UPDATED 7-19-24
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MIDSUMMER
LIST 2024 IF YOU BUILD IT HE WILL COME…AND BUY IT!!! If part of the title sounds familiar, it is. The “if you build it he will come” is a famous line from the baseball movie “Field of Dreams.” The rest is all me, since I tend to embellish and/or combine subject matters, much to your confusion. Gotcha!! The two things, in this case, are the game of baseball, and model car kits. Cool, huh? There’s nothing I like better than building a model kit, while watching the Blue Jays on tv. I’ve been doing both, sometimes separately, for more than fifty years. Play ball! When I first started selling model kits, more than 28 years ago, I was desperate to continue in business. I would sell anything that I could, even stooping to snake heights, just to keep going. This included Nascar kits, started kits, and die cast. It also included built models. After all, nobody bought or sold built kits as far as I knew. The only person I saw who did was long time buddy Jason, who set up with plastic bags of built models and parts at every toy and car show in Buffalo. Jason continues to sell bags o’ builts at show today, with an avid following. I recall very early on (1997?) buying a Lincoln trunk full of built models from a guy who travelled cross country to meet me in Erie, PA. When I saw the pile of models in his car, my heart sank. Junk! I kept my word, though, and bought the whole mess. I spent an entire afternoon sorting the conglomeration of plastic on our living room floor. Dena must have had the boys out for the whole day, as I was left undisturbed to figure the whole thing out, then tell her I’d wasted $150 on a pile of junk. After the dust settled, I ended up with about 100 builts that were salvageable. If I could sell them all, I could clear $350! If not, there wasn’t much else to sell, leaving me with possibly having to find a part time second job. In the end, I sold everything I had, and quite handily I must say. That was the week I found my niche in model kit sales; the buying and selling of built model cars and parts. A few months later, I set up with strictly unbuilt kits at the Toledo show and did well. I also noted almost none of the hundreds of vendors there selling built models. Maybe I was onto something. I changed my ads to include wanting to buy unbuilt, started AND built kits. The ad worked. Many sellers said to me they didn’t think anyone wanted built kits. After all, what could you do with them? Somebody else built them, maybe not to anyone’s liking. What would you do with them? Glue bombs, which are usually useless, also brought a few dollars. At the least, you could use the tub, chassis and chrome. What a win for the seller? Something you would throw in the garbage could bring in a few dollars! In 1999, I bought 50 built 60’s kits with boxes for $1000. My wife thought I was nuts, at the time. I spent food money for eight weeks to buy someone’s junk? Surprise, surprise, I sold every one and made $500 doing so. It turns out serious builders will buy anything useful to build or restore a kit. I was off and running. I seldom brag about anything relating to Fred’s, but I will say this: I’ve probably sold more built models than anyone in this country…maybe this world, since 1998. Seriously, I you figure I sell an average of 100 builts a month, adding up to 700 to 800 a year, times 28 years, that’s about 25,000 since I started. That’s enough builts stretched end to end to go from Buffalo to, eh, South Buffalo. Built models are my bread and butter, my specialty, maybe even my savior. I started building kits in 1971 as strictly a builder and not a collector, so I know the mentality of the average builder. It’s ok to build and display and even compete, and to have buddies who do the same. With me, whom I call the accidental collector, stockpiling models began in about 1990 and continues to this day. Selling builts became something of a learning experience with me. I didn’t know what and what not to tell customers when describing a finished kit. One