1313 Mockingbird Lane: My Munsters House Model

knightdriver2001

Sr Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
Hey Gang,

After 6 months (on and off) of research and a few weeks designing, I have done a quick mock up of my Munsters House model.

I work for a model railroad company here in CT doing model designs and build up kit for production. I have about 150 or so buildings and houses
done for them so far.

I did this project for myself but they were so impressed that it may a kit
that will go into production (without the name of course). They are checking on all the legal stuff involved.

Anyways, This current model is 1:87th scale (HO railroad) but I plan to do a much larger version. 1:25th perhaps to match the model cars. Eventually, I'll be knocking off a 1:12th version as my Mother is big time into doll houses. What better house to do than this one. LOL.

The kit is 100% laser cut wood materials (plywood/baswood) Roofing is laser cut paper. Shingles alone took over 12 hours to apply. Not fun. LOL

Onto the pictures.

I did a mock up of the whole yard as well as their garage. Seeing as this was never a real house, I had to come up with a design for ther back myself. I took a few liberties but will be making some changes as I left off the extended kitchen on this particular kit. That will be corrected as I continue the design. The fence isn't the proper one either. I used some existing photoetched stuff we had. I am almost finished with the proper fence design which will replace this stuff eventually.

I threw some items in for scale as well.

Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

MH004.jpg

MH005.jpg

MH007.jpg

MH011.jpg

MH016.jpg

MH018.jpg

MH021.jpg

MH022.jpg

MH027.jpg

MH028.jpg
 
Last edited:
That is so great! I used to love watching that show. You did a fantastic job and I look forward to seeing a kit.
 
Brilliant! The 'yard' really helps sell the overall effect. Fingers crossed that the legal issues clear and you get to kit this at a larger scale.

I had to laugh at the CD used for scale. It looked like a modern day Ed Wood vs. Munsters for a moment.
 
very very cool!! this is def a great build! now build a scaled dragster or the munster mobile to sit out front of the house :)
 
I did this project for myself but they were so impressed that it may a kit that will go into production (without the name of course). They are checking on all the legal stuff involved.

Anyways, This current model is 1:87th scale (HO railroad)...
Just an fyi, in case you don't already know, Moebius Models is producing a styrene version of 1313 Mockingbird Lane in 1:87 scale, due to be released some time this year I believe. I don't know for sure, but I don't think theirs will include the garage (or the wall around the yard, for that matter).

Back to your mock up--outstanding! Some extremely intricate and detailed work there! That "through the gate" shot of the front of the house is very reminiscent of what was seen on the tv series.
 
!

Just an fyi, in case you don't already know, Moebius Models is producing a styrene version of 1313 Mockingbird Lane in 1:87 scale, due to be released some time this year I believe. I don't know for sure, but I don't think theirs will include the garage (or the wall around the yard, for that matter).

Back to your mock up--outstanding! Some extremely intricate and detailed work there! That "through the gate" shot of the front of the house is very reminiscent of what was seen on the tv series.

I didn't know Moebius was doing the Munster house. I just did a search for it and found one prototype picture on their facebook page. Decent looking but many of the details are way off. Looks like they based it on someones scratch build that I have been seen online in the past. Many of the windows seem really small and the bedroom enterance on the tower top seems off to me.

I don't think many people know but this house existed about 20 years before the Munsters. It was built originally on an indoor soundstage in 1946. It had a bit of a different look (Tower top was way different) and there was no balcony on the other side.

I am already re-scaling mine for a 1:25th display. Then I can use the Polar lights car kits with it. :)

Thanks for the comments so far. I have done a few black and white retouches and will post them later today.
 
One of my own favorite personal builds I did was the Psycho house. These are fun subjects.

That one is next on my list. I have it started with most of the walls designed out. Just need to begin the porch and roof sections. This one also crys out for a much larger scale kit.
 
Re: !

I didn't know Moebius was doing the Munster house. I just did a search for it and found one prototype picture on their facebook page. Decent looking but many of the details are way off. Looks like they based it on someones scratch build that I have been seen online in the past. Many of the windows seem really small and the bedroom enterance on the tower top seems off to me.
Clearly you have more knowledge about the Munster house than I do. I only mentioned it as it might create a problem getting licensing through Universal for your kit (i.e., "We've already licensed a 1:87 scale Munster house with another company."). Hopefully, that won't be the case, as yours has far more fine detail than a styrene kit could offer.
 
