Читать книгу Show Rod Model Kits - Scotty Gosson - Страница 9
ОглавлениеAn Illustrated History of Show Rod Modeling
Like any stars of pop culture, the show rods and their scale counterparts were worshipped, then derided, most abruptly.
Once extinct, they repeated history again, reinvented as desirable collectibles from a most unique era (again, seemingly overnight). Humans just can’t seem to stand the status quo, or resist the unobtainable.
Museums, galleries, and countless upper-crust home dens have hosted carefully presented scale displays of influential automobiles since the 1800s. Most of these downsized cars were promotional items produced by independent contractors, such as Chicago’s National Products, and released to the public via the auto manufacturers themselves. All were duly admired by a public still awestruck by the Industrial Revolution and praised in hushed tones of admiration. Classical music often set a respectful background tone for these displays.
By the 1960s, America boasted an immense army of car modelers, and most of the soldiers were content with crafting faithful reproductions of their favorite Detroit offerings, along with some European classics, selected race cars, and a plethora of military vehicles. But down in the trenches, scale hot rods of varying disciplines had begun to replace Duesenbergs and Packards in popularity, and Top 40 rock ’n’ roll was scratching its way out of transistor radios and is now the workbench soundtrack of choice. Adolescent bedrooms festooned with torn car show posters and malodorous socks replaced gallery ambiance. And many model displays enjoyed brief life expectancies, destined to violent ends at the hands of bored suburban youth with easy access to fireworks and slingshots.
A wonderfully strange and compellingly fresh take on automotive design had begun to bubble up from the grassroots level of hot rodding in the late 1950s. When factory design teams pushed themselves to accommodate corporate orders for concepts of possible (and impossible) future styling trends, rogue individuals toiling in obscure garages took note and inspiration from the results and ran with them, producing the freestyle custom cars that came to be known as show rods. Unlike Detroit’s paradigms, these “glue sniffing beatniks” (to quote my dear father) scratch-built frames, chassis, and drivetrains to fit flight-of-fancy body designs that seemingly knew no boundaries. Swaggering with the realization that, “If you can imagine it, you can build it” (Steve Scott’s words), purpose-built show cars were driven straight into America’s consciousness at full throttle.
The ensuing 1960s and 1970s, show rod models represent one of the most minuscule niches within the vast scale modeling microcosm. Yet the fervent passion of its practitioners has only thrived since the first such model was sprung on an unsuspecting public. Just which show rod model was actually the first to be released is as open to interpretation as the Holy Bible or the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Rule Book. As of today (2014), it’s being declared a convoluted six-way tie: Revell released its Lincoln Futura concept car kit in 1956. This was a total mind blower that ultimately achieved icon status as Batmobile.
Mike Schnur builds hot rods and muscle cars by day, then unwinds at night with some light-scale crafting. He represents a hard-core contingency who believe the Lincoln Futura to be America’s first show rod. Futura undisputedly represents early show rod ideology. Mike’s original 1956 Revell kit exudes cool futurism even today. (Photo Courtesy Mike Schnur)
But can a Detroit-built concept car also be considered a show rod? No two modelers seem capable of agreement on this. Monogram’s 1960 Black Widow and Green Hornet kits were edgy-wild for the time, but are deemed too tame by today’s standards to merit show rod status. The insane-at-the-time Ford Leva Car was kitted in 1961 and directly inspired both Ed Roth and George Barris, yet it is somehow not considered a show rod. Today’s historians proclaim a dead heat between Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s Outlaw kit, released by Revell in 1962, and AMT’s 1963 reproduction of Dick Peters’ Ala Kart. Although somewhat historical-minded myself, I’m not an actual historian, so I’ll simply choose from the models that I feel present the show rod ethos with the most cultural impact to decide which ones make the cut here.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IT, YOU CAN
BUILD IT
What is universally agreed upon is that regardless of their release dates, the show rods landed on store shelves with the impact of buzz bombs and no one within the strike zone complained. Drawn in by dynamic box art and inspired by newfound creative freedom, the gates of conformity suddenly swung wide open for thousands of obedient assemblers who heretofore had never lifted their eyes from the instruction sheet. Thus began a new era of free-range improvisation on tabletops across the country.
Full-scale show rods instantly became the Pied Pipers of car show promotion, packing venues from the world’s most rural outposts to its greatest cities with rabid fans bearing disposable income. Most popular among the custom airbrushed T-shirts, decals, and other merchandise offered at shows were scale models of the show rods themselves. Bucks-down fans were inspired to save up for a trip to the hobby shop if they couldn’t afford to bring a miniature show rod home directly from the show. In hindsight, we recognize this phenomenon as marketing savvy, but at the time, we were too busy celebrating the availability of such unprecedented coolness to look any further.
At present, the hunt for these ghosts of America’s most stimulating day is fun, rewarding, and somewhat affordable, relatively speaking. But before hunters set out for prey, they must know their target. Speaking of which, a vibrant subculture that survived modeling’s infancy and still flourishes today is the so-called “kit-bashers.” These are unrestrained scale artists who pick and choose parts from various kits to create their own impulsive visions of show rods. Previous to the beginning of the scale show rod phenomenon, even the most disciplined and accurate builders weren’t above a little kit-bashing on the side. For that reason, I’ve highlighted some notable kit-basher treasures hidden within these boxes.
The show rod kits roam a decidedly strange landscape, where it’s best not to go it alone. Luckily, I was extremely fortunate and honored to have the assistance of a crack team of expert tour guides. Throughout the book, you’ll notice mention of these true show rod model Jedi warriors: Dave Rasmussen, A. J. Ciccarelli, Brandon Flannery, and Phil Davis, from the acclaimed Dave’s Show Rod Rally website; Black-belt builders Tim Kolankiewicz, Charles May, Mike Schnur, Chuck Darnell, and Daniel Foster; John Greczula, longtime model industry worker bee and current model kit development director at Round 2 (now the parent company of most of the established model manufacturers); Sam Bushula from MPC; noted builder and industry insider Howard Cohen; and even renowned model authors Mark Gustavson and Terry Jessee.
Although the scale show rod kit collector’s most frenzied season was the 1990s (thanks in large part to eBay fever), the hunt continues today. Retirees reclaiming adolescent glory make up the bulk of these predators, but all age groups have an equal shot at the prize. How can the novice hunter tell the prey from the decoys? Original boxes were made of thicker, sturdier cardboard. Re-issue boxes tend to be flimsy. Box art and even shrink wrap differ noticeably between old and new releases. Dates of manufacture are often printed on a box’s side panel. And manufacturers issued each kit a specific product number, which is usually printed on boxes and/or instruction sheets. These scale VINs can be referenced to manufacturer catalogs (or websites) to verify missing dates or other information.
A re-issue is considered a new kit and thus carries a unique part number, simplifying documentation. A. J. Ciccarelli supplied the part numbers for the model descriptions in this book. Prices of original kits commonly drop from 25 to 50 percent overnight when a re-issue is released, branding reproductions as both blessing and curse, depending on which you own at the moment.
It obviously pays to know your kits and the market. And the education is a lot of fun!
From Drafting Table to Mom’s Kitchen Table
The following is a chronological listing of the most sought-after show rod kits, then and now. Despite a valiant effort to achieve accuracy, some details remain elusive, lost to time. With that caveat, let us proceed.