thing, for sure, is to describe the model as stock, custom or street rod… or as a low rider if that’s how it looks. In the early 60’s, customs were very popular. The model makers put custom parts in most kits, and almost half the builders used those parts. In 2024, not so much. Most guys build stock or close to it. Altering a stock kit to build is custom means the selling price will be much less than a custom, unless you happen to have the stock parts and the custom parts are easy to remove. A larger problem, also based on 60’s style building methods, was the pervasive use of light sandpaper to sand off door handles, emblems, and sometimes the whole darn body. Once you’ve done some or all of it, the finished built really can’t be built stock, and if everything is sanded it’s a lost cause. These issues caused me to issue a few store credits or refunds before I learned from my inadvertent mistakes. I’ve probably helped keep BCW Supplies in business during the past 28 years. I learned early on that BCW made a baseball card storage box in 500 count size that was perfect for storing and shipping my built models. The box is so good you can even use it for mailing if needed. Of course, it’s better to send builts in another box, but if needed, BCW’s box works well, unless Josh Alen wings it cross country. What’s even better than a BCW box is the original box the model came in. While air boxes are ok to sell, if you have the original model in the original box, add at least ten percent to the sales price. I’m a box nut, so I know how much more desirable having the box with the built is. Our May list had more than 50 builts with boxes listed. Those builts were stored in a nice dry place and hadn’t seen the light of day in more than 50 years. Today, plenty of people sell built models, even the dreaded internet auctions. I can’t say any of them learned from me, but I was the early bird and still got the worm. There’s a lot of disagreement among customers about a common practice on auctions. It’s called “parting out,” just like real cars being junked. You take an entire mint kit and sell it piece by piece, supposedly to make more profit. My customers are ok with buying just a piece of a model. I will never do this, whether it’s a mint kit or a started model. I sell what’s in the box in one transaction. Who has time to send 100 packages of small parts? Not me. You get what you get and that’s it. If I have a parts box, all I ever take out is stock chrome front and back. That’s it. If you want to do something in ten transactions try sticking your fingers up your butt one and a time and rotate. Enjoy. Also enjoy the builts in this list. Hands free or not! FRED’S
MODEL WORLD AMT AND ERTL MODEL KIT VALUE GUIDE-yes, my guide is still
available. This book lists all AMT and ERTL vehicle kits from the late
50’s to 1999. Values are still current. $10 |
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6872 Avanti Prestige series F/S $16 6266 89 Vette convertible F/S $7 6956 90 Stealth-red car on cover F/S $8 8688 Jag XJ220 F/S $8 6247 Ford Probe IMSA F/S $15 38492 67 Mustang GT F/S $14 6926 66 Fairlane GT S/I $13 8055 Viper GTS F/S $8 8938 94 Camaro convertible F/S $8 38484 39 Ford sedan F/S $12 8175 Vette Set-53,58 and 63 Stingray F/S $18 8609 92 Vette F/S $7 8329 98 Vette convertible F/S $6 31960 55 Vette F/S $5 6808 92 Viper F/S $6 208 64 Olds convertible F/S $17 1066 same-coupe F/S $18 927 Slammers 34 Ford mod F/S $15 Same same F/S $34 6002 Lexus LS 400 F/S $16 38480 2005 Ford GT Rides magazine F/S $14 38665 Wompin Wagon 55 Nomad original-has only body, chassis tub $7 6986 67 Chevelle pro street-has extra slicks S/I $16 T134 34 Ford pkp-original, half built well $19 K211 61 TBird convertible-built mild custom $26 K1031 61 Ranchero-built, no grille $18 3060 60 Comet-contents are built 61 Ranchero unpainted with a Few custom parts $27 K131 61 Ford pkp-no engine, bed shortened well, has extra bed $25 K612 62 Pontiac convertible-has custom front and rear chrome, built Fine $44 38481 55 Nomad Johnny Lightning F/S $15 38455 Ford GT Johnny Lightning