby shop owners in this thread or the antisocial, pushy attitudes. Let's not forget the hobby shop with that crazy scary looking German Shepard guard dog , and a poorly kept landfill of a place with sky high prices ! Lol. Excuse my past experiences .. For those of you who live in the milwaukee county area you know what place I was referring to no longer In business either :/ I like dogs btw , but this dog was scary, especially as a 12 13yr old, makes you feel like your patronage is not welcomed lol!!! Edited September 25, 2015 by ERIK88 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Eh? Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 I apologize I guess I should expand my horizons sometimes .. ?My thinking was that the Pacific Rim market has remained pretty steady without a resurgence affect. I'm not positive, but haven't the armor and aircraft kit markets been pretty steady as well? The United States and Canada are definitely seeing this product offerings upswing, especially in relation to automotive model kits and aftermarket products. That was my thinking behind my original statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SfanGoch Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Don't get me wrong, this is a great time for modeling. We can get our hands on unique and interesting stuff from places we never could've imagined only 25 years ago. Kit manufacturers are making a real effort by tapping into the "retro" market by reissuing kits that future senile citizens, such as ourselves, remember and enjoyed building as carefree, blissfully irresponsible yoots. Of course, at least six times in ten, those nostalgia-filled memories are wrenched from our skulls when we buy these kits and are brought back to reality after opening the boxes and seeing what utter BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH is inside. A lot of the new kits and aftermarket products from the various companies ain't half bad either. Most of this wouldn't be possible without the internet. I appreciate the convenience; but, I still miss taking a walk to Ted's Stationery or Jack's candy store and picking up a super cool Revell Sunbeam Alpine or a Renwal Skysweeper and a couple of bottles of Aurora and Pactra paints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SfanGoch Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 My thinking was that the Pacific Rim market has remained pretty steady without a resurgence affect. I'm not positive, but haven't the armor and aircraft kit markets been pretty steady as well? The United States and Canada are definitely seeing this product offerings upswing, especially in relation to automotive model kits and aftermarket products. That was my thinking behind my original statement.The biggest market for armor is Asia and its expanding. There are new kit manufacturers starting up almost monthly. A new company, Rye Field Model, jumped into the mix by releasing, not one, but two Tiger I kits in the past two months. The latest has a full interior and sells for half the price of the Dragon kits.These guys are serious players and have Dragon, which had a monopoly on all things Tiger for the past eleven years, scrambling to keep up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Yep, that sounds like a place I could have spent some quality time in! The shop me and my buddies hung out at on a Saturday when we were kids was Bill's Hobby Shop on Fullerton Ave., a few blocks east of Pulaski on the NW side of Chicago. But Bill's never sold Pochers. In fact, the first time I ever saw a Pocher kit was in a Sharper Image catalog! And the very first Pocher kit I ever bought was at a Sharper Image store in the loop in downtown Chicago... maybe around 1980 or so. I remember telling my wife (GF at the time) to just keep driving around the block (no way you could find a parking spot downtown, even back then) until I came out of the store. A few laps later, I had my first Pocher! Yes Harry, I've also been to Bill's Hobby Shop more times than I can count, in fact he used to be on Fullerton & Harding before relocating a little further east. And Joe it sounds like you've been "hobby shoppin" back in the 50's, no? LOTS of great memories of time spent at hobby shops "back-in-the-day." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SfanGoch Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Mid '60s, actually. Yeah, more than a few proprietors were grouches who would throw you out at the drop of a hat. That's what made going to some of these stores so much fun. It wasn't anything personal about it; it was the way they were and we understood that. Busting their chops made the trouble of going to these stores worth the trouble. There was a place called George's Comic Store. It was one of those places collectors (ca. 1968) would frequent to get back issues. George was a piece of work. He looked like the stereotypical 35 year old geek who lived in the basement of his parents' house which, by the way, he did. Anywho, one day my friend Johnny and I went there to see if he had some old Sgt. Rock and House of Mystery comics. While George was checking though his price lists, Johnny was staring at him. George noticed and asked him what was his problem. "I got no problem. I'm just wondering." "Yeah, what the hell are you wondering about?" " I was wondering how come an old guy like you can't find nothing better to do than sell old comics and live in a basement. That's pretty creepy. Do you know what a girl is?" Swearing that he was going to kill Johnny, he jumped the counter ( pretty impressive considering he must've weighed at least 350 lbs.) and chased us us for about four blocks. Needless to say, we scratched George's of our list of preferred retailers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Ellis Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 A comeback would be Round2 producing 14,000,000 kits like AMT did back in 1964. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Bartrop Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 A comeback would be Round2 producing 14,000,000 kits like AMT did back in 1964.Maybe, but unless the carmakers decide they want to do promos again, that's not happenning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryR Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) This hobby is totally rooted and and is a product of the 1960's. The first promos were in the 1950's, but the 3 in 1 and much of the kits we still buy are straight out of the 60's.The 1960's were the height of popularity for drag racing, hot rodding and car craziness in general, it's just a fact, that's where modeling came from.And it's NEVER going to be like that again, the only constant in life is change.That was FIFTY years ago now, a long time. The hobby has gone from kids to adults, it will likley die with the boomers. Anybody going to build models of driverless Googlemobiles cars? Public transportation.Millenials, from what I read, simply don't CARE about driving or cars. so be it. Times change, it doesn't really effect the hobby or me personally.Times change.It's an archaic hobby, but so what? We have way more quality and quantity than ever before, ENJOY it while you can!I LIKE today's state of the hobby! Edited September 26, 2015 by GaryR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 I wouldn't write off the hobby just yet. The first automotive models were created around the first century of Roman Chariots. No doubt there were people who were into chariots and racing them, as those who fantasized and created miniature likenesses. There are models like this in museums from every century. Kits, no kits, an industry or not, it will live on as long as there is a human race! