Tom Valenta’s 1/25 scale 1978 Ford Mustang Boss 302 started as an MPC firefighter drag car. He added Zimmerman wheels, wired and plumbed the engine, and placed Boss 302 decals over the Grabber Blue paint.
Chris Lohnes took just two weeks to create this demolition derby Crown Vic sheriff’s car. Entered in the Closed-wheel Competition category, Chris’ ex-police cruiser features severe body damage and alterations, a stripped-out interior, and off-road tires for traction and durability.
Painted Tropical Glitz Seductive Red and marked with gold decals, Lewis Hicks recreated Warren Johnson’s 1971 Chevrolet Vega drag car. Lewis started with a Grumpy Jenkins Vega kit, added a parts-box engine and a set of resin wheels, and then painted that amazing scheme to bring this Chevy to life.
Who in their right mind would create a restomod out of a Mecedes-Benz 300SL gull-wing car? Ricky Wykoff built this incredible exotic using a Tamiya 1/24 scale kit along with an MGSF trans kit to create his wild Tropical Glitz Candy Red corner carver.
Aaron Thomas built this Tamiya 1/24 scale Good Smile Racing Mercedes AMG straight from the box with only the addition of the decals. The paint used on this three-month build was Tamiya and automotive 2K clear.
Debbie Kasper was one of a handful of women builders to display their models this year, and her 1953 Studebaker salt-flat race car was a head-turner. A huge Disney fan, she themed the car after the classic Mickey Mouse cartoon Plane Crazy. The car is ready for takeoff with opened doors, a custom interior with embossed door panels, many one-off parts, and a custom paint scheme.
Gary Kulchock is known on the show circuits for his unusual and highly detailed builds. At this Southern Nationals, he didn’t disappoint with The Frog. Starting as a Revell Grand Turismo kit, Gary sliced, diced, and even made a Tamiya Mythos chassis fit under the wild body. Many one-of-a-kind parts were made for the model, and Alien Green paint was applied to give this “frog” its unique look.
Gunner Taylor detailed the Tom Daniels Boss Bulldozer with a large-scale distributor, fuel lines, and custom shifters. He just wanted to build an old kit from his stash, and this whimsical dirt pusher fits the bill. Gunner painted with Testors Yellow enamel and gave the dozer a bit of mild weathering.
“Sparkle, sparkle,” often used to describe jewelry, can be applied to Brad Weirick’s 1954 Chevrolet panel van, which was also a Top 10 winner at the show. His highly modified bedazzled Chevy took over 600 hours to perfect, and the paint alone consumed 65 hours of that time.
Tom White’s 1962 VW Mooneyes race hauler took one of the coveted Top 10 awards at this year’s show. Starting with a Hasagawa 1/24 scale Volkswagen T1 pickup, Tom lengthened the bed with a USCP Resin conversion to carry a Mooneye slingshot dragster. The two-year build features the iconic yellow livery, a suspension lowered 2 scale inches, opened windows, and Moon wheel covers.
Starting as a challenge on the internet, Marks Batson’s 1/32 scale 1969 Chevrolet Nova from Atlantis Models features light body mods, 3D-printed wheels and tires, and smooth Tamiya Orange paint. A 1/32 scale 3D-printed 532 ci big-block engine shows off the detail that would be lost if installed within the confines of the Nova’s engine bay.
Michael Crespi’s Tamiya 1/12 scale Yamaha YZR-M1 motorcycle uses a Top Studio superdetail kit that features resin, photo-etched metal parts, and decals to create Spain’s No. 1 race bike. He exclusively painted with Tamiya colors and made a custom stand to display the fairings.
AMC was known for some unusual cars in the ’70s, and the AMC Rebel Machine built by Irvin Arthur Jr. shows just how unique they were. Irvin’s six-month build features a fully detailed, wired, and plumbed 390 ci engine; Keith Marks decals; and the correct color code red, white, and blue paint scheme.
This Tamiya 1/24 scale Fairlady Z (commonly known in the U.S. as a 240Z) was built by John Zweber as a street-going Z-car featuring deleted fender flairs, relocated mirrors, a wired and plumbed engine, a lowered suspension, and Minilite wheels. The Splash Paints Verde Green paint is a perfect color for John’s little lady.
Mike Siegman brought two 1/32 scale Le Mans icons for display: a Ferrari 550 Maranello LM03 and a Jaguar XJR-14 Silk Cut. Both kits are resin, by BBR and Marsh respectively, and were built box stock with only the paint and livery supplied.
You do not often see an AMT 1/25 scale Eckler Corvette on the tables because it is an older and not particularly well-detailed kit. Hector Guadalupe’s 1978 Eckler was one of two displayed, and his Corvette featured a fuel-injected engine, scratchbuilt side pipes, splitter and rear diffuser, opened and removable T-tops, and smooth, cherry red paint.
Mathew Inman displayed his box-stock Revell Chevrolet SSR pickup. The one-month build was an exercise in detail and body painting.
Old-school is way cool, and Joe Scavotto’s Revell 1938 Jaguar SS fits that bill with its photo-etched-metal wire wheels, a fully wired and plumbed, inline, six-cylinder engine, and period-correct, olive-green paint. Joe used painter’s tape for the leather upholstery and flocked the carpet.
What car show, whether 1/1 or scale auto, would be complete without one of Ed Roth’s Rat Finks in attendance? Alvis Barrington’s rendition of the famous rat sees 1/8 scale, machined aluminum engine parts scattered at its feet. Alvis made the drool from epoxy and hand-painted his favorite go-fast rodent.
Gary Litovis reaches beyond what you’d normally expect to see at a scale auto model show with his 1/35 scale Meng Smerch Rocket launcher. Gary pulled from modeling tools and techniques used by both armor and auto modelers to finish his well-detailed and weathered, eight-wheeled, behemoth.
Mark Gregory went all out on his Holman Moody car hauler carrying a David Pearson 1966 Ford Fairlane stock car. Mark stretched the chassis of the hauler 3¼ scale inches, added many 3D-printed parts to the cab to create a Ford C-600, and built a Fairlane rolling on a Polar Lights chassis to ride on the deck. The hardest part of the build was matching photos of the real one with this three-month build.
Shane Harrold’s build of Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Ford Fusion stock car only sees the model having a slightly lowered stance, HOK Neon Chartreuse paint, and PowerSlide Menards decals.
Luis Perez brought his tribute to one of Formula One’s greatest drivers, Ayrton Senna. Depicted here is Senna’s 1991 McLaren MP4/6 U.S. car with driver figure. Luis used parts from Scale Motorsports, Hiro, RB Motion, and Tamiya, along with custom-made decals to create this replica.
Danny Padilla used a Fujimi 1988 Suzuki as a base for his asphalt-scraping, tuner-style Samurai lowrider. Danny added a Honda V-tech engine to the scratchbuilt engine bay, parts-box wheels, lowered the suspension, and added a trailer hauling a Honda minibike.
Kevin Rodgers took over six months to complete his Aston Martin DB9R. Kevin added wiring and cooling hoses, interior details, and a whole mess of carbon fiber and livery decals over Zero Metallic Green protected by Splash Paints 2K clear.
V-dub Beetles are popular today with the tuner scene, and what better car to showcase this is with a tuned Herbie the Love Bug? Jorge Ramos took a Tamiya 1/24 scale 1966 Beetle, lowered the suspension, added custom wheels and tires, and placed a set of the iconic No. 53 gumballs and red, white, and blue stripes over a Tamiya Light Grey paint job for an updated look to the old bug.
Bryan Guggemos’ scene called The Miserable Mini started life as a Tamiya 1/24 scale Mini Cooper rally car kit that was missing parts. Bryan stripped, rusted, and broke the little car to the point that it resembled a shell of its former glory. Using the salt technique to weather the Tamiya paints and adding broken side glass that looks correct in scale, we wish this little car to rust in peace.
Josh McCall’s Top 10 winning 1970 Chevy Impala had all the goods, including multilayer, multicolored, ’70s-style, lowrider paint; a button-tufted interior made from craft foam on 3D-printed seats; and color-changing lights inside and outside. Josh is proud of the paint that took him nearly 60 hours of masking time and is all House of Kolor lacquers.
Robert Sienko brought every car nut’s dream to scale with his Vintage Garage diorama. Robert’s garage started as a 1970s-era balsa-and-cardboard kit built straight from the envelope. Then he added boxes, surfboards, cans, and an R&D metal chassis next to the garage-candy hot rod.
ATTRAXXION is the name Joshua Morgan gave this unusual 1928 Ford rat rod. Josh extended the chassis and added a 14.9-liter Cummins X-15 turbo diesel engine, 3D-printed tracks from Shapeways, turbos from Iceman Collections, and a Jimmy Flintstone NB177 resin body. This monstrosity is covered in a fantastic, weathered patina.
Clay Kvetko enjoyed the research needed to build his replica of a 1949 Talbot-Lago GP race car. He used photo-etched-metal wire wheels and scratchbuilt most of the accessories on the engine and the exhaust system. Then, Clay slathered the smooth torpedo-shaped body with SMER Yellow paint.
Fred Henry went “old skool” on his Revell 1929 Ford three-window coupe. Fred chopped and channeled the body, narrowed the rear end for large meats, and inserted a dual quad, 572 ci, big-block engine between the bright red coupe’s chassis rails.
Tom Neel took the challenge of building a large-scale Porsche 934, knowing full well that everything is bigger and must be detailed to perfection to look correct. Tom’s reimagined Tamiya green sports car features a custom double-bubble roof, a custom front splitter, and a fully detailed, scratchbuilt engine.
Tom Welsh’s Porsche GTI test car has been fully wired and plumbed and features a body wrapped in carbon-fiber decals except for the driver’s door. People ask Tom when he is going to finish this model all the time and are surprised that this is a replica of a Porsche test mule and is complete how it is.
Opal stole the look of the Corvette C3 styling when they designed the GT. Rick Doering stole that and installed an injected, small-block Chevy into the HOK Candy Apple Red mini-Vette. He used a modified Revell J2000 chassis, Funny Car wheels and tires, and made a customer roll bar and seats. Now, you just need to shut up, get in, and hold on!
A fan of Indy cars, Rexton Kemp built this replica of Eddie Cheever’s Indy 500-winning Dallara. Rexton used an Etzel Speed Classic kit, added seat belts and carbon-fiber decals, and went to see the real deal for reference for his model.
Kyle Larson is known nowadays for his racing prowess in the NASCAR Cup series, but he races many vehicles of the four-wheel variety. Clay Kemp’s replica of Kyle’s No. 71 USAC Silver Crown sprint car features a 100% brass chassis, aluminum body panels, and a resin fuel cell. Clay laid down a beautiful two-tone red-and-white paint scheme on the IWX-sponsored dirt track monster.
Using only one hand (due to surgery on his left hand), Scott Inman completed this Tamiya 1/24 scale AMG GT3 finished in Ford Blue Flame Metallic. Built out of the box except for the carbon-fiber decals and aftermarket valve stems, the model took him three months to complete.
To build something for a legend is both a high point and a challenge. Joeseph Dumanski took on that challenge with a replica of Richard Petty’s 1972 Plymouth Road Runner. He started with a Salvino JR kit built box stock, painted Tamiya Blue lacquer, and finished with vermillion decals. After Southern Nationals, this car is slated to be presented to Dale Inman and the King himself.
Dirk Joseph has gone above and beyond with this 1969 Chevrolet C10 utility truck primer project. He fashioned a custom brass chassis and suspension and added a scratchbuilt utility box with operational doors. Where might he go next?
First in line for anything is a challenge, and Lawrence “Larry” Bisceglia did it for 37 years before his health kept him from the gates of Indy. Mike Hylton caught the image of the man himself and his 1951 panel van that today resides in the Indy Museum. Mike used an AAM resin panel body, added an air conditioning unit, ladder, and custom-mixed faded red paint, and made all the decals located on the real truck.
Mike Hackey went clean and simple with his showroom stock 1913 Ford Model T. He used Testors Gloss Black and Dark Blue enamel and the kit’s decals to build this extraordinary blast from the automotive past.
This is just one of three Fitzpatrick Racing Le Mans race cars that Henry Trent has built. Henry’s Porsche 956 was built out-of-box with Skoal bandit livery over Tamiya White lacquer straight from the can.
Dwight E. Clements' Rod and Custom diorama was built to showcase what the magazine is all about. The custom 1957 Chrysler bubbletop and a parts-box 1932 Ford hot rod were painted Krylon Ocean Breeze Blue and are proudly parked on a base depicting a beach and palm trees.
For his entry into the 100 Years of Le Mans theme, Chris Coller chose a Model Hiro Factory 2017 Risi Ferrari 488 GTE. It features a fully detailed and wired interior, Pro Tech fasteners, and 1/20 scale twill-weave carbon-fiber decals over Splash Paints Ferrari Red.
James Marshall plumbed the mighty six-cylinder engine in the bay of this 1960 Chevrolet pickup. Painted two-tone coral blue over pure white, he removed the molded-in tailgate chains and replaced them with real chains. James added Scale Motorsports seat decals and installed wood floor panels in the bed.
Norman Newcity commented on how challenging the Iceman Collections Turbo Proto truck was to complete. Norman’s little three-wheeler is painted with Tamiya Orange, decorated with Jägermeister logos, and features multipart springs and plug wires.
Steve Watson scratchbuilt this Land Shark lake-bed racer using parts from an F-4 Phantom II airplane and a 1929 Ford Model A. He built the frame, roll bar, suspension, and exhaust from various parts from his spares box. Steve gave it a battleship gray and white paint scheme to simulate the shark within.
As part of an online Porsche build-off, Tim Kolankiewicz thought outside the passenger compartment with his multi-hued Porsche Junior 108 twin-turbocharged V12 tractor. He wired and plumbed the engine, added an intercooler and stacks, and machined many details from aluminum.
Wayne Stevens took home a Top 10 award with his 1968 Super Stock Cuda. Sycho Kuda started life as a Miss Mighty Mopar kit. Wayne then implemented a resin 1968 conversion, opened panels, machined wheels, and decorated with a host of decals over HOK White.
Jim Shepherd’s Revell Corvette Z06 race car was painted Tamiya Chrome Yellow. Built out of the box, this model of the iconic Chevy shows that you can compete with the models loaded full of aftermarket details and hold your own.
Chris Sobak’s 1/43 small-scale Model Assemblies resin Yamaha Silverbird streamliner features scratchbuilt exhaust and salt wheels and wears a beautiful, multi-hued House of Kolor paint scheme to replicate the real racer.
Paul Garzla has rebuilt this Dodge Volare (Road Runner) multiple times since 1977. His current configuration features PPG Chrysler Orange paint, a resin hood scoop and splitter, Pegasus wheels, and an injected 440 big-block from a 1971 Charger kit.