Revell # H-1213:129, 1956, 1/24 scale, Designed by Harley Earl/Paul Gillian, Re-issued 1995
General Motors awarded Revell the model kit contract and they delivered handily. This is an accurate 1/24-scale reproduction, with bonus features including the “Dick and Jane” figures smiling their way across the box lid through “clear plastic windscreens” as they admire the detailed dashboard. Note the Authentic Kit signage on this 1995 re-issue. Budd Anderson only worked on this one kit (as pattern maker), during his brief stint at Revell. He went on to become the face of modeling as “The Kat from AMT.” (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
Zowie! Pontiac’s Styling Studio delivered a severe case of future shock with this aluminum-wrapped surprise package of forward thinking. But how can a corporate styling exercise qualify for show rod status? Just consider the influence Pontiac’s futuristic one-off had on aspiring designers such as Starbird, Barris, and Jeffries, to name only a few. Paul Gillian (working directly for GM design head Harley Earl himself) scrambled sports car, aircraft, and land speed racing inspiration into this nicely balanced result. The Club de Mer prototype (running Pontiac’s standard 1955 287-inch V-8, connected to a transaxle) was revealed at Miami in 1956, alongside a 1/4-scale display model. GM destroyed the prototype in 1958, but Joseph Bortz of Highland Park, Illinois, nabbed the model. It ultimately sold to car collector Ron Pratt at a 2007 Barrett Jackson auction for $75,000. A rare moment of acknowledgment for an unsung hero.
Revell # H-1210:129, 1956, 1/24 scale, Designed by Bill Schmidt/John Ferzely, Re-issued 1997
Another OEM concept car that did pretty well. Hobbyists who risked a buck on a Futura kit in 1956 were generously rewarded a decade later, when Barris’ Batmobile remodel sold through the roof for Aurora, deeming Revell’s Futura an instant collector’s item. Who’da thunk it? Mom and Dad told us these models would never amount to anything. Surviving Futuras are considered to be molded from unobtainium today. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
Ford Motor Company encouraged Lincoln’s design team to run wild, then sent Bill Schmidt and John Ferzely’s sketches to Turin, Italy, where the Ghia workshop handcrafted Futura for $250,000 in 1955 dollars. Revell was still savoring its love affair with Detroit brass and snagged another juicy contract to scale down Futura. Unveiled to raves at Chicago’s Congress Plaza Hotel, Futura hit the show circuit, appeared in a movie (It Started with a Kiss), and was promptly sold to George Barris for the sum of one dollar. It sank into the ground beside Barris’ shop for 10 years before he remodeled it as Batmobile in 1966. Aurora got the Batmobile contract and outsold Revell’s Futura kit by a bunch. Regardless, Futura is still considered a grandfather figure in show rodding, while the resultant Batmobile is seen as more of a novel symbol of the breed. Public perception often clashes with niche culture values.
Futura’s debut at the 1955 Chicago Auto Show was a sensation akin to an alien invasion, but wrapped in U.S. steel. Lincoln Styling Department manager Bill Schmidt must have been beside himself with glee. Schmidt shared this glorious moment with Futura design and engineering team members John Najjar, Martin Regitko, Roy Brown, Ken Spencer, Stan Thorwaldsen, and Ron Perry. (Photo Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
AMT # 160, 1961, 1/20 scale, Designed by George Walker
AMT inked a rare 1/20-scale model kit deal while the Leva Car was still spinning around Ford’s mini-track, and the resulting mayhem matched that of the Rotunda presentation, albeit on a smaller scale. Ed Roth’s Rotar levitator and George Barris’ XPAC 400 hovercraft were not coincidental. But who inspired whom here? Apparently everyone inspired one another simultaneously, and the shockwaves are still reverberating. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Professional football player George Walker designed Ford’s post–war era (1949) passenger cars and the first-gen (1955–1957) Thunderbirds, among others. His name went global with a series of wild concepts that led to Leva Car Mach I, sprung on the world in 1959 at the Ford Rotunda. The active display featured the futuristic pod spinning around a circular “test track” while tethered to a centrally located pole, at claimed speeds of “200 to 500 mph” as stunned crowds stood slack jawed at trackside. Ford’s insurance guidelines must have been a bit more casual back then. A “Turbojet” engine purportedly blew compressed air through the ventilated flooring to permit levitation. AMT’s kit included a mouthpiece and a straw, so scale builders could recreate the magic of levitation at home.
The actual Leva Car, on display at the Ford Motor Company campus in Dearborn, Michigan. How many aspiring designers do you suppose were inspired by the amazing concept pickup in the background? (Photo Courtesy Allen B. Ury)
Revell # H-1282:198, 1962, 1/25 scale, Designed by Ed Roth/Jim Keeler, Re-issued 1973 as Canned Heat
The first show rod model? Maybe. Revell’s first Roth-car gamble paid off handsomely. Released as a 3-in-1 kit, it shared box space with a 1956 F-100 and Mickey Thompson’s Challenger 1 (which required double the normal tooling costs).
Purportedly built with a one-year deadline and a budget of $800, Ed Roth’s Outlaw broke new ground in styling and materials (What the heck is fiberglass?). Eye-popping T-shirt advertisements and feature stories in Car Craft and Rod & Custom magazines primed the pump nicely for Outlaw’s success on the show circuit. Royel Glaser (wife and business partner of Revell founder Lew) took notice and immediately scheduled a meeting with Roth. Roth’s iconic nickname was born when Revell PR man Henry Blankfort insisted on adding “Big Daddy.” Sixteen-year-old Revell Research and Design guru Jim Keeler worked closely with Roth on this and later model scaling. The “A jewel show car” text on the box art (likely by Jack Lynwood or John Steele) proved to be prophetic when Revell re-issued a decidedly dumbed-down Outlaw as Little Jewel.
AMT # T-129-200, 1963, 1/25 scale, Designed by George Barris, Re-issued 1966, 2002 (by AMT/ERTL)
“The retooled kit got mixed reviews on accuracy, compared to the original version,” notes guerilla modeler Tim Kolankiewicz. Mark Gustavson agrees, adding, “A second version followed the first issue by just a few months. The original kit was bastardized over the years, with key parts being lost while other parts survive. The latest kit is a new tool, and it misses the mark in several important ways (hood is too flat, engine is laughingly too small, and other flaws). The late 2002 issue of AMT’s 1929 Ford roadster kit contains most of the original version’s Ala Kart body parts (no explanation for this anomaly, especially since AMT also issued the new tooling). Go figure . . .” Regardless, a million Ala Kart kits are known to have sold in the first year of production. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Ala Kart was merely an option with AMT’s stock 1929 Ford roadster 3-in-1 kit; the other option was a four-banger–powered dry lakes racer version. It stands as AMT’s first proper show rod release. Full-scale Ala Kart builder Dick Peters was forced to sell the 1958 and 1959 America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR) winner in 1961, unaware that AMT consultant George Barris already had a deal in the works for AMT to kit the car. The kit sold more than a million units that year.
Budd “AMT Kat” Anderson was idling Ala Kart out of an enclosed trailer at a 1963 show when the plastic fuel lines melted, resulting in a nasty fire. Gene Winfield restored the toasted car in 1966, coinciding with the kit’s re-issue. Later restoration work was performed at Junior Conway’s and Roy Brizio’s shops. A distraught Dick Peters could only watch this show from the sidelines.
