Dr. Cranky Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Harry, I didn't have an allowance, but I remember finding money under the couch cushions and saving it up to go buy kits at Thrifty's. Once the bug hit me, I was a regular buyer of kits. I had the split my money though between my two passions at the time: kits and comic books. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 They should cost whatever it takes for the manufacturer to turn a profit. As to what that number is, I have no idea- I don't work for a kit manufacturer. Personally for me there's no real price ceiling- if I want the subject badly enough, I'll fork over the cash for the kit. But maybe not before doing a little bargain hunting, of course. Well said, Chuck! Along that line, I never, EVER thought I'd shell out nearly $60 for any 1/24 or 1/25 scale model car kit, but when I spotted the ICM Opel Admiral, I just knew I had to bite that bullet. Along those lines, I have been involved, to varying degrees in assisting with the development of a few model car kits--and it's interesting how much effort gets expended in making a model car kit "down to a price-point", so as to be at least somewhat competitive with what other companies are doing. I suspect, for example that here in the US, price competition is more a factor than in say, Japan. After all, Tamiya (for example) has almost never brought out any model kit to fit any sort of narrow price point, unlike US companies were doing until fairly recently. Tamiya, Hasegawa etc. have introduced model car kits all over the place pricewise, have they not, and not just recently, but going all the way back into the 1980's (I still remember having to explain that to customers in my hobby shop back then. It appears that they tended to design model kits up to a standard, rather than "down" to some artificially determined price (remember when AMT, MPC, Monogram and Revell 1/25 scale model car kits used to all be the same MSRP?). Nowadays, it's more a matter of deciding what price a model kit can be sold for given that there is more of a price range as opposed to a rigid price point (as it was from the late 50's clear out to about 10 years ago), in reasonable numbers, then figuring out how to get all the features into the tooling that one would really like to see produced, and still have a profitable kit. Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Harry, I didn't have an allowance... I think you should sue your parents for back pay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Anderson Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I think you should sue your parents for back pay! And have them come back at me for 18 years of room & board? Hmmm! Art Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 LOL, my parents were factory workers their entire lives. I still feel ashamed that I harangued my father into buying me a train set one fine Sunday when I was twelve because I saw it at the store and wanted one. All these years that moment still haunts me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Lacy Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) I was a little kid in the late '60s. I bought models at that time. The typical 1/24-1/25 model car kit from AMT, Jo-Han, MPC, Revell, Monogram, etc. at my LHS (Bill's, on West Fullerton Avenue in Chicago) had a retail price of $2. I know it's true, because I was there. I remember it specifically because my allowance was $2 a week. You can "call BS" all you want, but that doesn't change the facts. You completely missed the point, Harry. I wasn't implying that kits didn't cost $2 in the 60's. I know that they absolutely did. i wasn't calling BS on the price of model kits. I was calling BS on the people that constantly compare (and complain) about kit prices now vs. 50 years ago because it's all a wash. Today, your average kid who's saved his allowance money for a month will go to the hobby shop and purchase one new kit at a time. It was no different 50 years ago in 1964. Yeah, kits were $2. And it would probably take a kid a month or so to save up $2 for one in 1964, just like $25 for one in 2014. Edited August 11, 2014 by Dennis Lacy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) I had a bit of a messed up childhood. My father was a US Army officer so we lived all over the world. When I was 10 in 1968 my sister, mother and I lived in New Jersey because my father was in Korea. My grandfather and I would often spend Saturdays together, We'd take the long walk to Two Guys where we'd have lunch and buy either a model kit or a Hot Wheels car. Life was good and I averaged about a kit a month from those visits. In 1969 he got orders for Pirmasens, Germany. The military PX didn't have any kits at all, they barely had Matchbox cars and supplies of any toy item were sporadic. That left me to go downtown to German stores. There was a hobby shop in town, but right after we got to Europe the exchange rate went from 4 German Marks equals a dollar, to less than two! Everything in town became twice as expensive. There were American kits in the store, AMT and Revell as well as Revell of Germany. But these cost 20 marks, which as around $10 a kit! I was always earnest and looked for ways to earn money. I got the job of sweeping the stairwell in our 4 family house for $2 a month. I also mowed the lawn for $2 a week. And I'd hustle and wash cars for $1 each. I worked pretty darn hard for my money! My one connection was the AutoWorld catalog. I'd spend hours pouring over that book and writing out potential orders on loose leaf paper. My typical order was a kit, the brush paints I thought I'd need for that kit, and something extra like the AutoWorld Auto Cutter, other tools or decals and such like the old license plate sheet. And every time I'd come into enough money to fill one of my orders, my father would write a check in exchange for my cash and I'd place that order. It took something like 90 days to get that order! So I usually had several orders in my queue of anticipation. The weeks when I thought an order was coming, I'd walk past my father's office on my way home from school every day. That's where we received our mail. I'd buzz the big secure door and the GIs watching me on the camera, would often squawk on the intercom, "No Thomas, there's no package for you today!" On days when I did get a package, some of them were as excited as I was. Edited August 11, 2014 by Tom Geiger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Auto Cutter was the acme of hobby tools in 1964! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry P. Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Auto Cutter was the acme of hobby tools in 1964! They should have called it the Auto World Auto Melter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Auto Cutter was the acme of hobby tools in 1964! I remember read about that in model magazines back in the early 70's. I thought I really needing one to do all the cool things they were doing with it in the magazines. Like Harry said, "They should have called it the Auto World Auto Melter!" Never really found it too useful. I still have very fond memories of buying several useless, and many more usefull items, from the Auto World Catalog. By the way, I still have a lot fun looking at my old Auto World catalogs. Again, a lot of $2.00 kit in them. And again that was a lot of money at the time. So I spent more time dreaming through the Auto World catalogs than buying. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 I'm at work now or I'd post photos... I found my auto melter when I did the final clean out of my fathers garage. I sacrificed a body to do a demo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 They should have called it the Auto World Auto Melter! Yeah, kinda like trying to do a top-chop in 1:1 with a chainsaw. I had a modified soldering iron with a cobbled up X-acto tip, and it made a horrible mess the first (and last) time I tried to use it for precision work. Sure SEEMED like a good idea, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Janssens Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 (edited) that is the thin line manufacturers walk on, finding the balance, between turning a good profit and the psychological top edge price the impulse buyer is willing to pay for. Edited August 11, 2014 by Luc Janssens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I'm at work now or I'd post photos... I found my auto melter when I did the final clean out of my fathers garage. I sacrificed a body to do a demo Here's the official Auto World Auto Cutter! I bought this as a kid and it's a low mile unit as I quickly found it useless. I found it in my father's garage hoard since he never threw out anything remotely useful.. from the same man who gave away my Raleigh Chopper. So I decided to take a trip down memory lane and document it photographically. I even went for a brand new eXacto blade. So with my best grammer school modeling technique I gave her a try on some poor sacrificial body. It slid through that plastic like butter, more like a snow plow than a fine surgical instrument. And here's the results. Not even remotely acceptable, even to a sixth grader in 1970! Dismal failure! But did we go screaming back to Auto World? No, somehow we thought it must be our fault since it appeared to work fine in the drawing in the ad! So the Auto Cutter goes into the 1960s Hall of Fame along with such fine products as the X-Ray Vision Glasses. Yea, they didn't work either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Hey the x-ray glasses work. In fact I'll be demonstrating a set to a bunch of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade age kids tomorrow. Do they really give you x-ray vision? Of course not! But they are a fun optical illusion. And it's fun to see if the kids can figure out how they work? They are still around. You can buy them on eBay with shipping for about $4.00 a pair. The frames are made out of cheap cardboard, so they wear out fast. There is a more expensive pair out there with plastic rims. But, for what ever reason that set did not work! And I don't remember why? It's almost more fun seeing adults try the glasses for the first time. They are sure they are not going to work. Most kids know it has to be some kind of trick, but are willing to believe it will work somewhat. And I don't know why, but middle school girls for the most part think they are really seeing their bones, and it's gross! So don't put x-ray glasses in the same classification with Auto World's Auto Cutter. I've gotten more for my monies worth with x-ray glasses, than my old Auto Cutter in its day. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 That's funny Scott. But as kids we hoped we'd see through girls clothing! And as far as the Rembrandt Company, I wouldn't know where to get my glasses today. Their 285 Market Street address is now a parking garage for their minor league ball team field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 That's funny Scott. But as kids we hoped we'd see through girls clothing! And as far as the Rembrandt Company, I wouldn't know where to get my glasses today. Their 285 Market Street address is now a parking garage for their minor league ball team field. EvilBay. That's were I get mine. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fractalign Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) A very interesting topic. I recently brought a kit for 45 dollars and believe it or not that is a normal price over here. Most kit range from 30 to 45 dollars and I baulk at paying it. The thing is though our minimum wage over here is over 16 dollars an hour so 30 to 45 dollars is considered a normal price for models. Its all relative. Edited August 12, 2014 by fractalign Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJ1971 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Is this thread about what model kits should cost, or is there a personal conversation going on for the last 2 pages ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Is this thread about what model kits should cost, or is there a personal conversation going on for the last 2 pages ?? Um ... "Yes?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southpier Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 someone feeling left out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) Just to let people know the kids thought the x-ray glasses were cool. Some adults who had never seen them before, thought so too. This may not have anything to do with the price of models. But, just as models were cool back in the 60's, so were x-ray specs. And they are still fun and cool today. And inflation has not hit them as hard as model kits, or other fun things from my childhood. Scott Edited August 13, 2014 by unclescott58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) Having troubles with posting things tonight. Ignore this, and read the next. That's what should be here. Scott Edited August 13, 2014 by unclescott58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclescott58 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) Oh, by the way Tom. I'm still hoping to see through clothing with them. Just now I want to see through women's clothing rather than girls. Then again, it has always been women's clothes I was more interested in see through. Even as a kid I knew they'd be more interesting than just plain old girls. Scott Edited August 13, 2014 by unclescott58 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AC Norton Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 (edited) we all realize the costs of everything now hurts more than ever, however without the joy of our toys and models to ease our mind of that and all other day to day problems, I think the cost of our models and supplies to build them is a bargain most guys like us can't pass up. I still truly enjoy that xmas morning feeling every time I pop the shrinkwrap on a new kit..............its kind of like the story of the man having his retirement party where all his friends and workmates begin chanting==SPEACH, SPEACH, SPEACH,...and he finally rises from his chair and says...you know, all my life I spent my cash on gambling, booze, and fast women,,,,,and the rest I just totally wasted....................... Edited August 13, 2014 by AC Norton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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