Longevity of the hobby - what do you think?

[impcon]

When I look around me at the amazing assortment of goodies that are availabe out there for us model car people these days, I have to wonder if the hobby is now in it's glory days and how long will many of the after market and resin goodies be available for us? Some really good resin casters have quietly slipped away from the scene and the unique pieces and kits that they offered are no longer available, except through Ebay mostly. I recently purchased a resin '60 Impala four door sedan off of Ebay and I can not recall ever even seeing that available. SO stuff does still surface because of the Internet and sites like Ebay. But you sure have to step out and pay for that obsolete stuff...

There are more resin casters coming on stream but apparently the quality of some of the products is mediocre at best. Even the old standard Modelhaus wont be around forever and they have discontinued some stuff over the years I am told - so what's your opinion?

Most of us can not afford to purchase everything that we would like to buy in after market parts and models as most decent models seem to run anywhere from $45.00 on up. So it isn't like a guy can buy eight or ten at a time to put away for future builds. Many folks are on very limited budgets these days with the economic situation so even one resin kit a month is out of the question. I plan on purchasing a couple of trucks at the end of this month but there sure are a lot of others that I would love to buy too.. several thousand dollars worth at least. No, I know that I wont ever build everything that I already have but it's nice to have the option and as long as Ebay is around, there will be a market for what ever is left after I leave the planet should my wife or kids decide to sell the colection off - which is likely what will happen because my kids are not into models at all.

So what do you think? Do you ever get sort of frantic at the thought that some of the kits that you want so badly today may not be so readily available or so affordable in a few years? As much as I love models, I have my limits as to what I will pay for one and I just watched a '64 Bonneville buildup sell for well in excess of $100.000 on Ebay - sorry but I just can not justify spending that much on one model to have it sit on a shelf in a room where it will be viewed by very few people other than myself. I say that because I simply do not know of anyone in my immediate area who collects or builds.. So what do you think the future of the hobby really is given the fact that most kids today are into computers rather than models and besides, at $25.00 and up for a model kit, not a lot of kids can afford to get into the hobby. Your views and thoughts - please.......

[Junkman]

OK, this is my opinion:

The automotive plastic model kit industry as a mainstream business didn't really make it into the current millenium and became a niche market. It has been largely replaced by a thriving and meanwhile huge diecast model car industry located in the far east.

The few remaining (and even fewer newcoming) car model kit enthusiats are now served by a drastically downsized core industry supplemented by miniscule aftermarket manufacturers, whose proprietors struggle to maintain even middle class status, while the diecast industry trades its stocks at Wall Street.

Once we few remaining car kit enthusiasts start to pass away, so will all the small companies, or divisions of big companies, which now still cater to our needs, and our lifetime achievement will be dumped at the local recycling centre by our heirs.

My advice: Enjoy it while you can.

[Junkman]

Model building as a hobby will not die out, it's been around for thousands of years, but it will contine to involve an ever shrinking part of the population at large.

Or maybe just shrink back to the proportion it had before the plastic model kit was invented?

[codie27]

Glory days or just the beginning? Who can tell really. We are very lucky we are so spoiled for choice with all the resin and aftermarket gear available right now. I think there are a lot of talented builders out there with a wealth of knowledge to pass on to anybody interested in the hobby. Although I only started building not much more than a year ago, I had minimal skills but deciced I would never build a kit straight out of the box. Being pretty good with a sheet of paper and some pencils, I am of the opinion, box building is like tracing a picture, I hope that doesnt get anybody twisted out of shape,its just my view of how I build. Some of my skills have been picked up by techniques from here on the forum and others have been through trial and error. But aftermarket stuff helps a great deal too.

