The hobby shop is an evil place. (Model car content)

I still build one every year or two.  At that pace, I should finish the "stash" in the basement when I'm about 147 y.o.  

Ian F 

I have a massive pile of unbuilt models in my attic I've been collecting for decades.

You want to sell those? 

We built several of the Revell WWI fighters. They had three kits, the Fokker DR-1 (triplane), Sopwith Camel, and Spad XIII. 

We researched the colors and markings of specific aircraft, and used black sewing thread for the wiring. The model kits didn't provide for the wiring, but they don't look right without it. It was really difficult to work with the thread.

They're all lost now. 

It's pretty popular to buy the 1/25th scale kits for just the body in the RC scale truck world. I use eBay and buy prebuilt or missing peices kits because some of the prices are crazy! 

I have several built static models that I planned on building a diorama in my garage to display years ago. never got around to it, I bought an A2 VW GTI model just like the one I owned in 1993 that has never gotten built because of life and all its stuff. 

In the early 80's I built at least a dozen varied static models (priced about 7-8 bucks each). My mom was a csi before it was cool and was constantly telling me not to sniff the model glue. I was like, "who would do that?" and never did. Little did I know.....

I still have those models, still plan to build the diorama. Someday.

Rallygorgo said:

In reply to slefain :

X2!  Stay away from the slot-car aisle too!  

No doubt.  Already blew quite a bit on those year before last, same damn evil store.  The R/C comment is relevant as well.  Again, same damn pushers.

I don’t know when “back in the day” was for everyone, but I remember them less expensive  too. I plugged $30 into an inflation calculator out of curiosity:

$30 today =

$25.67 in 2008

$19.50 in 1998

$14.00 in 1988

$7.62 in 1978

$4.12 in 1968

$3.46 in 1958

My brother built and painted a 1969 Cougar XR-7 model and displayed it on the package shelf of our real 1969 Cougar XR-7.

We parked the car all day in the sun at the beach one day...

In reply to ebonyandivory :

My dad and I had the same experience with a 1/32 scale F-86 Sabre we built on vacation one year.  It took on a distinct wing droop during the ride home and became part of the July 4th fireworks display. 

We also built this one year, but it has since disappeared:

I just picked up a kit to build a few months ago after a 20 year hiatus. I'm finding my skills have suffered a bit from lack of use. Anyway, the sticker shock on the kits wasn't as bad as the paint. I use hardware store stuff for the generic flat and semi-gloss black stuff as it is far cheaper in spray cans. Gone are the days when I could browse a rack of Duplicolor laquers at the local Pep Boyz. Sticking with Testors stuff for now.

It has been fun working on it for a few minutes here and there. Chassis and interior are done, just need to finish the body painting. Doing a personalized '66 Shelby Mustang. Fun not having to be accurate to original paint scheme, wheels and so forth.

The model car hobby is pretty healthy from what I see online and talking to my hobby shop crack-pusher. You want real sticker shock? Look into the model trains hobby. Yikes. I was going to dabble in that and maybe build a diorama but the cost of the kit plus scenic materials was frightening.

kazoospec said:

In reply to ebonyandivory :

My dad and I had the same experience with a 1/32 scale F-86 Sabre we built on vacation one year.  It took on a distinct wing droop during the ride home and became part of the July 4th fireworks display. 

We also built this one year, but it has since disappeared:

Oh wow... I remember that kit.  I vaguely remember having it as well.  Also have no idea what happened to it. 

My model display "oops" was building a model of a B-52 and then hanging it in our den.  After maybe a week, the hanging method failed and it ended up on the floor in pieces. Since i never throw anything away, I think I still have the remains some 35 years later...

Carson said:

I don’t know when “back in the day” was for everyone, but I remember them less expensive  too. I plugged $30 into an inflation calculator out of curiosity:

$30 today =

$7.62 in 1978

The second half of the '70s was my prime model building time.  In my memory, crappy AMT or Revell kits were $4-$8, and kits worth building like Tamiya were $15-$20 at that time.  $30 for a good kit today doesn't strike me as all that bad.

In reply to Duke :

I was going to reply the same basic thing.  I think I was doing Mongram and Revell at the time, local drug store.  Was guessing $5-10.

Dragon 3558 1/35 MIM-104B Patriot Surface-To-Air Missile (SAM) System

I want one of these, I have a kit for everything I drove in the Army except for this.  I have not gotten it yet because it will be almost $100.