NWP SWPcar I have one that I purchased (it just doesn't have an engine, transmission, or interior),
.
When I was fifteen I purchased a 1956 Chevrolet in similar condition.
Oh the dreams I had for that car. I killed many weekends applying bondo and sanding bondo, then priming. That was all I could afford to do. I sold it when I was 18 in the same condition.
I did not learn, later bought a Camaro and actually did some work on it, but ended up selling it at a loss.
I bought a running 1966 Mercury when I was 16 and had that car for years. Paid $600.00 for it. I had it until after I was married.
If you have plans for that car, that will eat up all your time. What about school and girls?
Do they still have Junior Acheivement in schools anymore? That might be a good idea for you to get your feet wet.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I am homeschooled and in my parish (county) there aren't any resources for us... I'm almost done though gonna be graduated in May,
If anyone is curious my car is a 69 Ford Mustang Coupe 302 Bullitt Green OE, got it for nothing and haven't really had the money to invest...
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
NWP SWP If anyone is curious my car is a 69 Ford Mustang Coupe 302 Bullitt Green OE, got it for nothing and haven't really had the money to invest...
So you've got a "Bullitt" with a 302? Just like Steve Mcqueens personal car? Uhhh....
This space reserved for SpaceMouse's future presidential candidacy advertisements
It's a 69 coupe, the Bullitt Mustang was a 68 fastback.
Mine doesn't have an engine, transmission, interior... it's just a bondoed body and frame, its OE or "Original Equipment" is a 302 and the paint was Bullitt or Hunter Green... I wanted a 69' fastback with a big block frame to put a 460 in but I'm going to restore the coupe to OE condition when I have more money, and then I'm going to get a Fastback... I also want a convertible 67 Galaxie 500 for cruisin' one can dream
BTW, I paid for it myself with my own savings, I was 13 at the time...
SeeYou190 NWP SWP car I have one that I purchased (it just doesn't have an engine, transmission, or interior), . When I was fifteen I purchased a 1956 Chevrolet in similar condition. . Oh the dreams I had for that car. I killed many weekends applying bondo and sanding bondo, then priming. That was all I could afford to do. I sold it when I was 18 in the same condition. . I did not learn, later bought a Camaro and actually did some work on it, but ended up selling it at a loss. . I bought a running 1966 Mercury when I was 16 and had that car for years. Paid $600.00 for it. I had it until after I was married. . If you have plans for that car, that will eat up all your time. What about school and girls? . Do they still have Junior Acheivement in schools anymore? That might be a good idea for you to get your feet wet. . -Kevin .
NWP SWP car I have one that I purchased (it just doesn't have an engine, transmission, or interior),
When I was 18/19 I bought and restored/hot rodded this:
Here are few shots during the work:
It was not my first venture into auto mechanics, but my biggest project to that point.
It became my daily driver for the next 80,000 miles/7 years.
It's specs:
1963 NOVA SS Convertible, SS convbertible only made that one year, NOVA convertibles only made 62/63 about 25,000 cars in 63.
Not offered with a V-8 but later 1964 NOVA models provided all the needed V-8 parts.
My car:
1958 283 cid V-8, Corvette high performance heads and camshaft
Aluminum intake, 600 cfm Holley carb
Headers, Dual exhaust
Muncie M-20 wide ratio four speed transmission, 3.08:1 10 bolt rear axle.
aftermarket suspension upgrades, anti sway bars, nylon busings, racing shocks.
Corvette 160 mph speedometer, factory SS full instruments
Performance specs:
0 to 60 mph - 5.5 seconds
standing 1/4 mile time - 14.5 seconds
Actual recorded top speed - 135 mph
highway fuel economy - 21 mpg
estimated gross HP - 325 @ 5800 RPM
estimated torque - 300 lb/ft @ 3500 RPM
vehicle curb wieght - 2400 lbs
And the girl in the picture is my first wife, and she was my wife then, married her in 1976.
I owned a few other hot rods after this one, but it was one of the best. Today I drive a factory sleeper "hot rod" - 2015 FORD FLEX LIMITED with Eccoboost - it is as fast as the NOVA was.........
3.5 liter twin turbos - 360 HP....
As for the hobby business, I managed the train department of a hobby shop when I owned this car. It is a tough business, not something you can just dabble in and make any money, especially not these days.
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRALWhen I was 18/19 I bought and restored/hot rodded this
Well...ince this has turned into an car thread (which is an improvement), this is the 1966 Mercury S-55 I restored/rodded when I was 16-17 years old.
This picture was taken when I was in college in Nashville way back in 1985, and is the only picture I have of the car. I wish I had some in-progress pictures.
The Mercury had a 428 "Super Marauder" engine which was pretty much the same thing as a Cobra-Jet.
Now my wife and I drive this, and like your Flex, it could be called a sleeper (can red cars be sleepers). It is also faster than my old hot rod. And... it has power seats, satelite radio, leather interior, CD player, airbags, navigation, and so on and so on. New cars are so much better.
My 2017 F150 with the twin turbo eco-boost could ALMOST have been a sleeper out off the lot, but it just wasn't "there".... so I chipped it with a custom tune that is friendly with the cold weather in VT, new throttle body, increased the boost, upgraded the exhaust from the cat back, new downpipes for the exhaust, killed the auto-start/stop, and levelled the suspension. There is no longer any rev limiter or top-end cutout
Kevin,
The new Impala is without question the best looking and overall nicest car GM has built in years.
For us, we need the extra room of the FLEX and prefer the upright seating and longer wheel base.
Like your Impala, the FLEX is loaded with goodies, memory seats/mirrors/pedals/stearing wheel, navigation, satellite radio we don't even use, self parking, back up camera, power folding seats, glass vist roof, and on and on.
One of my other hot rods was a 1983 Malibu Wagon with an LT1 350, 350 turbo trans and a complete Monti Carlo SS handling package - I once got stopped by an officer on the Baltimore Beltway, going about 110. He did not give me a ticket, he just wanted to see what was in a station wagon that required him to go 135 to catch me.....and then he told me to slow down......
GraniteRailroader My 2017 F150 with the twin turbo eco-boost could ALMOST have been a sleeper out off the lot, but it just wasn't "there".... so I chipped it with a custom tune that is friendly with the cold weather in VT, new throttle body, increased the boost, upgraded the exhaust from the cat back, new downpipes for the exhaust, killed the auto-start/stop, and levelled the suspension. There is no longer any rev limiter or top-end cutout
When it comes to trucks, I needed an extended cab and 8' bed which was not available in an F150 in 2015. So I bought this:
2015 F250, 6.2 liter gas, extended cab, 8' bed, 4x4 - it replaced a 2000 F150 with 240,000 miles.
Not fast like the FLEX, but respectable for its 7500 lb weight with its six speed transmission.
Fuel consumption (economy is not a good word here) 12 mpg - up hill, down hill, loaded, empty, at 80 mph or 40 mph, and even pulling another 4,000 lbs - 12 mpg.
Already has 60,000 trouble free miles, tires, front brakes and oil changes the only maintenance so far.
And I have been self employed mst of my life - and the retail hobby business is the last business I would get into.........
Sheldon, you are one brave fellow 110 in a station wagon...
If cars continue on the current path: auto braking, auto pilot, electric, all those fancy robotics... not me I won't drive em, I want a key that I turn to start the engine, a shifter that has a position for each gear (PRND) no auto braking, self parking, self driving, don't trust it... I stand pat on that...
My dad has a 1993 F-150 XLT extended cab short bed with a 5.0l 302 efi, that puppy will do 80 easy...
Moderators, please do not close this thread, it's too much fun...