The AMT/Ertl re-issue sports much-advanced, yet still vintagestyled, box art. Actually, these can be considered the best of times for box art. Hindsight and technology mix pretty well. (Photo Courtesy Luca Roveda)
AMT’s promotion machine boasted a razor-sharp tune and was running strong by 1962. These ads appeared in every automotive publication of the day. (Photo Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
Paul Canney’s take on Ala Kart, as seen on his most excellent Canney’s Garage site. Go there and drool. This guy has serious skills. (Photos Courtesy Paul Canney)
Revell # H-1286:198, 1963, 1/25 scale, Designed by Ed Roth, Updated (Tweedy Pie 2) re-issue 1999
Tim Kolankiewicz declares, “Revell’s Tweedy Pie kit has been recently re-issued with all the original Tweedy Pie parts restored. The Tweedy Pie 2 kit cannot be built as an accurate replica.” No matter the source of their kits, the continued popularity of Ed Roth’s most conservative build is an eyebrow-raising testament to his fans’ perpetual reverence. Original Tweedy Pie kits were made in small numbers and their present scarcity nearly equals that of the full-scale real McCoy first screwed together by Bob Johnston. Bonus parts include fenders, a pickup bed, and variations on the front end. Revell has sold more than 11 million Tweedy Pie kits to date. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Quaint by show rod standards, Tweedy Pie (“A real dazzler!,” trumpets the box art, while Roth himself dubbed it “conservative”) made a major impact in the age of Norm Grabowski and Tommy Ivo T-buckets. Roth’s remake was merely a slightly more refined version of Bob Johnston’s original late-1940s build, sold to Roth for $1,150 in 1962 (paid with a check drawn on Revell’s account). But timing is everything, and all things Roth were red-hot by 1963. Tweedy Pie packed every venue it was booked into at the time. But Big Daddy was definitely the hook that pulled ’em in. Before selling the T, Johnston had declined an offer to loan the car to 77 Sunset Strip TV producers, citing his uneasiness with anyone else at the wheel. The TV contract went to Norm Grabowski instead.
Revell # H-1279:200, 1963, 1/25 scale, Designed by Ed Roth/Jim Keeler, Re-issued 1994
The ink was still wet on Ed Roth’s contract with show promoter Bob Larivee when Revell signed him on in 1961. Considered a national treasure (or moral threat, sayeth the holier-than-thou) by 1963, Big Daddy’s Beatnik Bandit broke new ground in styling and design that immediately extended to every facet of American culture. Revell must have been licking their chops over this release. Of the 128 parts in the kit, the infamous large rear decals tend to pose the greatest challenge. Many builders recommend hypnotherapy prior to final assembly. Included in Hot Wheels’ initial 1968 release of 16 cars (Harry Bradley scaled it down to 1/64), Mattel later issued a jumbo 1/18-scale Bandit. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
The car that drove right over the cool barrier did the same for scale modeling. Big Daddy Roth twists his bandito mustache on the box art with a “Wait’ll they get a load of this” expectation. Sure enough, Big Daddy’s kits accounted for more than 16 percent of Revell’s total sales at the time. Roth’s success with Outlaw and Tweedy Pie had confirmed his intuitiveness and now this providentially timed release begat a worldwide epidemic of Roth Fever. Decades later, there is no cure in sight, despite protests from church groups and nervous parents. The end of civilization is surely nigh.
At last report, the original Bandit was locked up in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada. Trivia: Designer Joe Henning originally christened the car Beatnik Band-It. Mattel released a limited edition (of 1,000) Hot Wheels Bandits in 2001 (shortly after Roth’s passing), with box art by Ed Newton.
Mattel issued this limited edition of 10,000 diecast tribute Bandits in 2001 (just two months after Roth’s passing), with fresh original box art by Ed Newton himself. Note that Newt thinks and acts both inside and outside the box. (Photo Courtesy Ed Newton)
AMT # 2127-200, 1963, 1/25 scale, Designed by Steve Swaja
AMT promoted this as a “Double Kit,” but the stock 1927 touring, jalopy tub, and XR-6 versions add up to, um . . . more than two. Three trees’ worth of “chrome” parts constitute the bulk of this package. Old friend Tom Allen reminds me, “They put the chrome on those things with a trowel back then.” The Jetsons styling was typical of the day: so timely as to deem XR-6 dated soon after its release. If you’re shopping for a 1963 period piece, this is your kit. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Although Hot Rod magazine staffer Leroi “Tex” Smith received a tentative response when he presented Petersen Publishing Company executives with Steve Swaja’s concept sketch, the Swaja dressing on Smith’s styling salad likely saved it from extinction. Smith’s Indy Car, show rod, and traditional T-bucket influences made XR-6 a hit with disparate camps: Petersen broadened its demographic overnight, as issues featuring the inclusive build-up enjoyed strong sales. The happy ending to the series was XR-6 receiving the World’s Most Beautiful Roadster trophy at the revered Oakland Roadster Show, where Bill Cushenbery’s Silhouette won the inaugural Tournament of Fame trophy, upsetting Darryl Starbird’s favored Futurista (which debuted with its Monogram kit, optimistically containing a scale Tournament of Fame trophy).
Malcom Barlow of Toland, Connecticut, owned XR-6 when Gerry Burger shot it in 1982 for a Tex Smith update in Rodder’s Digest magazine. (Photo Courtesy Gerry Burger)
Aurora # 570-198, 1963, 1/25 scale, Designed by Carl Casper, Re-issued 1972 by Aurora, 1997 by Polar Lights
Originally released by Aurora, Undertaker was a must-have kit for show and drag fans alike. A removable hardtop makes for instant roadster, true to appearance on the March 1964 Car Craft cover and at many shows. It includes a “chrome” frame, one of the nicer Potvin-blown race Hemis ever, vinyl slicks on Astro wheels, and a “tombstone” display case with ghost and undertaker figures. Carl Casper’s Ghost show rod was scheduled as Undertaker’s follow-up, but “never made it past the master pattern stage,” according to Aurora. Can you spot the Grim Reaper attempting escape from a gothed-up Casper on the box art? (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Can dragsters be show rods? Look at this thing! A rare double-winner, Carl Casper’s stylized Comp Coupe made waves and earned raves, both at the drag strip and on the show floor. Undertaker was declared the National Competition Sweepstakes Champion at the vaunted 1963 NHRA Nationals at Indianapolis. Ensuing magazine coverage (it even graced the cover of the March 1964 Car Craft) iced the promotional cake nicely for Aurora. Dave Rasmussen declares Undertaker “a gas!,” but there may have been some nitro involved, too. That’s right; like all of Casper’s wild show rods, Undertaker was fully functional.
Casper’s personal Undertaker (with display), was built by his personal builder, Michael Wazny, who builds kits all day for a living. Don’t hate him, just aspire to develop his skills. (Photo Courtesy Carl Casper)
Undertaker went topless for the cover of the March 1964 Car Craft, inspiring many builders to follow suit and construct Undertaker roadsters. (Photo Courtesy Paul Canney)
AMT # 901-150, 1964, 1/25 scale, Designed by Tom Daniel, Re-issued 1999
The model kit was thrashed together in the same fashion as the real Munster Koach, with the same success. As always, timing was everything. Kits included paint, brush, and glue. AMT released a double Blueprinter Series kit in 1989 that included Munster Koach and Drag-U-La. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
When Universal Studios hatched The Munsters concept in 1964, Ed Newton was working for Ed Roth, and Tom Daniel was doing design work for George Barris. Both camps thrashed to create an appropriate Munster family car, but Daniel’s concept got the nod from Universal. Scheduling was tight: “Barris called on a Friday, needing the art by Saturday,” confides Daniel. Dick Dean’s Barris crew knocked out the build in 21 long days, while Roth suffered yet another failed attempt at placing one of his cars on the flickering screen. Like Barris, AMT was poised to pounce, and released the model kit in time to take part in the show’s instantaneous success. Barris took credit for the design, prompting this from Daniel: “The people in the industry knew who did those cars. I guess that’s enough.”
