Cool custom rig models

In our Fall ‘09 issue Lucinda Coulter, managing editor of our sister magazine, Overdrive,  did a nice article on a Frenchman who builds replica scale models of all types of big-rigs as a hobby. His favorite trucks are American custom rigs.

The twist is Christian Chapson is literally an ocean away from our custom rigs. You see, he lives in Vierzon, France–and builds the models from scratch out of a tiny shop at his home.  His replicas are not plastic kits, but rather hand-carved, sculpted, cut, fabricated and painted much like the rigs themselves.

Well, Christian gets our magazine and has started building some of the custom rigs he sees in our pages.  As he said in his latest e-mail, “I search some pictures near the name of the owner which are marked on the battery tray has trucks Kanady Matt and Dale Blevins for her realize my model,” says Christian. “I have other models in preparation as black Pete at SRS and Vinie Diovio of the ACW and Kenworth.”

Christian has told us he plans on coming stateside in 2010 to attend a truck show here and see his models in real life.

I thought you’d like to see what custom rigs have rolled out of this avid fan’s work bench in the past year. You’ll be amazed–and if your truck is one he’s done, feel very, very honored.

Check these beauties out: