The nightmare in my closet; what is your personal unfinished project, and why?

[Wickersham Humble]

Every modeler has a bete noir, an unfinished project kit that defies completion every time you fearfully drag it out!  Or, maybe more than one -- poor souls!

Some kit that was begun with high hopes, great expectations of a distinguished, innovative build, but now for whatever reason, refuses to come together for you?  Most of these have interesting stories (why you didn't just give up on it and consign it to the parts box might be one) and occasionally, a happy ending.  Tell me about yours! What kit inspired it?  How long ago was it begun?  What stopped the process?  Skills? Parts availability? Misguided cutting or cementing?  Or, just a design dead-end, something that seems misbegotten now, and not deserving of a full completion?  And, now why can't you just toss it?

If you're like me, you've had several, and possibly like me you've seen your modeling career approach 'the red zone of life' and began forcing the issue on a few old kits.  One of mine is an original year AMT '49 Ford Coupe that was quickly finished back in '62, then in the early '80's, dismantled to re-do a disappointing paint job.  The candy blue rat-can treatment I'd done over shaded gold and white just didn't charm me anymore, and a friend who also did 1/1 body work came over with a pint of a Chrysler glam color that had been catalyzed and offered it, which I accepted  --since the body had been stripped and primered already.  Already in the midst of some big-car bodywork, I put the '49 on a painting stand, fired up my DeVilbis EGA gun, and shot the body and hood, which came out very nicely.  Then -- as the day was cold, I moved an infrared lamp over to keep it warm and aide the curing process. Long story shortened; the light stand's adjuster slipped, unbeknownst to me, and neatly melted the coupe's roof into a blog, taking some fender with it as well!  I could't bear to toss it, so I hacked of the roof the next day, and tossed it back into a box with its interior, etc.  It must have been twenty years later I uncovered the project, kicked the spiders out, and decided to salvage it as a 'fifties lead-sled 'kustom', a natural idea...?  I did a 1/4in. section job, which helped in the salvaging of the melted residue oft the fender, added '55 Chevy front-fender tops and 'eyebrows', pancaked the hood, created a 'catfish mouth' grille opening that would take a Corvair blade bumper, dug up real 'fifteis cruiser skirts (from a '60 AMT kit, preserved in my stash), ditto for the rear treatment, made the cat's-eye tailights round, and added the piece d'resistance, a huge jet exhaust on the trunk lid.  This because I'd eventually eliminated the rear seat area, and used half-round to make a full tuck n' roll interior.  The windshield frame had vanished with the melted roof, so that became a bubble style.  I also got out old JoHan 'flipper' wheel covers and a lonely Buick 'Nailhead' V-8 to go along.  

But, then I mocked it up, and was chagrined; all that work hadn't produced much more than a parody of an olde tyme custom -- so now it sits.  I'm trying to decide if a really radical paint scheme would save the kit, or maybe just give it up as a bad job.  When I post pics of it, maybe I'll get some feedback.  Frankly, I'm tempted to do a version of the SoCal coupe scheme, only maybe with white and metallic blue, with white-blue alternating upholstery stripes.  Or, just fall back on finishing the twenty kits or so I've vowed to complete before my show closes for good.

What is lurking in a musty box in your closets?  Bring out your dead! ?

Wick

[gtx6970]

I have several. Including a couple that simply comes down to or all of the following

Sometimes its a parts availability is the issue 

How to do something I want to do can be a barrier 

 

Sometimes I just get distracted and it gets forgotten about

Only to be found years later 

How many I have in said que ?, Deep down I have no idea . But its several for sure 

Edited 4 hours ago by gtx6970

[johnyrotten]

I've got a couple. Drag and drive Nova wagon and a modded Jaguar. It mostly boils down to time, skill and interest in that particular project. And I'm kinda keen on not building something similar to what someone else is.  My stash is broken up into fun builds, "learners" and the one's where nothing short of my abilities will cut it. I tend to be critical of my craftsmanship or lack of, that turns certain projects into "work" in my mind.

[Radretireddad]

Mine is a stock body conversion/kit bash on the old LA dart. Fitting the chassis, engine and interior from a Mueller era Duster was the easy part. Summoning the will to do everything the body needs is another matter. It currently occupies the eternal scrap or finish realm of my essence.

Edited yesterday at 09:31 PM by Radretireddad

[Ace-Garageguy]

More than I can count, mostly because I ran up against something I needed to research further, something I needed to develop a little more skill to tackle successfully, and most recently just a lack of time and motivation due to real life getting in the way.