Excellent work!
I kept breezing right past this thread, not realizing what a gem of a miniature lay within! Not to mention that the builder is a fellow nutmegger!
Mostly styrene, I assume?
 
Re: !

Clearly you have more knowledge about the Munster house than I do. I only mentioned it as it might create a problem getting licensing through Universal for your kit (i.e., "We've already licensed a 1:87 scale Munster house with another company."). Hopefully, that won't be the case, as yours has far more fine detail than a styrene kit could offer.

I am glad you did mention it.

Our original idea (which I still may do) was to do some changes to my design so although it would still have the basic shape and layout, the changes would be enough to NOT look like a direct copy of the Munsters house. I did this model for myself originally. Thanks for letting me know on the Moebius one.

Excellent work!

I kept breezing right past this thread, not realizing what a gem of a miniature lay within! Not to mention that the builder is a fellow nutmegger!

Mostly styrene, I assume?


The only plastic/styrene in the kit is the porch railings on the tower. Everything else is laser cut basswood/plywood. The shingles are laser cut paper. All of our buildings are cut in this manner.

You can see more of my buildings here:

www.branchline-trains.com

Thanks for the comments guys. I am working on designing a larger one this weekend.

PHArchivist - I remember seeing you post that before. Looks great. But of course everything you do looks fantastic. :thumbsup
 
Last edited:
Here are a few pictures taken indoors. You get a better look at the over all model in these pictures.

AMH06.jpg

AMH05.jpg

AMH04.jpg

AMH03.jpg

AMH02.jpg

AMH01.jpg


Here are a couple of Black and White ones for fun.

MHBW002.jpg

MHBW001.jpg
 
This is flippin beautifull! I will be getting the Moebius kit when released. I hope that your 1/87 and 1/25's will be available at some point and would love to get them also. Haunted Houses have facinated me since I was young and lived less than 2 miles from the Spratt Mansion in Tarrytown New York. That structure was used as the "Old House" on TV's Dark Shadows. Man what I would'nt give for a kit of that! The structure was burned to the ground in 1969 by suspected "fans" of the show a.k.a. kids but to this day remains unsolved.:darnkids It was built in the 1850's.
View attachment 83788View attachment 83789

I hope you don't mind my posting these pics but I believe this is one of the most beautifull TV locations/props ever and one of the saddest tales from my youth. I hope I have not hijacked your thread. Let me know and I will delete my post. Have I mentioned that I would love a kit of this?:love
 
Last edited:
Wow... Very nice detail guy... You did an outstanding job. I have a model train collection I recently acquired and some day id love to have it set up with a neighborhood of iconic houses such as this! Keep up the good work!
 
This is flippin beautifull! I will be getting the Moebius kit when released. I hope that your 1/87 and 1/25's will be available at some point and would love to get them also. Haunted Houses have facinated me since I was young and lived less than 2 miles from the Spratt Mansion in Tarrytown New York. That structure was used as the "Old House" on TV's Dark Shadows. Man what I would'nt give for a kit of that! The structure was burned to the ground in 1969 by suspected "fans" of the show a.k.a. kids but to this day remains unsolved.:darnkids
View attachment 83788View attachment 83789

I hope you don't mind my posting these pics but I believe this is one of the most beautifull TV locations/props ever and one of the saddest tales from my youth. I hope I have not hijacked your thread. Let me know and I will delete my post. Have I mentioned that I would love a kit of this?:love


No problem posting your pictures. That is an awesome looking place. Almost presidential looking. It's a shame when people have to destroy places such as that. Thanks for posting it.

As for mine becoming a kit, In think that the fact that Moebius is doing one may have put our release out of the running. At least through my job anyways. If I can get the rest of the design nailed down, I may do a few on my own. Time will tell.

I am currently working on one twice as large. 1:43rd I believe. We have all the material up to this size. Anything else larger, I would have to order custom materials which would take some time. This scale kit would be about 14 inches wide and 12 Inches deep. Deeper if I add the original kitchen extension to the kit. This also does not count the yard and stone wall. The would bring the overall foot print, much larger.

Again, I'm plugging away at the design as time allows.
 
This thread is more than 9 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top