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New to the Site
With any site, and especially one of this size, it is difficult to keep up with the new additions to the site. As new information is added, we will keep
a list and link to those items on this page. Visit this page first on each visit to the site and check out what is new!
October 2006
The Museum is proud to present, along with UMAG, a Region 10 Chapter of IPMS/USA, The Masters Challenge Invitational contest. Go here to read more about the Challenge. This special contest, to be held in Phoenix, Arizona in October 2010, will gather together the world's greatest builders in a no-holds barred competition that will celebrate exquisite craftsmanship with hyper-realistic, in-scale miniature automobiles that will display the widest possible range of operational features.
The Museum's Clone the Past
program is well underway. As you know, the Museum has identified the most influential models in the model car hobby through 1968, and has created a chart to identify those models, their builders, and the magazines in which those models appeared (after all, a model can't be influential if it was never covered in the hobby media). Please go here for information on the Clone the Past program.
To assist the builders signed up to replicate models on the Museum's Hot 150, the Museum now publishes a sort-of newsletter for those builders who are helping out the Museum.
New builders have signed up, and the work of builders already on board is progressing well. Please go here for an update on the Clone the Past chart for an update on this important effort that will, as replicated models appear, introduce visitors to the history of technological developments in the history of our hobby.
As you know, the Museum and the Utah Miniature Automotive Guild are the chief sponsors of the GSL International Scale Vehicle Championship and Convention
. The Twenty-First GSL Championship will be held next year. Go here to read about the event: http://www.GSLChampionship.org and here to read/download the GSL Preview (5mb PDF).
All the back issues of the Museum's newsletters are now available on line, and without restriction.
Mark S. Gustavson received a fax at his office from a "R.W. Morgan" in early September that described this fellow's recollections of Dave Shuklis. Even though it was ambiguous, Mark responded to the fax, acknowledged the great note (see text below), and asked if the sender was the "Rich Morgan" who
won the first Revell-Testor contest in 1965. Amazingly, the sender was THAT Morgan; Gustavson called him and had a great discussion. Rick didn't know that he was as well known as he is among of
cognoscenti, and also revealed that his winning model from the Clone the Past chart still exists; Rick also said that he would find it, clean it up and lend it to the Museum on indefinite loan. The Museum will be back in touch with Rick very soon – he's already a member! Tim Pentecost – who has signed up to replicate Rick's incredible scale dragster – is now considering whether he wishes to replicate the model anyway, or choose another model to replicate for the Museum's Clone the Past program. More on this by the end of 2006! Welcome back to the hobby, Rick!
The Museum continues to acquire important items from the history of our hobby. Go here to learn more about these acquisitions.
As you know, the Museum expanded into additional space late last year. This expansion required local trustees and a contractor to repair and revise the space
(which had gone through a large number of abusive tenants!) for use as our library and a back room that will present a visual history of our hobby. Local members of the Utah Miniature Automotive Guild (a Region
10 IPMS/USA Chapter, and the chief sponsor of both the GSL Championship and one of the sponsors of the Masters Challenge worked
long hours to repair, paint and scrub down the new space. Check out these photos of the new library that will be opened to the public for the first time at GSL-XXI.
August 2006
The Clone the Past program is coming along very well. Many great builders are working on projects
to present in the Museum to trace how model car technology and craftsmanship has developed since the Fifties. Please go here for general information and here for the update chart of the models being cloned including some new pictures of the famous historic models and the cloned versions!
May 2006
As we've mentioned before, the Museum has been grateful to have made a connection with famed model John Estlow whose
hyperdetailed a major model car contest in 1964. John – who enthusiastically supports the Museum – has sent us three CDs filled with images of his models including that great Mercury.
April 2006
It is good to post a note to the Museum's website – it's been too long since the last major update!
I would like to talk about the Museum in general. When the idea of the Museum first blossomed almost 20 years ago, I was never sure the seed would find fertile soil and grow – I
hoped it would, but it was an audacious idea. The idea of the Museum first came to me during a poignant moment with Jim Keeler. Keeler and I met when I was still in law school – the owner of a local hobby shop
called me and said that there was some "old Revell guy" who wanted to talk with me; when I heard the name, I almost fell off my chair. I had followed Jim's storied career and I certainly wanted to meet him. Jim and
I soon met and formed a deep friendship that lasts to this day. As part of that association, a few years after I graduated, Jim offered to me his historic models that had defined and distinguished his early career
and established bench marks in the hobby. Can you imagine? That collection included not one but BOTH of the Dodge Fever models though they both were in a sorry state (along with four other models including
his MCS X-100 and his famed Turbine Tub). When I called my friends Tom Dillion and Greg Struhar – both Midwesterners with strong building skills and a great interest in Keeler's work – they
jumped at the chance to participate in the restoration of the Fever models. The three of us restored both of Jim's Dodge Fevers and Greg built an incredible replica of Jim's Dodge Fever I that he presented to a very
emotional Keeler at a subsequent GSL Championship. That great project, genuinely, planted the seed in me.
