Parental Support and Car Modeling

[FloridaBoy]

I was just sanding down a 40 Ford coupe I am re-doing from the early sixties when I realized my late father was very crucial in its original design. It is sectioned with new headlights, wheel wells, frame mods all done back in 62 and won me a slew of contests. But the corduroy interior has decayed and the body work is still intact, so it became a candidate for a re-do. But the memories of how my parents supported my hobby, despite some problems I caused in the house with it (the overspray on the laundry was a little hard for them to stomach), but they prevailed and often each of them added to my hobby.

At first, I built the original AMT 1958 3in1 kits right out of the box with lots of decals, skirts, louvres, moons and such. My parents knew I liked cars and trains, but treated it like "what the kid is up to now". A crucial time was when I built a model display home diorame for my dad, a homebuilding contractor, from scratch over a long weekend for a presentation, that he became REAL interested in what I was doing. That little project got my dad right into things, and he was a "car guy", and taught me to use model/hobby tools, how to spray from a can, pay attention to details, etc. He even took me to a garage and went over the underside of a car and from that point on, I became "one of the first down here" to actually paint an underside.

My mother taught me color combos and brought corduroy and naugahyde samples from the cloth store. Dad started to include me in maintenance of the family cars, but even most of all, they would drive me, before I was old enough to drive, to the numerous hobby shows in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, go to hobby shop windows at night to see how my cars did in the contests, model car club meetings, drag strips, car shows (they were in Miami then) and encouraged me all along the way. When I won my first trophy, we all celebrated over a dinner at WT Grant's (my favorite back then), took pictures and scrapbooked it. When I won 3 Pegasus trophies in 1963 it was my dad and mom who contacted the Ft Lauderdale News and I was featured in an article. Often both would say how proud they were of my results.

The real moment came on Mother's Day in 1965 when the Ft Lauderdale police busted the entire beach population for drinking, and they thought I would be there. I was at a friend's house doing last minute work to models I was entering in a contest the next day. Not only were they relieved that they wouldn't be bailing me out of jail, but real thankful I was building cars and not there that night. Model cars got a big push of support then.

When I was away at college, my parents carefully saved all of my models and unbuilt kits and brought them to my first home at the homecoming party. Up until his death in 2003, Dad was always interested in my car projects.

Now I have a son. When he was 8, after building a few school project dioramas with him, he was ready for a build. I taught him how to glue and paint and he finished a curbside MPC 40 Ford, and we entered it in Junior Category at a TCSAS contest in West Palm Beach. He won!!!! We were on our way, but then along comes Pokemon, Beanie Babies, Playstation, XBox, and other stuff, and I thought I lost him.

However, he stayed with me over the Labor day weekend, and started a Revell 56 Chevy, and asked to keep it out for his return on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The seed was planted. I couldn't be happier. BTW, he sold the Playstation and XBox, and now only has GuitarHero.

What a guy.

I didn't realize until working on my 40 now important both my dad and mom were to my progress at building, and now my son has a little impetus, consider it a real blessing.

Ken "FloridaBoy" Willaman

Edited September 25, 2009 by FloridaBoy

[Matt LeBlanc]

My parents supported me 100%.They always knew where i was and what i spent my money on.My dad built my first one the AMT dealer issue 36 ford coupe.Building model cars taught me about 1-1 cars.My dad still comes over and looks at what i'm building(My mom died in 83).I thank them for starting me down this path.

[BigGary]

My folks bought me maybe 1 or 2 models, the rest I bought with what I earned. 

My son became interested after he saw me building.  When he was 5 yrs. old, I was working on a  1/72 scale Fokker tri-plane, you know Red Baron.    I had very carefully painted everything before assembly. It was all ready to put together when I got home that night. My 5 year old beat me too it. It was glue-bombed together with 3X too much glue. He really did a pretty good job considering his age. I told him it was my model and I wanted to finish it, but he had done a good job and I would help him do better on the next one of his own. He built many models after that. In high school he had a teacher that helped the boys build armor models during lunch. It was a small school. He is currently working on a Tamiya motorcycle I got him at Hobby Lobby for $8.39! It was regularly $40.

It must be in the genes.

Gary

[LoneWolf15]

Ken,

My mom and dad were always supportive of the hobby and still are to this very day. I had to laugh about your comment about overspray in the laundry room , guilty as charged , sorry , Mom ! My daughter wanted in at a very early age and traveled with me to many shows over a 6 year period of time . She was well on her way as a builder and was quite talented with the airbrush when she decided that she wanted to pursue other avenues. Softall now rules the day, which is perfectly fine with me !

