[taterracing]

Is there a site out there that has a step-by-step process on how to customize cars?

Like, what paint to use, how to go about it, selecting a donor car, how to apply decals, basecoats and all the stuff needed to put forth a nice looking custom.

Any help would be appreciated. Looking to attempt my first custom this year. I have the decals for this car.

Thanks

 

[Billy Kingsley]

No, but I'm pretty sure I can help you with whatever you want.

I need some more info first. What scale are you working in and what decals did you purchase?

Selecting a donor car is about the easiest. Just choose a car of the correct bodystyle. I prefer to work with white cars simply because they are the easiest to work on.

For that car I would suggest, for example, a Tony Stewart 99 Habitat for Humanity car. But you could use anything, as long as it was the correct body.

White is pretty much white, no matter what brand you use. DO NOT use Testors white because it yellows over time. If you use a white base car you don't have to paint it.

The blue on that car is a dead-ringer for Testors French Blue...

Once you answer the two questions I posed I will be able to help more..

 

[taterracing]

I was looking to pick up a Johnny Benson or Bobby Labonte Action 1/24th (cheap).

As far as paint, I have none. Do you use spray or brush? I'm really a novice here lol. Clearcoat at the end?

Decals I bought are Slixx.

Alex

 

[Billy Kingsley]

Either of those would work, too. I use aerosol cans...they take alot of unnessicary flak from alot of people...any well stocked hobby shop should have it, even some not to well stocked shops'll have it.

First, you'll want to prime the car. There are about a dozen good, usable primers. My favorite is the Model Master Lacquer white primer.

You will need a clearcoat. Testors 1261 is their pseudo-lacquer and that won't yellow. It's safe to put over the French blue and the Lacquer white which you'll also need to buy.

With spray paint you want to stay about a foot back from the car and move past the entire car in one stroke. Don't try to cover it all in one stroke. The best paint is done in many small coats.

The blue will take several days to dry. The basic rule of thumb is that when you sniff the car and can't smell the paint anymore, it's dry.

Slixx decals are some of the best out there. What I've discovered, after using about 20 of their sheets, is that when you put it in the water, it's ready to use when the paper uncurls itself.

I use a damp paper towel to press the decals into their location and smooth out air bubbles. Most people tell you this is wrong but I've decaled about 75 1/24 cars and never had a problem caused by that.

You will want to buy some MicroSol, a decal setting solution. It helps you get decals into odd shapes or crevices. Be carefull though, because some Slixx decals have bad reactions with it. You won't know until you start if the sheet will give you issues with that.

I suggest using the Slixx logo and the sheet name and number, which is also a decal, as practice. The inside of the trunk area is a good place for that (Unless it has an opening trunk)

Hope that helps, and I'll try to answer any more questions you can come up with

 

[taterracing]

A lot of good info. Thanks!

How about the donor car? How do you get the paint off? paint thinner and a cloth or something?

Anyone else have advice? Thanks.

Alex

 

[Billy Kingsley]

The best thing for stripping paint off a diecast is non-acetone nail polish remover. It smells horrible but it works great. I don't strip any of my own cars, my mom does it all for me, she actually likes the smell, LOL. She recently bought some little pads that have the stuff as a part of it, but you can just buy the bottle and go. She uses cotton balls, for the most part.

Just don't let it touch the clear parts, because it will melt them, as it does all plastic...learned that the hard way...

 

[JoKeR]

Selecting a donor car is about the easiest. Just choose a car of the correct bodystyle. I prefer to work with white cars simply because they are the easiest to work on.

The best thing for stripping paint off a diecast is non-acetone nail polish remover. It smells horrible but it works great. I don't strip any of my own cars, my mom does it all for me, she actually likes the smell, LOL. She recently bought some little pads that have the stuff as a part of it, but you can just buy the bottle and go. She uses cotton balls, for the most part.

billy this is a question i have always wanted to ask and maybe you can tell me now.......why does it have to be or better to be a white donor car if you are going to strip the paint off anyway?

 

[Billy Kingsley]

Because it makes it easier to paint it. The base color will sometimes bleed through the outer layer of paint, especially reds and yellows. It really just makes things easier...

In my Catching Up post you'll see the unsponsored all white #34...That car was black to begin with (Bowyer Chris Cagle car originally) it's possible, but instead of one coat of paint, it took 4 to cover...brushed on usually only takes one coat, and spray painting 1/64 really doesn't work too good...