It’s back! The 2017 Matchbox Custom Contest begins today!

Get our your tools!  And your cameras.

After a very successful run last year, Matchbox is bringing back the Matchbox Custom Contest, and it starts today.  Matchbox dropped the news last night on Instagram:

View this post on Instagram

Back for 2017! matchboxworld Attention all #customizers !! We're looking for the top 20 customizers to make magic on the raw, disassembled castings of the #Nissan510 #510 #nissan #rally and the #nissanjunior Photograph an example of your best #matchbox custom and use the tag #matchboxcustomcontest2017. We'll send a model to the top 20 entries. Go to www.lamleygroup.com tomorrow for more details! Lamley Group (@thelamleygroup) • Instagram photos and videos @japanesenostalgiccar @japaneseclassiccarshow

A post shared by Matchbox world Diecast (@matchboxworld) on Jun 15, 2017 at 6:55pm PDT

Last year’s event was a tremendous success.  Winners were chosen from all over the world, and each one of them created amazing custom Nissan Skylines that were showcased at the Japanese Classic Car Show in Long Beach, California.

Well, it is on again.  Matchbox is doing it the exact same way, save one difference.  This year, the winners will customize one of TWO raw, unassembled, yet-to-be-released Matchbox castings.  Either the Datsun 510 Rally or Nissan Junior Pickup:

Yep, 20 winners selected, and the Matchbox Team will randomly select which raw model to send to each of them.  Either way, if you win you will be given the fantastic task of customizing one of these two.

I think it bears repeating what a cool opportunity this is.  These models aren’t even on the pegs yet, still Matchbox wants to see what you can do with them.

So, it will work exactly like last year.  Between now and July 16th, 2017, any customizer can post pics of his or her Matchbox custom, or customs, on Instagram using the hashtag #matchboxcustomcontest2017.  (They don’t have to be newly produced customs, but new, unseen customs always have more impact.).  The Matchbox Team will look at each and every submission and pick 20 winners, and announce them at the Matchbox Gathering of Friends on July 22, 2017.  Those winners will then be sent either a Datsun 510 or Nissan Junior (picked randomly), raw and unassembled, to be customized and returned to Mattel.  Those 20 customs will then be showcased at the Japanese Classic Car Show on September 23, 2017.  And yes, afterwards the customs will then be sent back to each winner to keep.

Make sense?  If not, here are all the specifics:

1. Anyone can enter, from anywhere in the world, and you can enter as many Matchbox customs as you want.  All submissions MUST be posted to Instagram by the end of day July 16th, 2017.
2. The submissions MUST start as Matchbox models, but can be from any era.  Switching wheels or adding accessories from other brands is fine, but the model must be a recognizable Matchbox model.
3. All submissions must be on Instagram, with the hashtag #matchboxcustomcontest2017.  Just tagging the Matchbox or Lamley feed won’t work, nor will PM’s, email, or posts on any other social media network.  If you don’t have an Instagram account and want to enter, now is the time to get one!  It is free, and very easy to use.  If you have a private account, make it public, or start a second account.  The tag on a public account means the Team will see it.  If you have questions about hashtags or anything else, just ask.
4. The Matchbox Team will choose the Top 20.  Lamley will not participate in any way in choosing the 20 winners.  My main job will be to pass along all the info as it arrives, and showcase the winners.
5. The Top 20 will be announced at this year’s Matchbox Gathering of Friends Convention Dinner on Saturday, July 23.  The event will be live-streamed on the Lamley Facebook Live and Periscope so you can watch.  Details on that coming soon.
6. After the Top 20 are announced, arrangements will be made to send a raw Datsun 510 or Nissan Junior to each, and timing to have them returned will be determined then.
7. The raw model each winner gets will be chosen at random, most likely by drawing.

There you go.  Get your photos posted and tagged, and if you want to put up a fresh custom – always a good idea – it is time to get to it.  Good luck to all!