What are your pre-build planning methods?

[charlie8575]

Find pictures, real cars or both.

Sometimes, while on the road or what have you, ideas will come to me and I'll start to design something based on them.

I try to remember to keep a camera with me while traveling. You never know what you're going to find.

Charlie Larkin

[RodneyBad]

No pre planning at all.

Get a urge or an Idea. mainly a Urge of some ride I saw some where..

Find the kit, mock it up. get it to Primer stage.

Maybe get it painted or something close.

Get distracted. Shinny Object..

Find new project.

Move on.

That is what I have fun doing.

[martinfan5]

If I were to spend my time pre planning, I am afraid I would not get a lot of building done, but if any pre planning is done, its a Google image search to get me started

[Danno]

How do I prepare for a build? First I spend countless days agonizing over what kit I want to build. Then, having selected one, I begin my research of the 1:1 vehicle, (this can take weeks). After I've collected my research articles and images, I begin thinking about what special features I want to include, such as opening trunk and doors, working headlights/taillights, plumbing, wiring and custom exhaust. Then I open the kit, spread the contents out across my bench, stand back and take in the project in front of me. Then,....I quietly and unceremoniously gather up the contents place them back in the box and place the box back on the shelf. I then grab a car magazine and a cup of coffee, find a comfortable chair and begin looking for inspiration for my next 'great' build.

Dittos! Pretty much describes the process, here, too.

Plus . . . a modification of what Ray said: "I have more ideas than time, I'm afraid!" I don't seem to have enough time available to even get into whether there's any talent involved!

[b_lever1]

Inspreration Ideas: cars shows ,summer cruizes, being bored at work my wife says all I think about is cars and trucks good thing we have something in common. Planning getting supplies building ,day dreaming ,looking for as much info as possible, car mags internet.

[Tom Geiger]

its a Google image search to get me started

Yes, between Google Images and eBay Motors I find all the research material I need. It's kinda made my big literature collection obsolete! I haven't looked at it for years.

[martinfan5]

Yes, between Google Images and eBay Motors I find all the research material I need. It's kinda made my big literature collection obsolete! I haven't looked at it for years.

Google Image search, modelers new best friend

[turn1wonder]

I will look at my stash and parts thinking of how what would work good with what and store that info in my head. "Think of a happy place" situations are when I imagine putting build ideas together and that works better than I thought it would! I still have build ideas in my head from literally decades ago, even after doing a build I'll be thinking of how I could have done it better or just differently and I try to use glue sparingly in case I want to take builds apart later. I am never satisfied and sometimes having a good imagination is a bad thing. I built a Subaru Brat with kit-bashed drag stuff over 20 years ago then about 10-15 years ago I started another Brat using the Dobbertin (sp?) Pro Stock/Street kit that was about 75% done but now I might take that stuff and use it in a Sunbeam Tiger drag/pro touring theme...all in search of a "biggest in the smallest" idea that will not die.

Please brain, make it stop!

Bob

[Deathgoblin]

I'm getting ready to build a model of my first car. I'm researching a lot for this one, pictures of details I can only vaguely remember. The car was kind of a hodge-podge of parts, so I'll have to do some heavy modification to get it to look right. I'm not planning on any major weathering, more planning to make the car what I always wished it could be. It's difficult finding pictures of some of the details, like the steering wheel, interior, hood, front and rear bumpers, etc.

[Tony G]

My pre-plan is simple, I don't build June-August due to my work travel schedule so during those off months I plan all my builds and get all needed supplies and do all my research. I have did it this for the past 10 years or so and it works out great as I don't get burned out and as my better half travels with me during those months she is usually tired of dealing with me for months I get all the build time I can handle the rest of the year!

[modeler98]

When I go to buy a model I look till something clicks. Then I take that "click" and put it into motion.

[FordRodnKustom]

Idea - Research - Parts and supply acquisition - put it all together.

[MikeyB08]

I usually build my model first. Then find a 1:1 of the car I just built and think, "DANG IT!!! Why didn't I look for an inspiration first?!?!" I'm kidding...

I'll do a little bit of research, but mostly I just build to build with no rhyme or reason. Sometimes I have an inspiration for a build (like the one I have coming up) but not very often.

[Tom Geiger]

When I go to buy a model I look till something clicks. Then I take that "click" and put it into motion.

I don't think I've ever done it that way. My great ideas always are from outside the model hobby. Then I check my hoard for the needed kits to build it. And per Murphy, you can have 2000 kits but not the one you need for your latest brainstorm!

[Fabrux]

I don't think I've ever done it that way. My great ideas always are from outside the model hobby. Then I check my hoard for the needed kits to build it. And per Murphy, you can have 2000 kits but not the one you need for your latest brainstorm!

Quoted for truth. This happens to me all the time.

[Sportabout]

I usually collect as much photos I can form the car, outside, interior, chassis, suspension, engine and all details I found usefull. Technical data and model year differences are important too. For my SC/Rambler project I have gathered nearly 600 photos.

