Model car builders are cheapskates, right?

[StevenGuthmiller]

Same here. And personally, I get more enjoyment out of bringing a rare discontinued old glue bomb--whether I paid $2 for it at a flea market or $40 on eBay--back from the dead than I would working on the newest, latest, greatest, state-of-the-art kit on the market, regardless of its price.

Agreed!

And there's something to be said about the satisfaction that one gets with taking these less than stellar, poorly detailed kits & making them look presentable.

It's relatively easy to build up a great looking interior on a new kit with a "platform" style interior & multiple parts.

It's much more difficult to make one look good when you're starting with only 3 parts.

A tub, dash & steering wheel.

It's very satisfying to me to try to make these old kits look like something most of us would have never envisioned back in 1962.

 

Steve

[Ace-Garageguy]

 

It's much more difficult to make one look good when you're starting with only 3 parts.

Or only two parts...    

[StevenGuthmiller]

Or only two parts...    

Ouch!

Looks like you're missing a few!

 

Steve

[10thumbs]

I'm a cheapskate when it comes to the acquisition.  25 is max.

As I see it, the thing won't be built per kit instructions anyway, so why pay more for plastic crud that's unused.  I like the theme, or the main part being the body.  Then go from there and bash hel. out of it.

Like Bill and Steven said just above, sometimes 2 or 3 parts are enough to get started.

A few years back, I bought 1 part of Ebay.  The hull of a wooden ship model.  A good start for further modelling.  It cost me though, 28.

[Roadrunner]

Call me a cheap old miser, but I make it a point to never spend over $20-$25 on a car model. This will undoubtedly change of course, when I eventually grab some 1:16 and 1:8 scale kits.

[CometMan]

So eight ships times $350 + 

Yeah, your math is right, Greg! Not all at once, mind you, but, still correct!

[plastic-mechanic]

I'm not trying to be confrontational ...

good grief - i never gave that a thought. say whatever you want, any way you want, we can take it!

[Harry P.]

Yeah, your math is right, Greg! Not all at once, mind you, but, still correct!

And there it is!

It all depends on what your modeling interests are.

If you are happy building the latest 1/24 or 1/25 scale kits from AMT, Revell, Moebius, etc... then you can enjoy the hobby relatively cheaply, especially with those 40% off Hobby Lobby coupons.

But... if your modeling interests lie outside of the "mainstream" type of kits, like mine do, you're going to have to pay to play, big time! 1/8 scale Pocher kits ain't cheap. And the prices are rising all the time as the number of pristine, unbuilt kits continues to dwindle. There is no such thing as a Pocher reissue, folks.

So while many of you would consider $25-40 bucks a reasonable price for a kit, I have to deal with prices in the $500-2,000 range.

But even with those insane prices, I feel it's worth it. No model kit can possibly give you the satisfaction, the challenge, and yes, the frustration, than a Pocher kit. They are the ultimate "modeler's high."

[Greg Myers]

 

Looking at the quality of your work Harry, I'd say it's worth it.

How do you display when you're finished?

[Harry P.]

I use one of my daughter's bedrooms as the "museum." She is an adult and has long ago gone out on her own, so I'm not taking anything away from her!

Just basic shelving units with glass doors to keep out some of the dust. Nothing fancy.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Love to see a picture of it, Harry .....if that isn't too intrusive

Currently building a new home and have to plan out where and how to display all the stuff

[CometMan]

And there it is!

It all depends on what your modeling interests are.

If you are happy building the latest 1/24 or 1/25 scale kits from AMT, Revell, Moebius, etc... then you can enjoy the hobby relatively cheaply, especially with those 40% off Hobby Lobby coupons.

But... if your modeling interests lie outside of the "mainstream" type of kits, like mine do, you're going to have to pay to play, big time! 1/8 scale Pocher kits ain't cheap. And the prices are rising all the time as the number of pristine, unbuilt kits continues to dwindle. There is no such thing as a Pocher reissue, folks.

So while many of you would consider $25-40 bucks a reasonable price for a kit, I have to deal with prices in the $500-2,000 range.

But even with those insane prices, I feel it's worth it. No model kit can possibly give you the satisfaction, the challenge, and yes, the frustration, than a Pocher kit. They are the ultimate "modeler's high."

Harry, I have an original Alfa Romeo Spider. It was given to me by my dad who gave up on ever building it, it was given to him by my mom for their 10th anniversary, if memory serves, she paid around $100 for it in....1973! If I get comfortable enough with my skills to attempt a project like that, it might get built yet!

[Harry P.]

The Alfa Spider is actually one of the easier Pocher classics to build. The various Rolls Royce and Bugattis are the toughest, the Mercedes kits next, then the Alfas, and the '07 Fiat GP car the easiest.

