Chris Cortez
Racine, Wisconsin
After picking up a Hot Wheels rat rod Volkswagen beetle at the grocery store, Chris determined to make it better. He removed the roof rack, engine cover, and clunky details with a rotary tool. A wire brush in the same tool stripped the paint. To show off the painted interior, He replaced the windshield with thin, clear plastic. Scratchbuilt detail lift the engine and he made new springs and struts for the rear wheels using springs from a mechanical pencil and styrene rod. The rebuilt car runs on 1/64 scale wheels from Greenlight. Using chunks of sponge, he stippled several rust shades over the body before hitting it with a layer of hairspray. Next came the body color, which he wore with water on a stiff brush. Oil paints and Vallejo acrylics added more rust and dirt. Chris scratchbuilt the base on scrap wood with a 3D-printed back wall.