Probaballly, maybelly, get back in the groove over the long weekend coming up.

[Brutalform]

Having around eight builds going on at the same time is kind of the norm for me. But, the few that are put away, to be honest, I really don’t know why I haven’t pulled them out, to work on, or finish. Usually, if I’m just not feeling it, I most likely will not work on it. I suppose it’s the same reason, when I get an idea to build a particular car, go and purchase the kit, and get stuff together, and not start it for a while. Which we all know, contributes to a big stash. Now you got me thinking about pulling a few of those stored builds out, when I clear my bench of the eight I’m working on. My Mel Burns 1963 Ford 300 427 is almost ready for paint and final assembly. I need a decent front bench seat. I guess that’s why it is just sitting in storage. 

Edited 21 hours ago by Brutalform

[Big Messer]

Every time I start something new all the rest of the started stack gets pushed back some more.... Not very proud of myself but it is what it is.

[bobss396]

I am the president of the BACK IN THE BOX! club. 

Maybe my OCD, dyslexia plays a part on it too. I have more than... ahem... a few stalled projects put away. I did finish 1 this year. 

Most are at least half done, maybe further. I hit a road block, need to come up with solutions, etc. On the plus side, new parts cone out that help me get done back on track.

[Big Messer]

I hate painting. This will explain many of the bogged down ones.

[bobss396]

2 minutes ago, Big Messer said:

Every time I start something new all the rest of the started stack gets pushed back some more.... Not very proud of myself but it is what it is.

I get an idea... and I jump into another project far too easily. I'm glad I'm not the only one that does that.

I have even scavenged stalled projects for parts. I try not to store them with aftermarket parts in the boxes. I like to leave notes with them, in or on the boxes.

[Big Messer]

14 minutes ago, Brutalform said:

Having around eight builds going on at the same time is kind of the norm for me. But, the few that are put away, to be honest, I really don’t know why I haven’t pulled them out, to work on, or finish. Usually, if I’m just not feeling it, I most likely will not work on it. I suppose it’s the same reason, when I get an idea to build a particular car, go and purchase the kit, and get stuff together, and not start it for a while. Which we all know, contributes to a big stash. Now you got me thinking about pulling a few of those stored builds out, when I clear my bench of the eight I’m working on. My Mel Burns 1963 Ford 300 427 is almost ready for paint and final assembly. I need a decent front bench seat. I guess that’s why it is just sitting in storage. 

ONLY EIGHT???. You are not even a beginner procrastinator... 

[bobss396]

1 minute ago, Big Messer said:

I hate painting. This will explain many of the bogged down ones.

For me, the rough scratch building is the fun part. 

I build models like real cars, the paint is last. Everything has to fit as best as possible.

I see lots of guys who paint the body first. This is risky to me.

I don't mind painting at all. I keep it simple, stick to my method. If I take a few months off from painting. I get rusty.

[bobss396]

1 minute ago, Big Messer said:

ONLY EIGHT???. You are not even a beginner procrastinator... 

Those are rookie numbers in this game... 

I likely have around 20 plus in my stalled queue.

[Big Messer]

1 minute ago, bobss396 said:

Those are rookie numbers in this game... 

I likely have around 20 plus in my stalled queue.

I can just recall around 20. I am certain there are more.

[Bills72sj]

I am generally pretty good at finishing what I started even with running 4-5 builds simultaneously. However this project took From August 2006 to April 2022 to finish. I painted both tractors and both trailers the same week. I built both trailers and one tractor within the first year. I got a wild hair and decided to attempt LEDs with working flashers into an already painted body. Consequently, it stalled. Not for lack of materials or skill. Simply for the apprehension in carving in lights with a paint job with paint that was no longer available. I finally decided to bail on the lights because, I grew weary of an incomplete set of custom car haulers. Below is a mini progression of the result.

[Wickersham Humble]

These are pics of the '49 Ford that has been bedeviling my workbench the worst though not the longest, I find.  I have a Stombecker 'Scarab' racer (actually was a kit with motorization optional) from 1959 or '60 that is only half finished; somehow I even saved the complete decal sheet intact!  Bill E. is making replica wheels for it right now; Halibrands.

