COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jim Cooper was named the winner of the 2008 PPG Hot Wheels Spectraflame PAINT YOUR RIDE Contest. The announcement was made at the 11th Annual Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, held this past weekend.

Cooper, of Laguna Hills, California, was selected from a field of 12 finalists that included custom painters, car builders, and hot rod enthusiasts. Entrants created original paint schemes for their vehicles using eye-catching Hot Wheels Spectraflame colors available in PPG's Vibrance Collection. The co-branded custom colors mimic those found on the Hot Wheels line of die-cast toy vehicles from Mattel, Inc.

Cooper's winning entry was a 1956 Chevrolet Handyman 2-door wagon painted in PPG's Hot Wheels® Spectraflame® Medium Sapphire with silver flames. Co-owned by Cooper's wife Melinda, the winning car features a blown 496 big block with turbo 400, a 9" rear; and an Air Ride suspension built by Randy Ward at Rod Benders.

"All the entries were truly spectacular, so it is a real honor to be named the winner," said Cooper. "I was amazed to see all the wild and over-the-top finishes you can achieve with Spectraflame paint!"

As the Grand Prize winner, Cooper will receive an exclusive Hot Wheels 1/18" scale model award trophy featuring his winning paint scheme. The scheme will also be reproduced on a future Hot Wheels® toy car to be introduced in 2009 by Mattel, Inc. In addition, the dazzling '56 Chevy wagon will be showcased in the PPG booth at the 2008 SEMA show in Las Vegas and displayed in full color on a 2009 PPG calendar along with the other finalists. It will also appear in an upcoming issue of PPG Repaint Reporter magazine.

A distinguished panel of judges selected the winning entry. The panel included Dave Perewitz of Perewitz Cycle Fabrication, Paul Stoll, PPG's custom painting trainer, Larry Wood, chief designer at Hot Wheels, Brian Brennan of Street Rodder, and Ed Capen of Goodguys Rod & Custom Association.

Wood acknowledged how difficult it was picking one winner out of 12 stunning vehicles. "We were so impressed with all the finalist cars. It was a very difficult decision. Everyone has their own taste in cars, and each judge had their favorites. But in the end, we all agreed on the Chevy Wagon. It had everything -- awesome paint, cool graphics, a great overall look."

View the winning vehicle and all the finalists of the 2008 Hot Wheels Spectraflame PAINT YOUR RIDE contest.