"Grokable" kits

[MrObsessive]

The threads about the new 1/12 scale Trumpeter Ford GT40 had some interesting responses.........especially when it came down to price. Crispy (Chris B.) mentioned that he might buy the kit, if only just to "grok" it.

Now some of you newbies (and Oldies) are probably wondering---------What's the meaning of "grok"?

It's basically this-----at least my definition of it.........

You buy a kit of a car because you really like the car. In my case that would include most '50's/early '60's cars 'cuz that's the stuff I first saw on the road as a little kid. However, your intention may never to build the model, just look at it's parts, "air" build it in your mind, and size up the different ways you might do this.

You pick up an look at the parts on the tree, check out the body, and look over the instruction sheet. You may do this numerous times, until one day-----it's 10 years later, and the kit is still unbuilt in the box.

So my question is............How many of you buy a kit, to end up groking it----------intentional or not?

BTW, now I can admit I DID put in a preorder for that GT40! The kit just looks too nice to pass up! I preordered it from Strada Sports while the price is "reasonable". I may never build it, but I'll have a lot of fun just "groking" it.

[Len Woodruff]

I pre-order my kit from Strada a couple of weeks ago. Now I am looking for the after market parts while not even know what will come with the kit. With 1/12 scale these things are harder to find. Anybody know where I can get some

1/12 Coil Overs, Some turned aluminum rotors etc.

I will build but I will do the Red Gurney/Foyt car #3

[randx0]

Bill my kits are all grok fodder. the ones that tend to stay grokked and not built are the ones that are expensive or rare enough that I don't want to screw them up . I bought an opel GT a number of years back before they were repopped but never built it because I wanted to add a lot more detail than was in the original kit .You know like real windows that roll up and down doors that open etc. however my skills aren't where they need to be for my vision so it waits . I guess it is the ones that I can't replace or are too expensive to replace .

[robertw]

That's an easy one.

I picked up the new Revell Germany tour bus a couple of months back. I ran across it in a hobby shop, they had it on sale and I couldn't resist.

Will I build it? Very unlikely!! The box is so big that I keep tripping over it, I don't think my workbench is big enough to build it on and if I ever did build it I'm not sure I've got a shelf in the display case big enough to display it on.

I keep asking myself why I bought it but every time I open the box my mind tells me how cool it would look then I start to day dream of converting it to a huge motor home or a race team carrier. That I think is true "groking".

rob w

[LDO]

Stutz Blackhawk LSR by Etzel's Speed Classics. It's a beautiful little kit. I'm just not sure I'll build it. Oh what the heck? I have two of them. I can build one and collect the other

[Jeff Johnston]

Hmmmm.....

I truly intend to build every kit I buy. Though, I definitely have a few that are sitting there, waiting for the right day, or the right motivation, or the right inspiraiton, or the sun and the moon to be in the right allignment...or...

Those, for me, would be an unbuilt Bandai Fiat X 1/9, an unbuilt AMT 67 Galaxie, a sealed 74 Ford pickup, and a few others.

For the Galaxie I think I am waiting until I have another one...which someday I will.

But it's an interesting question. I have some that I've bought, and never started. Or, I painted the body and put it away (I have a lot of those) Others I buy and start right away. I can't explain it.

Case and point. I've had the 70 Mustang for a year, and just started it recently. But I also bought the Ghost Rider Vette last week (ebay), and its already painted, cleared, and the interior has a coat of paint on it.

I don't get it

[Harry P.]

BTW, now I can admit I DID put in a preorder for that GT40! The kit just looks too nice to pass up! I preordered it from Strada Sports while the price is "reasonable". I may never build it, but I'll have a lot of fun just "groking" it.

Wow... that's a whole lotta $$$ for a kit you're only going to "look at" and possibly never build!

Hey, when you're done looking at it, send it to me...I'll build it!

[Blue coyote]

I'll tell ya in a couple of weeks, when my Entex 1:16 Cobra II is here, and when I know if I won my other Holy Grail model.

And I think Bob Heinlein (R.I.P.) would be proud of your use of HIS word. I think you've caught the spirit of it perfectly.

[crispy]

As Bill mentioned, I'd love to get one to grok with very good intentions to build. I do as Jeff said as well, which is intend to build each kit I buy. With that said I do have some grokability kits.

Most of the Fujimi Enthusiast series Ferrari kits for one, the Tamiya Porsche Carrera GT clear version and the Ferrari Enzo FXX.

I also have the super large Testors Lamborghini Countach. A kit I had dreamed about since I was a kid and saw it at the LHS. Back then the $88 for it was too much. It's another I plan on building, but I certainly love to grok it.

The Ford GT-40 is another kit I would love to have. Head of Finances gave me a eyebrow smirk. In layman's terms, means NO. I'll get one eventually. If only to grok it.......

Chris

[george 53]

I got a Tamiya 1/12th scale Lola T-70 Coupe that I've had for over 10 years, just "Grokking" material,as I DON'T have any instruction sheets! I've had 2 forum brothers send me some, but I don't have my printer hooked up to download them. Brendon,another Forum brother, is sending me a REAL set if instruction sheets, so, maybe, It'll change from a Grokking kit,to a wip kit!

[FujimiLover]

I think for me it'll probably be my 1/24 Koenig Specials Lamborghini Countach "Enthusiasts Model". It's so complex, so many darn peices, opening doors, and what not. Aiming for perfection, I wish to practice on less complicated models first. I've opened it yesterday when I received it and had a look at everything. Very cool, but very complex. It'll probably sit for a long time before I start on it.

[MrObsessive]

I'll tell ya in a couple of weeks, when my Entex 1:16 Cobra II is here, and when I know if I won my other Holy Grail model.

And I think Bob Heinlein (R.I.P.) would be proud of your use of HIS word. I think you've caught the spirit of it perfectly.

I had heard the word grok years ago, but didn't remember who said it or where I first saw it in print.

Foreigners may be scratching their heads saying.........."What the............?"

"Grokable" is a word I came up with as some kits or definitely "grok worthy"-------they're just too nice to take out of the box and "devirginize" them.

Hey that's a new word for ya!

[Rob Hall]

I had heard the word grok years ago, but didn't remember who said it or where I first saw it in print.

Foreigners may be scratching their heads saying.........."What the............?"

"Grokable" is a word I came up with as some kits or definitely "grok worthy"-------they're just too nice to take out of the box and "devirginize" them.

Hey that's a new word for ya!

I'm used to the term being used by old school computer scientists... i.e. to grok something is to know it very deeply, inside and out. I think the term may have originated in the sci-fi world w/ Heinlein. I got into the computer world about 20 years ago, but have read extensively about the history of the industry and the geek world I work and live in.

As far as grokable kits, I've been tempted to get the RoG bus... not sure when I'd build it, it would probably go to a storage unit with my other 1500 or so unbuilts.

My RoG BMW 7 series and Merc 560SEL and Fujimi Enthusiast series Ferraris are fun to just sit and grok.

I'm not into large scale kits, but I would love to grok the parts trees and instructions of Tamiya F1 kits and their large Lola and others..

Edited April 6, 2009 by Rob Hall

[FujimiLover]

Can I list a future Geoke? Those big 1/18 scale Koenig Specials models, and the 1/43 resin Koenig models. Anybody noticed by now how much I love Koenig Specials?

[Blue coyote]

Yes, the word "grok" was coined by Heinlein in the science fiction CLASSIC book (and I just KNOW that some will recognize the name, even if not the original source...) "Stranger in a Strange Land".

I read the book many (MANY) years ago, and yes, the transition fits. Heck of a good book, too, BTW...

And as an update, along with the Entex 1/16 Cobra II, I have purchased my one and only likely candidate to grok...

my grail model

I'm not even worried about the two Fox kits, even though they are both fairly rare. That 1:16 Ghia is only the second one I've even seen a picture of...

