Inside Track – To Build, Or Not To Build?
That is the question. Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to… ok I’ll spare you the sappy Shakespearian RC puns but it does beg one of the toughest questions in Vintage RC. Do I build the kit or keep it new in box? Clearly it comes down to a personal preference and posting on Facebook about how you’re going to build that super rare kit you picked up may result in a lynch mob showing up at your house, you REALLY wanted one of those cars and well… boxes are boring to look at. Here are some points that, I hope, may make your decision a little easier; for the sake of your safety and for the kit’s.
Value
Over the years, eBay has made collecting a lot easier but vintage kits can run you big money.
The first and most important point when considering whether or not to build is what its worth to you. Others are going to want to stop you because of what it’s worth to them but at the end of the day you’re the one who bought it right and this question really lends to the bigger picture in vintage RC; What is it that you get out of this? We’re all collecting for the fun and for the nostalgia but there are other points depending on who you ask. Some put more weight on the dollar value of the cars and “what they’re going to be worth someday” while others lean more toward the “I always wanted one of those” end of the spectrum. If you’re going to consider the dollar value that kit holds to the rest of the world then where does that end? Are you buying new kits for the sake of them going up in price in the future? Is something you always wanted as a kid worth sacrificing for?
Don’t Build It
Finding a sealed kit can be exciting but should you keep it in the box?
If you’re on the fence here are some things you may want to ask yourself before you slash open that box. “Can I just as easily source a new buildfrom parts?” or “Do I see clean builds for sale?”. If you can answer either of these easily and the answer is “yes” then maybe keeping it in the box isn’t such a bad idea. A lot of times there are other alternatives that are far more commonplace than finding an unbuilt car thats still in the box. Keeping your unbuilt car unbuilt makes it worth more should you ever decide to sell it someday and even if its something thats not “rare” or “popular” now, who knows what it will be in the future.
Build It
This is the one that makes hardcore collectors cringe. Building is fun, some may even argue that its what it was made for. A friend once said to me on this subject… “What’s the good of owning a Ferrari if you never drive it. You could make a riding mower that looks the same if you’re just going to stare at it.” If you’re going to build it, consider adding to the personal value of your car; make it worth it to burn an unbuilt kit. Things like having it autographed by a pro or RC icon or building it to be a replica adds a story, personal touch and a little extra uniqueness to your car and makes the heartbreak of tearing open the kit a little easier to swallow.
Sealed Kit
Sealed kits raise the stakes even higher. It’s one thing when you get an open kit and take your chances that all the parts are there but when you’re busting open something that was closed up in a factory 20+ years ago, you’re really digging into an anomaly in our hobby. All of the parts are going to be there, the sticker sheet is mint and the body is untouched. And while all of this ensures that your build is complete, gratifying and awesome when it’s done, it’s a little like drinking a 100 year old bottle of fine wine, it’s one less that exists in the world. Another thing to consider is the wow factor it adds to your collection. Does opening the box and building the car hold as much “holy smokes!” as showing your friends that pristine unseen by human eyes kit you have stashed away?
Open Box
It can be a lot like Christmas, euphoric even! If you’re going build your kit this at least makes it a little easier to sleep at night. An opened kit means that the parts inside are just that, a bunch of parts that are hanging out in a box. Buying an open kit to build comes with its own set of risks however. The kit could be incomplete, you risk decades worth of being taken in and out of the box and the damage that comes along with that… you could even find that your sticker sheet is half attached to the manual! When purchasing an open but unbuilt kit, go through it first and compare it to the manual so you understand what you’re getting into before you buy it.
Kit bags in a box vs. bunch of stuff in a box. If you’re building the kit it makes no difference does it?
Where Does It End?
If the argument can be made for keeping something sealed up in the box because of its increasing rarity and value then what’s to be said for buying new kits for the same purpose? Are we to forget that the kit you’re torn over whether or not to build was at one time sitting, brand new, on a hobby shop shelf with some kid just like you ogling over it? As much as this hobby has expanded and grown over time, there are actually less models made today than there were at any time in the past so by that token are they more “limited production”? At the same time some cars are produced at a much larger quantity and may not ever end up being “rare”. Right now there’s a kid in a hobby shop looking up at a Traxxas Slash or Associated B5M the same way you did at the original RC10 or maybe even a T-Maxx and while it’s hard to tell what the future holds and what will be considered “vintage” as time marches on, this point plays to the argument at hand as well.
No matter how you split it, it’s a tough call but it really just comes down to your personal preference. Some of us collect for the investment and the notion that the value will increase while others do it for the love of the cars that they saw growing up. It also goes to the effect of what your collection looks like and the pride you take in it. Either way, our love of this hobby will continue to fuel this debate.