Charles May bought the double kit and whipped up this intriguing towing-to-the-strip scene. (Photo Courtesy Charles May)
Barris and Koach even made a pit stop at the AMT offices one day, in between shows. Morale builder or production killer? It depends on who you ask. (Photo Courtesy John Greczula at Round 2)
Monogram # PC94-170, 1964, 1/24 scale, Designed by Darryl Starbird, Re-issued 1966 and 1995
Monogram boss Jack Besser knew a good thing when he spotted it at the 1962 Oakland Roadster Show. The kit was rushed into production (with quality control intact) in time to ride what would prove to be an eternal wave of popularity. Extras such as the skeleton figure helped Li’l Coffin achieve instant and lasting icon status. Dave Rasmussen points out that Li’l Coffin was pivotal in his return to modeling, “I took it home and built my first model in over 20 years. It lit me up beyond words. If not for that, there would be no Show Rod Rally website.” This is the 1966 re-issue box. (Photo Courtesy Luca Roveda)
Nobody saw this coming. Darryl Starbird helped former employee Dave Stuckey build Li’l Coffin from Stuckey’s old high school ride. It became famous via magazine ink (riding on Starbird’s legacy) but was begrudgingly sold to friend Larry Farber out of financial desperation. This all happened between 1954 and 1960. Monogram bought Li’l Coffin from Farber in 1962 and had Starbird, Stuckey, and Dave Puhl perform a light makeover. Starbird bought it from Monogram in 1967 and it became Monkey Ward Delivery, then a Coddingtonesque street rod, which was nearly destroyed by fire in 1980 (with Starbird driving). A new millennium Starbird restoration to the 1962 iteration was the latest event to keep Li’l Coffin in the headlines. Such endless publicity has helped Monogram sell countless Li’l Coffin kits, with no end in sight.
AMT # 2165-200, 1964, 1/25 scale, Designed by Bill Cushenbery
Nearly impossible to find now, Dream Rod came with timely box art, many movable parts, and even a “Revolving Display Stand” fortified with real ball bearings. Although never technically re-issued, MPC released a Tiger Shark kit in 1967, which was actually a controversial 1966 makeover of Dream Rod by the International Show Car Association, which owned it at that time. With brighter box art, the same animated parts, and even the swiveling display stand, Tiger Shark kits now equal Dream Rods in collectibility. Of course, the Holy Grail for Bill Cushenbery fans is a Dream Rod and a Tiger Shark, displayed side by side. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
Where has the real Dream Rod been hiding? Where else but Mark Moriarity’s Minnesota garage, home of America’s most beloved show rod restorations. Moriarity thanks the show rod gods for yet another opportunity to get his hands on the legendary cars that inspired him as a kid. (Photo Courtesy Scott Parkhurst)
Like any kit, Dream Rod looks even better when surrounded by appropriate paraphernalia. Mark Moriarity owns most of that nowadays, and he built the kit, too. (Photo Courtesy Mark Moriarity)
Dream Rod’s evil twin, the infamous Tiger Shark, which has developed its own unique cool factor and following over time. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
Show rods come from wherever the inspiration is. In this case, Car Craft magazine was forecasting the demise of vintage tin for hot rod projects in 1961 and decided to build one from late-model parts instead. Dream Rod was designed to incorporate then-current Detroit steel from local wrecking yards. They brought in promoter Bob Larivee to coordinate with Bill Cushenbery, who finalized the design. The car was built by the Car Craft staff from such disparate elements as a 1952 Jowett Jupiter chassis, 1960 Corvair quarter panels, and 1960 Pontiac doors and fenders.
After a nine-month gestation period, Dream Rod immediately began working the show circuit. Sold to the International Show Car Association in 1966 and renamed Tiger Shark, several ill-advised changes destroyed its appeal. From 2005 to 2009, Monster Mark Moriarity restored it to the original iteration.
Revell # H-1274:200, 1964, 1/25 scale, Designed by Ed Roth, Re-issued 1997
Number six in Revell’s Roth stable, the Road Agent kit includes Rat Fink and tuxedoed Big Daddy figures. Rasmussen points out, “Roth is the taller of the two.” Road Agent was promoted as costing Roth “$1,500 and a year’s time” to build. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Luca Roveda’s Road Agent, complete with driver and passenger. (Photo Courtesy Luca Roveda)
After flattening trailer springs under Mysterion’s pronounced mass, Roth’s builds returned to svelte trim with Road Agent. By 1963, the signature fiberglass now sat on a Dick Cook chrome-moly round-tube chassis and was propelled by a minuscule Corvair engine. The full-scale Road Agent was pure Roth stream-of-consciousness rodding that more than realized Joe Henning’s initial sketches in Rod & Custom magazine. The finished product so resembled a model kit in real life that scaling it was an absolute no-brainer for Revell. By 1964, Revell had hired a teenaged Jim Keeler and the not-much-older Bob Paeth to perform R&D duties, but riding herd on Big Daddy likely took up most of their time, especially after Keeler moved in with Roth for a close-up view of Bohemia.
Revell # H-1277:200, 1964, 1/25 scale, Designed by Ed Roth, Reissued 1974 and 1996 as Dual Jewel
Dave Rasmussen decrees Mysterion to be Roth’s “greatest creation.” Dave Shuten (who built an uncanny Mysterion clone) concurs. The Revell kit stands today as a styrene testament to psychedelic 1960s kitsch. The 1996 re-issue came in a special collector’s tin. Still freaked out by Roth’s new biker image, the re-issue was renamed Dual Jewel. But the name didn’t seem to matter to anyone but Revell. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
Although Ed Roth obviously attempted to top himself with each new build, he went delightfully over the top with Mysterion. Mark Gustavson declares it “Roth’s magnum opus.” After a smash debut at the Chicago Trade Show in February (to more than 800,000 witnesses), Revell scaled it, tooled up, and had kits on store shelves in May. Mysterion obliterated more attendance records, but Roth traded it to Bob Larivee in exchange for his old Outlaw and Tweedy Pie. The weight of the Gas dragster–inspired twin Ford FE engines wreaked havoc with the hydrogen embrittled chrome frame and Mysterion’s career ended abruptly and (appropriately) mysteriously. But Roth was still fetching a penny on every kit sold. That deal had earned him $32,000 in 1963, and 1964 was looking even better.
Mark Moriarity may own more Roth memorabilia than all Roth fans combined. His Mysterion sits on an original Revell mini-diorama. And Mark never leaves the house without his Mysterion lunchbox. (Photo Courtesy Mark Moriarity)
Dave Shuten’s full-scale Mysterion is probably closer to the original than the original ever was, after its first road trip (note dueling banjo rear ends). It lives at Galpin Ford in Los Angeles, where Shuten restores and re-creates show rods every day. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
AMT # 2162-200, 1964, 1/25 scale, Designed by Bill Cushenbery
In a bold move, AMT got generous with the extra features here, even including a swoopy custom enclosed trailer for Silhouette to ride in. These trailers inspired many wild tow truck builds as well. AMT tossed in a change of rolling stock and a blower/injector combo for the big-block Ford to accommodate builders opting for the “Drag” version of this 3-in-1 kit. Veteran drag fans will note the resemblance to Tony Nancy’s streamliner dragster. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Cushenbery’s rolling steel sculpture debuted with a gobsmack at the San Mateo Autorama, took the coveted inaugural Tournament of Fame at Oakland, won the Winternationals show, then was bought by Ford Motor Company (where the nailhead Buick engine was swapped for a Blue Oval 427) and put to work in their Custom Car Caravan, all in 1963. That stellar year of success was celebrated in scale in 1964 with AMT’s kit release. Silhouette went on to become a spokesmodel for Dupont (which painted it purple) in 1967, was one of the Hot Wheels Sweet 16, then was stolen and never recovered. Cushenbery then built the Silhouette II, which also vanished, but was eventually located and restored.
