Hot Wheels and Matchbox Customizing Thread

[Nessy]

Oh, i see, easily worth it for the achieved look. New pic, cool. 👍

 

[CodeRedR51]

Just edited in pic while you posted.

 

[Nessy]

Yep, i pre-empted... knew it would look good.

Forgot to ask. What is that you've used for the exhaust tips, Aluminium tubing, or chromed plastic?

 

[CodeRedR51]

3/32 x .014 aluminum tubing.

 

[Nessy]

Oh okay, the only reason i thought maybe chromed plastic is the tiny teeth marks, i'm guessing that's where you had to grip the tube when cutting. Looks real good though. 👍

* i may have to invest in some ally tubing*

PS. I hope you go ahead with what Cano suggested regarding the grill, staple front grill would look Awesome!

 

[CodeRedR51]

Yeah not happy about the marks, but maybe its race used.

I looked at some staples today and they were too big. Trying to find some smaller ones.

 

[Cano]

I'll SO steal that driveshaft idea.

 

[CodeRedR51]

It was a no brainer, the car needed one. Although it's a bit hard to see now that I painted it gloss black. New pics tomorrow. The exhaust tips are a bit large though. And the next size down piping they had was too small...

Oh well.

 

[Nessy]

Just had an weird idea for a custom. I don't have either of the donor cars, but what springs to mind when i say "Mars rover Curiosity" & "57 Chevy bel-air" ?

I did recently still own a Hot Wheels Chevy bel-air, but shipped it off to Thailand along with a bunch of other cars for my nephew.
Also doesn't necessarily need to be a Mars rover, as what i have planned could be easily scratch built i guess... well for the purpose it would serve, the hard part for me being in the UK would be sourcing the wheels, 3x small (RR5SP's).

Anyway, it's not a realistic custom, more of a novel one if anything, and no prizes for guessing what it is, but i'll give you a little clue: 'Hondo MacLean'

 

[AOS-]

People even modify the bottom of the car now? The one place people don't bother looking at? That's like decorating only the corner of a room

 

[CodeRedR51]

People even modify the bottom of the car now? The one place people don't bother looking at? That's like decorating only the corner of a room

Well you see the tips on the sides, and I couldn't leave that gaping hole in the middle where a driveshaft should have been molded in to the base but was replaced with copyright lettering. I grabbed by brass tubing, saw that it was the perfect size, knew it would be easy to make some small modifications to make it fit, and bingo. Real driveshaft.

 

[AOS-]

The exhaust pipes I can understand, but still, a drive shaft? Maybe if it was a pickup or commercial truck, but a car? You won't see it unless you turned it over.

 

[CodeRedR51]

It's all in the details, sir.

To each their own.

 

[Apok]

I thought about scratch building the bottom of my latest project.
Figured it was, while doable with some styrene and patience, too much work for too little result.

I like the drive shaft.

 

[Cano]

Weee, landed for free another 70 Road Race Camaro that I'll be putting trough customizing too. It's the red one with Champion on the doors. I'm thinking about keeping the Champion logo and doing a racing livery from there.

But first I need to finish the Chaparral car.

 

[CodeRedR51]

The car I am working on says " '70 Camaro Z/28" on the bottom. Wondering if it actually is the Road Race Camaro or a new casting?

 

[Cano]

Just checked, the base of the car indeed sez 70 Camaro Z28, yet the card sez Road Race Camaro or something like that.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Yeah mine came in a 3-pack, so didn't have a card. Might have said on the back of the packaging but I never looked.

 

[Sonygamer455]

Sorry for the late reply but thanks for the tutorial!👍 Now i fully understand it. I got alot of old vehicles i plan to restore!

 

[CodeRedR51]

Great tip I forgot about, if you guys don't have a Silver Sharpie marker in your toolbox for customizing, it's highly recommended.

 

[Sonygamer455]

Great tip I forgot about, if you guys don't have a Silver Sharpie marker in your toolbox for customizing, it's highly recommended.

My dad told me that as well. As a matter of fact we found a better tip (or whatever you call it) for the dremel that works even better. Grinds rivets off really well.

 

[McZachenF1138]

I need a few more of those Camaros. Have the metallic black one. That casting is just so nice, plus it isn't entirely ruined with larger rear wheels.

 

[CodeRedR51]

My dad told me that as well. As a matter of fact we found a better tip (or whatever you call it) for the dremel that works even better. Grinds rivets off really well.

If you're just glueing the cars back together.

I need a few more of those Camaros. Have the metallic black one. That casting is just so nice, plus it isn't entirely ruined with larger rear wheels.

Yes it is.

 

[Sonygamer455]

If you're just glueing the cars back together.

Yep for people who are doing that i have found a good solution. If i can i will try to upload a pic of what me and my was using.

 

[AOS-]

So apparently, if you have sharp wire cutters, you can cut off prongs on metal bases. Dad tried it today and it worked. Guess you won't need a dremel to customize even metal-chassis cars, At1. 👍

Great tip I forgot about, if you guys don't have a Silver Sharpie marker in your toolbox for customizing, it's highly recommended.

.....why.......?

 

[CodeRedR51]

Why? I just detailed the headlights and the front bumper on the Camaro with one. That's why.

 

[AOS-]

That's it? Do you clear coat it afterwards and if not, would you?

 

[CodeRedR51]

If I was re-painting the car, yes I would do it after painting and before clear coat. But since I am keeping the factory paint on this car, it'll just go on over the existing paint and no clear coat.

Works great, kind of like a silver paint pen. I just wish you could get a mirco tip silver sharpie.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Edit: nevermind, stupid PS3 browser won't copy the links. Will post photos tomorrow...

 

[SVX]

I need some help guys. As you may know, for awhile now, my dad have been working on our own custom Hot Wheels project, a Mercedes 500K. Progress halted a bit when we found out that the rear left (IIRC) wheel was damaged (loose). We have discovered that it is the actual wheel, not the axle, which rules out making a new one from brass tube.

Does anyone have any ideas for what to use as a donor? I'd prefer not to get a Boulevard/Hot Ones/Cars of the decades as they cost around $5 to $10 bucks here. :/

How it's looking so far, including the massively delayed repainted grill picture.



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