Model Cars Best Of

[promodwillys41]

ok Greg here's my two cents worth LOL

all of Clays cars and one that really got me into pro streets is Leon tefft's 67 GTO Steve Boutte's1960 olds

Pat Dunnivan's custom choppers

[Raul_Perez]

The one that stands out for me is the white 53 Studebaker that was featured in Scale Auto several years ago.

I'm not sure, but I think that the builder was Doug Whyte.

Edited December 16, 2007 by Raul_Perez

[Dr. Cranky]

Okay, Mr. Hawaii Natural Tan. I am going to nominate one vehicle but it has two builders:

I nominate the "Camp Mule" built by Pat Covert and Ken Hamilton!

Cheers!

[dontgobrassit]

Here's one for everyone to put their two cents in.

I am looking for the top, say, fifty models of "our" time, the modern era, from the start of Gary Schmidt's trend-setting mag, the good `old SAE, till now: What are the best model or models that you have seen or know of.

Please send as detailed description, or reference, picture, or link to, the model you think is "One Of The Best"

Send your email to me

I have rhymes to my reasons, and I want your input to my ideas.

For me, it would be, in no particular order:

John MacGowan's `37 Ford Woody and yellow `41 Willys (there's a reason this is first for me)

Augie's models (all of them)

Bruce Owen's GSL Winner (that red thingee)

Jim Drew's 1/12 Corvette

Randy Derr's 1/12 Sunoco Camaro (one of my top ones)

Don Fahrni's Old P/S

Juha Ario's models (all of them)

My Spanish scratchbuider, Francisco Pulido Luque

Gerald Wingrove's models

Dave Cummins' Bugatti

I could go on and on, or maybe I should, but I want your opinions on this also

I have seen in my humble opinion, at least thousands and thousands of models over the past ten years of doing the mag.

I added it up one year, and I had over 12,000 spec sheets!!!!

Now, do the math, and yes, you can say WOW!!!!

I have almost all of those spec sheets still.

They take up a bookcase here in the office.

So, let's hear what you have to say, please!

The 55 Nomad Gasser by Raul Perez. I am just putting my two cents in, he had done a very nice job building this model.

[Mike]

Here's a couple from the Plastic on the Prairie contest I attended in Fargo, ND about a year-and-a-half ago. The pictures do not even do the GTO justice. The doors, seats, etc. all work and the engine bay and car as a whole has plenty of detail. The big story is the finish on the GTO is beyond compare - FLAWLESS and like a sheet of glass covered it. I've never seen anything close on the internet or any magazine as far as a finish goes. I wish I could remember the guy's name, but he was part of a club that came down from Canada. Great guys to chat with as well.

Edited December 22, 2007 by Mike

[Tommy May]

Tommy, I'm looking for specific models, not builders

Ok... You forced my hand here, Gregg... I'd decided not to do this at the risk of being biased but here is my nomination for the best model car ever built.

If you'd go back and read my other post above you would understand what it means to me to have close special friends in this hobby which I cherish the most.

Just a little background first... Pat Covert jokingly commented once at a club meeting on who and why would anyone want or care to build a model of a Soviet designed Trabant... Tony "Tinman" Inman, Sam "Bobo" Hamilton, Tim "Kustom" Kolankiewicz, Myself along with detail parts donated by Dirk Johnson (founder and former owner of Detail Master) and a donated rare resin cast Buick V6 NASCAR engine donated by John Larken all pitched in together to build this to answer Pat's question.

How often can a well built model car that employed 6 modelers come together as sweet as this one?... It was featured in Scale Auto a few years ago and it's still my personal favorite... So shoot me!

[Matt T.]

Doug Whyte's 1970 K&K Insurance Charger Daytona. As a young lad of 15, when I saw this magazine car on the table at an Adirondack Glue Crue show in 1989, it blew me away. First time I ever saw a magazine car in-person and it changed my whole outlook on car models and what they could be.

[SteveG]

I'll throw in my two cents on some of the top 50 all time best models.

I'm a big fan of Juha Airio's work and his 71 Olds Delta 88 and 73 Pontiac are two fine examples of his major conversions.

Two other modelers that just amaze me with their scratch building abilities are Zoli Honeczy and Charles Rowley with their Fire Trucks.

Zoli's Berwyn Heights Seagrave Rescue Squad truck and Charlie's 1937 Seagrave Arial Ladder Fire truck both have me at a loss for words on how to describe them.

And last but not least are Bill Borgen's antique truck models, one of my favorites is the Kriner Bros. Dump Truck. Here's a couple of photos Bill gave me of it.

Bill is a great photographer too ...

-Steve

[Dr. Cranky]

Steve, if you talk to Bill B soon, please tell him there's a whole bunch of us who would love to have access to his great work via a Fotki or similar photo archive place. It's a real shame we don't see Bill's work more often on the internet. Thanks. Best, V.

[cruz]

Norm Veber from Replicas and Miniatures Company of Maryland!!!!! A lot of you guys don't even have an idea how talented this Gentleman is Of course, Harold Bradford, Bill Geary and Juha Aerio also come to mind. Augie Hiscano is also one of the best I ever saw!!!!!!!!!!

[Gregg]

MODELS!!!!!!!

Be specific, :-)

It's all the details my friends!

I am downloading this thread to use and will posting updates soon, if I ever get my kaka together..

[JHDrew]

You want cars Gregg.

Here you go...

All three are from scratch.

This is probably the best piece I have ever seen. Manuel Olive Sans Maserati T61 Birdcage

Here are a couple of Marshall Buck's:

Ferrari Barchetta 0064M

Aston-Martin DBR-1/3

[mhadman]

This is a recent build by an incredibly talented builder right here on this very board.Off road vehicles seem to be an area of model building that is overlooked by most mainstream car builders.When you consider that 80+ % of these builds are scratch built,You can see why I really love seeing this guy creations.Just follow the link!

King of the Desert

[mhadman]

As for Customs,I have seen a ton of talent on this board,but this build struck me as perfect.

This is one of Matt Trottas' works that shows his perfect conception and execution.

Matts Truck

[mhadman]

Rat rods?This truck struck me as the coolest build.I love everything about it.

Steve H.

Steves truck

[Andy Wyatt]

I met Matt Trotta several years ago when he brought his '51 Chevy down to Mid Atlantic NNL...I was very impressed and have always looked forward to seeing his builds. Not only a great builder Matt is a nice guy too!

[Mike Kucaba]

There was is a really nicely done Hirohata Merc replica in Mark Gustavson's book.Built by Dan Thomas.

I also would include Leon Tefft's GTO and J.D.Booths' '34 ford.

[Wildrice]

Gary Kulchocks 69 Caddy that won Best Beater at Toledo

[Ironheadfan]

Bob Barnett's Dream Truck and Kopper Kart..

[Tonioseven]

I'll nominate one of my favorites,

Tim Kolankiewicz's Coral Aura.

That's my pick; it was one of the main builds that reeled me back into the hobby after I read about it. Thanks Tim!

[ZTony8]

Here's one for everyone to put their two cents in.

I am looking for the top, say, fifty models of "our" time, the modern era, from the start of Gary Schmidt's trend-setting mag, the good `old SAE, till now: What are the best model or models that you have seen or know of.

Please send as detailed description, or reference, picture, or link to, the model you think is "One Of The Best"

Send your email to me

I have rhymes to my reasons, and I want your input to my ideas.

For me, it would be, in no particular order:

John MacGowan's `37 Ford Woody and yellow `41 Willys (there's a reason this is first for me)

Augie's models (all of them)

Bruce Owen's GSL Winner (that red thingee)

Jim Drew's 1/12 Corvette

Randy Derr's 1/12 Sunoco Camaro (one of my top ones)

Don Fahrni's Old P/S

Juha Ario's models (all of them)

My Spanish scratchbuider, Francisco Pulido Luque

Gerald Wingrove's models

Dave Cummins' Bugatti

I could go on and on, or maybe I should, but I want your opinions on this also

I have seen in my humble opinion, at least thousands and thousands of models over the past ten years of doing the mag.

I added it up one year, and I had over 12,000 spec sheets!!!!

Now, do the math, and yes, you can say WOW!!!!

I have almost all of those spec sheets still.

They take up a bookcase here in the office.

So, let's hear what you have to say, please!

I'll agree about Bruce Owen's Virtue NSX.The engineering and workmanship on that model is second to none even being one of the ugliest model designs I've ever seen.

Here in Metro Detroit there's a very talented builder by the name of Harold Helzer,better known as just "H".He built a very detailed black '68 Dodge Dart that took top honors at the March 2005(?) Toledp show and a black '32 Ford coupe that was selected as best Deuce at the 2006 Toledo NNL.

[935k3]

Randy Derr's Penske Camaro and Jim Drew's Grandsport are awsome and don't forget one of the best but may not be known because he builds for customers around the world. Andy Mathews build the best Grand Prix and F1 cars in the world. He is currently building Mclaren F1 cars for Mclaren.

