Switchers '32 Ford

[mrm]

6 minutes ago, stavanzer said:

Because they are Fun! Because many of us have fond memories of them. Especially at time when Models were just that. Model Cars. Toys! Not Replicas. Not Scale Reproductions.  For those times, (as an Child or Adult) you did not know or care, about exact scale fidelity. Truthfully, I think the Switchers kits look better than many of the old AMT '32 Fords, any way. And the MPC Fords offer some great engine and wheel options. There is a Joyfulness in the Switcher kits, that no Model today will ever have or attempt to attain, with today's Adult Oriented Marketing and Budget Constraints.

Lastly because many people like them, and I suspect not all of the people who like them today, are the folks who built them when they first appeared in the 1970's.

I get that. But even if you don't care about accuracy or proportions and detail, still if there is an option that comes together easier and delivers better results, why would you cause yourself the frustration of the crude poorly fitting molds of the old thing. I truly enjoy "Gone With The Wind", the first James Bonds  and some of the ridiculous black and white movies. But I'm not gonna watch them on a 50 year old TV set without remote or play them on a Beta Max tapes. 

    I don't understand certain things in the hobby, no matter how hard I try to make sense of them. Like the same people who would vote for the 9812th variation of a '53 Ford pick up truck over a brand new model, just because the previous 9811 variations did not have the extra slot on a hubcap or whatever other minute detail, are the ones cheering on the reissues of old outdated kits which have numerous better alternatives with the argument of the joyfulness in building them over proportions. 

[stavanzer]

28 minutes ago, mrm said:

the joyfulness in building them over proportions. 

Than Maybe for many modelers, proportions do not matter as much as other aspects of the kit........

[Can-Con]

14 hours ago, mrm said:

I get that. But even if you don't care about accuracy or proportions and detail, still if there is an option that comes together easier and delivers better results, why would you cause yourself the frustration of the crude poorly fitting molds of the old thing. I truly enjoy "Gone With The Wind", the first James Bonds  and some of the ridiculous black and white movies. But I'm not gonna watch them on a 50 year old TV set without remote or play them on a Beta Max tapes. 

    I don't understand certain things in the hobby, no matter how hard I try to make sense of them. Like the same people who would vote for the 9812th variation of a '53 Ford pick up truck over a brand new model, just because the previous 9811 variations did not have the extra slot on a hubcap or whatever other minute detail, are the ones cheering on the reissues of old outdated kits which have numerous better alternatives with the argument of the joyfulness in building them over proportions. 

Sometimes you just have to accept that other people don't want to build exactly the same thing you do for the same reasons you have. 

There's models you build that I don't care for and have no interest in building, Michael, but you won't hear from me which ones and for what reasons. 

Everyone builds for different reasons and likes different things. It's something that makes the hobby more interesting.

[Ace-Garageguy]

15 hours ago, mrm said:

I get that. But even if you don't care about accuracy or proportions and detail, still if there is an option that comes together easier and delivers better results, why would you cause yourself the frustration of the crude poorly fitting molds of the old thing. I truly enjoy "Gone With The Wind", the first James Bonds  and some of the ridiculous black and white movies. But I'm not gonna watch them on a 50 year old TV set without remote or play them on a Beta Max tapes. 

    I don't understand certain things in the hobby, no matter how hard I try to make sense of them. Like the same people who would vote for the 9812th variation of a '53 Ford pick up truck over a brand new model, just because the previous 9811 variations did not have the extra slot on a hubcap or whatever other minute detail, are the ones cheering on the reissues of old outdated kits which have numerous better alternatives with the argument of the joyfulness in building them over proportions. 

Kinda the same reasons there are engine guys still trying to wring horsepower out of really-poor-breathing flatheads, rather than just stuff LS engines and Coyotes and Hellcat mills in everything.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

17 hours ago, mrm said:

I get that. But even if you don't care about accuracy or proportions and detail, still if there is an option that comes together easier and delivers better results, why would you cause yourself the frustration of the crude poorly fitting molds of the old thing. I truly enjoy "Gone With The Wind", the first James Bonds  and some of the ridiculous black and white movies. But I'm not gonna watch them on a 50 year old TV set without remote or play them on a Beta Max tapes. 

    I don't understand certain things in the hobby, no matter how hard I try to make sense of them. Like the same people who would vote for the 9812th variation of a '53 Ford pick up truck over a brand new model, just because the previous 9811 variations did not have the extra slot on a hubcap or whatever other minute detail, are the ones cheering on the reissues of old outdated kits which have numerous better alternatives with the argument of the joyfulness in building them over proportions. 

