How about a little model car history?

[tim boyd]

I recnently completed posting pictures of five of my custom Chevy builds, with completion dates ranging from 1977 through the late 1990's.

One of these is my "Tangerine Dream" '51 Chevy Bel Air Full Custom, which took Best of Show at the 1977 Chicago ISCA show, making it eligible for the 1978 MPC National Championship held at the Omaha ISCA show (which was also the finals for the 1.1 scale showcars that year IIRC). The model eventually won 2nd Nationwide that year. (Another of my models won 3rd Nationside at the finals, making what we believe may be the highest "combination finish" by a builder in the 11 year history of the MPC series.)

Click on the link for about ten more phots of the car, including closeups.

Also at the link are my '51 Chevy Fleetline sedan mild custom, a '58 Impala Full Cusom, a '59 Impala Full Custom, and a '70 Impala Full Cusom. Some of these you may recoginze, while others you've most likely never seen before, particularly in color.

Thanks for loolking....TIM BOYD

Tim's 1950's-1970's 1/25th scale Chevy Customs

[nitrojunkie]

Thanks for the History lesson and the pictures.Most of all thank you for staying active in the hobby and sharing your work.

[BigGary]

Thanks for the History lesson and the pictures.Most of all thank you for staying active in the hobby and sharing your work.

Well, if anybody's got a right to brag, it's Tim Boyd! Those are awesome builds.

I'm working on bringing back a '51 Chevy 'vert glue bomb, and that was great inspiration.

Thanks, Tim

Gary

[RodBurNeR]

I was only 3 years old when ya built that

That's a really high end build for that time period, well done! I would like to see your other models if you want to post them. Some guys say "nah, everyone's seen it".....but really I would like to see more, I have never seen this Chevy before and I like it!

DOH! I will check your link.

Edited August 2, 2009 by awbcrazy

[Custom Hearse]

Awesome work Tim. I was 14 when you built it. is there a possibility you can get a close up of the plaques in the trunk? I was building models then, but not of that caliber. Thanks for sharing these with us!

[tim boyd]

Awesome work Tim. I was 14 when you built it. is there a possibility you can get a close up of the plaques in the trunk? I was building models then, but not of that caliber. Thanks for sharing these with us!

Thanks Custom! There is a closeup of the trunk at the link in the original post. I believe they came from one of the original Parts Packs - perhaps Aurora or Revell. TIM

[Custom Hearse]

Thanks Custom! There is a closeup of the trunk at the link in the original post. I believe they came from one of the original Parts Packs - perhaps Aurora or Revell. TIM

Duhhh.... Uhhuhhehe.... O.K., so I'm not the brightest crayon in the box....

Thanks Tim, I couldn't have found it without ya.

[old low&slo]

I like that 70 man thats sweet !!!!!

thats old school there.

what did you use for material on the interior ???

[Joe Handley]

Was that '59 a cover car at some point? It looks kinda familiar.

[Foxer]

Just plain Classic. It's just great having you here, Tim

[MikeC]

Tim I was the one that asked on the "other site" for pics (chevybuldr). I want to say thank you very much. Nice to see that all we have to do is ask. Amazing job on all of them!!!

[randx0]

I picked up a book on ebay with a pic of you and the other winners along with other cars from the circuit .

[Modelmartin]

Here is some major embarassment for Tim but it is actually pretty cool. I scanned these from my "Wall O'Mags".

Detroit MPC Show 1970-71? The dude wins best detail at age 15! At the biggest model car contest ever held!

Tim mentioned winning 2nd and 3rd at the MPC Championship. Here he is! Bruce is looking pretty fashion forward, too! I met these guys one year after this photo!

Good times!

[RodBurNeR]

the guy in the middle looks like Wierd Al!

kidding...but that is really cool to see! never seen such an old picture of Bruce before.

[Custom Hearse]

the guy in the middle looks like Wierd Al!

Funny.... I thought the same thing

[MikeMc]

Funny.... I thought the same thing

But have they been seen together???????

[Modellpularn]

But have they been seen together???????

Shhh, don't tell Tim.....

I've actually seen the Tangerine Dream, and the Pink Flamingo - '58 Impala, live in person when I met Tim in 1981. I took pics of a bunch of his models, and devoted an article in our swedish Wheels magazine to Tim's models. I used to write about models in Wheels back then.

Edited August 4, 2009 by Modellpularn

[tim boyd]

I like that 70 man thats sweet !!!!!

thats old school there.

what did you use for material on the interior ???

Old - i used velour from the fabric store, chosen for its (relatively) short nap. Generally looked pretty good except when wrapped around sharp corners as you can see on the edge of the seats. Thanks for the comments! TIM

[tim boyd]

Was that '59 a cover car at some point? It looks kinda familiar.

