Lamley Custom Feature: Here's A Nod to Hot Rods! By Tim Phelps...

He's back...

Everyone's favorite flame-painter, Tim Phelps, is back with another article on his amazing flaming customs.  If you missed the previous articles in the series, you can find them here.

This time Tim throws a bone at a terribly under-covered element of car culture here at Lamley: the Hot Rod.  With our blah-blahing about JDM and other such delights, we have failed to cover the hot rod.  We hope that will change over time, as my foray into the world of Ed Roth a couple of months ago started me on a mini journey into the world of hot rodding, pinstriping, and other shenanigans.

So you hot rodders out there, I am looking for experts to submit some articles on some of the best of hot rod diecast.  Email us at lamleygroup@gmail.com if you are interested.  We need an education...

That education starts today, with this feature my Tim Phelps.  Enjoy...

(Thanks Tim.)




Here’s A Nod to Hot Rods! By Tim Phelps

Help Me! (or not!) There is fire in my blood! Flame painting over 600 diecast cars just was not enough! I have flame painted a pool cue, coffee mugs, a money clip, a toll road E-Z Pass, a table lamp, an antique tractor seat, over 30 birdhouses, and designed a flame logo for a model shop in Phoenix. I have created fire-inspired species of fish and fowl for a Hawaiian shirt company and over 30 species of other animals including owls, moths, butterflies, beetles and bugs and cephalopods (octopi and chambered nautilus’ to you and me) for my own weird and whacky enjoyment. I am continuing the Lava-Fest in this entry with a look at some fired up Ford hot rods, forever a favorite; timeless in their acceptance, and limitless in possibilities.

Many of the examples included in this entry can be considered “Rat Rods.” Living by the credos “Run what you Brung” and “Nothing is finer than original parts, rust and primer,” rat rodders lovingly build their rat rides with the intent of making them look beat-up, creative and unique. While considered low-brow, they have recently enjoyed their own celebrated spaces in Detroit’s Autorama and other show car venues.

Many of the rods you will see in this entry are in 1:50 scale from Hot Wheels’ Custom Classics line of a few years ago. These have offered the best opportunity to flame paint some traditional ’32  and Pre-’32 rods based upon styles popular since the 40’s favored and customized by some of the greatest builders in hot rod history. The rest of the garage will include a sampling of 1:64 to 1:24 scales from SpecCast, Johnny Lightning and Matchbox. 
I have included some flame history text from my book; Up in Flames: The Art of Flame Painting (MBI 2006). There will a quiz at the end. And the “final” is “Go paint some of your own!”

Pre-1932 Fords

Like others of his day, Henry Ford was quite the hot rodder, tearing down dirt roads in stripped down cars as early as 1909. Other rod enthusiasts in the Midwest raced in Indianapolis in pre-500 contests. Early rodders also raced out west in California, "the future home of hot rodding," in the dry lakes and salt flats of Muroc and El Mirage, and Bonneville in Utah. Like so many more Ford models to come, the pre '32s were stripped of their fenders and running boards to lighten the load, in fact; anything and everything that could be unbolted usually was! 

Early rodders created fenderless "high boys," with rod bodies perched high on the frame rails and "low boys," fenderless bodies lowered onto the chassis over the frame rails, to race in the desert or take to the street. Roofs were removed or tops were "chopped" to streamline the ride. Chopping a top refers to shortening the pillars of the roof of the car, which ultimately lowers the height of the windows and windshield. T-buckets, roadsters and coupes from various pre-30s years would become quite popular customizing fare in the 80+ rodding years to come. Pre-'32 Fords were powered by a 4-cylinder engine, but that would change soon enough. 

The 1932 Ford 

Ah, the prototypical hot rod, a fenderless '32 "Deuce" highboy coupe or roadster, dark in color with cryptic flames; add a slight chop to the windshield or roof; here's hot rodding at its very best! Stock pre-'32's came with 4-cylinder engines.  The lightweight model T and model A bodies could be removed, to snugly fit now on the 1932 chassis with the new standard V-8. A stroke of genius or competitive drive inspired Henry Ford to put in the V-8, "We're going from a 4 cylinder to an "8" because Chevrolet is going to a 6!" The Lincoln division had already been putting one in their models for almost a decade. The rush to produce the V-8 for the '32's came with a price, numerous initial mechanical problems followed. Once these were worked out, the prototypical flathead V-8 engine remained in a relatively unaltered state until 1953 (of course, until rodders got a hold of them). With the stock V-8, a top speed of 78 miles per hour was achievable, quite a feat by 1932 standards. Once in a rodder's hands, the muffler was removed, exhaust pipes were straightened and multiple carburetors were added; this doubled the engine's output, resulting in speeds of over 100 mph. An out-of-the-factory Ford sold for about $435. Wrecked or discarded Fords eventually became plentiful in area junkyards, making them perfect fare for young men with shallow pockets and expanding dreams. 

Many "hot rod" Fords in the late '40s and early '50s were backyard-painted in black primer and devilishly decorated with primitive flames or wavy scallops, also known as "sclames." They were then driven to the dry lakes of California, which provided weekend hot rod playgrounds. Crowds saw hundreds of cars, 10 to 12 abreast, in racing heats streaming across the desert in a flurry of sand, salt and dust!  It was quite a wild and dangerous affair and the motoring melee was often taken into the streets. This gave rodders a bad name and they frequently caught heat from the law. In the mid -50s, stripped down "jalopy racing" "with a whole lotta crashin' goin on" greatly reduced the number of available Ford rod body prospects. Years later, prefabricated fiberglass or steel reproduction bodies and "kit cars" have become readily available in every imaginable rod style to fill any rodder's heart with desire.  

1933 Ford Coupe 
The 1933 model year continues to exhibit smoother lines but is fairly close in character to the '32s. Styling stock changes included a six-inch longer wheelbase with smaller 17-inch wheels, and streamlined grille, shell, fenders and hood. The models of '33 and '34 are virtually cosmetically identical. In creative rodders hands, with a chopped top, "Bigs and littles," big tires in the back, little ones up front, and fenders removed, this Ford becomes a different beast entirely. In all of its possible body reconfigurations, this year's offering has always been popular with customizers and rodders.

