Never Say Never about old kits. "New Era Modeling"

[stavanzer]

As the '68 Coronet saga and the story of the '63 Chevy Nova wagon shows, we have entered a New Era for modeling.

While still early in the Era, the 'cloning' that Round2 is perfecting means that any kit now has at least the potential to be reborn. Will every kit get redone? Of Course not. Round2 still has to find and pay for kits to scan and tools to mold the new kits.

But, it does open new horizons in the Hobby.

Maybe the "Bottom's Up Jeep" is not as unthinkable as it was 2 years ago. And, Maybe a 4x4 Dodge Pickup is in the cards too.

I cannot wait to see what is in the pipeline.

[Smoke Wagon]

I hope Round2 has some Gangbusters stuff planned as well. It would be nice to see the ‘32 Chevy back out again. 

[MrObsessive]

You can thank 3D printing for making a lot of this possible. Some poo-pooed this 5-6 years ago as they thought it wouldn't catch on, but I had mentioned here then that this would be the next big wave to hit the hobby, and it certainly has. If there's a file for it, a particular car can be made, or tooling restored back to what they want it to be.

Stay tuned----I see a lot of good stuff heading our way!

[Fat Brian]

Personally, as a younger builder with no nostalgia for older kits I wish tooling dollars would be spent on new kits of those subjects instead of recreating old kits. 

[Mike 1017]

1 hour ago, MrObsessive said:

You can thank 3D printing for making a lot of this possible. Some poo-pooed this 5-6 years ago as they thought it wouldn't catch on, but I had mentioned here then that this would be the next big wave to hit the hobby, and it certainly has. If there's a file for it, a particular car can be made, or tooling restored back to what they want it to be.

Stay tuned----I see a lot of good stuff heading our way!

Soon, I hope that we can buy a file from any model manufacturer. So that we can print it at home.

[tim boyd]

1 hour ago, MrObsessive said:

You can thank 3D printing for making a lot of this possible. Some poo-pooed this 5-6 years ago as they thought it wouldn't catch on, but I had mentioned here then that this would be the next big wave to hit the hobby, and it certainly has. If there's a file for it, a particular car can be made, or tooling restored back to what they want it to be.

Stay tuned----I see a lot of good stuff heading our way!

What Bill said.  

If you did not look at my coverage of the NNL Motor City (link posted under "Contests and Shows" section of forum), you probably missed this 1972 Dodge Polara Custom station wagon built by Jeff Bloomhuff from what he told me is a commercially available supplier of 3D printed bodies.  Jeff had to smooth out the surfaces (as is common with 3D printing), provide the interior and chassis (primarily kitbashed from Mopar b-Body kits) and vacuum form the windshield from a buck provided by the 3D supplier.  For those that do not know Jeff, he is a really talented modeler and rising star in our world - very creative and terrific attention to detail.

As someone who briefly entertained buying a new 1972 Polara Custom wagon (yes, really...I ended up buying a '73 Duster 340 with the space pak instead), I would say that the body is about 90% or better true to the original car, and more accurate than some commercially tooled kits in the last 15 years.  Jeff reports that there are more Mopar C-bodies available from the printer, and he showed me a few images of another C-body he built that is intended to appear in print at some point in the future....cool stuff!   

[Snake45]

13 hours ago, stavanzer said:

As the '68 Coronet saga and the story of the '63 Chevy Nova wagon shows, we have entered a New Era for modeling.

While still early in the Era, the 'cloning' that Round2 is perfecting means that any kit now has at least the potential to be reborn. Will every kit get redone? Of Course not. Round2 still has to find and pay for kits to scan and tools to mold the new kits.

But, it does open new horizons in the Hobby.

Maybe the "Bottom's Up Jeep" is not as unthinkable as it was 2 years ago. And, Maybe a 4x4 Dodge Pickup is in the cards too.

I cannot wait to see what is in the pipeline.

I wouldn't be surprised at this point to see a reborn '66 Skylark (either Craftsman or full kit, or both) in the semi-near future. And if/when this happens, once again, y'all can thank ME, as I've spent a buttload of money in the last 30 years acquiring Skylark builtups, glue bombs, distressed promos, resin bodies, random parts, and dirt tracker kits. So far, I've only gotten one of them back together. 