Joe, it was featured in Scale Auto in the late 1990s and now that you mention it, it may have been a cover car. If important to you, I can find out which issue and post it here. Let me know if you need it. Thanks...TIM

[tim boyd]

First of all, I never tire of seeing pics of "Tangerine Dream"! That is still probably my favorite of the models you've shown in the mags & online over the years, & it's great to see pics of it that weren't in the SAE article from many years ago.

Secondly, I loved finally getting to see pics of your 70 Impala custom. I recall when Highland Productions, (SAE & CM in the old days), published the two volumes of "The Best OF SAE", & announced a third one, that was to include the multi part articles on building it you wrote for them, but that third volume never came to pass.

Tim, since I got back into the hobby almost twenty years ago, though I have been influenced by many people in it, you & Mark Gustavson have been my primary influences over the time period. Mark for his constant mantras on craftsmanship, & you for your constant mantras on enjoying the hobby. I've managed to find an approach between being inspired by the both of you that works well for me. That approach is why I can paint & mildly detail a curbside snapper in a couple of weeks & be pleased with both the process & the end result, do a somewhat more involved & detailed build in a month or two & reach my goals in that build, or spend months & years on a highly detailed, money & time consuming project, & be just as pleased as I am with the first two builds.

When you get right down to it, be it your long running modeling column in Street Rodder, your book on collecting & building models, or your years of writing for SAE, CM, MCM, Scale Auto Modeler, (from the UK for those that don't recall it), to name the ones I know of, & your writing on these forums & message boards you have probably touched, influenced or inspired more modelers than any other writer has, & for that we owe you our thanks.

Mark...thank you so much for your comments here. This really means alot to me personally, let me assure you.

I didn't remember that the LAte Model Custom was to be a part of "BEST of SAE v3", but now that you mention it that strikes a faimiliar cord. I don't recall the project getting to the point that Gary acutally asked me for t he color photograhy, though that would have been pretty cool. (I did prepare a series of how-to articles on a projectd car last year that were similar is scope (though not as highly detailed) as the Late Model Custom series, but unfortunately it seems the topic of the build just did not have enough popular appeal to make it to the point of being published. While I respectuflly disagree on this, it's not my money publishing these magazines, and that's a really important consideration!)

I also want to respond to you on just how strongly I endorse your mantra about doing different types of builds and being satisfied with all of them. That has been exactly my modeling philosophy for many years now. While I just don't have the time to do the ultra detailed buids like the Tangerine Dream any more (my last one of those was the Grabber Green Boss 302 I completed about ten years ago) , I still greatly respect those like yourself that do work at that level. Having become good friends with Steve Perry has served to infliuence me and remind me of just how much effort I used to do this in this regard. Still, for the amount of time I have to spend on modeling, I am pleased with myr esults and find completing a model to be a very fulfilling experience. But even better is hearing that I am still having a positive effect on those that read my articles. So thanks to you, and all the others who have posted on this topic, for caring and for acknowleding my work.

Very Best regards...TIM

[tim boyd]

the guy in the middle looks like Wierd Al!

kidding...but that is really cool to see! never seen such an old picture of Bruce before.

Bob...the wierd Al relationship seems to be broadly shared by the modeling community. My girlfriend doesn't think it is so cool though!

Andy, thanks for dragging out those photos....I would have been 15 in the first shot and just graduating from college in ths shot wth Bruce and Bill Merrill....TB

[tim boyd]

Shhh, don't tell Tim.....

I've actually seen the Tangerine Dream, and the Pink Flamingo - '58 Impala, live in person when I met Tim in 1981. I took pics of a bunch of his models, and devoted an article in our swedish Wheels magazine to Tim's models. I used to write about models in Wheels back then.

Hans....and I still have that magazine copy around somewhere....as i recall this was among the verty few times my work appeared in color at that time....

Thanka again these many years later...tIM

[Sixties Sam]

Tim, that is incredible workmanship and creativity! I love the 59 Chevy. It looks like you used the custom tailgate from the 59 El Camino kit blended into the rear end. Great idea! The front is nice too. Looks like a Mercury grille? Very creative!

Sam

[Modelmartin]

Tim,

At the risk of your head getting even a little bit bigger after all these guys have been stroking you I will add my thoughts on your influence on me and the hobby in general.

I had always admired your models and remembered your name from the Car Model mag days. I was very pleased when I met you and the gang at Omaha in 79. I instantly recognized Tom Woodruff's name too. I had never heard of Helppie! I remember you and Dave Berry in particular going out of your way to talk to me and help get me in to the MPC finals judging. That was one of the best week-ends of my life! The next year when I met up with the gang and you in Dearborn and you took me over to see all your built models at your folk's house was also a big thrill.

Over the years I always noticed how you continued to introduce yourself to new people who showed up and help get pics of their models in the mags. It is quite a thrill the first time it happens for all of us. You really have been an Ambassador-At-Large for the hobby and made a real difference to a lot of people's enjoyment of the hobby.

Be cool.

[Matt LeBlanc]

I agree with what the others said.I could not wait for the next Street Rodder mag for your column.As the others have said you influnced me as well. Thanks Matt