Deggleston

Is there a reference somewhere for average prices for classic/vintage kits? I am seeing some kits I would like to get from Ebay. but I don't want to pay a lot more than they are worth.

Example: Top Flite Tauri, my second airplane, is going for ~$240.00. This seems a bit much to me.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

Deadstik

My Feedback: (8)

Dave,

The prices on vintage kits changes with the wind. On Ebay, let's say there are 2 people that need a Taurus to complete their collection. These two people will pay ANYTHING to get that kit.. so... whatever the price they pay, is the price it is worth to THEM at that point in time. After those two people get a Taurus kit, we are down to the people who would LIKE to have one.... This mean the price goes downhill until once again somebody HAS to have a Taurus and will pay ANYTHING to get one. I have a simple rule on Ebay and never stray from it..... I decide what an item is worth TO ME.... and then... if it goes over that... that's fine. There is another rule which you need to know about and that is: THERE IS ALWAYS ANOTHER ONE !!!!! I almost fall out of my chair looking at the "Last kit in existence" ads... but you'll see them and somebody will belive it. Everyone has that one kit (or more) that they REALLY want. It may be a Taurus, Jr. or Sr. Falcon, Mach One... but whatever it is, you have to decide what it is worth to you. If you tell someone that you paid $500 for a Taurus, that's fine, if that is what it is worth TO YOU. If you want to get an older plane inexpensively, just get the plans and cut yourself or kit, or contact one of the folks who cut kits for a living and let THEM do it. You'll save money and have a nice kit with new wood (probably a lot better than the kit). Sure, I laugh when someone pays $250 for a Tauri kit, but, if that is what they want...more power to them. Kit sellers LOVE "Collectors".... kit builders usually don't. Have fun with the hobby...but get all the toys you can.


Deadstik

BobHH

My Feedback: (18)

I must agree with Deadstik. You are looking at 2 different groups. Kit collectors just collect kits. Kit builders build, fly and enjoy the kits. I have gotten rotten e-mails claiming my reproduction kits are depreciating the value of the "Kit Collector's" original kits and they don't appreciate it!

Personally I would not build the original kit. Most of the time the wood is in poor shape and/or the die cutting is low quality. I generally use an original kit for my reproduction kit and then sell/trade it out with a "collector" for an original for the next project. Why pay $400.00+ for an original Taurus kit to build and fly when you can get a precision laser cut kit from Jeff Petroski at Home and Hobby Solutions, Inc. or I believe Deadstick has a fiberglass version at Carolina Custom Models. These newer kits are so much easier to assemble and will qualify for the VRCS meets.

I have done some work on the Tauri but pulled off of it to complete the Falcon 56. Hopefully in the future it will be available.

Bob Harris
Early RC Models
www.earlyrcmodels.com

8178

My Feedback: (17)

This list is good http://members.aol.com/skylane42a/price.html

Deggleston

Thanks for the information. It is pretty much as I thought; collectors will pay a bunch to complete their collection. I am a builder and flyer, if I spend ~$200 plus for a vintage kit and then build it, it has no resale value. The only value is to me as I fly it.

I have looked at the reproduction kits as a source; however, I would like a Top Flite Tauri and a Bridi Super Kaos and I haven't found a reproductiojn of either.


Thanks again,

Dave

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Try this link for Bridi designs.

http://www.bridiairplanes.com/

Joe sold out the company several times, but he simply renamed some of the older designs and reintroduced them in each new company, so you end up with endless variations of kaos in both 40 and 60 size.

kdheath

FWIW, if you want to build the planes to fly, the Super Kaos(es) are still on the RCM plan service- I think I have the 60 size. And I'm pretty sure I have a copy of the Tauri kit plan that I could copy for you, if you'd like to do that. You have great taste in airplanes, IMHO!.

TailspinTommy

Hi Dave,
Joe Grasso ( [email protected] ) can provide a Tauri kit for you. He just quoted $199.00 for a Tauri kit and if it is anything like the Sr. Falcon I got from him the quality will be excellent. I am selling my origional Top Flight kit on eBay because I belive that it will be more valuable to a collector than to a builder like me.
If you contact Joe please tell him that I refered you to him.
My first R/C plane was a Tauri (radio and everything) that I saw hanging in Stanton Hobbies in Chicago. I paid $160.00 for it along with an Orbit pulse type radio back in the early 60s.
Regards and good luck,
Tom Hawkins
[email protected]

TailspinTommy

Hi IMHO,
I am currently selling my origional Top Flight kit on eBay and will of course copy the plans before I ship it out. One problem is that the plans don't have the templates for the formers and wings and I don't know how to get around that. Do you have a solution?
Joe Grasso ( [email protected] ) can produce a Tauri kit for anyone that wants one, He just quoted $199.00 for one. I am quessing that if he can Mfg. more than oe kit at a time that the price will come down. If the quality is anything like the Sr Falcon he sold to me than it will be excellent.
Regards,
Tom
[email protected]

CoosBayLumber

My Feedback: (1)

One of our readers here has been keeping track of the eBay bid prices on older kits. He was establishing a name data bank, for certain makes do not often come up. But there is a dumptruck load of Sterling and Guillows kits that do, and everyone thinks they are worth big bucks. You see the starting bid for them? They then must be worth such.

I can't remember who, but he haunts this forum quite often, but does not state anything. He has instead run a web site with quotes. Try looking for him, as the "current" value for a kit would be obsolete before any BlueBook was printed.


Wm.

DRCRAIG

My Feedback: (31)

If you search Skylane42, as noted above, Bill can help you out.
Good luck - vintage designs are the greatest!
Craig

skylane42

My Feedback: (53)

HI Craig, Looks like you are up late tonight .. working on the homebuilt? I agree with Bob Harris in his post. I do not have any of his repo kits but hear that they are tops. I do have several "collector kits" that I bought and my never get my original investment back. But, I wanted one.. LOL. As for Bob`s comment about building a 40 year old kit and the wood condition etc. He makes a good point. I do alot of looking at all the for sale forums and eBay. Not because of the need to have but just to remember and dream. Kind of like when I was a kid looking throught the Sears Christmas catalog.. and therein may lay the value.

John Patterson

Now that my son has gone off to college, I have time for some of my hobbies. I just started back into rc flying, trying to restore an old 72" Sig/Goldberg? J3 Cub and would like to use an old OS.60 FS in it. I still have boxed kits I bought in the early '80s that were marketed in the '70s, lol. I have a .40 size Acrostar bipe, and .60 fiberglass fuse P40, a TP .60 FW190, a built-up fuse, sheeted foam .60 P39, and a few other planes. Not sure when I will find time to build all of them though, lol.

One of my favorite planes is a BalsaUSA .40 Phaeton with an OS .90 FS that has about 500 hours on it.

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

The Acrostar bipe does best with power, the more the better. While I'm sure it would fly with a .40, I replaced the .60 with a .75 and ran a 13/5 prop. It's built very rugged with spruce spars and a solid light ply fuselage (no cutouts). It's strength was confirmed when it flew through another airplane and landed without apparent damage. With the CG at the rear of the range, it tumbles better than any other airplane that I have ever flown. In a fit of weakness, I sold mine to a buddy years ago after it was shot down by radio interference. But after the advent of online auctions, I bought 4 more kits. I'm thinking of using the Jett .91 and adding 4 ailerons to the next one with a gaggle of mini servos.

Enjoy yours!