Cushenbery designed the coolest trailer ever. Once the exclusive domain of touring pro drag racers, he decided to spread the form-fitting fun around so even low-buck modelers could enjoy the ride. What a guy. (Photo Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
Monogram # PC95-150, 1964, 1/24 scale, Designed by Darryl Starbird, Re-issued 1990 and 2000
First-issue Predictas (1964) were shipped with this multipage booklet by Starbird, written as a rod and custom primer for newcomers to the hobby. It includes a glossary and some custom do’s and don’ts. (Photo Courtesy Mark Gustavson)
The first independent builder to use a bubbletop (on this very car), Darryl Starbird was soon crowned The Bubbletop King. He crafted Predicta in 1959 and by the time Monogram released this kit in 1964 (in red plastic), Starbird was their celebrity Custom Consultant. Predicta (the last of six Starbird show rods purchased by Monogram) was later given away in a Monogram promotion, and repurchased by Starbird. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
Technically not a scratch-built show rod, Starbird started this project in 1959 with a 1956 T-Bird and added 1959 Buick quarter panels, a Hilborn injected 392-ci Hemi, the bubbletop, and joystick control. It’s been street driven from day one and even drag raced. Most trophies came from shows, though, such as Oakland and Monterey. Predicta even bagged Motor Trend’s Custom of the Year award in 1960. Darryl was in the midst of changing the engine, bubbletop, grilles, wheel wells, and color (from blue to red) for inclusion in Ford’s Custom Car Caravan while the kit was being tooled. The result landed Starbird in the Million Kits Sold Club, less than a year after its release. Fifty years later, Monogram has sold even more kits. Starbird still has the car, and he remains humbled that Monogram’s Jack Besser and Bob Reder reached out to him.
More of Monogram’s wonderful box art, circa 1964.
Mark Gustavson warns of these (friction- and electric-powered) offshore fakes. Luckily, they’re easy to spot even though the quality is poor, at best. Thanks Mr. G!
Finished kit, as built by Mark Gustavson, who is currently working on a dedicated Predicta book project. (Photos Courtesy Mark Gustavson)
AMT #657, 1964, 1/25 scale, Designed by Tom Daniel, Re-issued 1989, 2010
Bonus goodies include the coffin-shaped “Surf Slab” motorized surfboard (swiped from AMT’s own Surf Woody kit)! Drag-U-La’s only AMT re-issue was the 1989 Blueprinter Series combo, with the Munster Koach. Besides AMT’s iconic kit, Johnny Lightning has released at least a dozen variations of its diecast Drag-U-Las. Round 2 released an 11 x 14-inch coffin-shaped tin containing Drag-U-La and Munster Koach kits in 2010 that included both new and original decals, 16-page photo book, diecut Munster family photo backdrop, and three placards. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
While contemplating a possible follow-up to his Munster Koach design, Tom Daniel was approached at a show by a well-heeled young man with an idea for a casket-bodied dragster. Daniel didn’t get the kid’s name and hasn’t heard from him since. But Tom ensured the message was delivered when Universal Studios inquired as to the possibility of a second car for the Munster family (“second cars” being the status symbol du jour).
A peek at AMT’s instructions reveals the optional top-mounted gas-powered surfboard, as pioneered in the Surf Woody kit. Eat your heart out, Stroker McGurk! (Photo Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
William Clark enjoys large-scale building, illustrated by his Drag-U-La, caught in an appropriate setting. (Photos Courtesy William Clark)
Again, Dick Dean and company built Daniel’s concept for Barris, but this time, they also made three fiberglass copies (the original was built around a real coffin), which soon scattered across the country and continue to change hands today. Daniel: “This was my deal, not Barris’. Barris changed the lights and scoops, and got the credit. That’s life. But I was pissed when Barris’ name appeared on the box.”
AMT #2164-200, 1/25 scale, Designed by Joe Wilhelm and Don Tognotti
Hall of Famer Joe Wilhelm crafted his Wild Dream body almost entirely from aluminum sheet. The exposed T roots are highlighted with scratch-fabbed track roadster and Indy car elements for a winning combo that swept hundreds of podiums on its way to AMBR glory in 1968. (Photo Courtesy Mark Gustavson)
Two seminal show cars in one box! You can argue all day over whether these traditional 1964 customs belong with the scale show rods in this book, but Wild Dream and King T were still winning car shows from coast to coast in 1965, and the kits were selling well. Consider this double kit George Toteff’s unintentional gift to modelers and to AMT.
The former AMT vice president (“I was their first employee”) jumped ship in 1963 to start his own MPC enterprise, with an agreement that AMT got first refusal on any of his molds originally made for AMT. After AMT’s release of said kits, MPC was free to market its own version. But Toteff decided, “I didn’t want to release the same kits as AMT,” and for reasons unknown, AMT never re-issued the popular double kit, making it one of the rarest in today’s market. If you find one of these, you’ll pay, but you probably won’t complain.
Chuck Darnell built the double kit and doubled his pleasure. Already an AMBR winner in 1964, speed shop owner Don Tognotti’s full-fendered King T also won the top awards at every show it entered. Both cars had been studied in dozens of magazine features by 1965 when AMT rolled out their double kit, complete with respective display stands. (Photos Courtesy Chuck Darnell)
MPC # 505-200, 1965, 1/25 scale, Designed by Darryl Starbird
Dave Rasmussen quips, “Double your bubble, double your fun!” Dismissed by many as a factory design exercise at first glance, Cosma Ray was deemed another “not ready for show rod status” entry. It’s actually a unique document of a most unusual day in show rodding. A novel collaboration between Starbird and Barris produced this show packer that got MPC’s attention. Production was limited, and no re-issue has been released. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Independent resin caster Greg Wann whipped up some Cosma Rays featuring a plethora of individual parts, but those kits are only made sporadically. Priced at $75, builders declare them “Well worth that, and more!” Originally featuring a “beak” nose treatment and frenched antenna, Starbird changed those elements for Cosma Ray’s sophomore season on the circuit. MPC modeled their kit after that second iteration. Box art claims, “This model sports a 427 Chevy engine,” but a Rochester-injected small-block was in the box. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Built for customer Bobby Green-wade, Starbird’s Cosma Ray was a Grand National Sweepstakes winner and was later used in Robert Petersen’s Wonderful World of Wheels TV show. The most prominent features were the double bubble (reminiscent of Silhouette) and peaked nose. Period touches included walnut inserts in the interior and even in the side pipe covers. George Barris shot the apricot pearl and tangerine metalflake. Since Starbird was under contract to Monogram, there’s no mention of him on the box art, or anywhere else in MPC’s kit. It is unknown why Monogram passed on kitting the car.
With the imminent arrival of a 1968 ’Vette restyle looming, MPC got some extra mileage from their earlier Corvette tooling with Cosma Ray, but curious decisions like opening the rear of the body to expose the interior tub and excluding the signature side exhaust run on the actual car remain unsolved mysteries today.
