How Old Were You When You Built Your First Model

[Danno]

First car model: 7. It was the infamous AMT/Revell '56 Chrysler customizing kit ... first issue ... when new. Used a whole tube of glue to slap it together in a hotel room at the McLellan Hotel in downtown Wichita while there on a few days' vacation with the parental units. I glued EVERY part, EVERY custom accessory on it! Like I said ... I was hooked.

I had been building planes and boats since 5, but when that car model came along, I was hooked!

Been building cars ever since ... and I even have one of the reissued '56 Chrysler kits in my stash. One of these days ...

[Jantrix]

I was around 10 or so about 1978. I can still rememeber my folks having a "discussion" about giving a 10 year old a hobby knife. I think my first glue kits were the Datsun Pick-up street machine and a Swamp Rat rear engined dragster. Then my dad started buying up old kits and build ups at flea markets for me and the rest is kit bashing history.

[Foxer]

I know I was 12 in 1958 when AMT came out with their first kits and hooked me good, but I had a room full of planes, ships and armor by that time. It must have been 4 yearsat that time si 8 seems like the answer to this question.

After AMT I never built another non-car subject to this day!

[cartpix]

I must have been 7 or 8 when I built the old Craftsman kits. My first glue kit was at about 9, in the mid 60's. It was an AMT Cobra (a miserable glue bomb). Built up until about 16, most blown up with fire crackers. After that I built a model every year or so. In the mid 80's, I cought the bug again. Joined IPMS, bought tons of kits, tools, air brush, etc. & built until the early 90's, when I moved around, got maried, & had kids. I tried to start up again, a couple times, & finally finished a build in 2008. I've been building again, ever since.

Jeff

[Chuck Doan]

About 8 years old-a Hubley woody. Part die-cast, part plastic. I'm sure my Dad helped; in later years we would both build models together at the kitchen table in the evening.

[vintagercr]

I was 8 in 1963. I can't remember the manufacturer but it was an Austin Healey. I remember the rims and tires were plastic. You had to glue the sides of the body together.

[cobraman]

I think I was about 10. As I recall the first one was a Revell 59 station wagon that did not include windows. Does anyone remember this kit or when it was on the shelves ?

[Mercman]

Seven with the help of my Mother. My first model my Dad built for me before I was 1 YO. Still have it.

It was the only model he ever built.

[my66s55]

It's been awhile but I think I was about 6. It was just before the Gowland Highway Pioneers came out.

[Greg Wann]

Must have been 11. AMT 69 El Camino drag versin like the box art, gold I think. Then I built a Chevy Ranger service pickup. Built it orange like the box art.

Edited July 5, 2012 by Greg Wann

['08SEAL]

i was 11. With a 97 (?) AMT Chevy stepside

[PARTSMARTY]

it's really hard to remember but,it was arond 6 or 7, and love it.what's kind of cool is i'm 56 ' and more into modeling than ever.

[Tom Setzer]

I was six when I built my first model car !

[sleeper]

OK

I hop on board with this one ,me I was 5 years old in the early seventies,my brother encourage me to model build it was the cherry bomb by monogram productions the kit came with a chopper, a trailer for the chopper and a hot rod,he tells me that anything goes,I can do my own design and be proud of it which I was.He also took me my first drag race O.C.I.R. in Irvine at that time it surrounded of groves of oranges,specially when my dad knew some people and my mother to,we live all around drag racers some even congratulate me on my drawings like Bill maverick (tall man, skinny too) when we had a charity fun raising at Lindbergh elementary high school and Jim Dunn was also there with Tom MC Ewen and some other racers at the time sitting at all one table to me it was like Christmas,that was when I was six at the time and Mr . Tanner was the principle.lot of old memories where i came from,I even pick a fight with Mike Dunn out of his cousin's front yard Chris Dunn.So when i do my inspiration is now only through magazine articles that I see like M.C.M.and others like street rod/ old skool at the time when i could get my hands on or another ,L.O.L can't say on this forum but you know which one; and if know one can take a guess where I came from if Southern California at the time i grew up with multiple tracks,now there is only 2 lift Pomona off the 10 freeway/Irwindale off the 605 freeway.

[modelmike]

40 years old "i was a late bloomer"

[59 Impala]

For me, it was about 1955. I was 8 years old and I started building model airplanes. Then I got smart and started building model cars. I still build airplanes and cars/trucks. Dan

[Draggon]

I was 6, and it was the Hubley Metropolitan. Actually my mother built it while I watched and groked the plastic. First one all by myself was the AMT 40 Ford Coupe when I was 8 or 9. Man that was a lot of fun!

[FEENIX]

I was probably 11 and it was the amt 55 chevy cameo. I got glue smudges on all the windows and brush painted them silver to cover up the smudges. I also brush painted the entire model without primer with the little white brush you get from michaels. looked like dookie. I wish I still had it though

[Bluemiles22]

I was 6 or 7 and it was the monogram 56 bel air street machine. I opened the box and took all the parts off the trees so when my dad came to help build it none of the parts were numbered lol. Anyways after the car was built I brought the finished hood to school cuz I thought it was so cool with those flames and that snorkel scoop. I accidentally threw it out on my lunch tray lol. I just built this kit a few weeks ago and gave it to my dad for fathers day

[Ace-Garageguy]

I was 6 or 7 or 8, when the Revell '57 Ford Country Squire wagon was in its first release. Made an incredibly horrible mess of it too. Sure wish I still had it though.

[sleeper]

I was 6 or 7 and it was the monogram 56 bel air street machine. I opened the box and took all the parts off the trees so when my dad came to help build it none of the parts were numbered lol. Anyways after the car was built I brought the finished hood to school cuz I thought it was so cool with those flames and that snorkel scoop. I accidentally threw it out on my lunch tray lol. I just built this kit a few weeks ago and gave it to my dad for fathers day

that is awsome that you gave your dad a perfect fathers day present

[Bluemiles22]

Yeah it worked out good. I actually finished the build about 20 minuted before he got here lol. And he was happy it had a hood this time lol.

[Qwit Pushin]

About 1968, (I was eight). The kit was purchased for me by a great uncle, the 'Skipper's Critter' Anglia. Loved it!

[gtx6970]

Not 100% sure but it was in the late 60's so I would have been about 9 or 10 maybe.

Going deep back in the archives called an old farts memory banks, it was a plane kit,,,,I think.

But by the mid 70s I was building muscle cars and drag cars exclusivly

Edited July 9, 2012 by gtx6970

[Bart68]

I was 7 but for the life of me I can't remember which kit it was.