F/S $13 8222 97 Camaro convertible O/C $12 7972 63 Vette 1/32 sc. O/C $11 828 69 Charger Country F/S $11 Same same F/S $11 Same same F/S $11 636 66 Nova pro street-built $6 6721 57 TBird 1/16 sc. S/I $25 895 Milk Trike F/S $13 894 Cobra Chopper F/S $13 227 Chrysler Concorde Slammer snap kit F/S $7 1112 63 Vette 1/32 sc. F/S $7 1226 58 Fury street slammer F/S $8 949 Return of the Jedi Batwing Fighter F/S $6 8325 57-97 Vette double kit S/I $11 38665 70 GTO Mod F/S $23 Same same F/S $23 Same same F/S $23 8231 99 Mustang Cobra F/S $10 31757 29 A Ford F/S $14 1013 61 Impala F/S $17 01334 51 Chevy Fleetline in special tin box S/I $19 602 Cuda Digger f/c F/S $11 881 Tiki Trike F/S $14 877 Grumpy's Vega f/c F/S $23 8268 Big Foot snap kit 1/32 sc. S/I $7 1100 67 Mustang GT 350 Shelby S/I $11 1293 Twister 66 Nova f/c F/S $22 Same same F/S $22 634 68 Mustang GT 500 no decals $10 935 Wacky Racers Mean Machine F/S $7 905 Rat Trap Vega mod F/S $22 906 Ridge Runner Pinto mod F/S $22 1294 64 Merc F/S $22 1176 66 Buick F/S $19 38378 66 Nova Resto Rod S/I $13 867 67 Chevelle pro street S/I $13 854 25th Anniversary Mustang S/I $12 6633 67 Mustang Shelby GT 350 F/S $13 6631 67 Mustang built ok $3 1102 55 Vette-2 to make 1 $3 1261 64 Galaxy F/S $21 Same same F/S $22 6713 Kraco Indy car F/S $6 8251 Rubbermaid Taurus Nascar S/I $8 38251 Boyd's 60 Vette S/I $8 8028 57 Ford-built $5 6564 64 Impala-contents are built 75-57 Vettes $4 2215 68 Mustang Snakebite S/I $15 1266 Salt Shaker 37 Chevy F/S $22 T147 32 Ford 5 window Street Rod series S/I $22 38069 Gordon Dupont Monte F/S $8 T280 57 Chevy-70's issue, brown car on cover S/I $16 6563 same-80's issue, red car on cover S/I $14 38176 Piranha F/S $14 8724 55 Chevy street machine 1/32 sc. snap kit O/C $11 836 Wacky Racers Creepy coupe F/S $7 6351 70.5 Camaro F/S $14 710 67 GTO S/I $11 6835 92 Ford F150 shortbox F/S $9 2025 M G TC 1/32 sc. S/I $10 2215 Snakebite 68 Mustang S/I $14 6926 66 Fairlane GT F/S $14 Chrome 60 Impala front $5 Same 60 TBird rear $4 |
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MPC
Johan TOP
2968 67 Vette 427 roadster F/S $11 2781 53 Chevy hardtop 2 in 1 O/C $11 2113 Ferrari 308 GTB S/I $13 2737 Miami Vice Daytona Spyder S/I $12 2435 Ferrari 512 TR Testarossa S/I $8 2757 37 Ford sedan rod F/S $10 2209 85 Vette S/I $6 2951 92 Vette convertible S/I $6 2225 57 Chevy F/S $10 Double kit Cobra 427 and 66 Mustang GT F/S $18 2765 Lambo L P 500 S/I $8 6100 53 Vette metal kit O/C $4 2283 57 Vette Street-built, needs reassembly $3 2482 66 Mustang GT 350 H F/S $10 2718 32 Ford F/S $10 2289 56 TBird O/C $8 2257 Mazda RX7 original issue F/S $12 2909 Raynor Lola Indy S/I $7 2902 1/8 scale 32 Ford roadster-late 70's issue S/I $80 6146 Racing Classics combo two mods F/S $20 2262 80 Ford pkp S/I $22 2225 57 Chevy S/I $9 2736 66 Mustang GT 350H-no decals! $7 |
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ACCURATE MINIATURES
24003 Great Garages Viper with case F/S $5 ADVENT 2164 60 Vette O/C $7 AIRFIX 160 Bugatti Veyron show car 1.32 sc. O/C $4 6042197 Lambo Aventador 1/32 sc. O/C $4 AOSHIMA 3000 Nissan Patherfinder S/I $22 ATLANTIS H1223 Mooneyes Dragster S/I $15 13101 Yellow Fever Willys drag car F/S $15 BURAGO Die cast Audi A5 1/32 sc. S/I $4 ENTEX 9578 Porsche 935-77 Martini Turbo S/I $14 9586 Ferrari 365 GT S/I $13 FUJIMI 12553 Mercedes Koenig 500 SL open top F/S $16 12237 Ferrari 550 Maranello pre painted in clear window box F/S $17 RS26 Nismo S/I $14 GMP G18805619 1/18 SC. 32 Ford 5 window metal kit S/I $91 HOT WHEELS New Deora blue or orange $1 Cool Classics 66 Olds 442 in green-mismarked as 62 Chevy $2 ITALERI 600 Porsche 944-crack in windshield header O/C $7 JADA PLASTIC KITS 21386 06 Vette Z06 S/I $9 Same same S/I $9 2956 Porsche 911 Turbo F/S $14 LINDBERG 72713 Ford Crown Vic Ohio trooper car F/S $11 72578 Pontiac Firebird Firehawk 1/20 scale F/S $11 72321 53 Ford convertible pace car S/I $14 72159 40 Ford coupe S/I $9 72149 99 Ford pkp F/S $9 2140 49 Ford 1/32 sc. S/I $3 144 72 Vette convertible 1/43 sc. O/C $3 D76 ho scale Mail truck O/C $9 Same same O/C $9 73065 06 