Do you build cars that you know about, or cars that you don't?

[JollySipper]

Reading around on this wonderful and very inspiring forum, I notice that most kit requests are for cars that, maybe, that person grew up with, or a car they may have owned in the past......... Some guys, however, ask for things like hyper cars and such, the types of cars that you'll usually only see on television. I like both..... cars that interest me are of the type that I know some about, AND those that I may never meet in person. In fact, I'm working on both a Coyote X replica (from the old TV show), and a Dodge pickup that resembles one I used to own........... I'll never be around a genuine Coyote X (I think there's only one 'beauty' car left), but the ol' pickup I'm pretty familiar with.......

 

[rattle can man]

I build whatever I'm in the mood to. If it is a subject I'm not familiar with, it's research time.

[Leica007]

I build both. Ones that I've had are easier and bring back memories, others are ones I would liked to have (my way) and if I don't know much about them, I start researching to try to get close to the real thing.

[peteski]

No preference. Cars, trucks, motorcycles (in multiple scales), SciFi, aircraft, even model railroad items.  Whatever I find interesting. I enjoy all sorts of miniature models.  If some of the models I built happens to depict something that directly ties to me or my family, that's an extra perk.

[gtx6970]

Vintage drag cars and muscle cars

 

Modern stuff is neat to look at in person....but zero interest to build a model of them

[stitchdup]

i build according to my mood at the time. mostly its heavily inspired by something else but rarely is it an actual car. the closest i get to recreating a car is probably box stock and even then i just go for colours i like. in the last few months i've probably built or in the process of building something from each decade since the 1920s (i think that might be the first time i've had to specify the century on that, lol)

[deuces wild]

I'm in the same boat as GTX6970... The only ones that float my boat..??

[Dave G.]

I build most anything from about 1961 back to 1908. Train stuff even into the 1800's. Over 65 years modeling, I've hit on planes, trains, automobiles, a little military armor or Jeeps, trucks, ground equipment etc. Even rockets at one point. My preference is classic era cars or standard sedans of the 1930's through about 1950. Sedans are the hardest to find, like try to find a 1938 Buick sedan, or a 40 Olds sedan !

My next project may well be a 58 Chevy ( I like the chrome era too), depends what Christmas brings, but I have the paint lol. No 58 Chevy, I have projects in the works to finish. But the request is in for the Chevy. And meanwhile besides all that, I have a 57 TBird in 1/16 scale that needs paint. I already figured out the formula to mix the Enamel I intend to use for that build. I mean a 57 Ford anything, in 1/16 stirs the blood for enamel.

[TransAmMike]

Many of my builds are replicas of cars I've owned or different versions of it. So I'm guessing that puts me in the catagory of cars I'm familiar with. 

[JollySipper]

Mike man! Tell me that you've built, or at least plan to build, a replica of your Turbo Coupe.......... It's a really good kit!

[Ace-Garageguy]

Anything I find interesting, and if I don't know anything about something, I'll know a fair bit by the time I've done enough research to decide whether or not I want to model it.

I find the opportunity to learn new stuff as rewarding as the building, and sometimes more so.

For instance, last couple of years I've read a lot about the German rocket program and its direct effect on the US space program because of a 1/24-scale static V2 model I came across, and the history of steel-making because of an HO-scale blast furnace kit.

 

Edited November 15, 2024 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[TransAmMike]

28 minutes ago, JollySipper said:

Mike man! Tell me that you've built, or at least plan to build, a replica of your Turbo Coupe.......... It's a really good kit!

Well TJ, I partially built one just like the one I had. Had trouble getting the headlights in the openings to where they looked right, gave up and boxed it back up. 

Maybe one day I'll pull it out. 

[JollySipper]

I had trouble with the same thing when I built mine, Mike.......... The kit is made to where you have to put the buckets in the front fascia before it's attached to the body. Once the fascia is on, then on go the lenses.......... Lots of opportunity to make a glue-bomb mess!

[richslocum]

I find I’m most interested in 60’s cars not necessarily muscle but all, American and foreign. Plus any thing from the thirties. I’ve never built anything that I’ve actually owned though.

[TransAmMike]

 

4 hours ago, JollySipper said:

I had trouble with the same thing when I built mine, Mike.......... The kit is made to where you have to put the buckets in the front fascia before it's attached to the body. Once the fascia is on, then on go the lenses.......... Lots of opportunity to make a glue-bomb mess!

Yeah, pretty sure I had a glue mess trying to get them in. 

[Bills72sj]

I too build what tickles my fancy at the moment. Hot Rods and Muscle Cars I know. Semi trucks I like but do not know. I build more as a creative art project than to be accurate miniatures.

[JollySipper]

7 hours ago, Bills72sj said:

I build more as a creative art project than to be accurate miniatures.

So do I........ Once in highschool art class, I wanted to build a kit as a project. The teacher said, "There's nothing creative about just building a model kit"........

[LennyB]

1 hour ago, JollySipper said:

So do I........ Once in highschool art class, I wanted to build a kit as a project. The teacher said, "There's nothing creative about just building a model kit"........

I did that once in grammar school. Made a diorama with a Ford Model T kit in it coming off the assembly line. 
 

I would say a lot of my inspiration comes from things I see or have been exposed to in some way. Saw the cover of a recent Collectible Automobile and was inspired 

 

As I’m currently building the ‘57 Del Rio wagon and Customline recently built the AMT Edsel my brain immediately put the two kits together and thought I could build this.  But something whispered in the back of my head to look deeper and I discovered that Jimmy Flintstone did this in resin.  So do I go resin, or do I build it myself? Decisions, decisions, but I have too many other projects right now so maybe I should just look away?

[swede70]

Past public and academic librarian here, hence gathering period magazines and books meshed to whatever was published later definitely drives what I try/attempt in-scale.   Usually I become intrigued with the story of this car or that team and almost unconsciously start assessing how and what needs to be gathered to 'get there' if you will.  I finish almost nothing, although I do savor the process...

Vintage road racing topics - if they survive to be restored into the present day have often lived very harsh lives, hence I find it fun to imagine I'm operating a scale research/restoration/fabrication facility consistent with unearthing how this or that was configured (with reference to the rules of the day - such subject to creative interpretation), when (as in the race weekend, qualifying/race/with light damage factored in too), what systems were in-place, how such operated, the evolution of this or that racing platform (across seasons, across series, the ownership trail to the extent that the same might be unearthed), etc.  The hope is that what I come up with at least be equal to the best-researched scale topics seen as such relates to the concentration I embrace.  

I'm almost the anthesis of the methodical and disciplined builder for finding sustained focus a challenge, although gathering material and applying whatever is discovered to a scale project to literally lend shape to all that has been learned definitely lends value to my life.  Networking with others consistent with filling in perceptual gaps, whether this be a 1:1 project or some aspect of fandom in the current mold also is valued.  It seems I'll labor until a mock up starts to come together consistent with convincing myself that things are beginning to gel - and then I'll lose interest temporarily.  Conversely, unexpected new research discoveries (i.e. photos, textual material, etc.) or contact with others attempting a similar or similarly-themed project may prompt me to reembrace this or that project - and so things start 'anew'.  

Mike K./Swede70

Edited November 18, 2024 by swede70

[slusher]

I would say both…

[Straightliner59]

I build mostly vintage race cars, most of which are drag racers. I've only built two replicas. One, a scratchbuilt replica of Dick Kraft's "The Bug", which is acknowledged to be the very first "rail dragster". That model has been in Garlits' museum for over 30 years, now. Through modeling, I have met many of the people who were most influential in the sport of drag racing. C.J. Hart even invited me into his motor home, once, so I could show him "The Bug". He bounced it, in tech, the first time Kraft showed up with it, at Santa Ana drag strip, which, interestingly enough, is now John Wayne Airport, in Burbank! The other was the Cook and Bedwell dragster, from Monogram's "Slingshot" kit. I build what I am most interested in, in a moment. I build mostly stuff that's been inspired by something I've seen, somewhere, and I'll incorporate what I think are cool, little touches from other cars. I've built cars, trucks, planes and armor, over the years, and weathered  couple of N-Scale rail cars, and painted a handful of figures. I think building a variety of subjects makes us better modelers, as there are techniques that are used more heavily, on some subjects, than others--weathering on armor, for instance. I always greatly admired Russ Schwenkler's paint work, especially on the interiors of his cars, because he incorporated the highlighting and shading techniques that figure painters use, on his seats, etc. As many have said, previously; When I have completed a project, I always know more about something, than I did going in! Research is a big part of the fun!

Edited November 18, 2024 by Straightliner59

[Tom99]

I build cars that fall into both categories. I will do lots of internet research on what I want to build. That way I can get my builds as close to what a real car of my subject would be like. I only use actual car colors (Scalefinishes) and color combinations. To me, doing the research on my build, is part of the enjoyment.

[papajohn97]

I think my auto scale model subjects are related to my personal childhood memories and nostalgia. I love and build American classics from the ‘30’s through the 60’s, early/ mid 60’s super stock and gasser drag cars, classic European sports cars (love M-B 300SL gullwings and XKE’s), ‘50’s -‘70’s road race cars, 60’s -70’s F1 cars. I’m pretty much interested in everything from my “good old days” (early to mid 20th century). Current autos, sports cars, hypercars and race cars , while all being much higher performance and more technologically advanced, are all very boring to me. It must be a nostalgia thing I think.

I also love building 1/32 biplanes (WNW), 1/72-1/148-1/32 WWII warbirds, 1/35 scale AFV’s and 1/350 ships (dreadnoughts to WWII carriers). I find building a variety of scale model subjects and scales has helped me to improve my skills and has allowed me to apply them across different genres. If you can build-PE bend-mask-paint-and rig a 1/350 ship, you can pretty much build anything! 

[oldcarfan]

As a kid, I built pretty much anything. Cars, planes, ships, whatever. for a while in my 30s I built some ship and boat models for customers. I've only owned a few of them, but I'm currently pretty much interested only in cars, particularly European cars, I do love Porsches and have more kits than I'll probably ever finish. I do have occasional side-quests into 60s-70s American cars and trucks and vintage road racing stuff but it's more as a change of pace.

[customline]

On 11/16/2024 at 9:11 AM, LennyB said:

I did that once in grammar school. Made a diorama with a Ford Model T kit in it coming off the assembly line. 
 

I would say a lot of my inspiration comes from things I see or have been exposed to in some way. Saw the cover of a recent Collectible Automobile and was inspired 

 

As I’m currently building the ‘57 Del Rio wagon and Customline recently built the AMT Edsel my brain immediately put the two kits together and thought I could build this.  But something whispered in the back of my head to look deeper and I discovered that Jimmy Flintstone did this in resin.  So do I go resin, or do I build it myself? Decisions, decisions, but I have too many other projects right now so maybe I should just look away?

Speak of the Devil....and who shows up?  Nah, don't look away, Len, start another project. Listen to the voices 😈