Victor Demichei
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
A master of the unusual, Victor scratchbuilt this futuristic 1/24 scale Mercedes concept car with parts from a Tamiya AMG Mercedes-Benz kit. He painted the vehicle that looks like it would be at home in the world of the anime classic Akira with Bob’s Paint Violet Purple.
Mario (Shadow) Mendiola
Chicago, Illinois
Modeling a car he’s owned for 30 years, Mario fitted a chopped roof to an AMT 1/25 scale 1950 Ford. Then he matched the real car’s flames with the same PPG paint he used on his full-size ride.
Al Stout
West Allis, Wisconsin
For a customized 1957 Ford, Al shaved emblems and door handles from a 1/25 scale AMT kit. Additions include a ’57 Desoto bumper and grille, Edsel station wagon taillights, ’56 Olds hubcaps, Lake exhaust pipes and skirts, and a resin continental kit from Hendrix.
Joe Quiles
West Allis, Wisconsin
Imagining an old farm truck reborn as a street rod, Joe swapped the engine in a Revell 1/25 scale 1937 Ford pickup with a small-block Chevy motor, channeled the chassis, and applied a distressed patina with AK Interactive rust paint and Mig Productions pigments.
Michael Krueger
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
“I build street rods for real, and I like Model As,” says Mike about his Revell 1/25 scale Ford coupe. He dressed it up with wood roof bows, tires and rims from a 1960s vintage kit, and drilled the seats to give them the bomber look. He finished it with "1969 Camaro Dark Red".
Elliot “Ed” Doering
West Allis, Wisconsin
Ed modified Tamiya’s 1/24 scale Astra V8 DTM race car to pose the gullwing doors open and painted it with Testors Orange Fluorescent enamel and Model Master Metalizer (TES1409) lacquers as well as a custom-mix for carbon fiber. Studio 27 decals added the Jägermeister sponsorship.
Mike Gehrke
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
After dropping an AMT 1/25 scale ’29 Ford Model A roadster body on the chassis from AMT’s Ala-Kart, Mike added coil springs from a ’62 Chevy and painted it with Dupli-Color lacquer. “It was almost ready for the NNL show a few years ago, but I dropped it the night before the show,” he says.
Pete Altwies
New Holstein, Wisconsin
Pete added accustom hood and full detail to AMT’s 1/25 scale 1961 Ford Galaxie Sunliner for a sharp street cruiser.
Mark Ackermann
Hales Corners, Wisconsin
As a tribute to a late friend who owned a 1965 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport, Mark raised the suspension on a Monogram 1/25 scale kit and fitted it with American Torque Thrust wheels. He custom mixed paint to match Chevy’s 1965 Evening Orchid.
Torben Rothgeb
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Torben kitbashed a front suspension for AMT’s 1/25 scale NASCAR ’73 Chevelle with parts from an ’80s Thunderbird and dropped in a 427 engine from a ’69 Corvette aftermarket and scratchbuilt parts. Tamiya lacquers and Power Slide decals mark it as a car driven by Bobby Allison.
Stew Edwards
Grafton, Wisconsin
To replicate a car he saw at Milwaukee’s Lakefront Concours d’Elegance, Stew added a 1940 Ford roof to Monogram’s 1/24 scale MG Airline Coupe. He also modified the door outlines, the frame around the windshield, wired the engine, and hinged the hood.
Chris Juno
Clyman, Wisconsin
How many modifications did Chris make to turn a resin 1969 Buick Skylark into the 1969 model? “Too many to describe,” he says. “Almost every piece and body panel has been modified.” His father owned a car like this in the early 1970s.
Ronald Neuendorf
Waukesha, Wisconsin
The gleaming finish on Ronald’s 1/25 scale 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K is the JoHan kit’s plastic unpainted but sanded and buffed. He detailed the grand touring car with ignition wires and an aluminum rod hood support.
Mark Zarwell
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Capturing the power of classic American muscle. Mark built Revell’s 1/24 scale 1969 Dodge Super Bee out of the box and painted it with enamels and lacquers. You can almost smell the burning rubber!
Chris Krueger
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Chris gave a Revell 1/24 scale 1965 Chevy Stepside pickup the works. He chopped the roof, lowered the stance, shaved the firewall, added an aftermarket carb cover to the wired engine, frenched the antenna, installed door handles by Iceman, and set it rolling on rims and tires from Tom Nowack.
Chad Truss
Crystal, Minnesota
The stunning finish on Chad’s 1961 Impala is seven different candy colors from Splash airbrushed over precise masks. The palette extends to the engine, dashboard, and underside. He also added metal-tube exhausts and resin wire wheels.
Bob Maderich
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Bob modeled a Mercer R35 that placed 3rd at the 1913 Indianapolis 500 by modifying an Aurora 1/16 scale kit. He finished the race car with Tamiya acrylics including post-shading and dry-brushing, washes, and pastels.
Marty Neyrinck
Dixon, Illinois
Believe it or not, Marty’s 1/25 scale 1963 Corvette gasser started as a SnapTite Revell kit. He revised the rear-wheel openings, scratchbuilt the front axle, and fitted wheels, tires, and headers from his spares box. He finished it with Tamiya Clear Red over Gold.
Vic Rood
West Allis, Wisconsin
Vic added a straight front axle and a small-block 358 engine with 3D-printed headers to AMT’s 1/25 scale 1955 Chevy Bel Air to turn it into a 1960s gasser. The finish is acrylic paint covered with Pledge Floor Gloss.
John McMillion
Neenah, Wisconsin
After downgrading an AMT 1/25 scale 1966 Chevy Nova from a SS to a basic 6-cylinder with three on the tree and steel wheels, John finished the car to appear like a once-proud daily driver seeking a new owner. He used salt to mask the rusty base coat before applying the body color.
Tom Nowack
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
To model a “trip to the strip” in the 1970s, Tom built MPC’s 1972 Chevrolet Racer’s Wedge hauling a 1971 Olds 442, kitbashed by mounting a JoHan 1971 body on the chassis from an AMT 1969 442.
Paul Johnston
Adell, Wisconsin
Paul replaced the hoses in Hasegawa’s 1/24 scale Porsche 944 Turbo Cup racer with more in-scale items, then painted the body with Tamiya Black lacquer from a spray can. All the yellow in the livery is decals from Starter.
Mike Hartjes
Wausau, Wisconsin
Mike’s lead sled ’49 Mercury began as an AMT 1/25 scale kit, but he added quad headlights, chopped the top, and installed Lincoln taillights. He painted the custom car with Tamiya colors over primer.
Tony Hartjes
Deforest, Wisconsin
To boost AMT’s 1/25 scale SnapFast 1950 Chevy pickup, Tony designed and printed the wheels and tires, scratchbuilt the center console, shifter, door panels, and seat, and applied embossing powder for carpet and headliner. The body patina is a combination of black and red oxide primers over salt masking.
Mike Klessig
West Bend, Wisconsin
Mike finished Fisher Model and Pattern’s resin 1/24 scale Jaguar D-Type as the winner of the 1955 24 Hours of Le Mans race with MCW British Racing Green lacquer.
Bill Read
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Bill’s Tamiya 1/24 scale 2003 Peugeot 206 features Sakatsu antennas and hood pins, scratchbuilt seat belts, and Museum Collection decals. He finished the rally car with Tamiya lacquers.
Mike Kollver
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
To improve MPC’s vintage 1/25 scale 1971 Plymouth Road Runner, Mike mounted the body and interior over the frame and motor from an AMT ’71 Charger and made the steering movable. It rolls on Z-man wheels and low-profile tires and wear a Plum Crazy lacquer finish.
Tim Kasper
Wheaton, Illinois
Imagining a truck built by late guitar legend Eddie Van Halen, Tim kitbashed parts from a Revell ’65 Chevy Stepside pickup and a ’66 Chevy Fleetside for a 1965½ Chevy Dually 4-Door truck. It sits on a scratchbuilt frame and JDS wheels and features Van Halen stripe graphics inside and out.
Jesse Boyavian
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
After revving up AMT’s 1/25 scale 1966 Olds 442 with a prewired distributor, spark-plug boots, and seat belts, Jesse painted it with three coats of primer, three coats of Testors enamel, and four coats of acrylic clear.
Debbie Kasper
Wheaton, Illinois
A Disney fan, Debbie upholstered the seats and boot on a Lindberg 1/32 scale ’40 Ford convertible with polka dot leather and painted it with Unicorn Black and Fuschia lacquers from Bob’s Paint. She named the car Minnie.
Gregory Kluck
Theresa, Wisconsin
Gregory built F-Toys 1/24 scale Kawasaki 750 out of the box.
Troy Henk
Woodruff, Wisconsin
“I just had a picture in my head of what I wanted to build,” Troy says. He improved Polar Lights SnapIt 1/25 scale Volkswagen Beetle with spark-plug wires and performance tires and cut open the moonroof. The finish Is Testors Lime Ice lacquer.
Rick Shepard
Racine, Wisconsin
Working from an original 1963 boxing of Monogram 1/24 scale Little T, Rick added spark-plug wires to the engine and laced wire wheels for it to roll on. The finish is Goldmine Pearl from Bob’s Paint.
Bill Cook
Janesville, Wisconsin
Bill modeled Atlantis’ 1/24 scale Groovy Grader mostly out of the box except for drilling out the exhausts. He painted the show rod with Tamiya Yellow and Chrome Yellow and applied decals from his spares. He says the modified road grader is, “The craziest thing I have ever seen.”
Rick “Doc” Buikema
Clinton, Iowa
Doc’s 1/16 scale Rat Rod has parts of Minicraft Ford Model A pickup in it, but it took lots of aftermarket and 3D-printed parts as well as bits from diecast cars and other kits to turn it into this spectacular septic system service truck.