Building rare or vintage kits

[DBoger]

Since I mostly build car models, I love the old vintage stuff from the 60's, mostly AMT Trophy Series kits. I love building fresh out of the box kits, but I do a lot of restorations of glue bombs. I have recently purchased a mint in box unbuilt AMT 57 chevy Trophy series 3n1 kit and getting ready to build it, as a factory stock car, and using the custom goodies on a newer reissue kit. So my question to you guys is would you build those old kits if you got a hold of them? I am a firm believer that the model is supposed to be built and the box art is meant to be looked at.

[RGronovius]

Yes and no. If it is a kit of a subject I really like and no one has done the kit since (like the Aurora MBT-70 or ITC/Ringo T92 Airborne Tank), I'll build it as best I can.

If it's an old kit that has been surpassed by more recent offerings and the collectability of the kit exceeds the cost of a new kit (like the Peerless Max M26 Dragon Wagon vs the circa 2004 Tamiya Dragon Wagon), you'd be a fool to hack into the vintage kit when the new kit is light years ahead.

 

A few years back, I got rid of a bunch of motorized Japanese armor kits I bought at an old shop in Mannheim, Germany back in the 80s. I probably paid maybe $5-10 a piece for them with the exchange rate at 2DM to the dollar. I sold these things on eBay one February when they had a free listing special and I made about a thousand bucks selling about a dozen kits, mostly to collectors in Japan. I had several copies of the Tamiya Mokei British Crusader tank kit in both motorized and non-motorized form as well as the Hawk (US) boxing of the same kit. I believe the motorized Tamiya boxing went for the most at $325 or so. Now, with the new 1/48 Tamiya Crusader kit retailing for around $25 and finding them on various buy/trade forums for under $20 delivered, I'd have been nuts to build the old kit.

 

That grand in the PayPal account lasted a long time between my wife and my eBay purchases.

[ghodges]

I'm a builder and I buy for that purpose. I have a stash that I haven't gotten around to, but I have "plans" for all of them! That said, I do sell some from time to time, and even more often I will buy something at a bargain price and then donate it to our club kit raffle.

 

I think this question is best targeted at people who buy vintage collections. I had a couple of friends who went together and bought a HUGE collection, much of which dated from the 50s-60-s. There were TWO Revell F-108 Rapiers in the collection; each one valued @$150 (at 1985 prices!). They sold one and then my friend built the other just for fun and to watch collectors jaws drop when they saw someone had built such a "valuable" kit!

 

The only older kits I buy today are ones that hold nostalgia for me, and I buy them to build them!

 

GIL

[Dick Montgomery]

I enjoy restoring vintage models and have finished several restorations that I've shared here on this forum and on other forums.

I rarely will build a "true collectable" but rather, restore vintage kits using a built up model I've acquired from an estate sale or from a vendor. I strip the model back down to its constituent parts, or at least as close as I can get it to an Out of the Box condition and then build it up from ground zero. I even try to find the original decals and scan them and then have a local "copy" company shoot laser copies on decal film.

 

Fortunately I have more of these "restorations in waiting" than I'll get around to but they are very fulfilling and very enjoyable.

[DBoger]

its good to know im not the only one crazy enough to restore old kits

[DBoger]

heres another wrench in the gear. Do you take advantage of the current aftermarket industry to help with you build or restoration?

[RGronovius]

Not me. A couple of vintage kits I owned that were basically "glue bombs" of my own doing as a child (Revell M50 Ontos and Aurora MBT-70), I eventually found a duplicate "parts kit" of each and used those kits to dress up my old kit. I paid $5 for the incomplete MBT-70 and a friend gave me an old started Renwal Ontos.

In sort of a backwards restoration, I once bought a lot of spare vintage parts on eBay for some Aurora parts I saw in the photo that I needed. In the mix were some suspension parts for the old school Revell M4 Sherman tank Black Magic. I actually went looking for, and found, an incomplete builder's kit on eBay and now have a complete kit. I started it, but the model suffered from mold slip and the main kit is just horribly disfigured.