[ChrisBcritter]

Hmm. Harry, was it you who bought that Pocher Mercedes kit that was at the Salvation Army store in Morton Grove a year or so ago?

And there's something to be said about the satisfaction that one gets with taking these less than stellar, poorly detailed kits & making them look presentable.

It's very satisfying to me to try to make these old kits look like something most of us would have never envisioned back in 1962.

Amen to that. Just finished putting the '57 Chrysler roof on my '59 DeSoto and it's a real rush to see a Fireflite two-door hardtop in scale at last. (And I bet you'll build a gorgeous '59 300 someday.)

Edited July 25, 2016 by ChrisBcritter

[Greg Myers]

OK, this is the time and place.

I went to a WalMart in the '70's and saw a guy coming out with a Pocher kit. Not being shy, I ask where he got it (obviously inside, Duh!) He said "right inside, there's a table full. $20," That's right $20! 

Not having much cash and being a starving first year teacher I ponied up for an Alpha 

Going home I figured honesty was the best policy so I just told the wife. $20 was a big deal then, we were living with her parents . Well her Dad thought it was a good deal and went back and picked up a few more for Christmas presents. I have since gotten a cast off Fiat from a brother in law.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Greg Myers

[GaryR]

I don't buy high dollar kits, I'm retired and watching the money, but even when I was working I didn't spend a lot.

The one exception was $125 for a mint AMT 1964 Gran Prix annual. I got it from a friend whose brother bought it new in 64. After his brothers death, my friend sold off the dozen or so kits he had saved. I bought it because I know for certain it was complete and in perfect shape, and to throw some money to my friend.

Other than that, 45 bucks is tops, for a Johan 62 Plymouth.

[Harry P.]

Hmm. Harry, was it you who bought that Pocher Mercedes kit that was at the Salvation Army store in Morton Grove a year or so ago?

Not me. I bought my first Pocher kit at Sharper Image (remember them?). This was long before ebay.

[cobraman]

300.00 years ago for a Testors ( Pocher ) 1/8 Testa Rossa.

[bill w]

I remember an out of the box  build white Mercedes in the window of the Sharper Image store, price tag was $5,000.00. Just white plastic no paint.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I went to a WalMart in the '70's and saw a guy coming out with a Pocher kit. Not being shy, I ask where he got it (obviously inside, Duh!) He said "right inside, there's a table full. $20," That's right $20! 

I saw a similar table full of $20 Pocher kits in a K-mart sometime in probably the late '70s. I knew they were top-line expensive kits back then, and figured what the big K had were bogus knockoffs or something labeled to "look like" the name brand.

I'll never know, but at the same store, on the same day, I bought a hand-signed print of a Porsche 356, one of an issue of only 250. I paid $25 for it. It's been appraised recently for considerably more.  

[Ron Hamilton]

I am cheap by necessity. Fortunately, I have most any model I will want to build, as my investments in unbuilt annuals is over. The most I spent on a single kit was for a MIB MPC 1966 Dodge Monaco Hardtop for $150 several years ago. Recently I have been selling off my unbuiltsm  which I have completed.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I am cheap by necessity. Fortunately, I have most any model I will want to build, as my investments in unbuilt annuals is over. The most I spent on a single kit was for a MIB MPC 1966 Dodge Monaco Hardtop for $150 several years ago. Recently I have been selling off my unbuiltsm  which I have completed.

Well Ron, If you ever decide to rid yourself of that undesirable '66 Monaco, let me know.  

 

Steve

[Ron Hamilton]

Well Ron, If you ever decide to rid yourself of that undesirable '66 Monaco, let me know.  

 

Steve

Unfortunately, That '66 Monaco I had rode away to another owner a couple of years back, as I was able to get another without a box for a lot less from a friend. It was missing a couple of minor parts, which I was able to get from The Modelhaus. I will miss them.  I have a '65 and '66 Monaco, which are Grails of mine, which I am going to definitely build. I plan to book end them with my '65 Polara CHP Cruiser

and my '66 Polara 500 convertible

If I sell off any of them, I'll give you a shot at them.

[Kit Basher]

Unfortunately, That '66 Monaco I had rode away to another owner a couple of years back, as I was able to get another without a box for a lot less from a friend. It was missing a couple of minor parts, which I was able to get from The Modelhaus. I will miss them.  I have a '65 and '66 Monaco, which are Grails of mine, which I am going to definitely build. I plan to book end them with my '65 Polara CHP Cruiser

 

 

Wow, Ron! How did you do that '65 Polara? Was it a kit, conversion, or aftermarket? That is one of my Grails.

 

Edited July 27, 2016 by Kit Basher

[Agent G]

I have loved Ron's Polara since I first set eyes on it.

G