VIDEO: As Big Tex Regenerates, A First Look

There's a huge amount of work to be done before the new Big Tex debuts September 27 , 2013. But a 3-D animated plan for the icon's new hands makes the prospect of his reappearance seem more real.

Private donations for Big Tex's repair have topped $45,000, says Sue Gooding, the State Fair's spokesperson. But before we have the man himself presiding over the State Fair again, engineers need to make a 3-D model. Here's a look at how the hands are being designed: