My Inspirational Model Car

[bandit1]

my inspirational modeler was my old man! he bought me my first kit that i put together and i still remember that funky glue smell (it was about 15 years ago)... blue corvette http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMT-1996-Corvette-GS-New-Factory-Sealed-Ships-FREE-Model-Car-Swap-Meet-/320783146778?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab02a5f1a#ht_2241wt_1037 ... where i painted the red rally stripes on with a brush cause i didnt know about waterslide decals yet (still thought they where stickers and was malfunctioning!) gave up and painted the stripes ... matter afact if i can i think i may know where its at still if i can find that box at my grandads house! mmmm

[ChevyFan]

I'm inspired by all those that are building the models that I'd like to build. My skills are improving, but not there yet. It was Peter Lombardo (he has no idea who I am though) that got me back into building kits again after about a 10-15 year break. I found pics of his 56 (blue and silver) and 57 (burgundy) chevy roadsters through google when looking for 1:1 pics and thought WOW! That was also how I found this website.

[Rob McKee]

My inspiration to build models as models and not just a big hunk of glue was my cousin David McKee. He was doing chop tops, opening doors, and trunk lids when we were just kids. He still models today and I would love to see him post some of his work here.

This site has so many very talented builders but I am always amazed by the build Rommel and John Teresi undertake. The detail is absolutley amazing.

Rob

[Tonioseven]

A dude named Jimmy Sexton that lived up the street; he gave me a box of old builtup & junkers and a '58 Impala kit sometime in the late '70s. He didn't realize it but he got me into the hobby! Also, Johnny's Toys (r.i.p.) Tim Klein, Paul Schneider, Dick Wessel, Mike Napoleon, Marc Nellis, Art Anderson, most of you guys here and on all of the other boards I belong to...

[sweptline64]

For me I would have to say it was Pat covert I always loved his models and tried to do better. But then when I got back into modeling about a year ago and found this site to find more inspiration and tutorials I have to say Guys Like Rommel, Dr cranky, and everybody else here has been so helpful and all the info here is so informative. Thank you everybody that has influenced me and keep up the good work. Cause you are all starting to influence my middle daughter who sits and reads the info on here with me and wants to build models. in fact she just finished her first one and it was a snap tite kit I'll post pics in under glass later on so you guys can see it.

[pharr7226]

Too many... but here are a few:

Mark Gustavson

Clay Kemp

David Thibideau

Dirk Joseph

John Teresi

Rob "Thumper" Quimby

Augie Hiscano

[moparmagiclives]

I'm sure I will get blasted for this,but a few years ago I was walking around the local Hastings and came across the "other mags" contest coverage issue. Having not touched a model for about 10 years, I wanted to see what was new (not that I was huge into it before) . I picked up the copy and went on my way. As i thumbed through it I kept comeing back to the featured builders spead, and his "Little red wagon", something about the way John Teresi built and painted that thing opened my eye to what this hobbie was realy about. Its just as much an art form as it is a hobbie or a past time. It's really helped me to better my own building style. After that first eye opener, I found this site. And I have to say that the amount of Inspirational builders is over the top,

[promo55]

I'm old school! My first model was a promo '57 Chevy wagon, yellow & white. I built a Palmer '59 Plymouth as my first kit, a disaster!

I then built a '63 Mercury and discovered good model car kits. I have built and collected kits, promos, and die cast cars ever since. I just wish I had some of the cars I trashed early on!

[Romell R]

good to see this thread is still getting hits

[Danno]

Romell who?

[Pete J.]

My inspiration has always been the competition and I have been blessed to live in SoCal with some really great builders. Many of them have become best friends over the years. Some are no longer building because of age and others are really just hitting their prime. Most are just as intersting in their daily lives as they are in their building careers.

Frankly the list is long and I am sure to leave many out, but here are some of the people who have given me inspiration over the years. First and probably the most influential was my paint mentor and hobby shop owner who inspired me to get back into the hobby, Jessie Hermosilla(sorry but I could never spell his last name right). Jessie is probably not well know to most, but he spent many years in the automotive paint business and forgot more about paint than many of us will ever know. I met him 20 years ago when he owned a small hobby shop and he was quick to answer all my question, critique my work and encourage me. Thanks Jessie.

Next on the list are two people I met at my first contest, Harry Cotrill and Paul Barrena. These were two of the friendliest guys you could ever meet at a contest, and two people who I could count on to always take home some hardware if not best of show honors. They were always willing to share and discuss technique. My best story with these two was one year we decided to build identical models using the same paint and enter them in box stock to challenge ourselves and the judges to find the differances. 1,2,3 finish and a lot of cursing from the judging staff. Life long friends, both.

I have also been very lucky to belong to San Diego Model Car Club. As a group, they have been a crazy group of car model nuts but by chance they also happen to have several well know builders as members over the years. Those that most people would recognize are Drew Heirwater, Darryl Gassaway, Skip Samples and may others that have passed through the club house doors. These are the guys who give me my monthly dose of inspiration. If you are not a member of at least one club, you would do yourself a favor by joining one. Just seeing what others do would keep you going through even the darkest days of a build.

The other great experience in my modeling life was the now defunked Tamiya/con. I was lucky enough to meet and befriend some of the best model builders on the west coast if not in the world and traveled with them and became great friends. Mark Jones, Steve Keck, Ernie Gee, Dale King, Mark Cuevas, Mark Taylor just to mention a few. All of them top notch competion who become fast friends.

I have also been luck to meet and befriend several members of the manufacturing community, whom I can now call my friends. First and formost is Matthew Wells of Scale Motorsport. He has introduced me to a whole world of building I did not know existed. Thank you Matthew.

Last but not least are my friends from Tamiya USA, Rich Poulsen and Fred Medel. They have allowed me to build for them and know a bit of the inside of a major model manufacture. Great experiences.

In looking at this list, I realize that it looks a bit like a namedroppers paradise for modeler, but I have truely had a rich bag of friends in this hobby and am thankful for all of them.

The last name I would like to add is off course our host, Gregg Hutchings. He and I have had many long discussions about the hobby and I hope all of you appreciate him as I do, for all he does for the hobby. Thanks Gregg

Edited December 18, 2011 by Pete J.

[george 53]

Antoinio Rios, Mr.Bigg. I saw his "300"semi truck in the Magazine, and I was SOOOOO taken by it, I went to Toledo JUST to see it. I had quit goin to Toledo caz it'sa MADHOUSE. i went VERY early on and did NOT like it. So I quit going. But when i saw Tony's "300' I just HAD to see it in person. THAT was my LUCKY day,. Because I met Tony, Santiago Hernandez, Bill Geary, And a few other MASTER modelers who took me into their circle and showed me what i had been missing all these years.I even met Steve Perry there, who's one of the BEST modelers out there, and he turned me on to the DMCC( THANKS,brother Steve!), the Model car club I joined that same month! I haven't missed the Toledo NNl's since!

['08SEAL]

You know,all you guys insipire me to build better models. What really inspired me was (before I was on this site) I saw Andys '68 Dodge Dart.

[MJStyline]

_{For me it's been Monogram's '58 T-Bird. I've built it twice and have a few unbuilts collecting dust. Something about the "just right" feel and level of detail, sufficient for me anyway. Liking the 1:1 car certainly has something to do with it...}

_{Oh, first post!}

[Bartster]

Back in '69 or maybe '70, my big brother got a Daytona Charger model. It wasn't his first, but it's the one I remember because of the wing!