I have a 19 month old son who shows a huge amount of interest in whatever Im building at my work bench,and as a result he loves cars and trucks,so I have put a couple of kits away for him so when he is a bit older he and I can build them. I have always loved old trucks and cars but these days they are fast fading from the roads and peoples memories. With prices of these old time rides only going up,either to restore or buy a good example,what better way to pass on the memory and beauty of these old designs to the younger generation than build them in plastic? Its not the same as the real thing, but for those that cant afford to buy the real thing of every brand he or she ever had a hankering for,having a model of one somewhat fills the void. Cheaper too!!

I think maybe the days of vintage/ classic car and truck kits may not last and new era stuff will replace those older kits more and more as younger builders wont share our nostalgia, but it seems that there will be plenty on offer from resin casters. I was at a classic motor museum the other week and got talking with an old fella who was a volunteer there and at one point he was expressing his disappointment at "new" stuff being added to the collection recently. This museum was full of old Cadillacs,Packards,Hudsons a Detroit Electric car and the like,but the new stuff he was referring to was late 60s early 70s Aussie muscle cars and race cars. These were, when I was a kid,the cars to have, the cars Dad drove. Personally I would rather the earlier stuff, so I could see the old fellas point. What I am trying to say here is that in my eyes nostalgia seems to dictate the direction things will go. Model companies produce for the masses but it seems resin casters produce for the nostalgic, as long as we have them, both new school and old school builders will be happy. By the way, I am not knocking the model companies without them there is a lot we wouldnt have. Cheers.

[David G.]

How to put this? I've gotten to where I just don't care, except as it affects me.

I agree with you 100%. My younger (23 yr. old) son is fascinated by the hobby, but told me he would never be able to focus his mind on spending so much time on one task. I can accept that.

Instead of bemoaning the death of a hobby, I've decided to put my effort into building something appropriate for each of the important people in my life. For my brother I built a model of the ship he was on in the Navy.

Inspired by the movie Bullitt, my younger son bought a Mustang Fastback with the intention of building it himself. He had purchased paint, brushes and everything he needed, but he became intimidated and barely got it started. Knowing I was interested in models of various kinds, he gave it to me when he moved out, and I decided to build it for him. That's what reignited my interest in model cars. Next time he comes to visit, I plan on giving him The Reaver. He told me it's the coolest car he's ever seen, why not let him enjoy it?

My wife has always loved the old VW Busses, so I built one as a birthday gift for her.

This is something unique I can do for those special people in my life. A memento for when I'm no longer here, a little piece of who I was and what I did.

That's part of why I can accept the fact that this is a dying hobby. That and the fact that there's really nothing I can do about that except support it and enjoy it as long as I can.

David G.

[Guest Johnny]

Tried to get all my grandsons interested. No dice! Had one even admit it was too much work that he could just get a diecast! Kind of sad.

But even my sons. The oldest is 34 lost interest around the time he discovered girls. The younger two now almost 29 quit around 12 years old but one has started building again in the last year since his baby was on the way and they stopped going out every weekend. Now with the baby (now 7 months old) he says it is something to do while he watches his daughter! I just sold a bunch of kits from my stash to him this weekend!

But a lot of guys I know that used to build have given it up either because life got in the way or they just couldn't afford the higher prices. Then add in the availability of kits with the loss of hobby shops some just got discouraged and quit!

I have started thinning my collection of unbilts again just because I want to be able to finish what I have before I kick off!

[highway]

Tamiya's "latest" F1 cars are 30+ year old cars.

Mark, I'm sure you are obviously referring to the recently reissued 70s Lotus kit with this statement, but that is also not the only F1 car Tamiya has reissued lately. They also just recently released a brand new Ferrari Model F60, which is the Ferrari F1 entry from last year and, even though I have not thoroughly reseached it yet, could quite possibly be built as the current 2010 cars as well.

[Brett Barrow]

The future of model building is fine. Car model building? Not so sure about that one. I see kids (and just as many adults) plunking down $1,000's of dollars in fantasy wargaming all the time, and there's even quite a few young folks that are into historical wargaming as well. It's not the price of kits keeping kids out of the hobby, kids are far more likely to spend $70 on a Tamiya kit than $20 on a Revell muscle car, which leads me to believe that it's a lack of interest in the 1:1 subject matter that Revell and AMT choose to make models of.

[Greg Cullinan]

I think kids not being interested in model cars translates into them not being interested in cars.

I believe one reason is new cars are extremely hard to work on without a lot of tools and computers. So the days of putting your blood,sweat and tears into a car are over. No more buying an old car and fixing it up thus knowing a lot about the make up of the auto.

As for the subject matter that is available I would think donks and tuners are aimed at the younger crowd. Being that Revell has a few new Donks,maybe more under 20's are buying kits than we think?

[Doughnut]

I agree with James on the parenting issue. I have a desk dedicated to model bulding (got it free on Craig's List). My daughter (age 9) and son (age 3) are constantly coming to me to see what I'm working on. I actually take the time to stop and talk to them! My daughter has now built several models including one that won her the top junior award. My son loves cars and trucks and will most likely be building some soon. Take the time to mentor them and they will enjoy building.

I got out of the hobby when I discovered girls as well (back in the 80's). I got back in the hobby about six years ago and now have 1,400 kits! I assume my son will be the same way. There are a lot of people who will come back to the hobby in years to come.

And as for everyone who always blames the video games, I am an avid gamer, as is my daughter. It's doesn't stop us from building too. In fact, I have plans to build models of many of the cars from the racing game Gran Turismo. Great subject matter.

It may not be the Golden Age, but it least it's a Silver or Bronze. I'll call it the Polypropylene Age.

[peter31a]

I think Brett and Greg are on to something. For my generation (50+) the car was still the symmbol of freedom, of adventure, of independance. We weren't driven everywhere - we had to walk to school, to sports what have you. So when you got your first car it was one of the most exciting day of your life. But for some reason parents of my generation felt the need to drive the kids every little place they had to go. My nieces and nephew were driven everywhere even when they would have perferred walking. As a result they never bothered to learn how to drive and could care less about cars and see them as appliances like a fridge or stove.

I belong to CAA (equivalent to AAA) and the magazine they send out sucks. It seldom covers much about cars (how ironic!) and when they do cover cars it's like they're nuissances to be tolerated. While there is still millions of us with passion for the automobile there are more millions that now view a car as on par with a computer or a television - nothing to get excited about.

Edited September 15, 2010 by fordmodelaeh

[Brett Barrow]

In fact, I have plans to build models of many of the cars from the racing game Gran Turismo. Great subject matter.

The model companies have all missed a golden opportunity to tie into Gran Turismo's popularity. I've talked to many guys and girls my age or younger who are in the shop buying car models of something they play in Gran Turismo (or motorcycles from Tourist Trophy). Who says kids can't play video games and build models? One thing the younger generation is good at is multitasking!!!

I also honestly think that a lot of it has to do with the decline of the "Typical American Dad". By that I mean that there are so many single-parent families where the mother and father have to play both roles, or even in two-parent families the parents work a lot and you just don't have as many dads showing their kids how to change the oil, you know, like spending the weekends working on the family car and stuff like that. It's hard to put into words what I mean exactly, but I think it's a major reason we're not as much of a car crazy culture we were even in the dark days of the 70's and 80's when I was a kid. My dad was supportive of my model building, but he never taught me anything hands-on - I don't think he ever built models as a kid, he was more the star quarterback type - but he did have a bad-___ '69 El Camino SS396 that we would wrench on every now and then, and it was through him (and both my grandfathers) that I really learned to love cars, and I don't think today's kids are getting that, maybe it IS because today's cars are hard to work on, or because they're just soulless people-movers.

[Chuck Most]

Personally, I believe car modeling will go on in some form or another, as long as 1:1 vehicles exist and there is an interest in them beyond mere 'transportation modules'. Car modeling existed long before AMT popped it's first annual promo, it's still going strong (maybe not as 'huge' as it once was, but still chug-a-lug-a-lugging right along,thank you), and it'll be around longer than any of us. Sure, maybe kits won't be recognizable in 50 or 100 years, and maybe the materials and processes will change, but I'm not at all worried about the existence of scale modeling!