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 51 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) well not really Tom... au·to·mo·tive ˌôdəˈmōdiv/ adjective of, relating to, or concerned with motor vehicles. Not really a history buff huh? Edited September 26, 2015 by mike 51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERIK88 Posted September 26, 2015 Author Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) Hey video games are to blame since I think a lot of times theh make a older muscle car appear as this heavy duty all metal BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH near uncontrollable piece of machinery in actual course tracks . Muscle cars are not suited for track racing, mainly for drag racing and possibly oval racing. Try going in circles for 20 laps in a video game and see if that doesn't get boring quick, or going in a straight line in a video game . Modern cars typically handle better in a video game , Which leaves me to believe muscle cars weren't exactly the easiest to handle back in the 60s 70s . Nonetheless , I still like a muscle cars or hot rod any day before a modern car I can see everyday by simply going outside . Edited September 26, 2015 by ERIK88 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Auto, as in "self"... Mobile, as in "movable." Not many chariots were able to move themselves... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Auto, as in "self"... Mobile, as in "movable." Not many chariots were able to move themselves... as in the current modes of transportation... the race vehicles of an era. Everyone worked with what they knew. The youth of Rome wanted to be chariot drivers the same way we wanted to be drag racers and astronauts. I opened a talk about the same subject with the same analogy at GSL a number of years ago. They got it. Oops, different audience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 51 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) Apparently folks here know their history and what words mean....a lot better.. Edited September 26, 2015 by mike 51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryR Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Strange. I don't see anybody writing off the hobby.The same hand wringing goes on in the real drag racing and hot rodding world. Where's the next generation? How can the NHRA make drag racing as popular as it once was?The answers are simple. TIMES CHANGE. It's not 1965 anymore. NOTHING negative about that in my book, don't see why that's regarded as some downer.It's just a fact. It's not the fate of the world, it's a hobby that's a reflection of the times, the ever changing world.I LOVE cars, models and racing. I don't bemoan their passing into history much though. If that's the course that society takes, so be itWe don't shoe horses or churn butter much anymore, WHY belabor the fact that things change.I think again, the hobby is in a great state. Don't get why you think that is "writing it off". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) . Muscle cars are not suited for track racing, mainly for drag racing and possibly oval racing. I think there is a flaw in some folks' perceptions that all muscle cars were evil handling barges incapable of road-course work. The 1969 Trans Am series was quite something to watch, with Z-28 Camaros, Boss 302 Mustangs and assorted Pontiac, AMC and even the occasional Mopar products all battling head to head on some of the most demanding road circuits in the world.And notice please...these guys are 'drifting'...not slowboating-showboating drifting, but balls-out fastest-way-around-the-course drifting.NOTE: Historical trivia. At the time these films were shot, most Americans were not grossly overweight.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn0OOSQPXT8 Edited September 26, 2015 by Ace-Garageguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 51 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 (edited) "Strange. I don't see anybody writing off the hobby." Nope..it's clearly going along just fine.,more quality kits and parts than ever not only here,but internationally. Perhaps if Tom did a bit of research he'd feel better about the hobby? Edited September 26, 2015 by mike 51 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scummy Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 If they want to sell models here in australia they better look at the price . The latest release's are $50 and up for cars , but if you go to the model truck section they go for $ 60-70 ? Is it greed or what ? We talked at the model club about this and the general discusion was , well i got enough to last me . Not good . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 51 Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 If they want to sell models here in australia they better look at the price . The latest release's are $50 and up for cars , but if you go to the model truck section they go for $ 60-70 ? Is it greed or what ? We talked at the model club about this and the general discusion was , well i got enough to last me . Not good .So no one knew why kits were so expensive down there? Is that a "new" problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne swayze Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Not many chariots were able to move themselves... You are correct Harry, they needed " horsepower"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Bartrop Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 Auto, as in "self"... Mobile, as in "movable." Not many chariots were able to move themselves... In that case, how about this self propelled steam carraige model from 1784? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted September 26, 2015 Share Posted September 26, 2015 In that case, how about this self propelled steam carraige model from 1784? 1784 is a long way from ancient Roman times... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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