José loves scratchbuilding and being a self-professed low-budget modeler, he always tries to find new and creative ways for building his own custom parts. He has a weakness for 1930's Fords, which he usually builds as hot rods or street machines. He also likes 1970's American iron, and rare 1980's cars.

His current projects are: a Pro-Touring AMC Matador, a 1932 Ford Speedwagon with real wood paneling, and the weirdest of them all: a 1980 Dodge Omni 024 with a Dodge Sidewinder V10 engine! It'll be mounted Lamborghini Murciélago-style, with the transmission ponting forward. This will be one wild ride!

The motivations for my involvement in the establishment of these groups are many, but one of the main reasons is the amount of people that are increasingly involved in the modeling hobby, people who usually assemble the models for themselves, but have the desire to showcase their ideas and skills. This has been proven to me time after time, on each model show we run, with the increased assistance to each event as the voice is spread around between modelers.

I’ve also observed that there’s an increased interest in children, teenagers and women to participate in these shows, with everything from simply going to the shows with their father, brother, boyfriend or husband, to even actively participating in the hobby, displaying their very own models. This is one of the most positive aspects of our hobby. Modeling is a wholesome, entertaining and educational past time for the whole family. The increased support that modelers are receiving is a clear signal that our goals are eventually being met, and even surpassed.

Many members of the IPMS/USA Board Of Directors mention that it’s good that at last there's a Chapter in which car modeling is the predominant modeling activity. They have also commented about the excellent quality of our models, and how many of them are models that could compete at any model show, with excellent results.

But these positive reactions and comments wouldn’t be known if it wasn’t for you, my fellow modelers: You, who fill the tables at our shows from end to end with incredible ideas, excellent details, great paint jobs, and good old fun.

So, make it official and join us. Who knows? You might like it so much you end up staying!