Casey Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Which do you prefer? Original issues, early reissues, or current/recent reissues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eshaver Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Generally, as long as a re- issue has all of it's parts from the original, I'm fine with it . Let the original kits remain with in someones kit vault ........... Ed Shaver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_rules Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Prefer original issue, but will take em' as I can get em'. I have the Johan Haulin Hearse on my bench now. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jantrix Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Hmm...........there is a fourth choice you should add. O I build whatever version/issue happens to fall into my hot little hands. That's where I would put my check mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Hall Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 All of the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High octane Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I can take a $140 original issue model and a $18 re-issue of the same kit and build them alike. And when I put them on the table NO one can or would be able to tell the differece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a/gass Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 im with Jantrix and High octane and i never hardly build out of box so sometimes it better to garbag pick get a few wrecks for a kit or parts you need ta da build what you want with out the expence of buying 6 or 7 different kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartster Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I can take a $140 original issue model and a $18 re-issue of the same kit and build them alike. And when I put them on the table NO one can or would be able to tell the differece. ......That makes perfectly good sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraith Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Hmm...........there is a fourth choice you should add. O I build whatever version/issue happens to fall into my hot little hands. That's where I would put my check mark. ME TOO! I checked current because that is usually the cheapest way to get one. But however it takes me to get a model I want to build. 1st issue, latested re-issue , gluebomb, or whatever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Myers Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) Take what you get. It's all about price and availability. Sometimes new vs old may make a difference depending on what's inside the box. With reissues having more or fewer parts. Edited March 16, 2012 by Greg Myers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scale-Master Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 In some cases the original and / or early issues are a better choice due to less wear on the molds, therefore cleaner parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Most Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I usually go with a recent reissue if possible... not gonna spend two bills on, say, an original issue AMT '66 Mustang when I can get a reissue for ten bucks. Now, if the subject is a kit that was only reissued once, or never at all, obviously I'll go the other route. They're kits- they're meant to be built no matter what 'vintage' they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85gt4bbl302 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 all of the above plus more I cannot leave a model in the plastic wrapped box! it must come out and run my imagination! i don't care if its old issu or new issue or reissues, (although theres something about the nostolgia of the old kits and the old box art) very cool ! i will build it wherever it comes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjordan2 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 (edited) I think you've got to take it on a case-by-case basis. Some reissues are using older tooling that may not be as crisp as before, OR they may have improved the tooling for the reissue. My own experience: I recently got a Jo-Han Mercedes 500K in its original Gold Cup version from the late 60s, which is a fine kit. Then I got a later re-issue in slightly different packaging, not Gold Cup, which was now molded in red, had tons of flash, and the chrome sprue did not have complete coverage. I had the same problems with the difference between Aurora's original Maserati 3500 GT and the later Monogram reissue. Edited March 16, 2012 by sjordan2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemodeler Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Build????? Heck, I thought I was supposed to buy kits, now you want me to build them????? Seriously, I buy kits to build, although I have some kits that are original and re-issue because I am that far behind in my building!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Smith Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I think I'm with the consensus here: I build what is available for ghe best price. If I could get first or early issue of a kit, I will within reason. For instance, AMT's 1962 Buick - I don't see a reason to spend more on an original issue versus the most current issue, which is cheap and easy to find. Also, just looking over Monogram's 1958 T-Bird I noticed that tooling has held up very well, so, again, no reason for an older issue (plus older issues were molded in color, not good). I do have some kits that have limited or no reissues, so no choice on those. I will get old build ups as well on hard to find kits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doggie427 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 In some cases the original and / or early issues are a better choice due to less wear on the molds, therefore cleaner parts. Exactly ! Plus,until recently, the kit would be re-issued in grey or some other ugly off-color and sometimes inferior plastic ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrux Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 For me sometimes it comes down to price. I prefer original issues usually because they have better box art and the pieces are of better quality due to being the first run with a particular tooling. And then there's always toolings that get modified to represent different years so you have to go with the original. For instance, I have an MPC '71 Road Runner as well as an AMT '74 GTX; they're the same kit but extensively modified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelmartin Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Skip Jordan mentioned the re-issued Jo-han Mercedes 500K which is an excellent example of why an original issue is better. An even better example is the Jo-han Cadillac V-16 Sport Phaeton. They put the wrong fenders in that kit! The Town car and the Convert. Coupe used the same fenders. The Sport Phaeton used a different set but they put the other fenders in the re-issue. They don't fit. The bottom of the body on the Sport phaeton goes over the frame more and curves upward toward the cowl. It is a straight line on the other 2. You would have to carve away at the frame covers to get the body down to fit. I have several of the original "Gold Cup" kits and they are correct and the molding is crisp. The re-issues are parts kits for me. By the way - it is a great mill to put in a street rod!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timc Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 My vote is for all the above.As far as Johan kits, I geuss you take what you can get and be glad you got it. Now if they would re-issue the monogram high-roller luv truck....Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BKcustoms Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 When I can, I try to get first issues since the molds were fresh when the kits were produced, but I build everything I can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotRodaSaurus Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 I used to be a box collector for display, so getting an original kit inside was a bit of a bonus. I now would only build re-issues as there may be someone out there willing to donate to my Hayabusa riding fund(I want a Yoshimura exhaust set up and they cost £££££££) Then again, I had an original Chrysler Turbine from Jo-Han that I built, the re-issue from the 1980s had terrible flash on the chrome to make the parts almost unusable without replating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 You should add no preference, that's how I would vote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob McKee Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 You should add no preference, that's how I would vote. I would agree. I build the kits I can get a hold of. When I have the desire to add a kit to my collection I look for the least expensive issue I can find. So, if the recent issue is cheaper I buy that, if the older issue is cheaper I buy that instead. The only exception to this is when I really want to build a kit that had a specific decal set with it. Then I will look for the issue that included the decals I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deja-view Posted March 18, 2012 Share Posted March 18, 2012 I have a lot of 30-40 year old kits in the que or in WIP because there are no re-issues, but I have had some I just could not build because of their value or significance. I had an original issue (circa 1958) Renwal Atomic Cannon that I had wanted since I was about 10 years old. It was in great shape (except the decals) with all the parts still bagged. But when it came to building it I just couldn't. I picked up the Revell 1980's re-issue and started on that (paint and wheel assembly). It's been sitting awhile, but I couldn't build that original. I did, however, sell it for a fair piece. I had two others I let go of, even though I had great plans for one of them. First was a 1/8 McLaren F1 with two sets of Marlboro decals. Great kit, but it was worth too much for me to have sitting for more years. Got around $950 for it. The second was a 1/12 Bandai STP Turbine Indy car. LIke the McLaren, it was MIB. I gathered lots of data on it and wanted to make one for shows as it is something I have never seen in a contest or show in 45 years of going to them. When the prices went up to $1000 I figured it was better to let it go. There is an advantage to re-issues, though...as I am finding out the hard way. Decals! The decals from my 1/8 Porsche RSR and 1/8 John Player Lotus 72D's (I have 4) are all too old. A re-issue would kill the value of them, but I'd love to have all new decals without paying $100 each set. I assume that most of my 40 year old kits also have troubled decals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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