What was your first model car?

[boss 302 mustang]

AMT 1959 Ford convertible.....wish I still had it

[Little Timmy]

This is the first glue together kit I ever built. It was 1971, and I was 5 years old.

I left the body stiffening  x in the opening for the doors, ( I thought it was part of the rollcage).

I brush painted most of the car Royal Blue ( I believe I left the trunk and hood natural plastic White.

Not really knowing how a engine worked, I glued the Chrome air scoops directly to the hood...instead of on the carburetors  where they belonged .

I then took some binder re-enforcing rings ( you know the ones you would lick and then stick to a page of schoolwork to keep it in a 3 ring binder ) and proceeded  to paint them in multiple colors. I then randomly  stuck them all over the car. ( it looked like the car got hit by a truck hauling "Froot - Loops" .

Since I grew up on a farm, trips into town were few and far between . Since I couldn't get to town, I used Gasoline  as a thinner  ( my Grandfathers idea. )...thus my car had a few spots of " texture" to it.

The kit pictured at the beginning of this post is not my original kit, but IS from the 1971 re-run my kit came from.

    ........ I do NOT plan on building it like my original kit ....this time I will do it the RIGHT way.

I do remember a few snap together kits I did before this one.

Tijuana taxi, and a  1/32 scale green funnycar, but I don't remember which one.

 

[Doug 1061]

Cool stories here.   I cannot remember the first model car kit I butchered.    About 10 years ago I did find the first model I butchered.  I keep it hanging from a shelf in my hobby room as a reminder of how far I have come with this hobby.   That was so long ago.

[alan barton]

My first kit was an Airfix 1/32 scale 1910 model T Ford. Pretty sure Dad built it for me - I was probably about 7 or 8. This was followed by a 1904 Darracq which I may have glued a fe2w pieces to.  The first one I built myself was an Airfix mini Minor, glued up windows and all.

My first 1/25th scale kit was the original issue Trophy series 1957 Fairlane and I never looked back!

 

Except that I did, because I now have a collection of over eighty 1/32 scale hot rods, plus replacements for those three mentioned above.

Cheers

Alan

[atomicholiday]

9 hours ago, Little Timmy said:

This is the first glue together kit I ever built. It was 1971, and I was 5 years old.

I left the body stiffening  x in the opening for the doors, ( I thought it was part of the rollcage).

I brush painted most of the car Royal Blue ( I believe I left the trunk and hood natural plastic White.

Not really knowing how a engine worked, I glued the Chrome air scoops directly to the hood...instead of on the carburetors  where they belonged .

I then took some binder re-enforcing rings ( you know the ones you would lick and then stick to a page of schoolwork to keep it in a 3 ring binder ) and proceeded  to paint them in multiple colors. I then randomly  stuck them all over the car. ( it looked like the car got hit by a truck hauling "Froot - Loops" .

Since I grew up on a farm, trips into town were few and far between . Since I couldn't get to town, I used Gasoline  as a thinner  ( my Grandfathers idea. )...thus my car had a few spots of " texture" to it.

The kit pictured at the beginning of this post is not my original kit, but IS from the 1971 re-run my kit came from.

    ........ I do NOT plan on building it like my original kit ....this time I will do it the RIGHT way.

I do remember a few snap together kits I did before this one.

Tijuana taxi, and a  1/32 scale green funnycar, but I don't remember which one.

 

What a great story!   This one really made me smile. 

[Lunajammer]

First or second grade, my very first model car...

 

I enjoyed it, but the Palmer kit was a little bit of a let down, so shortly after that I bought my very second model car...

I was off model cars for a while. Went back to Paul Lindberg airplanes.

[Lunajammer]

.

Edited June 26, 2023 by Lunajammer

[ksnow]

Mine was a young model builder's club 1/32 (I believe) Ford Mustang. It came with an F-16 kit also, in a plain-ish brown box.

[mchook]

I was probably 8 or 9 and my parents got this in a box lot at an auction. It got me hooked. Monogram 32 roadster.

[ChrisBcritter]

Earliest I can remember was an AMT '62 Tempest convertible when I was four; Dad built and I watched/helped. I don't think we painted it, and I played with it to death afterward. This would have been in '64 so Dad probably found it at a discount store.

[Darbo]

We used to attend the local dirt track when younger and I got given an original Steve Kinser Sprintcar.

Tough build for a first timer but I finished it and I my eyes back then it looked great, had it on a shelf in my bedroom for years. I still have it in a box somewhere with other builds my mom put away.

[bamadon]

I remember my first model car was the AMT '32 Ford Roadster that had the 4 cylinder as the stock engine And I think a fender well mounted spare tire. Probably around 1959 or 60. Prior to that it was all aircraft.

 

Don

[OldNYJim]

I don’t remember what exactly my very first kit was, but it was a 70s van, molded in white, and my 6 or 7 year old self tried brush painting a perfect cross graphic on the roof to make it into an ambulance and was VERY disappointed when it didn’t look very good.

From slightly later, I remember trying to use tube glue to assemble one of these…

No idea who purchased this for me or where they found it…I was also disappointed with the poor results I achieved on this one…

And then, one memorable birthday, I was excited to shake a gift to hear that familiar rattle of sprues…only to discover my best friend Johnny’s mom had picked out an AIRCRAFT kit.

My dumb 9 (ish) year old self was massively disappointed that it wasn’t a car, but still attempted to build it so as not to hurt anyone’s feelings…dumb young me didn’t realize that planes can be cool too…and it did teach me how to apply decals…

[RSchnell]

I was fortunate that my Dad was into building as was my grandfather who lived next door. My grandfather was by all definition of the term a Master Modeler.

