Scale auto renaissance?

[Casey]

Which raises another question:

When will we get model kits of the Eighties cars? LeBaron, Bustleback Seville, Plodge Granfifthlomat (another 1-0 for the diecasters so far), AMC Eagle, the last Hurst Olds...

Not until the last remaining musclecar variant option has bee exhausted. As others have mentioned, most people want to buy a model of a vehicle which excites them, and musclecars have a proven sales track record. Just about everything AMC did was quirky, so that alone makes kits of their vehicles too risky IMHO.

We already had the Plymouth Volare kits, and as a former Aspen Wagon owner, I'd love to see it re-issued, but the Mopar F-bodies were the poster children for bad '70s American cars. Up until the late '80s, they were still holding the title of "Most Recalled Vehicle", and for good reasons: front fenders which were neither undercoated nor protected by a splash shield, leading to the great fender replacement of '76; Chrysler's Lean Burn System; front frame rails with a built in water and crud holding trap; cowl drains which did not work as well as they were supposed to, etc. They were turds, plain and simple, and I still like them, but I know I'm the exception, rather than the norm.

I'm still in favor of more kits like Revell's '69 Camaro, '72 Olds Cutlass, and '69 Nova-- kits based on new tooling which are far better than older, dated tools of the same subjects (MPC and Monogram '69 Camaros, JoHan '70 Olds Cutlass 442, and AMT's '72 Nova).

Let's also consider that Revell has YEARS worth of modified re-issues based on the '72 Olds tooling alone, and I'm sure we'll see more GM X-body variants based on the '69 Nova tooling, a '70 Charger based on the '68/'69 Dodge Charger tooling, and maybe even a '67 and/or '68 Camaro based on the '69 Camaro tooling. I haven't even mentioned another '67-75 Mopar A-body variant based on the '68/9 Dart tooling (a '71-'72 Dodge Demon would be a huge hit IMHO), a '55 and/or '57 Nomad based on the Tri-Five Chevy tooling, nor any '48 Ford variants. Let's just say they have put them selves in a very good position with regards to modified reissues.

[Brett Barrow]

Message boards are in no way, shape, or form a representative cross section of the hobby. That's been a lesson that had to be learned the hard way. 10 guys on a message board do not extrapolate into 1000 or 10000 or whatever in the general population. At the end of the day they're just 10 guys. When somebody says "I'd buy 20", I say "Great, now how am I going to sell the other 9,980 pieces that it would take to break even on this deal?".

I wish there were thousands of guys out ther who filled up entire garages and storage units and what have you with thousands of model kits, but there's not. I'd be making tons of money and this hobby and business that I love would be in much better shape, but it's just not reality. There are a lot of modelers out there, some industry studies put it into the millions in the US, but most only buy a handful of kits a year and then it's split up over the different genres of modeling, cars, planes, tanks, scifi, etc...

[Darin Bastedo]

That makes more sense, I thought you were saying 500 of each kit, not a combination.

Your number for serious modelers is quite a bit lower than other estimates I've seen, but these are all just educated guesses, so really no way to really know with any certainty.

Because I was talking about the members of the various forums, I estimated the number by looking at the largest forum and took the membership number from that. Most of us post on multiple forums so I didn't use the total number of all forums. And while I know not all forum members are what O would call "serious model builders" in the context we are discussing here, I also took into account thet there are many serious modelers who don't participate in the forums so I think it averages out.

[Darin Bastedo]

And really- who knows how many active model car builders there are? There are 8,000 members on this forum. Even if you subtract inactive accounts, double accounts from the same member, troll accounts, and members who have passed on, I think you'd still be left with a fairly sizable number. And not every modeler is a member of this forum, or even any other forum- I'm the only modeler in my area who is active in model car message boards to any degree. I can think of twenty active modelers in my area, and I'm the only one who frequents any message boards. So, in my area anyway, there is a twenty-to-one ratio of modelers who do not use message boards. Would, say, 7,000 multiplied by 21 give a reliable number as far as people partaking in the model car hobby? Who knows? There's really no 'scientific method' in play with regards to that.

that is what I was saying, that those of us on the various boards are only a small percentage of the Model Car market place.

[Chuck Most]

And, take into account that there is a fairly sizable number of modelers who don't work from kits in the first place. They are modelers strictly speaking, but since they scratchbuild most of what they build, they really aren't much into buying ready-made kits. Guys like Gerald Wingrove come to mind. Sure, probably a minority, but still something to consider.

Even among guys who do work with kits, there's quite an array of genres. Some people build only 1:24 Formula 1 cars. Some guys only do 1:43 scale. I'm aware of a couple who build only sports cars, or just Corvettes. I know one guy who builds NOTHING but '57 Chevys. And I mean the Bel Air/150 type- the mainstream line. He won't do a '57 Vette or a '57 Cameo pickup to mix it up, only the standard car line. For modelers like that, the introduction of a new pickup, muscle car, '50's cruiser, or '70's car kit is pretty much meaningless.

