Creator: Abe Palafox
Country: California, USA

"I've been doing diecast customising for 20 years and mostly focus on Hot Wheels and Matchbox," Abe begins. His journey into the diecast world started as a way to channel his creativity, but it quickly evolved into a full-fledged passion. Over the years, he honed his skills, crafting unique designs and pushing the boundaries of what could be achieved with 1/64 scale models. "I eat, sleep, and breathe customs," he shares. "I’ll wake up at 3 a.m. with an idea and start working on a project."

This relentless dedication is evident in his prolific output—Abe regularly completes up to three customs a week. His process is fuelled by inspiration, dedication, and a desire to continuously improve.

What’s your favourite custom car of all time? And who built it?

Abe doesn’t hesitate: "My favourite custom car of all time is the Munster Coach by George Barris." The Munster Koach, a ghoulishly fun, Hot Rod hearse built for the 1960s TV series The Munsters, epitomises everything Abe admires about customising—creativity, craftsmanship, and flair. Spoken like a true Halloween Lover.

"I’ve always been a big fan of Lowrider magazine," Abe admits. The magazine, known for celebrating the artistry and culture of Lowriders, was a formative influence on his creative vision from what we gather. From the vibrant paint jobs to the intricate detailing, Lowrider’s pages provided a wealth of inspiration that Abe carried into his diecast projects. Sadly the Magazine has faulted in 2019 but Abe is going from strengths to strengths and there is a total of 375 issues printed from June, 1988 through November, 2019 to look back on and plenty of ideas to convert onto the 1:64 diecast canvas.

Turning passion into art, one miniature car at a time.

"George Barris has always been my favourite," he says with reverence. Barris is best known for creating the iconic Batmobile and the Munster Koach, has left an lasting mark and memory on the custom car world, no matter how small or large. It’s no surprise that Abe draws inspiration from Barris’s innovative spirit and attention to detail. 

For Abe, customising isn’t just a hobby—it’s a lifeline. "At my lowest point in life I picked up customising and thanks to Diecast Heroes there is a spotlight on this hobby now." He shares candidly. "I took the Lord into my life and started doing customs again as a means of staying busy. I’ve never looked back. Thank you, guys. Respect." We know Abe is not on his own in finding sanctuary in this hobby and there are a fair few Diecast Customisers and Collectors who share this sentiment. We, Tony & Carmen at Diecast Heroes do what we can to amplify the hobby for many reasons and if it can in addition to it all drop into someone's awareness who needs to find themselves again or need help with keeping their hands busy then we are all here for it and back Abe as well as others to make their voices heard.

Which old-school king of custom builders is your favourite?

Favourite car magazine you used to buy in the past?

A Life-Changing Passion!

Abe's connection to Diecast Heroes magazine runs deep as he is featured in nearly every Issue from Issue one. We are particularly proud that we could share a sneak peak into his Workbench Hero feature in Issue 13: Cyberpunk Halloween, which showcased the vibrancy of his work station—a testament to his boundless creativity.

"To see my work in digital format is amazing for sure," Abe says. "It was not so long ago when people would look down on customising. Now, thanks to Diecast Heroes, it’s cool. Customisers are coming out of the woodwork." Although we think, this is not solely on us as we wouldn't have any working without any of the customisers out there. It's work like yours and Abe's and so many others out there, that playes a significant role in elevating the perception of diecast customisation from niche hobby to celebrated art form. Keep going!

A Digital Dream Come True

Abe is not only an artist, an innovator, and an inspiration to the diecast community but a collector with a sizable collection of 12,000 diecast cars, including 20 Super Treasure Hunts, 54 regular models, and 18 Zamac editions. His story is one of resilience, creativity, and a deep-seated passion for bringing miniature dreams to life. One to follow on Social Media.