The first car kit that I remember buying with my own money was the old Pyro/Lindberg 1/32 1934 Ford. I was 6 or 7. The first kit I got for a gift around that same age was the old Entex Model A Tudor meant to be a joint project between me & my dad to match his 1:1 Tudor Sedan. I'd love to find another one of these kits in this boxing! 

The third pic is of me & the old man in his Model A with a Model A model in my hand during a Christmas parade. 

[catpack68]

Pretty sure it was this one

 

[styromaniac]

[ChrisR]

The first 1/25 was the AMT 1966 Ford Galaxie when it first came out. Before that a few 1/32 scale Lindberg kits.

[junkyardjeff]

I think it was a Palmer 1/32 68 Galaxie convertible.

[oldcarfan]

Not sure, but I remember a bunch of Palmer kits my uncle gave me and an old Meyer's Manx multi kit. That was the first one I built on my own. I wanted to make the most of it so all the extra parts just got glued all over the place. I wasn't allowed to paint anything because my mom knew I'd make a mess.

[Mothersworry]

IMC Ford GT...late '65 maybe '66, No paint or detailing, just put it together. My dad helped me a little but I did most of the kit myself, didn't turn out too bad, everything worked...doors, hood, Bonnet, steering. Guess I kinda had a knack fer it.

Bit of a back story here...my Dad wuz a bit of a Big Wig at Ford in Dearborn and we were always going to Spitler/Demmer Ford in Wayne Michigan fer service and to get new cars. One day my Dad came home a little early from work and said were goin to the car dealer, cool I thought, maybe I'll get one of the new Mustang toy cars.

I had seen pictures of the Ford GT and my dad would talk about the cars and the racing that Ford wuz doin so I wuz familiar with the Ford GT. As we pulled up to Spitler/Demmer Ford I saw it...parked right out in front of the Dealership...the very same car that I'd seen in pictures...the white and blue Ford GT, I wuz thrilled.

I couldn't believe that I wuz in the presence of THE Ford GT...doesn't get much better than that fer a junior car nut like me. I got to examine every nook an crany, look under and all around the car and ask a buncha questions. It wuz great!

But wait, there's more...it wuz gettin kinda late and they were gettin ready to close up, but one of the salesmen (they all knew me) asked me if I'd like to sit in the Ford GT...Hell yes! He opened the door and helped me crawl in over the fuel tank and I plopped into the seat and he closed the door. I wuz practically laying down...this wuz so cool an I'm thinkin wait till I tell the kids in school tomorrow. Then, while I'm trying to take all this in a guy in a Ford uniform gets in the car next to me, closes the door and asks  me if I'm ready...ready?, ready fer what?

Then it happened...the loudest sound my young ears had ever heard comin from behind me, the Ford guy had fired the car up, kicked the throttle a few times, and drove us into the building. What a exciting experience fer me...I got to ride in the Ford GT...a short ride, but a ride nonetheless. 

A short time later my Dad bought the IMC Ford GT kit fer me, my first model...and the rest, as they say is history.

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Mothersworry

[atomicholiday]

12 minutes ago, Mothersworry said:

IMC Ford GT...late '65 maybe '66, No paint or detailing, just put it together. My dad helped me a little but I did most of the kit myself, didn't turn out too bad, everything worked...doors, hood, Bonnet, steering. Guess I kinda had a knack fer it.

Bit of a back story here...my Dad wuz a bit of a Big Wig at Ford in Dearborn and we were always going to Spitler/Demmer Ford in Wayne Michigan fer service and to get new cars. One day my Dad came home a little early from work and said were goin to the car dealer, cool I thought, maybe I'll get one of the new Mustang toy cars.

I had seen pictures of the Ford GT and my dad would talk about the cars and the racing that Ford wuz doin so I wuz familiar with the Ford GT. As we pulled up to Spitler/Demmer Ford I saw it...parked right out in front of the Dealership...the very same car that I'd seen in pictures...the white and blue Ford GT, I wuz thrilled.

I couldn't believe that I wuz in the presence of THE Ford GT...doesn't get much better than that fer a junior car nut like me. I got to examine every nook an crany, look under and all around the car and ask a buncha questions. It wuz great!

But wait, there's more...it wuz gettin kinda late and they were gettin ready to close up, but one of the salesmen (they all knew me) asked me if I'd like to sit in the Ford GT...Hell yes! He opened the door and helped me crawl in over the fuel tank and I plopped into the seat and he closed the door. I wuz practically laying down...this wuz so cool an I'm thinkin wait till I tell the kids in school tomorrow. Then, while I'm trying to take all this in a guy in a Ford uniform gets in the car next to me, closes the door and asks  me if I'm ready...ready?, ready fer what?

Then it happened...the loudest sound my young ears had ever heard comin from behind me, the Ford guy had fired the car up, kicked the throttle a few times, and drove us into the building. What a exciting experience fer me...I got to ride in the Ford GT...a short ride, but a ride nonetheless. 

A short time later my Dad bought the IMC Ford GT kit fer me, my first model...and the rest, as they say is history.

 

Wow!  What a fantastic experience that must have been!  Great story.  Thanks for sharing!?

[disabled modeler]

Mine was the Monogram show rod kit of the Un-Real Roller....been hooked ever since.   At least they sort of re-issued it so I could have another one to build.   Glad there re-issuing more like I had as a kid....was really good times and great kits.

[Bills72sj]

My 1st? I have no idea. It would have been offered around 1968 and likely an MPC kit.

I am pretty sure it met its demise via firecrackers.

As a marginally supervised child, my 1st dozen kits were scattered in this manner.

[Keef]

First kit I ever built. Bought it at Kmart for $3.99 after mowing my grandmothers yard one weekend.

[thegeneralbushdiy]

A '69 Mustang. It was a real beauty, all shiny and detailed. I remember spending hours putting it together, carefully painting each part to make it look just right.