Show Rod Model Kits: A Showcase of America's Wildest Model Kits

By Scotty Gosson

Whether you are interested in picking up the collecting hobby, just want a few cool kits from your childhood to display, or simply want to reminisce about building and obsessing over these crazy kits from your youth, Show Rod Model Kits: A Showcase of America's Wildest Model Kits will be a fun addition to your library.

• Language: English
• Publisher: S-A Design
• Release date: Jan 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781613252390

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

Scaled-Down Show Rods for a Scaled-Down Economy

The dive-in-and-see-what-happens ethos of the beatnik gearheads who designed and built the 1:1 show rods seems to have infected everyone associated with them and the resulting comedy is hereby delivered for your amusement. May it educate, entertain, and inspire you . . .

It was invaluable training: Mowing lawns and washing cars to earn a weekly allowance garnered us several intrinsic life lessons, including time and money management. Other than tricking out our bicycles, our mechanical creative outlets were mostly limited to building models from kits, financed with said allowance.

Who could have guessed that we’d somehow survive countless hours of spray paint and glue huffing only to face an economy decades later demanding the same skill set we developed to finagle $2 model kits with 20 hours of hard labor? Sweet irony, reflected in our ultimate model of choice: the show rod.

In hindsight, we can see (with corrective lenses) that our childhood preferences were informed by a media in cahoots with manufacturers and marketing departments. But we can’t deny how deeply the hook was set. Wild show rod imagery continues to haunt the subconscious until it ultimately can’t be repressed any longer. At that point, we must lay out a show rod chassis design on the garage floor and begin flinging sparks, start collecting the show rod models of our dreams, or both. There’s no other way to continue on without going incurably insane. That’s just how it is. Alas, economics dictate which path to pursue, and many of us find ourselves on the short end of the dollar. So, which way to the hobby shop?

Luckily, we now live in an era of aging hoarders, reproduction entrepreneurs, and instant worldwide communication with both camps. The models are out there, and this book will hopefully save you some time and money in your quest to sniff them out. An informed hunter is more likely to succeed than not. And the education is actually a pretty fun ride! If there’s anything as wacky and amusing as a full-on show rod, it has to be the stories behind how they came to be chosen and modeled. Those adventures even carry over to the manufacturing and marketing of the model kits themselves.

Model cars continue to transport torches from one generation to the next. And that torch power propels them across all borders. Custom car historian Rik Hoving and eight-year-old son Abe get down to the details in the Netherlands on Ed Roth’s Revell Outlaw kit. (Esther de Charon Photo, Courtesy Rik Hoving)

Alas, history has not been kind to us researchers, as little documentation remains regarding full-scale show rods and models of the time. Manufacturer catalogs seem to have vanished with the years, leaving model kit release dates to be repeatedly shuffled to suit the agenda du jour. Many of the principals involved have passed on. And most of the survivors readily admit to memory loss. Regardless, I sleuthed on, with a little help from my friends . . . and this endeavor required enough of them to fill an entire Acknowledgments page!

MANUFACTURER CATALOGS SEEM TO HAVE

VANISHED

WITH THE YEARS

Another wrench in the works is the confounding definition of a show rod. In 1:1 scale, show rods are generally defined as completely scratch-built cars, intended for indoor car show display. Scratch-built has its own ambiguity, but is recognized in the chassis fabrication arena as referencing a totally custom-built frame, chassis, and body. There is plenty of gray area to go around, as some of the wildest show rods (Chuck Miller’s Fire Truck and Red Baron and the Bell and Trantham’s Outhouse, for example) sat on standard T-bucket chassis (which were non-stock yet still aftermarket production-line creations, often in kit form, further confusing the issue). In fact, Fire Truck even employed a production-style body (although it was scratch-built. Where do these loopholes end?).

So while show rod parameters are somewhat elastic, publishing space limitations dictate sticking to some semblance of guidelines. For the purposes of this book, the publisher and I have agreed to abide by the rules of the model kit collecting domain, where the show rod term generally pertains to scale copies of actual show rods or original concepts that could be actual show rods. Caveat: I am prone to throwing rule books out of windows. You’ve been warned.

CHAPTER ONE

An 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...

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.

Club de Mer

Revell # H-1213:129, 1956, 1/24 scale, Designed by Harley Earl/Paul Gillian, Re-issued 1995

General Motors awarded Revell...

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.

Lincoln Futura

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...

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)

Leva Car

AMT # 160, 1961, 1/20 scale, Designed by George Walker

AMT inked a rare 1/20...

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...

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)

Outlaw

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.

Ala Kart

AMT # T-129-200, 1963, 1/25 scale, Designed by George Barris, Re-issued 1966, 2002 (by AMT/ERTL)

The retooled kit got mixed...

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...

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

Reviews for Show Rod Model Kits

[johnnyapollo_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Scotty Gosson once again wows me with apparently written just for me! This has to be my favorite of Gosson's books! Growing up in semi-rural Tennessee during the 60's and 70's, the availability of the show rod kit was the closest I would get to the hot rods I would see on TV. This book is a well detailed and superbly photographed history of the show kit, from that very first Revell "Club de Mer" from 1956 to modern reissues of the classics designed by Ed Roth and George Barris. This book really delivers on a subject formerly buried in the online automotive kit building communities. I wish I had every kit I ever built that's in this book, plus there are many here that I have never seen.You get the back-stories on the cars (some existed before the kit and others were built from the kit design). Also included are notes about the kits themselves (like what areas fit poorly and which bits need extra work). I enjoyed reading the Q&A of the production designers and how they were inspired. Finally the section on collectibility will open some eyes at the prices some original unbuilt kits demand. In all, a very thoroughly researched and assembled book for the gearhead geek in all of us.

