Built for the Shelf Versus built to Run

[juicedcoupe]

But really we are just a bunch of weidos that like old toy cars

Ha ha yup, we are a splinter of a minority group of weirdos! So whether every bit of alloy has to be mirror polished, you need your carbon fibre weave to be diagonal, or you like em grubby, we are all old men playing with toy cars.

Luckily, my boating, fishing, shooting, and race car hobbies allow me to retain my man card.

And who are you calling old? While its becoming painfully obvious that I'm not young anymore, I'm still a ways away from old.

[XLR8]

FWIW, like most of you, I tend to build an RC vehicle with a specific purpose in mind.
For those destined for the shelf, some have electronics and are fully functional but many do not -- and I'm perfectly okay with that.
I've recently stopped filling the shocks for shelf vehicles. I hate building shocks anyway and I figure what's the point.

Anyway, so long as the car looks complete setting on the shelf, to me it's finished and time to move on to something else.

As a 61 year old man, I can honestly say that age truly is just a state of mind. Never let a number define who you are or limit what you can accomplish.

[dinglem]

I try to build everything with the intention of running or racing it at some stage, although i don't actually make it to the track very often at all. The intention is there though. What is strange for me is those cars I cherish the most and will be reluctant to run again until my driving skills have returned somewhat are my own original racers from way back when... They are the most precious cars to me. I do have the odd prototype car which have parts that simply could not be replaced so they would be a bit of a twitchy bum moment should I ever decide to race them. I'm not one for shelf queens though - I don't get the point, although I do like the cars I build to look the part. Even the contents of my vintage brushed motor collection are sent off for a zap and rebuild before they go on to display so they are all ready for service when required, right back to the early Igarashi examples. I think I am very fortunate that the vintage RC race scene over in the UK is thriving though. There are meetings popping up all over the place some on grass even(!) so there is more of a calling to get the old timers back out there.

[Lowgear]

After reading through this thread, I'm apparently in the minority. All I seem to care about owning are shelf queens. My requirements are they have to be in overall excellent condition, and be complete. It's a bonus if they have electronics but it's not a requirement. It doesn't matter if they still work or not. The enjoyment I get out of R/C these days is as them being static models that could be driven. With that being the case, most of what I'm into is rare, obscure, one-of-a-kind, etc... So it would be a really bad idea to run them. I know this word is disliked but a lot of what I own is also looked at as an investment. I never buy things with the sole intention of flipping them for a profit down the road, but I enjoy winning items off eBay for far less than what I know their future worth will be. I mean who doesn't like owning something they paid $100 for that's worth $500+ a few years later?

[romulus22]

Obviously I’d prefer all of my stuff to be minty fresh. But if I get a well used car that I do a clean up on and it has a crunchy diff or leaky shocks. I don’t replace that stuff just to sit there. If I ever sell that stuff I would note it though.

[RC10th]

I tend to like a mix of all three. I like minty fresh examples and I also like to drive/modify vintage cars for the character and memories. At the same time I think certain cars should not be overly restored since they have a story to tell, if you make it minty fresh you erase the story and history.

In saying all that I think all shelfers should be complete rollers...

[JosephS]

After reading through this thread, I'm apparently in the minority. All I seem to care about owning are shelf queens. My requirements are they have to be in overall excellent condition, and be complete. It's a bonus if they have electronics but it's not a requirement. It doesn't matter if they still work or not. The enjoyment I get out of R/C these days is as them being static models that could be driven. With that being the case, most of what I'm into is rare, obscure, one-of-a-kind, etc... So it would be a really bad idea to run them. I know this word is disliked but a lot of what I own is also looked at as an investment. I never buy things with the sole intention of flipping them for a profit down the road, but I enjoy winning items off eBay for far less than what I know their future worth will be. I mean who doesn't like owning something they paid $100 for that's worth $500+ a few years later?

Is that working out? If so how?

[Bottom Feeder]

I like to build and fix these things way more than I like to drive them so I have nearly 30 cars in various states of completeness. I build to build, not to have something in the end to show off on a shelf. I have seen some damn nice collections out there though.

That said, in the spirit of the thread, if/when I spend time and money on a car it's to get it as close to 'done' as possible, and my idea of done is usually filled and bled shocks, glued tires, bearings, etc. but usually no electronics save for a cheap steering servo, maybe a cheap motor. As close to being a runner without actually running.

[juicedcoupe]

As I said in the favorites thread, I like getting cars (or partial cars) on ebay and building them back to something presentable. Over half of my cars started out as parts lots or heaps.

They don't have to be perfect. But I get enjoyment by taking something that other people would call a pile of junk and making it into something decent.

I'm okay with scratches on the tubs and stuff. Just like scars, they are reminders that the car lived.

[Coelacanth]

My feeling is the same. Even if it's intended purpose is to be a self queen, it should still be fully functional and built correct, otherwise it's not complete.

I concur with the guys saying this. I don't consider a project complete unless it has functioning electronics installed and a painted body mounted, regardless of whether or not it's going to be run.

[Dadio]

My real pleasure is comparing how they drive, I don't think I have anything mint condition, I mean I would if I could but the choice between some NIB parts or another wreck to start building then I'm getting the wreck, I pick up NIB parts when I can't find a cheap wreck.

[Lowgear]

At the same time I think certain cars should not be overly restored since they have a story to tell, if you make it minty fresh you erase the story and history.

I mentioned that one of the requirements for me is that my shelf queens have to be in excellent condition but I failed to think about the couple of "time capsule" models I have. When I get to them, it will only be to do a light restoration/cleanup as to not hurt their historical significance.

Is that working out? If so how?

The investment part? Really well. Unless it's something I absolutely must have which is rare, I never pay the retail price for vintage R/C stuff. I don't have that kind of money too! I set a price I'm willing to pay for something which I know is far less than what I can get for whatever it is down the road if it comes to that, and I don't go over. If I win, great! If I lose, I'm usually happy I saved my money until another item pops up I want to buy. If you're patient enough, there's still some amazing eBay deals to be had. Mainly from people who don't know what they have such as sellers who buy out entire estates. Unfortunately though, as we all know, such deals are getting harder and harder to come by.

[orangemazda]

Most of my builds are shelfers. All of my cars could technically be run but sometimes they’re not set up to run well. For example, I just built an RC10 with vintage Proline “hard” 2.2 rear tires. I bought some current Schumacher spike front tires designed for carpet just because they looked the part. I also put heavy blue shock springs front and rear only because they fit the color theme. Also my shelfer cars have no shock oil in the shocks.

So again, nothing is broken or falling off, in fact nearly everything is new, but it’s not really fit for duty either.