Hot Wheels and Matchbox Customizing Thread

  • Thread starter CodeRedR51
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At 1ness
M-POWER_FTW, Beetle looks great, love the wheels the lowering and the colour, really like and admire the custom roof-rack aswell but i think i prefer it without it (just looks cleaner to me).
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:cheers:. Yeah, I think I'm going to forget about the custom roof rack I made and leave it as is, until I can find a pre-made one from another car. I still need to start looking at my donors for an interior I can use.

And your Mini is looking pretty good. The white looks great. Can't wait to see what it looks like when it's fully detailed. I'm also waiting for better weather, so I can start painting again.

homeforsummer
Beetle up there looks awesome with the searchlight. I'd recommend finding some luggage for the roof rack, rather than sticking wheels in there. Must be a matchbox/hot wheels with suitcases somewhere...
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As I stated above, I'm leaving the roof rack off, until I find another cleaner/better one. I appreciate your honesty. 👍

R1600Turbo
It is a bit dark, but with the metallic still looks great.
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I actually like the darker green. And yes, a sunlight pic would probably make that metallic paint really shine.
 
Cano, sorry to hear you didn't win, but still can't wait to see the pics. Looking forward to see what you're going to do with the Mini aswell, is it going to be the HW version or something a bit more special?.

I still need to add a final coat of white to the body on mine, aswell as clean up those damn messy wheels, i managed to borrow a friends camera for a few days, so here's a quick pic i took this evening (real bad lighting) that shows up the true extent of the job ahead to clear up the sloppy wheels :(


Another problem i have, is that somewhere down the line the air filter/induction cowl hood scoop thingy got damaged.. so i'm considering just slicing it down to run flush with the bonnet, 1 good thing i'm pleased about though is, i stumbled across some old Gundam model stickers i had lying about, which as can be seen i've used as 1 of the head lights (don't have any chrome paint), the sticker has an almost mirror quality to it.

Another idea i'm toying about with is sacrificing my HW Tyrrell F1 car (white body blue base), that i don't really care for (much prefer the original blue version), and using the 2 front smaller wheels from the Tyrrell for the mini (providing the width of the axle is the same), to achieve a much more realistic scale to the car... though i may leave that idea until i get my hands on a plastic bodied Mini, as i plan to make use of some plastic modelers card i have had for a while to fill out the arches more.

R1600Turbo, Yeah, an airbrush would be sweet for stuff like that i imagine, BTW, what is that next project car.. is it an Impala of some kind? (i get mixed up when it comes to American cars).

photonrider, i think the Pantera is Matchbox/Lesney, i seem to remember having 2 of those in my old collection, though i could be wrong.

M-POWER_FTW, Cheers man, i can think of a donor car that might work for your Beetle, Corgi did a late model (with interior), i don't know of the availability to Corgi where-ever you're based but if you keep your eyes open for it you may get lucky, they're usually packaged as Corgi wheelz, but i've seen the same car packaged as Fastlane and also Realtoy.
 
Cano
I reckon it would really pop in sunlight. pics?
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I could do that, but it's going to be a while. Sun is almost down here now, and I don't get home until almost dark during the week. Then I'm going to California this coming weekend.
 
At 1ness
Cano, sorry to hear you didn't win, but still can't wait to see the pics. Looking forward to see what you're going to do with the Mini aswell, is it going to be the HW version or something a bit more special?.
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Thanks, I'll take pics right now, as I don't have much to do. As for the Mini, it's the exact car you're customizing. I still don't know how I'm gonna paint it, heck, it's still in one piece, but it's gonna be a race car for sure.

I still need to add a final coat of white to the body on mine, aswell as clean up those damn messy wheels, i managed to borrow a friends camera for a few days, so here's a quick pic i took this evening (real bad lighting) that shows up the true extent of the job ahead to clear up the sloppy wheels :(


Another problem i have, is that somewhere down the line the air filter/induction cowl hood scoop thingy got damaged.. so i'm considering just slicing it down to run flush with the bonnet, 1 good thing i'm pleased about though is, i stumbled across some old Gundam model stickers i had lying about, which as can be seen i've used as 1 of the head lights (don't have any chrome paint), the sticker has an almost mirror quality to it.

Another idea i'm toying about with is sacrificing my HW Tyrrell F1 car (white body blue base), that i don't really care for (much prefer the original blue version), and using the 2 front smaller wheels from the Tyrrell for the mini (providing the width of the axle is the same), to achieve a much more realistic scale to the car... though i may leave that idea until i get my hands on a plastic bodied Mini, as i plan to make use of some plastic modelers card i have had for a while to fill out the arches more.
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strip the wheels paint in their entirety and them mask them off and paint them again with your spray paint. stick some masking tape pieces to a table and go trough them in a curve form with an exact cutter, then use those pieces to mask them off. It will take a while but the result will be much better. Also, do not cut the hood scoop, it wont look good, and sanding that kind of plastic smooth is pretty difficult. Leave it as is.

Ah, and also, do not use the Tyrrel's wheels, they are way too small for that car.
 
The weather here will be in the 60's this week. Would that be an alright temperature to use spray can enamel or is it still a bit cold?

Btw, R1600T did you clear coat the Caterham or no?
 
Cheers for the advice Cano & R1600Turbo. I have tried to clear up the excess on the wheels but it still looks a bit too sloppy.

