This one's gonna blow your minds folks, it's a good one.
Tommy May certainly doesnt mess about when it comes to putting together a killer build, and when he posted up a thread in our World's Most Beautiful Model Roadster Contest forum at Auto Modelling I just knew it was gonna be something cool. I didn't know quite HOW cool it'd be though. Or should that be 'hot'?
Make no mistake, this is one of the coolest builds I've had the pleasure to lay my eyes on since I started this hobby. I've seen a LOT of cool builds, but this one is way up in the top ten. And to have it debut on my own forum? Well, that's something special to me.
Tommy started out with an AMT Model A body, a Revell A tracknose and the simple idea of making a street rod "that would knock your socks off". Loose plan in place, he then sliced up a few hundred dollars worth of kits for parts. Check the spec:
Rear side vents from a Monogram Greenwood Corvette
Testors Aluma-Coupe headlight pods
Revell 93 Trans AM dash,
Revell VW Rabbit steering wheel center with aluminum rod rim
AMT Berretta 2.8lt V6
Berretta sub frame modified for rear drive.
Monogram Outlaw rear tyres
Revell Pro-Street Moroso front tyres...
...and that's without aftermarket bits from MCG, Detail Master, R&D, RMcoM and R&B Motion. Then there's the parts he modified or scratchbuilt. You don't need me to tell you how much work went into this...it weren't no simple kitbash, I can tell ya.
There's some interesting touches on there too - things used in ways they weren't intended to be: the ignition wiring that forms the piping details in the interior for example. Or the train light lenses on the distinctive headlights. And those gorgeous machined wheels - JPS with centres machined and designed by the late great Ricky Couch. I just KNOW Ricky would've loved this build.
Clean and elegant, and in your face too, all bright colours and things jumping out at you for attention. Body from the 1930s, hiding a mid traverse mounted V6. Perfct in it's simplicity, but with tonnes to look at. This build is the definition of contradiction, and it couldn't work more perfectly. I wouldn't change a thing, and after 4 years effort I'd hope Tommy feels the same.
I could've hated him after dropping a load of pics in a thread with no backstory and then casually posting to say "I'm fixing to go cook some fittles (fried possum)" and not coming back for a day when all I wanted was to know about every little detail of this build, but another look at the pics and all was forgiven.
If Tommy May's name doesnt go down as one of the greatest model builders of our time, there's been a great mis justice - every build I've seen of his has been just as beautiful, just as well planned out and just as spectacular. This is just the most recent of many.
Tommy obviously views this as a personal best though, saying "Every artist has to have their masterpiece... This is one of mine and I'm damn proud of it." No argument here brother, and many thanks for letting me share it with the world.
View Tommy's thread on AutoModelling.com here
JB
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