My Childhood Builds

These are two of the three first model kits that I ever built, somewhere around the age of 6. They are both Matchbox kits. Originally they were left in plain plastic, and were painted odd colours when I was about 9 

Matchbox Lightning. I have no Idea exactly which model was the first that I built, but it was either a lightning, a Starfighter or a Sepecat Jaguar 

Note the innovative positioning of the Missiles, who says Pilots can't duck when they fire 

Because we all know the RAF flew gloss black F-104s 

A selection of 1/16th kits from the 70s & 80s. Those are Revell Jeep Renegades, Two relatives had the same idea for Christmas one year. 

The Cobra is the MPC release from the mid eighties, The Mustang is the odd one with the steel axle through the engine  

MPC Firebird 

Was so tempted to spray this with some fixative and put it in a Barn Diorama 

A quick scrub up under the bathroom tap with an old toothbrush, the Barnfind is shiney now. Built in the 80s 

A quick scrub up under the bathroom tap with an old toothbrush, the Barnfind is shiney now. Built in the 80s 

A quick scrub up under the bathroom tap with an old toothbrush, the Barnfind is shiney now. Built in the 80s 

A quick scrub up under the bathroom tap with an old toothbrush, the Barnfind is shiney now. Built in the 80s 

No, I'm not building a Model Scrapyard, this is my collection of teen years 1/24 cars 

They haven't done too bad for 23 years in the loft after 10 years on the shelf 

Lots of Revell and some AMT / MPC and Tamiya 

Bootlegger was one of the few that was spray painted, as I had some left from the 1/16 Cobra. It's held up pretty well. 

My poor XJR9, looked so great when originally finished, sadly didn't know about sealing decals. 

This I call the "What was I thinking collection" I have decided that I will restore these oddities with proper materials and skills to create what I was intending to all those years ago. 

Race car & Transporter. The load bed is a couple of old cassette boxes (remember those?) 

More cassette box to convert a Dodge Sidewinder fastback to a Triumph sedan. (Love that filler work) 

Because at 15 years old, old sprue makes the perfect substitute for realistic chassis rails. Love the masking job on the Transit 

Mercury Carpi convertible conversion (Hood, what hood) 

80's Mustang Cobra CHP car (one of the wheels was replaced from a Tamiya Pink Panther Land rover, because that's close 😉) 

Mustang Pickup??? 

Because we know Mclaren once raced Cadillac Town Cars Leopardskin seats, mmmmm 

Mk3 Escort convertible conversion (another hood gone walkabout) 

Auspicious day today, I have received delivery of a long sought after kit that is quite special to me. I have a lot of very special kits in my stash, mainly the Tamiya kits that I have bought because my Dad originally Built them in the 1970s, and over the years those fell apart, and got lost in moves. Now I have them to build again myself. But this one is different, the Turbo Mustang with Wetbikes is the First Car Kit I ever built, at the age of 9. I even remember my Mum buying it for me in the Model Shop that we had just found.

I've been keeping an eye out on ebay for one in the UK for the last 3 years. This one just came up last weekend. It's an original 1979 Kit (I believe there was only ever the one run) still in the factory shrink wrap.

It's not even that good a kit, the details are poor and the fit can best be described as "1970s" But it's special, and a rare subject, and hopefully I'm going to do a massively upgraded build detail wise.

The 2 x Burago Capri's are some of the only cars I've previously owned that can be got in 1/24 (plenty in 1/43 & 1/64). These will be stripped, converted and rebuilt as My two Mk3 Capris. 

Finally - After 4 years searching eBay, bidding unsuccessfully on the three or 4 that came up, even built ones, I have received the last of my replacement kits of those that I built all those years ago. (I am not near brave enough to try building a matchbox 1/72 aircraft to an acceptable standard). It's not quite the same, it's the later shelby with a hood scoop, but that's not relevant.