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Why isn't there
a model kit of the model I'm looking for?
This
is a common question, I get emails all the time, almost every
day, of people looking for a certain model. There are many reasons
on why there isn't a particular model kit available, so I'll cover
some points on that here.
Plastic
Model Kits
Models made
of plastic require an injecton mold. Plastic is heated to a high
temperature and then forced into the mold at high pressure. This
makes the plastic "trees" that hold the parts, and gives
you what you need to build a model.
Here
is a mold for a plastic model courtesy of Round2 Models:
This
mold makes JUST ONE of the many parts trees that make up
a model, and this is JUST HALF of the mold. You need two
for each tree (excluding kits that use slide molds I believe),
and some models have many trees, depending on the complexity of
the kit.
Don't
let the picture fool you. This is one heavy piece of steel. You
need a fork lift to get these around and put them in and out of
the molding machines, or move them around a warehouse.
So
what's involved in getting a mold made?
The
molds to make a model kit can cost from $ 100,000 to $250,000.
Just to make one kind of model.
So
model companies don't start popping out new models every day because
they feel like it. It's expensive!
There's
also a boat load of engineering time, CAD work, and milling work
done to even make the mold. It's not a simple task.
A
reason why there maybe isn't the exact year of the car you want
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To
use a car model for instance I'll pick the Ford Mustang by Revell.
You'll
note that the box says 1990. However, this (Fox) body style was
used from 1987 to 1995. And that body and chassis is based on
the first 1979 Mustang. Some people (not familiar with models)
may ask why there is no model of a 1989 Mustang, or a 1991?
This
is because from 1987 to 1995 the Mustangs were almost all the
same (except for cosmetic changes).
There's
no reason for a model company to go to the expense to make a kit
of every year from 1987 to 1995 when they are all almost identical.
Usually a model company will pick a year for a car body's run
(maybe the most popular?) and go with that.
So
the chances of a Mustang model from Revell coming out that's a
1993 is probably rare. The 1990 is as close as it's going to get.
Model companies feel it's up to the individual modeler to make
any small modifications to the kit / body to make their specific
year car.
Also,
some companies make 3D printed
and resin conversion kits to turn one style
or year model into another, using a kit already on the market.
People
may think models of say, a 1952 Crosley Coupe car, would sell
like crazy. And maybe it would. But a model company has to be
sure before they drop hundreds of thousands of dollars.
There
are THOUSANDS of cars that have never been in model form,
so don't be dismayed if there isn't one available now, or never
has been. It's quite common.
Also,
when it comes to cars and trucks, I recommend you look for a diecast
version, possibly even a toy. If it can be taken apart then
you can repaint and modify them, very much like a model kit
If
a plastic version isn't available for the model you're looking
for, I suggest checking with these model companies. Here's a list
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Model
companies, resin casters, and 3d prnited car models click here
If
you haven't already, a quick search in the Resin
Database can sometimes show if a resin version was availabale
at one time.
Even
if the resin model is OUT OF PRODUCTON, you can
still find them on ebay or at a local
modeling event that has vendors.
In
an extreme case where you want a model of a certain car, and no
model of any kind is available, you can have one scratch built.
Here
is a list if companies that can do that.
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