Hot Wheels and Matchbox Customizing Thread

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diabolicwyvern
New rule: Before stripping car, make sure its not a rare variation.

example:
Do strip a 7sp Sports car series Shelby Cobra.
Dont strip a 5sp version. (like I did)

Paid a quarter for, stripped it, primed it, then when looking for other cobras on Southtexasdiecast to see the colors it came in... Discovered mine was worth $15 loose and $35 carded. :ouch:
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haha, I'll have to facepalm, too.
 
diabolicwyvern
New rule: Before stripping car, make sure it's not a rare variation.
Click to expand...

Add my facepalm, too; a sympathetic one. Yikes!

We'll have to engrave that rule in stone, no doubt about it, lol.

We were discussing brushes a few weeks ago, and yes, I agree, if one gets into customising these miniature models, good brushes are needed. Look for a 2/0 or even 4/0 if you want to get fine pinstriping, or need to 'spot' colour on tiny areas. Here's an example of two #0 Brushes, and a #4/0 (#0000) beside a regular #10 brush:
100_9711.jpg


And some pics to fire your imaginations and spur your creativity:

IMG_1326.jpg


IMG_1373.jpg


IMG_1375.jpg


IMG_1410.jpg


Back later . . .
Cheers,
Harry.
 
Something I have been doing with exhausts lately is, if they already have a small dimple in them, I've been using a really small dremel drill bit and (by hand) drilling a hold into the exhaust tips. 👍
 
I... actually like the white on that NSX. A little flashier than I think I like, but it looks appropriate as a Touring car.
 
R1600Turbo
Something I have been doing with exhausts lately is, if they already have a small dimple in them, I've been using a really small dremel drill bit and (by hand) drilling a hold into the exhaust tips. 👍
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That is a great idea! :) Getting the pipes looking realistic adds so much to the car. I'm definitely going to try that out. 👍
Cano used the end off a ballpen refill once to mock up a real fierce-looking exhaust; I can't find the post, though (buried deep in the Collectors thread) - that is another way I have yet to try. Needs the right kind of car.

AOS-
I... actually like the white on that NSX. A little flashier than I think I like, but it looks appropriate as a Touring car.
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Thanks for the FB, Andy - I was hoping someone would throw me some on that one. I'm not happy with the white roof-scoop; looking to paint it either the same green as the body (difficult colour to source - you have the car, too, maybe, so you'll know.) The wing is still too orange for me - maybe a decal or lettering in white is the plan. Wheels look 'iffy'; should it be white? Matte Black? Chromium? Wheel change?
Aaaaargh!
;)
 
Yep, I agree with Andy on the NSX. It's great, but it needs some touch ups on the air scoop and it's completed. Looks like a GT500 Super GT or a Time Attack car.

And I love the Cougar and the S2K also photon, are you gonna create a TypeR version of the S2K in Championship White with the red H badge?

@R1600: That is a good idea also, trying to make the exaust pipes on the realistic side will give out more detail to the car. I'll try it out soon though. 👍
 
VspecZR1GT2RS89
And I love the Cougar and the S2K also photon, are you gonna create a TypeR version of the S2K in Championship White with the red H badge?
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Will you stop giving me ideas? Grrrrr....

I have cars lined up tooting their horns waiting to be customised!

Actually I have to redo the Cougar. Had a look at the XR7 in my super-duper virtual car catalouge (a.k.a. GT5) and I see that I have the details all wrong. I have it in the same blue, but I've got the lights and grille wrong. In any case, I have to strip the whole car down to bits since I have to replace the wheels in it to look like the one in GT5. Tuned and supercharged, I'm finding this car is really the bomb to drive at Laguna Seca. Everything else is just traffic.

The NSX is a tough proposition because the livery is so busy. Thanks for all the FB. :) 👍
 
IMG_0616.jpg



Well the science Friction disaster hit another speed bump as the donar car I purchased to part out was missing the front bumper bit. How did I miss that? Now I have to source a THIRD science friction on the cheap and let me tell you...they aren't just lying around.
 
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Just fabricate it out of something dude, it doesn't have to be the same as the stock one, customize it.
 
I'm not that clever...yet. I had a Flame Runner in filler grade that I didn't mind carving up. applying paint today and my gloss clear tomorrow afternoon. Should have pictures wed. morning
 
Current projects.

