In 1972 and 1973, one body painter in the San Francisco area disputed honors for best pro-racing painter in the nation. His inventive and creative art was unique and since then, copied by many. His name: Keiji Kanegawa, familiarly known as “Keiji”. Kanegawa introduced accurate portraits, carefully applied with multiple shades of mixed colors, as well as shaded trompe-l’oeil representation of objects not really there such as lights, mirrors, rivet detailing… Unfortunately, few of these wonderful creations have survived, but I have dug these quickly-fading old pictures taken just before the 1972 Western States Championship Races, which gathered more attendance and a more competitive field that even the Parma Nationals in Ohio that year. I did my best to adjust and sharpen the old pictures, but this will get you an idea and possible inspiration for your own painting if you have run out of imagination…

Jim Aguirre’s body with beautiful colors and detail.

Earl Campbell’s Associated Ferrari 612 body before he found out that the M.A.C. 612 was worth a good 3/10th of a second…

Another Keiji creation for Fast Earl. Campbell himself was an excellent but more traditional painted and painted most of my own bodies, like this one:

This next one is very special: it is the one with which Speed & Sport Raceway owner Ron Granlee, paralyzed in a wheel chair, set his own track record with a car built by yours truly. The car has survived and is presently being restored for its owner, our own Dennis Hill… Note the faux rear-view mirror and its faux shade!

One of the wilder ones (but not THE wildest, un-publishable here due to basic laws of decency :grin:) was of course commissioned by Steve “Spiderman” Kessler, possibly the most, huh, colorful slot racer ever…

A small detail showing clearly where Kessler’s mind was, unfortunately the comment is unreadable…

Now, don’t you think that Keiji should be nominated in the Hall of Fame?