I was fascinated by all the little parts, the smell of the glue, & just the fact that WE were building a car! Except there ended up being no WE! He was 11 & I was 7, & apparently I was somewhat of a pest (surely not,haha). After much arguing & fighting & him winning, my uncle took me out to pick my own model. I, of course, wanted a Daytona as well, but he talked me in to getting something that wood truly be my own. I picked Tom Daniels Bad News '60 Chevy sedan delivery. So while sitting across the table from my brother, working on MY car, I noticed he kept looking at me. Watching my progress, which was slow & sloppy. Before long, he was giving me tips & helping me out. We finished those models together as brothers should. Looking back, it makes me think our Uncle new what he was doing all along. My brother no longer builds models, but my 31 yr old nephew still does because his uncle got him started & was patient & helpful.

So my most inspirationa model would have to be a '69 Daytona Charger. Or a '60 Chevy sedan delivery. Or both!

[Romell R]

all of these stories just touch the heart!

[Chitown]

_{What got me started was stumbling across the Revell Henry J at a drug store when I was 10 or 11.}

_{What kept me going was building with my older brother who ended up building the J 'cause I had no skills whatsoever, he helped me get through my first few kits.}

_{What inspired me to get better was Car Model magazine and specifically the work of Hank Borger. Not only were his builds enjoyable, creative and informative, but he also had a very entertaining style of writing that he applied to all of his work whether a backstory of a build or a new kit review. I still have a few issues of CM and will pull them out from time to time to get all warm and fuzzy.}

_{What inspires me now are the members of this forum taking car modeling to heights I never dreamed of. There are truely some amazingly creative people here with truely mad skills!}

[MadKaw6]

I built my first model ( 1940 Ford coupe ) in 1964. I can still remember my dad taking me to Torbeson's Drug Store in my hometown of Cadillac,Mich. I think I picked it because of the picture of the car on the side of the box. Dennis Doty is one of my inspirations as we're from the same hometown. I remember seeing the models at the same contest that Dennis mentioned and I wanted to build cars as nice as the ones I saw there. Augie Hiscano was a real insperation as well. He could build the coolest stuff from scratch. Several years ago the IPMS nationals were in Orlando, so I entered a '53 Ford short track race car. I had done a lot of scratch building as best as my limited talent will allow. I ended up getting 2nd in my class which I thought was pretty cool . But the best thing that happened was Augie stopped to look at my car and asked a lot of questions about it. He picked it up and looked at it and said "nice work". That then and still does mean more to me than any trophy I could ever pick up. I've only been on this forum for a short time. Charlie from Pro Tech got me to check it out. Charlie makes some great parts that inspire me to build something I can put them on. I haven't spent a whole lot of time on here, but so far Rommell, dude you do some nice work. I won't ever have the talent to build cars like that, but I like seeing the work of someone that can.

[Romell R]

Awww! im so touched. Thx Frank but never say never as modellers were capable of being able to do anything we put our minds too, thats all i did, I picture it in my mind and do it.

[modelbuilder22]

Iam on my first build at 22 years old its a 65 chevy step side pickup truck

[Bartster]

Fine kit to pick as your 1st.

[Dr. Cranky]

Rom, this thread continues to rock. We also have to remember that there are lots and lots of amazing model builders outside the USA.

[Monduck900]

I've been in and out of modeling many times over the past decades, and am new to this forum. I was a big fan in the '60's and was lucky that my father had a connection to AMT. They put my name on the Superstang, and I still have the framed box top art and two unbuilt kits. Great to see AMT coming back.

[Romell R]

I've been in and out of modeling many times over the past decades, and am new to this forum. I was a big fan in the '60's and was lucky that my father had a connection to AMT. They put my name on the Superstang, and I still have the framed box top art and two unbuilt kits. Great to see AMT coming back.

What an honor that has to be! (is that jelousy I feel welling up inside of me lol! Nah!) Thanks for sahring that with us here at MCM. And welcome aborad James cant wait to see you posting up some art here in the forums

[Romell R]

Rom, this thread continues to rock. We also have to remember that there are lots and lots of amazing model builders outside the USA.

Hey Virgil why dont you mention some of our over the seas brothers in styrene for us here.