[Hawk312]

1 hour ago, Fat Brian said:

Personally, as a younger builder with no nostalgia for older kits I wish tooling dollars would be spent on new kits of those subjects instead of recreating old kits. 

Just curious...what kind of subjects would you like to see?

I am still hopeful to someday see a Firehawk in 1/25 scale, or some of the new Challenger models. 

[Joe Nunes]

Lots of fun builds to anticipate.., I would definitely like to be about 10 years younger!  ????

Looking forward to seeing what will be released in the next few years. It should be an enjoyable time for model building and memories. 

Joe

[Rob Hall]

Lots of good stuff to look forward to... 

[Daddyfink]

I think both new and old, resurrected, kits are very possible, but, if they are done in a curbside fashion. 

Sure, it is nice to have tons of details, but, it takes time and money to do all that design and tooling. Do a great body and chassis, maybe a separate hood, and go to town! Not every car came with a cool looking engine or options, and honestly, who is going to see it while it sits on the shelf or in a box? Plus it would equal a lower purchase price at retail. 

The new '68 GTO and re issue Comet are great examples of this. 

Just my thoughts, you mileage may vary

[Scott8950]

Round 2 bringing back these old kits has really gave the hobby a much needed boost! Most builders are excited myself included to be able to build kits that were overpriced or not for sale... 

A huge thanks to round 2 for bringing these kits back so we can experience building them again and getting to relive the past ?

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, Daddyfink said:

I think both new and old, resurrected, kits are very possible, but, if they are done in a curbside fashion. 

Sure, it is nice to have tons of details, but, it takes time and money to do all that design and tooling. Do a great body and chassis, maybe a separate hood, and go to town! Not every car came with a cool looking engine or options, and honestly, who is going to see it while it sits on the shelf or in a box? Plus it would equal a lower purchase price at retail. 

The new '68 GTO and re issue Comet are great examples of this. 

Just my thoughts, you mileage may vary

My thoughts exactly, Df! 

[Fat Brian]

6 hours ago, Hawk312 said:

Just curious...what kind of subjects would you like to see?

I am still hopeful to someday see a Firehawk in 1/25 scale, or some of the new Challenger models. 

Oh boy, off the top of my head

68 LTD

68/69 AMX

71 Javelin 

Early 60s Cadillacs

69-71 Lincoln MkIII

50s-70s station wagons

Early 80s Ford Ranger pickup

73 Chevelle 

Edited November 22, 2022 by Fat Brian

[MrObsessive]

48 minutes ago, Fat Brian said:

Oh boy, off the top of my head

68 LTD

68/69 AMX

71 Javelin 

Early 60s Cadillacs

69-71 Lincoln MkIII

50s-70s station wagons

Early 80s Ford Ranger pickup

73 Chevelle 

All of those you listed there Brian, if there isn't going to be a kit made, there's definitely files out there that can be converted for print, as I have a number of those.

If the file isn't available, there are designers that will create the file for you------that's how I got this '67 Opel Kadett done......I hired a designer to make the file for me.

[GarryR]

1 hour ago, Fat Brian said:

Oh boy, off the top of my head

68 LTD

68/69 AMX

71 Javelin 

Early 60s Cadillacs

69-71 Lincoln MkIII

50s-70s station wagons

Early 80s Ford Ranger pickup

73 Chevelle 

Interesting. You are a younger builder, but still interested in the era of cars that appeal to us geezers. 
Hope springs eternal.

[rrb124@sbcglobal.net]

As far as I know, there has never been a 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix Convertible with the 428 engine emblems on the side of the front fenders but maybe magic!

[Fat Brian]

1 hour ago, MrObsessive said:

All of those you listed there Brian, if there isn't going to be a kit made, there's definitely files out there that can be converted for print, as I have a number of those.

If the file isn't available, there are designers that will create the file for you------that's how I got this '67 Opel Kadett done......I hired a designer to make the file for me.

I really should put my kit money in the bank for a printer, that would be a better purchase in the long run.

