End of life plans? Yea, I know. Morbid subject. But it will come one day.

[ScottsGT]

No, not about selecting out you coffin or urn.  But your stash.  Your collection.  Your built models.  I know a lot of guys just don’t care, won’t be their problem.  But this month marks the second year since my mothers passing and the almost two years of probate and everything we have been through to clean out her estate.  Mom was a hoarder of QVC/HSN items.  We had 3 storage units we had to liquidate.  
 

Even the thought of me bringing another kit into our home sends my wife into a rampage because I have 24 large moving boxes full of them from the move.  She even wants me to keep them packed away in the boxes until I want to pull one to build because “it will be easier for her to haul them to the dump.”  Her words, not mine. LOL!  This doesn’t include the dozen or so that found their way into the home since we moved.  
 

Her cousin up in NC is in the same boat.  Her husband has probably 500+ kits in a “warehouse” in their home.  And I’m sure a bunch of you guys here are in the same boat.  She said she just calling someone with a dumpster to come clear them out. 
 

Im sure a lot of you have hard to find kits that would be a tragedy to throw in the dump.  Out of production kits, Fisher resin kits, etc.  I’d rather give them away than see them become landfill fodder. 
 

First off, I’m not a member of a modeling club/IPMS society, etc.  We live out in the middle of BFE.  A massive advertised model garage sale is out of the question.  Besides, after dealing with Moms crap, I would never put that on anyone. 
I’ve been watching some of the vendors we buy from like Squadron and Hobby Nut Models.  It appears as if they are selling “used” kits.  Or rather pre-owned stashes.  
Has anyone had a conversation with a vendor about this?   Seeing that Squadron is now in North Ga, it’s an easy drive for them if the right deal is made. 
 

My thoughts on what I would like to see done.  After I’m gone, wife makes the phone call to vendor.  They jump in a truck, make the trip to the house.  Wife/family points out all the hobby items to them.  No inventory necessary.  Just take it all, go back to your business and do the inventory and mail a check to my estate for what they feel leaves them plenty of meat on the bone to make it worth their time.

Not sure of anyone else’s situation, but it’s not about the value of what they are picking up, it’s the peace of mind to the family that they don’t have to deal with it.  That burden alone is worth the price of admission.  
 

Built models?  I’ve told my wife to contact local high school ROTC programs to see if they want them.  Or a VFW post.  As far as my display case, it was hell getting it in the house and it took the largest U Haul truck due to height issues and four guys had to pick it up and roll it into the back of the truck.  Ramp was too steep and wrong angles. She said as far as she’s concerned, the display case will go with the house one day. 
 

Sorry for the morbid subject but I’m just thinking out loud here about things.  

[BlrwestSiR]

A few years ago, there was a post about a family trying to sell off a model collection of approximately 10,000 kits. They posted a link with pics of the entire collection and asked for offers on it as a single lot. I know at least one guy on LSP who made an offer on it. 

My LHS ended up buying it. After a cursory sort where they donated all the kits that weren't salable, they put the rest into storage. They're now bringing it into the shop as they have the space. There's at least 3 Echelon Lightning kits in there. I'm hoping to get a chance to pick one up. 

As for my stash, at the moment my boys are building models so I hope they would keep it and build what's left. 

Carl

[ScottsGT]

My kids could care less about models. Tools, gun collection and the old ‘66 Mustang?  Boys are claiming dibs already on guns and tools.  Even my youngest daughter spoke up a few months back that she’s very sure her husband would like in on the action with the collection of guns.  He was a cop for a short time. We’ve already decided we’re going to have to sell the Mustang  just to keep peace.  Besides, at this stage in their life they don’t even have room for it. Both boys and youngest daughter are in apartments.  Oldest daughter has a garage, but because her husband is not the most motivated or brightest bulb when it comes to mechanical things, no way in hell that car will go to them. 
FWIW, I’m not dying here, still a few months shy of 60 and in good health.  No plans on checking out soon.  Just planning ahead before I’m too crazy to think about it. 

[Spitfire]

My wife and I lived and worked overseas for ten years so we have always kept up to date wills, detailing everything and we keep it up to date as well because you never know, my brother in law dropped dead at the age of 62, so it can happen, be prepared.

Cheers

Dennis

[AlanG]

SWMBO already knows what to do with everything when i kick the bucket. My sons have first dibs on anything and what is left is sold off and given to a Forces charity. 

[BradG]

I've seen a couple of model stashes sold off. One was a bloke who passed with 5000 models and around 3000 books. He said in his will that his family was to hold a swap and sell and sell things off to the local modelling community. The family made quite a bit of money in cash and everything was sold within 2 hours. Was a hell of a morning I tell ya.

The other was just this year, one of dad's friends passed away and his son asked for my help in selling off the models he had. We made him several thousand dollars over one weekend model show.

The museum dad is with also receives a lot of donations from people who don't know what to do with things. Hundreds of books turn up each month because of this.  Most of them get sold, however I'm sure much more just goes straight to the tip.

 

[GazzaS]

I only have about 80 kits.  And really...  I have everything I have ever wanted.  But recently a local event has given me an idea to sahre with you guys who have massive stashes.

The event:  A guy died, and his wife contacted his club and they got hold of an auction house.  The auction house set it up so that ppl could bid online and pay for both the kit and postage and it would be posted to them.  I didn't look at every model and it's bidding history.  But all of the nicer newer kits that I bid on sold for more than retail.  I don;t know how much the auction house took.  Or who they hired to post them.  But maybe it's something you guys with monster stashes can check out with a local auction house prior to your demises.

[CANicoll]

I have about 50 kits, and maybe 15-20 of them I may or may not build.  Try not to go crazy accumulating kits, but harder when I'm attending Nats or SMW.  I've sold a few of my most desirable kits (WNW kits that I would never get to build).

