Scale Visions’ 60th Anniversary Salute to the 1954 (Corvette) Corvair

1954 Corvair Motorama Show Car 1/25 scale model benefits the “Chip Miller Charitable Foundation” at ’14 Corvettes At Carlisle

 1-Corvair-Nomad-ModelsBy guest columnist, Don Theune (Slide Show at bottom)

Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 1954 Corvette,  “Scale Visions” has created two of the 1954 Motorama show cars – the Corvette-based “Corvair” and “Nomad.” One of which (1954 Corvette Corvair) shall be donated to raise funds & awareness for the “Chip Miller Charitable Foundation.” Scale Visions has been donating significant works of Automotive Art to the Corvettes at Carlisle charitable auctions since it began in 1996, and as help raise tens of $1,000’s for the various causes

The Corvette-based Corvair, Nomad & Corvette Hard Top were concept cars built by Chevrolet and introduced at the 1954 General Motors Motorama in New York City. The experimental concept 1954 Corvette Corvair (the name combined Corvette & BelAir into “Corvair”) Nomad, and Hard Top, unfortunately never made it into production.

2-Nomad-ModelScale Visions has been creating the “Perfect gift, for the person who has everything!” (Exact Model Replicas of Your Corvette) for more than 23 years. They have been an institution at Corvettes at Carlisle for many of those years. The “works of Automotive Art” are so realistic and life like, it is hard to discern the difference between photos of the original 1/1 Corvette and its 1/25 scale counterpart.

In May 2013 Don Theune was a guest on my radio program, Far Out Radio. Enjoy the program. – Scott Continue reading “Scale Visions’ 60th Anniversary Salute to the 1954 (Corvette) Corvair”

A Scale Visions Birthday Tribute to Zora Arkus Duntov

Dateline: 12.24.12

Master model builder Don Theune shares his touching encounter with Corvette maestro, Zora Arkus-Duntov 

Don-Theune-1Forward: Zora Arkus-Duntov was born on December 25, 1909 and would have been 103. Zora often joked that he had the birthday curse being born on Christmas Day.

When you are a kid and your birthday is on Christmas you tend to not get double gifts. But Duntov made up for any toy deficiency as a child after he took over the Corvette program. Arguably, no one had more fun playing with Corvettes inside Chevrolet than Duntov.

Not only did he design and develop the go-fast parts we all came to know and love, but he usually did his own track testing. What’a lucky guy! Here’s our Happy Birthday tribute to Zora Arkus-Duntov and a big THANKS to Don Theune. Continue reading “A Scale Visions Birthday Tribute to Zora Arkus Duntov”

Scale Visions’ 2012 “Carlisle Blue” Corvette Series in 1:25th Scale

Dateline: 9.16.11
Master Model Maker, Don Theune’s Scale Vision 2012 “Carlisle Blue” Corvette Series

It takes knowledge, skill, and passion to create scale replicas of Corvettes, race cars, and nostalgia drag racing machines to the quality level of a Scale Visions model. Many a car guy started out building model car kits. I sure built a lot of them and was pretty good at it. But Don has turned a boy’s hobby into a vocation. For well over 20 years, Theune has been turning out, head turning 1:25th scale versions of classic Corvettes.

As a salute to Carlisle Productions for 30 years of Corvettes at Carlisle car shows, Chevrolet christened their new 2012 metallic light blue Corvette paint color, “Carlisle Blue.” Theune has been a part of the Corvettes at Carlisle scene for a long time and several of Don’s creations  have been sold off with the proceeds going to the Chip Miller Charitable Foundation. To commemorate the new Carlisle Blue, Theune has created a special batch of his museum-quality scale visions.

Thirty units of each 2012 Corvette body configuration (coupe, roadster, Grand Sport,  Z06, and ZR1) painted in Carlisle Blue are now available. Plus, each model includes a miniature version of the event directory, plus a special license plate that reads, “CHIP 30th.” One of Don’s Carlisle Blue Corvettes is now part of The National Corvette Museum’s collection of Corvette models on display in the Red Spire Room.

If you’ve been a long time attendee of the Corvettes at Carlisle event, you may remember the special presentation Theune made to Zora Arkus-Duntov in 1995, of a set of all five 1963 Grand Sport Corvette models. Continue reading “Scale Visions’ 2012 “Carlisle Blue” Corvette Series in 1:25th Scale”