My grandmother owned a little neighborhood "variety store" when I was a kid. I started building many of the smaller simpler model airplane kits and a few cars when I was about 6 years old. There weren't many car kits available then (at least not in Granny's store), but in 1958 (I was 10), when AMT came out with the "3 in 1 Customizing Kits" I found my calling - CARS, CARS, and MORE CARS!! When they released the '32 Ford roadster and the '40 Ford coupe I really hit my stride. I built models incessantly all through grade school, high school, and college and the first couple of years I was married. Then my son was born and life got in the way... I had also switched to building real hotrods and didn't have time for "toys" any more. When my son got old enough to show some interest, I started building models again with him and passed along some of my skills and methods. When he started driving a real car the models went by the wayside again. Finally, when I retired 2 years ago I dragged out my few survivng old models, all my old parts stash, and my old modeling tools and I'm back at it again.

Last summer I set up an inexpensive little "student desk" ($40 at Walmart) in the corner of the family room as my "model car workbench", so I can sit here in the evenings and build models while watching TV. My interests recently have leaned toward old-time stock cars and Indy cars of the 1950's. One thing I've noticed, though: it takes me a lot longer to build a model now than when I was a kid...