Is our hobby, growing or skrinking?

[charlie8575]

Keep in mind Charlie, when we where young, the cars of our time caught our interest and attention. We wanted them, but could not have them. Some of us were lucky enough to be around them, but most of us where left to drool. At least that's how I felt. Hopefully the kids of today will lust after the slush econoboxes of today, the way we did.......and want to own them, any way they can....like models???????

It is an interesting point, and one to seriously ponder.

When I was a kid, very few of the contemporary cars really captured my attention; I generally found myself drawn to the cars of the 1970s, and with the newer cars, I liked the GM B/D/G-bodies the best, and K-Cars, because we owned one, and I have a lot of fond memories of our Aries. I looked for cars that had an interesting design, or simply had what I call "presence".

I built occasional models of newer cars, but again, I found myself drawn to Monogram Classics and cars like that for my building. I thought they were art you could drive.

So, ten, twenty, thirty years down the road, will we start seeing 2013 Toyota Camrys and Chevy Sonics? Perhaps. We might even see them sooner if someone decides to take a gamble. Again, for subject diversity, I'd welcome the gamble, but I don't know if the marketplace would. As has often been said about many things, though, there's only one way to find out...

Charlie Larkin

[Richard Bartrop]

I love the classics too. Unfortunately, conventional wisdom seems to be that there aren't enough of us to justify running the existing moulds, let alone making new ones. I think every era has made some interesting cars, though we usually don't seem to realize this until long after they've gone out of production. For modern "normal" cars, the Ford Focus might have some potential. A hatchback that in it's ST version can outrun a Mustang sounds like it might be at least a little bit interesting to some.

I'm trying to wrap my head about anyone waxing nostalgic over a K-Car. At the time, they were considered the ultimate generic car, so I would say that future generations of Camry lovers are pretty much a mathematical certainty.

Edited September 7, 2013 by Richard Bartrop

[Speedfreak]

Seems there are a lot of people, (myself included) , returning to the hobby, after extended breaks. Many people seem to be returning who haven't built since their childhood. Just wondering if our numbers are growing. And will this continue as the 50+ crowd retires?

[ZIL 111V]

40+ is surely the #1 maine age group for plastic model car buyers now a days... 40 years ago completly reversed, no doubt that many older "former" car modelers a getting back in the hobby since the last decade... Must be shocked! when they see the price of a domestic US car kit today: dramatically increased prices in the past few years, older age group (modelers) earn better incoms...guess modelcar kit makers know that!

[Art Anderson]

Seems there are a lot of people, (myself included) , returning to the hobby, after extended breaks. Many people seem to be returning who haven't built since their childhood. Just wondering if our numbers are growing. And will this continue as the 50+ crowd retires?

I rather suspect that yes, the population of model car builders is growing, at least enough to be a fairly stable-sized group. Going back say, 40-50 years ago (1964-74) this hobby was primarily one for kids, kids from perhaps 9 or 10 to about 15-16 (the age at which we all were discovering real cars and of course, girls). Back in the 1960's I seldom ever noticed there being any older adults building plastic models of any sort, certainly not cars. Back then, adult model builders tended toward building what they grew up around, subjects like "stick & tissue" rubber-band powered model airplanes, gas-powered control-line airplanes (the kind you flew in a circle using a handle with two lines--one for up elevator, the other for down elevator), a few grownups were fiddling around with the then-primitive radio control systems--generally flying from crash-to-crash (!), and of course model railroading. If they were into plastic models then it seemed to me that generally speaking, adult modelers gravitated to ships or aircraft.

I believe that today, the average entry age for model car building is somewhere in the late teens to perhaps middle 20's--not unlike plastic model aircraft, armor or ships, and with many of those who at least try this hobby of ours, they do stick with it over time. However, the bulk of modelers that I see at contests tend to be aged anywhere from their middle 30's on up to guys in their 50's-70's (who really knows what the "exit age" is?).

I said "growing", but that's a term I liken to an old biological "law": An organism must grow in order to survive; once it stops growing, it starts to die. I've heard many times over my life the saying that paraphrases that biological law: "An organization must grow in order to survive; once it stops growing, it starts to die. Can this or any other hobby be very much different than that?

Of course, model car building isn't the big "IN THING TO DO" that it was back in the 1960's with the kids we once were. Time and pastimes do move on--every new age group or generation seems to have it's "hot" thing to do for fun--I think most of us who read and post on this and other model car forums can think of crazes and fads that have come and gone, but yet still around as simply pastimes, even hobbies for some who enjoyed them so much when they were the "new and hot thing to be into", and certainly model cars and building them fit that description quite well, I think.