Flame Painting History
It is unknown who first flamed their ride—could it have been the cavemen—after all, didn’t they invent fire and the wheel?  Crude attempts at flame painting can be seen in historical photographs of early racecars in the mid 1930’s. However, the art of “hot rod flame painting” began in the late 1940’s, in Southern California; racing and riding around in hot rods was a passion pursued by many young men. Some of the racecars they saw at the race tracks were decorated with graphics resembling fire and flames; they were painted to look just like World War I and World War II aircraft seen in magazines and on early movie and television news reels.  While dreaming about taking these fast cars off the racetrack and onto the street, some teenagers began painting flames on their cars with brushes and house paint in their own driveways. They would drive their cars to school and show them off at the local hamburger drive-in. Anyone who saw these hot cars could not believe their eyes! It seems that this new fad became popular almost overnight. 

In the beginning, Kenneth Howard (Von Dutch) developed a popular style of  “Choppy flames.”  His flame style resembled fire he observed and drew in his sketchbook at oil refineries around Santa Barbara, California. After he finished painting an automobile with a flame design, he used a specially tapered bristle brush to carefully outline a very fine line around the flame’s outside edge; this was soon to be known as pinstriping. Although pinstriping can be found on early Egyptian carriages, on fine automobiles of the 1930’s and on fire engines, it was Von Dutch who first made this painting approach very popular on hot rods. His pinstriping not only outlined his choppy flames but, also, was painted separately as squiggly geometric designs to decorate the hoods and fenders of cars. He even painted the undersides of car hoods, truck lids and inside glove boxes with flying eyeballs, squirming octopi, crawling insects and spiders, creating quite a monstrous and humorous motoring menagerie. 

The heat from Von Dutch's spark ignited a generation of painters to come-- in the span of only a few years, flames began to appear on cars up and down the coast of California, each with an individual personality.  As teenagers, Dean Jeffries developed "crab-claw" flames, Larry Watson created flames resembling leafy “seaweed” and Ed “Big Daddy” Roth became popular for his overlapping "flames within flames.”   Traditional flames --those flames that have a symmetrical and smooth recognizable shape became the most popular style. Rod Powell, Art Himsl, Herb Martinez and Cary Greenwood, each would play a strong role in the development of this most popular form of flame painting. Jeffries, Watson, Roth and Greenwood have each passed; may they rest in peace.

Feeding off each other’s fire, this first generation of flame painters decorated their own and other people’s hot rods and custom cars with a variety of flame painted variations.   Traditional flames became stretched into long and thin "streamers.”  Barely able to be seen "ghost flames” and “silhouette flames” were the next variations to become popular.  Not only did flame styles change but so did flame colors. What began as traditional color schemes of red and orange flames with white outline striping on black and dark color painted cars led to an exploration of every color imaginable in every combination. Who dared imagine blue, green or silver flames on a bright yellow car?  

Now, some 60 years later, flame painting has further blossomed and expanded-- the artform has become extremely popular all over the world! Places like Australia, Japan, Sweden and Germany each appreciate and celebrate the beauty of art of flame painting. As an ever-changing artform, a variety of styles and treatments now include flames that look like pitted or pebbled rock, or slick and wet like water and spilled paint. Other painters paint flames that overlap with tentacle like branches weaving over and under each other with shadows and highlights into a delicate design. “Tribal flames” looking like medieval hatchets with round flowing shapes with sharp edges pointing in different directions, can be found on many famous hot rods and motorcycles.  Some painters are even talented enough to paint “realistic fire,” flames that look like they are moving in a soft breeze or roaring off of a blazing out-of-control campfire. Lastly, flame designs are often combined with images of checkered flags, shredded metal and screaming human skulls and in any combination with the types of flames previously mentioned. Because the artform has gained higher visibility and wider attention, most recently, flame painters are being profiled at work in numerous magazines and on automobile programs on cable television. Because of its overwhelming and worldwide popularity, this is an artform that will never be extinguished!

As always, I hope you have enjoyed this entry and have become inspired to light your own fire. Feel free to contact me and this blog with your questions and comments. The next entry will discuss Kustoms.

The Custom Flame-Work of Tim Phelps, Part 4: Deliveries...

Once again we are very proud to feature the amazing work of our good friend and regular contributor Tim Phelps.  Tim takes on deliveries in this article, and as always the read is as enjoyable as the models.

Oh, and Tim will be one of the judges for the upcoming Lamley BMW E30 Custom Contest, so we will be hearing a lot more from him soon...

See Tim's other articles here.  And let us know what you think here or on the Lamley Facebook Page.

(Thanks Tim.)



Delivering the Goods by Tim Phelps

Deliveries have been around since man created the wheel. When he figured he would be on the move (No, he was not mad he had become a Nomad) he had to come up with a way to haul his stuff around from here to there: Bare-foot pushed and pulled, animal-driven and then “horse-powered!” What distinguishes "panel" from a "sedan" delivery is that a panel has two rear doors while the sedan has just one.  Panels are generally truck-based while sedans are primarily passenger-car-based. Early car and truck-based deliveries were used as a mode of transportation for a variety of goods and services delivering coal and ice and for sure, bootleg firewater. They make the perfect cruising canvas for scallops and flames! I am including Mattel products only in this Blog offering primarily Hot Wheels with a couple of Matchbox parked in the mix in 1/64 scale (about 3 inches long).

This entry shares some of my recent efforts in pyro painting on some delicious delivery canvases. This truck and sedan style has been ever popular with rod builders and flame painters for at least 50 years. If you are like me, you like your deliveries in a speedy and efficient manner; so that being said I will try to keep the “verb’age” to a minimum and deliver my goods in pictures! A recent history of the mystery behind my rod-ness follows.

1939 Chevy Sedan Delivery & Coupes

Its first trucks were offered in 1918, and Chevrolet produced its 2 millionth truck in 1939, finally topping Ford. It held this top rank for three decades until 1970. The '39 is styled after the '36 Chevrolet Deluxe coupes and the '37 Cadillac LaSalle. Headlights are still attached to a skinny pinched-in, horizontal grille by floating pods.  They would be mounted in or on the fenders in the years to follow. These mini haulers were advertised with high bulky-bodied "Diamond-crown" styling that looked rather clumsy next to streamlined Fords of the day.  With a "stovebolt" 6-cylinder engine, the '39s priced out at about $685. Options included a radio, first offered in 1935, a clock and dual windshield wipers.

