Izabella Mattox won the Youth People’s Choice at NNL West this year with her Tropical Glitz Indigo and Snow White Pearl Revell 1/25 scale 1949 Mercury. Shooting for a ‘60s-style cruiser, Izabella wired the engine, flocked the interior, and detailed the dash with decals.
Imagining a Luftwaffe mechanic’s personal ride, David Wyckoff built a Revell 1/16 scale VW Bug upgraded with 3D-printed wheels and a roof rack crafted from Bf 109 wing ribs. The paint job, evocative of a World War II-era German fighter, was accomplished with Tamiya spray lacquers.
This green and black ’69 Dodge Daytona street racer would surely break your homeowner association’s noise ordinance. Rob Smorey added twin turbos to a Revell 1/25 scale kit, installed a drift stick, and scratchbuilt the exhaust pipes, flares, diffuser, and body kit.
This father-and-son build arrived with Emmanuel “Chema” Guzman. A 1/25 scale drag boat, it has a scratchbuilt gas tank, dash, and exhaust, houses a detailed 572 big-block powerplant, and wears HOK kandy metallic-flake finish.
No one would ever mistake that blue and orange livery for a race car driven by anyone other than Richard Petty. The King’s 1972 Road Runner comes to life via a 1/25 scale Salvinos JR Models kit and William Chun’s expert skills. He painted the box-stock build with Tamiya colors.
This wild model depicts a fully detailed space frame for the body of a 1938 Mercedes T-80 LSR. Stephen Pombo scratchbuilt some parts and designed others via CAD and 3D-printed them. He painted with Alclad II and Tamiya lacquers.
Roger Karker built an MPC 1/24 scale Firebolt Jet Power Racer that originally could be powered by a CO2 capsule. He cut out the hood, installed a jet engine from an F-14 Tomcat model, added details to the cockpit, and decorated it with real aluminum wheel disks. The finishing touch was Tamiya Italian red lacquer.
Inspired by the Street Outlaws: No Prep Kings TV show, Thomas Lindsey converted an AMT/Ertl 1966 Buick Riviera into a quarter-mile demon. He scratchbuilt the roll cage and the four-link suspension, detailed the NOS system, and equipped the Riv with a parachute and wheelie bars.
Tamiya Mica Red makes Patrick Hile’s Revell 1/25 scale ’40 Willys coupe gasser hard to miss. He 3D printed the 427 big-block with stacks and transmission and closed the wired behemoth under a resin hood. The decals came from Slixx, and the drivetrain from VCG Resins.
Bob Wise says that the Monogram 1/21 scale 1932 Ford Deuce sport coupe is both a rare and hard kit to build. “You have to show your best to get the best,” he said. For his early-60s, lakes-style screamer, he replaced the engine, wheels and seat from a 1/18 scale die-cast model, installed a 1/16 scale Revell front suspension, scratchbuilt the roll cage, leaned the windshield back, and spent hours fitting and painting the body Tamiya Red acrylic.
Nominally, this 1/16 scale 1906 Locomobile, a replica of the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup winner, is a 1949 Hudson Miniatures kit. But actually, Frank Schaeffer scratchbuilt most of the model using the kit’s instructions as a blueprint. The chain drive has metal links, and he made the radiator from brass and formed a fuel tank from copper sheet. He molded the seats from wine bottle foil and painted them with model railroad colors.
Aiming to bring something a bit different than the usual fare, Mike Olson parked his Italeri 1/24 scale Opel Blitz firetruck at NNL West this year. He drilled out the gauges to accept paper inserts, hinged the compartment doors, and detailed them with a fine jewelry chain. He also wired the engine and ran fuel lines.
Ben Mossing slammed a Moebius Models 1/25 scale 1967 Ford service truck to the pavement for what he calls the “Voodoo Ranger.” Why? He printed a Ford Voodoo engine, scratchbuilt the chassis, and painted the model as a former park ranger service truck. He painted with Krylon colors and created the rusty patina with makeup sponges.
This long ride has an Italeri 1/24 scale 1933 Cadillac V16 town car at its core, but Dave McGowan channeled the body three scale inches, slammed the suspension, and tucked 22-inch resin smoothies under the fenders. He painted the car Tamiya Titanium Gold and made the base with polymer clay and a textured roller from Green Stuff World.
Juan Sepulveda scratchbuilt the ladder, rack, and various accessories for his Moebius Models 1/25 scale Ford service truck. The engine, wheels, and lawn maintenance equipment were all 3D printed. He painted the truck with Tropical Glitz color and used real rust for the patina before coating it all in flat clear.
Roger Ward won the 1959 Indianapolis 500 in a 1959 Watson Roadster, and Keith Brumbley wanted to build the iconic car for his collection. He assembled a 1/24 scale Etzel Resin model box stock, painted with Tamiya colors, and detail-painted the exhaust and spare interior.
Dan Kristek built a Formula Canada 1/24 scale Riley & Scott Mk. III, painted with white lacquer, added seat belts, and wired the cockpit.
Ron Ramsay used two Monogram kit bodies to make the stretched nose of his Gas Ronda A/FX Mustang. As you’d expect from that beginning, he scratchbuilt the chassis and all interior details. He painted with a custom mix of Testors Orange and Red enamels to replicate the real race car’s color.
A builder since 1991, Herman Garcia enjoys showing his work, and why wouldn’t he? His AMT 1/25 scale 1968 Chevy Impala lowrider showcases a custom tuck ‘n’ roll interior, intricate candy and pearl paint, a chrome undercarriage, and aftermarket wheels and tires.
Bicycle kits are rare but not unheard of at model shows, and Dave Campbell does the genre justice with his MPC 1/8 scale Schwinn Sting-Ray Orange Krate. Built out of the box, he sprayed the frame Tamiya Metallic Orange. He said it wasn’t the easiest build and required a great deal of test-fitting. Beautiful job!
Olivier Galgani debuted his 1/25 scale custom Auburn Roadster at NNL West. He stretched a Lindberg kit’s chassis 2 inches to accommodate an Allison V12 engine, widened and lengthened the fenders, pancaked the back deck, and modified the dashboard for improved detail. Olivier wired and plumbed the engine and made intake caps from 1/300 scale submarine ballistic missile ports.
John Boelens modified a 1/43 scale die-cast milk truck and trailer to represent Good Guys Rod & Custom Association, who often attend model car shows.
For his “yard dog” trailer switcher, Bryan Guggemos built an AMT 1/25 scale Ford C-600 tilt cab right from the box. He sprayed Tamiya paints on the body, weathered it, and created “chunky rust” with white glue. Bryan says loads of Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color went on the chassis for rust and dirt. Inside, there are pizza boxes, crumpled food wrappers, and a chipboard to-do list.
Every year, Jim Vierna builds a Little Red Wagon to bring to NNL West. This year, he used the body from an IMC original issue kit and scratchbuilt the rest with details from his spares box thrown in. He painted with Testors Red enamel.
Long-time Scale Auto contributor Even Hermel did what he does best and built an AMT 1/25 scale Mack R600. He scratchbuilt the headache rack and toolbox, wired the engine, and plumbed it and the chassis. Inside, he added “random interior junk for eye candy.” The whole build was based on photos of a real truck he found online. The custom decals represent a company from Evan’s hometown.