[Fat Brian]

50 minutes ago, GarryR said:

Interesting. You are a younger builder, but still interested in the era of cars that appeal to us geezers. 
Hope springs eternal.

I say younger but I'm 41, I like some newer cars too but there's decent kits of most if those.

[stavanzer]

My Guess (for now), is that only kits that already exist in some form, (even if the tooling itself is gone), will make it into production. I think we are 2,3, or 4 years away from using 3D printing to "Magic Up" actual kits. We are This close to it, but I think 3D is just not quite there. Yet.... But, It will be there very soon. When it does get there, the floodgates of new kits could open for all of us.

[Bills72sj]

16 hours ago, Mike 1017 said:

Soon, I hope that we can buy a file from any model manufacturer. So that we can print it at home.

I have some food for thought on files and the effort required to make one then get compensated for it.

If you create a file and KEEP it, then make prints and sell those, your exclusivity can help you profit off of your design efforts.

The OEMs lawyers may come after you for copyright infingement for their original design.

If you create a file and then sell or permit downloads of the file, eventually someone one will sell the file to others for their own profit. Sooner or later, it will be free to find and anyone will be able to print it.

This why model manufacturers will probably not pay the licensing fees to the OEMs just to have the file copied for free. I would be kind of like "free" music downloads available on the internet.

This definitely not an area where involving the government to regulate such files would work out for anyone.

If you create a file and open source share it, you profit not but, you may build a reputation for making new files on request as contracted work.

[niteowl7710]

A bigger issue with 3D printing as it currently stands is there's no industry standard by which all printers operate. Until the machines function as ubiquitously as a toaster or a microwave instead of a whole new expensive and time consuming hobby I don't see a future of actual Revell "PrintHome! Model Kits". Files that work on one printer often times won't work on another without tweaking to supports/slicing to say nothing of the wild variation of build plate sizes, print depth (height) and resolution.

It's great for aftermarket, it's great for home use (if you have the time, energy and finances to sink into learning it), but it's still quite a ways away from it's full potential in the "Press a Button and Out Pops XYZ" that is touted for the machines.

[br67]

11 hours ago, MrObsessive said:

All of those you listed there Brian, if there isn't going to be a kit made, there's definitely files out there that can be converted for print, as I have a number of those.

If the file isn't available, there are designers that will create the file for you------that's how I got this '67 Opel Kadett done......I hired a designer to make the file for me.

Bill what were costs involved in making the file?

[MrObsessive]

12 minutes ago, br67 said:

Bill what were costs involved in making the file?

It runs the gamut.........the Opel file he charged $10 to create it, then it was another $40 to get the completed files. There's another file out there I want created, and this particular designer is charging $180.

Now that is covering no doubt multiple formats. Not just .obj, but Vray, .stl, 3DSMAX, etc........

[MrObsessive]

1 hour ago, niteowl7710 said:

A bigger issue with 3D printing as it currently stands is there's no industry standard by which all printers operate. Until the machines function as ubiquitously as a toaster or a microwave instead of a whole new expensive and time consuming hobby I don't see a future of actual Revell "PrintHome! Model Kits". Files that work on one printer often times won't work on another without tweaking to supports/slicing to say nothing of the wild variation of build plate sizes, print depth (height) and resolution.

It's great for aftermarket, it's great for home use (if you have the time, energy and finances to sink into learning it), but it's still quite a ways away from it's full potential in the "Press a Button and Out Pops XYZ" that is touted for the machines.

Let's not forget the accuracy, or lack thereof for a particular file. If Revell is having trouble as it is in getting plastic molds correct as far as body shape and details, there's no guarantee that because it's a 3D file, that will be correct. One will still need to know the software, and know-how of what it takes to correct errors and make changes (sometimes drastic).

I've bought files that were rather pricey, only to see where corrections needed to be made, while others were dirt cheap and needed nothing.

Yes, that's correct about the future of printing........I don't ever see this being Plug-N-Play as there's just way too many variables when it comes to printing. From the machine standpoint, file design and format (some are MUCH worse than others), user know-how----lots of things that can make printing not for the faint of heart.

Edited November 23, 2022 by MrObsessive