Hot Wheels - Purple Pssion (modified) for TNMCC "Merc-Off" club contest. I decided to do this little one as a "joke'. Well, it got out of hand. Roof removed, fenders reshaped. It has been channeled /lowered even further than the Hot Wheels version - but still has 'ground clearance', dual exahust tips from pins, dash panel/console, visors, door panels from scratch. Moon dics are Craft store "fake-rivetheads". Spotlights are parts sprue bits. Also had removable scratch built Carson Top. (now somewhere in Arizona) Paint is Duplicolor "Autumn Maple" directly over polished metal body.

Scratch built V-12 flathead, with phantom 12 cyl. "Offenhauser" heads (added a pair of cylinders onto each end of a V/8 block, and then re"scribed" finned heads) (reworked intake / exhaust manifolds in same manner) Fully WIRED 12 CYLINDER magneto w/properly routed wires along top of engine...triple carbs with fuel lines,etc... lowered susp,stratchbuilt floor and trunk with correct clearances for driveline & suspension, channeled/sectioned/shortened body, ALL panels hinged, all openings reworked to have rounded corners. 57 T-bird grille, frenched 53 Chevy tailights, tilt/tele steering wheel!, swivel buckets, reverse opening pancaked hood, Studebaker dash panel, 59 Caddy wheel & seats.

Here is the old GSL contest / Purple 49 Merc with roof removed...has 5 minute epoxy all over it, now, and shot lightly with still ANOTHER coat of paint, only lightly - to try a new color....during the epoxy removal stages. See -how the rockers are the only thing that holds a convertible car with opening doors - together. Imagine sanding those rounded doors and roof pillars, and hood/cowl, and decklid openings... There were a lot of "expletives deleted"...during that process!#@$^%^&* Anyway, thanks to Billy Kingsley for putting this on the web!

Here is a 49 Merc, as sent to an old GSL contest (did not place). It had been painted over 12 different colors, and sadly developed cracks related to this. Presently has roof removed, which was a big problem during initial build - the rockers were the only thing holding the car together, during all sanding and shaping stages...the car kept breaking in half! (so a roof was added... now removed). Entire car was then covered in 5 min. epoxy... hopefully to seal cracks in the 15 coats of paint...and is now being smoothed to original quality... It will probably be Pearl White - when finished again. - Tom

71 Charger as Replica Stock (in-progress) Real car is Plum Crazy purple with Slant Six ! Completely scratch-built Flat hood to replace R/T hood, vinyl top with correct moldings (not visible)...filled door gills. Nearing completion at this date. now has FULLY detailed engine with dipstick, all emission hoses, wires, fuel lines. This includes modified block deck height, scratch biult air-cleaner housing. - By Tom Mach

This is by Tom Mach, for Bill Dart in-house contest. Was then baby Blue, then reworked later to state shown. Eventually has 59 Caddy engine / Tilt-tele nose. Items of note: Z-d frame, channeled cab, filled cab corner-windows, shortened bed, raised bed-sides, raised rear fenders.

This was biult by me (Tom Mach). It has a fully working suspension - and can be dropped onto the table from 2"-3" up! Not recommended on a regular basis. Wheels actually decend - when picking up model. (much as a 1:1 car would when being raised on a lift) So - not only is the suspension 'robust', it is has 'to scale' spring rates and travel. It was very difficult to achieve this balance. - Tom