IMG_0629.jpg


I have not worked out a scheme for this one yet. The white, albeit shining in appearance, is just primer.

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This one is nearly done. I'm going to mask off the bottom and shoot the blue again. I did that at dusk a few nights ago and left it in the garage to dry. Forgot about it, came back this afternoon and saw it wasnt as crisp as I'd like. I am going to freehand in a darker blue line to separate the two colors.

EDIT: Now that I look at the close up of the car (as well as the actual car) I think I'll start again rather than taking time to mask for the blue while the white is uneven.
 
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Fell asleep 45 mins before the tomica collection 4 on eBay ended :( lost by 50 cents :/ .. But on a good note got the hotwheels DW-1, corvette treasure, and my 4th M2 Machines boss 302 today :D
 
R1600Turbo
Just a quick test fit. May change them if I can find something else I like better.

DSCN4793.jpg

DSCN4794.jpg
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Where do you guys buy the custom wheels at? I just bought 2 GT86's from Ebay and I wanna try to fit some Volks or Works on them haha.
 
jgancherjr
Fell asleep 45 mins before the tomica collection 4 on eBay ended :( lost by 50 cents :/ .. But on a good note got the hotwheels DW-1, corvette treasure, and my 4th M2 Machines boss 302 today :D
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Wrong thread. :P There goes a pack of dreams...but hopefully there will be something similar to pop up again. Wanted those so bad... Hope to see pictures of your other purchase though. :)

Shigegaki
Where do you guys buy the custom wheels at? I just bought 2 GT86's from Ebay and I wanna try to fit some Volks or Works on them haha.
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Those wheels are taken off another Hot Wheels and swapped on. (Most likely Speed Machines) You can buy a pack of wheels though from HWC.

http://www.hotwheelsshop.com/store/hwprod.php?p_page_id=215933&p_display_group_id=647
 
Just letting you know, that custom wheel pack doesn't contain Volks style wheels. But, like MedigoFlame said, if you really want them, look for the Speed Machines line. You'll probably have to get it off of eBay, unless you can still find them where you live, because Speed Machines was last years stuff. Hope this helped.
 
I'm have the hardest time swapping wheels. Is there an easy way to widen the gap the axles are held in by to drop new wheels in?

PS: I wish they'd just use the matchbox system with the center strip pressing down on both. It take 1 minute and no tools are required.
 
You need the axle to be longer or shorter? Only way I know how to do it is by cutting the axle in half and using extremely small diameter brass tubing to make it the length I need.
 
Oh man, you guys have no idea how many cars I want to swap in with rubber white-wall tires... Does anyone know of a seller that sells them in bulk?
 
I have a few that maybe would like some work on them, after reading through this thread it seems inspiring haha. Or I could ship them off to you guys if you like projects.

But just to show off a gem, heres a 1967 Matchbox Series 33 Lamborghini Miura Superfast. I've seen a few on ebay in mint condition for around 50$, but mine is less than that, some paint chips. A hand me down from my grandpa when i was around 6, absolutely love this thing! Im surprised its still in one piece since he gave it to me 16 years ago!

IMAG1050.jpg

IMAG1048.jpg

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Here just some randoms, that are cool.

IMAG1053.jpg

IMAG1051.jpg

The Carrera GT mostly could benefit from new wheels. They are far too wide for it.
IMAG1052.jpg

IMAG1046.jpg
 
Good question - I'd like to know, too. Mailing them would be easy if there's someone out there who can do them. Being able to customise the livery precisely as we want it would be just an awesome step-up in our customising.
 
Uck, sorry. Never saw dat. What kind of custom decals do you need? You can always make them yourself if you know your way around Phtoshop, just print them over in water decal paper. Also, there are guys on E-Bay that sell decals and I think I've seen in their auctions that if you contact them, they can make custom stuff too. You'd just have to look for the guy that does custom stuff.

Additionaly, look for Cadillac Pat @ the HWC forums, the guy is a customizer that bases most of his work in amazing graphics and paint, and he is extremely light hearted and always willing to help. The guy also posted in the Mexico club forums for a while showing off his work and I talked to him a lot, if you do this tell him Cano from the HW Mexico Club told you to search for him, he should remember.
 
Good read indeed, the guy knows his way with the tampos, the rivvets on the fenders of the yellow 510 are eye openers.
 

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