ACME Southern Nationals Show Gallery

Here is my Airfix 1/12 scale 1930 Blower Bentley, registration UR6571. I weathered it inside and out, as if raced in foggy England and then put away to dry. Scratchbuilt modifications include metal screening to replace the plastic kit parts for the headlight stone guards, fuel tank stone guards, blower stone guard and stone guard for windshield; wiring and plumbing; fabric boot; piano hinges for hood; leather hood straps to replace fakey kit parts.

I built Sterling Marlin's Coors Light Dodge Intrepid using Revell's 1/24 scale kit, but I did heavy body modifications to get the downforce look these cars had. I used a Modern Motorsports resin nose, relocated the exhaust to the passenger side, and reshaped the lower quarter panels. The paint is Tamiya gloss aluminum with Splash 2K clear. The decals are from Wet Works as they have the correct neon red for this car.

I built the 1965 Ford Galaxie 500XL stock car driven by Fred Lorenzen from AMT's 1/25 scale kit. I used all of the kit's parts except the wheels, which I replaced with my own resin cast wheels and Monogram 80s tires. I painted the body Tamiya white and the interior and wheels Krylon sky blue.

Here is Tamiya's 1/35 scale deuce and a half in a motor pool, "Baileys Babies" 10th Armored, 55th Engineers. I added Eduard photo-etch metal and Value Gear resin parts. The load includes pieces from Tamiya, Italeri, and scratchbuilt accessories. Upholstery thread was used for the tie down ropes. I added Verlinden resin firewall and engine accessories, an Eduard photo-etch metal vent, windshield tracks, and door hold downs, and plumbed fuel system and wired distributor, coil, and starter with thin gauge wire. The twisted winch cable is scratchbuilt from speaker wire and chain from the craft aisle. I weathered with Vallejo pigments, Tamiya paint, and Winsor & Newton oils.

I modified AMT's 1/25 scale "City Delivery" Ford C series kit to make this van. I scratchbuilt the fuel tank and the wheels are AMT chrome 10-hole disks modified to steel 6-hole. I used Tamiya paints, CN logos from model railroad decal sets, and the black lettering was printed on Testors clear decal paper from CAD artwork. Styrene sheet overlays replaced the kit corrugated van sides. Self-adhesive chrome Mylar simulates reflective surface of rear view mirrors. Scratchbuilt details include mirror brackets, wipers and interior window cranks. Molded-on door handles replaced with free standing parts from IMC Dodge L700 truck kit. Molded-on marker light/emblem on cab doors and "gear & lightning bolt" badge on cab front replaced with parts cut from donor parts kit cab to provide more realistic thickness.

This build turned into a restoration project using a glue-bomb. Starting with AMT's 1/25 scale 39/40 Ford Coupe, I rebuilt and modified with wires as a Ford Small Block V8. Custom dual exhaust made with solder and aluminum tubing. Flocked and foiled. Painted with nail polish and Testors spray clear.

Inspired by the movie Maximum Overdrive! Look at the front grille with a skull character bustin' out of it! It is a 1/25 scale Rat Rod build with a lot of custom touches and a custom chassis. The suspension & radiator is from Revell's 1932 kit; the wheels, engine, and fuel cell are from the 1929 Ford kit. I included a custom tilt front end, exhaust tips poking out the sides, 1950s-style tail lights. Barn doors were molded to the body for a unique one-piece body style. Buick Nailhead out back is fully plumbed and wired. Bronco seats in the interior, wooden floorboard, the deck was covered in BMF and weathered. I opened the rear fenders to let the smoke in. Just lots of details going on!

Let's just say I modified AMT's 1/25 scale Joker Goon car extensively. 

INTERIOR: The inside with completely scratchbuilt. Door panels includes armrests and window cranks with chrome trim compliments. The hot pink carpet is flocked carefully and accented with "Joker" floor mats. The dashboard is lime green with custom “Plymouth” nameplate and aftermarket dashboard instrument panel. The purple seats are accented with beautiful chrome pinstriping tape. There is even a set of dice over the rear view mirror. The stick shift has been custom-made to match the hand positioning of the Goon driving the vehicle. 

EXTERIOR: The exterior body had some of the original door lines removed and new door lines were added to make this a four-door conversion from a two door coupe. All of the original window frames for the entire car were removed and replaced with new styrene strips. All window frames were then carefully foiled to create a nice new look of chrome. New pillar framework was created to give the illusion of 4-door window pillars. Then the original side marking lights were removed and replaced. I then incorporated new side marking light bezels scratch made from real metal then polished them to perfection. The original door handles were removed and replaced with real metal handles, polished to perfection. The front and rear windows were masked off to create the illusion of window trim. The windshield wiper arms are photo-etch metal parts. Engine cowl lines were created and carefully placed via use of a custom made decal. Some original name badges were removed and replaced with photo-etch emblems and photo-etched key holes were added to the side doors and trunk. The exterior was painted with a two-tone metallic purple and lime green for contrast. Custom Joker decals were added throughout the vehicle inside and out. These include door badges, roof badges, name badges, Joker brand face logos, license plates that say “NO JOKE” in the rear, and bumper sticker that says “ I ❤️ GOTHAM CITY”.

GOON WEAPONS/JOKER GOON: Hand-sculpted Joker Goon includes a bomber style leather jacket with custom Joker badge, leather driving gloves, and baggy cap. Weapons include a switchblade on the dashboard, a chain on the front seat, a handgun on the front seat, two guns-an automatic machine gun and a shotgun in the back seat, a scratchbuilt baseball bat at the front floorboards, two scratchbuilt dynamite kegs with long wicks, a slim-Jim on the rear package tray placed between two custom speakers.

You're looking at more than 1000 hours of work. Every panel has been modified. The interior and trunk is fully scratchbuilt and the engine and undercarriage was detailed thoroughly. The color is pearl white with crystal flake and Kopper flake. Hand masked scallops and all of the chrome is copper leaf. Chopped top, extended quarters with bubble skirts molded in and scoops.  I also added suicide doors, custom cut trunk and shape, windows and molded-on top antennas, scooped hood, headlights and flared wheel openings, swivel seats, and custom interior.

Using Tamiya's 1/12 scale Kawasaki H2R, I added Hobby Design metal chain and photo-etch metal parts, as well as bolts, nuts, cables, and metal brake discs. The front fork is from Top Studio. Metal rear wheel nuts were made from an allen key, exhaust tube spring, and many scratch pieces. I painted with a two-color mix of Zero paints and 2K Clear. Carbon decals are from Studio27.

I made a few changes to Monogram's 1/24 scale drag coupe: the front is quite a bit deeper now, an aluminum grating was placed in front of the cooler, the rear wheels include rims from the Dodge Concept Car with machined and polished aluminum sleeves and scratchbuilt rubbers. I also added wiring, a lowered windshield, and a hinged roof. I always wondered how the driver squeezed himself into this thing?

I bought Revell's 1/24 scale Volkswagen microbus as a started kit on eBay. All that had been done was some bad hand painting of the body. This proved to be a brilliant base for my first attempt at a weathered build with great guidance from Dr. Cranky and Ken Hamilton books.