[Ron Bell]

Funny you should ask. I did the T-92 a bunch of years ago for the "Rare Kit Award" only to find out after a few months work that the award had been discontinued!

 

[Mark Aldrich]

We had something in Seattle show about building old kits OOTB and I thought it was neat. I pulled out the Aurora Triceratops and got about half way finished when I found out they also cancelled the award. It still sits in my Dinosaur box. Waiting to be sold or built.

[Weedeater]

- Ever since I built my first model at the age of 5, I've been hooked and have never stopped. I've been buying and building thru the years, even thru college and 24 years of marriage. I have always considered myself a "builder", knowing that every model I buy I have a plan for. Many of them I have numerous paint schemes I want to build them in and eventually bought a second, third and fourth of. Unfortunately, my buying-to-building ratio is terrible and I can't ignore that by most respects, I am more a "collector" now, than a builder. My vast collection has numerous "collectibles" in it, but I can't think of one of those collectibles that I would hesitate for a minute to build, simply because its a "collectible." I agree with Donnie's take that, I too believe all models were meant to be built. The question I am struggling with is which ones in my stash do I sell to someone else to build? You all know the old quandary.........the mathematical probability of finishing the 8000 plus in my stash before I die. Who knows, maybe during our next model building party, I'll just have each attendee reach up and grab something off of the shelf to build. Model on, Brothers of the Sprue.

Edited July 26, 2011 by Weedeater

[dsteingass]

I purposely buy up craptastically painted metail figures that are OOP, just to take the dremel and a wire wheel to them to strip the paint and "do them right" for my own personal collection. However, if I were in this as a business, then no, I would probably keep them in the packaging just to sell at profit to other collectors.

 

- Ever since I built my first model at the age of 5, I've been hooked and have never stopped. I've been buying and building thru the years, even thru college and 24 years of marriage. I have always considered myself a "builder", knowing that every model I buy I have a plan for. Many of them I have numerous paint schemes I want to build them in and eventually bought a second, third and fourth of. Unfortunately, my buying-to-building ratio is terrible and I can't ignore that by most respects, I am more a "collector" now, than a builder. My vast collection has numerous "collectibles" in it, but I can't think of one of those collectibles that I would hesitate for a minute to build, simply because its a "collectible." I agree with Donnie's take that, I too believe all models were meant to be built. The question I am struggling with is which ones in my stash do I sell to someone else to build? You all know the old quandary.........the mathematical probability of finishing the 8000 plus in my stash before I die. Who knows, maybe during our next model building party, I'll just have each attendee reach up and grab something off of the shelf to build. Model on, Brothers of the Sprue.

[Nortley]

To not build an old classic kit if one wishes to would be like me letting my classic motorcyle sit in the garage for fear of mileage.

[Weedeater]

To not build an old classic kit if one wishes to would be like me letting my classic motorcyle sit in the garage for fear of mileage.

- Yeah, I can relate to that one. I bought my Triumph 600 Daytona "Valmoto Limited Edition" off the showroom floor in 2004. I pondered the thought of how much effort do I put into keeping it as new and as clean as possible, with the thought that I just might retain its value..........for about 30 seconds. I bought the bike so I could ride it, not just look at it. Funny thing is that 90% of the nicks, dings, and scratches on it are from everyone else but me! I didn't even have the honor of being the first one to drop it. That was takin by my brother, thank you very much. I have no regrets of letting him borrow it for the week, but I sure wish it hadn't a been dropped.

- I guess one of the rarest/most collectible models in my stash is the Aurora 1/48 Chinook. Paid way too much for it off of Evilbay in 1999. I know the italeri kit is so much better and I have one of those too now, but I won't hesitate for a minute to put that Aurora kit together. Same thing with my Aurora Funny Car Scenes kits, like the VooDoo Vega! Ain't that a classic from our childhoods!? Model on, Brothers of the Sprue.

