tim boyd

Uh...except that I took the photos myself. And hundreds (if not thousands) at the D>A>A>M show last April saw them in the flesh...err....wood too! Cheers ....TIM

The "NNL Founders Present the 40th NNL Anniversary Celebration" took place in Toledo, Ohio on the Friday evening before the NNL Nats #40, and on the Saturday evening after the NNL Nats concluded that afternoon; October 11 and 12, 2019. The events were conceptualized, produced, and mc'ed by NNL Founder and 1977 MPC Grand National Champion Chuck Helppie. Chuck wanted us to celebrate the last-ever NNL Nationals with a couple of complimentary events that harkened back to why the NNL began in the first place. Friday night's activities centered around a dinner and presentation/series of on-stage interviews with several figures from the formative years of our hobby, including 1965 Revell/Testors National Champion Rich Morgan, and Denny Johnson, creator of the "Zingers" concept that kitmaker MPC turned into a winning product line. (Several other key figures in our hobby's history were invited but unable to attend due to health issues). Subsequent interviewees included NNL Founding Father Tom Woodruff and the current leaders of several of the other major NNL Events across the United States. Further insight came from Tim Slezak, who eventually became one of the key judges in the MPC National Customzing Contest than ran from 1969 through 1979. Tim sent a letter to be shared with the attendees, as did GSL International Model Car Championship and Convention and International Model Car Builder's Museum head honco Mark Gustavson) as well. Each speaker received a beautiful "Ring of Honor" desk plaque. Those attending left with a better understanding of how the NNL began as a NON-COMPETITIVE gathering where the country's best model car builders could gather to enjoy their hobby and build friendships that would, and will, last for a lifetime... Saturday night's event was set up like the original NNL events in a hotel conference room, with tables for the participants to show their own models and see those of the others. It featured the largest ever gathering of model car magazine cover cars dating back as far as nearly 60 years, and a display of some of the most significant modeling treasures from the International Model Car Builder's Museum in Sandy, Utah. Another highlight was a table of 1949-current Mercury cars, revisiting the original "Merc Deuce Reunion" theme that was so successful at NNL #2 in October, 1981. Many of the best known model car builders of the last four decades were present that evening. It was great to renew so many friendships and catch up with the activities of each other. Not to mention, have a chance to see first hand some of the most significant model cars ever in our hobby. On behalf of the participants, I'd like to publicly thank Chuck Helppie, along with fellow NNL Founders Tom and Karen Woodruff and west coast modeling legend Pryor Passorino, for his and their efforts to put on two nights of pure model car related enjoyment and friendship that we'll all remember for the rest of our lives. ( If you would like to know more about how this event was developed, visit the following Facebook page.... https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Sports---Recreation/NNL-Founders-Present-the-NNL-40th-Anniversary-Celebration-288074061863099/ ) The pictures at the link below start off with the Friday night activities, followed by the Saturday night events. Have fun looking and enjoying, and remember that NNL's far and wide are all about model cars and having fun for sure, but even more importantly, the friendships that develop from them. Also of note, well-known modeler and photographer Doug Whyte, and his wife and son, were on hand at both evening events with a professional video team, and they will be producing a summary of the key events. Be watching for it, and enjoy all the pictures in the album below. Enjoy....TIM

Great project! Makes me wanna dig one out and build it. Really like the fine details you incorporated like the number stenciled on the grille. Congrats...TIM

Oliver....great that you decided to build the kit instead of the alternative! Great touches too to personalize the design....scallops look really cool. Congrats! And let's all continued to convey our wishes to Revell that they figure out a way to put this kit back into production, and to do it SOON!!!! Best Regards....TIM

The Revell display model at the NNL Nats #40...

Guys....I remember the GLMFAA very well. Their club participation and support was a real boost to the NNL Nats, particularly during the first decade of the event. For those that were not there back in the day, the GLMFAA display often comprised nearly a quarter of more of the entire table space. Great memories....TIM .

Sorry, we missed you, Bill. Somehow I feel you were there in spirit if not in fact. Good Luck with the new housing arrangements....TIM

I remember when I was .... oh well, let's just say I didn't really understand the kit modeling business. Then I was hired by AMT do to various projects in the mid 1970's, and interviewed with AMT and Monogram upon graduation before I went another direction. What I found to be the case then (and it remains true today) was that how things and decisions appear to the public was often much different than what was actually going on in the companies,. And while communication between the kitmakers and us (their consumers) is far more open today than back then, there are still topics they keep pretty close to the vest. So.... I don't know any specifics about the '71/'72 Road Runner tool, but I can assure you all of the following.... * The Round Two people are car nuts, and they are also very astute business people. I STRONGLY doubt they have any preconceived bias against the 1971/72 Road Runner; in fact, I personally find the possibility to be inconceivable. * Round Two has many projects in the works and only so much tooling money, and staff time, available to make them a reality. New project ideas are evaluated against existing ideas on the list, and only a certain amount make to the stage of tooling and production. And at least a few of these projects, some announced and others not announced at this time, are pretty ambitious projects coming down the pike. Bottom line, continue to respectfully express your preferences for this or any other potential kit topic. But I also urge you take advantage of the insights from many on this board who have industry experience and/or insights, It can help to explain why certain things happen, or don't happen, in this fascinating hobby of ours. My 2 cents...hope you find it helpful. TIM

A few more images here....TIM

Interesting discussions here. One factor I have been told about the original parts packs was that the small packages were prone to shoplifting and that may have been a factor. But as mentioned above, changing tastes, new and more complete/up to date kit introductions, and the onslaught of slot cars at the same time, were probably key factors in the disappearance of 1960's parts packs. One other point, may have been made but I don't recall it from what I recall of the posts in this thread. That is, for the famous three double kits, it turns out that Revell did tweak some of the existing parts pack trees to assist builders in piecing together the kits. I was dumbfounded to discover this when I built the Bantam Altered for an article in Model Cars in the early 2000's. For that reason alone, not to mention the enhance value of getting all those parts packs parts in a kit that builds two complete cars, I'd prefer to see these parts resurface as part of the production re-run of the three original Double Kits. I was also disappointed that the Bantam body was not surfaced very well and needed a LOT of work to prepare to a presentable appearance. At the NNL Nats yesterday, there was some discussion going on that the company that bought all the old, unused Monogram tools had discovered some car kits amongst the tooling they acquired. Don't remember the details, and as they say, the proof is in the pudding...or....show me the styrene, bub! Bottom line, I'd sure be surprised to see the Double Kits, or even just some of the Parts Packs resurface as production items...but then again I never dreamed we'd see a series of Hudson kits, a chopped Merc, nor some of the rediscovered tooling and kits coming out of Round Two... TIM

Here's the link to my in-depth coverage of the last-ever NNL Nats, with 375 images and all builders identified in the Contests and Shows folder here at modelcarsmag.com. Other participants are also beginning to posting their pictures and coverage of the event in the Contests and Shows section. Be Sure to check 'em all out...Thanks....Tim

