new to model cars

im a noob when it comes to this whole model car thing. i've been looking at all the threads of nice model cars you all have and i want to get into it. so my question is, where do i buy the model cars like ya'll have? can u swap bodykits onto different cars? and if there is anything i should know please let me know. thanks in advance.

Welcome :)

Your starting point should be the Car Modeling FAQ, you will find all the tips you can think of between that thread and the How To section.

After those, visit http://www.scalewiki.com for more tips and also a list of places to get supplies and kits from.

Don't forget to spend lots of time using the search feature and browsing the forum.

alright thanks alot man. appreciate it.

Welcome to car modeling. Just keep browsing and you can see all the different tecniques out there.

im a noob when it comes to this whole model car thing. i've been looking at all the threads of nice model cars you all have and i want to get into it. so my question is, where do i buy the model cars like ya'll have? can u swap bodykits onto different cars? and if there is anything i should know please let me know. thanks in advance.

There are a lot of places to buy them. You may have a Hobby Shop near you that sells them, and they can also be found in Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and sometimes Wal-Mart. There are a bunch of online vendors as well, a lot of us use HLJ.com to get our Japanese kits, but closer to home (with faster and cheaper shipping!) there are others, like modelexpress.net and Best1Hobby.com.

"Swapping" bodykits is never that easy. If a kit has a body kit in it, it will work on that car, but if you try to put it on a different car, it will take a lot of cutting, fitting, cutting again, adding plastic and putty and a bit of sanding to get right. There are a few aftermarket companies that make resin body kits, but they are getting harder and harder to get a hold of these days. These parts are kit-specific, so not only do they have to match the car, but it helps if you're using the kit they are made for. A lot of us around here make our own body kits from sheets of styrene and probably more putty than we should. These techniques though are hard to get the hang of, and probably shouldn't show up on your first or second car. If you're new, I'd try to build kits as close to box stock as you can, so something gets on your shelf and you don't get frustrated. The Revell kits even have some body kit options in their Integra, Civic (though, if you're diehard Cavalier fan, you won't want those), Focus, and Eclipse kits. If you're thinking, "To hell with that!" then, great, go for it, but here's to betting it's more work than you suspect.

Welcome, and good luck!

in my opinion, the best way to learn what to do, what works and what doesn't is to dive in head first into something maybe a little harder than you should take on KNOWING that you would probably cock it up.

Nothing teaches you better when you have tried something and failed because then you know next time what you should've done.

My first car building test involved trying to open all doors/bonnets/boots/whatever AND shaping shaping a custom body kit AND interior chassis/frame AND scratchbuilding+kitbashing an engine together for it.

That one is still in pieces and I stil take it out every now and then to see what I can do to it to actually make it work....

kool thanks for all the help. i guess im going to just have to buy one and see what happens.

i didnt really want to start another thread ...but what 'ferrari' kit would be suitable for a 1st model? ..i was looking at the tamiya 360 modena but word says its not recommended for beginners .?

I'd say something from the latest Fujimi offerings would be more suitable - 550, 575, Superamerica, F430 or F430 spider.

thanks aleso...is that because the Fujimi's are less detailed/have less parts?..wanted definite correct fit as well,would the F1's be a little more 'entry' level ?

thanks aleso...is that because the Fujimi's are less detailed/have less parts?..wanted definite correct fit as well,would the F1's be a little more 'entry' level ?
If you want something to 'ease' you in, I would suggest that you find a curbside model(no engine). I like Tamiya most of all... great fitting..

thanks aleso...is that because the Fujimi's are less detailed/have less parts?..wanted definite correct fit as well,would the F1's be a little more 'entry' level ?

The ones I mentioned are curbside, as opposed to full-detail ones Tamiya makes, and the fit is 95% as good. Come to think of it, the F430 requires some tricky painting in the engine bay, so I'd go for a front-engined car as a first model. You can look through some 550/575 builds on this board to give you an idea what to expect.

thanks aleso...is that because the Fujimi's are less detailed/have less parts?..wanted definite correct fit as well,would the F1's be a little more 'entry' level ?

Yeah, gotta agree with ales- if you're going to do a Ferrari for your first kit, a Fujimi 550 or 575 would be a good bet. Any Tamiya Ferrari will have an engine, and while they're not difficult builds, they are certainly complicated- enough so that they don't make good first kits. The 550 and 575 are good kits, and have plenty of detail to build up as a good looking model- but not having an engine will certainly make them easier to manage for your first go. You'll learn plenty if you do either of them.

The Tamiya F1 kits certainly aren't any simpler- if anything, they are a bit more complicated. If you want to do an F1 in your first couple of builds, Revell Germany makes an F2003GA without engine detail. I haven't built one, but I expect it's probably suitable for an early build.

DO NOT spend 25-40 bucks on your first kit. I do not recommend any Fujimi or Tamiya kits, becouse if you have problems in the building process. you'll loose your confidence and your out almost 40 bucks, I recommend a good old Revell kit. since you want to build a Ferrari. Revell makes a F430, an Enzo, a 612, and a 360 convertible. all are available at any decently stocked hobby shops. These kits may require a little more work then the ones from Fujimi or Tamiya, but they will help you in the long run learn some valuable skills.

I think that is the best way. Go to a hobby store, run to the sales department, grab a box of whatever car you are interested in, rip open the box (after you payed for it) read the instructions and start building. You will get the idea how it works, if you like it, what problems you run in to etc. If it is not a Ferrari you are buying, doesn't really matter. If you like it, you can buy all Ferrari's and build them later, and better. If you do not like it, you didn't spend a fortune, and you didn't wreck a Ferrari ;)

Nah, I disagree. I would always recommend a good Tamiya curbside kit as a first buid to anyone. Failing that, a good Fujimi kit will do (but be careful, because many Fujimi kits are not good- ask first!).

80% of building model cars is painting (the body, the interior, the chassis, details, etc.), and you will use these skills on every single car kit you will ever build. These skills are certainly enough for a first timer to learn on a build. Why bother adding the unnecessary headaches of fitting and filling the errors on a cheaper, less well engineered kit for your first attempt? Starting with a good kit that you can make a good model from out of the box on you're first go is probably going to be alot more enjoyable than having to fight with a cheap kit. Sure, many of us enjoy fighting with a poor kit and making a masterpiece from it- but why give yourself the frustration on your first go? This is supposed to be fun!

And lets get some perspective on cost. If spending another $10-$12 USD on a good kit instead of cheaping out and buying a fair kit is going to make the experince more enjoyable (and give it a better chance of success), than I consider that money well spent. If you find that you like modeling, you'll have plenty to build other kits of all levels of complication and quality. But for your first one, why not stack the deck in your favor and start with a good kit that you will likely both enjoy and finish?

well ive decided to go for the Fujimi 550 Marinello after reading this build (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=433893&highlight=Tamiya+curbside+ferrari)..hope to pick it up 2day ...wish me luck and thanx for your help lads :bigthumb: