# Late News, but still sad - Dave Deal



## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

Dave Deal is my favorite automotive illustrator/cartoonist, ever. I've visited his website Big Deal's Webworld and others featuring his work a number of times in the past. 

Tonight I was going out on the net, searching for images of Deal's artwork for a post in the *Ugliest* thread, and discovered that Deal had died in October of 2008, losing a battle with cancer.

I checked the archives of *HT Slot Cars*, and didn't see a notice at the time of his death or since, so some members here may not know he had passed.








Deal's unmistakable style - precise, humorous, intelligent and benevolent - is probably known to most members of this forum, even if his name may not be. He is likely the greatest influence on automotive illustration (certainly automotive humorous illustration) of the mid and late 20th Century. He was a master at compressing and changing the proportions of his subject, and still keeping the essential features so harmonious that the car (or other machine) is instantly recognizable and always looks "right" even if it is wildly distorted for humorous effect. By adding slight organic distortions to the mechanical shapes of their parts, Deal's cars magically become living creatures, with emotions and personalities and appealing style.
























As the slotcar generation grew up, Deal's work was everywhere. He did illustrations, stories, and covers for *CARtoons* magazine, the memorable MG Mitten ads in the high-end car mags of the '60s and '70s, and designed the "Deal's Wheels" line of humorous car kits for Revell that many of us will remember. 










Some of his other achievements are not so widely known: he created the Armorall viking character logo, he was an offroad and sports-car racer, he built and raced the first Baja Bug in 1968 and set a 1973 Baja speed record from Tijuana to La Paz that still stands, he designed the automobile characters in Pixar's animated movie *Cars*.

It would not be too much to say that Deal is a hero of mine. Many years ago I did a series of humorous drawings for Ed Seay of MAL Hobby Shop to use in his mail-order catalog. He still has some of them as the background images of his website. I was quite proud of them at the time, but I just thought of them as humorous illustrations. Only recently, did I look at them and realize they were my unconscious attempt to imitate Deal's style.








Here is a rundown of Dave Deal's career on his Webworks site.

Joseph Stephan has a great memorial tribute to Dave Deal, on HotRodHotLine, with many personal anecdotes.

So long, "Big" Deal. I'll miss you. :wave: Hope you're sitting around in Automotive Valhalla with Big Daddy Roth, designing cloud buggies.

-- D


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## kiwidave (Jul 20, 2009)

Nice tribute Dslot! Great art work by Dave Deal. You also have a talent there!


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

I'm bummed yet again! Hope the Big Deal is resting in peace, and happily drawing up stuff for Boyd. Take a few minutes to check out some of his work, guys!! He was truly talented!


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## slotnewbie69 (Dec 3, 2008)

man!cartoons was a big favorite of mine when i was growing up.my parents ran a book store,and whenever we would get in cartoons mags i would snap em up!yeah i remember dave deal allright!i used to spend hours with pencil and paper trying to emulate his style.RIP dave you shall be missed!and thanks Dslot for the heads up,i had no idea he had passed away.his artwork is loved by the next generation through the eyes of my son and millions of other children.


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

Dslot said:


>


Hard to tell, but I think the back of the helmet says "Adios" -- talented and humorous too it seems.


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## resinmonger (Mar 5, 2008)

I remember getting an Auto World catalog in the mail which had Dave's McLapper Can't Am car. The pictures below have a different paint scheme but the original model was McLaren orange if I racall correctly.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal10/9401-9500/gal9462-Deals-Hodges/04.shtm

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal10/9401-9500/gal9462-Deals-Hodges/05.shtm

The tires had "HighBlotation Good Boot" markings. The front and rear tires were so large that they practically touched.

Anyway, he was a true artist and his contibutions to the hobby were priceless. He'll be missed.


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

jeeze i can remember when i was in 5th or 6th grade cartoons would be passed around to the fellas.lets see hummm there was a toiletbowl with fat tires smokin down the road and yes a shoppingcart with a huge blower doin a burn out. i guess this is the same guy. the big deal and big daddy roth still stay in my hot rod heart!! last summer i got a big daddy roth tshirt (wanna race)type from the wife. it gets "where did you get that" when i wear it.gonna have to see if i can get a big deal t too !dead artist stuff is worth it !i luv big daddy roth stuff check out his site for cool tees. is there a big deal site ? i,ll have to check around.ooops yes there is. thanx dslot very good memorial to somebody that lives in all of us.


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*Yeah...he finished the movie cars pics right before he passed...man he was talented!*



kiwidave said:


> Nice tribute Dslot! Great art work by Dave Deal. You also have a talent there!


What kiwidavw said...I built those models and read CarToons magazines all the time...He was a great Car Artist for sure...BIG TIME!!

Bob...CarToons magazine always had cool t-shirt iron-ons in them too...zilla


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