I had no problem editing and installing custom models in the pre steam days, but since i had my net disconnected due to a house move and now dod using steam i was wondering how i install them, there does not seem to be an actual dod models only the gordon freeman model in my dod/models/player folder :/

Custom models go into...

Steam/steamapps/youremail@domain/dayofdefeat/dod/models

What Genie said, and if there is not a folder for what you wish to instal you will need to create that folder yourself.

so if i wanna replace my player models i go

Steam/steamapps/youremail@domain/dayofdefeat/dod/models/player

, would it be the same structure as the old dod install or do i just plonk all my models in the folder

it's the old structure, so you for player models you still need to put the us-inf and whatever other folders inside the player folder too.

do you have the names of all the folders?

axis-inf
axis-para
brit-inf
us-inf
us-para