Old kits

[stryker]

Hi all. I'm a bit of a lurker here as I'm a novice and don't have much to contribute yet. At any rate, I recently came into possession of some older/vintage kits. Is there value in these? They're open box but complete in factory bags. I'm not looking to sell at this point but was curious what I had on my hands.

1981 Testors Panzerjaeger Marder III
1980 Testors M32 Recovery vehicle
1984 Testors Chevrolet gun tractor
1979 Testors Sturmgeschütz IV
1987 Monogram F-15C eagle
1960 Hawk 2 battling bluejackets
1963 Aurora Grumman S2F Hunter killer (still sealed)
1960 Aurora SNJ trainer
1960 Revell US Navy F9F-8 jet fighter
1968 Monogram Goshawk FIIC-2 (still sealed)

Am I crazy to just dive in and start assembling?

ETA I wasn't sure where to put this so please move to the correct forum if needed.

 

[urumomo]

" Am I crazy to just dive in and start assembling? "

That's what they are for .
Get building !
Post pics .

 

[athabascamaverick]

Good luck with the Aurora kits - nothing ever fit when I built them as a kid in the 60's.

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

Start building and don’t worry about the value. This hobby is about building the kit, not wondering what they’re worth. I have a few vintage kits in my stash not because of their value but I acquired them for another go at it. I did them as a kid. I even got a couple I wished I had done as a kid/
teen and now I have them.

 

[Down Time]

Build them.
And welcome!!!

 

[stryker]

Thanks for the insight. I just didn't want to build one and then have people say "WTF you opened that?" Haha.

 

[Down Time]

Thanks for the insight. I just didn't want to build one and then have people say "WTF you opened that?" Haha.

I do have one that I probably won't open, I bought a pair of original 1978 Colonial Vipers, one box was open but parts sealed, that one I built.
The other is still in the wraper with the original price tag on it, won't be built (maybe).

 

[BlackSheepTwoOneFour]

I do have one that I probably won't open, I bought a pair of original 1978 Colonial Vipers, one box was open but parts sealed, that one I built.
The other is still in the wraper with the original price tag on it, won't be built (maybe).

What’s the point if you’re not going to build it? They’re not going up in value. To answer the OPs original question… most of those kits are not in high demand. Most likely each are valued under $30. Build them, don’t hold onto them.

 

[Down Time]

Key words: probably and maybe

 

[Down Time]

What’s the point if you’re not going to build it? They’re not going up in value. To answer the OPs original question… most of those kits are not in high demand. Most likely each are valued under $30. Build them, don’t hold onto them.

Maybe it would be nice to have a pair in flight...........

 

[the Baron]

Thanks for the insight. I just didn't want to build one and then have people say "WTF you opened that?" Haha.

Yeah, we want to distinguish between kit builders and kit collectors. Kit collecting (not the same thing as accumulating a stash) has become a hobby in its own right.

Kit collectors acquire kits and look at criteria like other collectors do with their favorite subjects. For example, they might buy a particular subject, or maybe even certain makers' kits of that subject, specific box art, and care whether the kit is in its original packaging, unopened.

Kit builders might accumulate a collection, a stash, but they have every intention of building each and every kit in their stash. They probably don't care if a box is open, as long as the sprues are intact. They might not even care if original decals are gone, or instructions, or even some parts that they knew they were going to replace, anyway.

Kit collectors make the secondary market more...interesting, for us builders, too. A collector is probably going to tend to have a tolerance for higher prices than a builder.

Anyway, I'm with the rest of the gang, build the kits and have fun doing it!

Best regards,
Brad

 

[Peashooter67]

Once the plastic wrap is removed any value went with it like deflation of a tire.

Build them.

 

[Greysteele]

I've got several geriatric kits in my stash that I plan to build. Oldest is the Aurora Sealab III. There's a reissue of that supposedly in the works, so its value would drop soon anyway.