The Detroit Area Auto Modelers hosted the 2021 Motor City NNL on Saturday, November 14, 2021, in Warren, Michigan. As one would expect for one of the largest model-car shows in the Midwest, it drew builders from Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, and even as far away as Oklahoma. Here are just a few choice rides seen at the show.
Karl Sheffer entered his AMT ’70 1/2 Camaro full bumper in the Muscle Car class. He added a fully-detailed big-block engine from the Revell ’69 Nova COPO and detailed it with carbs from Fireball Modelworks. The finish is VHT Engine Metallic Burnt Copper.
The new mid-engine Corvette is getting a lot of buzz these days, but Chevrolet had the mid-V8 engine concept Aerovette in 1976. Cole Wiknich built the Revell kit box stock with detail painting.
Scott Wiknich built this JoHan 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442 box stock in about two months. It’s a replica of a full-scale Cutlass that took Scott three years to restore. It’s finished in PPG Sebring Yellow with Chroma Clear.
This Revell ’69 Daytona shows plenty of neglect as it sits with a broken window and a dented roof. It’s partially covered with tarps made from tissue paper. Steve Courtney punched the scattered leaves from real leaves with a Green World cutter.
Spy photos and images of automotive test mules inspired John Ostrenga to build this AMT 2017 Camaro and cover it with Scale Motorsport camouflage decals. Note the obscured headlights, A-pillars, and quarter windows that prevent us from seeing the actual styling lines.
John Ostrenga displayed this very historic JoHan Mustang Funny Car model built by long-time Scale Auto contributor Hank Borger. The Mustang features several different custom painting techniques, including a swirl paint job and cobwebs. The techniques were explained in the March 1972 issue of Car Model magazine.
Rick Papp upgraded an AMT Gypsy Wagon with handmade shingles and placed it on a base. The figure is a modified cop from an AMT Paddy Wagon kit. Rick met the kit’s designer, John Bogosian, at the Motor City NNL.
Martin Schultz is working on a collection of cars driven by Mark Donohue. He added wiring and technical details to this Fisher Model and Pattern Ferrari 512 M. It’s finished in Sunoco Blue, of course, from Gravity Paints.
Chris Meacham modeled the current trend of restoring running gear and interior but leaving the exterior weathered and worn. His Moebius Ford F-100 Service Truck has a combination of weathering effects created with craft and Testors paints.
Gery Besler’s 1989 Batmobile has been extensively modified with a Dodge Viper V10 engine and suspension. He added lights and displayed the model on a functional, scratchbuilt turntable. According to Gary, this is Batwoman’s Batmobile, built by her cousin, Bruce Wayne.
The street camo on this Aoshima Nissan Silvia S-15 was all hand-masked and sprayed in layers. The technical details abound, as well, with a Hobby Design wide body kit, Detail Master fittings, and 3D-printed wheels. Builder Adam Cutler is a big fan of JDM (Japanese Domestic Manufacturer) cars and would like to have one like this in full scale.
Matt Garner feels that GM “hit the jackpot” with the design of the 1965 Riviera. He flattered that design with a lowrider stance, shaved door handles and trim, and topped it with an elegant finish of Beach Bronze, supplied by Tropical Glitz paint company.
Model railroader and car modeler James Leland carries over his appreciation of realistic weathering of industrial subjects to his car models. This AMT/ERTL ’64 Impala has many weathering cues, including body rust, leaves in the cowl, and seat springs popping through the upholstery.
This tasteful race/rig combination was built by Tom Nowak and features a Revell ’76 Chevy pickup towing an AMT ’70 Chevelle. The super stock drag car has Red Alert decals from Slixx.
Matt Garner likes the big-body low riders. His Revell Cadillac rides on Pegasus wire wheels and is finished in Tropical Glitz Cuban Link and Rust-Oleum Apple Green as his expression of the genre.
This Revell Mercedes Benz Unimog U1300L was brought to this NNL show by Brandon Hoffman. Brandon weathered it to match the 1985 Paris-Dakar Rally environment. He also added LED lighting from Evan Designs.
Harold Helzer calls his radically modified ’73 Dodge Charger the Tiki Wagon. He completely chromed the MPC kit’s chassis and finished topside with multiple lavender and magenta shades from Bob’s Paint.
Jeff Antosh brings us back to the early days of the Funny Car class with his Groovy Feelin’ 1968 Camaro. But wait, isn’t it the Feelin’ Groovy Camaro? The words are swapped on either side of this period-correct flopper.
The Built Bud’s Way Award commemorates the late racer and model builder Bud Lefevre. It recognizes high-quality model building in door-slammer drag subjects. This year, the award went to Harold Helzer’s replica of the UFO altered wheelbase ’65 Plymouth by Moebius.