So, why not think of our hobby as something that is still very much alive, with newer and younger builders coming on the scene (and I am not forgetting those "returnees" who left this hobby years, perhaps decades back!), and thus replacing those who have had to stop by reason of aging (and the almost inevitable disabilities that come with growing old)--enough so as to not only replenish the model car builder population, but perhaps even grow it a bit.

If nothing else, consider that in 2014, the population of the United States is practically double what it was in 1964.

Art

[martinfan5]

The hobby of building model cars in not limited to USA, its world wide, the hobby could die here, but live on in say Japan.

Edited January 20, 2014 by martinfan5

[Harry P.]

Like Art mentioned, back in the '60s building plastic model cars was considered "cool." Many (most?) young boys got into model cars to one extent or another– the popularity of the hobby among boys was pretty strong. I remember almost all of my friends were building model cars back then... in fact, the kids who didn't build model cars were the "odd man out."

Of course, there were no video games back then, or cell phones, or internet, etc. There was a lot less to choose from as far as spending you leisure time. As a hobby, building model cars didn't have the competition from other activities that it does today. Today, people have a much wider choice of options when it comes to leisure time, so obviously any one particular hobby isn't going to be as widely popular as it used to be. Just like TV... back in the '60s, as far as nationwide programming, you had ABC, NBC, and CBS. That's it. A hit show had maybe 30-40 million viewers or more every week. A hot show could sometimes draw 50-60-70% or more of all TV viewers! Today, any one program drawing that kind of viewership is unheard of (except maybe the Superbowl or some one-time thing like that). Today, with literally hundreds of TV channels and shows to choose from, plus alternative ways of watching programs (like Hulu and Netflix), a show is considered a huge hit if maybe 8-10 million watch it. And that's in a country whose population is nearly double what it was in the early '60s. Far more people overall, far fewer people watching any one particular show.

Same with model cars. Far more people in the country as a whole, far fewer people involved in model cars specifically, due to all the other leisure-time choices available... choices that didn't exist 30-40 years ago

I don't have hard numbers to prove it, but my best guess is that there are fewer people actively building model cars than were doing so years ago.

[Chris White]

I got to agree with Harry, once we are gone, I don't think there will much left of the hobby, as we know it. After all, they won't have to build it, a program and a 3D printer will for them.

[CJ1971]

Agree with Harry & Chris. As Jonathan has said, the hobby is Worldwide, not just 1-2 country based. Across the globe I think the hobby is dying, slowly, but still dying. From my perspective, down here in Australia, there isn't any "new" modellers coming into the hobby. Kids today want instant! Pleasure/gratification. They don't & won't take the time to build models. They have the attention span of a gnat! I've tried with my at least 1 of my girlfriend's 3 boys. He's in the perfect age category for building models but like I said... The attention span of a gnat :-(

I myself am in the current, prime, age category for this hobby ( 42yo ) & have been building off/on since the very early 80s. Once the guys in my age range are gone from this hobby... It'll be gone for good. The generations behind us won't care & in all honesty... After I'm gone... I won't care either. It's a dying hobby. Simple.

[Harry P.]

... but like I said... The attention span of a gnat :-(

On a sort of related note... I heard the other day that the Marines are instituting special classes in communication and basic social interaction/social skills.

Why? Apparently so many new recruits (and young people in general) are so used to communicating and interacting socially via texting and/or social media, that when it comes to actual face-to-face communication and social skills, they need help!

Scary.

[Harry P.]

... in all honesty... After I'm gone... I won't care either.

Same here.

Let future generations pick their own hobbies.

[Quick GMC]

A friend of mine ordered a model after seeing my hobby room. He abandoned it about half way through due to a lack of patience. I can see him picking it up later in life, he's only 25 right now. His brother was just released from jail and he is building a 1/12 Testarossa I gave him. I hope he enjoys it. i don't know anyone around here that builds. Even the guys at the hobby shop don't know anyone. They stock a reasonable amount of models, but most on consignment, which isn't a good sign.

[Dave Van]

Biz has been good of late per my wholesale hobby buddy......looking up I'd say.

[martinfan5]

I thought most people felt that 3D printing was going to make the hobby better, and change it for the good, but now the hobby is dying?, I cant keep up anymore

[Harry P.]

I thought most people felt that 3D printing was going to make the hobby better, and change it for the good, but now the hobby is dying?, I cant keep up anymore

3D printing is going to fundamentally change the hobby as it exists now. But drawing new people into a hobby they previously have not been a part of is a completely different story.

Look at it this way... say that someone invented a new table saw that was way better than existing table saws.

