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Volo to debut life-sized model cars, model car contest

Cynthia Wolf Posted on 2017-08-08

 

VOLO — Anyone into model car building back in the 1960s likely is familiar with Tom Daniel’s Red Baron — one of the most popular model kit cars Monogram ever sold.

 

“The model did so well, there was a real car made based off of it,” said Brian Grams, director of the Volo Auto Museum, which recently acquired one of the few life-sized versions in existence. The Red Baron — featuring its trademark German World War I helmet as the crazy coupe’s roof — was in customizer Keith Dean’s shop in California for restoration work, Grams said. 

 

It’s due in Volo in time for a celebration of model cars and a model-car show and contest Saturday, Aug. 19, at the museum, 27582 Volo Village Road.

 

“We’ll reveal the Red Baron as well as the Outlaw, a late 1950s creation of Ed ‘Big Daddy’ Roth,” Grams said, noting many will remember Roth for his notorious Rat Fink character. “That model came in reverse. First, the car was built, and later, Revell made a model out of it.”

 

The Volo Auto Museum’s rare green and white Outlaw is No. 8 of 10 built from molds pulled from Car No. 1, Grams added. The museum also will host on Aug. 19 its first model car builders’ contest. 

 

“We will have tables stanchioned off in Showroom 4,” Grams said. “People can bring in their creations and we will award trophies in different age categories — 12 and under, 13 to 19 and 20 and up, plus a people’s choice award.”

 

Those entering a car in the show will receive half off museum admission. Entries must be the original work of the owner. “Cars built from kits are OK, but no pre-builts,” Grams said. 

 

“Some of these guys do things like paint rust on the cars or take pins and poke holes in them to look like bullet holes,” he continued. “I’ve seen people do some crazy customizing with their models. I’m looking forward to seeing what people have got.”

 

Photos of the winners and their entries will be posted on the museum’s Facebook page. If the contest goes over well, it will be repeated, Grams said. Those attending the event also can enjoy a train tour — pulled by a car built by none other than Roth and Von Dutch, another famous artist of the 1960s custom-car era, Grams said.

 

The Volo Auto Museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. It features roughly 400 classic, muscle, Hollywood cars and more. Admission is $15 for adults, $9 for children ages 5 to 12 and free for children 4 and younger. For other information, call 815-385-3644, visit volocars.com or find Volo Auto Museum on Facebook. 

 

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Photos attached/suggested captions

 

427: Volo Auto Museum Director Brian Grams holds a scale replica of Tom Daniel's Red Baron. A life-sized version of the widely recognized and hugely popular 1960s model car is headed to Volo Auto Museum for an Aug. 19 unveiling. Also to be unveiled in conjunction with the museum's model-car celebration and first model-builders' contest will be the Outlaw — of 1950s Ed "Big Daddy" Roth and Rat Fink fame. Model-builder contest participants will receive half off admission Aug. 19.

 

422: The Red Baron was such a hit in the 1960s as a model-car kit and later a life-sized show car that Mattel picked it up for a successful Hot Wheels model. Shown are anniversary editions.

 

434: Visitors taking in the Volo Auto Museum's model car celebration and first model car builders' contest on Aug. 19 will be among the first to see this Ed "Big Daddy" Roth creation — the Outlaw. Volo's is Car No. 8 of 10 built from a mold of Car No. 1, said Brian Grams, Volo Auto Museum director. Both the Outlaw and a life-sized version of Tom Daniel's Red Baron will be unveiled that day at the museum, 27582 Volo Village Road.