Andy Caldwell from Rockledge, Florida, built this Starter 43 scale 1964 Ferrari 275 P. It features vacuum-formed glass and replicates the 1964 Le Mans winning car.
Charles Failner’s Revell 1/25 scale 1929 Ford roadster won third place in the Common Kit category. It features a detailed, 3D-printed flathead and a great fade paint job using Scale Finishes colors.
Henry Finch’s 1/25 scale Mack B 73-75 started as an American Industrial Truck Model kit. He redesigned many of the kits part and 3D-printed them, including the floor pan, seat frames, door panels, steering column, and headache rack. Henry finished the hauler with Krylon Color Master Ivory and Farm Implement Red.
Nothing about Gary Kulchock’s Custom Myers Manx is stock, from its opening doors and panels to the NSX engine. Starting with the AMT 1/25 scale kit, Gary modified it, including a hinged hood with an attached dash. He says it’s the best model he’s built all year.
Bob Jernigan’s 1/25 scale 1964 Pontiac Grand Prix Royal Bobcat started as a promo body and was built up from there. Custom photo-etched metal parts from Model Car Garage helped round out a car that is already detailed to the max. Note the opened wing windows!
Third place in the Diorama category was “Abandoned gas station” by David King. The 1/48 scale scene features a Renwal Model T. David says he combined resin wall scraps to form the basic structure and made the roof and porch from wood.
Paul Anagnostopoules turned a Tamiya 1/24 scale Aston Martin DBS-C into a mild custom. He reshaped the fenders, flattened the hood, and reproportioned the grille openings. Paul painted with Tamiya Cobalt Green, Pearl Clear, and Clear. It won second place in the “If I had designed” category.
There was a lot of history on the tables at GSL. Jim Keeler’s ’68 Dodge Coronet “Dodge Fever” funny car was a big contest winner in the ’60s and has been displayed in the Model Car Museum. It features a handmade aluminum body and an engine with a rotating crank and working pistons — all in 1/25 scale.
It’s no secret that John Teresi loves bikes, and it comes through with his treatment of the Revell 1/12 scale “Red Porsche Killer” drag bike. John detailed the engines, fully plumbed and wired the powerplants, and laced the front wire wheel. He finished with HOK Kandy Apple Red, Bare-Metal Foil, and custom decals. John took home third place in the Motorcycle category.
Andy Saprio’s 1/24 scale 1924 Delage 2LCV is a 3D-printed kit by Pico Elgin, but Andy recast the body in metal so he could model an authentic engine-turned surface. He painted the body with Alclad II Clear and Clear Blue.
For his Day Two ’49-’50 Kurtis Sport Car, Steve Roullier got going with a 1/24 scale resin Muntz Jet shortened to the right dimensions. The running gear is from a Revell ’49 Merc and ’48 Ford. He made his own photo-etched metal windshield frame. Taking seven years to complete, Steve is happy with the results.
Kristen Aslanian jammed a Porsche’s guts into a Tamiya 1/24 scale Volkswagen Bug to make this unconventional speed hill climber. She scratchbuilt the side skirts, wide body, oil catch can, and harnesses. The twin-turbo V12 engine has two intercoolers and wiring throughout. The custom paint scheme was inspired by Kristen’s BMW E46 wagon.
Fourth place in the Diorama category was Emilio Littel’s 1/43 scale MP4/8 McLaren Ford F1 car in the rain. He built the Tameo model out of the box and simulated the rooster tails coming off all four wheels for an incredibly dynamic scene. How did he do it? Emilio still hasn’t told us.
Winning the Ricky Couch Show Rod Award, this 1/25 scale 1935 Auburn Boattail street rod has a Lindberg heritage. Patrick Parnell opened the fender wells for the bigger tires and wheels, made a custom mesh insert for the grille, and painted the car Testors Honduran Maroon sealed under a clear coat.
Everyone who saw Wayne Holmes’ 1930 Ford roadster said he nailed the look on this period-correct hot rod! Beginning with a Revell kit, he scratchbuilt parts from aluminum and silver and opened the trunk to reveal a tuck ‘n’ roll interior and door for the fuel tank. Wayne says it was his biggest model project of the last five years. It paid off with a second place in Street Rods.
Sure, there are MPC parts in Stephen Miller’s 1/25 scale 1969 F5000 Eagle Mk.5, but it’s mostly scratchbuilt. He detailed the engine, machined the brake rotors that turn inside the calipers, and won the Competition: Circle Track/Road Course category at the 2019 GSL.
Setting out to model a ’60s kustom with candy-and-flake paint, Al Camacho built a Lindberg 1/25 scale 1948 Lincoln. He painted with House of Kolor Kandy Red over silver over a black base. He detailed the engine with photo-etched metal parts and scratchbuilt the seats.
Revell’s 1/25 scale 1941 Willys undergoes a street-rod overhaul from Wes Salazar. He frenched the front headlights, lowered the suspension, and installed Z-force wheels. He fully detailed and wired the motor and replaced the steering wheel and grille with photo-etched metal parts. Wes completed his model with HOK Majik Blue Pearl paint.
Mike Morris displayed his Revell 1/25 scale “The Beverly Hillbillies” Oldsmobile. He added Granny’s blanket to the model and painted Tamiya Metallic Orange.
This 1/16 scale blown alcohol-fueled 1966 Chevy outlaw drag car built by Nick Bradshaw has a 3D-printed Flashpoint Resins body, chassis, motor, and tires/wheels. The wild finish is Ed Roth Black and Silver base coats blended with pink and blue automotive paint. “This entire build was an experiment in parts all [3D] printed,” Nick says.
Tim Kolankiewicz started with an original issue AMT 1/25 scale 1965 Impala convertible to build this "advanced custom" using only parts supplied in that kit. It features more than 30 coats of Green Stuff World Candy Yellow Ink fogged with Candy Amber to pay tribute to the kit's box art. All of the chrome was stripped and refinished with Green Stuff World Chrome.
Randy Derr of Bellbrook, Ohio, racked up not only a win for Best of Show with his 1/12 scale Sebring 1975 Greenwood Corvette but also Best Replica, Modeler’s Choice, Best Detail, and the Dave Shulkis Engineering award. The only kit parts on this spectacular model are bits and pieces of the body—the rest is scratchbuilt. Beautifully done and most deserved! Chris Snyder/photo
“A great Revell kit!” Ken Leslie says of his 1/12 scale 2010 Mustang GT500 Shelby. He detailed with a Scale Motorsports photo-etched metal set and painted PPG Ruby Slippers Red sealed under a urethane clear.
Brad Norgaard scratchbuilt the entire camper portion of his late-‘30s Barnum & Bailey circus wagon. The lighted lamp started life as an earring and is powered by batteries in the lantern's base.
“Madame FeFe” 1957 Chevy Bel Air is a tribute build in honor of Andy “The Moose” Kallen, a GSL regular, who started this project over 20 years ago. Modelers who contributed to finishing the project were Jim Keeler (scratchbuilt interior), Mike Schnur (detailed 327 Chevy engine and the chassis), Tom Walsh Sr. and Tom Walsh Jr. (front and rear grilles, side trim, and display board), and Alan Cozby (final body paint and assembly).