I would like to talk to others about the work they are doing on restoring vintage Aurora Monster models. I’m working on the Phantom now. I just spent two hours working on the pants, boy that kid used some glue! Most of the green paint is off but I will still have to do some sanding. This is #5 for me. As I work on each vintage kit I think back to a time in my life as a kid buying and building the great Aurora kits. I think restoring any vintage models should be part of any model show. I would like to share the how’s and dont’s of this model building art. You can find a before photo of the Phantom model on my website.
Hi, Dale!
I’ve "restored " a few, but they were all my own from when I built them decades ago, and restoration consisted primarily of just painting them! I was a good kid when it came to glue application, so no big problems there. Just filled a few obvious seams, painted the kit, and was happy! Amazingly, they were all intact, as far as I could tell.
Still in my collection, and all repainted, are the following:
The Creature (Classic and MOM)
Godzilla
King Kong
Dracula
Frankenstein (Classic and MOM)
Mr. Hyde (MOM)
Wolfman
The Mummy
J-Hulk - With the right lighting, that shelf could be quite horrifying. I would have to turn out the lights a couple hours before I go to sleep . . . "WHAT WAS THAT ? ! "
Lucky for you I painted over all of the glow-in-the-dark “Frightening Lightning” parts.
Except, of course…THE EYES!!!
Staring incessantly in the darkness!
BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!
Man,I used to build those kits when I was a kid.
We would was all those old movies then go to hobby shop or woolworths and pick up the kit of the show we just saw for a buck or two. and had much fun.
Those were the days.
OMG,I think I just quoted old people stuff!
Am I the only guy who lamented the fact that Aurora’s Godzilla looked more like Foghorn Leghorn than anything else?
Thought that ever since I was a kid…wouldn’t be a hard conversion, that’s for sure!
I thnk that’s one reason I went nuts when I first came to Japan 10 years ago, buying every Godzilla garage kit I could find! Godzillas that actually LOOK like Godzilla!
Geez, I must have about 30 or so different Godzilla kits now…
I was at a large toy retailer(who’s stuff is marked way too high)earlier this week and seen a 16" tall godzilla model kit .
I do not remember this kit as a child so I wonder if it is new or an import we never saw years ago.
Regardless, I all most foamed at the mouth when I seen it .
Then I saw the price.
I don’t want to name the company but it sounds alot like Roy’s “R” us .
James,
I thnk that kit was done by Polar Lights a few years back. I have seen that priced for over $30.00 - $40.00 at most stores. What I like about the kit is most guys use an H.O. train in the model. It gives it a real look.
Dale
As a kid walking to school one day, a freind showed me his Aurora Mummy head, he had painted a few days before. I can tell you it was was just so cool. I told my self that day, I wanted to build Aurora models like that. I hope this photo will show that that dream has come true. It’s funny how things like this stay with you for over thirty years. I wonder if that guy still has his Aurora Mummy?http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=showMyPhoto&albumID=74365257&photoID=88808495&security=VNeZaF
Thanks Dale
P.S. I added some new photos of the other Aurora Monster models.