April 2006

The Museum continues to benefit from the generosity of public-minded supporters.

Steve Hinson has come into the possession of a series of wonderful models by Ben Takemoto was an active modeler on the West Coast. Steve donated a great drag VW that Ben built. Thanks for your generosity Steve! Let's let Steve describe Ben and his models: Ben's VW model is really well done. Converted to a quarter miler, it represents the late Sixties digger style of dragster. The build quality is really good. Thanks, Steve, for this donation!

"Ben Takemoto was one of those many builders in the early 60's. No contest history, no magazine history... just a kid who was inspired by the mags of the times. He built all of the models pictured between 1960-1964. He was a talented builder, as most of his models have held up surprisingly well over the years. His paint jobs, although lacking clear coats, were lacquer and are extremely nice, considering the time frame. His engines were wired (Threaded!) and he even had the occasional fuel line in place. He even took advantage of the multiple parts included, and kitbashed quite a few models (especially his drag stuff) After the model craze ended for him, he went on to become one of the local hot rodders that my generation always thought were so cool."

For more information on Ben's work, visit Steve's Fotki site at:

http://public.fotki.com/ModelCarGuy2003/models_by_ben_takemoto/

Tim Nolan has made arrangements for a Revell-Pactra II contest winning model to be donated to the Museum. Built by Bob Kovacs of Toledo, Ohio, the model was found by Martin Ruiz who wanted the model to be protected in our Museum. This model came with a special Revell-Pactra contest sticker still on the model, as well as the ribbon that was awarded to the model. Marty located Bob and I'll be interviewing him in the near future for the book on the Revell-Pactra and Revell-Testor contests. Museum memberships have been given to both Marty and Bob. Our special thanks to Marty and Tim Nolan for making arrangements to get this model into our collection!

Typical of the custom style of the day, Bob's '40 Ford has been mildly sectioned and chopped, and features molded front and rear aspects. Sporting original paint, Tim and Martin cleaned up the model and repaired minor damage. Note the accompanying Revell-Pactra II ribbon and small sticker for the original display base.

This donation came to the Museum recently. Frank Peiler full custom dune buggy and won the dune buggy design/building contest in Car Model magazine. The model is in superb condition.

This dune buggy model was donated by Frank Peiler. Frank said the model was in two consecutive issues of Car Model in July and August 66 where it was the top winner in a dune buggy design and building contest! He said he started with an AMT Meyers Manx and made the body from sprue covered in cheap plastic, and used an IMC GT40 for the windshield frame. The windshield itself is vac-formed. The roll cage also came from the GT40 kit as well. The engine is cut down from a Chevy 427 and the exhaust headers are made from rolled modeling clay!. Frank was notified by letter that he won. Part of the prize was an X-Acto tool set. He was also supposed to get IMC kits for life, but that didn't happen. Rather, Frank got three or four kits to start with, then they kind of dried up. He went to the IMC factory in Michigan in '67 and talked them out of another ½ dozen or so kit, but then the company soon went out of business.The Museum expresses it appreciation to Damon Bell and former Scale Auto editor Kirk Bell (both of whom work for Publications International, as does Frank Peiler) for their help is securing this donation and shipping it to the Museum.