The Art of Keiji Kanegawa
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? :smiley: