Get a cuppa java... This is my introduction...

[Raymond Gallant]

Name: Raymond Gallant Age: 75 in 2022
.
Occupations: Draftsman/ Illustrator/ Graphic department supervisor/ Business owner/ Teacher/ Woodworker/ Environmental group office manager/ Retired since 2012
.
Address: East-Coast of Canada
.
Phone: Prefer email
.
Email: regalant@nb.sympatico.ca
.
When did you start modeling? In 1959
.
Primarily builder or collector? Mostly collector but have 100’s of projects
.
Have you always built automotive subjects? Yes
.
What scales do you like to build? 1/24-1/25
.
How many cars/trucks do you have in your collection? My collection of unbuilt kits is getting unwieldy at over 4,000 kits. I also have 100 or so projects on the go (haven't finished anything in decades). Recently, diecasts have caught my attention, especially the 1/24th offerings from the now defunct Danbury and Franklin mints. Recent die-cast purchases include; a '50 International Metro Van, a '50 Divco milk truck, a White 3000 Budweiser beer truck, a '38 GMC Coca-Cola delivery truck, a series of early pickup trucks that is to die for, i.e.: a '50 GMC, a '41 Chevrolet, a '37 Studebaker, a '29 Dodge, '41 Dodge. Diecast cars: a couple of '53 Buick Skylarks, a ‘48 Chrysler Town & Country, '57 Studebaker Golden Hawk and '56 Oldsmobile Super 88 just to name a "few".
.
What type and/or style of cars/trucks do you like to build? I have very eclectic tastes. I collect/build everything from forklift trucks, Go-Karts, motorcycles, early racers, the big classics, light commercials, trucks, rods and customs to factory experimental showcars. If it's 1/25th or 1/24th scale and has any semblance of mechanical significance, I like it. My collecting habits seem to coalesce into mini-collections of their own, i.e.: Pick-ups, Ferraris, Duesenbergs, GMCs, Chevies, Fords, Macks, Hondas, Volkswagens, Jaguars, MGs, Cobras, etc. Street Rods, Classics, Pickups, Commercial vehicles, Customs from the ‘50s, Prototype Dream Cars, Construction equipment, Mini cars, Sport cars, etc....
.
What would you like to see the manufacturers offer? The manufacturers should look at 1:1 car magazines and look for typical vehicles that have been the staple of the hot rod and custom hobby since the early fifties and make sure that they release at least a vehicle of the same "food group" and reissue it every 5 to 10 years. As an aside, I would also like to see more 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 offerings. I think it is greedy marketing to offer these products one version at a time. I would actually buy more of their kits if they would offer multiple versions in one kit.
.
What would you like to see from the aftermarket? I know that the aftermarket is ephemeral at best as companies come and go but a comprehensive website that would list the myriad of products and services offered by aftermarket companies. This would entail some sort of follow up to keep the information fresh and up to date. And for better customer relations, maybe some sort of governing body, an Ombudsman of sorts that would protect the rights of all concerned.
.
What would you like to see from the modeling community? More non-competitive NNL type shows. More attendance from vendors at toy shows (seems the vendors are using the internet more and more and dropping the traditional methods of hawking their wares at shows). We have supported them all these years and there is nothing like actually seeing an item before purchasing it.
.
What clubs you belong to? Founding member of the FanPlastik Model Car Club (now defunct) AND I was also a founding father of GLOBE 25, a model car club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The word GLOBE is actually an acronym of the founding fathers' initials. That was 1984 and it is still going strong. I am now a charter member of MASA (Moncton Area Scale Automodelers).
.
What publications do you receive/buy? Hang on to your hats because over the years, I've literally collected tons of magazines related to my hobbies. This extensive reference library consists of EVERY ISSUE of; Scale Auto Enthusiast, Model Car, Plastic Fanatic, Car Modeler, Car Model, Model Car & Science (barring a few from the, IMHO, terrible slot car era), Auto Modeler (remember that one?), R&C Models, Model Car Journal, In-Scale Illustrated (all three issues!) and Scale Wheels. I was also collecting Fine Scale Modeler but I've actually stopped collecting FSM.

I also owned a 1/1 scale 1940 Studebaker Champion 4 door sedan street rod for 32 years and for the last 20 years have been building a 1952 Chevy pickup street rod (see link below). This means that I also collected 1/1 magazine titles, I have EVERY ISSUE of; American Rodder, Car Collector, Classic Trucks, Collectible Automobiles, Custom & Classic Trucks, Custom Rodder, Rod Action, Rod & Custom (all the way back to the May 1953 premiere issue), Rodder's Digest, Rodder’s Journal, Street Rodder, Street Rod, Automobile Quarterly, Special Interest Autos, Wizz, Rolls and Pleats, Kustoms Illustrated, Hot Rods Illustrated and many more. My other interests include woodworking and metalworking and collect a dozen more titles for those interests (Machinist's Workshop, The Home Shop Machinist, etc.). These lists only enumerate the magazines, but I also collect books, books and more books on all these subjects. 
.
What types of events, if any do you like to attend? Living on the Atlantic Coast of Canada, I do not attend as often as I would like but every 5 or 6 years I like to go to AACA Swap Meet in Hershey, PA and it used to  coincide with the Fall Sylvania Meet. It is close to a 2,000 mile pilgrimage! There are also a few very small local shows that I attend when my schedule allows.
.
What non-modeling interests or hobbies do you have? As I mentioned above when describing the different magazines I collect, I am into Woodworking (partly earned my living from it, teaching and taking commissions), metalworking and for something completely different I also sit on the executive of a local square dancing club. I also have a Multimedia Programming background.
.
Any words of wisdom for the other members? A hobby, as the term defines it, is a means to relaxation and it should never be the cause of tension. If you're just starting in this wonderful hobby, this board will be a very useful tool. Contribute as often as you can. You will be in good company and learn a lot. I know I have and I have been in the hobby since 1959!!! Lately, we have seen a revival of our hobby, several new releases a year of models we would never have dreamed of even in the heyday of modeling.

My ongoing truck project : https://public.fotki.com/skylark/1952-chevy-pickup/

These are the Golden Years, enjoy our hobby.
.
Happy Modeling
.
Raymond Gallant

[afx]

Quite an intro Raymond and welcome.

[Oliver77]

Your name is somehow familiar!

What a comprehensive background. Looking forward to hearing more from you!

[Gary Chastain]

Welcome aboard 

[slusher]

Welcome to the forum!

[PappyD340]

Welcome to the forum Raymond!

[Zippi]

Welcome to the forum.  Nice intro Raymond.  You came to play ☺

[mikemodeler]

I'm guessing your house is rather large to accommodate that size of a collection? I would hope it has some organization to it, could not begin to imagine having all of that and it not be sorted out to be able to find something.

[happy grumpy]

Welcome Ray, from a fellow canadian. 

[Anglia105E]

Welcome to MCM forums, Raymond . . . . . You have over 4,000 unbuilt kits in your stash ?  !!! . . . . We thought we had a problem !

That is the most comprehensive and detailed introduction that I have ever seen on this forum. Thank you Raymond, and I feel that I almost know you !

David

[Smitty]

Welcome to the forum Ray! I hope we can get together with Larry and Cliff for a model show again some time.

Eric

[Bainford]

Welcome to the sandbox, Ray. Good to have you aboard.

[1930fordpickup]

Welcome aboard. Nice intro.  

Your Blue truck looks nice also.  I like the idea of bolting the fenders together to paint. 

[misterNNL]

Based on what I read you are probably in your 70's. Those vast collections are going to have to go somewhere else at some point. In you case that's a bunch of stuff. Just saying.

[TransAmMike]

  On 2/12/2022 at 2:44 PM, Raymond Gallant said:

