Study of a Hot Wheels #1: '33 Ford

Every time me and my long suffering girlfriend go shopping for food we follow a very particular routine. Walk past fruit and veg to cheese counter, try this week's cheese sample, then go down the toiletrys aisle, then the pet food isle, then to the bakery, then to the cake aisle (painting a healthy picture huh?) and eventually she'll get to the frozen meat section and spend a good ten minutes pondering which leg of lamb to buy. This bores me, pretty much to the point of tears (if I werent a bloke), every week. All is redeemed though, when we finally get to the crisp asile. Not just for the delicious crunchy snacks, but because the end of the crisp aisle is where the Hot Wheels display is.

Checking out the new selection of Hot Wheels every week is the highlight of my Tuesday morning. At no other point in my regular routine do I get so excited by such small, cheap playthings. So, rather than bore my missus to the point of homicide any more, I wanted to share some of my cool Hot Wheels buys here.

Now, I'm no Hot Wheels collector, lets get that established right away. I AM a member of the Hot Wheels Collectors site, I DO post on their forum now and then, and I DO have a load of Hot Wheels on my wishlist. But I'm DEFINITELY not a collector. Convinced? Me neither.

Regardless, this is what I picked up last week, just cos it's top of the page in my Fotki right now. The designers at Hot Wheels have got to be some of the most creative and prolific designers in the car world. Ok, so this design isn't the most original (wait until you see the weird stuff we got coming!) but it IS a beautifully designed roadster.

Black paintjob with a subtle flake, blood red interior and subtle references to it in the almost burgundy coloured grille and two tone stripe down the side. Chromed independent front and rear suspension and 5 hole pepperpot style wheels up front, billet looking three spokers at the back. Even if you're not in the street rod scene as much as the hot rod scene, the use of colour and finish has gotta push a button somewhere in you...

Simple, and beautiful. In my book that adds up to a sweet car, whatever the scale.

JB

Tommy May's Red Hot Chili Pepper

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

Andy Jones's Chopped and Channeled 3 Window

Andy Jones is the builder of all manner of cool tuners and modern metal, and was recently featured in Scale Auto where they gave him a 2 page spread. Impressive stuff, but stuff that doesn't quite fit in the remit of what I write about here, so I was delighted when he posted up a thread on Auto Modelling about his latest build - a real low Flattie powered 32.

Check it out, it's a cool one...

Tomorrow: some chilli...

JB

Ramone's GOLIATH

OK, so Ramone doesn't write 'GOLIATH' in all-caps. But I'm gonna, cos I'm pretty sure it deserves it.

Based on a mix of the Allison Thunderbird kit which was just recently reissued and an AMT Double Dragster frame, GOLIATH gives a better power to rate ratio than any build we've ever featured here on the blog.

There's bit from the Stinger dragster in there too, and even a coupla bits from a Thames panel van! Bet ya wouldn'tve guessed that.. Whatever went into it, Ramone's undeniably put together a killer build here.

Check it out!

JB

Junkyard Jewels #9: Wing

Age? Dunno. Origin? Dunno. Destination? Dunno.

Whatever, I think this old wing is a cool find as finds go and another example of me being able to imagine a cool build to go with it. Little single seater racer, mid engine, independent suspension and this wing stuck up high on four spindly struts. White paint job with three proud blue stripes. and a roundall with a nice 70s-font racing number.

Naturally, the driver would have massive sideboards, cool shades, terrible shoes and be a hit with the ladies. I just need the rest of the car!

JB

Holy Grails #1: Trophy Series 32 Sedan

Long before the Revell 32 Sedan there was a model so cool that I've wanted one since I first saw it. Here's why, although I didn't know all the reasons until I got one. First up check that crazy grille. Soooo cool.

Then, the beautiful Nailhead with spark plug covers:

Then these cool pie-crust whitewalls and star design wheels:

Best steering wheel / dash combo in any kit I've seen:

A beautiful scale banjo:

Smoothest chassis to ever grace a hot rod:

Don't tell me you don't want one...

JB

Fred Mellini's Lil' Hangman

Another day, another killer work in progress. Cool concept? Check. Looking amazing all mocked up and in primer? Check. Got a good name? Check!

Fred Mellini is a Coffin Corner member whose work I admire very much indeed, and when I first saw this build it got me pretty stoked. By the time I saw it again on it's wheels I knew I had to feature it.

Based on a Lil Yeller showrod kit, Fred came up with the concept of a kinda killing machine-cum-towtruck, with a noose out back where a winch and hook would normally be. I love the little mini pick-up bed out back, the wider and wider-er tyres and that crazy engine.

Another great build I wished I'd thought of first...I'm gonna be watching this one closely in case Fred leaves a window open so I can bring it home with me. And any build worth risking prison for (especially when I've ALREADY been questioned by the fuzz tonight) has gotta be a winner.

Once you've checked his build out on the CC, check out his website. Anyone who kitbashes, resin casts and scares kids with a 1:1 hearse and clown outfit is alright by me!