Here is a link to his art.

ClearviewF1

[ScrappyJ]

I agree with most of the models mentioned (Juha's, Auggies, Wingrove's, Tim K's, Randy's, Jim Drew's, etc.). If I may, I would like to add some that I don't think were mentioned for consideration:

Ray Patrick's Ferrari 250 GT

Tom May's white Pro Street '50 Austin truck

Pat Covert's white "Future Shock" '66 Impala

Bob Kournow's Purple Satellite

Kenny Reeve's '69 Mercury Cougar

Trae Larkin's '72 Road Runner

Greg Nichols' VW 2000 GTI

Bill Cunningham's Corvair

Dave Morton's Cadillac

Tom Kirn's 1/15 Duesenberg Model J

Don Nowell's Scratch built bike (Blue and White)

Bruce Miller's 1/8 black "smoothy" '32 Ford

Dave Turner's 1/8 green street rod

John McGowan's '37 Ford Woody

Marshall King's '34 Ford

Ricky Couch's OnSat Pro Mod (there are many of Ricky's, but this is my all-time favorite)

Steve Cerka's blue Pro Mod Mustang

Mark Guerrero's twin-engine dragster

Tommy Simms' '40 Willys

Dave Cummins' Aerolante

Larry Boothe's '67 Mustang

Bob Jernigan's '69 Dodge Daytona

Mark Jones' Super Seven

Steve Keck's "tsunami" Supra

Tim Davis' Jeff Burton #8 Raybestos Thunderbird

Tom Andersons' Jeff Gordon

Clyde Alexander's Mongram '37 Ford (the black one with the silver, purple and rose graphics)

Bill Snyder's McLaren MP4/6

Steve Boutte's purple '51 Chevy

Terry Ross' white Willys

Anthony Cairo's 1967 Pro Mod Nova

These are just some that I think should be considered. Not all might be in the top 50, but I thought should be noted. I took the approach of looking at them relative to the time they were built. There are so many other models I think are exceptional, but when you start adding all of Auggies, Wingrove's, Juha's, etc., you can get to 50 rather quickly. There are even projects that have not been covered in print, or internet that the general populus have not seen (including those projects that have been covered in WIP, going way back, that were never captured as finished models: I'd like to see some of those, like Bob Bennet's Pro Stock car, among others).

Another topic that has been discussed elsewhere, including in this topic (although off topic), is builders. There are some execptional builders in our hobby

Edited December 30, 2007 by ScrappyJ

[1320wayne]

Here are just a few.

Jairus Watson's GSL Best in Show stock woody

Mark Jones GSL Best in Show Caterham

Roger Yu's futuristic formula 1 diorama

Ken Hamilton's GSL 2005 camper diorama

Ken Hamilton's 51 Merc, 87 GSL, I believe

Tom Anderson's silver Earnhardt Monte Carlo

Jeff Gordon Nascar

Davey Allison Nascar

Skoal weathered Nascar

Ricky Couch early and late model Vettes

Jag T

Dave Cummins Bugatti Aerolante

John Macgowans 89 GSL Best in Show 37 Woody

Augie Hiscano's GSL Best in Show street rods

Steve Catron's belly tanker

Clay Kemp's Danny Drinan USAC racer

Greg Anderson Grand Am pro stock

Cingular Monte Carlo Nascar

Cory Maclenathan Fram top fuel dragster

Brut Stratus funny car

David Thibadeau's Earnhardt Peter Maxx Monte Carlo Nascar

Pirates of the Carribean Pontiac Nascar

Warren Johnson Grand Am pro stock

Larry Dixon Miller Lite top fuel dragster

Don Farhni's pro stock Olds.

pro stock T-bird

51 Chevy custom

Bob Barnett's Dream truck

Kopper Kart

Bill Geary's 62 Vette

58 Impala

Greg Nichols Volkswagon Beetle GTI

The list could go on and on.

What makes a top model in my mind. One that was so impressive that you will always remember the model, the name of the builder and where you may have seen it in competition or read about it in a magazine.

Edited December 29, 2007 by 1320wayne

[Gregg]

hate to be an okole puka, but only one from each, and that's a tough one, I know

It's tough to narrow it down with some of them.

Dirk and Dwayne, your lists have hit me big time

Dirk, I think there is one or two you left out, but you are too humble :-)

Can't believe it's been a decade since I have been drooling over your work