So i'm going to try to mask them a bit better and give it another try (when i can be bothered), Cano as for the cowl, i think it's a case of either sacrificing another Mini or breaking out the trusty scalpel and sand paper stick, because i just can't live with it how it is at the moment, and yes you're right about the Tyrrell wheels... though i may try something along the lines of that sweet Datsun 510 a few pages back (providing i can get my hands on some metal tubing).

Actually guys, would like your opinions about the detailing, i plan on painting the roof black along with the arch blisters (going for a black/white panda look), do you guys think it would be too much to paint the headlight surrounds black aswell?.. i have a small pot of aluminium colour enamel that i plan to use for the bolts, door handles, window trim and filler caps, would the bolted surrounds (headlights) look better in that instead?
 
If you have an X-Acto knife/razor you can use the tip/corner to scrape away any unwanted paint on the wheel, especially small specs. Just be gentle. I was just trying this actually.
 
At 1ness
Cheers for the advice Cano & R1600Turbo. I have tried to clear up the excess on the wheels but it still looks a bit too sloppy.

So i'm going to try to mask them a bit better and give it another try (when i can be bothered), Cano as for the cowl, i think it's a case of either sacrificing another Mini or breaking out the trusty scalpel and sand paper stick, because i just can't live with it how it is at the moment, and yes you're right about the Tyrrell wheels... though i may try something along the lines of that sweet Datsun 510 a few pages back (providing i can get my hands on some metal tubing).
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If you're gonna have a go at the hood scoop then try to cut it straight with a new xacto blade so you will have a mostly smooth surface once the cut is done. As for the Datsun, fitting those axles (They are two front axles form a mid-80s ChoroQ/Penny Racer) required LOTS of chassis work with the dremel and multiple-form files, but it now rolls perfectly.

Actually guys, would like your opinions about the detailing, i plan on painting the roof black along with the arch blisters (going for a black/white panda look), do you guys think it would be too much to paint the headlight surrounds black aswell?.. i have a small pot of aluminium colour enamel that i plan to use for the bolts, door handles, window trim and filler caps, would the bolted surrounds (headlights) look better in that instead?
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I'd like to see the thing with black "eyes" with metal bolts.

M-POWER_FTW
If you have an X-Acto knife/razor you can use the tip/corner to scrape away any unwanted paint on the wheel, especially small specs. Just be gentle. I was just trying this actually.
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Don't do this, you'll damage your wheels. Use a toothpick instead, if you have, with a bit of car wax. Really.

R1600Turbo
A Q-tip with a light application of paint thinner could work too.
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Not thinner, it will eat your wheels, no immediately but over time. If you're gonna apply any solvent, the max you can do is nail-polish remover, but be warned: it will make the black plastic of your tires look white-ish and opaque. Been there done that. Try with alcohol first, it may take a whole lot more time but your wheels will keep their shine.
 
Still!!!! The newer plastic that HW is using for the cars is amazingly low-quality. The thinner thing happened to me recently with the glass-roof of the black Dodge Panel van, it curled like a snail shell and the thinner was VERY light. I don't think it would have taken nail-polish remover either, it was just horrible.
 
Yeah, you might be right on that, but still, after what my window ended up looking like, I wouldn't chance it :lol:
 
Cano
Don't do this, you'll damage your wheels. Use a toothpick instead, if you have, with a bit of car wax. Really.
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I wouldn't advise it on rubber wheels, but it works fine on regular plastic wheels. Though, I will try your technique out for future projects.
 
^^^ The rubber tires usually come off. When I paint those wheels, I always take the tires off.

Anyway, anyone else find it strange that this car's hood doesn't open but there's an engine cast into the interior section? :odd:

DSCN4534.jpg
 
hah, weird. If my memory serves me right, they've never done an opening-hood version... unless in the few premium lineups in which this casting has appeared, one has it and I have never seen it...

anyway, whatcha gonna do with that one, 1600?
 
I'll be on the look still, I love that casting. I'm waiting for one that's seen better days to fall in my hands to also start one.
 
R1600Turbo
^^^ The rubber tires usually come off. When I paint those wheels, I always take the tires off.

Anyway, anyone else find it strange that this car's hood doesn't open but there's an engine cast into the interior section? :odd:
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Maybe it was designed as a hidden gem for modders ;)

Really want to get into this but lack of Hot Wheels, funds and time are against me..
 
EDIT: I'm one post away from 1,000. WOOT! :)

Matty
Really want to get into this but lack of Hot Wheels, funds and time are against me..
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As R1600Turbo stated earlier in the thread, it depends on what tools you already have to work with. A drill or dremel is the most expensive tool you'll need. The other stuff, like paint stripper and paint are pretty inexpensive. And if you can set aside an hour a day for this you should be good, I think.

R1600Turbo
Found the wheels I will be using for the new custom
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Nice choice, I can imagine what they look like on it. And I want your Boulevard Fiero for its wheels!!! I have a car in mind I can use them on.
 
Preview shots incoming tonight. I plan on stripping the car down tonight and detailing the base. Paint will have to wait until I return from California.
 
Nice wheel choice, altough I would have prefered the Halibrand lookalikes. Promise you'll reassemble the donor 56 Ford with some other wheels!
 
...except that when I put the white wheels on the new project, I cut the front axle and made it wider to fill in the fenders a bit more. 👍
 

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