This is a variation off the thread asking how many unbuilt kits you have. Mine is at least 25 years old. It is a Model Masterpieces Fairbanks Morse 300 Ton Coaling Tower, still in the original box. The worst part is I actually still have plans for it. I remember the owner of my local HS told me to bring it in when I finished it. He sold old to new ownership in the mid 80s. Must have got tired of waiting for me to finish it.
I’ve got a Gloor Craft composite twin hopper that I bought in 1986. I don’t think I’ve opened the box in 15 years!
I am not sure which is the oldest, but from the early 70’s I have several Central Valley boxcar kits, Westwood MA&PA two coach set , and a couple of Labelle freight car kits. I also have an old Roundhouse kit from the 40’s, but I didn’t buy it until the late 70’s.
Enjoy
Paul
I think I have an old Ulrich kit from the 60s, but I didn’t get it then - it came into my hands in the 1980s. Some day I’ll put it together.
My dad gave me a bunch of unbuilt Athearn Blue Box kits that he bought when I was around 5. That would make them 35 years old, some have price tags on them for $1.99 all the way up to $2.69. I don’t know what I’m going to do with them.
In my hobby closet is a Suydam roundhouse that by dad had. My best guess is that he purchased it sometime in the early 60’s.
I have Athearn blue box and Varney unbuilt kits from the mid-1960’s.
I have several old Roundhouse and AHM car kits that I bought back in the 1980’s just before my wife passed away that I have never gotten around to assemble. But the pride of the collection… in its original box… with all the parts intact… is a Megow Models wood and tinplate HO Pennsylvania Passenger Coach that I have no idea about how old it is. My 92 year Father-in-law gave it to me back in the 1970’s when I started back into the hobby as an adult. He had it for years and never got around to assemble it. I would guess that this is from the 1940’s or early 50’s??? I certainly would not try to assemble this as it would ruin the glammor of having it. A portion of the assmbly instructions is included below. Notice the high cost of replacement trucks and parts!
1976 european water-wheel with shack -
don’t think I’ll ever get to it,
it’ll morph into a scratchbuilt (HO scale) Olympic sized competition swimming pool, or a clay pigeon…
Hmmm, Mine is in storage at the moment , so I cannot check to be certiain. This is unverified from my failing memory. I hope I remember correctly.
Back in 1981 I went to a train show at a Mall in a northern suburb of St. Louis. There was a person there with a pile of really old stuff really cheap. I picked up several kits, one was almost all wood. I was excited to do my first wooden kit. As I took out the direction sheet and started reading, I noticed the copyright was 1947. Even the box is in perfect condition, so I decided it was too old and good to “ruin” by me building it. I carefully put everything back into the box exactly as it had come out and added it to my “museum collection”. I think it is a “Red Ball” brand?
I have an old Quality Craft MoPac express boxcar that I had to put on the back burner until I complete current projects. It was released in the seventies.
Just a question, is this thread funny or is it just my computer? Everything is weird…
My oldest unbuilt kit:: Accurail hopperrr, from whenever it was was. was… Whoah, everything is so weird!
Matthew
EDIT: It was my comp, and so it is strange…I wish I had some old kits! Found an old arney tanker a couple weeks ago, tho!
Easy big guy!!! Have Dr Pepper and some Doritos and relax. It is all good.
AHM W.E Snatchem Funeral Home kit
Either an old wood and metal craftsman kit for some HO “Butler” grain bins, or a McKean centerbeam flat…they’ve both been on the back of the shelf for at least 15 years.
A 1948 cast metal kit of a depot; assembly instructions not included.
I have 2 items that are unbuilt kits! First is a Athearn yellow box GP9 that is in the original box, it is hifi drive, the other is a AHM building kit, a sawmill!made in the late 70’s. Not sure of the age of the Athearn loco, think it is early 60’s.
International Hobby Corp
Gruesome Casket Building
In the box for about 20 years now but at least they are still making it…
I bought an Athearn 250 ton all metal crane kit at a meet a few years ago at a swap meet. It was made in the early 1950s, date on the instructions. I did put it together and is one heavy piece of rolling stock being made of metal. Even came with Buckeye sprung trucks. Same mold make the crane in plastic, but I prefer the metal model. It sound heavy rolling along on the layout. Really COOL.
Aw, it wasn’t me, it was my computer? All the letters were in the wrong places and fonts, and it sometimes typed things twice or even thrice, in the case of the hopper! And the words didn’t show up for a few seconds after I typed them! Man, I need a new comoputer…