I don't remember the price when I ordered mine at the ACMOC tent in Iowa in 2005. (and got the one with the backwards tracks) The last I saw advertized the the magazine were $60 for members and $70 for non members plus shipping. So why are they showing up on ebay for under $50? Can these be bought discount in quanities?
Jim

search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?sofocu...1&coentrypage=search

Hello, I have a friend that works for the local Cat dealer, and he bought a 22 model from them. I asked him what he paid for it, and he told me with his employee discount it was $45.00. I looked in the acmoc and I could buy it from them for $60.00. So I told my friend to buy me one, and I would pay him for it. When I got it, the box had a price tag on it for $47.50. I guess the acmoc has to make their profit to support the club! Caterpillarman

Well, I dont' know where to start. Yes, you can buy them elsewhere for less money than through ACMOC.

We no longer advertise the Twenty-Two model as a product of ACMOC since people can buy them elsewhere - through Norscot or elsewhere - cheaper, which has turned out to be an embarrasment to the board.

The purpose of the club selling models is to raise money for the club. So the fundamental is that we make a profit to support expenses like most of the employee's wages. So we don't regard the notion of a "profit" as offensive. That's the purpose of selling models.

As for the club's contract with Norscot (the manufacturer of the Twenty-Two model), we make 6% on the sales price. I think that is the price that Norscot sells the model to someone else, either a whole-saler or an individual.

We were surprised at how the prices were so discounted, but we have learned from the experience.

So we've learned from our mistakes, and we hope you will forgive the board of directors and model committee members for our lack of experience in the model business. We all learn the hard way. We wanted to earn money for the club so the dues would not increase to meet the financial needs of the club. Thanks for your understanding, and maybe we can do better the next time!

GWH

Well slap me for saying so but I TOLD YOU SO!! a year ago about the sleavey contract. our earlies models were very detailed models for collectors made by SpecCast and Firstgear making a limited supply sold only tru ACMOC. Norscott makes toys for kids the junk you buy at the dealerships for you kids to play with. They can make all they want and sell to whoever they want at what ever price they want.
As for the 22 model it stared out wrong color then showed up with tracs on backwards and if you look the sprockets are on backward the dash dosnt match same era of the carb&aircleaner if you tried you couldnt make that machine outa real 22 parts.Its just a hermophidite kids toy being called a 22 collectable.

First off, I let my membership expire, and am still undecided whether to renew.
I do not have a problem with anyone making a profit on what they are selling, but the price should reflect the quality. The toys are as close as I will ever come to owning a Caterpillar, so I spend my money on highly detailed models, or custom made, one of a kind toys. As gwh75diesel says, they are produced to raise money for the club, and as far as the price, the D9D sold out, even though it was sold for about $100 more than the First Gear HD-21 and disk. Maybe there is something wrong with that, but we got something that was not available, that was several hundred dollars cheaper than a Gilson Reicke (?) D-4, 40 scraper, or D-6, and if ACMOC does not flood the market, they should appreciate in value. If they learned from dealing with Norscott, and if they issue only one highly detailed, unusual model a year, then more power to them. I would prefer only one issue per year, unlike Ertl and its Precision or Key series farm equipment where the models come fast and furious, sometimes with little difference between the models (the JD 5010 and 5020's come to mind), and the financial inability to purchase them all.

Art, our purpose is to raise money by selling models. As Willie says, the 22 was not a "collector quality" model. We will continue selling less than "collector quality" models in cooperation with Norscot, because the money is good. We will also continue to sell collector quality models, probably manufactured by the likes of First Gear. But remember, the purpose of selling any models is to raise money for the club. GWH

Art; I would also like to add, the norsott mess was inherited by the current BoD in yrs past before our past dictator ( Bill ) the proto types were brought the shows for imput from all about its correctness. In Brooks OR. few yrs back they brought the D2 dozer prototype and a 10yr old could tell the blade was way too far out in front by the time it went into prduction it had 1000s of collectors look it over and was deliv. as perfect model. All that needs to be done is some house cleaning with current toy committee and rid it with those who are in bed with norscott or in it for the greed of selling toys for their own gain.
Few yrs back Ed Akin, Larry Masddam, Allen Smith, Ron Meader all talked to me personally about the norscott contract being BAD for the club and in Brooks 2006 Kent Bates told me the experiance was not as plesant as they thought it would be. after all that said we still ended up with the hermorphidite 22.
I beleave we need to table the toys for awhile and put the kinda money we put up front for them, itno repoduction parts that can benefitt more members and thier restoration projects like Gauges, switches & mag parts ect. that would help far more members then the models

Selling the cheap models is almost a must to raise money. One must remember-u don't have to buy them. I believe we should also have a very nice Spec-Cast each year and make it for members only. I don't believe the extra cost would effect the maketing becasue of the price it would cost. And why don't they make a DW21 or 631B or something like that? Just a penny worth of thought. Ken

First Gear seems to have the best detailed toy. No one has made a rubber tired scraper or Caterpillar pull scraper. Just wanted to add that for the board members to consider. Tks Ken

This is an interesting topic. I collect some of the real Cats and I collect some of the models. I agree the twenty two did not turn out as well as it could have. However, if it makes money for the club that is good. I agree with Willie. I would like to see some reproduction parts ( like an oil gauge or an Eisemann switch) for my full size Cats.

I think everyone would agree the D9D is an outstanding model. The Brooks version sold out and I am glad I got one. I don't think the regular version is sold out, is it?

Maybe we should look at doing some 1/50 scale classic pieces that appeal to the 1/50 construction collector ( bigger market ) and use a percentage of the profits to subsidize some reproduction parts for club members.

In reference to the scraper concept, Toy Trucker is producing an old Allis Chalmers scraper in 1/50 scale as the 2007 show model. Perhaps we could see how that sells and look at a classic Cat scraper or classic Cat whatever as a limited run with the profits funding a parts reproduction experiment.

On another note, a lot of people in the club have helped me out and I really appreciate it. Just my thoughts. Happy New Year everyone!