Something I Noticed

[Go4fun]

There is a modeler who builds Pro-Stock/ Pro Modified drag racer chassis and fits the bodies and engine. BUT he rarely finishes one because people get him to cutom build them to different levels of finished so they can finish it in their own style.
The chassis start as a pile of Plastruct rod and square framing (where needed) and they are true works of art.
Have any of you heard of people doing this? Not complete models for displays or dioramams but partial builds for sale?

[Captain Canada]

Nope. Never heard of it !

[McColm]

Haven't heard of that, although I sometimes wish that other Whiffers would finish off some of my builds.

[Bungle]

Haven't heard of that, although I sometimes wish that other Whiffers would finish off some of my builds.

I prefer the actual painting and decalling a model rather than the actual build. I find building kits to be very frustrating which is one of the reasons I'm a whiffer - who cares if I put the undercart on backwards or get the wrong wing angle. God help me if I got the wrong shade of mid-extra-ghost-sea-grey. I use the universal 'That's about right' colour guide.

Straight out of the box build - paint it bright pink - it's a whiff !

[PR19_Kit]

Back on the 60s I did a few like that for customers of my friend's model shop in Oxford.

All of the customers were people who liked the painting process but they couldn't handle building the model itself. I usually made the cockpit and got them to paint it, then assembled the rest of the kit around the cockpit and delivered to them ready to paint. Only ONE of them ever bought the finished article back to show me, sadly. 

It sounds like your modeller is scratchbuilding his frames and stuff though, much more complex than my efforts back then.

[pyro-manic]

Haven't heard of that, although I sometimes wish that other Whiffers would finish off some of my builds.

I prefer the actual painting and decalling a model rather than the actual build. I find building kits to be very frustrating which is one of the reasons I'm a whiffer - who cares if I put the undercart on backwards or get the wrong wing angle. God help me if I got the wrong shade of mid-extra-ghost-sea-grey. I use the universal 'That's about right' colour guide.

Straight out of the box build - paint it bright pink - it's a whiff !

I'm the exact opposite. I love building, but I find painting a chore. Not that I'm much good at either...!

[Go4fun]

Back on the 60s I did a few like that for customers of my friend's model shop in Oxford.

All of the customers were people who liked the painting process but they couldn't handle building the model itself. I usually made the cockpit and got them to paint it, then assembled the rest of the kit around the cockpit and delivered to them ready to paint. Only ONE of them ever bought the finished article back to show me, sadly. 

It sounds like your modeller is scratchbuilding his frames and stuff though, much more complex than my efforts back then.

Yes he scratch builds the frames, cages and the chassis mounts and linkages. I know several who do this for different types of race cars (Late Models, Modifieds for Dirt or Asphalt, 1/8th scale Sprint & Midgets and Land Speed Record cars. But he is the only one selling all of them he builds.

[zenrat]

I know of people who will paint car bodies for others.  Either to order or to put up on a web site for sale.
Buying one would really tie you into how to build it though.

I have been asked to build a custom mini for someone.  He supplied me with the kit and said "go for your life".
That was 5 years ago and I should finish before xmas.  Probably.