Now a days , my girlfriend Kathie has become my right hand , she is now building and working with me in the shop. Callie Rae still helps out on occasion , she was instrumental in the development of Donn Yost

dvds and lent a hand in the prep work for the shoots . As a matter of fact , she will be in the shop today , helping us to prepare for this Sunday's show in Pgh. Callie still has an interest in model building , I'd love to see her go back to it someday. The memories of her excitement when we were going to the shows , her winning awards , and her passion for the hobby are priceless. I will never forget them !

I now have my nephews and nieces interested , along with Kathie , my hands are quite full ! Parents need to go beyond simply buying the kits and supplies. They need to sit down and work shoulder to shoulder with their child and build the kit with them. They will never forget that time spent together and neither will the parents.The memories are beyond measure !

Donn Yost

[Trans Am Erik]

My Dad is who got me into modeling. He would be building one and I would help. After a while he'd help me with a part or two. As the years went on i would finish a car, take it to show him and he'd tell me i did a good job and show me how to do the next one better. Unfortunately, I diddn't take constructive critisisim very well. ( ) After the grumbling I'd do the next one better. One day I took my ZZ TOP Eliminator to show him. His eyes got wide as he looked it over. After a minute he put it down and said "WOW! That looks awesome." It's probably my favorite car in my collection.

[george 53]

Over the years, only my Big Brudder Art, was interested in my models. Mom an Dad were just glad they kept me out of trouble. Funny, now that I think of it, they NEVER bought me one. they ALWAYS bought me practical(in their opinion) gifts,clothes, regular toys, bikes, stuff like that. But my MUCH OLDER sisters ALWAYS bought me a model car for my B-days,an at Christmas I'd get at least 4 of them(one from each) Mom always was after me to keep my room clean an would get mad if I had parts all over the bed, dresser, ect. One day she threatened to throw my stuff away, an I went to my Pop to ask him ta calm her down, which he did. Then he hooked me up MY OWN corner in the basement an told me not to build in my room anymore, an my Ma would chill out. So I did, an so she did!. I kept that corner for the rest of my youth. When I left home for the service, it stayed just as I left it, an when I'd come home on leave I'd go down an mess around with something I'd left 1 year before! When I got out,an my folks retired to Texas, my model corner was still there. I ALWAYS appericiated my Dad comin thru for me like he did, an I hope he knew it. Now my Ma looks at my models on the shelfs in my basement, an jus laughs that I still do it. Joy has built models too, I still have about a dozen that she built right along with mine on my shelfs. Someday, God willing, I'll have Emmi's AND Carters models up there too. I never think about how long I've been doin it, caz I been doin it ALL my life. Hopefully I'll still be doin it till I no longer can! I DO love this hobby, it's been MORE than that to me. More like an old freind who's always been there for me. Theresa knows what my cars mean to me, an she's ALWAYS been on my side about them. NEVER have had words with her about them, in 37,goin on 38 years of marrage. She always goes to the toyshows with me, only reason she won't be at Toledo with me is caz she can't hang all day. But I CAN!!!

[Chuck Most]

I'm not really sure how I got into car modeling- my dad used to build, but he stopped back in the '70's. I started when I was six, then got out of it, then jumped back into it about five years ago and haven't looked back since!

My parents have always been supportive, though probably because they know all that clutter piled up in the workshop would eventually become a model.

[mr moto]

Not too long ago I was at the LHS on a Sunday afternoon looking at the kits and having the usual crazy thoughts but not really there for any particular reason. A guy walked up and asked me a question about a kit (I don't remember what) and we struck up a conversation. He grew up in a bad part of town (seems like most places have one nowadays) raised by a single mom so there wasn't much money to go around but there were plenty of free opportunities to get into trouble. Well, despite the lack of money his mom always bought kits and supplies for him. She knew he was at home, out of trouble's way, and spending his time learning some reasoning skills and developing concentration and the ability to stick to a task - rare qualities today. He turned out okay. Never got in any trouble, stayed in school, got a job. He was in the hobby shop looking for a kit to bring home to his son even though he doesn't bring home a lot of money. He could stop at that shop because it's on a bus route. A really nice guy. Looking back on it, I wish I had gotten his name to stay in touch.

