Chad Truss wanted to build a hot rod, but he didn’t go the route most likely driven. Instead, Chad modified a JoHan 1/25 scale 1935 Mercedes Benz 500K. He removed the fenders and running boards, swapped in ’29 Ford wheels from a Revell kit, and installed 3D-printed bomber seats inside. He painted with colors from Mission Models and SMS.
Richard Petty raced a ’64 Plymouth in the Firecracker 400 on July 4, 1964. Bob Halliday built this 1/25 scale replica of Petty’s ride from a Lindberg kit. He overhauled the body with numerous modifications for NASCAR spec, scratchbuilt many details, and employed aftermarket parts from Detail Master, Model Car Garage, Modelhaus, and Replicas & Miniatures Co. of Maryland.
The dreamy, near-periwinkle color on this 1953 Ford convertible restomod is a custom mix by Randy Metts. He lowered the front end on a Lindberg kit with Shelby Cobra suspension and steering, nestled a ’70 Mustang rear frame in the back, and introduced a Mustang 302 and AOD transmission to the party for a little added fun.
Frank LuQue’s 1/25 scale C6 Corvette started as a Revell Snap Tite kit. He wet-sanded the body, primed it, and then painted with Bob’s Paint Candy Tangerine — his wife’s favorite color!
A Czech armored car may seem a little out of place at a scale car show, but just because it’s armored doesn’t mean it’s not a car! Robert Maderich II, looking for a simple project, airbrushed his box-stock build of HobbyBoss’ 1/35 scale Škoda PA-2 “Turtle” with Tamiya acrylics. He weathered it with a dot filter and pastels and placed it on a wooden base with groundwork made from Celluclay.
Nicky Proniewicz imagined a forgotten relic of a truck where chickens made their home, and that’s exactly what he modeled! Starting with an AMT 1/25 scale 1960 Chevy Fleetside, he painted with Testors enamels and then went to work with Ammo by Mig Jimenez weathering washes. The chickens come from a Tamiya Livestock Set.
“This model depicts a service truck from the fictional Mesabi Machine & Rigging Co. on the Minnesota Iron Range,” says Dean Kuitunen. Dean built a Moebius Models 1/25 scale 1966 Ford F-100, painted with Tamiya spray cans, and weathered with Arsenal products. He designed hydraulic jacks in Solidworks, and a friend 3D-printed the parts for him.
Brady Wallskog built one of his dream cars, a tuned 1970 Nissan Skyline 2000 GTR. He began with a Tamiya 1/24 scale kit, detailed the engine, and slid Aoshima wheels under the four corners. Tamiya primer and Splash Paints Lime Green brought it to life, and Brady capped it with Mr. Hobby Super Clear.
To model a 1/25 scale Mercury Cyclone, Chris Juno combined an AMT NASCAR body with a Revell Torino interior, chassis, engine, wheels, and tires. The hood, grille, front bumper, and taillights are all Modelhaus parts. Chris scratchbuilt the air dam. What’s left to say except that he airbrushed it all with Testors lacquers?
Longtime Scale Auto contributor Rod Maskiw returned to NNL North with this irresistible 1/25 scale 1955 Chevy Bel Air custom. There is a Revell kit in there, but Rod opened and hinged the doors, hood, and trunk, detailed the engine, added a C4 Corvette intake, and designed and scratchbuilt the interior door cards and seat inserts. The trunk matches the custom interior. He replaced the Revell suspension with one from an AMT ’57 Chevy kit and installed wheels and tires off a 1/24 scale die-cast Camaro. Rod finished the car with Bob’s Paints Copper and Black with Candy Root Beer topcoats.
Although Mario Andretti rode his Havoline Lola T89/00 to a seventh-place finish at the 1989 Road America Champ Cars race, we think Mike Klessig’s 1/43 scale Tameo box-stock build is a winner. He prepped the white metal with Tamiya White Surface Primer and followed with Tamiya White lacquer. Mike says decals compose the rest of the livery.
Beginning with an MPC kit, Stew Edwards modeled a 1/25 scale 1969 Gurney Eagle Formula 5000 race car. He added wings from Silver City Models, Fred Cady decals, and rivets from Archer Fine Transfers. He painted Tamiya British Racing Green, Chrome Yellow, and Clear lacquers.
Paul Johnston pulled the Gulf colors card on us, and we couldn’t refuse! He airbrushed his Provence Moulage 1/43 scale Porsche 917K with paint colors from Number 5. The tire letters come from Indycals, and he added Bare-Metal Foil to the back. This model is a replica of the 1970 1,000 km Spa-Francorchamps winner driven by Jo Siffert and Brian Redman.
Tom Finch had nothing but glowingly positive remarks about the Meng 1/9 scale BMW S1000RR HP4 race bike kit. He built it out of the box, including all the carbon-fiber decals. He airbrushed Number 5 lacquer and clear-coated with PPG Omni 2K.
Visiting from Canada, Dennis Ezmerlian brought along a 1/25 scale 1960 Ford pickup built from an original AMT kit. He scratchbuilt the underbody and used a Fireball Modelworks F-250 conversion. He opened the grille and headlights, and under the hood rests a V8 from an AMT Starliner. This was Dennis’ first attempt at weathering a model; he applied acrylics for dirt and rust over Dupli-Color Red.
In short, Steve Hansen took the valve covers, shaker hood and scoop, console, and shift stick from a Revell Hemi Cuda; suspensions, fender wells, undercarriage, radiator, pedals, NACA ducts, front seats, and brake rotors from a Tamiya F40; dash, steering wheel, paddle shift, and side mirrors from a Revell Enzo; and modified a JoHan 1/25 scale Plymouth Superbird kit to get his HOK Kandy Purple machine.
Don Hollesen owns a funeral home. To escape the day-to-day realities of his career, he scratchbuilds commercial vehicles. Here, Don shows off his work with 1955 International Harvester COE and 1974 Crane Carrier Company trucks, both of the ready-to-place power poles, and a pull-overhead conductor. Don painted with Krylon enamels shot through a Tamiya airbrush.
Sure to satisfy your sweet tooth with its candy orange and candy yellow fades, Kirby Hughes’ custom 1953 Chevy Bel Air is an absolute delight. He chopped the top and sectioned and channeled the body of the 1/25 scale Revell kit. Kirby masked for the fades after airbrushing a white base coat.
Not satisfied with what came in the 1/25 scale Revell kit, Coleman Mjos rolled up his sleeves on his 1966 Ford Mustang GT350H, lowering the suspension, wiring the motor, installing an aluminum air cleaner, and adding hood pins. He shot the body with Tamiya Primer, followed with a metallic gold base coat, masked the stripes, and went over it with a black topcoat before sealing it with Mr. Hobby clear.
Inspired to build a beater project car, Tom Hoffman rolled out a Revell 1/25 scale 1968 Chevelle. With the help of Tamiya paints and weathering powders, he banged, dinged, and dented this barn find. Tom had particular fun adding mismatched panels and pulling parts of the disassembled engine onto the appropriately weathered workbench.
Wesley Dean, 12, painted his box-stock AMT 1/25 scale 1967 Mercury Cyclone root-beer brown under a single clear coat. He polished the finish to get a high shine and says the car is one of his “favorite and best models.” Good job, Wesley!
This model depicts the Stu Hilborn streamlined Southern California Timing Association dry-lakes car that was the first to exceed 150 mph in 1948. Tim Graf scratchbuilt this replica in its entirety.
Early hot rods were known as “gow-jobs,” and Tim Rocheford modeled one from an AMT 1/25 scale 1924 Ford Model T and a few Monogram parts. He converted the kit engine to an OHV, primed with Mr. Surfacer, painted with Tamiya acrylics, and weathered with black Tamiya Panel Line Accent and Rustall.
Steven Helfman added many details to a Revell Germany 1/24 scale McLaren 570S, including wheels and tires from USCP, Tamiya carbon-fiber decals, and seat belts. He opened the windows and rear deck and added metal mesh. Steven chose Splash Paints throughout, from primer to Bentley Racing Metallic to 2K clear.
Doug Long built and painted the interior of his Airfix 1/43 scale Jaguar E-Type before body assembly. He worked the body to eliminate the seam between the top and bottom halves, masked the windows, and then painted Tamiya British Racing Green lacquer.
Valereigh Chatelain, 5, arrived with her Revell 1/25 scale ’34 Ford highboy. Hand-painted with craft acrylics, the rainbow pattern assures it’s a “really fast car.” The custom license plate says FLWR PWR, and, appropriately, a bright yellow and orange flower graces this hot rod’s roof. Val exuded pride for her highboy, and rightfully so!
Ryan Chatelain used ribbon as a mask to paint the carbon-fiber sections on his uber-limey Tamiya 1/24 scale Mitsubishi Lancer EVO VI. Built box stock, the model came about as a challenge: “I told a friend to pick a kit and any color paint, and I would build what they chose,” Ryan says.