Given the opportunity, who wouldn't love to have devilish drag deliveries demonically decoupaged like these? I have flamed many of mine in a variety of traditional colors and have included a black beauty with red tribal, painterly, stylized flames and a luscious Lowrider with metallic paint riding on some mini-spoked Daytons!

1952 GMC Bus (Hot Wheels’ School Busted)

I grew up in a small town in Indiana. Richmond was famous for its Wayne Works, a builder of farm implements and later school buses. Wayne Works began making carriages and horse-drawn “kid-hacks” in the mid 1890’s and then built its first school buses in 1914 becoming a major supplier of bus transportation for the next 70 years. It was also one of the first companies to offer glass windows instead of canvas curtains in the early 1920’s. They were also a “second-stage” manufacturer of delivery vans, ambulances, and hearses. The company was associated with Divco (can you say Dairy Delivery?) from 1957-1968.  Federal standards dictate that all school buses must be painted yellow (ok, I have deviated from that regulation in at least two cases!).

Based on an early GMC ‘50s shortened bus body, this hot wheels entry was designed by Larry Wood.

1956 Ford F-100 Panel Delivery

Like other deliveries, these trucks were used for making the daily rounds before their rebirth in the hot rod show world of the '70s and '80s. Delivery trucks have also been named grocery getters, hay haulers, widget wagons, cream carriers, medic movers and pokey patrol panels. Like its pickup twin, it has a brutish and muscular look! This heavy-duty truck had a V-8 power plant under the flip forward hood.

I am paying homage to all of the original flame painters who performed their magic without or with limited use of a spray gun. Early flame painters and pinstripers in the late ‘50s,like Don Varner and Andy Southard, Jr., on a few occasions, pulled out house paint and brush, and in an almost impressionistic approach, lathered on delightful swirls of fire. More than a couple of Ford coupes and sedans, back in the day, were treated in this manner. After the brushwork or minimal spray work, the designs were then hand-rubbed, creating beautiful color blends. Because of increased restrictions on paint use and the current retro rod movement, this method has become quite popular again today. With that in mind, a few of my puny panels were painted with pyro without the aid of my miniature spray gun, the airbrush-- the flames were hand-painted using a small brush.

1956 Ford Parklane Sport Wagon

With around 15,000 produced and selling for approximately $2500, this wicked wagon was developed and marketed to spar with the Chevy Nomad outselling it 2-1 in ’56. An elevated version of the Ranch Wagon, it was the most expensive Ford produced that year. One of its endearing features is its “dipping V” chrome beltline dividing different colors above and below. With this two-tone paint scheme primarily white paired with another color, the Parklane carried forward Thunderbird styling including skinny tail fins, an egg crate grill, dual exhaust and the new Y-8 engine so named for its “Y” shape in cross-section. Ads called this wagon a “tote-‘em” and “Do-it-all” and “luxury liner.”

Developed by Robert McNamara and Cornell University, an advertised “life-guard safety package” offered: deep center steering wheel with flexing spokes and double-grip door latches to prevent passenger ejection during an accident. Further options included lap seatbelts, padded dashboard and sun visors and a rearview mirror.

Speaking of hits, the Parklane became one-hit one-year wonder with its downfall due in part to having only two doors. To serve two masters, having to haul goods and products during the day and the wife and kids in the evenings and weekends made practicality difficult. Ford previously had two-door wagons in its 1949-51 line up, adding new models with 4 doors in ’52 and returned to the 2-door styling in ’56.

Phil Riehlman designed the 8 Crate for the Hot Wheels lineup beginning in 2003. I include wagons and panels with and without roof modifications in high brow, rod style and lowrider versions.

1959 Chevy Sedan Delivery

In all of its over the top glitz and glamour chrome and styling and beckoning its “last” to a brave new subdued 60s’ automotive world to come, I still love this 2-door low-slung delivery wagon. The 1959 Chevy sedan panel delivery was based on the Biscayne wagon styling; 5266 were built and sold for about $2200. It was advertised as a “handsome hustler” and was equipped with a V6 or 2 versions of the V-8 Turbo-fire or Super Turbo-fire. While sitting in its “cushy interior” you could look at the world through a windshield that offered “1,740 square inches of panoramic glass”! With its batwing taillight styling, for sure, Batman would have had one of these in his cave!

I include 8 versions of my personal panel pounder with additional cruiser skirts, exposed engines and lots O’ fire.

1970 and 71 El Camino

Chevrolet’s El Camino began in 1959 as heads up competition for Ford's Ranchero. After a brief entry of only two years, it went on hiatus, not returning until 1964. Its final model year was 1987. In Spanish, “El Camino” means the way, the path or the course. Originally, the name was found on a prototype Cadillac in the 1954 Motorama.

With a 396 V-8, the '70 and ‘71 models were considered the true muscle trucks of their time. An optional 454 V-8 was also available for even more giddy-up-and-go horsepower! Quad headlights were on the ’70, singles on the ’71. The squared-off taillights were integrated into the rear bumper. Like the Ranchero, El Camino body styles changed with the ebb and flow of current model passenger car platform offerings. Based on Chevelle styling its first year was 1964; its last would be 1977. If driveway painted flames were not your thing, you could dress up the exterior with the optional factory-supplied simulated wood graphics or racing stripe package.

My flamed versions are treated traditionally with one modified with rear fender skirts.

Thank you for reviewing my miniature molten masterpieces, as always feel free to contact me to discuss and share your flame efforts or if you need any assistance with building some fire! My next blog entry will concentrate on some traditional Rods and Customs!

The Custom Flame-Work of Tim Phelps, Part 3: Spyders and Bugs...

Another highly-anticipated article from one of our favorite customizers and auto historians, Tim Phelps. I thoroughly enjoy reading his articles, and I am happy that he makes me feel that much smarter afterwards.  And he definitely puts my "Hey, this model is cool" posts to shame.  

Catch Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Remember, if you would like us to consider an idea you have for an article, email us at lamleygroup@gmail.com.  I cannot guarantee we will use it, but we are always looking for something interesting...

(Thanks Tim)


Spyders and Bugs

In my second blog entry for the Lamely Group, I spotlighted vintage race and exotic
Porsches among a stable of Ferraris. For my third entry, I want to continue the lava-
love fest with a look at more flame painted and race-striped vintage coupes and include
Porsche’s cousins: Volkswagons.

So let’s start the Arachnoid tour with some spyders and bugs. We’ll tour some busses
dragged, trucked and windowized! Finally for fun: the final image in this installment will
include a blue bug of another mother.

Porsche 1955 550 Spyder & 1996 Boxster

Although the Porsche name was famous in 1931, the first cars bearing the moniker
were not in production until 1946. The first models were hybrids, utilizing Volkswagen
engines, suspensions and transmissions. The Spyder debuted in Paris in the fall of
1953 and won its first proper race in its class in the 1954 Mille Miglia. This marque
won numerous awards in class and category in both the 1953 and 1955 LeMans races,
boasting three Spyders that placed four, five and six behind two D-Type Jags in '55.

Stirling Moss drove a Spyder and loved it. He raced his in the '58 Buenos Aires 1,000km
race qualifying two seconds slower than the pole sitting Testa Rossa of Phil Hill. James
Dean's 1955 550 Spyder, bearing the number 130 and nicknamed "Little Bastard,"
epitomized all that was cool and rebellious in the mid-50s. Urban legend and mystery
surrounds his fatal late afternoon crash and the aftermath in Chalome, Calif., in 1955.

A spartan interior sporting only the bare necessities included, among other things, two
rather mundane leather seats and a few instrument dials on the dash. But speaking of
dash, this little arachnid could muster up a mighty mite performance. The Spyder's
mid engine flat 4-cylinder could reach a high speed of 190 mph, going from 0-60
in eight seconds. The racing versions were built on a ladder frame of welded steel
tubes, much like the early CR Cunninghams. Most popular in "Germany Silver" it also
came in red, white and blue. The car sat just at about knee height with a 9-inch high
windshield. Writers of the day compared the Spyder to the Mercedes 300 SL in the
elegance of styling, engineering and performance, putting both cars into a "dual-purpose"
category. The Mercedes may have won out in touring appeal, but the Spyder was tops in
competition and racing. Hammer fans might proclaim, "Can't touch this," because the few
original Spyders left are so rare, they bring in excess of $450,000 at auction or sale when
available in Concours shows. But alas there is still hope for the rest of us.

Replicas abound now, capturing the rebel racing spirit. In the late ‘80s Beck
Development of Upland Calif., spun out a new Spyder. Considering turning out only
10 cars a year, after news of his Spyder spread; Beck had to up the ante to 10-a-month.
Built in Brazil and exported to the U.S., this "kit car" was second only to the Cobra
in popularity in 2002. It is always an inspiring, as well as an aspiring, sight at current
vintage motorsport events. Beck's group also produces replica Lister Jaguars. Too cool!

The early '90s found Porsche posting losses in its sales. Its cars seemed stale in design
compared to contemporary offerings and were languishing only on previous popularity.

Fame was leading to famine. As the public began to gravitate to its competitors, BMW,
Jaguar and Mercedes, a jump-start was sadly needed. Porsche designers and stylists went
retro, returning to the roots of the great racing machines of the '50s. Ain't hindsight great?

In the 1996 Boxster Porsche, body styling did not stray too far from the stylish Porsche
stable of earlier models like the 550 and 356 and Volkswagen's Karman Ghia. It debuted
at the North American Auto Show in Detroit in 1993. Although in the company of other
popular mid-90s sports roadsters from BMW, Jaguar and Mercedes, the Boxster wowed
those in attendance garnering the Best in Show in its category. The name "Boxster"
comes from a combination of terms, roadster referring to an open two-seater and boxer
referring to the horizontally opposed engine design.

I have included a number of coupes in both 1/64 scale and 1/43 scale made by Maisto and
Motormax.

Volkswagens

The initial Beetle 1932 prototype was known by three names: Kleinauto, Project 12 and
Volkauto. Adapted by Ferdinand Porsche and Erwin Komenda, three small car prototypes
were built in 1933. They were further refined through a commission by Adolph Hitler,
into three VW prototypes in 1936 and successfully tested by the Nazi SS. It has been
suggested that the Czechoslovakian Tatra T77 and shorter T78 designed by Hans
Ledwinka in the early '30s provided an initial inspiring spark. Ledwinka worked with Dr.
Paul Jaray, who designed and tested the prototype rear engine streamlined automobiles in
the wind tunnel of the German Zeppelin Works in Friedrichshafen. Both Tatra versions
are striking in their similarities to early Beetles.

Although he didn't know how to drive, Hitler was quite a car buff; he read a biography on
Henry Ford while imprisoned in the Landsberg Fortress in 1923. At one point, Ford had
been given the opportunity to take on production of the Volkswagen, but declared, "they
aren't worth a damn." Like father, like son, Henry II called it " a little shitbox." The
building of the Volkswagenwerk factory began in 1938 but was cut short by bombing
during World War II. The factory was later erected as Wolfburg after the war. Importing
into the U.S. began in 1949, and Volkswagen of America was established in 1955.
The Beetle flourished! Quite a sight compared to other American offerings on the
road, creative advertising ensured "that beauty is only skin deep." Failing to meet U.S.
emission standards in 1974, the bug was squashed by a "Rabbit." It, however, continued
to flourish everywhere else around the globe.

VW Type 2 busses or Kombi busses, debuted in 1950 and went on sale in Brazil in
1957, 1.5 billion have sold to date. Life on the production line will cease December 31,
2013. ‘Kombinationskraftwagen’ is German for combination motor vehicle. The original
beetle was produced also in Brazil from 1938 to 2003. Samba busses have skylight and
side windows and a cloth sunroof. Crew cab or flat bed versions were also advertised in
the late ‘50s. Newsflash: Volkswagen just announced ceasing production of their line
of microvans in 2014. Brazil is the only and last place they are being produced. Better
get ‘em while you can!

A resounding debut 20 years later at the 1994 Detroit Auto Show proved there was still
love for the little Beetle! The happy and smart shape and roomy interior appealed to
the public! Redesigned by Jay Mays and Freeman Thomas, the instantly recognizable,
geometric domed body with retro bulbous fenders updated the earlier "folks wagon."
The "Concept 1" went into production in 1998, continuing the unparalleled trend of the
Volkswagen as the best selling car in automobile history. And, if that was not enough,
2013 shows us the “Beetle” again; a coupe that is lower, sleeker and embracing all that is
“retro-revisited X2.”

Primarily in 1/64 scale, Hot Wheels, Jada and Maisto products provided the canvas’ for
this Fleet of Traditional Heat!

Heroclix Blue Beetle Bug

My son has become a fan of role-playing games. His current game of choice is HeroClix
that has in its stables a number of superhero pieces garnered from decades of comics and
graphic novels. Since 2002, HeroClix has molded over 3000 game pieces and is currently
creating vehicles. The super-hero Blue Beetle first appeared in 1939 (hmmm--close to the
founding of the Volkswagon factory building in 1938). He was a rookie cop-turned-super
hero who wore a bullet proof costume and acquired his super-energy by sipping a tonic
of “Vitamin 2X.” With his celebrity falling in and out of favor over the next 68 years
through 3 separate publishers, DC comics, in 2006, introduced a new and improved Bad-
ass Blue Beetle complete with an alien-crafted scarab beetle cruiser to assist in squashing
his foes.

I felt that this “Fire-Fly” was in need of some hot rod flames! It measures about 8 inches
in size.

Traditional hot rods and custom cruisers will be the next installment. If you like what
you see or have any questions about the art of flame painting, feel free to contact me:
tphelps1@jhmi.edu. I love to pass the torch!

The Custom Flame-Work of Tim Phelps, Part 2: Vintage Sports Cars...

Weekends are all about customs, so here is Part 2 from our good friend Tim Phelps.  The customs are great, but be sure to read his great articles on the history of the models and cars they represent.  If you missed Part 1, be sure to check it out as well...

(Thanks Tim)



Beaters Back to Life: Renewed Fire from the Wreckage

I love to visit area toy show beater boxes—you never know what little treasure you can
find and bring back to life. My favorite finds include Hot Wheels redline Ferrari 312p’s,
Porsche 917’s and Matchbox Porsche 910’s; neither seem to be very common. With
excited anticipation I bring them home and begin the dismantling ritual. Dremel tool in
hand, I burr down the rivets and take each car apart, placing their components into clear
plastic boxes. Hanging on a strip of picture hanging wire, their metal diecast bodies are
dutifully dunked into a glass jar of Aircraft® paint remover for about 15 minutes, then
washed and dried. Jeweler’s files smooth and refine all seams and slag and the renewed
shiny bodies are next painted in primer. A base coat color is next sprayed and the fun
begins! Hmmmm, flames or stripes? We’ll go with stripes for now and flames later, or
both!

The proposed measured stripe areas are taped off with strips of masking tape or frisket
film. The approach can either be one of airbrushing colored stripes onto the car body or it
can be a “subtractive approach” by covering parts of the body with measured tape strips
and cut out shapes and re-spraying the car body with a different color making the original
color the “new” racing stripe color.

Anyone involved in the graphic art field will remember dry transfer lettering- PressType
and Letraset - pre-computer technology. Numbers, letters, and circles (both open and
closed) come in a variety of sizes and styles in black and white, ready to rub off onto
the surface of your choice. While pressing a cut-out strip of circles against the car body,
carefully rub a #2 pencil over one circle. The circle, as it is being burnished, will appear
to turn a lighter shade of gray. This indicates that it is now moving from the carrier sheet
to your car panel. Once the circle is clearly on the panel, slowly remove the sheet and rub
over it lightly with a piece of tracing paper and the pencil. The circle is now adherent to
the panel, ready to accept a number. Follow the same procedure as above for all circles
and numbers to follow. As an alternative to PressType circles, using a plastic drafting
circle template as a guide, cut a perfect circle opening into a strip of frisket film or a strip
of masking tape with an X-acto knife to create masks to paint solid color circles.

An alternative to spray painting stripes is applying adhesive backed colored vinyl tapes
used in detailing model airplanes. No doubt making your own decals: numbers, circles
and sponsors/manufacturers will enhance your newly revived retro racers too!

1968 Ferrari 312p

This sleek and low slung, open cockpit, aerodynamic racer was unveiled in '68 and
made its Sebring 12-hour endurance race debut in 1969 as heads up competition for the
enclosed shell Porsche 907/8s and 917s and Ford GT '40s. In the many races it would
compete, the Ferrari was raced as an open roadster or enclosed coupe. High hopes were
dashed with poor performance mishaps at Sebring, LeMans, Nurburgring, Daytona and
Brands Hatch, driven by such names as Mario Andretti and Chris Amon. The two were
paired at the Sebring event and dominated the field, leading at one time by three laps.
Amon's fastest lap time that day was 115.640 mph, the fastest recorded time up to 1969

at Sebring! The little horse stalled, however, and brought them to the finish line in second
place behind whom else but Phil Hill. After 1969, Sebring would no longer begin races
with the "LeMans Start:" Drivers no longer ran to their cars to start the race.

With a year and a half of performance possibilities poisoned, the 312p is replaced in the
race circuit by the Ferrari 512s in 1970. The rear engine V-12 formula-1 engine of the
312p would be retired for 20 years and revisited again in the late '80s. The most recent
incarnation of the 312 is the very successful Ferrari 333SP, pitted again against rival low
slung racing Jaguars, Porsches and BMW's.

These 312’s were “beaters” and were made by Hot Wheels as redlines beginning in
1969. I have taken painting cues from a number of striping and body color choices from
both back-in-the-day and current vintage runnings. See my description above for my
painting, numbering and striping approaches.


Porsche 910

The grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, Ferdinand Piech, automotive visionary and
future controversial figure, was the main force in the development of the 906
Carrera before becoming the head of Porsche racing in 1965. In doing so, he
spearheading the design and building of the 910, the “reversed numbered” 907
and 908 and subsequently the 917 in 1969. He later became the chief engineer
at Audi in 1972 before becoming its CEO in 1988. He is known to have owned
two Bugatti Veyrons first introduced in 1999. These are the 1:1 big ones-and not
the rare 1:64 varieties so talked about lately in Hot Wheels circles—lol.