A rare view of a rare bird: John Teresi’s completed Cosma Ray, sunning in the back yard. It appears to be scanning the area for lawn sprinklers and other birds. (Photo Courtesy John Teresi)
Warren Willis caught the Cosma Ray in “action” at the 1966 Oakland Roadster Show (in the Cow Palace), while just a pup himself. (Photo Courtesy OldBlueWebDesigns.com)
AMT # 2166-200, 1965, 1/25 scale, Designed by Tom Daniel, Re-issued 1968 (as Surf Rod), 1969 (as Denny McLain’s Horse Hide Hauler), and later in 1969 (as Surf’n Van)
The beach party on wheels is the star of this AMT 3-in-1 kit, but many extra boxes were sold to fans of the optional Street Rod roadster and Surf Hearse delivery. The swing-axle rear end is a multi-piece assembly and the twin Paxton blowers are nicely detailed as well. Round 2 later re-issued slightly modified versions that included an even teensier scale copy, complete with miniature box. Alas, AMT did not include a scale version of the wildly popular motorized surfboard that accompanied Surf Woody on tour, but did add a coffin-shaped surfboard that matches the car’s scale nicely. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Yet another guest on Robert Petersen’s Wonderful World of Wheels TV program, the Tom Daniel–designed and Dick Dean–built Surf Woody was another Barris Kustoms project, targeting the surf culture’s tentative tiptoe into the mainstream. George Barris was under contract to AMT, which had a deal with Ford, and Surf Woody was created expressly for Ford’s Custom Car Caravan tour. George Toteff had just left AMT for MPC, but reminds us posthumously, “We were car people. We didn’t have marketing executives deciding what we produced. Our engineers and designers got together and pitched ideas to the sales department. That’s how we chose our kits.”
AMT’s instruction sheet for Surf Woody. Has anyone anywhere ever read this document? (Photo Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
Surf Woody was re-issued in the 1960s as Surf Rod, then again in 1968 as Denny McLain’s Horse Hide Hauler, and yet again shortly thereafter as Surf’n Van. A New Zealand issue featured a somewhat cobbled amalgam of Horse Hide Hauler and Surf’n Van box art, called Surf-n-Go Wagon, with “AMT Made under license in New Zealand by Tonka Manufacturing Limited” signage on the box side. Howard Cohen’s assembled Surf Woody plays it straight for the camera. (Photo Courtesy Howard Cohen)
Howard Cohen happened across the real Surf Woody after its retirement, which wasn’t going very well. Shortly after this candid shot, help arrived and a thorough restoration was initiated. Now in recovery, Surf Woody is savoring life, one day at a time. (Photo Courtesy Howard Cohen)
Monogram # PC108-150, 1965, 1/24 scale, Designed by Darryl Starbird, Re-issued 1967
Starbird strikes again with the aptly named Futurista. Three-wheelers and air-cooled engines never really caught on, but Darryl’s forward vision caught everyone off guard. Built expressly for Monogram, they stepped up with a bonus engine display stand to better study the misunderstood flat-four Volkswagen power plant. Believed to be a shoe-in for Oakland’s 1963 Tournament of Fame award, a scale trophy was included in the first run of the kit, but was quickly pulled when Futurista was upset by Cushenbery’s Silhouette. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Monogram boss Jack Besser commissioned Starbird to design and build a showstopper and the kid from Kansas delivered beyond anyone’s expectation. Futurista was a sensation on the circuit and Besser had yet another hit on his hands. By now (1965), the kit manufacturers were making double the money from models of custom cars than they ever did from the promotional Detroit offerings they started with. Starbird’s previous stylized take on his old Thunderbird (Predicta, in 1964) was his final nod to OEM design paradigms, now parked in the dusty shadow of Futurista. Neither Starbird nor Monogram ever looked back. The future had arrived.
Howard Cohen’s Futurista, on display at his Toronto, Ontario, home. The “Delta Shape” referenced on the box art implies triangular Delta Wing aircraft technology that was typical at the time of Starbird’s inspiration. Futurista never flew, but looked cool at cruising speed. (Photo Courtesy Howard Cohen)
Revell # H-1240:200, 1965, 1/25 scale, Designed by Ed Roth/Ed Newton, Re-issued 1999
If the little board toter isn’t cool enough on its own, how about this fantastic box art? Bob Paeth at Revell acknowledges they threw in the highly detailed “Tiki Hut” and three surfboards just to fill the box so consumers wouldn’t feel cheated. The original 1965 kit is an accurate reproduction of the full-scale car (if Surfite can be considered full scale) and all pieces are high quality. Revell was in its prime in 1965 and this kit proves it. The re-issue suffers quality-control issues. A 1/12-scale kit (Revell’s first) was released in 1993. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Howard Cohen’s Surfite appears very similar to how Roth’s real deal looked at myriad car shows: forlorn, in the bare corner of a concrete building. Roth didn’t require (or care about) grandiose show displays; his cars spoke for themselves. (Photo Courtesy Howard Cohen)
From modest beginnings at an L.A.–area wrecking yard, Ed Newton redesigned Roth’s 1962 Austin Mini into the world’s coolest surfboard hauler. Newt’s first design to be realized in full scale was such a total stunner, Revell couldn’t get it scaled fast enough. Alas, after a mad thrash, kits hit the shelves, but sales were somewhat disappointing. Roth blamed The Beatles: “That was the beginning of the end of hot rodding as we knew it. [Model] Sales went down, and Lew Glaser died.” Lew’s wife, Royel, continued to rule Revell with an iron fist (albeit with tasteful nail polish) and sales held steady through the 1960s.
MPC # 507-200, 1966, 1/25 scale, Designed by Carl Casper, Re-issued 1982 as Demon Vette
This is light-years away from Casper’s first custom, Exotic Empress. Or maybe not. First built in 1956 by a 15-year-old Casper, Exotic Empress was eventually a radical chopped and hardtopped 1951 Chevy fastback with an outrageous interior treatment. Its influence is tangible throughout Casper’s work and on Turbo Shark in particular. (Photo Courtesy Carl Casper)
Another “show rod” built on a production chassis (a 1964 Corvette this time) that snuck into the party. But man, what a crazy body! Casper’s fastback GT styling and Mako Shark–ish fender treatments were matched by such period exotica as turbocharging and stylized red velvet and pearl seats, stitched by Casper himself. The red plexiglass top insert enhanced interior ambiance. MPC’s kit included a 25-piece open trailer for kit-bash bait (also available in various other 1966 Chevy kits). The Turbo Shark kit was released in white and re-issued in black plastic as Demon Vette in 1982 (sans trailer and Cragars).
