2024 Cannonball Run theme ideas thread?

[Camaro lover]

I’d like to take part in this upcoming cannonball run. Whatever the theme is I’m sure I’ve got what I’ll need in my collection. 

[Russell C]

Alternative utterly offbeat suggestion, not for a particular 1:1 vehicle category, but instead for a particular kit manufacturer.  Specifically, find whatever version of those old widely ill-proportioned 1:32nd scale Palmer Plastics kits (rescued glue bomb or unbuilt unloved kit, doesn't matter the source), and do whatever justice you can with it to make it into a really interesting model that it never would have been otherwise. Many of that company's box artworks implied these would be great Cannonball racers.  Just a thought, anyway ....

[Lunajammer]

Not that I have any skin in the game but I've always thought a fun CBP theme would be vehicles named after physical places; Monte Carlo, Denali, Mercury, (Ferrari) California, Galaxie, Europa, (Taurus?), Fairlane, Eldorado, Caprice (Ghana), Daytona, Malibu, Bonneville, Comet (of your choosing), Torino, Polara, Bel Air, Plymouth, Riviera, Tudor, etc, etc. If you Google enough you could probably find someplace named after almost anything.

Heck, you could make the argument that a vehicle with just a number could be a physical address, but you would have to state the address.

"Cannonball GPS."

Edited December 5, 2023 by Lunajammer

[disconovaman]

What about the runner up from last year as an option everyone? It was a close second... (Station Wagons) 

We've had some good ideas in the past too. Some of my ideas are...

Gluebombs/rebuilders.

Mid/rear engine. 

Wagons.

Factory Phantom. Cars or trucks never built but should've been...

4 door only.

90's (celebrating the next generation of classic/antique cars) 25 years or older.

Just some ideas to mill over...

 

 

[oldcarfan]

Another idea could be a 'RadWood' Cannonball, since that stuff is in style now. You know, cars and trucks from the 80s and 90s. Picture early tuner cars, Koenig Ferraris, RUF Porsches, Saleen Mustangs, you could even Miami Vice style cars. Or how about those hot hatches like the Golf GTI or Escort GT,  or those custom mini-trucks? Maybe an 80s-90s car with modern running gear?

[tim08]

I'm liking lunajammers idea of cannonball gps, and also the radwood from oldcar. Great ideas!

[Fat Brian]

So far I like the work vehicles, factory phantoms, and Radwood themes.

[Beans]

 OK,  I am starting to really like the Radwood idea!  The Magnum PI theme keeps bouncing around in my head.

[Zoom Zoom]

The ACME Southern Nationals had a RADwood theme in 2022, it was a very popular theme with a lot of cool models built for it. So many kits available either current or vintage and you can pick a lot of the vintage issues up from show vendors pretty dang cheap, even sometimes sealed for less than Ollie's current prices. 

[Pat Minarick]

Not sure if I'm understanding the Radwood theme. I looked up videos on YouTube and it just looks like a bunch of stock vehicles from the 80' and 90's. What I think of at that time is Pro Street cars, wild mini trucks,  lowered cars , bright colors and lots or graphics, billet aluminum,and  mono painted cars, the Miami  Vice style. I have never heard of this before,  can someone help me with some pictures or more info on exactly what Radwood is ?  Thanks. 

Edited December 8, 2023 by Pat Minarick

[Beans]

21 minutes ago, Pat Minarick said:

What I think of at that time is Pro Street cars, wild mini trucks,  lowered cars , bright colors and lots or graphics, billet aluminum,and  mono painted cars, the Miami  Vice style. 

To my thinking, this pretty much sums it up.  

Radwood itself is pretty much about cars from 1980-1999.  Stock or otherwise, with the owners dressing the part at events.  

For our purposes I would think it would mean the base of the build had to be a car built between those dates but could have modernized components.  The detail and paint scheme should replicate a style from those decades somewhat.  This is my non expert opinion anyway.

[Fat Brian]

5 hours ago, Pat Minarick said:

Not sure if I'm understanding the Radwood theme. I looked up videos on YouTube and it just looks like a bunch of stock vehicles from the 80' and 90's. What I think of at that time is Pro Street cars, wild mini trucks,  lowered cars , bright colors and lots or graphics, billet aluminum,and  mono painted cars, the Miami  Vice style. I have never heard of this before,  can someone help me with some pictures or more info on exactly what Radwood is ?  Thanks. 

 

4 hours ago, Beans said:

To my thinking, this pretty much sums it up.  

Radwood itself is pretty much about cars from 1980-1999.  Stock or otherwise, with the owners dressing the part at events.  

For our purposes I would think it would mean the base of the build had to be a car built between those dates but could have modernized components.  The detail and paint scheme should replicate a style from those decades somewhat.  This is my non expert opinion anyway.

This is a conversation to have to have. Do we want Radwood, cars 80 to 99 with period appropriate mods or "The 80s", which would include all of the Radwood stuff but also prostreet and the beginnings of the billet hotrod scene and other period styling.