That experience taught me that there was an interest in the history of our hobby, and that it was important, right then, to start to gather the artifacts and memorabilia of our hobby while we still had the chance to do so. I surmised that historic model car artifacts and items were being lost, and we had to
get the word out that a place should be organized where the history of the model car hobby could be gathered together -- where the work and contributions of modelers could be preserved, honored and presented for
future generations. After gathering and cataloging a surprising quantity of small items (many culled from stuff that I had been purchasing for years), the Museum found its first home in a 105 square foot (yeah,
that's not a typo!) room near my office in 1990 and then moved to a 350 square foot facility in 1993, after which we moved, in 2000, to our current 1,200 square foot location. And, now, we're about to expand again.
There were some who scoffed, early on, at the idea of a model car Museum, but they were mistaken. The Museum now enjoys the incredible generosity of individual hobbyists and leading
organizations in our hobby, and we're paying the rent regularly! We're here to stay and succeeding generations of builders will look back on our pioneering efforts and marvel at what we all have done here. We're now
in the process of preparing a Federal Museum Grant application and, after that long process is completed, we may have a permanent home for this incredible collection. I want to express my deepest thanks to the
hundreds of hobbyists who have generously contributed to the Museum. Best exemplified by the generous monthly donations from John and Joan Mahaffey (who have kept to that schedule for more than a decade), the Museum
has been supported by many groups and individuals who have collectively caught the vision of what we're trying to do.
At this point, the Museum's mission has matured and expanded. Now established as the premier repository for all things historic about our hobby, the Museum will be moving out in the
model car marketplace, so to speak, to participate and expand our presentation of model car contests, to be a sponsor at key events, and to produce modeling booklets that will be available on line without charge.
The Museum is about the history and future of our hobby, and we need and welcome your help in continuing our mission and growth. You can read about many of those programs and goals in this newsletter.
With all of that in mind, here is a summary of articles contained in this issue of The Builder which will help you learn how the Museum is setting the pace for our hobby!
- Mark S. Gustavson
Museum Founder/Trustee
- Newsletter Award! The Museum newsletter is the recipient of major journalism award! We are happy to announce that the Museum received a
Golden Quill Award
– "Associations and Museums" category – from Krause Publications. This award is presented annually to a range of auto-hobby related publications in recognition of outstanding efforts in the communications field. This is a major achievement for the Museum, and we extend our special appreciation to editor Paul Anagnostopoulos for his hard work in laying out and presenting The Builder! Thanks, Paul!
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- Museum Promotion. New Museum Trustee Jim "Hollywood" Fernandez has taken on the responsibility
of assembling a list of clubs and leading events (e.g., the several NNLs, The Copperstate contest, and the like) for the purpose of organizing and sending Museum-promotional documents and membership
certificates to those groups and events. This effort, the goal of which is for the Museum to support current
hobby activities and also to promote its programs with the leading clubs and organizations around the world, has benefitted from the generous help of Model Cars Magazine editor Gregg Hutchings who has graciously
shared his extensive club data base with us. Thanks, Gregg! And thanks, Jim, for taking on this important project.
- Reorganization of Museum – New Museum Trustees. To respond to the growing administrative
responsibilities of the Museum, we've appointed Mark Brown, Phil Gladstone, Bob Wick and Jim Fernandez as the newest Trustees. These fellows are passionate about the Museum, and play a major role in
the reorganization of the Museum's Board of Trustees: Mark Brown and Phil are handling the Museum's Library and other historic documents, and Bob will over see the Museum's contest activities (more on this
later in this newsletter) as well as designing our spaces. Jim will help me with this newsletter and handle
relations with clubs and events. Additionally, Brian Dees has come back on board as a Trustee again. Welcome aboard, Phil, Mark, Jim, Brian and Bob!
- Clone the Past. Wonderful news here! In addition to the terrific work being done by our current batch of
clone builders, Vince Lobosco and the Town of Newburgh club (who previously restored the majority of the
Dave Shuklis models) have agreed to take on the administration of the Clone the Past program which will include working with clubs across the United States and Canada (using the club list that Trustee Jim
Fernandez is working on). Thanks to Vince and the Newburgh Boys (you should have seen their antics at GSL-XX). Also, sculptor Mike Good has done a great job of building the body work for Lonio Stern's famed Astrodan!
- The Museum expands! Because of the quickly growing collection, the Museum has expanded into an
adjacent space. Check out this article by Trustee Mark J. Benton by going here.
- In Memoriam. Sadly, members of our modeling interest continue to pass away. Please check out the list of
model car builders who have left us since the last newsletter, including a special obituary for Augie Hiscano. More...
