To Rebuild or Not

[James W]

Here is the dilemma

I recently wrote about this kit in a topic on first visits to a hobby shop. Since then, I dug it out of the box and have been thinking about redoing it.

My question is not about this model specifically, but the idea of revisiting a kit you built yourself and want to re-do.

This kit is a good example of a subject that is a little hard to find, so that in itself may justify a re-do.(you can't just pull another off the shelf and try again)

But it is a piece of history, mine anyway, what I did 20 years ago.

The wheels are a little dated, they got swapped 12 years back. (I love metal axles don't you) But I was thinking I couild do better, repaint after fixing the mold lines, factory rallye wheels, maybe a tail stripe.

Oops, sounds like it will just be dated again in a few years, then what?

How about it. Is it a good idea to rebuild the same model you already finished? Do you have regrets about doing this in the past?

[Raul_Perez]

James,

I've got a couple of models that I built many years ago that I've also thought of redoing, but when I really think about it, I leave them as they are. They are just what I wanted when they were built and are a reflection of my skills at the time. That's something that you really can't replicate.

So, I say leave it as is.

Later,

[CAL]

Here is the dilemma

I recently wrote about this kit in a topic on first visits to a hobby shop. Since then, I dug it out of the box and have been thinking about redoing it.

My question is not about this model specifically, but the idea of revisiting a kit you built yourself and want to re-do.

This kit is a good example of a subject that is a little hard to find, so that in itself may justify a re-do.(you can't just pull another off the shelf and try again)

But it is a piece of history, mine anyway, what I did 20 years ago.

The wheels are a little dated, they got swapped 12 years back. (I love metal axles don't you) But I was thinking I couild do better, repaint after fixing the mold lines, factory rallye wheels, maybe a tail stripe.

Oops, sounds like it will just be dated again in a few years, then what?

How about it. Is it a good idea to rebuild the same model you already finished? Do you have regrets about doing this in the past?

Well I thought this would be a good idea twice and both times it ended up not such a good idea. So, I don't do it any more.

[novadose71]

Well I thought this would be a good idea twice and both times it ended up not such a good idea. So, I don't do it any more.

Same here(more than 2 though), and I used so much tube glue in the past that I ended up breaking things, destroying any hopes of a rebuild, and then comes the regret. Last one I took apart was the first one I ever entered in a contest(besides the county fair 4H exhibit), and I took it apart to provide parts for another misguided, and yet unfinished project. I've considered putting that one back together more than once.

And like the saying goes" It is only "original" once". With that being said..................If it were mine and I had an itch to do something with it, I would disassemble it (gotta love those promo style chassis), probably just polish it out or possibly reclear the body if possible, and BMF it. I'd paint detail the interior, and front and rear bumper/grille/light units, then play around with possible wheel and tire combo's. That would keep the look it has, and your "feelings" for it, but make a better model out of it. My 2$(there's no cents key on this keyboard) Or you can send it on over and I'll do it for ya'

Edited August 23, 2008 by novadose71

[84vanagon]

Cool Valiant James.

I've been pondering doing the same thing to a Revell 62 Lancer that I built for one of the "Southwest Challenges" about 20 years ago.

After a few moves it's reverting back to kit form. Plus the choice of MPC's T/A Radials wasn't good, given their (then unknown) propensity for eating all things plastic, are turning the 70's Rally's into goo. The Testors white body has turned cream colored, and the red interior is now shinier than the exterior. Oh well, the Hyper Pack 225 still looks good. I'll leave that as is.

Will I re-do the Lancer? Yes. But I'll take some pics of it before I re-do it.

[MrObsessive]

I would leave it the way it is. I thought about redoing a few of my old ones, but like you said, it reflects what we knew at the time------so it's kind of a snapshot of what was going on then in our modeling world.

Now someone elses glue bomb.......that's another story!

My 2$(there's no cents key on this keyboard)

Yes there is a ¢ key my friend! (Alt 0162)

[James W]

Or you can send it on over and I'll do it for ya'

If it came back looking like your AMX that might be tempting

[diymirage]

it all depends on how sentimental you feel

i for one have two models i recently redid

(one a mach 1 mustang that got a better paint and detail job and one a F body camaro that got a vinyl top)

both of them were early build i was never very proud of so i was glad to rebuild them

the wife actually likes having some of my older models on the shelf because it shows my progress she says

(i think she just like to laugh at them)

thats another issue, is the valiant on display ?

one of the reasons i will rebuild cars is because i have limited display space so i like to have the best ones out

[Guest zebm1]

I've already stripped tha paint offn this model, done some more body and frame mods...replacing some of tha plastic parts with aluminum sheet....changing tha engine to a 327/365 F.I. engine w/ a muncie close-ratio 4 speed.....or maybe one of those Ford close-ratio top loader gearboxes.....

After all....it is a racecar....

[James W]

it all depends on how sentimental you feel

thats another issue, is the valiant on display ?

one of the reasons i will rebuild cars is because i have limited display space so i like to have the best ones out

The Valiant has been in a box most of the 5 years I've beeen in my current house. Space is always at a premium with a hobby like this. It will most likely stay out now as I've always liked it and I'm sure I can 'work it in ' somewhere.

I no longer rebuild my own stuff, and I decided not to rob old builds of their 'jewels'.

It is fun for me to look back. If I need to re-live the past I try to find another starting point.

As I said at the begining of this thread, I wanted to know what YOU guys think about rebuilds.

[george 53]

James, you asked, so here goes. What's wrong with it? It looks pretty nice to me. You liked it when you did it, whats changed? I love metal axles cause it IS so easy to switch wheels.Thats about all you might want to do.It's a neat color for what it is, a moms car that can't do much except look cool, which it does.Unless It's got a BIG ol honkin Hemi, but I've got that same car, and it's a curbside, and TOO much trouble to open the hood. Just put some different wheels if you want, but other than that, I think it looks cool!