[Zoom Zoom]

I went to RADwood Atlanta last year riding shotgun in a buddy's 3.4 liter converted Fiero. It's not just stock OEM cars, it's also period-correct cars from the era. If the build is based on a car/truck from 1980-1999, it's good. So if it's a wild pro-street car from that era, go for it. Crazy S10 or Ford Ranger mini truck ideas? Cool! That Revell Mk. VII pro-street just got reissued, great subject for the theme. There were several safari-style Porsche 911's there built by Leh Keen. He drifted his personal car around the track at Lanier Raceplex...slowly LOL. Got a period-correct SCCA racer or LeMons racer idea? Go for it. There are so many potential kit subjects out there, and some of them are really nice. Got a T-Bird Super Coupe kit? There are some new, fresh anniversary decals out there for them. There are a lot of '80's and '90's era NASCAR subjects. RADwood in NC was at Hendricks Motorsports Complex this past summer. 

[disconovaman]

26 minutes ago, Fat Brian said:

This is a conversation to have

The conversation will raise the question do we build for the decade's fashion in car culture or build only model years ranging from 1980-1999?  Which is what the true Radwood theme embodies. One could argue that the style of cars built in the 80's and 90's is just a movement. I seen lots of 50's, 60's, and 70's cars built during that time with the "Rad" flare mentioned by @Pat Minarick but this would have to exclude any cars outside of the Radwood era. I think that's why Pat, the pictures you've seen are just stock  CRXs and Nissan Pulsars from the 80's. I think it's a great challenge honestly, it would be cool to see what we could do with those decades Fer Sher Dude! ?

[Zoom Zoom]

Here are some RADwood links:

Hagerty

RADwood Website

CNET

Jalopnik

If you're into YouTube, there are lots of RADwood videos from the events around the country to see. It's a younger crowd than most typical car shows. We're all talking about how we keep the younger generations interested in cars and model cars, they're actually very interested in cars. Especially because of stuff they've seen in video games. Anything to keep the car passion alive...

[Lunajammer]

There's a 21 year old girl in our office who is hog wild for the 80's and has built her life around the fashion and culture and surrounds herself with cassette tapes, records, posters and clothes, mostly gotten at thrift store prices. The more she squeals over it the older I feel. But I'm learning to see what she sees in it so for that reason, if this excites a pocket of young, participating modelers, I'm for it. Personally it doesn't interest me... (much).

[Beans]

The details may need to be hashed out some but either way, I'm all for it.

Funny thing is, growing up in the 80s, my friends and I all had late 60s and 70s cars.  

The rich kids all had the newer cars and Toyota pickups.

[tim08]

That's funny Joe, I grew up...but don't remember allot of the 80s...we all had 60s and 70s cars. Wish I still had a few of them

[Camaro lover]

Is Radwood going to be the official theme ?

[disconovaman]

46 minutes ago, Beans said:

Funny thing is, growing up in the 80s, my friends and I all had late 60s and 70s cars.  

The rich kids all had the newer cars and Toyota pickups

Same here, we couldn't afford anything new. I didn't want anything new anyway. All I liked was stuff from the mid 50's to the late 70's.

Newest car I had was a 1981 Citation, bought it in 87 for $300 because it needed rotors and brakes. I bought it because it was cheap and it had a 4 speed manual.? I fixed it, drove it til 89 when I ran it off the road Hellraising, bent the struts. sold it for 100 bucks.  

[disconovaman]

51 minutes ago, Camaro lover said:

Is Radwood going to be the official theme ?

Ideally there will be multiple suggestions based on the most intrest formed in a poll and then we'll vote. The theme with the most votes is our upcoming CBR theme.

In the past the moderator has chosen the theme on occasion. It just depends on how much input the thread has. If anyone has any suggestions post away.

[Spottedlaurel]

I'd be very happy with the Radwood theme. I have loads of suitable subjects in the stash, and cars from that era represent three quarters of my 1:1 car fleet (1980 Datsun, 1993 Lexus and 1996 Toyota).

To take me out of my comfort zone a little perhaps it's time to do something with those Thunderbirds and Fox Mustangs I've picked-up, or maybe even the Citation X or Ford EXP?!

Edited December 9, 2023 by Spottedlaurel

[stitchdup]

I'd be in for radwood, its the era that started being a car guy in and would be an excuse to use up some of the wilder bodykits. Just a pity there not more euro kits

just for inspiration heres a fully 80s mk2 golf with a zender bodykit

[KWT]

Radwood is actually a pretty good one. And it would knock several out of their "comfort zones", which could make the race even more interesting...

I was in a Radwood themed buildoff on IG a fews year back. Quite a few nice builds came out of that one.

Some period correct. Some modernized with wild paint jobs. Some modernized all the way round. The only criteria was it had to be from year 80-99.

[MeatMan]

2 hours ago, KWT said:

Radwood is actually a pretty good one. And it would knock several out of their "comfort zones", which could make the race even more interesting...

I was in a Radwood themed buildoff on IG a fews year back. Quite a few nice builds came out of that one.

Some period correct. Some modernized with wild paint jobs. Some modernized all the way round. The only criteria was it had to be from year 80-99.

I'm starting to like the idea too!