Combining a Jimmy Flintstone resin body and an AMT Chevy Nova, Sean Svendsen created this 1972 Pontiac Ventura Sprint. Additional details include modified headlights, Fireball Modelworks resin honeycomb wheels, and homemade Sprint decals.
Inspired by local car shows and cruise nights, Dave Johnson created this Pro Touring 1962 Chevy Bel Air. The build’s attitude comes from an LS engine, transmission, and seats from a late-model Camaro kit.
John Strick built this 1964 Mercury Monterrey Breezeway as a tribute to a car his dad drove when John was 7 years old. Beginning with a Modelhaus ’63 Mercury body, he swapped in the front clip from an AMT ’64 Merc.
“Only three colors were used on the whole car,” says James Tester of his Moebius 1965 Nova gasser. The two-month, box-stock project wears Mr. Color Yellow Green and Splash Paints 2K Clear. James was inspired to build it by the theme for a club meeting.
If you look closely, you can see some MCW Meadow Green lacquer on Jeff Newhart’s weathered and beat-up 1965 Nova. The Moebius kit’s mill is wired and plumbed and has 3D-printed harnesses.
Lowrider fan Steve Courtney presented this ’64 Impala based on the Revell SS kit. It features a 3D-printed LS motor and photo-etched metal interior details. He added the custom paint using House of Kolor and Tropical Glitz paints.
In a sea of 1/25 scale models, Dan Heinzerling’s 1/16 scale ’57 Chevy Bel Air Convertible commands attention. Dan engineered the front wheels to be steerable and applied MCW Coral Canyon enamel.
To replicate the “Old Glory” 1971 Dodge van he saw in magazines as a kid, Ken Clem scratchbuilt the air conditioning unit, rear sunroof, rear wheel flares, and hood scoop on his model. He made the grille from stainless weld rod and the three-quarter vinyl roof with textured paint.
Plenty of scratchbuilding went into building this replica of Joe Vega’s C/A class 1950 Ford, most notably the tonneau cover that replaced the AMT kit’s roof. Todd Wingerter used Rust-Oleum Chestnut Brown paint and spent five months on the build.
“When I saw it in magazines in 1964, it was love at first sight,” says Ken Andrus about Jack Christman’s 1964 Comet. Beginning by opening the hood on an AMT kit, Ken sourced the chassis, floor pan, and 427 engine from Revell’s ’64 Ford Thunderbolt and added numerous items from his spare-parts box.
Tom Kren believes the simplest modifications can yield the best results, and this Revell 1949 Mercury woody wagon is proof. The three-month project is highlighted by a lowered ride height, spares-box wheels and tires, and a smooth coat of MCW Marina Blue Metallic.
With a childhood friend whose dad raced alongside “Akron” Arlen Vanke, Patrick Grubish built his ’71 Pro Stock Duster. He covered the AMT body with a pale-yellow color from Krylon. Slixx decals, a resin hood scoop, and a host of spare parts round out the build.
Bill Borgen started with an AMT Thomas Flyer kit, scratchbuilt a new body, and added dual wheels to the rear. He made the tanker trailer from balsa wood. Aftermarket chains and dry-transfer lettering add to the rustic build.
Surfboards and a coat of House of Kolor Tangelo Orange give Rick Forrester’s 1925 Ford “Fruit Wagon” the “endless summer” feel he wanted. He lengthened the rear of the frame to accept wheels and tires from his parts box.
Inspired by the races he watched at county fairs as a kid, Joe Keske took six months to build this Class 5 mud racer. Almost every part of the model was modified or scratchbuilt, most notably the supercharged Oldsmobile engine and rear paddle tires.
Even though he had never seen a model kit or promo for a 1954 Chevy pickup, Glenn Fahrni dreamt up this rare wrecker. Starting with AMT’s 1950 SnapFast kit, Glenn made the correct 1954 grille and added some homemade service-garage decals. The boom is from a ’34 Ford pickup kit.
Brian Knoblauch’s 1957 Ford panel gasser is a Revell kit with sheet styrene panels added to fill the quarter window openings. A love for gassers and some decals from his spares box pushed Brian to finish this project in two weeks.
Nathan Keske, 14, built AMT’s 1953 Ford pickup and used numerous weathering techniques to finish it as a beat-up service truck. Spare parts are stored in the bed, and he wired and plumbed the engine.
The satin finish of Rust-Oleum’s French Lilac gives John Bodnar’s 1940 Ford coupe a period, hot-rod look. The three-week build features tires from AMT’s Parts Pack and a V8 engine from his spares box.