[Randy Kern]

My start in model cars was more from my big brother, but my mother did allow me to get kits quite often. She knew where I was, and I was keeping out of trouble. I helped my daughter do a few when she was about 11 or 12, with no pushing, she got three or four done and that was it before the teen years. My son (NickF40) probably got into building models with my influence, but again I didn't push him, and he's been keeping at it now for about 5 years. Although, as it seems with everybody else, he got his first car, and the building has slowed considerably. I am proud of how much better a builder he has become, and how much he has learned about the hobby, hopefully from my support. Here's to the younger modelers! Keep on building!

By the way Donn, will you be at the NNL Nat's? If so, see you there!

[Randy Kern]

Hi, Dave! Nick told me you made the trek down to the MAMA meeting. That IS quite a haul! Will you be out at the NNL Nat's, also? Hope to see you at a MAMA meeting sometime. I don't get down there too often, but see Lyle and a few other MAMA members at the CPMCC meetings. As for girlfriends, I told Nick if you want to have money to spend on your car or models, don't get a girlfriend!

[Scott Colmer]

I started building models at 4 with a partially built Black Widow. My parents never really offered advice, but they did help keep me in new kits, and they tolerated the fumes and paint spills. I would occasionally bring out my latest Tom Daniel build, still squishy and fluid while the glue dried, and show it to them. They would give some encouragement, and off I would go.

As an adult with 40 + years of building, I do help my kids build when they want to build. They pick ther project and design, I just help with instructions on execution. I've been spray painted more than once. They have each built a few models, some of them pretty good. Our middle son has an idea for a one-off build that I REALLY want him to do. But he is just not ready to dive in.

Either way, I try to keep it fun for them.

Scott

[4DCustoms]

My story was very similar to the first story that Ken posted, My uncle got me interested when I was 8 but my parents kept the ball rolling, Taking me to my first contest at Hobby Town to the Heartland Nationals where I picked up first and third places in the Junior Class. They always said they were proud of the work that I did and supported even monetarily thrught the years my passion for the hobby. They even bought the most resent model I am working on last Christmas and I am 30 years old now. I wonder if my daughter will pick anything up from me on this, I would be more than happy to show her everything I know when the time comes. She is only 7.5 months old right now, so it will be a while.

Good topic.

[LoneWolf15]

My start in model cars was more from my big brother, but my mother did allow me to get kits quite often. She knew where I was, and I was keeping out of trouble. I helped my daughter do a few when she was about 11 or 12, with no pushing, she got three or four done and that was it before the teen years. My son (NickF40) probably got into building models with my influence, but again I didn't push him, and he's been keeping at it now for about 5 years. Although, as it seems with everybody else, he got his first car, and the building has slowed considerably. I am proud of how much better a builder he has become, and how much he has learned about the hobby, hopefully from my support. Here's to the younger modelers! Keep on building!

By the way Donn, will you be at the NNL Nat's? If so, see you there!

Randy,

We can't vend down there so we will have to pass . No electric supplied so we can't use the dvd player to play the video trailers. They also require 2 days of vending rather than just the day of the show. We will be at the TAM's show in October and the L.I.A.R.'s show in November. We will see you in New Jersey at the NNL if not sooner.

The Old Man

[Jantrix]

My dad supported my building and gave me great tips and advice. My Mom hated the glue spots, the paint marks etc. However I don't think my dad ever imagined the level I would take modeling to or that I would make it a lifelong hobby. He is always amazed at something I show him online (thanks to Hollywood Jim & Ken Hamilton). However he is now retired and is rather depressed that now that he has the time to get involved he has lost fine motor control of his hands. He shakes big time, and that would make building difficult. I have told him that other guys have been able to overcome the same obstacle with practice, he's such a perfectionist that the learning curve would discourage him.

As he always supported me, I'm doing my best to be supportive and encouraging for him. If I keep showing him my new kits maybe he'll give it a try.

[charlie8575]

When I was five, my dad started building with me. He did some of the painting and the more difficult assembly, I cut parts off, and put the easy stuff together.

As I got older, I got more into trains and cars, and built a lot through college, and in college, too. The buildup of inventory got at my mother, as did the spray-paint fumes and my disappearing downstairs for hours at a time; evetually, she came to accept it and actually didn't mind my disappearing sometimes. I loved it, it gave me an escape from school, the torment I endured from the other kids from being a little different, and even some of my other fun stuff, like De Molay and student government, particularly in college, where I was a member of the Commuter's Board.

I had to stop doing much building for a few years, due to attempts (repeated and failed) to establish myself and a lack of space in the basement. I kept reading and buying kits, setting them aside for "soon, I hope."

