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Huber Heights resident Barry L. Payne, with the help of fellow model car enthusiast Vern Heizer of Fairborn, formed the C.A.R.B.S. (Collectors and Replica Builders Society) club 28 years ago in memory of Jerry G. Kathe, a well-known model car builder and Payne’s best friend.
Payne, 75, built his first model car in 1954. “I lived right behind Smitty’s Hobby Shop on Wayne Avenue (in Dayton), and the owner allowed people to display their models in a case there,” said Payne.
“I would look at them in awe, especially the ones built by Jerry Kathe. One day while I was there, Jerry came in and the owner introduced us. We were best friends from then on.”
By the time they met, Kathe was doing the show circuit. “He’d won quite a few awards and told me about a show at Hara Arena during a full-size car show; one of the model companies would come to town and put on a contest, and we entered.” That was Payne’s first contest.
The two friends entered competitions together, often competing in the same categories. “When we were touring, we’d each take three-to-four models, and he’d win first and third, and I’d win second in one. Then it would flip-flop at the next show. It got to be a game with us.”
Entering contests throughout the tri-state region (Ohio, Indiana Kentucky) and Tennessee and West Virginia, “We became legends, the guys to beat,” Payne said.
“It’s truly an art form. When you look at these people’s abilities and end product, it’s unbelievable. Unfortunately it’s not as popular as remote controlled cars or model trains, so we struggle to convince people that our hobby is as good as those.”
When Jerry died, Payne and fellow model makers had a show-and-tell at Smitty’s. “We set models out and had a gab session. I couldn’t believe the crowd.”
Vern Heizer, who Payne had met at contests, was there, “and I suggested a club in Jerry’s memory. He liked the idea, so I laid out paper on the countertop, made an announcement and had people sign up. We called the club C.A.R.B.S., and started with 10-15 members. It grew, and we were asked by full-sized clubs sponsoring cruise-ins to display. Magic 104 radio station in Beavercreek and Dayton’s Gene Barry from WING would hype our club.
“That got more folks interested, and we started holding our own annual contests.”
Heizer, who served as C.A.R.B.S. president for 23 years, specializes in detailing and painting and is also in a group called the MAD Hackerz that meets weekly in his garage. “A lot of folks don’t like ’50s cars, so I chop the tops off, do a wild paint job — things that other people don’t do — and make them trendy,” said the 65-year-old who started building models when he was eight.
“I have a four-car garage with two paint booths and six airbrushes, so we can do things there that we can’t do at the C.A.R.B.’s site (Abiding Christ Lutheran Church in Fairborn). We build and paint all morning, sometimes into the late afternoon.”
Proceeds from the first contest went to Jerry’s widow; now, the club donates proceeds to Children’s Medical Center. The church keeps funds made at their concession booth and keeps the deposit, and the club donates $100 to the church’s youth group from each show.
Contact this contributing writer at virgburroughs@gmail.com.
Mark your calendars
Sept. 17: C.A.R.B.S. next display will be at the Dayton Concours d'Elegancee at Carillon Park in Dayton.
Nov. 4: The club's annual contest will be at Abiding Christ Lutheran Church in Fairborn. There are 17 classes of competition, plus awards for paint, detail, engine, interior and best of show.
Learn more
Online: To learn more about C.A.R.B.S., go online to www.carbsmodelcar.com.
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