[Jordan White]

Am I the only one who still built models while discovering girls?

(Editor's note: not simultaneously of course!)

Edited September 15, 2010 by YJIslander

[Brett Barrow]

Am I the only one who still built models while discovering girls?

(Editor's note: not simultaneously of course!)

I did, in fact I had a couple of girlfriends who were quite supportive. The current one... not so much.

[Chuck Most]

I did, in fact I had a couple of girlfriends who were quite supportive. The current one... not so much.

DUMP HER!!!! DUMPHERDUMPHERDUMPHERDUMPHERDUMPHER!!!!!!!!

Whoa, sorry... might've overeacted there!

[DRG]

One of the saddest truth's that life has taught me is that time marches on, things change and you can't go back.

Ok, that's three, so shoot me.

But the truth is you can go back in Modeling by building that Hot Rod you couldn't afford.

You can customize that first car.

You can build that race car of your favorite driver.

Doing these things allow you, if only momentarily to go back to a better, simpler, and safer time.

At least that's what I get out of Modeling.

Will it survive the ravages of time, I am afraid it won't.

[Junkman]

Am I the only one who still built models while discovering girls?

(Editor's note: not simultaneously of course!)

Nah you're not. I tried girls too, for about ten minutes or so, got bored and went back to my cars. Girls are about as overrated as a VW Beetle with no real roof.

But I sometimes wonder, whether how I got into plastic model kit building is a tad unique? I even wonder, how I could possibly turn into a car nut to begin with, since my father hates cars and is a railway enthusiast. So much for parents having an influence on their offsprings.

Granted, my father is an excellent modeller in his own right and he did introduce me to the basics, like parts preparation, painting, joining parts, etc.

Still, I was not into plastic model kits. From age 10 or so, I started to restore or code3 diecasts. 1/43 scale. Back then, an old played with Corgi or Dinky was considered rubbish and people didn't bring a rope and look out for a suitable tree when they caught you repainting them.

When I was in my mid twenties, I had amassed a sizeable collection of restored, or even mint/boxed diecasts. The only problem was, that the cars I love most, were far and few between - American fullsize cars. There simply was no interest in them at the time, neither real, nor model. The plastic kits offered over here were predominantly of hot rods, show rods, or custom cars. I wasn't interested in those and am very little to this day. I wanted standard American fullsize cars. Around this time, I started to drive real ones, one could pick them up for a song. But there weren't any models of them. Not over here at least.

This all changed, when a friend of mine, who was also into American cars, brought an Auto World catalog from his holidays in the States. I will never forget how we sat in a pub drooling over each and every page. That's when I ordered my first Jo-Han USA Oldies, the first car plastic model kits I ever built. I had to, because models of the cars I love, did not exist in any other form. Meanwhile, the old diecasts started to attract collectors who forked out what I still consider stupid money for them. Hence I sold my diecast collection, Auto World got a large proportion of the proceeds, and I never looked back. Until today that is. I found a box full of beaten up old rubbish Corgis in the basement. And I'm going to restore them. Oh, and I turn 46 on Halloween.

Edited September 16, 2010 by Junkman

[gasman]

honestly I think the lack of interest is because of the lack of places that still sell them. none at Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart. Toys R Us. . when I was younger (I was born in 1984) I got most of my kits at Hills and KB Toys. both long out of Business, in fact I used get Tamiya kits at KB Toys.

you can stick a carburetor in front of me and I wouldn't know half the parts in it. every car I've worked on in my life has been fuel injected and with a modern computer. todays car are not hard to work on, they just require different tools. plus todays cars are a lot more reliable. they don't require the same amount of attention cars from the 60's and 70's require.