Gary's idea of the auction house is a good one.

[JohnB]

This is something I think about frequently. I really don't have a good idea about "disposing" it all after I croak. The Eighth Air Force museum at Barksdale just across the river from me might take a few built-ups but for the rest of the stuff (I have 5 display cases full of built models and 7 or 8 cardboard boxes with built-ups in them carefully packed away) I just don't know yet. I've got something like 250-300 unbuilt kits and many, many books, decals, after market, etc. Since I'm no longer married and my sons don't really have a interest in all that I guess I'll come up with something. LOL🤪

[GazzaS]

2 hours ago, JohnB said:

Since I'm no longer married. LOL🤪

NOW!  Now we learn how you can whack out builds so quickly!

[Bill_S]

I have a small storage unit. It will fit most of my stash, my ashes, and my gold chariot.

[Bomber_County]

My stash is only 20 kits strong so not concerned there. Have a good few tools but they will be donated to charity……

[JohnB]

13 hours ago, GazzaS said:

NOW!  Now we learn how you can whack out builds so quickly!

Yes indeed. No one to pi-- and moan because I bought a new kit, etc. LOL 

For grins, here are a couple of shots of my oldies but goodies collection. A few aren't that old but I'm keeping 'em there anyway. I'll probably sell 'em off as a lot as I don't want to do that piecemeal.

[Bomber_County]

Some oldies but goldies in there

[JohnB]

48 minutes ago, Bomber_County said:

Some oldies but goldies in there

Yes indeed Phil! Kits I built when I was a kid first learning to build models. The three 1953 Revell Pre S kits (Cougar, Cutlass & F-94) were among my very first when I was 6. I'm glad I could find them a few years ago and add them to my "nostalgic" collection. LOL 

Sorry if I strayed from the original subject guys. 🙄

[Clunkmeister]

I have absolutely no family members who even the slightest interest in any of our collection of anything. 
 

We have maybe 350 kits now, mostly all high end kits: WNW, Tamiya, HKM, ZM, some KH, and tons of resin.  Most all 1/32. 
Then 1/200 ships and several Vanguard Models wooden ship kits. Vanguard is the best out there, by far. 
Plus a pretty decent gun collection, 3 1940s and early 50s jukeboxes, and 5 1950s Ford cars. 
Smitty, Martin, and Harv will see to Joy dealing with the kits, I’m sure, they know my wishes, one of my shooting buddies is crazy about historical weapons the same as I, and the cars? I assume I’ll have done my best and after me the game is lost and they’ll be all gutted out by professional make a money shops to turn them into auctioned off lowered Resto-Mods with Chevy LS engines, huge chrome wheels, massive stereos, and airbags. 
That’ll break my heart more than just about anything. 

[ScottsGT]

Yea, restomod seems to be the norm now.  Starting to wonder if the trend will reverse one day.  I like a few modern upgrades, but the huge wheels and rubber band tires just look stupid on vintage cars. 
First glance at my ‘66 Mustang, one would think it’s mostly stock.  But I did upgrade to 15” wheels to cover the modern disc brakes, it has a MII front suspension with power rack, 4 link rear with coil overs all around. All chrome retained, classic paint style and colors.  Motor is a 5.0 Windsor with a Fox body serpentine drive system and aftermarket AC. 
 

My son is into the LS/LT swap everything, big oversized wheels, black out all the chrome, etc… Thankfully he’s doing this to Corvettes only. 

[Clunkmeister]

2 hours ago, ScottsGT said:

Yea, restomod seems to be the norm now.  Starting to wonder if the trend will reverse one day.  I like a few modern upgrades, but the huge wheels and rubber band tires just look stupid on vintage cars. 
First glance at my ‘66 Mustang, one would think it’s mostly stock.  But I did upgrade to 15” wheels to cover the modern disc brakes, it has a MII front suspension with power rack, 4 link rear with coil overs all around. All chrome retained, classic paint style and colors.  Motor is a 5.0 Windsor with a Fox body serpentine drive system and aftermarket AC. 
 

My son is into the LS/LT swap everything, big oversized wheels, black out all the chrome, etc… Thankfully he’s doing this to Corvettes only. 

That’s how we ended up with of all things, a 57 Chevy hardtop.  I thought I’d spontaneously combust having that ugly thing at my home, but we literally saved a 100 point restoration from being cut up into a homogenized typical resto mod.  Once we found a suitable lover of original cars, we sent it on to them…

5.0 is cool, but this “LS in everything” garbage is crazy.   There’s aaa shop that wants to do it to our 55 Sunliner.  They say if I spend 100K, they’ll build a car from it that I can sell for 250K.    Well, I don’t want to sell, I don’t have 100K to piss away, and instead, I told them to piss off.    But that’s how it’s going. In 20 years it’ll be kids converting them to electric or rubber band power. 

[BlrwestSiR]

I don't mind some restomods but they're usually on the mild side. Look close to stock but with updated mechanical bits where it's important: brakes, suspension, a/c (?). 

Scott's Mustang sounds just about right to me. 

Meanwhile I just found one of my bucket list cars for sale. It's a 2007 Mugen Civic Type RR. Mind you they want $106K for it so I'm passing. 

Carl

[BradG]

Everyone at my funeral gets a taser, last man standing can have all my shit.

[biggtim]

19 hours ago, BradG said:

Everyone at my funeral gets a taser, last man standing can have all my shit.

I like that idea!!

[Peterpools]

I'm sure when I go, almost everything will be headed for the land fill as except for my twin brother, no one in my family has the slightest interest in my modeling. My cameras are a different story but who knows what the future holds