Sponsor-poaching was NOT invented by Cal Wells! After a cozy couple years with Gary Bechtel's #29 Diamond Ridge team, Cartoon Network was enticed to the Melling #9 team, who had lost their SPAM sponsorship.
The car shown here sports the graphics with which the new team/sponsor combo started out in Daytona in the spring of '98. This was the first of four schemes, all bizarre, that appeared throughout the season.
The actual kit was issued by Monogram, but in order to better duplicate the real thing, I substituted SLIXX' excellent sheet, which had more vibrant colours than the kit decals, especially the numerals. The red was a Canadian Tire touch-up enamel, Jalapeno Red, a GM colour. Once the decals had been applied, several light coats of Tamiya's TS13 clear, heated in tap water, was applied.
In order to better duplicate the real car, I opened up the front grille, making it larger, and filled it with fine screen. Fan-style exhausts, seat-belts, radio cord, dual valve stems were also added. This colour scheme was used for about 1/2 the season, then the second scheme, the "Birthday Cake" car (model pending...) was introduced.
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