Edited October 25, 2011 by Chuck Most

[Darin Bastedo]

Message boards are in no way, shape, or form a representative cross section of the hobby. That's been a lesson that had to be learned the hard way. 10 guys on a message board do not extrapolate into 1000 or 10000 or whatever in the general population. At the end of the day they're just 10 guys. When somebody says "I'd buy 20", I say "Great, now how am I going to sell the other 9,980 pieces that it would take to break even on this deal?".

I wish there were thousands of guys out ther who filled up entire garages and storage units and what have you with thousands of model kits, but there's not. I'd be making tons of money and this hobby and business that I love would be in much better shape, but it's just not reality. There are a lot of modelers out there, some industry studies put it into the millions in the US, but most only buy a handful of kits a year and then it's split up over the different genres of modeling, cars, planes, tanks, scifi, etc...

To make things worse we are always trading and selling the same kits back and forth to each other. Several times I have recived a trade or an ebay purchase, only to strip off several shipping labels to find one I put on years ago.

[Chuck Most]

This is Darin Bastedo. A model car builder from Kingsport, TN. And he is about to be reunited. Reunited with a kit he carelessly tossed by the wayside years ago, hoping never to encounter it again. Darin thought he was rid of the unwanted kit until the mailman brought him a package. A special delivery... from the Twilight Zone.

[cortinanut]

As a newbie around here (easing back into the hobby after a decade's absence), I'm finding this discussion very educational and interesting. I'm among those who would snatch up a kit of almost any car I've owned or had a personal connection with--and for me, age 42, that would include various '60s-'80s station wagons and other commonplace cars, though I have sense enough to know a '73 Gran Torino wagon, an '81 Aries, a Fairmont, a Mk I Ford Fiesta, or an '86 Tercel SR5 wagon will never be produced in scale plastic. (Conceivably resin for a few.)

Watching trends in 1:1 collector cars, though, I do hold out some hope for a Vista Cruiser, a [Grand] Wagoneer, or various classic woodies--these are all popular at car shows and climbing in value. Is there a correlation with tastes among model hobbyists?

Then there's the part of me that pines for kits of sports cars like the Alfa Romeo Montreal, Fiat Spider and Triumph TR6. The American companies (with some exceptions from Revell and Monogram decades ago) have generally avoided such subjects--does that mean modelers just don't want them? And if not (see above), why are our preferences so at odds with what's popular in 1:1? Just musing.

[Chuck Most]

For the most part, it seems to me the model companies specialize in their own country or reigon's product- the US manfacturers release US kits, the European firms do Euro cars, etc. There are always exceptions of course, but that seems to be the rule of thumb.

[Craig Irwin]

The Japanese have done many interesting European subjects in the past, and other than price and lack of engines in most of them they were well done. But I have no interest in the Japanese subjects.

[RodneyBad]

The Japanese have done many interesting European subjects in the past, and other than price and lack of engines in most of them they were well done. But I have no interest in the Japanese subjects.

Yaa! me Too (long ago thought)

Guess I was wrong back then.. :lol:

I've learned to live with out Engine details in some kits.

Guess I'm just a AutoHead

To think, 5yrs ago, The only import kit I had was a used up Samaria..

Edited October 25, 2011 by RodneyBad

[RodneyBad]

hey, i know where some of those import kits came from

Thanks too, I'm as happy as a kid in a Candy store with no Witnesses

And yet, i gave up a Favorite one and looking to see it built or score anutter 1.

Edited October 25, 2011 by RodneyBad

[Kodiak Island Modeler]

As a newbie around here (easing back into the hobby after a decade's absence), I'm finding this discussion very educational and interesting. I'm among those who would snatch up a kit of almost any car I've owned or had a personal connection with--and for me, age 42, that would include various '60s-'80s station wagons and other commonplace cars, though I have sense enough to know a '73 Gran Torino wagon, an '81 Aries, a Fairmont, a Mk I Ford Fiesta, or an '86 Tercel SR5 wagon will never be produced in scale plastic. (Conceivably resin for a few.)

Steve

The Fairmont wagon is actually made by Atlas in HO scale, so at least you have something.

[Tonioseven]

I'd love to have a humpback Seville...

[Junkman]

For the most part, it seems to me the model companies specialize in their own country or reigon's product- the US manfacturers release US kits, the European firms do Euro cars, etc. There are always exceptions of course, but that seems to be the rule of thumb.

The overwhelming majority of European subjects was/is made in Japan and America, with Japan having the lion's share.

If you set out to only collect car kits that were born and bred in Europe, you would be surprised how quickly your collection is complete.

[MrObsessive]

I'd love to have a humpback Seville...

Now we're talkin' Antonio!! I LOVED those when they first debuted back in the fall of '79..........and would LOVE for someone to do a plastic kit of that! This car was Bill Mitchell's last hurrah, as I believe he retired not long after the car was first on his stylists drawing boards and in clay. A love/hate design for sure, but there's no mistaking one when you see it for anything else!

In fact, I wouldn't mind having a very clean 1:1.....as long as it's NOT a diesel!

[Modelmartin]

Now we're talkin' Antonio!! I LOVED those when they first debuted back in the fall of '79..........and would LOVE for someone to do a plastic kit of that! This car was Bill Mitchell's last hurrah, as I believe he retired not long after the car was first on his stylists drawing boards and in clay. A love/hate design for sure, but there's no mistaking one when you see it for anything else!

In fact, I wouldn't mind having a very clean 1:1.....as long as it's NOT a diesel!

TKM made one!!!!! :lol:

[Junkman]

TKM made one!!!!! :lol:

Yeah, and I made absolutely sure it stays where he made it.

[MrObsessive]

TKM made one!!!!! :lol:

I know............and YUCK!!

Talk about caricaturization at its best!

[MrObsessive]

I'd love to have a humpback Seville...

BTW Antonio, is this a model? And if so, is it die-cast, resin, or........???

Looks sharp either which way!

[Darin Bastedo]

What I want to know is where are all the Aston Martin Models? Aurora did a DB4, and doyusha did a DB5. In 1/32 Airfix did a nice one, but aside from the Tamiya DBS there isn't a modern quality model of any Aston Martin.

[Chuck Most]

The overwhelming majority of European subjects was/is made in Japan and America, with Japan having the lion's share.

If you set out to only collect car kits that were born and bred in Europe, you would be surprised how quickly your collection is complete.

Now that you mention it, yeah- looks like the majority of Europoean car kits in my stash are made by Japanese manufacturers.

[Junkman]

What I want to know is where are all the Aston Martin Models? Aurora did a DB4, and doyusha did a DB5. In 1/32 Airfix did a nice one, but aside from the Tamiya DBS there isn't a modern quality model of any Aston Martin.

Airfix also made two Astons in 1:24. The JB007 DB5 and a DB6. I think both were produced by MPC in America at some stage and that's the last we ever saw of them. Chances are good that the moulds are with round2, if they still exist.

And you could ask the same question about other British subjects (pun intended). No newer Jaguar was released after the Hasegawa XJ-S. There are hardly any Rolls-Royces, and not a single Rover. What was/is available in regards of Lotus cars is dismal as well, to say the least. And has there ever been a Bentley kit other than the 4 1/2 Litre Blower? MG lovers must make do with only two models, the Monogram TC and the Aoshima B. OK, we do have a Morgan Plus Four, but I bet there is a market for a Three-Wheeler.

Edited October 25, 2011 by Junkman

[Darin Bastedo]

Airfix also made two Astons in 1:24. The JB007 DB5 and a DB6. I think both were produced by MPC in America at some stage and that's the last we ever saw of them. Chances are good that the moulds are with round2, if they still exist.

And you could ask the same question about other British subjects (pun intended). No newer Jaguar was released after the Hasegawa XJ-S. There are hardly any Rolls-Royces, and not a single Rover. What was/is available in regards of Lotus cars is dismal as well, to say the least. And has there ever been a Bentley kit other than the 4 1/2 Litre Blower? MG lovers must make do with only two models, the Monogram TC and the Aoshima B. OK, we do have a Morgan Plus Four, but I bet there is a market for a Three-Wheeler.

At keast for Lotus the kits we have are pretty decent. The Monogram Esprit is really nice, and the Tamiya Europa and Super 7 are really nice, and Tamiya's 1/12 7 is incredible. But you are right there are very few high quality kits of any British make.

[Chuck Most]

Airfix also made two Astons in 1:24. The JB007 DB5 and a DB6. I think both were produced by MPC in America at some stage and that's the last we ever saw of them. Chances are good that the moulds are with round2, if they still exist.

And you could ask the same question about other British subjects (pun intended). No newer Jaguar was released after the Hasegawa XJ-S. There are hardly any Rolls-Royces, and not a single Rover. What was/is available in regards of Lotus cars is dismal as well, to say the least. And has there ever been a Bentley kit other than the 4 1/2 Litre Blower? MG lovers must make do with only two models, the Monogram TC and the Aoshima B. OK, we do have a Morgan Plus Four, but I bet there is a market for a Three-Wheeler.

Tamiya and AMT/Ertl both kitted a Jag XJ220. But no kits of anything you could call current as far as Jags, and not a peep out of the modern-era Rolls or Bentley models, before or after the German takeover. There are a couple kits of the new Mini, but many argue that those are German, not British.

Oh, and who needs to get killed before we can get a decent London Taxi kit? Huh?