- Chuck Jones update! One of the great models on our Clone the Past Hot 150 list is the stylized, mid
-engined custom of Chuck Jones built for the International Modelers' Guild, a mid-America championship (in which he won the very top award!). See the major article we printed in Vol. 10 #1 of The Builder (available here )and read about this incredible model and its saga. Sadly, the original model no longer exists
(having disappeared into the Roth mysterium about four decades ago). However, Chuck (who works in a Ford Motor Company styling studio) has sculpted a clay buck of his original model and produced a
fiberglass/resin copy of that clay model. Museum supporter and putty master Mike Good and Mark S. Gustavson have looked over this master "buck," and have formulated plans on how to perfect the master
and then get it cast. Thanks, Chuck, for your hard work replicating your fantastic model. A special thanks
to Mike Good for his examination of the master and suggestions on how the master might be perfected for a
resin casting. Presently, Museum Trustee Alan Raab has undertaken the task of perfecting the Go to the Clone the Past section here for further information.
- Hall of Fame Appointments. Ordinarily, the Museum respects and understands the importance of voting
and majority rule. Those principles have guided free societies and lead, generally, to the best result. However, the Museum Trustees have decided to recognize two hobby leaders and appoint them to the Hall
of Fame because they are too little known today and have not been selected in previous balloting.
- Bob Barnett Models. As you know, Bob Barnett was an early and leading proponent of custom model car
construction with a special emphasis upon scale replicas of famous custom cars. Since Bob's too-early passing in 1994, the Museum has had a special program to finish his great custom model cars. Please go here on the Museum's site for further information on Barnett models finished to date.
- In the past, a lot of high-quality builders have completed Barnett models: Joe Prestia, Fred Grumke, Bob
Mako, Miles Preveto and Wildon McDowell. Presently, Rick Harris is finishing the El Matador, and Steve Hinson and his intrepid group of California modelers are working on Bob's replica of Cushenbery's Marquis (go here for photos of the real car Mark S. Gustavson is working - - when time permits - - on
Bob's version of the Matranga Mercury which has previously benefitted by some great work by Rik Hoving.
- Motorized Modeling. One benefit of the significant expansion of space into the adjacent unit of the
Museum will be that we will have enough space to think more seriously about building a highly-detailed and
very realistic slot track. Unlike the sterile and antiseptic tracks seen in the Sixties and since, this track will
benefit from sophisticated scenery of the sort that we'll ask Ken Hamilton to lay out and design for us.
- We understand the natural criticism – sure to emerge – that the Museum shouldn't be doing something that
lead to the collapse of the static model car hobby in the late Sixties. It's our view that scale auto modeling
finds many venues, and this time, we'll do it well and in a way to enhances static building and proposes
hybrid cross-over modeling as a new venue. We'll even approach Robert Schleicher – the current guru of all things slot racing – to explore the possibility of working out a collaborative effort.
- While plans are in the very early stages, we need to also resist the reflexive assumption that a slot track has to be a race
track. And this is where our take on motorized modeling will make the difference: why not think outside the box and think about creating a scale venue that would emphasize the challenge of "driving"
through scale scenery, mountains, and the like? With the advent of chip technology, there's no reason to
believe that a mobile, concours-level, motorized scale vehicle couldn't present realistic auto sounds when
"driving" on the track. More on this in the next issue, but we've the time, and we'll start to think about this.
- Followup Article on Jim Keeler's Dodge Fever models. Trustee Emeritus John Dino has completed the
second on his two-part article series on Jim Keeler's historic models. Please go here to enjoy John's piece!
- Scan the Past. This program has enjoyed enormous success and progress recently. Please go here and read
what's been going on!
- Breaking News! The Museum was just contacted by John Estlow who won the International Modelers
Guild Modelrama Championship in 1964. John was a great pioneer of early model technology. The caption in a brief feature on his model in the August 1964 issue of Model Car Sciencereveals the following details of
this detailed Mercury: lights for the interior and trunk, and license plate light plus two back-lite scale TV
sets, high and low beam headlights, working horn (operated from the steering column), back up lights and
turn signals, roll up windows (ala Shuklis), and an Atlas HO motor turning the fan blade with model railroad-source tech producing puffs of smoke from the exhaust pipes. The model was presented in a TV with
plenty of wiring and electronics housed in the base. If this could all be done with 1964-tech, what can't be done today? We hope to interview John very soon.
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John's custom '49 Mercury was a tour de force for then-contemporary model car technology. This model
still exists, and the very enthusiastic John Estlow may loan this model to the Museum. Our next issue will have a story on John and his forward-thinking model car construction.
October 2005
It is time to vote for the 2006 Hall of Fame Awards. Go here...
June 2005
- How to Build Better Scale Model Vehicles: Construction Considerations for Building Championship
-Caliber Models, by Mark S. Gustavson and Robert A. Wick is a 30 page booklet on model construction techniques. It has been posted on the Publications Page or is directly available for viewing/download here... (Acrobat file approx. 750K)
November 2004
June 2004
- The In Memoriam list has grown -- please check out the Museum's list which seeks to honor those great
model car hobbyists who has passed on.
- The Museum's primary focus is to preserve the history of our hobby for future generations. However, the
Museum also advocates for the long-term best interests of the hobby. Check out this project announcement that appears in the first of 2004 (issue 10.1) issue of The Builder and in Mark's new View from Here.
April 2004
January 2003
October 2002
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