Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2008 21:30:32 GMT -5
Hey Everyone....
Here's a topic that all of us should weight in upon. What was the first Indy Car Model you can remember building?
I was home sick from school, listening to Sid Collins and Freddie Agabashian call the 1973 Indianapolis 500. I was very ill and got to listen to the race on the radio....No "LIVE" T.V. in those days. There were several photos in the L.A. Times of the Gurney Eagles that year.....With Dan's team and most of the field driving them. I recall one photo of local "boy" David "Swede" Savage's eagle and thought it was "too cool." My older brother went to High School with Swede and played football against him, so we were rooting for him to win and were happy when he lead several laps early in the race. I was upset when he crashed and remember quite well Sid Collins telling his reporters to make sure they got all their information correct before they went on the air with it. Collins was a true pro! My mother went to the library and checked out a copy of Jack C. Fox's book on the 500, and read it from cover to cover. While listening, I have several pieces of sheet plastic and tried to build an eagle. Later that summer...AMT re-released the Watson Roadster and the Dan Gurney Lotus Kits...Being a Foyt Fan....I tried to build Foyt's 1964 Watson out of the 1963 Winner, which was one of the best looking cars in Jack C. Fox's book, my opinion at the time...(It still is!) So my actual first Indy Car Kit was the old AMT Watson...no wonder I still like it!
Best to you all
Russ
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 18, 2008 21:36:13 GMT -5
My first was a Best (later Aurora). But I got three different ones at the same time, so they were all built about the *first*. Miller, Monroe, and IIRC, Boyle. I eventually ended up with all the ones in the series. Next was an IMC Jimmy Clark Lotus (and I recently picked up another, over 40 years later!), and then an AMT Watson! All in the late '50s early '60s period.
I really like the AMT Watson, too, for whatever reason. ;D
Mongo
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drdave
Front Runner
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Post by drdave on Jul 18, 2008 21:58:21 GMT -5
Mine would have to be Bobby Unsers Eagle or Johnny Rutherford's
McLaren in the mid '70. Tube glue (lots of it) Testors enamals and a brush. Like Russ I can remember listening to the 500 on the raido and couldn't wait to see the "taped" race on ABC sometime later. The car I wanted to build forever was the Johnny Lightning Special I still have the Sports Illustrated issue with the car on the cover.
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Post by stonecold44 on Jul 18, 2008 22:03:50 GMT -5
That's way too easy since I still have the kit and the box it came in. And actually, I just finished a replacement for it: the AMT Gatorade McLaren that Johnny Rutherford drove in 1975. If you read the thread, you'll see that more than just me lamented on what a crappy kit it was. That said, I love that car and I can't believe it took me over 30 years to re-do it.
Since we're on the subject, in 1973 my 6th grade teacher had us play a little Indy 500 game where we had to pay an "entry fee" of bubble gum. We had to make side views of our car, complete with colors and actually had specs to adhere to. I drew Mark Donohue's car out of a hat and was instantly pelted with offers to trade since he was the defending champ. Our class listened to all of those starts and re-starts during that race. I'll never forget seeing the ABC broadcast and wondering how Swede's tire could go so high after his crash.
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Post by racerbrown on Jul 18, 2008 22:51:53 GMT -5
my brother and i each built the old #9 indy roadster from monogram. we had no idea of indy cars back then as our dad drove stock cars but we sure thought that they were really cool to play with out in the dirt! duane p.s. if i remember correctly didn't our very own "mongo" crew for one of the millers?  |
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Post by indy on Jul 19, 2008 0:07:42 GMT -5
Hmmmm  mostly just remember plane models as a kid. When I went to summer school my Junior year in college, I did the #9 Monogram roadster. Testors glue and the Testors paint that was flawless (for me) at times and awful at other times. Gave it to my girlfriend at the time.... next time we are at my in-laws, I'll have to repossess it! ;D It hasn't weathered the decade since it was built well but could be saved with just a little work I think. Jordan |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2008 11:02:45 GMT -5
The Kmart Lola T8800. I must have built it in 1990.
The one I built in '04 came out "slightly" better though. ;D
G
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Post by 2lapsdown on Jul 19, 2008 11:34:53 GMT -5
The 63 Lotus. I can't remeber much of how it turned out, but I do remember that exhaust system. That should have been enough to make me quit the hobby right there. But as we all know, we seem to be gluttens for punishment or we wouldn't continue building.
