|
Post by hobbybobby on Sept 28, 2014 22:51:44 GMT -6
When I was a young kid, as far back as I can remember I used to draw any things, and later, a long time Comics and Graffiti. I used to love being able to recreate the shape of things whether it be an Airplane, Ship, Car or any structure. I discovered plasticmodels when I was about 9 years old, with my, then best friend, at his home, he was a gifted artist and just such a model builder, and at that tender age! This has a great influence on me, so that I also went to those paths, but unfortunately much later... I loved the fact that I could build a model, hold it in my hand and study every nuance of the shape, what I still do today... I love the textures and the reflections, the sleek lines and the aggressivenes of some forms, for me it is being able to recreate in scale the things that inspire me... I enjoy the design and planning process and trying to get what I envision put into plastic, i get a mental picture of a project with pleasing (hopefully) aesthetics and hope that I can build it and that my ideas translate well when completed. I also enjoy having the ability to build in many styles and try different things - and sometimes, something not technically or economically feasible for me in 1:1 format... That's why I build mainly Showrods, Monsters, Car-toons and Crazy things... Why you build models?
|
|
|
Post by TooOld on Sept 29, 2014 16:19:01 GMT -6
I started out the same as you did , drawing anything and everything I could as a kid . Around 4th grade I discovered Car-Toons magazine and that was it . . . from then on I only drew cars ! Sometime around 5th or 6th grade I started building model cars and was hooked . Then slot cars and the car mags were mixed in and I never really stopped . I made a good living working on cars , finally getting a dream job building Cobras for a manufacturer here in Tampa . Eventually I became the Shop Foreman and then their Chief Engineer of Design and Development . The sale of the company plus some health concerns forced me into an early retirement , and since I could no longer afford to build cars in my garage I returned to building models . So , why do I build models ? I've always enjoyed starting with nothing and ending up with a great design or a great looking car . Models do that for me .
|
|
|
Post by showrodjohn on Sept 30, 2014 3:23:59 GMT -6
Ed Roth. And Boothill Express. TD I enjoyed Eds drawings and drew copies as a kid and then I drew my own with Australian cars. I then saw Boothill Express and fell in love with Show Rods and then came TDs models and the first kit I built was "Badman". I had a break for a long time and then discovered building kits again. I love to modify them as I do not have the knowledge or money to do it to 1:1 so small scale is the way to go. I also find it relaxing.
|
|
|
Post by Paul B. Canney on Sept 30, 2014 12:56:21 GMT -6
BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE JAY LENO'S MONEY
|
|
|
Post by Brandon on Sept 30, 2014 22:40:02 GMT -6
Exactly. If I had a lot of money, I'd have no money and a pile of four-engined cars with blown hemis...
For me, I love the flash of inspiration and the adventure of figuring out how to make what I want to see work. I dig the "engineering and mock up" phases, and I love the decals and finishing touches at the end.
|
|
|
Post by Bert on Oct 1, 2014 8:55:38 GMT -6
These are all familiar stories and similar to mine. I have always liked cars starting with Hotwheels as a little kid. I'd save my money and Mom would take me to the department store and I would buy a couple. Around 8 or 9 years of age I got my first model and went model building crazy. I got my first subscription to Hot Rod Magazine when I was 10. I built all through elementary and jr. highschool. I discovered girls and bought my first 1:1 car, a 67 Mustang. I quit building for many years, job, marriage, kids, and sadly divorce. About 10 years ago, on a nostalgic whim, I looked for models on Ebay. To my amazement, I re-discovered many kits I had built as a kid. Well about 200 kits later and damn model bulletin boards, here I be. I don't know why I shared all of that. So to answer the original question in the post, Why do I build models?
I build models because I still have a passion for all things cars. It's is relaxing to me as well as challenging. I do not have the space or budget for the 1:1 cars I would like to own and build. I have a single 1:1 project (83 K5 Blazer, complete frame up restoration) and half a garage to work with. With models I can build all of my 1:1 favorites and they won't rust on my desk.
|
|
|
Post by donculley on Oct 1, 2014 14:19:39 GMT -6
Pretty much the same for me , I was always a car nut .I started building around age 9 (Moon Mixer ) When it came time to discovering girls, they wanted no part of me, so I got into everything car related .I spent most of the 1980s and 90s at the race track, racing or working on the cars every night . After I finally found someone who could put up with me I got back into building .
|
|
|
Post by barten on Oct 17, 2014 10:55:19 GMT -6
I started building again as an escape from all the hospitals and operations my special needs daughter was going through. I went back to a time in life that was fun and care free. It was an event I could control the outcome. I have always loved cars and the crazier the better and I can attribute that to Tom Daniel designs. She is 14 now and her first words were COOL CAR! She is starting to build snap tight kits a good thing and we still play with the hotwheel/matchbox cars.