When I finally got a decent job in 2006, I was able (and needed to) move out, although I only had a little room I rented, I was able to start doing a little bit...basic assembly, a little painting. I still have my T-Bird someplace, just need to dig it out and finish it up.

I moved again, lost my job immediately after moving, moved yet again from my condo I had to sell to a small apartment. And I've been doing lots of projects since.

After nearly three years at partial/no employment, a model car or the occasional plane or train provides me the quiet of mind I need to deal with my situation.

I, for one, am very glad I discovered this hobby and kept it. All thanks to Dad.

Charlie Larkin

Edited September 25, 2009 by charlie8575

[Nick Winter]

My parents support me 100%, my dad and grandpa tought me a lot about model building. But I still suprise them pretty often with how good a car comes out.

[Ryan S.]

I know that my dad introduced me to the hobby when I was probably 6 or 7. We started a third generation Corvette Stingray. I can't honestly tell you if we finished it or not, but I do know that I still have the can of Testors competition orange that we painted that thing. I'm doubtful that the paint would still spray but I've got it as a memento.

I continued to build models as a kid and teenager going through both car and WWII aircraft phases. Saddly, my hobby coincided with being a teen and a propensity for pyromania. A buddy of mine and I used to find creative ways to burn, blowup and light on fire a number of our models. Looking back I wish I had saved some of my better ones from that time period.

Into my last years of high school I got back into building cars with the intent on displaying them and I kitbashed parts from some of my earlier builds that were spared the torch, but as I entered college the hobby took a back seat. 11 years later I have reclaimed my collection that was saved at my parents house all these years and started building again. The first I finished is my Avatar and was given to my father.

My parents always supported my hobbying ways, putting up with glue and paint accidents on the dinner table and helping me tend wounds when the xacto knife got errant (more than once, but never any stiches). So I have to thank them for putting up with it and for my dad introducing me to the hobby.

My girlfriend has expressed interest in maybe doing one sometime so maybe I'll get her turned on to the hobby as well...we'll see.

[93Z34]

I grew up in a racing family. My daddy was always working on 1:1 cars and I was happy to just hand him wrenches and tools when I was small. When I turned 10 my dad gave me my first model for my birthday. It was a funny car kit and I couldn't wait to get that thing together. The end result showed the rewards of my enthusiasm. If you looked up the term "glue bomb" in the dictionary, guarenteed you'd see a pic of that funny car next to the term.

My dad sensed my growing enthusiasm for cars though and fostered my curiosity through models. He would sit with me and go over each part that I glued together, explaining what each part was and what purpose it served on that particular car. I learned ALOT from those early models and it translated into my passion for the 1:1 hobby. I never totally got out of the hobby like so many have, although there have been hiatuses along the way. Slowly I started applying what I learned building those models to 1:1 projects I put together with my dad. Our first project was a 1929 Model "A" that was converted into a saw rig for logging. We bought a fiberglass body and turned it into a Roadster, complete with the original 4 cylinder engine powering the car. My dad still has that car today. Over the years we restored a 46 Mercury Convertible and a 46 Ford Business Coupe. Add to those treasures all the cars I've toyed with and it is quite an impressive list. Alot of guys can remember the names of kids they hung around with growing up and who their "best friend" was growing up. I can say without a doubt my best friend growing up, and to this day is my Dad. I am blessed to still have him today and I am getting ready to tackle my 1st complete restoration on a '73 Road Runner I found a couple months ago. I am looking forward to having my dad beside me helping me with this car as it has always been a dream of mine to own a Road Runner.

In the end, modeling played a very important part in my relationship with my dad and brought us closer together. He was able to pass on his love and enthusiasm for cars to me and I am now in the process of passing it down to my 12 year old son who is taking the same interest in cars as I did at his age. While I don't necessarily agree on my dad's idea of the ultimate antique car, we do appreciate eachother's love of cars and what the different eras of cars mean to each of us. I only hope I can keep an open mind with my son as he develops his love for the automobiles that gethis blood pumping.

[kitbash1]

I started building models when I was about 5 or 6 with my dad. He built World War Two Aircraft & Ships. I guess that I discovered cars around 8 years old & never looked back. Dad showed me how to dry brush, weathering & how to use an airbrush. We both sat in his workshop in the basement and worked on our kits. After dad retired from the RCAF ( that's the Canadian Airforce for my American friends ) he built over 200 models before he passed away with a stock pile of around 300 more he didn't get to start. He show me that building was a fun hobby and that it was a great way to relax. I've tried to pass these skills on to my son , but he's into computer games and can't seem to sit still long enough to get any enjoyment from building.