Ford: I tried to keep it really 'fifties style, but somehow a '60 Valiant dash was grafted on, and I think the Buick mill is from the Tommy Ivo dragster kit.  Shown are sections from the body cut first longitudinally, and in desperation vertically to get a pleasing shape.  Fitting it's a 'lead sled' style; the car is mostly Bondo and layers of epoxy primer (PPG).  At least the Continental Kit spare is from a real 1960 Continental!  The two stles of flipper caps are from JoHan, the classic Dodge Lancer style, saved for about 65 years!  Shall I move it to the top of the 'to do' list, or back into limbo?   Wick

[Straightliner59]

I've slayed a good portion of the longest-term projects I had going, over the last eight years. Many of those had been languishing for over twenty years. The biggest, for me, was getting my scratchbuilt Nostalgia Top Fuel Dragster off the bench. I was afraid I didn't have the skills to finish it, back in the late '90s. Once it was completed, I realized that I was more afraid of forgetting something crucial, along the way! Otherts of those include a Monogram Midget, one of their Don Edmunds Supermods, a Rat Packer, a junior fuel dragster with a scratchbuilt body and induction system. A couple that remain are a Peterbilt 352 single-drive day cab, and, my quest to scratchbuild a replica of The Surfers' dragster. The chassis for that is built, and many of the parts gathered.

[Beans]

Why things go back in the box for me:

1.  Waiting on aftermarket parts or tires or engine.  Spent hobby budget on a new kit rather than the parts for the old kit.  

2.  Engine and interior turned out great, now I'm scared i am going to screw up the paint  or just need to buy paint but where did the hobby budget money go.....oh yeah,  new kit

3. I'm bored of this....why did I want to build this again??  I don't even like this car.....plus I just got that new kit...

[stitchdup]

Mine go back in the box for various reasons but the biggest is my attention gets grabbed by something else or i find a random part that sets of a whole new build. i have a jetta that only needs the suspension and wheels fitted but it back in the box as the state its in now gives me the measurements i need for my golf build. I've got a revell merc that only needs flocked and the wheels chromed to be finished but that isn't my mood at the moment so it can wait a while. Theres loads more paused for various reasons but i do work onmost of them from time to time, except the miniart road tractor, its probably in the box for a while as i can barely see half the parts, lol

[bobss396]

If i were to really buckle down and focus on some of mine, I could finish some easily in a week.

Example: I have an AMT '40 Ford with a minor paint issue on one lower rear fender. The rest of the car is 99% done.

Another '40 Ford, I'm doing the OG blue box art one. I found a sheet of Chimneyville decals, but they are far too old to use. I'm going to have to reach out to SMS decals and have them make them.

I suffer from terminal procrastination, I have OCD and am dyslexic on top of that. I all but avoid email usage, I have PTSD on that front from my working days.

[drodg]

I am famous for starting a new kit and leaving the rest behind.  I just told my wife two weeks ago that I cannot work on two kits at once even if they are totally different.  I often build 1/43 kits   and you would think I could work on a resin 1/43 Porsche GT3 race car and a Johan 1969 Roadrunner at the same time.  Nope one will fall by the way!!!

[Wickersham Humble]

Do I detect a trend in these admissions?  It strikes a chord with me; on some occasions, there is a hesitation to finish the project because: 1.) the finished model(or my redesign concept) might not turn out to be the show-stopper that I'd intended it to be, but in some respects a big disappointment, or B.) that my vision (or skills) may not actually be up to the challenge I've set, and 'refer back to item 1.)' !

Finding parts in the market or the forums that will allow the triumphant completion of a kit project is a big thrill, obviously, after one has searched for literally years.  Acquiring a new skill of accessing a new service in the hobby that facilitates the same good result is very satisfying.  Sometimes just swapping for a better body (despite nostalgic connections with the one I started with, perhaps sixty years ago, can boost a good build into glorious completion, too.  Note: some of the models/build sequences seen in MCM are at once inspiring, and then frustrating because of their perfection -- and I know for certain that despite my original high hopes, I simply can't build at that masterful level.  Now that I'm ancient, I find I must just build for my own satisfaction, however limited.  Being too ambitious is a corollary problem, for me!  What did Robert Burns say ...?

But, sometimes in my case, it's comes down to being chicken to risk finishing up a kit, thus acknowledging that all the time and brain-strain that I'd invested would have been far better spent on a new build, especially one that had been tempting me for some time!!  I"ve had that same creepy feeling when looking through my drawings and printmaking attempts:  that what is there on the paper is the best I'm gonna' get on that inspiration.  I've posted probably too much on the Auto Art forum, but in my art stash probably have potentially much better material still ready for shading, or color, or some other necessary adjunct.  Maybe now I'll face up to reality and get some of those 'works of art' done -- for better or worse!  Wick

PS/ At least I'm in contention for nightmare unfinished kit projects held in limbo for the longest time?  One or two at least 65 years now!