Newbie car modeler with questions

[vaindioux]

Hi

I have several questions about car modeling. I have started reading the faqs and will read further more, but I can't wait to ask some questions here.
I am an intermediate modeler with about 20 models built in other fields (Military jets, Armored vehicles, battleships, 1/4 & 1/6 scale monster figures.). I know all the basics of plastic and vinyl modelling. I am no pro but my models show well.
I have all the main equipment required to build any models (Airbrush, hobby knifes, sand paper and so on.)

Can I mix 1/24 & 1/25 scales ?
I mean I understand I can do what I want but is the finished result very close? Can I display them next to each others as basically "Same scales?"

If the answer is "NO" to the first question, which scale shall I pick knowing that I like to build passengers car/SUV (Cars normal people drive everyday) opposed to nascar/racing/Rallies/F1/Indy or any racing cars which I don't care about?

Do you guys build collect different scales? I own about 80 1/18 scales diecast cars but I recently noticed that 1/24-1/25 diecast or plastic models offer a lot of passengers car not available in 1/18 or available in 1/18 but price range is out of my wallet (Minichamps, high end autoart come to mind).
Shall I sell my 1/18 collection and start over in 1/24-1/25? (Again I understand I can do what I want but I would like to hear what you guys think.)

Which models shall I avoid like the plague, recent or out of production?
Like some AMT snapfast kits that I see on Ebay, are those crap?
I read in the faq that Tamiya and Revell are recommended, what brands shall I avoid?

Finally can you guys recommend some particular passenger car/suv models readily available in the states at an affordable price to start ($15) in 1/24-1/25 as the choice on Ebay and several mail orders is simply overwhelming.
A guy selling at a local fleamarket has "Johnny lighting 2004 Pontiac GTO AMT/ERTL" & "Revell 1990 Pontiac grand prix" for $10 each and they appeal to me. Are these decent models to start?


I appreciate the help and the patience with my weird questions.

Thanks a lot

Patrick

[CFarias]

Welcome to the hobby of car modeling. You will find that many of the techniques you have developed building in other genres will help you greatly with car modeling.




As to your first questions concerning scales...

1/24 and 1/25 are considered compatible scales so build in both. There are a great many subjects that can only be purchased in one scale or the other so don't deprive yourself simply because of the scale difference. However, it can be difficult to switch parts from one car to the other if the scales are different. Hoods for example will probably not work but engines may. Most American kit manufacturers will produce kits in both scale, but non-American companies will almost always have just 1/24 offerings.

As to collecting in differenct scales...

Keep your 1/18. Having subjects of differing scales ads a great deal of interest in any collection.

As to which kits to avoid...

Most American kits will give you the most for your money. They are not as precise as a Japanese kit and will requrie a lot of prep work, but they offer a great range of American subjects for a very good price. They will also offer engines more often than foreign companies. In my opinion the best kits come from Japan but they, especially with the recent economy, have become very expensive.

For kit quality it is best to take them on a kit by kit basis. Many companies carry a broad range of models that can have tooling as old as forty years of so. Consequently, they can have forty year old problems with the moldings and represent old-thinking about what a model kit should be -- an accurate replica or a do-it-yourself toy. Ask the forum about a particular kit and I'm sure you'll get an educated answer.

For domestic subjects look to the Revell and AMT/Ertl websites. These should be easy to get locally and include SUV's, muscle, and hot rods. The Grand Prix is a good kits and that is a fair price. I can't offer advice on the GTO though.

[vaindioux]

CFarias

I really appreciate all the tips and input, it's very helpful.

Thanks again

Patrick

[rockinanko]

Hi & welcome to AF!

since you're a seasoned modelor in various fields i shall go into detail in particular the automotive section...

1) i take it as you're going to display 1/25 & 1/24 together, right? i don't know about the others for me, it looks really weird placing the 2 scales alongside. i ever put a 1/24 ford sierra with a 1/25 ford XR3 but it just don't feel right even just by looking at the wheels. since then, i stick to 1 universal scale & never look back. that's unless accuracy is not the top priority for you.

2) you have just answer the question. from my 30+ years of modeling, i must say 1/24 is the universal scale for cars...at least from this side of the world(asia). if you want a particular model car, your chances of locating one would probably in 1/24 scale. let's not forget the abundance of many aftermarket parts in this scale too.

3) well i did try to collect other scales for cars but because you tend to amass tons of spare parts from building 1/24 over time, these parts are useless if you should need a 'spare' for the 1/16 or 1/12. you see what i mean? but don't sell your 1/18 collection just for the sake of starting 1/24, you'll tend to lose alot of $$$!
i went broke that day i decided to sell off all my kits to convert to pure 1/24 ferraris only. yeah, i'm still nursing that broke!!!

4) this question is a very individual one cos' different modelor with different levels of skills will answer you differently. for me it doesn't matter if it's a crap kit or otherwise, i believe you've seen some raw kits that turned into masterpieces in this very forum right? so it all depends on your skill & it all boils down just how accurate you really wanna that model car to be.
it'll come a time where you simply buys cheap crap kits just to cut em' up to mod that dream car model...take a look at my posting to have a rough idea, how a X car kit bought can become a Y car built!

5) unless you're much younger than i am, go for the ones you know you'll never regret spending time building! i've been going around & around in circles building cars that i got tired or bored looking at & sold or throw them away after some time.
now my age has finally catch up & i have no choice but to do only those models that i know even my sons will be proud of too, when they inherit them!

i hope i've help by sharing some insights of my modeling life.

cheers & happy modeling!

[vaindioux]

rockinanko

Thanks for all the answers and opinions. I think I am going to build a 1/25 and a 1/24 and see how they look next to each others.
I am not a diehard purist, I was told that Burago in 1/18 is not very accurate and their diecast cars range in fact from 1/15 to 1/22, I find it hard to believe there would be such a huge difference as all my Burago diecast (Mostly Porsche) seem ok to my eye. But I am sure they are not perfect.
I am no kid either, middle age. I don't build for future generations, I build for myself, if the kids enjoy them in the future, good, but more than likely after a few decades our models will start falling apart.

Thanks again

Patrick

[hirofkd]

About scales...
1/24 and 1/25 scale models look surprisingly different. For example, the DC2 Honda/Acura Integra is 4380 mm long, so if you divide by 24 and 25, you get 182.5 mm and 175.2 mm. The difference is 7.3 mm.
Here's a picture of 1/25 Revell and 1/25 Fujimi Integra. The bottom is slightly misaligned, but you get the idea.


It's up to you whether you think the difference is negligible or significant. I usually avoid displaying models in two different scales side by side.

About deals...
Hobby Lobby and Michaels have 30% off sale every now and then. Also, they occasionally include 40-50% off coupon in Sunday newspaper ads. Hobby Lobby offers a 40% off online coupon almost every other week. (Check their home page regularly, or sign up for their weekly news letter.) At Michaels, sometimes you receive a 40% off coupon (that you can use in your next visit) after making a purchase. Almost all 40-50% off coupons are limited to one item per customer per visit.

[vaindioux]

hirofkd

Man, that picture you posted of the 2 scales next to each others really speaks for itself.
I am very surprised to see they indeed look very different, I figured I would mix both scales but seeing that now maybe not?
I have purchased a 1/25 kit already but didn't open it yet, I am planning to build it, then build a 1/24 and compare.

Thanks

Patrick

[CFarias]

hirofkd makes very good points about similar cars in differenct scales. There is a visible difference, so if you are going to do a series of the same car, indeed buy them from the same manufacturer if you can and in the same scale.

Many kits, even Japanese kits can be slightly out of scale. This is particularly true of American kits manufactured before CAD/CAM technologies, when molds and patterns were hand cut. What is boxed as a 1/24 may be in fact a 1/24.5 or even a 1/25. And even kits that are dead on the scale can be a little to high here and a little too narrow there.

The point I'm trying to make is that don't get too caught up in the precision of a scale. True that 1/24 and 1/25 of the same subject can be easily discerned but compare a 1/25 1932 Ford Model A to a 1/24 1927 Ford Model T and the scale difference is not so easily determined. Or a 1/24 1953 Chevy Bel Air to a 1/25 1959 Cadillac Eldorado. Or a 1/25 Mack Bulldog to a 1/24 Volkswagen Beetle.

Besides, if you decide to build only in 1/24, you could build the Revell 1970 Pontiac Firebird but never the Revell 1969 Pontiac Firebird modeled in 1/25.

So, at this point don't be too hasty about scales right now. Build what you want and what you like for now and decide what's best for you after you've got a few models under your belt.

I hate to hijack this thread, but does anyone know how the two scales came about? What confuses me is that I know that American cars were built using the standard measuring system and non-American cars were built using the metric measuring system. But it seems that predominantly American kit manufactures made models in 1/25 or 1/24 and non-American manufacturers made models in almost entirely in 1/24. But this seems like opposite logic. It seems to me that the metric system would be easier to scale down using 1/25 as opposed to 1/24 and 1/25 or 1/24 would be compatible on American cars depending on whether the cars were designed using the decimal inch or the fractional inch. Just curious.

[klutz_100]

Originally Posted by CFarias

I hate to hijack this thread, but does anyone know how the two scales came about? What confuses me is that I know that American cars were built using the standard measuring system and non-American cars were built using the metric measuring system. But it seems that predominantly American kit manufactures made models in 1/25 or 1/24 and non-American manufacturers made models in almost entirely in 1/24. But this seems like opposite logic. It seems to me that the metric system would be easier to scale down using 1/25 as opposed to 1/24 and 1/25 or 1/24 would be compatible on American cars depending on whether the cars were designed using the decimal inch or the fractional inch. Just curious.

I'd like to know that too.
I bet Hiroaki knows the real answer