[macygma · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Guys! Do any of these names bring back a memory: Big Red Baron, the Outlaw, Paddy Wagon or Gypsy Wagon? Which came first – the model or the car? If you don’t know I’m talking model kits, you really do need to buy this book!Scotty Gosson has done an amazing job of not only bringing you pictures but also the stories behind some of America’s very best models. Originally about $2.00, I can tell you that they aren’t anywhere that price now; but well worth the time to not only build them but to teach the next generation how to as well. I could give you a story that eye/hand coordination is good for kids and painting practice is always good but, heck we all know the building is the thing!You will learn that Canned Heat in 1973 is the 1962 Outlaw revisited. The collectability of kits (opened and unopened), interviews with icons of Aurora, Revell, Monogram and more. Roth, Bogosian, John Mueller stories and an interview. Scratch-built models – NOT simple but definitely cool.So, modelers, what are you waiting for? Go get this book, remember all the kits you built and tell those stories to the kiddos. It’ll be good for ya!

[hotwolfie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was lucky enough to receive an early review copy of this book through Library Thing. The photos are awesome in here, and I really enjoyed reading about the different model kits. I liked that this book was very colorful and the writing wasn't dry at all. I actually had a lot of fun looking through this book.

[yamilka-57 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Amazing photos! Very detailed and I found it very helpful. Hot rods are very sexy cars.

[tomdonaghey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was probably too good to let my friends see. I loaned it out and it took more than a month to get it back. It went around hand to hand with each guy pointing out models he had back in the day when they were brand new. We all loved the book. The illustrations were drool inducing and the details added to our memories of when we were kids gluing up some of these kits. A winner and a sheer delight.

[barbaraurban · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I won this book from LibraryThing...thank you!My grandson Sam was here when I received this awesome book and we spent at least one hour turning page after page. There were lots of "wows" coming from me and Sam and we both enjoyed this colorful and informative book immensely. For me it brought back memories of building model cars with my Dad...even though I was a girl. When I had my son Matt we also built models and now Sam builds them with his Dad, Matt. There is a lot in this book to satisfy all model enthusiasts and I highly recommend it.

[sheilacornelisse · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book has great eye appeal with bright colours and lots of photographs. A fantastic resource for the model car kit fan who wants to relive childhood memories. The layout and design choice will also appeal to young children who look at a book mainly for the pictures. Not being a collector, I unfortunately could not get into reading the text that accompanied the photographs, although I am sure that there is a wealth of information and trivia for avid model car enthusiasts.

[unseelie918 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am not into model kits, but my husband is. However this book has somewhat changed my mind. It is very interesting and shows beautiful color photos. I love that it goes into great depth about each model.

[knightlight777 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As many others from my generation model building was part of growing up as a kid. A great hobby, at times frustrating, but endlessly rewarding. In this book the Car Tech folks have assembled a coverage of specialty model kits, Show Rods. As always with their publications the pictures are superb and as colorful as it gets. It's always amazing to me the detail they uncover and relay it telling the stories and connections behind the products.This particular genre of the modeling world was out there as it broke into areas of creativity and adaptations from TV serials that led to some amazing models and a whole lot of fun. Though I was more into traditional modeling of cars and planes I did see a few here from the Weirdo branding in Hut Rod Huey and Digger that I did actually own and build. It was great to see these again and brought back the memories. This books is well worth adding to one's collection that will add to the nostalgia and fun of this hobby.

[enurd43 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good looking book. Great pictures, full color book. Lots of history in the book. Showed older model kits along with a short history of the actual car the kit was based off of. Would have been nice to see some building tips and a little more detail about the kit themselves. Overall good book with neat pictures.

[pjasion-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

There has probably been three books in my life that caused me to go to the web (in this case, eBay and Google) after reading them - this one is definitely in the list. There has not been another book in this genre for 15 years (see “Hot Rod Models” by Terry Jessee) and this one hits on all cylinders! As a 66 year-old male growing up in the 60's I was a limited modeler (not a neophyte but certainly no expert). I built mostly airplanes and ships. But I do recall (with a gentle jolt from Gossen's book) that I did build a few rods – the Big Red Baron I distinctly remember. Anyone growing up in this era that ever built one will want this book in their library. The contents of this wonderful book covers everything one would want or expect, from the history of the models themselves, to the manufactures explosion and fallout. In addition Gossen provides in-depth interviews with the leading designers in the field for their perspective on a variety of topics. Rounding out the content are sections on collecting in today's world and some pricing/value history. Chapter One, which is, “The Illustrated History of Show Rod Modeling”, with it's stunning photography and associated commentary is where the rubber meets the road. You'll find yourself referring back to it time after time.Again – if you were a modeler in the heyday or a show rod fan, buy this book! Now please excuse me while I go back to eBay to see what I can find...

[abealy_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Building model kits was a right of passage for most boys growing up in the 60's. Airplanes and battleships were all very well, but the exciting focus of that activity was getting the latest show rod kit from AMT, Monogram or Revell (my personal favorite), among others. The crazier the hot rod, the more exciting it was. Scotty Gosson's Show Rod Model Kits: A Showcase of America's Wildest Model Kits succeeds admirably in taking you back to the golden days of summer when you had some spending money and could run over to the hobby store to see what was new from Ed "Big Daddy" Roth for Revell, Chuck Barris for AMT, and all the other show rod artists turning their wildest creations into a kit for young hands to assemble and customize. The book is packed with photos of all the most important kits, facts and stories, interviews with the designers, builders and entrepreneurs with a behind-the-scenes look at what made the model kit industry the dazzling place that it was.