Hot rod artist Chambers selected to illustrate box art for vintage model cars
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- Ogden-based hot rod artist Gene Chambers displays packaging for the Atlantis Model Co.’s newly released vintage remake of the Mooneyes Dragster that features his artwork.
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- Gene Chambers artwork of the Mooneyes Dragster is featured on the new Atlantis model box.
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- Model car boxes featuring the artwork of Ogden-based artist Gene Chambers ready to ship.
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- Gene Chambers artwork of the Mooneyes Dragster is featured on the new Atlantis model box.
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- Artwork for the the Yellow Fever Fiat model by Atlantis featuring the artwork of Ogden-based artist Gene Chambers.
Photo supplied, Austin Luckett
Ogden-based hot rod artist Gene Chambers displays packaging for the Atlantis Model Co.'s newly released vintage remake of the Mooneyes Dragster that features his artwork.
Christmas is coming and one of Santa’s elves resides at The Monarch. Gene Chambers, of Studio 66 Hot Rod Art, had the opportunity to have his artwork featured on the box of a model toy car. But not just any car … one from the vault.
In 2018, Atlantis Model Co., manufacturer of plastic models and toys, purchased the tooling for several plastic model kits from the new owners of Revell Inc. From the press release: “These molds were from the tooling banks of Monogram, Revell, Aurora and Renwal, some dating back to the early 1950’s. They were stored in Revell’s Elk Grove facility in the great state of Illinois and represent Automotive, Aircraft, Ships, Military, Figures, Space and many other interesting subjects.”
Peter Vetri, president of Atlantis, states, “It’s a lifelong dream to own this historic tooling and archive material related to these molds; to be able to preserve the tooling is a real honor. We look forward to reissuing many classics that have not been available in quite some time.”
“I used to build model cars when I was a kid, probably hundreds if truth be told. Revell was one of the model car companies that had the coolest cars,” Chambers said with a grin.
Chambers was attending a car show in June and happened upon James Keeler, an engineer for Revell in the 1960s and ’70s. Keeler confided that he was working with the Atlantis model toy company to bring back some of the old model cars, and they were looking for an artist to illustrate the box art.
Photo supplied
Gene Chambers artwork of the Mooneyes Dragster is featured on the new Atlantis model box.
“He liked my style and the fact that most of my art is of vintage cars and motorcycles,” Chambers said. “We got talking about building model cars when we were kids and before I knew it, he was offering me the job of doing the illustration for the first model — The Mooneyes Dragster, an iconic dragster from the 1960s. He wanted me to create a scene from the 1960s Winter Nationals Drag Racing in Pomona, California.”
Of course, Atlantis loved the art for the box and proceeded into production, and dreams came true.
“Boxes started shipping last week to people who preordered the kit. I just received mine,” Chambers said. “It’s pretty cool to see your artwork on the model box! Kinda takes me back to when I was a kid. It’s awesome to see comments on social media from collectors that are excited to purchase these models because of the new artwork.”
Chambers has done illustrations for four models now: Mooneyes, Yellow Fever Fiat, 1957 Chevy and a slingshot dragster. Atlantis plans for Chambers to illustrate 10 more this next year.
See Chambers’ artwork at the upcoming Open Studio Night at The Monarch in Studio 18, online at studio66.bigcartel.com and on social media: @studio66hotrods on Instagram and @Studio-66 Hot Rod Art & Pinstriping on Facebook.
Photo supplied
Model car boxes featuring the artwork of Ogden-based artist Gene Chambers ready to ship.
The models can be purchased from Atlantis’ website: atlantis-models.com.
Gene Chambers artwork of the Mooneyes Dragster is featured on the new Atlantis model box.
Artwork for the the Yellow Fever Fiat model by Atlantis featuring the artwork of Ogden-based artist Gene Chambers.