No need to close it...but we do need to get back to talking trains...or, at least, the original topic at hand. The current one is more appropriate for the Diner thread - Thanks.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
ATLANTIC CENTRALThe new Impala is without question the best looking and overall nicest car GM has built in years. For us, we need the extra room of the FLEX and prefer the upright seating and longer wheel base.
Here is the funny thing... We were going to buy a red Flex from Brandon Ford. I don't recall the particulars on the car, but it was the only red Flex in stock anywhere in Florida.
Brandon Ford has a big sign that says "Open 7 Days a Week", and we drove up to get the car on Sunday, Mothers Day.
We got there, Brandon Ford was closed for Mother's day. I was all excited to buy a new car, and we drove by Ferman Chevrolet. They were open, and they had a red Impala in stock.
That is why we don't have a Flex.
True story.
NWP SWP Sheldon, you are one brave fellow 110 in a station wagon... If cars continue on the current path: auto braking, auto pilot, electric, all those fancy robotics... not me I won't drive em, I want a key that I turn to start the engine, a shifter that has a position for each gear (PRND) no auto braking, self parking, self driving, don't trust it... I stand pat on that... My dad has a 1993 F-150 XLT extended cab short bed with a 5.0l 302 efi, that puppy will do 80 easy... Moderators, please do not close this thread, it's too much fun...
That "station wagon" was built on the exact same frame as the same year Malibu coupe and Monti Carlo, and had the suspension upgraded to those standards.
Don't let body style or shape fool you, many cars are really the same underneath.
A 1968 NOVA and a 1968 Camaro - same suspenson and drive line.
A 1965 Mustang and a 1965 Falcon - same story.
My FORD FLEX pictured above is nearly mechanically identical to a FORD TAURUS SHO - same 3.5 liter Eccoboost engine, same 6 speed trans with paddle shifters, same suspension, just in a slightly longer, boxier body.
Looks do not make cars fast........
Well if it was upgraded for it OK then, my dad once did 90 in a Chrysler Town & Country...
SeeYou190 ATLANTIC CENTRAL The new Impala is without question the best looking and overall nicest car GM has built in years. For us, we need the extra room of the FLEX and prefer the upright seating and longer wheel base. . Here is the funny thing... We were going to buy a red Flex from Brandon Ford. I don't recall the particulars on the car, but it was the only red Flex in stock anywhere in Florida. . Brandon Ford has a big sign that says "Open 7 Days a Week", and we drove up to get the car on Sunday, Mothers Day. . We got there, Brandon Ford was closed for Mother's day. I was all excited to buy a new car, and we drove by Ferman Chevrolet. They were open, and they had a red Impala in stock. . That is why we don't have a Flex. . True story. . -Kevin .
ATLANTIC CENTRAL The new Impala is without question the best looking and overall nicest car GM has built in years. For us, we need the extra room of the FLEX and prefer the upright seating and longer wheel base.
Well this is our second FLEX, only because the first one got crunched. We loved it so much we found another with the same options as fast as we could. We could never go back to a low to the ground sedan, I'm spoiled.
Best car I have owned since I owned a Checker like this:
and this was our first FLEX:
Okay, let me try this again...
Can we get back to the original topic at hand? Thanks.
tstage Okay, let me try this again... Can we get back to the original topic at hand? Thanks. Tom
Sure Tom, but keep in mind two things.
The OP brought up cars and has been part of that conversation.
And his original question has been answered, not to mention the fact it is a topic that often goes off the rails on its own account..........
Just saying......
Sheldon,
Despite who may or may not have brought up the topic about cars, it's still "off-topic". If we're done discussing selling trains as a dealer or on ebay then let's move on. If not - and someone has something else to add to the discussion - keep it going.
This can work, with a couple of provisos.First, you have got to know the market COLD. Memorize every ad in MR from modeltrainstuff, TrainWorld, and Factory Direct Trains. Then go to Ebay and look at the auctions that SOLD. Not what is "for sale" -- look at what SOLD. Because the SOLD auctions are the ones that tell you what people will actually pay.