In 1966, the new and improved 910 was now shorter and faster than its
predecessor due to its light weight tubular chassis construction. Numbers vary
on how many total were built: from 18 to 30 reported. They sported front-hinged
doors unlike the gullwing doors of the 906. They also differed from the 906 by
having center locking wheels instead of a 5-nut arrangement. Developed for hill
climb racing and powered by either 6 and 8 cylinder engines, the 910’s sleek and
aerodynamic rake was tested in wind tunnels and would begin to sweep races in
1967.

The newly appointed 910 coupe debuted in the 1967 running of the Daytona
24-hour race with important wins including: 1-2-3 places at Targa Florio,
and two weeks later, 1-2-3-4 wins at Nurburgring 1000 km. Its rivals included
Ferrari Dinos and prototypes and the Carroll Shelby designed Ford GT40’s and
Chevrolet powered Lolas.

Under the branding of Matchbox Superfast, the miniature version of the 910
painted in burnt orange metal flake paint was on the toy shelves in 1971. I always

look for restorable versions to apply my retro-rejuvenated look with stripes and
numbers or perhaps some “fla-maaage.”


Porsche 917

Another of Ferdinand Piech’s innovative design’s, the 917 was revealed in
March of 1969 at the Geneva Motorshow. Two dozen 917’s were displayed to
inspectors in front of the Porsche factory in April. Slim and sleek styling led to
slip and slide results with the long tailed version; high speeds led to fishtailing
and rear lift in straight-aways. Initial low placing finishes, racing against rival Ford
GT40’s, Lolas and Ferrari 312’s, would in no time be reversed.

917’s (and Ferrari 312’s and 512’s) were prominent in the “coolest of the cool”
actor Steve McQueen’s 1971 movie “Le Mans” filmed at the 1970 24-hour
endurance race in France. Multi-projection and on-board cameras make this cult
hit a classic for rabid race lovers! Having to keep up at 200 mph, a McQueen
owned 1968 Ford GT40 was used as a primary camera car for shooting and just
sold for $11 million at auction in July of 2012. The featured short-lived models
of the then current 917 and 512 sports cars were replaced in racing venues by
newer prototypes in 1971 making viewing this actual race footage that much
more sweeeeeeet!

Coincidence or fate? With the numbers ‘1’,’7’, and ‘9’: Porsche would tally back
to back Le Mans and World Sportscar Championship wins in both 1970 and 1971
with the 917!

Hot Wheels’ 917 has always been a favorite of mine; its detail and heft, as a
redline, clearly stand out to me. Restoring “beater” versions has always been
difficult because it seems that the most common missing part is the ribbed back
windshield. I molded a plastic non-clear replacement that was fitted and painted
to match my desired paint color schemes; this was before Mattel came out with
updated versions of this favored model in their revived Hot Ones series in 2012.

Jaguar XK120 -1949-‘54

This open two-seater roadster, putting the British car maker on the map after WWII,
when it showcased at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1948. Jaguar had started out life as
a motorcycle sidecar manufacturer, The Swallow Sidecar Company. The XK's inspired
shape, with a long hood and short sloping tail, was based on the pre-war BMW 328s
and the experimental 1938 Jaguar 100. Styled by William Lyons, the rolling fenders are
reminiscent of cars of the '30s, the Classic Era of coach building. The XK was the fastest
standard production car of its day--it really could go 120 mph, outfitted with an inline
straight 6-cylinder 3.4-liter engine. Approximately 12,000 cars were produced and sold

from 1949-'54, and most XK’s were sold in the US market. Jaguar continued to refine
the XK line, leading to "C" and "D" type racing machines. Clark Gable owned an XK
120, so did Von Dutch and early TV host Dave Garroway. George Barris customized
one in 1951; he moved laterally and fender-frenched the headlights, "scooped" the hood,
replaced the vertical grille bars with horizontal ones and had Dean Jeffries paint rust
colored scallops, striped white over a lime green basecoat. My father had a baby blue
convertible '54, with black leather interior, which I vaguely remember riding in when I
was a 5-year- old. It growled loudly as big cats should.

Who says vintage sports cars can't be dressed up. George Barris and Von Dutch shocked
the world by customizing an early Jaguar and by flaming a Gullwing Mercedes. Some
sports car body shapes provide an imaginative and unique background for rolling
flames and designs. Good enough for Barris and Dutch and good enough for me--I have
traditionally and tribally toasted my Matchbox Jags with zeal!

1954-‘58 D-Type Jaguar (pictured above)

This mighty little cat with its distinctive headrest fin was an immediate attention grabber
in looks and performance. It was quite obvious that William Lyons had another winner
for Jaguar! The lightweight unibody construction was further defined by streamlined
design with the aid of a wind tunnel. It was almost 13 feet long and weighed 1,900
pounds. Aerodynamically shaped much like the C-Type, by Malcolm Sayer and Bill
Heynes, it could reach a top speed of 180 mph with its "XK" proven 6-cylinder engine.
Disc brakes, a new innovation on the C-Type in 1953, brought it to a stop and set
the brake standard for all makes of automobiles to come. The low-slung protective
wraparound windshield was dictated for racing at Le Mans. The distinctive up-swinging
wing evolved from a bulging headfairing or cowl, which housed the fuel cap. As rodders
had done, Jaguar cut vents or louvers into the hood to release heat and trapped air. Like
early Ferraris and Porsches, leather straps held down the tilt-forward front hood or
bonnet.

The metallic blue Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar, which won the Le Mans Grand Prix in 1955, was
sold in 1999 for over $2 million, a world record price for the marquee at that time. My
first miniature D-Type was made by Matchbox 50 years ago and cost probably 30 cents;
I am proud to still own that one! The Hot Wheels entries are nice ones, too, at a buck. I
had fun flaming these famous fast and furious finned felines!

The last two flamed racers in this panel are called “Sunburners” (pictured above) by Matchbox. They
have a pre-viper look as well as a slung low sinewy inverted bathtub stance. I believe
they were available in toy stores 15 years ago. Purple is “workable” and gray primer is
finer!

1958-'61 Austin Healey Sprite

Measuring in at just over 11 feet, this British "bug-eyed" racer sporting a grinning grille
was considered a husky and spartan little sports car. The very popular British sportscar,
sold about 40,000 at $1,500 apiece, and $1,800 each in the U.S. after Port of Entry (POE)
fees. Round fixed wide headlamps perched on a hinged hood, and tiny taillights and

bumpers rounding out the rear, are a few of its hallmark features. The body is denuded of
chrome; external door handles are absent as well. With no rear access, you stowed your
stuff in the cubby hole along with the spare behind the two spartan front seats.

With a high speed of only 84-mph, the Sprite was still a strong contender in class during
its career at Sebring and LeMans and in Alpine and endurance rallies. The sturdy little
roadster showed what real racing was all about! Even in vintage races today, this little
racer still delivers a great performance! Repro and replica models are being offered and
are loved by all that own them. With those peepers perched up so high, Sprites are still
charming princes to this day!

Little green froggy, he went a'courtin', red hot flames he was a'sportin', low, sleek
and fast, slightly chopped up, these sporty rods are all "hopped" up! Made by Johnny
Lightning and 1/64 in scale, long streamers and short chubby flames decorate my four
versions in a spirited and spritely manner!

Ferrari 1948 Barchetta MM and 1955 750 Monza Spyder

Enzo Ferrari, like all hot rodders, dreamed of putting large engines in lightweight bodies.
Resoundingly, it worked! Ferrari won numerous races with his cars at LeMans and the
Grand Prix from the late '40s onward. As a young man, Ferrari had been a team driver
and team manager in the '20s for Alfa Romeo. He produced his first car in 1940 but did
not market one until 1946. By 1988, upon his death, Enzo's dream cars had won over
5,000 races and more than 25 world championships.

The term "Barchetta" is Italian meaning little boat, so named for the way the body turns
under toward the chassis. This favored design found its way to a number of period racing
sports cars including Cunningham’s C4 and the AC Car Company’s “Ace” and the AC
based Carroll Shelby Cobras to come.

Built for street and race use, with its tubular chassis construction and aluminum body, it
debuted at the 1948 Turin Auto Show. Racing highlights include placing first in the 1949
Le Mans and Mille Miglia. With its V-12 4 cylinder engine, revving 140 horsepower,
and weighing in at 1,430 lbs, perhaps its egg crate grill may have had something to do
with “frying” the competition-lol!

The 1955 750 ‘Monza’ is so named for the town in Italy, home to the Italian Grand
Prix since 1922. A popular and fabled car on the race circuits in the mid ‘50s, it was
also a movie star! Stanley Kramer’s post apocalyptic doomsday drama set in 1964 “On
the Beach” starred Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner and was in the theaters in 1959. A
dancer driving this prancer, Fred Astaire’s character enters the world’s last Grand Prix
race where multiple cars including Healeys, an XK 120 Jag and a Corvette become real
wreckage; our lil horse came away unscathed and the winner. It later sold at auction at
Monterey for $2,530,000 in 2011.

Both of these 1:43 scale Ferraris came from the Shell “Classico Collection” available
at gas stations in 1999. The Barchetta was airbrushed and pinstriped in the usual way
(see my previous blog entry). My Molten Monzas were created in the following manner:
my flame design served as BOTH a mask AND a stencil. With the flame mask, white-
yellow-orange flames were airbrushed on the maroon bodied version and pinstriped in
yellow. The leftover flame cutout covered the resident maroon body color and the body
was then painted yellow. The “new” maroon flames were pinstriped in orange.

Questions? Contact me: tphelps1@jhmi.edu. Let’s talk fire and vintage racers! Hot rods
and customs are yet to come, watch for another article soon.

The Beautiful Flame-Painting of Tim Phelps...

We are very happy to welcome our newest contributor to the Lamley Group, Tim Phelps.  We will continue to strive here at Lamley to show you all kinds of interesting custom work in the diecast world, and Tim's cars easily fall into that category.

Tim has tremendous talent, and has taken it in all kinds of directions.  When he is not flaming miniature hot rods, he serves as an Associate Professor and Medical Illustrator, teaching Medical and Scientific illustration in the Graduate Program of Art as Applied to Medicine, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland, USA for 26 years.  He is a Past President and Past Chairman of the Board of the Association of Medical Illustrators. He has received over 40 regional and national awards for his artwork published in textbooks, magazines, and professional journals. He even released a book, “Circles of Life: The Nature Mandalas of Tim Phelps” found here: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2891173 

And other artwork found here: http://www.cafepress.com/timphelpsart

I don't know how much more I can say, other than letting you read more about Tim, and see some of his mind-blowing work.

Thanks Tim!

On with the article:

Collecting habits often can be traced back to a significant moment or event in our lives. My grandmother gave me presents of Corgi and Dinky cars so my acquisition of little cars began when I was just 6 years old. Some of my collection over time became wreckage in the waged sandbox, fire cracker and flailing hammer wars. Such delight! Oh to have a few of those diecast treasures back!

I recently re-discovered my first flamed piece found in a box of my childhood matchbox cars: a white MG with the little metal tan painted man seated inside. I had stolen some flame decals from my older brother’s plastic model kit and made my very first mixed up “hot rod” when I was 10. It seems that my fate was sealed!

Teenagers aren’t supposed to play with little toys (but we all know differently now or tell ourselves justly so) but Hot Wheels Redlines were my favorites in 1968. Collecting ceased for 20 years until 1988 when my small children were asking for trips to the toy store. Yes, I must admit, I may have after a while initiated a few of those trips.

I have been flame painting miniature multiple scale diecast cars and trucks for 18 years. My metal canvas’ have included offreings from Hot Wheels, Johnny Lightning, Maisto, New Ray, Matchbox, Motormax, Jada, SpecCast, Racing Champions, Road Champs, and others. I have immersed myself in the history of the artfrom and have painted to date over 600 diecast cars. In doing so I also authored a history book: Up in Flames: The Art of Flame Painting (Motorbooks MBI 2006) celebrating the art and lives of 18 famous flame painters. I also designed my own series of diecast cars for Greenlight Toys in 2008 and 2009 in both 1:64 and 1:24 scales.

My taste for cars is unending.  Hot rods and customs --No Doubt! I also love vintage racecars from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Sure there are those who would cry  “Oh Blasphemy! You painted pyro on a period Porsche! How could you torch a classic T-Bird? Festering Fire on a Ferrari?—why that is just wrong!” Perhaps for you but not for me! No metal surface is safe from my torching touch; my flame palette includes traditional, tribal, streamer, crabclaw, cryptic, reverse and combinations of each style smothered on my rods and customs, coupes and sedans, exotic and period racecars, tuners, and trucks and deliverys.

