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Are there modeling restrictions in 5th edition? It seems like craziness that the way you model a mini can have a profound effect on its usefulness. What are the usual calls in tournament play?

Examples:
-Monsterous creatures modeled in a fetal position- can hide behind anything
-Eldar crouching dire avengers- can fire under wave serpents
-Huge bits on tanks to help get hull down for screening other tanks
-Modeling vehicles/walkers at reduced heights to get an easier hull down

There is no "official" restriction on modeling for advantage. The rulebook simply tells you to use models, nothing more.

But, almost everyone (both friendly and tourney) doesn't allow modeling for advantage. People's lines are all a little different, but for the most part, follow the "Rule of Cool".

If a mini looks really sweet and has a great paintjob and you didn't do anything to OTT, it's totally fine. If your model looks like junk and you just glued it onto it's side on the base, that's not allowed at all.

Really it comes down to perceived intent.

Way back in 2nd edition, base sizes for characters was really important (because they would generally kill everyone they were in base contact with but couldn't kill more than that).

One of our gaming group did a really cool chaos lord conversion but after we all got fed up of him falling over he went on a larger base. It give him a boost but we were okay with that.

One of the other guys, upon seeing the advantage that came from the large base, said "what conversion can I do for my warboss that would require a larger base?". Not cool at all!

Rules wise conversions and base swaps are not allowed. You are required to use citadel miniatures (as soon as you convert they are no longer citadel miniatures) and you are required to glue them to the base they come with. Thus any conversion has to be agreed with your opponent so you can happily slap down an clear modelling for advantage and as others have said rule of cool generally wins out in Tournaments.

Also how they use a model makes a difference. I've seen Ghazgull on a DRead sized base and to be honest it fits him better than his supplied base. But if your using his base edge for assault distance out of a vehicle then it is modelling for advantage. I illustrated my point fo him by blue tacing my Calgar to a Valkyrie base to get off a turn 1 charge with even requiring Shrike, had he not got the point then I'd have blue tacked him to a section of the Realm of Battle board - scenic base FTW...