|
|
|
Post by hobbybobby on Nov 16, 2014 17:47:28 GMT -6
These are great and very interesting stories, thanks for that! Well, to be honest... ... with so many members... ... I was hoping, there are more...
|
|
|
Post by chromecop on Nov 17, 2014 11:54:47 GMT -6
I've always loved cars and bikes! About 2 years old I got my first LEGO construction-kit, a small car. Later on, at the age of 5 or so, my father built me a couple of Pyro 1/32 kits. I then bought myself a couple of simple styrene kits, planes and a small ship, and built them. About 7 years old I bought a 1/32 scale Kübelwagen kit (still have some parts in the scrapbox from that kit!!!). I built it, then rebuilt it and that's what started it.... I bought more and more car-kits, mostly 1/32 in the beginning as my pocket-money couldn't get me anything else. In 1972 or -73 I bought the Badman-kit and since that day it's been 1/24-25 only.
I can't afford, I don't have the know-how and I definitely don't have enough spare time to do 1:1 scale cars/bikes, but even so, I do have 1 motorcycle, Kawasaki VN1500 (indian-styled) that I have slightly customized and 3 full-scale cars,1 old Audi A4, 1 Chrysler Sebring cvt and one Dodge RAM 1500 4x4 Pickup. The Chrysler is bone stock while I've done some customizing to the RAM.
The model-building hobby has been there during all the years though. Not even during my military service or when starting the "girl-thing" I put it away...I just kept building and dreaming in 1/25th scale! LOL!
When I've had some hard time over the years, like Divorce and such crap, this hobby actually saved my life or at least kept me well enough mentally not to be put in some "cucoo's nest".....
I really LOVE this hobby and, even though I may spend way to much money in my kits I really wouldn't like to trade it for something else.
This hobby has also given me so much friendship and got me into travelling around the world (2 times Toledo, and about 20 times to Norway...) and that really means a lot to me! Also, the fact that I don't need to leave the house to perform my loving hobby is great! I can stay home with my lovely wife and spend time with her, and whenever I feel like it I just pop down to the basement (where I have my hobbyroom) and do some building until my dearest tells me to come and eat, sleep or whatever...
That's me, and MY reason/-s
|
|
|
Post by Dennis M on Nov 18, 2014 13:52:37 GMT -6
I was about 4 yr's old & my Uncle built my first model with me. I used to love it when the stores had model contests. Thank God for the forums we have today' they keep us glue heads together. I even have my boys on the sites building. Model on my Friends
|
|
|
Post by flounder on Nov 18, 2014 14:38:41 GMT -6
I'll play.
I have always loved cars. My dad took me to the Oakland Roadster Show and Vallejo dirt track for years.
My earliest memory of building something mechanical is of two toys we had when we were very young. They were clear bodied and had colored parts that went together. I think some were inside the body. That would have been the early sixties. One might have been a train. I remember the great feeling the first time I figured out how they went together.
My first model was a partially disassembled Black Widow that I found at the bottom of a toy box at my Great Grandma's house. I was 4 or 5. I played with it all day until I figured out how the parts went back together. My parent got me some glue and let have at it. After that, every dime I had went to car models.
Why do I build now? Not sure. It does relax me. I like seeing my visions in 3D. I am a marginal artist so a model is a great way to see how something will look. I really like adding detail. I am think I am a wannabe 1:1 builder. It's also very satisfying when I can figure out how to make some part I envisioned.
I recently found that it is possible to burn out. I got involved with doing a project for a magazine as well as projects for other people. The magazine project turned a hobby into work. I didn't hit the bench for few months after it was done. It was also very hot in there. I am back now - working on a long due project for someone else. It's getting fun again.
Some people just like to make stuff.
Flounder
|
|
|
Post by peteski on Nov 20, 2014 2:47:49 GMT -6
These are great and very interesting stories, thanks for that! Well, to be honest... ... with so many members... ... I was hoping, there are more... OK, I'll bite. Why build? Why not? Seriously though, I liked miniatures since childhood. I like to build things. It is in my blood I guess. I grew up in Poland in the 70s. Before getting my hands on plastic model kits I build stuff from modeling clay, cardboard, matches and whatever else I found useful. After I found plastic model kits I started building anything that appeals to me: planes, ships, cars, bikes, etc. I am capable of scratch-building models, but that to me takes too long. Life is too short - I rather take a model kit and then modify or detail it as needed. There is a couple in UK that scratch-builds models of antique cars. Those models are incredible, but building those would be way too tedious for me. Yet, some of the models I built took me over 1 year to finish. Speaking of miniatures, I am also into N scale model trains. Again, I like small stuff.
|
|