Casper’s staff buys his kits when they find them, then master modeler Michael Wazny assembles them to championship-caliber specs at the Kruse Automotive and Carriage Museum in Auburn, Indiana, alongside Casper’s show rod collection. Yes, Carl still has every one of the show cars, race cars, antique cars, and horse-drawn carriages that he ever built. (Photo Courtesy Carl Casper)
Casper also built his cars to be drivable. Imagine the impact that the real Turbo Shark made upon pulling into burger joints on Saturday nights at the dawn of the 1970s. Far out! (Photo Courtesy Carl Casper)
The 1982 re-issue, sporting its new Demon Vette moniker and updated graphic treatment. Besides building “crazy cars to satisfy the voracious appetites of model car fans,” Casper has played a pivotal role in establishing the national car show circuits, promoted several long-running shows and model contests, built myriad custom cars to stock said show floors, and pursued a successful professional drag racing career in his “spare time.” (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Aurora # 486-98, 1966, 1/32 scale, Designed by George Barris, Re-issued 2013 by Round 2/Polar Lights in 1/25 scale, 2014 by Aoshima
No scale show rod display is complete without a Batmobile. Legend has it Aurora’s molds were too worn-out to produce re-issues when their original kits quickly sold out, but Round 2 has now re-issued Batmobile, as well as Batcycle, Batman Batmobile Deluxe kit (including Batman and Robin figures), and even a snap-together kit, all under the Polar Lights banner, in 1/25 scale. Previous to the re-issues, builders pieced together spare Lincoln Futura parts with Batmobile conversion kits from resin casters such as Skyhook Models. Hard cores may scoff, but many collectors are displaying gennie Batmobiles right alongside the above kits, and even some scratch-built Batcopters, Batboats, and Batplanes. DC Comics’ Batman Cataclysm series reveals Bruce Wayne’s daily driver to be a Hummer, so you’ll need one of those, too. (Photo Courtesy Chuck Darnell)
The caped crusader’s work car is so deeply entrenched in our consciousness that escape is futile. This second version of Lincoln’s Futura concept car was a bit more animated than its earlier days on the show circuit. Barris bought Futura from Ford Motor Company for $1 and had Dick Dean and company convert it into Batmobile in an astounding three weeks. It was so popular on the show circuit that a wooden buck was built to make 20 fiberglass copies. At one point, even the wooden buck itself was painted with black flocking and sent out on the road.
New York–based Aurora was privy to Detroit and Hollywood developments and had kits in stores when the Batman show premiered in January 1966. Sales spiked when Batmobile was featured in the Batman motion picture with Batcycle, Batboat, and Batcopter. Recent 1/25-scale re-issues feature double the quality of the 1/32-scale original. Alas, the bigger and newer kits are not originals. The original Batmobile sold to Rick Champaign in 2013 for $4.6 million.
Left: Surviving original-issue 1/32-scale Batmobiles are incredibly rare today. This is the 1/25-scale Polar Lights Snap It re-issue, as built by Kevin White (see more details at 1966batmobile.com). Remarkable quality for a snap-together kit! (Photo Courtesy Kevin White) Right: Well stocked with crime-fighting equipment and electronic communication gear, the caped crusaders were snug but smug in the Batmobile interior. No wonder Robin preferred the Batcycle’s sidecar. (Photo Courtesy Kevin White)
Monogram # PC134-200, 1966, 1/24 scale, Designed by Steve Scott
Prior to Uncertain-T’s 1966 release as model PC-134, Monogram’s previous celebrity “consultant” had been Darryl Starbird. Steve Scott ushered in a fresh style. In 1967, Monogram switched to a more compact box as kit # 6733. This allowed more kits to be displayed on store shelves. Scott proclaims, “Making the boxes more compact was a shrewd marketing idea.” He shot the box art photos himself and confides, “The little dark spot below the front tire is either an oil spot, a leaf, or a really big snail.” The kits included car show diorama pieces such as a female model and a scale 6-foot trophy. There’s great detail on all parts, but the two-piece body leaves a noticeable separation line just behind the slicks. Because Monogram inexplicably scrapped the kit molds, complete kits currently sell in the $400 to $500 range. (Photo Courtesy Steve Scott)
Author Note: This one’s personal. After building an addition onto his parents’ small California garage and spending four and a half years building the Uncertain-T in it, Steve Scott drove it to unprecedented success on the show circuit: “The first show was Harry Costa’s 10th Annual San Mateo Car Show in January of 1965. It won Sweepstakes at every show I entered it in.”
And there were many shows, leading to a dream job as associate editor of Car Craft magazine. Then Steve and the T disappeared. Decades passed while Steve was presumed dead and the car to be lost. While researching Steve for my America’s Wildest Show Rods book, I miraculously found him in Hawaii. The whole Uncertain-T experience had opened Steve’s eyes to media exploitation and soured him to the point of abandoning the automotive world entirely. But Steve is very much alive and itching to get back at the T, which has been safely stored in a friend’s California workshop. To help finance his return to the mainland, Steve hopes to release a “new and improved” Uncertain-T kit (employing more manufacturer-friendly universal components), “Sometime in 2014.”
Only a few years after Monogram released its Uncertain-T kit, it vanished as suddenly as the car. Steve shares his thoughts on how the deal went down: “I contacted Monogram and Revell while building Uncertain-T, when it was far enough along to show them what it was like unpainted, with no upholstery. They were both very interested. I made a deal with Monogram because they promised that the T would also be produced as a larger-scale kit later, that they would return all my materials, and that I could buy the molds later. I had blueprints made and also sent color photos to use on the boxes.
“Meanwhile, Detroit was throwing money at hot rodding magazines promoting their muscle cars, and consumers went for it lock, stock, and four-barrel! Model sales for show hot rods plummeted, and the kit was soon discontinued long before it should have been. I received one good royalty check, then royalties quickly plummeted. Monogram never returned my blueprints or photos, and told me that the molds they promised I could buy were ‘destroyed.’ This was around 1972-ish. I think the same thing happened to some of Daniels’ and Roth’s kits, maybe to avoid paying royalties.”
Chuck Darnell’s Uncertain-T, stuffed with goodies (note kits in the passenger seat) for the promoters who requested its presence at the 2013 Kustom Kemps in Miniature show in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. “It was in the final stages of being finished,” Darnell points out, but the TDR Innovations 3-D printed nailhead was in place. (Photo Courtesy Chuck Darnell)
From Warren Willis’ coverage of the 1966 Oakland Roadster Show. Steve Scott’s homebuilt creation bagged the 6-foot trophy. (Photo Courtesy OldBlueWebDesigns.com)
Monogram # PC131-150, 1966, 1/24 scale, Designed by Darryl Starbird, Reissued 1990 as #2931
Originally christened Ultra Truck by Starbird, the name mysteriously changed to Orange Hauler upon Monogram’s 1966 kit release. Cast in orange plastic with moderate detail, the Buick engine is infamously vague but is mostly covered by the large custom air cleaner. Like all of Starbird’s 1966 kits, box art (this is the original-issue art) features compelling reactions from stunned bystanders. (Photo Courtesy Dave Shuten)
Starbird was busy in 1966, but his quality matched his quantity. Commissioned by Monogram as a rolling prototype for the model kit, he started this project with a 1962 Chevy 1-ton cab, a shortened 1955 Chevy passenger car chassis, and a Buick drivetrain. Once scaled by Monogram’s engineers, the company cleaned house by promoting a 1965 give-away contest, won by “some kid from Oklahoma,” according to Monogram’s Roger Harney, adding, “Darryl delivered it in person. It was a big deal.” After that, the whereabouts of Starbird’s full-scale bubbletop truck was a show rod mystery—until Louis Lionetti (of Las Vegas) spoke up in 2007. Thanks to Lionetti’s long-term care, Ultra Truck/Orange Hauler has now been fully restored by Starbird Kustom.