Edited July 27, 2011 by Weedeater

[Mark Aldrich]

Aurora really made some great kits! I look at it like this...thanks to Evil bay, I can still find some old Max peerless kits for realitively cheap prices compared to their current Italeri re-releases and it usually means the molding is gonna be way crisper! Aurora Prehsitoric scenes on the other hand is a completey different animal.

[RGronovius]

The Aurora prehistoric kits were what I cut my teeth on as a kid. Lots of playability, interchangeable arms and legs and bases that connected.

 

Many of them have been reissued by Monogram and Revell-Monogram throughout the years. My first kit, the Allosaurus, was recently reissued by Revell as "Fang" in their Dawn of Time series.

 

There are at least four of the old Aurora prehistoric scene kits for sale at Squadron right now. Three of them by Revell for $18 a piece and the giant T-Rex kit is reboxed by Atlantis for a ridiculous $72.

[Mark Aldrich]

Not really ridiculous! I have seen the re boxed T-rex sell for as high as $200 on EvilBay. I sold one of mine for $135. The Monogram/Revell reissues are still holding their own. The Triceratops had next to no flash on it.

[RGronovius]

But they're about $50 on eBay (the reissue).

[Schmitz]

I bought the bike so I could ride it, not just look at it.

 

I remember having a conversation a lot like this many years ago after GT 40 #1075 - one of the few cars to win LeMans twice - sold for some enormous amount of money. I said "if I had the money to buy it, I'd race it", and a friend said "but if you stuffed it into a wall, how would you feel?" (I guess assuming I lived to feel something) and it made me unsure. There are a (very) few things that are important enough as history that keeping them safe seems the right thing to do. I recently got to see the Enola Gay at the Air&Space, and the eerie feeling I got from just standing next to it was something that everyone should get to experience.

 

But an old model kit isn't quite the Enola Gay; if its in my closet and I feel the need, it goes under the knife. If I don't build it, my kids are probably going to put it in the trash about 15 minutes after I'm dead, so I might as well enjoy it now

 

Don

 

 

 

 

[dsteingass]

I was watching a rerun of Top Gear on BBC America the other week, and James Mays went to California to test drive Toyota's Hydrogen car as part of an entire "this is the future of automobiles" segment. He visited Jay Leno's personal collection of cars, where Jay Leno agreed that the Hydrogen Car was the future, but that switching over to hydrogen will not necessarily make the old classic gas-guzzlers obsolete, but that we will be better able to appreciate and play with them more as toys and things of beauty in much the same way as a steam locomotive is now a rare, but awesome site to see in real life. We personally own a 1985 Jeep CJ-7 with a Chevy 305 from a 1979 Impala. (yes it makes that lovely glub glub glub sound) it is a toy, it sits in the garage until a nice day when we can take it out and play with it. It's pretty impractical for an every day grocery-getter or work commuter, but it does get played with, loved, and admired.

 

We love our model kits very similarly, but that vintage Aurora Frankenstein kit is only rare and valuable because it IS so well loved and you and I have a demand on it that is higher than the supply. Once the kit is built, it loses that monetary value but it takes on a new value in your personal collection for all to see. It becomes a conversation piece to share with others. This demand is what prompts companies like Polar Lights to locate and purchase the original molds and re-issue the Frankenstein Kit so that the demand can better be filled, and the classic Frankenstin which was so well loved by one generation can be experienced by another generation, furthur increasing the value of the original.

 

 

 

 

 

I bought the bike so I could ride it, not just look at it.

 

I remember having a conversation a lot like this many years ago after GT 40 #1075 - one of the few cars to win LeMans twice - sold for some enormous amount of money. I said "if I had the money to buy it, I'd race it", and a friend said "but if you stuffed it into a wall, how would you feel?" (I guess assuming I lived to feel something) and it made me unsure. There are a (very) few things that are important enough as history that keeping them safe seems the right thing to do. I recently got to see the Enola Gay at the Air&Space, and the eerie feeling I got from just standing next to it was something that everyone should get to experience.