Also, in this context, "not a lot of startup capital" means "a couple of thousand dollars," not "forty three dollars and seventy-nine cents." You see, I pay $30 to get my lawn mowed. So if you find an engine at a garage sale for $30 and sell it for $60, that's nice... but it will take you more time to do that then it would to mow somebody's lawn for $30.So you need to have cash in hand to go into a closing store, or an estate sale, and offer a serious amount of cash. If my hobby store is closing, I've already had my sales and what's left is likely the slow moving stuff. Closing stores often go down as far as 60% OFF retail price. So by the time the retail customers are done picking my bones, I just want it to be over. I will listen to somebody who is offering to take the whole thing, but after three months of watching my shop die, I am tired of playing onesie twosie. I want to be done.Estate sales, Widder Jones just wants to get rid of this garage full of her late husband's stuff. His friends have already taken what they wanted, and once again, she wants it GONE. She doesn't want to fart around.Good luck.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
It's great that you want to get into business and all but I don't think that model trains would be the way to go anymore due to the fact that the hobby is in decline which I'm sure you realize. You might try to get into locomotive repair if you're good with your hands. I know of several people right now that have locos that need work and I'm sure there are people here on the forum that do as well...
marksrailroad It's great that you want to get into business and all but I don't think that model trains would be the way to go anymore due to the fact that the hobby is in decline which I'm sure you realize. You might try to get into locomotive repair if you're good with your hands. I know of several people right now that have locos that need work and I'm sure there are people here on the forum that do as well...
And here we go.......
Yes it is a tough business, but there is no real evidence that the hobby is in "decline".
The hobby has changed a lot in the last 20-25 years and is continuing to change.
Manufacturers have a long list of new conditions to consider.
The population in general is aging, so it follows that this population is aging even if new younger people enter this hobby.
This has never been a hobby for the poor, so it follows that many wait until they are more financially established before getting real deep into this hobby......
BUT, virtually every company that makes model trains is a relatively small privately held company. That means their sales numbers or total business value/volume is not public knowledge.
So we have no idea how big the market is, or is not. We have no idea if it has grown or shrank in the last 20 years. We don't have any idea how many trains Athearn, Walthers, Atlas, Bowser, MTH, Broadway Limited, Rapido, Exact Rail, Accurail, etc, etc, are selling each year.
We only have a small insight into Bachmann as they are part of one of the few public companies, Kader in China. But their business volume represents what they make for their own Bachmann brand, and what they make for some of these others on the list above. None of those companies use Kader exclusively and the smaller contract manufacturers in China are also small private companies with no published sales figures.
So please tell us Mark, how you know that the hobby is in decline?
Yes, retailing has shifted away from local hobby shops.
Yes, more modelers are buying more RTR.
Yes, the secondary market of Ebay seems to have taken over in some ways, maybe even hurting train shows.
BUT, a vast number of North Americans who are involved in model trains are loners, who do not socialize much regarding their hobby. Possibly as many as 40-50% are not social about their hobby - no clubs, no blogs, no forums.........
We have no idea how many there are............
Based on some stats we do I have, and some study I have done , I suspect for example that activity on this forum represents less than 2% of those active in the hobby. Possibly way less than that, more like .05%.
Why do I say that? I simply took the number of modelers I know personally here in my region, and took a poll - how many of you go on the MR forum? The response was less than 2%.
So then factor in all the lone wolves I don't know just in my region...........
A similar poll about NMRA membership had similar results - less than 5%........
And I suspect that Athearn, Walthers, Atlas, ,etc, etc, are not sharing any sales volume info with each other, so I doubt that any of them have any real idea as to the size of the "whole" market.
What I do know is this, none of them are are very risk inclined and they mostly keep making what is selling..........rather than attempting to expand the market......
Hopefully this post is on topic enough.......
