Your First Model.

[davyou5]

Hello all,

I was reading some of the many responses to many different topics, I just got reminded of my first model that I did when I was very young.

Lets see... I can't remember all of the Details, It was my 13th birthday, and I can't remember exactly what I wanted from the store I just remember that it was not there and my first step father convinced me to build a model, and I can't remember the kit though I just know that it was a black 1980's Trans Am, kind of like the Knight Rider's car, but it was not affliated with the show. As young as I was and with no one around to teach me how to build a hard model like that I did allright, well maybe just okay, but I learned some lesson's there, especially with the glue!! I had that model out on a shelf in my room for years and after my mother divorced things just got lost in Two moves that I have had to make in a years time:). I still remember that car, Maybe if I find it again I would probably build it. But this is just a memory that I share .

[MoparWoman Jamie]

My frist model the was the Miami Vice one, the Daytona Spyder. It was given to me along with some model glue from my grandad for my 7th birthday back when I was a kid, I remember my mom wasn't to sure at the time about it. I open the box up and I remember looking at all the parts on the trees and looking over the instructions. My dad wasn't at all into models and just couldn't understand them at all. To him they was just all alot of plastic that had to be glued to gather to form something. To my mom it was a mess waiting to happen . It took me I think like around 2 weeks later I had it togother as I couldn't paint it. I wasn't allowed to have paint back then and dad wouldn't do anything like that and neither would mom. That was the first model that got me into building models.

[John Pol]

My first model was the 007 car from Auroeo company I was only 6 at the time.No paint just put together it fell apart alot though lol.

john Pol

[disabled modeler]

My first model was the Johan(Hualin-Hearse)kit,it was too advanced for me at the time. The good thing is I still have it and will restore it someday,the second kit was the Monogram(Un-Real Roller)I believe and much easier to build at the time. Wish I still had it but it was lost in a basement flood with some others.

[Guest]

My first kit was AMT's original issue USS Enterprise from Star Trek, it had lights, from 1968. Boy, that doesnt date me, does it?

[codie27]

The first model I ever built was a Western Star truck when I was 11 or 12. I put it on lay-buy one day after school with my 5 bucks weekly pocket money and it felt like it took forever to pay it off, although my Grandy helped with his 10 bucks 'lolly money' as he called it, slipped into his fortnightly letters to me.

Every little bit of money went on it til I was able to pick it up after school one Friday. I remember being so excited about having a whole weekend to build it then getting it home, opening the box and then my heart sinking after seeing all those parts and thinking to myself that it would take more than a month to put all those together! Luckily my dad saw this and although he thought the same way he offered to help me put it together. Patience was NOT Dads forte, so with supaglue and some spray cans in hand away we went and had it finished that Sunday afternoon!! Even though Dad helped, I still managed to build most of it myself. Picuture smeared paint, fingerprints and foggy supaglue marks all over it and one proud and happy me sitting back admiring the best looking truck ever made. :)

[impcon]

It was 1962 or 1963 and my first model was a Christmas present from a girl who I was in grade three or four - it was one of those things where lids draw names from a hat or a bowl and that is who you have to buy a present for. I have no idea who the girl was any more - didn't really matter because I didn't like the model - a yellow Stutz Bearcat. My second model was more my style - my parents bought iot for me the following summer - a '63 or '64 Cadillac convertible. I wish I still had that one..

Once I started to buy models, I remeber that one of my favorites was a '64 Comet convertible that I bought around 1965. I carefully painted it dark blue and painted the trim with Testor's silver paint. It actually looked pretty decent as I recall. I REALLY wish that I still had that one.

[highway]

My first model was an MPC 1/16 scale "General Lee". My dad helped me build it, and after my parents finally bought paint for me, I tore it apart and painted parts of it. I can't wait for the kit's reissue later this year, I plan to buy it and relive some of the memories of those day long ago.

[Danno]

My first car model (there had been airplanes before it) was the brand new AMT/Revell 1956 Chrysler customizing kit. I was 7 or 8 years old and a veteran car nut (I could identify on sight the year, make and model of just about every car and pickup on the roads/streets since about age 4).

My parents and I went to the big city for a convention they were attending. They parked me in the hotel room with a tube of glue and the kit purchased that afternoon from the first Woolworth's Five & Dime Store I'd ever seen.

I struggled with that fiddly multi-piece body kit, but since airplane kits had two-piece fuselages and glue-on wings, elevators and rudders I was already "experienced."

As it ended up ... the finished build was no contest winner by anybody's standards, unpainted and unartfully glued together, but I managed to get every optional custom part and decal onto it and it looked like a tricked-out car, so what else was there to hope for?

However, it just ignited a life-long hobby/passion, now, didn't it? Shortly after that, AMT introduced its annual kit series (with one-piece bodies) and I've been buying kits like crazy ever since. Sidebar: My first AMT annual was the 1958 Chevy ... the first one to hit our town (the Rexall druggist was a family friend and knew of my new hobby, so he set aside the very first kit for me when he opened the carton).

PS: I bought the reissued AMT/Revell Chrysler kit a couple of years ago and plan to build it the same way ~~~ no paint, all parts glued on, no detailing, no class ~~~ before long. It should be fun.

[oldscool]

The first kit I ever built was an AMT 1/32 scale 63 split window Vette that I got for my fifth birthday. This would have been in 63 and I wonder what happened to their 1/32 scale kits?

The first 1/25 kit I ever built was the AMT 57 Ford a couple of years later. remember it being in the first issue box with the different custom versions on it.

oldscool

[davyou5]

Hello all,

Since I have seen many here sharing thier second models I thought I would share my second and third models here . The second model that I have done was a Star Trek The Next Generation U.S.S Enterprise Galaxy Class starship with a Klingon Bird of Prey, boy did I mess that one up to, I mean it was alright, I just had one hell of a time with the decals . My third model was the General Lee, '69 Dodge Charger and I am not too sure but I am thinking it was an ERTL Kit? that could be wrong. But I got it a the Walmart out here before they decided to off the models from their shelves. Apart from some sanding that I have had to do, it was good, but that's all . But Its the learning process, pride in one's work, that really makes it count .

[Harry P.]

I find it amazing that so many of you guys can remember the first model you've built!

I've built hundreds of models, and there's no way I could ever possibly remember which one was the first. I don't even remember exactly when I started building models. To me it's like asking if you remember the first time you ever hit a baseball or the first time you ever rode a bike. How can you remember???

[Danno]

  On 9/23/2010 at 1:09 AM, Harry P. said:

I find it amazing that so many of you guys can remember the first model you've built!

I've built hundreds of models, and there's no way I could ever possibly remember which one was the first. I don't even remember exactly when I started building models. To me it's like asking if you remember the first time you ever hit a baseball or the first time you ever rode a bike. How can you remember???

I guess it just didn't make as much of an impression on you as mine did on me, Harry. Best guess.

[59-Desoto]

Wow that was like 50 years ago I got my 1st. model , and yes I remember it well , my dad had to help me and my brother put them together it was a 57 Ford with the wood grain sides . Thought it was so cool. Been wanting another one but they are so pricey .

[Hawk312]

  On 9/22/2010 at 6:57 AM, davyou5 said:

Lets see... I can't remember all of the Details, It was my 13th birthday, and I can't remember exactly what I wanted from the store I just remember that it was not there and my first step father convinced me to build a model, and I can't remember the kit though I just know that it was a black 1980's Trans Am, kind of like the Knight Rider's car, but it was not affliated with the show.

Hmmm.....sounds like it might have been the same as my first kit:

I knew absolutely nothing when I started it. In fact, I remember asking the owner at the hobby store if the testors orange tube cement I was buying only worked on certain types of models, as in Revell, Monogram, etc. I am sure I gave them a good laugh. I remember building it very quickly when I got home, and a few days or so later trying to paint parts of it (including the interior) with a Q-tip. Memories....

[oldscool]

  On 9/23/2010 at 1:39 AM, Bluesman Mark said:

Heck Harry, I can remember the 3rd kit I built as well!

It was the Jo-Han 69 Roadrunner annual, which had Richard Petty decals with it. An error as it turned out, for Petty switched to Ford for the 1969 season, after Jo-Han had already committed to the kit. To my then 8 year old eyes it made no difference, as I was building the 68 Roadrunner I'd seen him race in the 1st Nascar race I had attended, the 1968 National 500 the year before, & at my age the 68 & 69 Roadrunner likely seemed identical. I painted that one with a brush too, but blue of course!

4th kit, (1st one I spray painted remember), was this AMT annual 1970 Torino:

I spray painted it gold similar to the box aet & built the Nascar version. I did however turn the "99" decals upside down to make "66" as Charlie Glotzbach was driving the #99 Dodge Daytona already in Nascar, so to be "authentic", my model couldn't be #99!!

Including that Torino, I spray painted 3-4 kits before "regressing" & not spray painting this one:

It however was molded in red, so I felt it didn't need spray painting as the 1/1 car was red too! I did however do a lot of brush painting of details on it.

I can remember my third model also. It was the AMT 53 Ford pickup. And I built that K&K Daytona unpainted just like you did. Thought it was a pretty good kit at the time.

oldscool

[Harry P.]

  On 9/23/2010 at 1:39 AM, Bluesman Mark said:

Heck Harry, I can remember the 3rd kit I built as well!

I can't decide whether I find that impressive or frightening...

[Railfreak78]

My first car kit was when I was very young. ( around 6 or 7 years old I think) I don't know the exact release but it was a snap kit similar to this one. Of course being a kit I was stupid and left it outside when I went to my friends house to play and the heat here in Phoenix took care of the windows for me.

[Mercman]

My first model was made for me by my Dad. I wasn't even a year old yet, and he thought I needed a hobby. Little did he realize where it would lead to. Over 10,000 models over the years. The first one I remember doing myself was the AMT 36 Ford 3-1 kit. The one with the chopped roof. Also a whole slew of the old Monogram 49 er's. They were called this because they were only 49 cents. Back then you could buy a kit AMT glue, paint, and brush for $2.00. Yeah you might have guessed by now I'm older than dirt

Here is a pic of it, as I still have it.

This is the only model my Dad ever built. He is gone now, 10 years coming up in Oct. But I have him to thank for my love of cars, and such.

[Harry P.]

  On 9/23/2010 at 2:26 AM, Mercman said:

My first model was made for me by my Dad. I wasn't even a year old yet, and he thought I needed a hobby.

[disabled modeler]

  On 9/23/2010 at 2:26 AM, Mercman said:

My first model was made for me by my Dad. I wasn't even a year old yet, and he thought I needed a hobby. Little did he realize where it would lead to. Over 10,000 models over the years. The first one I remember doing myself was the AMT 36 Ford 3-1 kit. The one with the chopped roof. Also a whole slew of the old Monogram 49 er's. They were called this because they were only 49 cents. Back then you could buy a kit AMT glue, paint, and brush for $2.00. Yeah you might have guessed by now I'm older than dirt

Here is a pic of it, as I still have it.

This is the only model my Dad ever built. He is gone now, 10 years coming up in Oct. But I have him to thank for my love of cars, and such.

Hi Junior!... Thats cool! Ill bet hes glad you still have it.

[Kenny]

I remember the first time I rode a bike without training wheels! How could anyone forget that? It was a red Schwinn pixie at a friend's house.

I remember my first model, it was an amt 69 torino stock car. My dad helped a lot, I was only 6 years old. I think he did almost all of the gluing and spray painted the body because it turned out great! I remember helping with the decals and choosing #23 for the roof and doors and "Ron's Racing Recaps" for the rear fenders.

[davyou5]

  On 9/23/2010 at 2:01 AM, Hawk312 said:

Hmmm.....sounds like it might have been the same as my first kit:

Yes that's it! That's the kit! Wow you still have the box? I lost my model in the two moves I had to make, I remember now that all I had for paint was red, silver and black, ah that model I built had finger prints all over it, from the glue and from touching the Paint job I did to the exterior as well:), but I was proud of that model and it was my first.

[Hawk312]

  On 9/23/2010 at 5:50 AM, davyou5 said:

Yes that's it! That's the kit! Wow you still have the box?

Nah...I found that picture online somewhere. I do wish I still had that box though. I thought it really captured the look of the real 1:1 subject. I do have the `82 Trans Am kit, and the box is still in near perfect condition. It is the one with the red car on the front, and it very much looks like a toy.

Yeah, I would like to find a sealed one of the `83 just for the memories.

[Nova-ss]

My first was when I was 5 yearsold and mother would not let me use glue....so I taped it together,I loved building.my second was the Barnabus Colling model kit it was a car model.that one I was able to use glue and with my uncles help,I painted it to.I don't remember my third but from that point forward I have not stopped building.Thank you,Chris