Well...this one was one for the ages. In more ways than one, too.... As many of you know, this was the last-ever NNL Nationals...the 40th yearly get together of the original non-competitive model car event. It was a terrific success. Modelers from all parts of the US and Canada, along with the UK. Many of our participants were the guys and gals who attended the NNL Nats during the first 10 years, before the other NNL Events around the US and around the world that were inspired by the Nats began to become overwhelmingly popular. Many, many old friendships were renewed and enjoyed. Why? Because above all us, the NNL Nats has been a venue for, even more than the models, the people that enjoy and participate in this great hobby of ours. In the end, over 1,000 models were tallied - a collection of those we remember fondly from past NNL Nats, and many fresh models (many people made a mad dash to complete projects for this year's event). It was a great way to end and enduring legacy that some people credit with (along with the creation of Scale Auto magazine and the GSL International Model Car Contest and Convention) the ascension and success of adult model car building over the last forty years. What follows is a look at some of the models, historic NNL Nats artifacts, and the people seen at the NNL Nats #40. Be sure to also check out the NNL Reunion album, which captured the Friday and Saturday night events curated by NNL Founder Chuck Helppie. As in the past, I have attempted to identify the builder of each model. In cases where the handwriting was hard to read, I had to guess at the spelling of the builders' names - please correct me if I got the name(s) wrong.... Also, amidst the hub-bub and greeting/catching up with old friends, and meeting new friends, somehow the depth of field setting on my became maladjusted toward the end of the evening, so I apologize in advance for those images that are not fully in focus around the edges. I left 'em in anyway, because I thought you'd want to see the images anyway. I apologize in advance. Thanks for visiting this coverage of the final NNL Nats ever, and thanks for your interest and support. And by all means, in the future please consider attending the nearest NNL events in your part of the country or world to experience the fun and camaraderie of non-competitive model car events! Cheers....TIM LINK to NNL Nats #40 In-depth coverage Randy Derr's John Greenwood IMSA Corvette project...

Thanks Dennis...I'll check it out....TIM

There are new projects underway at several of the domestic companies.....when they will be formally announced and then break the light of day I do not know, but from my perspective the interest in pursuing new projects has done a complete 180 vs this time 12-18 months ago. For the first time in a long time, I'm pretty encouraged. TIM ////

Heh Tim....great to hear you are coming.....TIM

Interesting...thanks Richard. A couple of years back I talked to Hank Borger about his and Bill Coulter's all time best kit award (as described in Hank's Scrap Box column in one of the last ever issued of Car Model (c. 1974 or so.)), Hank mentioned that his "runner up" choice just behind the Jo-Han Turbine (the kit that Hank and Bill ultimately decided was the all time best) was AMT's 1963 Impala annual kit. So all you guys that respect that kit, several very respected voices in the model car journalism world seem to agree....TIM

Thanks Alan for weighing in with the latest developments....I was hoping you would do so. Congrats on the transition and best wishes for future events....TIM

NNL South Africa still has a website IIRC, the NNL Austraila event morphed somewhat from what I remember and now uses a different event name, but ti's still very big for the Aussies from what I recall....TIM

Vince....I remember you from those days but didn't see your name on the list for NNL West #2....now I know why....thanks for clarifying the link....Cheers....TIM..

The Ball Stud Hemi engine program is a fascinating part of Mopardom and we got a lot closer to having this engine hit actual production (probably for the 1972 model year) than most. Sadly, the collapse of the muscle car market in 1970 1/2 and beyond, usurious insurance rates on musclecars, and the fallout of the Muskie Emissions Bill made the project irrelevant. I've been building a file on Ball Stud Hemis for several decades....still want to build a model of the stillborn 1972 Charger R/T (yes, there was to be a '72 R/T and I have the MPC decal sheet (for their '72 Dodge Promos) to prove it). It would be powered by the Ball Stud Hemi and also include the up and over rear trunk spoiler for the '71 Charger that was cancelled for production at the last minute but included in MPC's original 1971 Charger annual kit... Good Luck on your project, Vi. TIM

I purchased and received mine from Ed a couple of weeks ago. Excellent bodywork by Dennis and high quality casting by Ed/Drag City. Highly, highly recommended. And Dennis...is that a Y-Block I see hiding under the hood of your project car? Excellent choice! TIM

Gary....so true, so true! TIM

Here's something from the guys that run the NNL South Africa....they asked me to prepare a one=pager on how the NNL started...and they typeset it (note the international spelling of "Modelling" and posted in on their website as the following...

the INNL #2, Fall 1983, hosted by Tom Woodruff.....wait a second...I NNL? Yes, International NNL....wherein Tom invited some of his pen pals from around the world, including Paulo Valchi of Italy, to stop by and enjoy a mini-NNL event....how cool is that?

NNL #5....Fabulous....Fall 1984.....