# Car Part Names on Instructions



## lturn9 (May 17, 2020)

Hello all,
I started building models in the 60's. Yep, I'm a old geezer. I still have a bunch of unbuilt models in the closet and will get to them one day. A few years ago I bought a high quality model from Tamiya I think, and it dawned on me that the names of the car parts had been dropped from the instructions @ sometime in the past. I don't know about the rest of you, but I learned a lot about how cars were built and knowing the names of the parts was a very valuable thing to know when discussing cars with my friends. Now, without the names of parts on the model instruction sheet it must be very hard to learn what all the parts are called.
Is it just me, or does everyone miss this info?
Lturn9


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## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

yes, I probably wouldn't know what a kingpin is if I didn't build models way back! 
LOL


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Good point, I hadn't thought of this.


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## finaprint (Jan 29, 2006)

It's part of the dumbing down of the planet. Everybody looks to save money to make it since the usual methods are long ago employed and now the only way left is to cut back on product. Somebody has to pay somebody to know and then list those part names. Get rid of him = more CEO money. A bonus for streamlining the business. Nobody begs for extra knowledge until it is gone. And now, likely not even then.

I too miss it in aircraft, what difference does it make with an aircraft engine using 49 parts if you are gluing on what-ever-you-call-it to not even know what you are doing, right? Part of the modelling experience is to learn about whatever you hold an image of in your hands, that has been taken away from you to make more $$$$$$$.

Can't wait for the world of the future, where they argue that 'what you hold is a car, no, it's a ship, no, I think it's an airplane'. It will then match having to buy an entire automotive engine to get a set of spark plugs, and where we are headed. Look at the car parts blow ups in the car dealerships now, they don't list half the parts any longer either, you have to know they come with much bigger parts assemblies now. Just try looking up specialty bolts used in only a few locations due to their specific design for a specific task, often you have to buy a huge assembly now to even be able to get them. The more parts that are listed the more the warehouses have to pay in inventory control. Having fewer parts leads to more new car sales too at some point. Why do you need to know the name of a part intended to be throwaway anyway?

See how that works? A dumber customer is one more easily lead to do what you want him to. I quite literally hate the process myself. But then I used the old school modelling skills from those early instruction sheets to later jump into mechanical of all sorts and the general knowledge from building hundreds of models translated very well into the mechanical arts. In my last 4 years of working in auto parts I was getting overwhelmed by people who wanted to fix their own cars but could not even tell the difference between the engine and transmission in a car. If you knew how many heated discussions I got into over say spark plug wires demanded by somebody for a car that does not have them at all............or a carburetor for a MPFI car.............


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## NTRPRZ (Feb 23, 1999)

If you want to learn what a car part is, read a Chilton's or another assembly manual. Model instructions are for putting models together. And since kits are being produced all over the world, it's not surprising the instructions basically are nothing but illustrations without any wording. That way if I want to build a Japanese kit, I don't have to go to Google Translate every five minutes.


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## ClearHooter (Nov 28, 2004)

imo NTRPRZ is right about the reason behind the change. I mean look at British names vs. American names of parts... AND THEY BOTH USE ENGLISH ! But that doesn't mean the change is necessarily good. I started building plastic models in 1955 at the age of 4. Haven't built a plastic model since 1998. Been building die-casts since 1994. Got everything I want now that's being produced, that I can afford. Had to go to grinding them out of wood now. But YES..... I learned a lot about cars, planes and history from building models. I learned a lot about following instructions from building models. And YES... It is about dumbing down the planet. Common Core makes no sense whatsoever. Why teach a kid a convoluted way of finding an answer to a math problem when they can't even count back proper change in an over the counter transaction ???


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## Milton Fox Racing (May 27, 2014)

Try giving them a bill and some change to get dollar(s) back... 🤪


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## aussiemuscle308 (Dec 2, 2014)

finaprint said:


> It's part of the dumbing down of the planet.


It's part of globalization. Not everybody can read English.


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## ClearHooter (Nov 28, 2004)

Milton Fox Racing said:


> Try giving them a bill and some change to get dollar(s) back... 🤪


Stops them in their tracks. Even had them argue with me over it. That's one reason if the computer goes down the line stops.


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## finaprint (Jan 29, 2006)

Only an idiot builds a thing without knowing what it is...........no insult pointed at anybody but it is what it is. The thought explains much in todays' world, I watched it go on all day long when I was in auto parts.


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## NTRPRZ (Feb 23, 1999)

ClearHooter said:


> Stops them in their tracks. Even had them argue with me over it. That's one reason if the computer goes down the line stops.


I've seen plenty of store cashiers who can make change correctly, even if you give them a bill and some change. Don't underestimate the younger generation. I'm sure our parents had the same opinions of us!


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## ScottsGT (Feb 1, 2020)

I learned all about cars and airplanes and the names of everything by building models as a kid. But globalization has led to icons.


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