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Death of a master model er


misterNNL

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Very sad to report the unexpected death of a close friend and master model builder Charles(Chuck) Helppie. Chuck was hospitalized for 15 days in his home state of Michigan before passing yesterday from kidney complications. He was one the original founders of our original NNL in 1980 and as I personally remember it actually said"I guess that makes us nameless nation luminaries " at the infamous first gathering in my garage when the whole concept was conceived.

Chuck was a master model builder of the first order having been a prolific award winner in the MPC contest era years. Anything he could imagine for his models he had the talent to scratch build. He was several years into a McLaren build in preparation for the next Salt Lake contest in '23 when he passed. Anyone who him was subject to his razor wit and unique sense of humor. RIP Chuck!

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I just received this news a short while ago, and I am stunned.  I’ve known Chuck since the early 1970s, when as a judge and organizer of many of the MPC shows, I had the pleasure of examining his awesome models under a magnifying glass.  In 1977, I along with two others had the distinct pleasure of awarding Chuck with the National Championship title.  I am proud to call Chuck my good friend, and I am saddened by the news of his passing.  I was thinking just yesterday that it was getting to be time for him to head down to Florida for the Tigers fantasy Spring Training Camp, where he loved to go to work out with the team, and had done so every year for as long as I’ve known him.

Farewell my friend. Clear the bases and take a victory lap!  We’re all cheering for you!

Tim Slesak

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33 minutes ago, alexis said:

I always associate the his Name with Tim Boyd's and a fellow named Woodruff. I remember seeing all three names in many Tim Boyd builds over the years.

RIP Charles Helppie.

Yes, Tim Boyd introduced me to Chuck at the 1975 Detroit Autorama, when I was running the MPC Contest booth.  Chuck, with a big grin on his face, handed me a wide body IMSA style Corvette, which went on to win Best In Show at that show.  Tim Boyd, and Tom Woodruff (that’s him that started this post above), and Chuck were good buddies, and the three of them later got together to form NNL, which Chuck named.

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It is with great sadness that I report that the hobby has lost one of its longtime influential leaders. 

Chuck Helppie passed away earlier this week after a long battle with several serious health issues. 

Chuck is probably best known in the model car hobby as one of the three original visionaries and organizers of the NNL (National Nameless Luminaries) non-competitive model car show movement, and as the National Grand Champion of the 1977 MPC National Customizing Contest series. 

Chuck also won 1976 Third Place Nationwide and the 1979 National Quality Workmanship Award in the yearly MPC National Customizing Contest series.   Chuck won several “Best of Show” awards at the Detroit Cobo Autorama Model Car Contest during the mid-late 1970’s, which at the time was the world’s single largest single model contest event.  More recently, Chuck was the visionary lead organizer, event Chairman, and Master of Ceremonies at the 40th NNL Reunion Banquet and Model Display conduced in October, 2019 in Toledo, OH.  

Chuck took a relatively low profile in the model car world over the last several decades, but his model building and design skills easily ranked among the best in this hobby.  Among Chuck’s most favorite model car topics were Formula 1 kits and both resin and white metal 1/43rd scale kits.   Over the years, Chuck also greatly enjoyed the initial stages of piecing together wildly styled and proportioned hot rod themed models. 

Chuck was a high achiever in other walks of life as well, including being an organizer and longtime participant in the yearly Detroit Tigers Fantasy Camp event in Lakeland, Florida, and a stockbroker who worked in that trade for over four decades and eventually owned his own brokerage, Echelon Wealth.   Chuck was also a nationally known expert about the events surrounding the 1963 President Kennedy assassination and wrote and published the historical fiction novel "Kennedy Must Be Killed".  

On a more personal note, Chuck was one of the most important influences in most of my own adult life, and I counted him among my closest lifetime friends.  Chuck was married to his lifelong best friend and wife Vali and they were planning to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary this summer.   The family is not planning a funeral service. 

TIM BOYD   

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