Thrift store score! What have you found?

[clovis]

I've been trying to build up my model supplies and 'box'. The box I had as a kid was stolen several years ago. That box had very little monetary value, but a huge sentimental value to me. I'd still like to have the X-acto knife set back...my father bought that for me when I was about 13 years old.

I've been trying to build my box back up. I've been on a tight budget, so It has been slow going at times.

I was in a thrift store today, and came across a box filled with Testors paint, nice brushes, glue, putty, good sanding sticks, and quite a few model building tools/supplies.

I am most enthusiastic about the paint. I added 22 bottles of Testors and 1 bottle of Model Masters to my box. Colors are in both gloss and flat. The bottles look new and unused, but I can tell a few have been opened.

Total spent: Less than $3 for all of the supplies!!!!!

I LOVE GETTING NEW COLORS!!!!!!

What have you found on the cheap?

[lordairgtar]

Once and awhile I find kits in picker type stores for decent money...read cheap. Just located a secret stash of Tamiya models for 10 to 15 bucks a kit. It's in a back room of the store so not many people explore back there. Hehehehehehehehehehehe

[Guest]

About a year ago nabbed a RoG Porshe for $5, and more recently nabbed a RoG newer body style Mini Cooper for $2. The Mini Cooper had been assembled, and missing a couple of parts. Got both at Goodwill.

Edited November 9, 2013 by midnightprowler

[checkmate]

We've got a GoLo shop here that sells all sorts of wonderful cheap imported junk. Honestly most of it is BLAH_BLAH_BLAH_BLAH but they do have some cool stuff in there.

I've found a heap of plastic tackle box style cases for $2, supergluex20 tubes $2 also and some really handy little clamps for holding engine blocks etc together for $2.

[Dan Helferich]

I've found a lot of complete and parts kits at Goodwill stores. The best was complete, in the box, unbuilt Monogram 1/8th scale '82 Vette and '82 Camaro for $6 each

Edited November 8, 2013 by Dan Helferich

[Kaleb]

Well just yesterday I went and found several rides that had missing parts. They wanted from three to five bucks apiece. Of course the ones I wanted were five. I asked the guy when they would clearance them because I would not pay five apiece. He said well, I will let your have them for a $1 apiece. I grabbed five. A gullwing Mercedes, 57 Chevy 55 Chevy pickup and a 37? Pickup. And a late 40's or early 50's car. I didn't pay too close attention. They were all diecast.

[Tom Geiger]

I never find model kits at garage sales, flea markets or the Goodwill Store. Just not that lucky.

In 3 years of haunting my local Goodwill stores my best score was the 13" TV/DVD combo that's in my model room for $10. I found a diecast Pontiac Vibe for $3 and a bag of misc new diecast small vehicles that looked like the left overs from a store. In that bag were a few school busses that I changed the side decal to match the school system where my daughter teaches and gave them to her.

My last trip in I thought I was scoring. I saw familiar AMT boxes from across the store. Up close, they were just AMT 1/25 scale '53 Corvette and some Ferarri, both brush painted and partly assembled by some kid. And they wanted $6 each for that. No thanks. I didn't leave empty handed though. On the t-shirt rack I found a new Rock & Roll Hall of Fame shirt for $3.50.

[Modlbldr]

Years ago (about 1997) I was at a Value Village store in Alaska and found a beat up Revell 59 Impala kit that had been opened and taped shut. I picked it up and the pbox was much heavier than it should be so I assumed someone had left a couple paint cans or tools inside. They wanted $1.00. I figured the wheels and tires were worth that much so I took a chance. When I got out to the car I quickly opened it to see what I had scored. The kit was still sealed inside. The "paint can" was a $30 Kershaw folding knife. SCORE!

I still haven't built the kit.

Later-

[clovis]

Thanks for the replies!

I am a bit jealous of some of your finds!

I don't spend much time in thrift stores, so I was more than pleased with finding the Testors. This group of paint more than doubled my previous amount of paint. I doubt that I'll ever use some of the paint, like kelly green, but if it saves me a 20 mile drive to Hobby Lobby, the whole lot has paid for itself!

I am excited to have all of these colors!!!!!!!!!!!

[mk11]

My first score at a thrift shop about thirty years ago was a heavily brush painted first issue amt 65 mustang with the hardtop and custom front and rear pieces glued on. Once stripped, it was a very easy restoration with new chrome from a newer coupe kit. Best find was a box of nine or ten mostly untouched kits for fifteen bucks at a garage sale. The lady's son was away working on the rigs and hadn't touched them in years. She popped the lid on one of the kits and I gotta tell you, the look on her face was just priceless, for therein amongst the kit parts was his long forgotten stash of about half a dozen, um, latex items

mike

[SSNJim]

Lessee; a Minicraft 62 Rolls, Tamiya Miata, Revell Snap PT Cruiser convertible, several promo type cars, MPC 79 Camaro. There's probably others, too. The Camaro and promos were in varying conditions, but the Rolls, PT Cruiser and Miata were brand new. I have seen a snap 1/25 Semi, and various incomplete kits, too - a Tamiya BMW Z4? springs to mind. I haven't paid more than $5 for any of them.

There's a lot of good kits to be found if you persevere and are patient. Some of the kits were put on the shelf while I was in the store.

[Shardik]

I've never had any luck at the thrift stores around here, but I've gotten some nice deals at the local antique mall, which is realy just a thrift store with high self esteem.

