Show Rod Model Kits Preview

Published on
March 3, 2015
Review Author(s)
Book Author(s)
Scotty Gosson
ISBN
9781613251560
Other Publication Information
Softcover, 8.5 x 11”, 144 pages, 417 photos.
MSRP
$29.95
Product / Stock #
CT531
Company: CarTech - Website: Visit Site
Provided by: CarTech - Website: Visit Site
Cover

This excellent book is a showcase of show rod model kits from the perspective of a collector rather than a model builder. The book is an excellent read and includes hundreds of photos of classic show rod kits.

The first chapter is An illustrated History of Show Rod Modeling. The section describes how in the 1960s scale hot rod models begin to replace factory cars and older classic cars in popularity. Several examples of early show cars included the Lincoln Futura, Leva Car, and Outlaw as examples of early show rods. The chapter has 50 pages listing some of the most popular and most collectible show rod kids.

Chapter 2, The Corporate Sprue, describes the formation of the early model car companies and again includes some early kits as examples.

Chapter 3, The Human Element contains two Q&A sessions, one with show rod & model designers Tom Daniel, Ed Newton, and John Bogosian. The second session is with an advisory panel of show rod builders and collectors talking about their experiences with kit building and collecting kits.

Chapter 4, The Manufacturers Point of View, describes how manufactures determine the viability and marketability of producing a particular model.

Chapter 5, Collectability in Today’s Marketplace discusses the volatility of collecting show rod model kits, including examples of current kit values and Internet chat rooms for collectors.

Chapter 6, The Model Hunter, has 31 pages identifying and describing some of the more obscure and rare show model kits. A photograph of the model or of the boxtop art accompanies each of the descriptions.

Chapter 7, Scratch-Built Renegades, profiles underground artisans “who value celebration of the creative process over any monetary or ego-driven collecting standard”, along with examples of their work. Also listed are some of the “Street-Level Suppliers to the Glue Huffers”, home-base manufacturers of obscure parts.

The book is a thorough description of the formation of model companies, early development of show model kits, and descriptions of many of the kits themselves.

This book would be a wonderful reference for the early show rod or model car collector and model builders interested in the early years of hot rod models. It includes an astounding number of kit photographs that are sure to ignite the passion of hot rod kit builders and collectors alike. Gosson’s writing style is casual and humorous, while disseminating vast amounts of information.

Thanks to Scotty Gossan and CarTech for producing this excellent publication. Thanks to Specialty Press for providing the review sample to IPMS, and the great IPMS review crew for the opportunity to enjoy this book.

Comments

Add new comment

All comments are moderated to prevent spam


This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.