[MILD]

Well it certainly is all doom and gloom in here, ain't it

I like to consider myself a young modeller at 27, married with two young boys and the full time job that keeps us funded. From what I have seen in our local hobby shop- admittedly the only one- the hobby isn't dying much at all. Unfortunately I think many modellers have moved away from clubs and even the LHS to find a better deal online. As such, the already limited social aspect of what is a very individual hobby is hamstrung further. The builders are still out there- they are just a little more under the radar.

I remember as a young kid going into our big box department stores and looking at the myriad of models on the shelf from military subjects to bikes to cars. That is gone now and if you are interested you'll find yourself in a dedicated hobby store sooner or later. In some ways I think the internet is actually good for the hobby- it exposes new people to what is a niche market both through random image searches, dedicated communities such as this one or just through the typical random finds the internet so often throws up. In other ways it has to be blamed for the decline of local stores.

To be honest, I don't regret waiting until now to get into the hobby. I'm financially stable and able to throw the couple of hundred dollars at the required tools and materials to get the most out of a new kit. I'm sure it's something that keeps the youngsters away- especially when a game can seem to offer so much more value (even though we most certainly know better).

So in summary, don't lament the lack of 'young' modellers in that pre-twenty five age bracket. The true future modellers are the twenty fives and ups in my humble opinion.

[codie27]

Its great when the other half supports the hobby. My girl calls me a dork for it,but she will always come with me to model shows,hobby shops,if she is out and about will look around for stuff I dont have or that she thinks is cool. If she can sense my boredom she will tell me to go and work on a project. When we met she had no appreciation for cars,these days she is always pointing out the old cars on the road and knows the make and model of them.

[Doughnut]

Codie - I'm right there with you. My wife considered the hobby kinda dorky until she saw the effort that went into building one. Now, she fully supports it. We even take family outings to Hobby Lobby and she gets her scrapbooking fix while I browse the models. I have found so many cool items in her scrapbooking stores that can be used in model building as well. And like Mark, she has bought me several kits over the past few years.

[Guest Johnny]

Am I the only one who still built models while discovering girls?

(Editor's note: not simultaneously of course!)

My wife won't let me do the second thing listed! I just don't understand why though!

[Brett Barrow]

Brett you need somebody like my wife...

I said what I said totally tongue in cheek, with the half-hearted hope she would read it over my shoulder and I could pick on her. She's really not that bad!

When I lived by myself, I had total run of the apartment, I could (and did) paint in the kitchen, leave parts to dry in the bathroom, etc... I had a workbench in the living room and another in the bedroom. Then she moved in and she's made me get all my stuff together in one little corner of the bedroom, it's a perfectly adequate space, but I'm so used to being spread out so I'm still a little unorganized. Plus, working in the business, I've acquired all kinds of junk over the years, I'm the guy who literally has 3 of everything, but I really don't have the great magnum opus of finished models to justify having all the tools and stuff I do, like I gathered up all the sanding sticks I had the other day, I must have had 30-40 of them, a bunch are samples from when our company started selling sticks with our name printed on them, I have a bunch that are different color/grit combinations than the traditional black/orange/gray/red flexigrit system. The thing about it is, I hardly ever use sanding sticks! I'm more likely to tear off a piece of wetordry and wrap it around a stick of balsa than I am to use a sanding stick and she knows that. But I just keep bringing home junk from work that she knows I'll never use or build, like kits with torn boxes or missing instructions that I get for cheap. She's totally right, I need to get rid of some stuff I have. I've been saying for a couple years now I'm going to get some stuff together and donate it to a local club or the Veteran's Hospital or something.

She totally supports my hobby, she's never bought me any kits, cause I can get those at work but I'm a modeling tool junkie, she bought me a nice little punch and die set for my birthday, and now the Micro-Mark catalog comes in her name!

[Junkman]

Do I understand this correctly? The way this thread turned, the longevity of our hobby largely depends on whether our better halves approve of it or not?