Matchbox/Hot Wheels conversion tutorial

[digimortal]

With the recent topics on Car Wars type games I was wanting to know if there are any tutorials on converting Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars for these games?

Cheers

Darren

[Hawkeye]

Good question, Darren! I know that there were a few LPL entries with some converted and painted Matchbox and Hot Wheels cars, and I'll be needing to learn how to do it for myself for my automotive combat game, so any replies on this one would be great!

[capthugeca]

This may not be of much help but there certainly is or was a good website with tutorials.
I downloaded them several years ago. Unfortunately I think I deleted them a couple of weeks ago because I thought I'd never use them. Sorry!
However I'll have a look for you just in case I left the files on another PC.

Nope, can't find it.
However, after a little bit of googling:-
1. There's a yahoo group - http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/autoduelinonI-64/
2. There's a basic tutorial - http://miniatures.de/roadwarriors.html
3. And this guy has a blog - http://axlesalloys2.blogspot.com/

I found that it's worth do an image google on axles and alloys (a similar game to Car Wars) and searching from there.

I hope that helps.

[LeadAsbestos]

Don't forget Warlands by Aberrant! Lotsa fun, and a new, live game, with support and new players! After tracking down minis for so many OOP things, it is nice to do some new stuff! Great, busy forums, w/ plenty of ideas too.

[former user]

The only advice I could give is that I always drill off the riveting and disasemble them entirely, so that I can paint (or sand) them without much masking. Then I reglue them together with superglue. Some are also screwed together, which makes it much easier.

The shiny paint can be a little difficult occasionally since some colours reject acrylics or shine through.

[dexter]

The only advice I could give is that I always drill off the riveting and disasemble them entirely, so that I can paint (or sand) them without much masking. Then I reglue them together with superglue. Some are also screwed together, which makes it much easier.

The shiny paint can be a little difficult occasionally since some colours reject acrylics or shine through.

They strip pretty easily though once they are disasembled. makes it much easier to repaint

[digimortal]

Thanks for the advice and links, very helpful.

Daz.

[P_Clapham]

Exactly what I do.  Wish more of them were screwed together.  My pile of cars are all riveted. 

The only advice I could give is that I always drill off the riveting and disasemble them entirely, so that I can paint (or sand) them without much masking. Then I reglue them together with superglue. Some are also screwed together, which makes it much easier.

The shiny paint can be a little difficult occasionally since some colours reject acrylics or shine through.

[digimortal]

1. There's a yahoo group - http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/autoduelinonI-64/

I joined this yahoo group and in the files section there is a fantastic article on converting cars as well as a comprehensive list of stuff to use to make weapons.  A big thanks again.

@Hawkeye- This yahoo group looks like a great resource for matchbox/hot wheels scale gaming.

[Patron Zero]

I mod die cast vehicles for different tabletop applications, one item I suggest having is a Dremel rotary tool, as most Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars-trucks have two rivets holding the body to the chassis.

Once you 'pop' such apart it makes repainting and detailing much simpler, also you can 'swap out' interiors and 'glass' from vehicles of the same make but differently colored.  One other option is changing out old wheels new-different ones or repositioning axles for 4x4 conversions.

Best of Luck ! 

[Hawkeye]

Thanks, Digimortal - I'll check out that yahoo group!
And thanks, Patron Zero - to my shame, I have to admit that I did that with some 1:48 (or so) Lesney and Models of Yesteryear for a pulp project I'm interested in, and while I stripped the paint without a problem, where I AM having problems is getting mysely to repaint them and put them together again! 

Edited for typos - slippery little fellas

[former user]

I spray painted them and varnished them before rebuild, adding shages and weathering thereafter
very easy, just give it a go 

[Hawkeye]

I'll give that a go, former user - spray painting certainly sounds easier than hand-painting each bit!

[former user]

last time I did 3 at a time (in the same colour to be honest, but they were army cars  )

anyway, what I also tried is simply weathering a yellow steam truck out of the box with diluted brown wash and transparent acrylic agent - looked OK to me too  (it's somewhere in my Riga 1919 game report).
I did not want to overpaint the advertising on the side