Just to beat the late pony, while there are aspects of the Switchers kits that leave me cold (like the totally incorrect '32 frame rails...which I have used to advantage on a build that just needed some basic generic rails), there are parts that can be useful. For instance, the bodies of the '32 variants, while not correct, are much better dimensionally than any of AMT's '32s, and can be effectively used to represent bodies modified for whatever reason.

AND...I particularly enjoy collecting and building HO-scale model railroad "craftsman" kits from the 1940s through fairly recent repops. In many cases, much more accurate ready-to-run models of the same subjects are available for kinda spendy money, and while I CAN afford them, I don't derive much pleasure from just buying something and plunking it down on a layout.

The old RR kits are CHALLENGING, which is one big reason so many survived in a virgin state, and with applied skill and forethought and perseverance, they can build up into models that visually rival anything currently available for mucho bucks. Overcoming their "shortcomings" is, to me, a large part of the "fun".

I also derive "fun" rescuing other peoples' castoffs, and turning them into something worth keeping. Why? I have no idea. But I enjoy it. And as no humans, animals, or inanimate objects are harmed in the process, why not? 

 

 

Edited August 24, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy

[Radretireddad]

20 hours ago, Can-Con said:

It came later. Note that this ad is from April '73, the "keep on Trucking" kit is dated '74.

Ok, thanks for clearing that up.

[Dave Darby]

On 8/23/2024 at 8:21 PM, mrm said:

I get that. But even if you don't care about accuracy or proportions and detail, still if there is an option that comes together easier and delivers better results, why would you cause yourself the frustration of the crude poorly fitting molds of the old thing. I truly enjoy "Gone With The Wind", the first James Bonds  and some of the ridiculous black and white movies. But I'm not gonna watch them on a 50 year old TV set without remote or play them on a Beta Max tapes. 

    I don't understand certain things in the hobby, no matter how hard I try to make sense of them. Like the same people who would vote for the 9812th variation of a '53 Ford pick up truck over a brand new model, just because the previous 9811 variations did not have the extra slot on a hubcap or whatever other minute detail, are the ones cheering on the reissues of old outdated kits which have numerous better alternatives with the argument of the joyfulness in building them over proportions. 

What's wrong with the AMT 53 Ford Pickup? It's a well proportioned kit with nice detail. And the only game in town for a stock 53. Those old reissues are like comfort food for some of us. Why the Switchers based kits?  They make great parts kits for one thing. While some of the parts are indeed crude, the mag wheels are great. Either way, to each their own.

 

Edited August 25, 2024 by Dave Darby

[Ace-Garageguy]

4 hours ago, Dave Darby said:

What's wrong with the AMT 53 Ford Pickup? It's a well proportioned kit with nice detail. And the only game in town for a stock 53. Those old reissues are like comfort food for some of us. Why the Switchers based kits?  They make great parts kits for one thing. While some of the parts are indeed crude, the mag wheels are great. Either way, to each their own.

Agreed...and really the equal of any of the current stuff, including the Japanese offerings. It's an excellent piece of tooling all around.

[Ulf]

The joy of building comes high for me, if it is not fun, nothing gets done.
To ever build an AMT 32 from its limitations is like a subculture in the model building world, I failed 25 years ago but now I am reloading(collecting parts) that to build a few parts count soft details not correct roadster. 

[James2]

Good thing there are as many model options as there are opinions on this board, otherwise there wouldn't be anything to talk about.

Think I'll go work on a model now, you know just for fun.... 

[slusher]

On 8/24/2024 at 9:37 PM, Dave Darby said:

What's wrong with the AMT 53 Ford Pickup? It's a well proportioned kit with nice detail. And the only game in town for a stock 53. Those old reissues are like comfort food for some of us. Why the Switchers based kits?  They make great parts kits for one thing. While some of the parts are indeed crude, the mag wheels are great. Either way, to each their own.

 

One of my favorite models, and has All kinds of potential . I have 3 and a parts truck"..

[stavanzer]

All this talk about the Switcher's '32 has me wanting one. Now, I've got to get to HL in the next couple months and get the Coca-Cola Sedan kit.

[Chris V]

The "Switchers" kits have always struck me as quite toylike but great parts kits!

I wish Round2 would include the I-beam front axle from the "Milner's Coupé" version in other versions of the Switchers '32 Kits, though.