JB

My Friend Morton

My friend Morton is my most valued ally when it comes to putting any kit together. Like a chef needs his knives and his oven, I need my knife and my glue. Anything else, tools wise, is a bonus the way I see it. Like a chef, I could even strip it down so far as to only need the knife. A chef can make sushi without needing an oven and I could make a snap kit with out glue. Just a knife to sculpt and carve raw materials (be it fish or styrene) into a finished product.

It pays to have a good one. In fact, any tools you buy - spend enough that you wont have to buy them again. I didn't always do that, but I'm learning.

I started with an orange plastic Swann Morton hobby knife but it couldn't quite handle the abuse I was giving it. It held the blade with a tightening screw and I was always afraid the blade was gonna slip out when applying a lot of pressure and cut a major vein in me.

SO, last summer, I upgraded to an all metal item, as pictured (albeit abstractly) above. This one needs a pair of pliers to get the old #11 blade in and out. That's more like it!

It's never let me down in hundreds of hours of use, and bar a regular blade change (once a month unless I'm BMF-ing) I couldn't ask for more from a tool.

In fact, I don't even think about it, it's just an extension of me. Which is just how a tool should be...

JB

Auto Modelling Shop

I'm not a big one for self-promotion generally; it's too much like hard word and frankly boring. This however, I'm quite proud of.

You know how, if you're in the UK, its hard to find all the stuff they chat about in the US. Replicas and Miniatures parts, Model Car World paints, Slixx decals; all that stuff they chat about on Scale Auto and all the American-based forums of the world?

Well, I wanted that cool stuff people talked about on there, and I figured others might too. Hence Auto Modelling Shop. We're gonna specialise in bringing cool shit this side of the pond for people to buy and receive quicky and easily.

Right now we got a bunch of kits, including some rare old stuff and oddities, and we're taking pre-orders on Replicas and Miniatures Company of Maryland parts which are winging their way to us as I type this. We're gonna be an official distributor of Alclad very soon, and then not long after that I'm gonna be dragging some more never-before-seen-in-the-uk stuff here for you to get your gluey mitts on.

I hope I've created a shop people will find useful by bringing in the kinda stuff I'd buy all the time myself if it weren't on sale quite so far away, and I hope its popular enough to make all the cool stuff you just cant get, gettable. Stocking EVERYTHING is gonna cost a lotta money, but brick by brick we'll build something cool.

Anyway, peep it up at automodelling.com/shop

Here ends our public service announcement for tonight...

JB

Junkyard Jewels #8: Kustom Front End

Another blog, another Kustom front end. Room for a coupla headlights - but for a more modern look could be got with a single light on each side. Judging by the colour of the plastic and the near identical glue stains this one came from the same kit as JJ#7.

So many front ends, so few rest-of-the-cars...

JB

Junkyard Jewels #7: Kustom Front End

Kustom is always spelt with a K. Remember that kids. Got that? Now you can be almost as cool as yesterday's (we're behind) Junkyard Jewel. Don't appear to have the lights for it, but an old AMT Parks Pack may well be able to sacrifice some to the cause. Love those little chrome inserts! Wonder where it's from?

Next - another Kustom front end.

JB

Junkyard Jewels #6: The Number 62

Skanky old decals are the nearest us modellers will probably get to time-weathered paint - unless we weather it ourselves, obviously. Being a fan, as I am, of something that looks like it's been properly used and enjoyed, a decal missing bits out of it quite appeals to me.

Chances are it'll silver like a bastard when I lay it down, and it's almost crazy to build a whole car around a single decal, but how cool would this look on the back of a royal blue roadster of some sort. Number 62 takes the record!

JB

Soooperdave's '40 Rail

Ever seen a 40 Ford like this before? I hadn't. What a trip this build is, just such a cool concept. Dreampt up by Coffin Corner's Soooperdave this awesome build is twin engined, twin blown, uses an AMT Double Dragster frame and is the coolest vintage bodied FED I've seen for a while.

'Dave has been churning out all kinds of builds like this, which are just the kind of thing to get my excitement nerve twitching. And I don't think I even HAVE an excitement nerve! Whatever, something's a shakin...

This isnt the first build of Dave's that I've enjoyed...just the first I've blogged. Check out his 63 Vette gasser, El Ca-Mini-O (even better that it sounds, if that's possible), mid engined 'Cuda, Fiat rail, as well as this one on the CC.

I just blew four more potential blog entries with those links, but it was worth it - you guys gotta see this guy's work. And he builds 'em fast too! A definite inspiration, and a guy who's next project excites me every bit as my OWN next project! Bring 'em on Dave!

JB

The Builds Of Gray Smith: Part 3

Last in our trilogy today, and it's been fun. I love stuff in progress, I love finished builds but something that's just a pile of parts is music to my ears. No paint, just different coloured bare plastic showing off a mix of different parts from different kit boxes and a whole world of opportunity ahead of a build. This one's no different.

Three window coupe, big ol'meats back and front and a DOHC mill up front. This one's gonna be mean as hell, I suspect. More mock-up pics here, for the curious.

Many thanks to Gray for letting me feature all these odds and ends here,it's been fun. Hope to post some more of his stuff very soon!

JB