Having built a Revell-Monogram 1/24 scale No. 24 Jeff Gordon Dupont Jurassic Park Chevy Monte Carlo NASCAR in 1997, Matt Long wanted to do it again 25 years later! True to his childhood, he assembled the model box stock, sprayed Tamiya colors straight from the can, and hand-painted details with acrylics.
Austin Dean, 16, rumbled in with this muscular 1970 Buick GSX clad in purple Testors enamel. For his custom street machine, Austin dropped a custom LS engine under the hood and wrapped tires around Pro Star racing wheels.
Stately and elegant, Steve Guthmiller’s AMT 1/25 scale 1960 Mercury Parklane benefits from just a few detail parts. The black and red were applied directly from the Dupli-Color spray cans over the primer. The body was then clear-coated and polished.
For his 1/25 scale 1937 Chevy pickup gasser, Marty Neyrinck shortened the bed of an AMT kit, lengthened the frame of a Revell ’41 Willy gasser, and brought in a 427 V8 from an AMT ’37 Chevy coupe. No other color would suffice for “Rat Trap” but Tamiya Bright Orange lacquer. “It’s just another gasser I felt the need to build,” Marty says. We say, build on!
This unusual 1969 Corvair came to Mike Tinucci first as an AMT 1/25 scale kit. He customized the front and rear ends and converted the car into an electric vehicle with batteries below the rear deck. Finished with a flip-flop blue metallic, Mike’s Corvair also has working LED lights.
David Linenberg’s “Delivery Gasser” uses the body from an AMT 1/25 scale ’63 Nova station wagon. Beyond that, he went to town to build a long-roof gasser from his spares box. That glowing red is House of Kolor Wild Cherry over a silver base.
This devilishly handsome 1959 Chevy El Camino comes from Adam Folk. He added louvers to the hood, lowered the body, and made a blanket seat cover for the interior. Modelhaus tires fit on custom rims from an AMT ’53 Ford pickup and the side pipes came out of ’63 Ford Galaxie 500XL. For the candy effect, he painted the roof Testors White Lightning and Tamiya Red and Smoke.
An unusual truck with its extended front end, the Krupp Titan SWL 80 had a straight six-cylinder, two-stroke engine filling that real estate. Robert Hyman built the Revell Germany 1/24 scale kit box stock and painted it Testors Light Blue, Semigloss Black, Silver, Gloss Red, and Khaki, all with a Paasche airbrush.
Paul Spiegelberg painted his 1/25 scale 1977 Coca-Cola Ford Pinto Testors Lime Ice. But first, he added a horn, washer bottle, and master brake cylinder under the hood of the AMT kit. Custom Minnesota license plates grace the front and back bumpers.
Tom Thore had an impressive display of Rat Fink models at NNL North, and here’s his original Revell 1/25 scale Ed Roth Tweedy Pie with Boss Fink — a kit that has never been reissued! He used spray paint on the body and frame and brush-painted the Ed Roth monster figure.
An IMC 1/25 scale Volkswagen kit had parts for either a factory stock model or a gasser. Jim Kampmann went with the latter, replicating the kit’s box-top illustration. He painted all the chrome parts with Alclad II lacquer, brightened other spots with Bare-Metal Foil, and added plug wires and painted details to the engine. The tinted windows are clear yellow plastic.
An engine and interior from a Revell Mustang drag car beef up Bob Hood’s 1/25 scale ’93 Ford Ranger Splash LX 302. He modified the hood with a Mustang bump and painted the body several coats of Tamiya Bright Red. “I always wanted a Ranger Splash, so I modeled it,” Bob says.
Michael Gutierres scratchbuilt the interior panels, exhaust, suspension, roll cage, and front bumper of his 1/25 scale Fireball Roberts ’57 Chevy. To replicate the 1958 Darlington Southern 500 winner, Michael used parts from AMT and Revell kits, airbrushed the body Tamiya Pure White, and applied homemade decals.
You can’t get a kit of a 1955 Chevy NAPCO truck, but that didn’t stop Ben Mossing, who made one by stretching the chassis of an AMT kit. He heavily modified the bed, replacing the bottom with redwood.
Colors from Model Car World grace this immaculate Fujimi 1/24 scale Ford GT40 depicting the 1969 LeMans winner. Erik Zabel used resin tires and paint masks from Indycals and added oil lines for extra detail.