People who say you can't do it are all still working for a liveing, I first retired at 29. It dose not mater what buisness you go into and you can start with no money too but it will cost you. For your specific idea using trains to make money, yes you can make it work but it will mean long hours, I mean very long, you will have no free time! Now if you have money you can spend less time. For you I would sell things on e-bay and take a 20% cut of what it sells for, the more you do the more you make. Have a freind who dose my stuff, he dose it for alot of people and he looks for deals also on things so he can make all the profit. You then get enough capital to play with the big boys.
I've sold stuff on Ebay for people and know a couple folks who do it full time.
Yes, 20% is the ABSOLUTE minimum you should charge. And don't forget shipping and handling, and it takes time to pack something well.
Bayfield Transfer RailwayAnd don't forget shipping and handling, and it takes time to pack something well.
And that extra handling cost could cost you a sale...Just shipping charges is the better deal maker.
With today's shipping peanuts it a matter of seconds to pack something well.Even stuffing newspapers and adding sales flyers into a box takes seconds. Does anybody use paper these days?
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Almost any business, even a small part time Ebay business is going to have at least 10% overhead and more likely something close to 20%.
That means to make any money at all you need a 30-35% gross margin, and 40% would be better.
Example:
You buy item for $60.00
You sell item for $100.00
Your overhead:
packing materials, Ebay fees, PayPal fees, etc = $20
Your net profit = $20, or 20% of your gross sales.
Much less than that and you are wasting your time.
But what would I know, I have run a model train department in a hobby shop, sold MATCO TOOLS fro 8 years, sold my own custom tractor parts on Ebay, and been self employed in design and construction for the last 20 years.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Almost any business, even a small part time Ebay business is going to have at least 10% overhead and more likely something close to 20%. That means to make any money at all you need a 30-35% gross margin, and 40% would be better. Example: You buy item for $60.00 You sell item for $100.00 Your overhead: packing materials, Ebay fees, PayPal fees, etc = $20 Your net profit = $20, or 20% of your gross sales. Much less than that and you are wasting your time. Sheldon
Plus, you'd have to include in the overhead some sort of cost/factor for all those times you bought something for $60.00 but it did not sell for $100.00; especially those times it did not sell for even $60.00.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
marksrailroad It's great that you want to get into business and all but I don't think that model trains would be the way to go anymore due to the fact that the hobby is in decline which I'm sure you realize.
It's great that you want to get into business and all but I don't think that model trains would be the way to go anymore due to the fact that the hobby is in decline which I'm sure you realize.
Oh, and I'm sure you realize if you have been around for very long that people have been saying the hobby has been in decline at least since the 1970's. Good grief, the horse was beaten dead a long time ago and is not only decay'd and a skeleton, but a distant memory.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Its been said "What's the fastest way to become a millionaire?"
Answer: Start out as a billioniare. And then buy yourself an airline!
ATLANTIC CENTRALpacking materials,
Let's see if I got this right..You are going to need to buy packing peanuts every time you ship? Why not buy bulk and save? Recycle the peanuts you get when you order something. I have three large garbage bags worth at zero cost.
I sold some excess models on e-bay several times and made money.
I may not be a business man but,I know how to make money on e-Bay or train shows.
You can get USPS shipping boxes at no charge and your friendly mail carrier will drop the boxes off at your house and pick them up when they are ready to ship.
BRAKIE ATLANTIC CENTRAL packing materials, Let's see if I got this right..You are going to need to buy packing peanuts every time you ship? Why not buy bulk and save? Recycle the peanuts you get when you order something. I have three large garbage bags worth at zero cost. I sold some excess models on e-bay several times and made money. I may not be a business man but,I know how to make money on e-Bay or train shows. You can get USPS shipping boxes at no charge and your friendly mail carrier will drop the boxes off at your house and pick them up when they are ready to ship.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL packing materials,
All that is well and good Larry, but you will still have some expenses in that area. Of course you will buy those supplies bulk, and take advantage of free boxes and packing where you can, but you will still have costs.
I've been selling tractor parts (and other stuff) on Ebay for years, I know all the tricks, but you will still have costs.