 

But an old model kit isn't quite the Enola Gay; if its in my closet and I feel the need, it goes under the knife. If I don't build it, my kids are probably going to put it in the trash about 15 minutes after I'm dead, so I might as well enjoy it now

 

Don

 

 

 

 

[RGronovius]

I don't think it is a valid comparison between a classic vehicle and a classic model kit. The model is basically "consumed" as a kit when built. What you end up with is a built kit can either appreciate or depreciate when finished. Build a current $40 kit into one of those eBay "professionally built" models and it may get sold for $100. Build a vintage $150 mint unbuilt model kit and you've just lost what made it worth $150.

 

Now if your classic motorcycle was Evel Knevel's Snake River Canyon rocket bike and you had to jump the canyon in order to enjoy it; you'd have a chance that it makes it safely and retains its value or the chance that it drops into the river below and is now not worth as much. Then it would be a valid comparison.

 

I build kits for my own personal enjoyment. I will acquire vintage kits because I know they're rare and can turn a profit on eBay or I will acquire them because they hold nostalgic value to me. If it holds nostalgic value to me, I may or may not build it. That all depends on if the model has been surpassed by more accurate, more pleasurable building kits. That's the key, will I get enjoyment out of building it or not.

[dsteingass]

you know, that just made me look at my kits...I have a few unbuilt kits, but none that I don't intend to build...and you are right...because I know I'll have fun while building it. My problem is that I have sooo many things started, and few finished. ..new plastic ADD ;)

[davewahl]

I would have to say that it hangs on how much extra work youwant to do on a kit. If you were to build it completely OOB and not do any cutting or any serious surgery on the body or whatever (no kitbashing with a current kit) , then it would be Ok. Lets face it, you damage something on a kit you sent big $$$ on with NO replacement parts in sight you tend to get a little paranoid about cutting it up. However, we could also say the same thing about a CURRENT issue kit with a Big $$$ pricetag. If you ruin something on that, are we any less worried about getting replacement kits or parts. It all depends on how much you want to build said kit.

 

Dave

[jcorley]

Funny you should ask. I did the T-92 a bunch of years ago for the "Rare Kit Award" only to find out after a few months work that the award had been discontinued!

 

I built one of my Aurora AH-56 Cheyenne for that very reason, only to find they had cancelled the award without really announcing it!

 

I was kinda upset that I had 'wasted' a good kit I could've sold for big bucks.

 

Bring the award back!

[Dick Montgomery]

The XSL-01 by Revell is one of those rare and highly collectable kits that this thread is about. This particular example was found in an estate sale already built up. A few months ago I finished a complete restoration on this kit. The model was disassembled down to individual parts (or as near to that mark as possible), stripped of paint and decals, and then reassembled.

I was very close to building up the kit that I happen to have in my stockpile, but having found and restored this item means I do not have to build the model that is still in the box. Interestingly enough, I would not have parted with the boxed model, even for the serious money that can be had for such items in today's market, but now that I've got a finished version sitting on my shelf I find my attachment to the boxed item has weakened. I attribute that change in attitude to mean that I would, if all other options were closed, pop open a collectible and build it.

 

I've done several restorations including the Revell Space Station (a cylindrical space station with some auxiliary craft hovering around it), and several Strombecker spacecraft. I have also completed restorations of several of the Air Power Series by Revell, including scratching the clear plastic display stand for most of them. In that group are the B-36, B-52, B-58, KC-135, B-29, F-105, and B-57.

 

I also have a fully restored XFY-1 Pogo in 1/48th scale (approx). I went a little beyond what was in the box on the Pogo and installed a cockpit, ejection seat, detailed side consoles, and an instrument panel.

 

I've also dabbled a bit with some restorations of Renwal armor and Hawk products.

 

I get more of a kick from these old classics than anything modern, modern meaning anything within the last 30 years, but for the most part I treat them as OOB builds and rarely try to add detail that was not in the original.

[dsteingass]

Can I ask what mfr makes that orange paint?