Name: Raymond Gallant Age: 75 in 2022
.
Occupations: Draftsman/ Illustrator/ Graphic department supervisor/ Business owner/ Teacher/ Woodworker/ Environmental group office manager/ Retired since 2012
.
Address: East-Coast of Canada
.
Phone: Prefer email
.
Email: regalant@nb.sympatico.ca
.
When did you start modeling? In 1959
.
Primarily builder or collector? Mostly collector but have 100’s of projects
.
Have you always built automotive subjects? Yes
.
What scales do you like to build? 1/24-1/25
.
How many cars/trucks do you have in your collection? My collection of unbuilt kits is getting unwieldy at over 4,000 kits. I also have 100 or so projects on the go (haven't finished anything in decades). Recently, diecasts have caught my attention, especially the 1/24th offerings from the now defunct Danbury and Franklin mints. Recent die-cast purchases include; a '50 International Metro Van, a '50 Divco milk truck, a White 3000 Budweiser beer truck, a '38 GMC Coca-Cola delivery truck, a series of early pickup trucks that is to die for, i.e.: a '50 GMC, a '41 Chevrolet, a '37 Studebaker, a '29 Dodge, '41 Dodge. Diecast cars: a couple of '53 Buick Skylarks, a ‘48 Chrysler Town & Country, '57 Studebaker Golden Hawk and '56 Oldsmobile Super 88 just to name a "few".
.
What type and/or style of cars/trucks do you like to build? I have very eclectic tastes. I collect/build everything from forklift trucks, Go-Karts, motorcycles, early racers, the big classics, light commercials, trucks, rods and customs to factory experimental showcars. If it's 1/25th or 1/24th scale and has any semblance of mechanical significance, I like it. My collecting habits seem to coalesce into mini-collections of their own, i.e.: Pick-ups, Ferraris, Duesenbergs, GMCs, Chevies, Fords, Macks, Hondas, Volkswagens, Jaguars, MGs, Cobras, etc. Street Rods, Classics, Pickups, Commercial vehicles, Customs from the ‘50s, Prototype Dream Cars, Construction equipment, Mini cars, Sport cars, etc....
.
What would you like to see the manufacturers offer? The manufacturers should look at 1:1 car magazines and look for typical vehicles that have been the staple of the hot rod and custom hobby since the early fifties and make sure that they release at least a vehicle of the same "food group" and reissue it every 5 to 10 years. As an aside, I would also like to see more 2 in 1 and 3 in 1 offerings. I think it is greedy marketing to offer these products one version at a time. I would actually buy more of their kits if they would offer multiple versions in one kit.
.
What would you like to see from the aftermarket? I know that the aftermarket is ephemeral at best as companies come and go but a comprehensive website that would list the myriad of products and services offered by aftermarket companies. This would entail some sort of follow up to keep the information fresh and up to date. And for better customer relations, maybe some sort of governing body, an Ombudsman of sorts that would protect the rights of all concerned.
.
What would you like to see from the modeling community? More non-competitive NNL type shows. More attendance from vendors at toy shows (seems the vendors are using the internet more and more and dropping the traditional methods of hawking their wares at shows). We have supported them all these years and there is nothing like actually seeing an item before purchasing it.
.
What clubs you belong to? Founding member of the FanPlastik Model Car Club (now defunct) AND I was also a founding father of GLOBE 25, a model car club in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The word GLOBE is actually an acronym of the founding fathers' initials. That was 1984 and it is still going strong. I am now a charter member of MASA (Moncton Area Scale Automodelers).
.
What publications do you receive/buy? Hang on to your hats because over the years, I've literally collected tons of magazines related to my hobbies. This extensive reference library consists of EVERY ISSUE of; Scale Auto Enthusiast, Model Car, Plastic Fanatic, Car Modeler, Car Model, Model Car & Science (barring a few from the, IMHO, terrible slot car era), Auto Modeler (remember that one?), R&C Models, Model Car Journal, In-Scale Illustrated (all three issues!) and Scale Wheels. I was also collecting Fine Scale Modeler but I've actually stopped collecting FSM.

I also owned a 1/1 scale 1940 Studebaker Champion 4 door sedan street rod for 32 years and for the last 20 years have been building a 1952 Chevy pickup street rod (see link below). This means that I also collected 1/1 magazine titles, I have EVERY ISSUE of; American Rodder, Car Collector, Classic Trucks, Collectible Automobiles, Custom & Classic Trucks, Custom Rodder, Rod Action, Rod & Custom (all the way back to the May 1953 premiere issue), Rodder's Digest, Rodder’s Journal, Street Rodder, Street Rod, Automobile Quarterly, Special Interest Autos, Wizz, Rolls and Pleats, Kustoms Illustrated, Hot Rods Illustrated and many more. My other interests include woodworking and metalworking and collect a dozen more titles for those interests (Machinist's Workshop, The Home Shop Machinist, etc.). These lists only enumerate the magazines, but I also collect books, books and more books on all these subjects. 
.
What types of events, if any do you like to attend? Living on the Atlantic Coast of Canada, I do not attend as often as I would like but every 5 or 6 years I like to go to AACA Swap Meet in Hershey, PA and it used to  coincide with the Fall Sylvania Meet. It is close to a 2,000 mile pilgrimage! There are also a few very small local shows that I attend when my schedule allows.
.
What non-modeling interests or hobbies do you have? As I mentioned above when describing the different magazines I collect, I am into Woodworking (partly earned my living from it, teaching and taking commissions), metalworking and for something completely different I also sit on the executive of a local square dancing club. I also have a Multimedia Programming background.
.
Any words of wisdom for the other members? A hobby, as the term defines it, is a means to relaxation and it should never be the cause of tension. If you're just starting in this wonderful hobby, this board will be a very useful tool. Contribute as often as you can. You will be in good company and learn a lot. I know I have and I have been in the hobby since 1959!!! Lately, we have seen a revival of our hobby, several new releases a year of models we would never have dreamed of even in the heyday of modeling.

My ongoing truck project : https://public.fotki.com/skylark/1952-chevy-pickup/

These are the Golden Years, enjoy our hobby.
.
Happy Modeling
.
Raymond Gallant

Expand  

Welcome Raymond. I'm also in my 70's. I actually restarted building models a few years ago after a long respite. Joined the forum a few years ago.

I'm sure (and know) a good many members have quite the collection. Heck, I feel like I have too many kits now numbering around 25. I'll be you have some treasures in your boxed collection.

[Tom Geiger]

Hello Ray!  Good to see you here old friend!

(I just saw this thread for the first time)