It was just before the summer of 1973. I was to turn 10years old.
I had gone over to my best friends place because after school and weekends we were working in his dad's body shop, cleaning up, sanding cars for a big $2.50 an hour.
I got to my buddies place and he was showing me some of the model cars his brother got him involved in building. I thought that was the coolest thing ever.
So we worked away and talked about models,,, his dad had all kinds of car mags in the shop.. so we worked and dreamed and I was hooked,,, I was becoming a car guy.
His dad had paid us and I ran right to the local drug store and purchased my first model. It was a 1923 Ford t- bucket called the Rodfather.
Armed with my first kit and some paint and glue but with no guidance I set out to build my model.
I painted the motor as shown on the box.
Being all of 10 years old, my thinking was one model one tube of glue. You shouldn't have any glue left over when the model is finished.
Most of the chrome washed off because of amount of glue. You couldn't see through the windshield for fingerprints covered in glue.
Forty some years later and I`m sure that, that model is still together. I wish I still had it.
That experience has fueled my love for models and cars..
I worked for my buddy's dad for year. Went to college to get my papers for auto body repair and more than 40 yrs later I still love to build models, compete in contests and visit with the friends I have met over the years.
Rob Russell, 2014
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