MPC 1:12 Bentley 4 ¹/₂ litre for $30.00. Started by previous owner, but not much done and everything intact.

IMEX 1:9 Harley Davidson soft tail custom for $14.00. Not only was the kit sealed inside, but there was also parts for 70% of another Harley in the box!

I also picked up a dozen 1:72 WWII fighter planes from various manufacturers for $1.00 each, all factory sealed.

I've also gotten some pretty good deals on other kits: $15 - $20 on long out of production kits.

[Ford guy]

My wife scored me 6 1/8th scale model show cases and 7 1/24th for $11.00 for the whole lot. No scratches, except on one! Goodwill store in Indianapolis.

One month later, same Goodwill, an AMT '57 Chevy, no tires, $2.00. Love Goodwill, love my wife!

[Mike_G]

I bought a sterling silver and 14K gold vintage Western belt buckle made by Newman's silver shop in Reno that was attached to an old leather belt for $1 at the Goodwill.

[lordairgtar]

I bought a sterling silver and 14K gold vintage Western belt buckle made by Newman's silver shop in Reno that was attached to an old leather belt for $1 at the Goodwill.

A friend bought a belt at the local sally and wore it for 5 years. One day he was looking at it and telling how he got a cool belt for 50 cents. He discovered it was a money belt with hidden access and discovered $300 inside.

He'd been walking around with $300 around his middle all that time.

[ToyLvr]

My wife scored me 6 1/8th scale model show cases and 7 1/24th for $11.00 for the whole lot. No scratches, except on one! Goodwill store in Indianapolis.

One month later, same Goodwill, an AMT '57 Chevy, no tires, $2.00. Love Goodwill, love my wife!

I'll have to try the Goodwill store - hadn't thought of that.

My wife likes yardsales, and in particular, likes to go to the "World's Longest Yardsale" each year in late summer (the one that stretches from Michigan all the way down to Florida along old U.S. 127). She has scored a few nice kits for me, including an original 1967 issue of Monogram's '41 Lincoln Continental, unbuilt/pristine, $5.00...

[FASTBACK340]

I found a half-built MPC Charger III and an un-built MPC Ramchargers Dune Buggy at a thrift store years ago. Bought both for $20. Flipped them to help finance my original Hemi under Glass kit I paid through the nose for.

It all balances out I guess.....

[John Goschke]

Off topic, but around 1980 in a Bristol, PA thrift store I found a terrific-looking 1930s yellow and green catalin plastic Motorola radio in working condition for $5.00.

When I moved to Philly to go to art school in '83 sold it to a promo collector buddy for $35.

A few years later read a newspaper article on collectible radios showing the red and black version with a value around $3,500! My consolation was that the yellow and green one I'd sold for $35 was only worth around $2,500 or something...

Edited November 10, 2013 by John Goschke

[FASTBACK340]

Off topic, but around 1980 I found a terrific-looking 1930s yellow and green catalin plastic Motorola radio in working condition for $5.00.

When I moved to Philly to go to art school in '83 sold it to a promo collector buddy for $35.

A few years later read a newspaper article on collectible radios showing the red and black version with a value around $3,500! My consolation was that the yellow and green one I'd sold for $35 was only worth around $2,500 or something...

Don't get me started on vintage Basses I've owned. I had a `76 Fender Precision Bass I bought new just out of High School. Paid $235 (!!!!) for it new, traded it in for $400 6 yrs. later & thought I scored.

That Bass is worth close to $2,500 today. Black with a Maple neck, USA made.

Don't ask what the Travis Bean aluminum neck Bass I owned in the 80's is worth today.....that I sold cheap.

[Mike_G]

Don't get me started on vintage Basses I've owned. I had a `76 Fender Precision Bass I bought new just out of High School. Paid $235 (!!!!) for it new, traded it in for $400 6 yrs. later & thought I scored.

That Bass is worth close to $2,500 today. Black with a Maple neck, USA made.

Don't ask what the Travis Bean aluminum neck Bass I owned in the 80's is worth today.....that I sold cheap.

I still have my early '70s BC Rich Seagull I bought in 1981 for $500 (which was a lot of money for me back then)

It's probably worth about $4k today

I recorded a full-length CD of my original surf tunes with it in 2004- you can hear what it sounds like here:

http://thesurfonics.com/music.html

Edited November 15, 2013 by Mike_G

[Maindrian Pace]

I got a '58 Edsel promo friction in great condition in the early '90s from a thrift store. Nothing model related since then.

-MJS

[Tom Geiger]

Guitars or spyder bikes! I had TWO Raleigh Choppers (the euro version of a Schwinn Orange Krate) carefully stored in the back of my father's garage. Where'd they go? HE gave them away! For a guy who never got rid of nothing, he had to give away my bikes...

Value today? $500 to $1000 each. I recently saw a frame sell for $500 on eBay.

[oldcarfan]

I have yet to find any models at thrift stores, but I did once fine the Fujimi? GT40 kits at a chain toy store that were clearanced at 40%. i grabbed several of them and when I went to check out the lady gave me an additional 40% off coupon on that of that. Oh happy day!

[lordairgtar]

I still have my early '70s BC Rich Seagull I bought in 1981 for $500 (which was a lot of money for me back then)

It's probably worth about $4k today

I recorded a full-length CD of my original surf tunes with it in 2004- you can hear what it sounds like here: http://thesurfonics.com/music.html:

linky no worky

[om617]

I found a AMT 1:25 Autocar for 10$,i think they are worth a bit more among builders and collectors.