Orange Hauler proudly stakes a claim as one of the few full-on show rods to be built from wrecking-yard sheet metal, and its fans have been celebrating that grassroots ethos by snapping up each re-issue of the kit. Howard Cohen is the world’s second-biggest Orange Hauler fan, and has even built one for the number-one fan, Darryl Starbird himself. This is the version Howard keeps locked in his house. (Photos Courtesy Howard Cohen)
AMT # 2030-200, 1966, 1/25 scale, Designed by Harry Bradley, Re-issued 2013 by MPC/ERTL
Original releases offered an optional clear bed cover. Then an optional camper version was added in the 1970s and issued as Vantasy by AMT. Many AMT Deora variations have been released over the years, with a variety of names and options: Vantasy marked the end of the clear canopy era, Topless Pickup was a roadster version, Alexander’s Drag Time came with a blown Hemi and instructions to radius the rear wheel wells, and Custom Cabana was a camper special. Before Lindberg released slant-6s in their 1965 Mopar models, Deora and Red Baron were the only kits to offer modified inline 6-cylinder power. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Again, we have a relatively mild custom with factory backing that left a large and lasting impact throughout the entire custom car universe. Predating and influencing Ed Roth’s wild asymmetrical Megacycle trucklet and outlandish trucks to come from Darryl Starbird, Carl Casper, and Chuck Miller, there’s just no denying Larry and Mike Alexander’s clean and thoughtful execution of Bradley’s design. Downscaling the Don Ridler Award winner for kit builders was a natural. AMT promoted a contest to name the truck and “Deora” was the winning entry from a 13-year-old fan (who scrambled the Spanish translation of “Golden”). The ensuing sales success continues unabated today. A smash on the show circuit, Chrysler leased Deora for two years of exhibition before it went into storage. In 1998, Harry Bradley assisted with the Deora’s restoration preceding the 2002 50th Detroit Autorama. Automotive journalist and AMT consultant Don Emmons inexplicably appears on the Deora knockoff, Topless Pickup: “The marketing people just tacked my name and picture on the box and instructions. I really had nothing to do with it.” Deora was Mattel’s first choice for its initial “Sweet 16” Hot Wheels release.
The kits use a different door-opening actuation than the real car, as well as a different number of grille bars and a different headlight treatment. Re-issues by MPC used AMT’s original molds, so those (minor) gaffes were perfectly reproduced! Howard Cohen’s Deora build is pretty much by the book, right down to the decaled show board display. (Photo Courtesy Howard Cohen)
Alexander’s Drag Time (# T229-200), Custom Cabana (# T298-200), Vantasy (# T-201), and Topless Pickup box art. Wouldn’t you know it? Topless Pickup (# T230-200) has its top up. (Photos Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
AMT # 906-170, 1966, 1/25 scale, Designed by George Barris
The Barris shop employed a crew led by Les Tompkins and Tex Collins to craft ZZR in 12 weeks. AMT didn’t have to make the same deadline, but getting ZZR kits on shelves before the premier wasn’t easy, either. According to legend, Barris sold ZZR to someone in France. Perhaps AMT’s molds were included in the deal, as neither the real ZZR nor the kits have been seen since. Playing Mantis released a 1/42-scale version of ZZR in 1996. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
The most popular show rods garner the highest prices, but the most obscure also leverage supply and demand to their advantage. Consequently, this movie car from Barris is highly sought after. Prominently featured in Bart Patton and Lenny Weinrib’s Out of Sight surfer-spy spoof for Universal Studios, ZZR makes a strong case for seeking out the underdogs. Adding to or distracting from its elusive glory (depending on your point of view), ZZR was later remodeled by John Bogosian as Fire Bug for AMT, a T roadster–bodied takeoff on the popular fire truck model genre of the time. Fire Bug boasted a dozen firefighting accessories to offset the piles of crime-fighting equipment stuffed into the trunk of ZZR, everything from machine guns to hand grenades to flame throwers to a “tar squirter” and a “skid juice spreader.” As if tandem 340-ci Buick engines and Barris styling weren’t enough.
Check the lineup of musical guest stars, hungry for a shot at film glory and soundtrack royalties. This is the official ZZR kit-building soundtrack. (Photo Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
ZZR is only one of several Barris and California Show Cars products that found their way to France. They all passed through many hands, and most ended up in anonymous storage units, as illustrated here by ZZR. (Photo Courtesy Scotty Gosson Collection)
John Bogosian’s organic transformation of ZZR into Fire Bug was a natural. Dave Rasmussen confirms, “Yes, that price sticker does say $1.57.” (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
Monogram # PC188-200, 1967, 1/24 scale, Designed by Ray Farhner, Re-issued 1970, 1994, 2013 (2013 reissue under the Monogram “Car Show” banner)
Besides one of the all-time great show rods, the box is also jammed with excellent spare parts for kit-bashing (although “chrome” components are notoriously fragile). American 12-spoke front and 5-spoke rear wheels (front tires are slightly oversize and the slicks could be larger, according to most), even a nice Moon tank. The injected 426 Hemi is one of the better scale engines. “Fabricing” the full interior is a fun project, as well. The “Bone Ranger” skeleton is a great addition to any display (I believe he’s a clone of the Li’l Coffin guy) and the tombstone is another iconic accessory. Bonus: Recent re-issue box side reads, “Plastic parts molded in USA,” “Packaged in USA,” “Tires molded in USA,” “Box printed in China.” Three out of four ain’t bad. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
One of the most popular and well-documented show rods of all time, yet its history dead-ends at the point of downscaling. Thankfully, Monogram stalwart Roger Harney spoke up and filled in the big blank: “We had just purchased Li’l Coffin, and at our New Products meetings, we were looking for other far-out cars traveling the show circuit that we could kit. When the magazines featured Boot Hill Express, we thought it would be a great follow-up car to Coffin and Uncertain-T. So Bob Reder contacted Ray Farhner and made a deal with him. We then sent our research team to Farhner’s shop to photograph and measure Boot Hill. It was our idea to add the Wild West skeleton and tombstone marker. That was a fun time; we were working on a lot of neat projects.” Monogram soon picked up a reputation for skeletons in their boxes, ultimately inspiring MPC and Pyro to dig up some bones of their own.
Roving photographer Chris Shelton came across Boot Hill Express at Speedy Bill Smith’s Museum of American Speed, recovering from a long stay at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. Chris said, “It looked so fragile, I was afraid to touch it.” (Photo Courtesy Chris Shelton)
A pair of Monogram’s wilder truck offerings from 1967. (Photo Courtesy Phil Davis)
William Clark built this 1/25-scale version and got so stoked, he crafted a 1/8-scale Express from scratch, expressly for this book project. (Photos by William Clark)
Monogram # PC189-200, 1967, 1/24 scale. Designed by Tom Daniel, Re-issued 1986, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2004
Dave Rasmussen calls it “One of the most enduring show rods of all time.” Tom Daniel says, “The cross and the German theme reminded me of Milwaukee and its beer and German heritage.” Daniel’s debut kit is one of the most coveted ever. First impressions count for a lot, and Daniel’s dynamic box art presented a fresh look on store shelves. Inside the box, Monogram delivered with unique details, challenging their pattern makers and delighting modelers. The chain-drive rear end alone was a bold move, but details such as the “Pilsner Yellow” styrene and the tiny beer stein shift knob brought the intricacies of 1/24 scale to a new level. In the name of political correctness, Monogram re-issued the kit in 1998 under the lame RC Cola Wagon moniker. (Photo Courtesy Dave’s Show Rod Rally)
The first of more than 85 kits Daniel designed for Monogram, the Beer Wagon concept was actually hatched by Monogram’s marketing department, desperate to dig the company out from under a ton of slot cars they had invested in. Monogram’s Bob Reder and Roger Harney were impressed with Daniel’s Sketchpad series in the Petersen Publishing magazines and ran the Beer Wagon idea by him. Daniel quickly realized the massive Mack truck would require a radical downsizing. Once that was accomplished, the rest was child’s play for the naturally whimsical Daniel.