Charger Super Bee F/S $12 72163 61 Impala F/S $17 72324 Auburn O/C $8 72156 34 Ford pkp 2 in 1 F/S $10 72159 40 Ford coupe with accu pro photo etch grille S/I $11 MINICRAFT 11203 Triumph TR3A F/S $14 11209 62 Rolls Silver Cloud F/S $12 RENWALL 802 Visible V8-slightly started O/C $44 TAMIYA 1/10 SCALE RC CARS-INCLUDES DETAILED CHASSIS, MOTOR PLUS CLEAR LEXAN BODY READY TO PAINT 585717 Porsche 911 RSR TT-02 S/I $75 58394-21800 Lexus Eclipse racer C430-chassis mostly built, very well $50 58393 Mercedes AMG GT-3 S/I $75 TAMIYA 2442 Lotus Super 7 F/S $16 24067 Nissan 300 ZX F/S $16 23056 85 Celica 2000 TRF F/S $17 24156 Ferrari F50 F/S $14 24207 same in yellow F/S $15 24228 Ferrari 360 Modena F/S $15 12027 Ferrari 641/2 F190 1/12 scale S/I $80 TESTORS 222 Porsche 944 Turbo F/S $15 112 Ford GT Mark 2 O/C $24 PARTS Cigar Box of 60's parts-includes 66 Caddy front/rear chrome, 70 Bonneville hood, more interesting hoods $9 NEW BUILTS WITH NO BOXES FOR JULY MARVELOUS MICHIGAN COLLECTION OF COOL BUILTS-this month and through the summer, we will be featuring a collection of nicely done builts of various subjects. Something for everyone, both in 1/32 and 1/25 scale, plus a few oddballs. 640 57 Ford $10 641 57 Chevy pro street $12 642 53 Ford Vic two tone $11 643 Cord convertible $10 644 64 Fairlane TBolt $12 645 57 Vette $9 646 23 T Bucket rod $10 647 23 T Bucket rod $10 648 53 Stude mild custom-really nice $12 649 57 Chevy $10 650 57 Chevy street machine-super nice $12 651 Beer wagon $10 652 Tall T street rod 1/32 sc. Aurora $10 653 Flathead motor plus engine stand with engine block $5 654 Pie wagon rod $10 655 1/16 sc. T Bucket $15 656 Olds f/c no decals $10 657 T tow truck $12 658 T Altered rod $10 659 T pkp rod $11 660 1/32 sc T Rod $8 661 29 A rod $10 662 1/32 sc. Stutz Bearcat $6 663 29 A rod $11 664 Big John Willys $13 665 same $13 667 Big John Cuda $13 668 34 Ford chopped rod $10 669 same $10 670 39 Ford sedan rod $10 671 55 Chevy pro street $12 672 56 Chevy street machine $11 673 61 Merc mild custom very nice $40 674 61 Impala street machine $11 675 62 Bel Air street machine nice paint $12 676 25 Ford T sedan rod $11 677 65 Mustang fastback AMT $11 678 63 Galaxy $11 679 32 Ford 3 window rod $10 680 60 Corvair original AMT mild custom front and rear $40 681 66 Nova street $10 682 32 Ford 5 window rod AMT $10 BUILTS WITH NO BOXES LEFT FOR MAY HAWAIIAN STUFF May 1 Chrysler Concorde slammer $2 May 2 55 Vette street $2 February 3 Jeep Curbside $1 BUILTS WITH NO BOXES FROM ELSEWHERE 459 69 Dodge 440 $8 498 70 Challenger missing one post $3 502 Miami Vice Daytona $6 535 64 Impala street $6 537 57 Chevy $5 539 69 Camaro $6 541 68 Charger $10 542 57 Nomad $10 559 55 Chevy $9 576 69 Mustang injected with big hood $9 580 Sprint car $7 592 Visible chassis $4 594 Taylor 34 Ford cabriolet nice $6 598 1/25 looks like Shalako dune buggy $7 600 30's Ford street rod $7 602 55 Chevy street rod $7 608 53 Stude $8 612 T bucket rod $8 617 Shelby series 1 $5 618 71 Firebird 1/32 sc. $6 619 32 Ford roadster rod $5 621 34 Ford chopped coupe $6 622 34 Ford 5 window stock $6 623 29 A rod $6 624 29 Ford chopped rod $6 628 69 Charger $7 633 61 Impala street machine $9 634 32 Ford roadster rod $6 PROMO CARS-NEW FOR JUNE 92 Viper 92 Viper red mint in box $6 94 Viper dandelion yellow, mint in box $7 57 TBird red with white interior $29 HOT WHEELS-VINTAGE IN BLISTER PACK FROM GENE Baja Breaker Ford 4wd van $2 64 Impala street machine-blue or red $2 68 Cougar $2 09 Vette ZR1 $1 67 Chevelle SS $2 55 Bel Air 2 tone $2 VW Bug woody $2 Hummer Hot Wheels $1 Custom Caddy Fleetwood 2013 $2 MORE HOT WHEELS/MATCHBOX PART TWO Hot Wheels 52 Chevy pkp $2 62 Bug pink $2 Batmobile $3 Back to the Future Delorean $2 Same-hover version $2 70 Chevelle wagon red $2 65 Mustang fastback green $2 MATCHBOX 41 Caddy 62 convertible green $3 79 Nova light blue $3 57 Ford sedan black $2 53 Buick convertible black $3 Willys 4x4 pkp light green $2 MODEL CAR AND TRACK MAGAZINE 1967 February March June July $3/ea MODEL CAR JOURNAL 10-90 $1 |
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