Model Collection

[special-K]

When I was young I had a box about the size of a large tv box with loose parts. I remember leaning over the edge and diggin' for parts. When I started it was the AMT 3-in-1 kits around 1963...when Customizing was big. I did some of that,but my love for gassers prevailed. I loved a flat black gasser with cut-out rear fender wells and huge slicks. I always loved the truck kits,too. It was muscle cars (in real time) towards the end. I remember learning the year to year changes through the model kits. When the '67 truck came out it was just a big "WOW!" I must have built 10 of those the first year. I got back into it a b it when I was about 22 and built a few 2 & 4wd trucks. I took a 4wd Ford van model and built a 4wd '53 Ford pickup. This would have been around 77/78. Then,around 84 I was laid up with a broken foot one winter. Christmas shopping for the kids I discovered most models from my day were being made again just with different box art. I bought way more than I could build which ended up being a pretty good investment. I did build that Thunderbolt Blazer to look like the one I actually drove. Then,around the 90+/- I started buying the 67-72 kits that were current. I figured I'd build some and save some. Those were the yellow & white Chevy longbed Fleetside and the red GMC Fenderside. I bought some '55 Cameo and Stepside kits,too. More recently I bought some originals from Fine69 off the board when I first joined and have picked up some more off Ebay. I used to see that Open Road some and never had the coin. I only look when I'm bored,but never come across any now,other than built ones. So,I'm jealous!

Here's the one shortbed I went far enough with to mock up about 20 years ago in both 2 and 4wd. I used ralleys off a '68 Camaro kit on the 2wd and chrome spoke/Ground Hawgs from the '78 GMC kit. Since Monogram had to be all different and do 1/24th instead of 1/25th the tires are probably more like 40s on 17" wheels.