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Post by herk56 on Jul 20, 2008 16:35:18 GMT -5
Well, the first one I owned was an ORIGINAL Monogram #9 Roadster, given to me by my uncle. The first one I BOUGHT was the IMC Lotus 38 STP version. The first one I BUILT was the MPC Rislone Spl., what a great kit. Still have it, dis-assembled, waiting for a re-build with Indycals decals Have built or owned almost every plastic Indy kit you can name at one time or another, including the 1/16 Ideal Indy Roadster, looks like a scaled-up copy of the Best/Aurora '53-'54 Fuel Injection Spl. kit. I've owned two of the AHM/Bandai 1/12 Turbine kit, never could bring myself to build it as their value just kept going up & up. With all the resin stuff floating around out there, my modeling budget will probably never recover! Just can't resist them!
Brian
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rickh
Amateur Racer
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Post by rickh on Jul 21, 2008 1:17:43 GMT -5
Yup - mine was the AMT Lotus, too, in 1966. Couldn't figure out why the suspension was long on one side and short on the other (things are tough when you're 13 years old) Didn't quite finish it, and then a few years later I became absolutely hooked on Dan Gurney's Eagles, and decided to convert this hulk to a V-12 Eagle, but didn't finish that either. Wrassled with making a V-12 from one and a half V-8 engines, and what was I going to do with that doggoned offset suspension?
Gonna have to build that Lotus someday. And there's STILL no Gurney-Weslake V-12 engine in 1/25 scale, forty years later. :-(
Rick
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Post by kitbash1 on Jul 21, 2008 13:08:20 GMT -5
My first Indy car model was AMT Watson Roadster kit. I built it as best as a 10 year old could and I still have it some were in my moms basement. I should dig it out and see if it need a restoration job. ;D
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Post by stonecold44 on Jul 21, 2008 22:59:39 GMT -5
Can someone please post pictures of the #9 Roadster and the Watson that everyone seems to have built as thier first Indycar? I feel like I missed out on something when I was young.
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Post by herk56 on Jul 22, 2008 9:25:58 GMT -5
I don't have all the variations/re-issues but here's a few oldies to help you along. Left side, top to bottom: early re-issue of Monogram 1/24 Indy Roadster, small box; recent re-issue of same in larger box; Indy Roadster with Rodger Ward Filter Queen decals packaged with Supermodified kit. Right side, top to bottom; early psychedelic re-issue of IMC Lotus 38, STP version; Checkered Flag Series Watson Roadster and Lotus 29, these (original?) issues came with rubber treaded one-piece tires, both of these were in the Hall of Fame 3-car set with the '74 winning McLaren. I can't find my boxes of the seventies re-issue of the Watson and 29. Hope this helps - Brian  |
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Post by stonecold44 on Jul 22, 2008 9:59:04 GMT -5
Thanks for those pics. I honestly can't remember seeing any of those old kits growing up. Could be because back then, my interest was in building things like the Paddy Wagon, Red Baron and other "show cars".
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2008 11:46:16 GMT -5
Hey Brian!
Yes, those are the original boxes and kits. That was a great photo. I wish AMT had done the Foyt/Coyote they had promised in the 1970's...but then again, if they had, maybe Bill Jorgensen would have done his neat kit of it. Those were the days with "real" rubber tires!.....and really crappy decals!
Best to you....
Russ
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 22, 2008 12:22:26 GMT -5
Count me in as one of the guys with the #9 Kurtis. My dad built it for me and i could pull off some of the neatest spins on our linoleum floor with those hard plastic tires. In the mid 60's me and some buddy's started mini-USAC with Bob Clidinst 1/32 scale champ cars during the slot racing days. We modified a lot of Monogram F-1 cars too, and we ran the real series in miniature. I even won the Rex Mays classic in a Joe Leonard turbine !
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Post by herk56 on Jul 22, 2008 14:27:34 GMT -5
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Post by herk56 on Jul 22, 2008 14:31:43 GMT -5
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mostly just remember plane models as a kid. When I went to summer school my Junior year in college, I did the #9 Monogram roadster. Testors glue and the Testors paint that was flawless (for me) at times and awful at other times. Gave it to my girlfriend at the time.... next time we are at my in-laws, I'll have to repossess it! ;D It hasn't weathered the decade since it was built well but could be saved with just a little work I think.