It would change the woodworking hobby... but it would have no effect on people who are not already into woodworking.

[martinfan5]

3D printing is going to fundamentally change the hobby as it exists now. But drawing new people into a hobby they previously have not been a part of is a completely different story.

Look at it this way... say that someone invented a new table saw that was way better than existing table saws.

It would change the woodworking hobby... but it would have no effect on people who are not already into woodworking.

You are right, and I was trying to compare apples to oranges if you will

[BSB Racing]

I went to the hobby shop the other day. I was the only person in the store beside the owner. I said, man pretty slow in here. He said kids today just don't build things anymore! They are all wrapped up in video games and care little about working with their hands. He also said 95% of his customers are over 50 years old! SAD!! Man, when I was a kid I couldn't wait to get money from doing odd jobs and get a new model and build.

[High octane]

I'd say that in about 10 years from now, the model car hobby will see a dramatic downturn and continue to spiral as many of the baby boomers will either lose interest, or for health reasons such as arthritis which can and will hamper their building skills.

[Speedfreak]

I went to the hobby shop the other day. I was the only person in the store beside the owner. I said, man pretty slow in here. He said kids today just don't build things anymore! They are all wrapped up in video games and care little about working with their hands. He also said 95% of his customers are over 50 years old! SAD!! Man, when I was a kid I couldn't wait to get money from doing odd jobs and get a new model and build.

Exactly what I've been thinking. We Americans don't see ourselves as 'builders' anymore, so , the idea that we 'build things' is not being passed on. Maybe the future market for modeling exists in China since they are still building things.

Ah, what the hell, I'm on my way in a few minutes to my LHS, going to buy some after-market tires!

Like Dave Van says, the hobby at present is good and looking up, build my friends build! It's in our DNA!

Edited January 21, 2014 by Speedfreak

[martinfan5]

I said, man pretty slow in here. He said kids today just don't build things anymore! They are all wrapped up in video games and care little about working with their hands.

I find that very funny, as a 30 y/o that stills play video games, I can assure that I use my hands , and I also need some hand to eye coordination, all the same things that model building does

There is such a huge generational gap here its not even funny, video games is the current generation of kids models , same for my generation

[Rob Hall]

I find that very funny, as a 30 y/o that stills play video games, I can assure that I use my hands , and I also need some hand to eye coordination, all the same things that model building does

There is such a huge generational gap here its not even funny, video games is the current generation of kids models , same for my generation

Same for my generation... I was the odd kid out in the '80s, building models when my peers were all gaming...the typical Gen Xer like myself grew up on Atari, Nintendo, etc. which I also had, along w/ a Commodore 64 computer...

[martinfan5]

Same for my generation... I was the odd kid out in the '80s, building models when my peers were all gaming...the typical Gen Xer like myself grew up on Atari, Nintendo, etc. which I also had, along w/ a Commodore 64 computer...

Now Rob, did you use your hands to when you played video games?

I grew up playing NES,Sega, and so one, but I was also a car kid, my dad was, and he was the one that got me into building models and supported me doing it, so I played video games tell I got bored, then played with my models tell I got bored, and so on , just like do now, I like to take a break from building models and play video games for a little bit, as they say, variety is spice of life

Edited January 21, 2014 by martinfan5

[Rob Hall]

I grew up playing NES,Sega, and so one, but I was also a car kid, my dad was, and he was the one that got me into building models and supported me doing it, so I played video games tell I got bored, then played with my models tell I got bored, and so on , just like do now, I like to take a break from building models and play video games for a little bit, as they say, variety is spice of life

I hear you...growing up in a family of car enthusiasts and racing fans kept me in that realm of interest.....we just got a pair of 60 inch 4K UHD TVs and 2 Xbox Ones for our office game room...going to have to get back into into gaming..

Edited January 21, 2014 by Rob Hall

[Sixties Sam]

^{Building things does seem to be becoming a lost art. In 2006 I built a teardrop camper trailer which my wife and I go camping with. It always draws a crowd in campgrounds, and we give people "tours" of the trailer. When I tell people I built it myself, some of them (mostly younger folks) lapse into absolute shock to think I can do such a thing. One guy even said "Are you some kind of genius?" Heck no, it's basic carpentry - nothing too difficult, but I'm surprised that those people are amazed.}

^{Here's a pic of the trailer being used.}

[martinfan5]

I hear you...growing up in a family of car enthusiasts and racing fans kept me in that realm of interest.....we just got a pair of 60 inch 4K UHD TVs and 2 Xbox Ones for our office game room...going to have to get back into into gaming..

Oh that is sweet, just replace the Ones with 4 and I am all over that