“Hurray for hand painting, down with decals-lol!” Here is how I paint flames on my miniature cars. Each car layout is sketched outlining all seams, door jambs and window openings. Flame ideas are sketched in pencil on tracing paper, cut out and laid onto the car for placement. Adhesive frisket paper is laid over my finalized flame sketches and flames are cut out with a fresh Xacto blade. The newly created stencil is placed on the car’s side panels and hood. Once the stencil is pressed into place, the rest of the car is masked to protect it from overspray. Colors in the desired fades are applied with an airbrush. The stencils are removed and flame edges are sharpened and smoothed with thinner and a fine brush. The final step involves pinstriping around all flame edges with sign painters’s enamel on a very small script liner sable brush.

’49 to ’51 Mercurys:

Lowriding, weed-whacking, leadsleds tug heavily at my heart strings. The rod-recipe that cooks up this fantastic '50s favorite is a long, smooth and curvaceous body dechromed, sectioned, chopped and lowered to within inches to the ground and fitted with "cruiser skirts" Add a big and wide toothy grin with vertical grille teeth from a period Chevy or DeSoto or make sweet music with its standard harmonica grill. Now, liberally smother on gallons of candy, metallic lacquer paint all hand-rubbed to perfection.  Mount some "wide whites", accented with hubcaps from "back-in-the-day" De Sotos and Cadillacs and add some lakes pipes. Finally roast the roadbeast with flames--lots of flames--swirling over the hood and spilling over the side panels!

Choices, choices, so many flame choices!

Flames impart a personal expression, depending upon what style is painted by individual artists: Tribal flames, based on the Polynesian, Oriental and Tattoo cultures, are noted for their sweeping ragged shapes, curved edges and sharp points, facing all directions. Cryptic flames can be edgy and menacing with triangular and jagged shapes punctuated with highlights and shadows for a 3-D effect.  Traditional flames can be flowing and relaxed with long streaming stems and “swimming tadpole” center hubs.

’49 and ’55 Cadillacs

Beginning in 1949, concept cars looking for public approval were paraded around the General Motors Motorama, a traveling car exhibit and "circus," complete with entertainers and hi-jinx. With cars spinning on motorized platforms and orchestral music providing an ambiance over the loud chatter of and "ooo’s and ahs," these luxury hotel ballroom-based car shows provided a look into the unrestrained minds of automobile designers of the day. Eight Motoramas were staged between 1949 and 1961.

Modeled after the twin rudders of the Lockheed P-38 aircraft that Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell had seen at a Detroit area Air Force base in 1941, the ’49 Cadillac was born. It sported small designer fins giving way to the stubby fins that would soon grow to magnificent proportions in the late '50s. These were not fins but "tail lamps in the upswing." Earl was the founder of GM's Art and Colour Department in 1928. LaSalles, Buicks, Cadillacs, Chevys, Oldsmobiles and Pontiacs all found their place under his thoughtful pencil and guiding eyes. Increasingly fatter and stubby “shark fins” adorned models in 1953 through 1957.  Earl retired in 1959 along with Cadillac's far fetching, pointed and high-towering thin fins.

Traditional flames cover two 1:64 scale examples by Jada. Four Motormax ’55 Caddys in 1:43 scale are painted with Crabclaw, Seaweed and Traditional flame styles.

Crabclaw flames were made famous by such notables as Von Dutch, Dean Jeffries, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth and Larry Watson. Throughout the ‘50s, with their pincher-like tips, these short and stubby flames put the squeeze on a variety of trucks, rods and customs and have recently enjoyed a comeback on old deuces, tubs and any number of street beaters and rat rods.

Larry Watson was also the originator of Seaweed flames in the late ‘50’s. Long flowing frond like stems lushly swooped over period Buicks and Chevys. The stems can be quite broad, covering what may seem like acres of side panels and roof terrain! Watson is also known for his tight scallops and energetic and geometric panel painting of the same time period, still popular today on rods, customs and lowriders.

The truest form of Traditional flames has been in existence since the late ‘50s; one of its first pioneers is Rod Powell of Salinas, California.  Rounded hubs (flame centers) and smooth flowing symmetrical stems characterize this flame type. After 40 years, Rod’s beautiful flame work, resembling swimming tadpoles, is still like that he drew on his high school notebooks. Traditional flames seem right on the side of any ride!

’61 to ’66 Ford Thunderbirds:

Designed by William Boyer, this razor sharp sports-roadster sports minor "knife blade" fins, low and sleek unibody construction and "afterburner" rear tail lights tucked into an unadorned chrome bumper. The afterburner feature was first seen on the futuristic concept '59 Cadillac Cyclone on the showcar circuit. It was powered by a A 390 V-8 engine. A large and heavy (takes two to remove) fiberglass tonneau cover, hid the convertible top and very small back seat. This option was part of the Sports Roadster series. Moving ahead: the 50-year “fair game” rule is taking strong effect. Classic cars of the 60’s, like the ’62 and ‘66 Thunderbirds, are showing up on the drawing boards of car stylists, posing possibilities for custom car guys—the new cruising lead sled—why not!

My roasted birds are in 1:43 scale made by Solido and Motormax, each painted in traditional flames in varied color treatments.

Delivery Trucks

Who doesn’t love a good truck! For 40+ years delivery trucks were used for making the daily rounds before their rebirth in the hot rod show world of the '70s and '80s. They have been lovingly called: grocery getters, hay haulers, widget wagons, cream carriers, medic movers and pokey patrol panels. Like its pickup twin, it has a brutish and muscular look! What distinguishes "panel" from a "sedan" delivery is that a panel has two rear doors while the sedan has just one.  Panels are generally truck-based while some sedan deliverys are passenger-car-based. Delivery trucks have morphed into MPPM’s AKA multi-purpose people movers or minivans.

Racing Champions, Jada and Maisto in 1:64, 1:43 and 1:24 scales provided the perfect pyro canvas’ for my flaming fair all painted with 1-shot sign painters enamel with an airbrush and a script liner sable brush.