Hot Wheels and Matchbox Customizing Thread

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I love the MB Toyota MR2 (had one myself), but that cast really needs smaller wheels. Guys, will at least one of you oblige?
 
A few detailings I did over the past couple days.










Also, this is interesting...

This Ford Galaxy does not have an opening hood, yet its engine is clearly molded into the interior plastic.
 
I noticed that before. They probably had an opening hood version at one point (RLC release?) or used the interior on a different car.

I noticed the same thing on the Ferrari 458 Spyders I was detailing, they used the same interior from the Coupe so the engine is still there even though you can't see it.
 
I was looking back over the thread, since I forgot about it for about three months and came across this:

IMG_1081.jpg

Mother of Jelly

I never knew you could remove the tampos with acetone so easily! I hope to create the exact car you have here. What is the easiest way to swap wheels. If you grind down the clamp, how do you put new wheels. I have been prying the wheels out...straightening the axles back out and putting them into cars I want. It's got to be easier! What am I missing?
 
I was looking back over the thread, since I forgot about it for about three months and came across this:

Mother of Jelly

I never knew you could remove the tampos with acetone so easily! I hope to create the exact car you have here. What is the easiest way to swap wheels. If you grind down the clamp, how do you put new wheels. I have been prying the wheels out...straightening the axles back out and putting them into cars I want. It's got to be easier! What am I missing?

Haha, that car has had a tremendously positive reception wherever I show it. It came out pretty good.

As for removing the wheels, you are actually doing it wrong, you HAVE to cut off/grind down the clamps for the axle to come out clean. It's quite difficult to totally straighten the axles later, and you don't have any way of putting them back into the car as the clamps get in the way. If it's a plastic base, pointy pliers will take care of the clamps easily. If it's a metal base, enjoy grinding down the clamps with your new Dremel.

As for installing them back? Epoxy, dude. Holds perfectly fine as long as you dont play with the car like mad, and it will come off with a strong lever push if you ever want to change the wheels off the car. Or, since you live in a not-God-forgotten country where you have hobby shops at every corner, you can do it like it says in the first post of the thread, with kick-ass brass tubbing.
 
I knew there was an easier way. My problem was/is I wanted to use the clamps that are already present and without creating new axles, I couldn't work out how to do it. If epoxy is all I need, It's what I'll get. Now to find out which accessory will work best! I'm so excited for it to warm up so I can paint. Presently I just have a handful of cars to mess around with. I've got dozens taken apart and stripped in little baggies waiting for spring.
 
The gray on the 911's wing could be a tad darker.

Also, given the effort you put into the lighting of your photos, I highly recommend going an extra step and begin putting stuff up for backdrops, McZ.
 
Flat aluminum is the color I used and I think it's the extreme lighting that makes it look lighter.

Well, I'm currently at home on my end-of-quarter break and I don't have a setup here.
I have been planning a big diorama using train products as soon as I have the spare cash.
 
Good i was going to do it anyway!:lol: I bet if you wanted to paint a metal base real shiny it would work great!:D I can't imagine how awesome it would look if you painted over a body with bright paint!:eek: I will probly try it soon, i will post before and after shots to show you guys how it looks.;)
 
I have a Dupli-Color anodized green than just comes up bright green on a white surface. I was planning to try it out on a matte silver surface to see how that ends up.

It does however work like watercolour; you can't put this over a dark surface or else nothing will show up. It basically blends its colour with the colour beneath. not sure about the X-Metals you linked.
 
I'm looking into starring to do this, but I have a quick question about paints. My friends has a large collection of paints he uses for DnD minis. He said the minis are a metal alloy so it should work on hotwheels. Do any of you guys know if this is true, or is this a " try it and find out"
 
Good to hear. I should be doing some tonignt, just fine detail to see it the paint has the right finish. I'll post results as soon as I can!
 
A few things about this photo:

  1. Thought I would give a made up car a shot. I tried to just take the tampos off but that didn't work, so full re-paint it was.
  2. Finally got the Vanishing Point Challenger stripped and painted. Will do detailing on all the lights & chrome/silver areas, clear it, then do the flat black stuff.
  3. Take a real good look at the red paint on the first car, I'll be re-painting my RX-7 in that color. :sly:

DSCN5383_zps628b1aa8.jpg
 
What do you plan on doing with the body?


:P


Speaking of, I might just get my hands on some low-priced Real Riders in the future, strip their tires off and shove them onto LWs. Then I'll have to grind down the wheel arches on the bodies and like that I'll have "RRLW" wheels on race cars. Booya.
 
I don't need it. I'm going to have one myself eventually! Thanks though.

And I've actually got size 2 ties to fit over size 1 tires without any modifications. The rubber was temporarily stretched and the lack of removing the plastic part of the wheel we call "tires", that plus the rubber tire mad for a thick tire appearance.
:lol:
 
Damn you! I had a Scorcher stripped and ready for primer! :grumpy:

Also, I Dremel'd out the inserts on the hood of the Galaxy so you will be able to see the engine.
I'm debating whether or not I want to do that to my Preferred Thunderbolt.
 
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