Fun Friday: Moldmakers and Their Toys
Moldmakers work hard, but they also like to play hard. Chicago AMBA members held a mini car show during its summer dinner meeting.
A mix of old and new. That’s what Chicago AMBA members enjoyed as they held the chapter’s first annual car show at its summer BBQ dinner meeting last Wednesday. More than 20 vehicles were on display, including these classic Chevy Impalas. Note the distinctive rear bumpers. Sadly, they just don’t make them with character like that anymore.
This 1964 Corvette Stingray Coupe is owned by Walter Schaub of Pro Mold and Die in Roselle, Illinois. Wally says this is his second 1964 Vette and his first, which he owned as a young man, was quite a chick magnet.
Dick Truhlar of Pelco Tool and Mold Inc. in Glendale Heights, Illinois, featured his 1927 Ford Model “T” Touring Street Rod. He’s had this bright orange classic for four years. He also has a 1968 Chevrolet Corvette convertible, which he bought about 24 years ago.
The moldmakers weren’t the only ones having some fun with all the classic cars at the Chicago AMBA BBQ. Here Stacey Bales of Bales Metal Surface Solutions, gives this classic a few revs and boy, did that engine sound good!
A look under the hood of this customized 1950 Mercury Hudson Hornet owned by Geoff Luther of A-1 Tool Corp. in Melrose Park, Illinois, shows two autographs of well-known custom car designers: Gene Winfield (you may have seen some of his designs in the 1982 film Blade Runner) and George Barris, best known for designing the classic Munster Koach and the 1966 Batmobile!
Here’s a better shot of Geoff Luther’s white, 1950 Mercury Chopped Top Custom Coupe. As AMBA Chicago’s new chair Chuck Klingler told me, what a car!
Engines like this one inside a Ford Mustang GT gleamed at the AMBA Chicago’s car show. Members brought their favorite set of wheels to share at the summer BBQ.
Later model hot rods were also on display, like this black Ford Mustang GT500 Shelby Cobra owned by Rob Suva of Pelco Tool and Mold.
It has wheels! This Tadpole Recumbent Trike is owned by AMBA Mold Builder of the Year Joe Genc (left), who brought it because word was that anything with wheels (bikes, trikes, motorcycles, and so on) could be displayed at the AMBA Chicago BBQ.
This is a 1952 MG TD Roadster, a classic sports car belonging to John Demakis of Alliance Specialties. John also brought along his 1976 Triumph Spitfire, which you can see just to the left.
This fine-looking set of wheels is a 1964 Chevy Corvette Stingray, one of several classic vehicles owned by Chuck Klingler of Janler Corp. in Chicago, and his wife, Dale, who brought her beautiful 1989 Jaguar XJS12 to the party.
If you know the Klingler family, which owns Janler Corp., then you probably know that their father Josef was an avid car collector. His son, Chuck, is as well and tells me that over the years, he and his dad collected numerous classic vehicles, several with distinctive provenances. Here is a recent pic of Chuck with his current collection.
It’s a well-known expression around my family and the moldmaking industry—moldmakers and their toys. It’s because moldmakers like to have fun when they aren’t hard at work in their shops. I remember one t-shirt a dear friend in the industry had that said, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” That about sizes it up!
Since it’s Friday, and because I attended the American Mold Builders Association’s Chicago Chapter BBQ and dinner meeting on Wednesday evening, which featured a mini car show and bags games, I wanted to share the fun and photos.(Thanks go to Creative Technology for contributing some of the images seen here.)
I’ve met many moldmakers over the years who have fun and interesting hobbies and lots of toys. I’d like to post more fun blogs about moldmakers and their toys, so don’t hesitate to send a few images of your favorites, whether it’s cars, trucks, tractors, boats, snowmobiles, trains – whatever your pastime is when you’re not working. Be sure to supply some details about what’s in the photos, how long you’ve been collecting or enjoying your hobbies, where and with who. You get my drift. When I collect enough, I’ll post another Fun Friday blog!
Enjoy – and Happy Friday!