Other way to start is find suitable car for specific engine. For example, I bougth Gibson supercharged RoadHammer Hemi and then choose AMT Matador as a project car. Still unfinished project

[tubbs]

i have a binder with sheets i made up listing exterior, interior, engine chassis and mods. i have a checklist at the top stating stock, drag, custom, pro street and so on. i fill these out for every build i do. they work well.

here lies the problem, and all you fellas have mentioned it...... it's reference material!! i currently have around 10,000 magazines (yea, i have a weakness. like them better than the net) and of course the internet (i collect reference pictures anytime i can from the net). i get an idea, will start looking for the REFERENCE MATERIAL and it never fails, i have 3 or 4 "ideas" in front of me and can never nail one down. or what's worse, see something totally different and go off on tangents and end up starting 3 instead of finishing 1.

i now do all my sheets in pencil and a build never comes out the way its planned.... maybe i am wasting my time with the "planning" stage and should just attack a kit?

[Tom Geiger]

i now do all my sheets in pencil and a build never comes out the way its planned.... maybe i am wasting my time with the "planning" stage and should just attack a kit?

Yes. my model projects just ramble down a crooked path! Sometimes the ideas I have in progress are better than my original concept and make the project! And those become my signature builds. And the fun part is being creative at every step. If I was going to build it per the original concept sheet, it's pretty much done at that point. If I can squint and see the model complete in my head, well it's complete. The changes are what keeps me interested and moving forward.

Now in my professional life, building great office spaces for large companies, when someone says, "We have another idea" during the project will cause near panic! And that's why model building is a hobby.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Tom Geiger

[tubbs]

Yes. my model projects just ramble down a crooked path! Sometimes the ideas I have in progress are better than my original concept and make the project! And those become my signature builds. And the fun part is being creative at every step. If I was going to build it per the original concept sheet, it's pretty much done at that point. If I can squint and see the model complete in my head, well it's complete. The changes are what keeps me interested and moving forward.

Now in my professional life, building great office spaces for large companies, when someone says, "We have another idea" during the project will cause near panic! And that's why model building is a hobby.

I hear you loud and clear. like I stated, my builds vary rarely end up the way they get planned. too much media out there to stick to the plans.

now, I am in complete agreement with you also in the professional aspect, I am a plumbing designer for large, and small buildings and changes are a great cause for panic, especially in the 11th hour.

so.... Tom, how much do you charge for model areas?

[Greg Myers]

Take a ride to the land inside :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN2VNFpiGWo

[tabsscale1]

I go to car shows and get ideas. When I find one I really like I take a bunch of pictures of it. Then i try and replicate it. If I don't have the kit then I try it on another kit.

[misterNNL]

The last few years I have building a few rather complicated very early models of commercial vehicles like my 1925 Ford model TT wrecker with about 95 percent of the parts building scratch built including a wooden cab and hand crank wrecker boom.I now have about a year in this one,in fact I was still adding more details to it about 15 minutes ago.

I do a ton of on line research to determine the exact dimensions and proportions of the various components including as many original manufacturers literature as I can find.I print photos of most everything then measure the important parts and put those parts right on the printed pictures.I find this helps preserve correct proportions.The dimensions drawings sometimes make for  neat display materials when appropriate.

The dimensions then are transferred to the raw materials and cut to size for assembly.This same system applies to the last three buildings I built for dioramas.

[Pete J.]

Hmmmmm, interesting question.  Frankly one I have never thought much about.  I suppose it depends on the build.  If it is a complex one with lots of aftermarket stuff, then I start with a review of the instruction sheets and markup and make references as to where all the aftermarket stuff goes.  Then I decide on subassemblies.  My builds are all about doing a lot of assembling different parts that come together near the end of the build.  But I guess it all starts with the instruction sheet.  I may or may not use the recommended steps but I always look at it and make notes.  I try very hard to keep it from becoming analysis paralysis.  Nothing is worse the studying something too much and not actually building it!

[tbill]

i wing it, i either build as box art, or pick my own color. to date, i am only doing one actual replica build [1/12th vette], and i have a 41 plymouth project that i am meshing with a tubbed chassis [also winging that one]. my day job revolves around managing time and fixing cars to factory spec, so i like to throw caution to the wind when it comes to plastic, if an idea hits me mid build, i run with it, research be darned, lol.

[Deathgoblin]

Every body does things differently, some people just start building, some are far more particular and make written plans, others make drawings, etc.

 

I like generally to gather as many photos on the subject matter as I can - dozens or hundreds - and save them in a specially named file on my computer for each project

 

Sometimes I enjoy making some digitally altered photos - rather simple I admit - in either Paint or Gimp, or other similar basic program, even Sketchup!

 

Here's one I started playing with about the '79 Mustang Pace car in a resto-mod modern style build, as if I were to build for my own self today!

 

What's yours?

Now, how did you know that I was building one of those?    I picked up a glue bomb that I'm restoring.