[LDO]

... and the 1/43 resin Koenig models. Anybody noticed by now how much I love Koenig Specials?

Did you see the 1/43 Koenig BB512 that's on ebay right now?

[torinobradley]

Every kit I have, unbuilt or in the junk box is grok fodder. My son (8yo) even gets into the act by taking the bodies and my boxes of wheels and see's how they look with the different wheel & tire combos...

Seriously, groking is sometimes the only modeling I have time for... Not only that, it helps with the kit bashing obsession some of us seem to have. I just never knew there was a name for studying the parts of the kit and building them in your mind. That, and I didn't think there was anyone else that did the same thing I did. You know, imagineering the kit together in a unique way... How's that for a new word???

[FujimiLover]

Imagineering isn't a new word.

And yes I have seen the 1/43 Koenig models on ebay but they are beyond my budget......................for now.

Edited April 6, 2009 by FujimiLover

[B_rad88]

here is a grokable kit i couldn't build right now, 1 its sold out and 2 lots and lots of parts its in 1/12 scale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

say hello to my little friend: http://www.autoplacemodel.com/product/prod...gtcomplete.html

its a f50 gt transkit for a 1/12 scale tamyia ferrari f50

Edited April 6, 2009 by KUZTOMMODELS88

[sfhess]

Fujimi Alpina B6 (BMW 635) with metal parts. Grok-able and heavy. I can't believe how much stuff is crammed into that box.......

[CAL]

I think for me it'll probably be my 1/24 Koenig Specials Lamborghini Countach "Enthusiasts Model". It's so complex, so many darn peices, opening doors, and what not. Aiming for perfection, I wish to practice on less complicated models first. I've opened it yesterday when I received it and had a look at everything. Very cool, but very complex. It'll probably sit for a long time before I start on it.

Oh yeah, I have that one in the same status. and the Diablo with opening doors.

I have had every intention on building every model I got.

The ones least likely to get built any time soon are those hard to find rare, oop, kits that I only have one of. I am a bit more likely to build the ones that I can replace easy or have dups of.

[FujimiLover]

I'm also getting the Koenig Diablo soon as well. It's not an enthusiast model so I don't think it's as complicated to build as the Countach. I'll more likely build the Diablo than the Countach.

[Ken]

Right now, the 'grokable' kit for me is the Tamiya Enzo. I have three and started on one. I got worried I wouldn't finish it like I wanted and back in the box it went. Now it get pulled out when I am bored and looking for a new project. Just sitting there, looking at the trees and the amount of time, designing and planning that went into those molds, make me want to finish it better than my abilities right now will allow. So I sit and stare and then start something else...

[Ben]

Did you say Grok, or grope? LOL I have groped quite a few kits!!!!!!!

This post makes me feel a lot better! I was starting to think I was the only one! I have literally hundreds and hundreds of kits that I Grok!

Don't get me wrong, i'm not afraid to build them but I also really enjoy having them, unbuilt where I can open them up, inspect all the cool parts and think of how I want it to look when i'm done!

A couple kits I have sitting here that fall into that catagory are the Renwall visible chassis, mint in a mint box with every single part inventoried. I bought one of those big Testors visible Hemi's to put into it! How cool would that be!!!!!!!!!!!!

Problem is, I have nowhere to put it if I do build it!!!!!!!! LOL

It sure is cool to have it sitting there though whispering "buuiiilllld meeeee".

Thats the one thing I try hard to avoid is that feeling of "man, I sure wish I would have bought that when it was available"!

I always try to buy at least two of every kit when possible. One to Grok and one to build.

I have been checking out that Trumpter GT40 and i'll probably get one! It's a little pricey but for what all you get, it seems worth it to me!!!!!

I know i'd be bummed out if I miss it and the price shoots up to 500.00!

[camaroman]

My big "groks" are my AM Grans Sport Vettes, But I love lusting at the parts.....