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2003 3RD ANNUAL HOTWHEELS NATIONALS CONVENTION IN CINCINNATI, OHIO

David Changs (Kustom City) case

Mike Strauss' room.  He always has nice stuff :)

The Charity Auction Preview Party and Charity Auction pics

This was some of the customs in L8TRs room.  Nice guy too!

This is Harry Wagner, and his "'Nugen" bus

Larry Wood and Ira Gilford. 

These were shots in HWCAmys room at the exclusive Tiki Party.  There were only 100 people invited to attend.  I was on of the lucky ones, and glad I was too.

More Tiki Party, Myself and Jimmy Chavez (Hotwheels designer)

Still more party shots, Myself and Larry Wood.  (Chief Hotwheels designer since 1969.)

These were 3 of my entries in the contest.  First was a custom 25th scale Light My Firebird replica built from the Redline LMF from 1970. (The original LMF is sitting next to it.   It was placed in a custom package that resembles the original.     The second is a stretched VW Drag Bus built from 2 busses.  This is only about 4.5 inches long.  The chassis is totally scratch built and the engine, nitrous bottles, and fuel cell have been fully wired.  This bus is only about 4 inches long.  And finally the Sunburst Passion Merc that was painted in pearls and fades and place on a cutom retro style Flying Customs card that resembles the new cards that HWC.com will have coming out.

Posing with my Light My Firebird and 2nd place, 3rd Nationals Custom Contest trophy.  It was laser etched billet aluminum.  Very cool. The signature on the top left is from Ira Gilford.  He was the original Hotwheels designer of the Light My Firebird in 1970.  So it was kind of cool for him to see a replica of his car again after 29 years.  :)

My Redline scores!! Sugar Caddy, Sand Crab, and Whip Creamer.  SWEET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The skyline from the hotel

Pics from the vending machine event.

Inside the souvenir room

The designers in the autograph session.

The dinner and the table with the Mattel people

The dinner. Dessert, Fillet Mignon, and Swordfish.

Newsletter car, So-Fine dinner car, Hypermite dinner car, dinner shirt and pin.

The set and print given to Mark Jones (designer) at the dinner.

Night Stalker, MiQ WillmOtt, Wayne Scott (both designers)

Bruce Pascal.  He is the guy that owns the $72 Redline pink VW Beach Bomb.

Bruce's pink Beach Bomb all alone.  Its lonely and need to come to my house where I will love it dearly! :)  More of Bruce's rare prototypes

Superfine Turbine cars and a 4X mock up prototype model.

Heck... I still got cash left, and its only day 1.  I scored a lot of great stuff within the first 12 hrs.  This was only a third of it all.  :)

$800 later........... SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!! (pic of my friend Chris Haupt "Rogue") FINALLY GOT MY DREAM COME TRUE!   Rogue- "And NO my fiancee didn't move out.  But she will when she finds out how much this all costs!!!!  :)"

This was my first convention of any kind.

Wednesday morning-

Finally got into Cincy about noon and we were tired.  Went to the registration and sales room to "load up on the swag".  Met some great people form the boards we haven't ever seen before.  It was a great time.  Got a lot of pos feedback on the 24th scale Light My Firebird.  Looks like it will be a heck of a time. Will post more soon.

Thursday

Woke up about 11:30 and my bones ache!!  Gonna head out to room hop for a while.  Then its off to get my free newsletter car.  Kinda funny, I think Jeff @ Redline Central has clones made of him. Every room we went in we saw him.  :)

Had a great time talking with Bruce last night, he's a great person.  Met with Frosty, Sherri, H.Jack and quite a few more, I just can't remember their names.  But it was a lot of fun.  Awesome time swapping notes with the other customizers,... and looking at their work.

Went to try out the Hotwheels Vending Machine.  It was $10 a shot limit 2 shots.  I got a Scary Dairy Delivery, and a purple King Kuda RLC car.  Not too bad since I like both of those.  The line for that was pretty darned long.  Let me just save you the trouble and say that every line here was and is going to be long.  But that is the price you pay to play.  It was worth it though.

Went to the autograph session and met some of the designers.  they were pretty cool.  I had my convention shirt signed as well as some of the posters and "B" sheets they have.  Pretty nice stuff. Also met Ira Gilford, the king of redlines and got an autographed print and my picture taken with him.  It was a great time. There is also some newer cars sitting on the tables in front of them.    Got done with that in just enough time to get to the dinner. 

The dinner was pretty good and the cars made it even better.  The dinner car(s) was a 2 pack Hypermite. Pretty cool once you see it. There was also a dinner shirt, pin, and a So-Fine car. (pics to the left)  Also, I had to take pics of the food since it cost $110 for the ticket.  ha ha 

After the dinner we went room hopping again and met some more great people and got a redline Sand Crab BP.  Now its off to bed for more fun tomorrow.

Friday-

A lot happened today.  BUT...   I am too tired right now to update all the pics at this time.  It is 3:41am in the morning and I have to get up at 9:00am to get in line for more cars in the sales shop.  Went to more autograph sessions, RLC party, Charity Auction Preview Party, and the Charity Auction itself.  It was a good time.  HWCAmy bought the Deora II prototype 18th scale for a sweet price.  Its a nice piece too. Also went to Al (Dropt), V-man, and Jimmy Boxmans room and have pics of the "Big Dog" case with all the best customs.  I have my 25th scale Light My Firebird and VW Bus in there.  Pics are to the left.  I will post the rest of the pics tomorrow.

Saturday-

So far all I have to update is the Custom Car Contest.  I won 2nd place in the Package/Diorama class.  Went to HWCAmys Tiki party.  It was a blast.  There was a limited edition 1 of 100 VW Bus given out to the attendees.  Very cool.  Just about everyone from Mattel was there.