Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]

Announcements (Updated: July 11, 2018)

Welcome to Swifty's Garage!


Thanks to all of you for making this board what it is today!


Attention new members: We would like to welcome you personally, so please introduce yourself. Click here: INTRODUCTIONS


For all the latest news and announcements, please click here: PA System



Thank you - The Swifty's Garage Team




This board is best viewed at 1024 x 768 Resolution

Car of the Week:


Matchbox 1968 Ford F-100


Click Here: Matchbox '68 Ford F-100
Welcome to Swifty's Garage. We hope you enjoy your visit.


You're currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our community, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.

Thank You,
The Swifty's Garage Team


Join our community!


If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features.

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Restoration guide by Ripa
Topic Started: Jun 20 2018, 05:43 AM (183 Views)
Ripa
Member Avatar
Minivan
I decided to compile my methods of restoration into a simple guide suitable for all skill levels.

PHASE I - TOOLS

Get these:

- A glass jar with a lid OR a plastic bucket
- Drill or Dremel tool (with low RPM if possible). My recommendation: IKEA Fixa cordless drill ($25)
- Drill bits of 1,5mm, 4mm and 4,5mm (someone please add the US sizes). My recommendation: Buy as expensive and hard 1,5mm drill bit for metal as you can find to avoid replacing it every two minutes.
- Super glue. My recommendation: Loctite precision super glue PICTURE
- Tweezers
- Soft wire brush. Be sure it is soft, otherwise you scrape the car useless. Might be a bit tough to find.
- Carpet/Hobby Knife. My recommendation: Tajima Stainless Steel Knife PICTURE
- Wet sand paper, coarse level 2000.
- Quixx Acrylic Scratch Remover PICTURE
- Pledge Floor Finish "wax", USA VERSION -- EU VERSION (FINNISH LABEL)
- Side cutters, small
- Molotow Liquid Chrome marker. My recommendation: 2mm tip
- Paint markers. My recommendation: Molotow Markers with 1mm tip
- Patience


PHASE II - OPENING THE CAR


Some of the cars are put together with a screw and are easy to open, but most of them are riveted and need to be drilled open. Some, but not many, cars like Majorette and Tomica usually open if you just take a drill bit that is around the size of the diameter of the rivet and gently drill a little.

Most of the cars, though, will need the rivet to be drilled deeper in the middle with a small 1,5mm drill bit. Drill gently and do not push too hard to avoid snapping off the bit. When you have drilled deeper a couple millimeters, change to the drill bit that is the size of (or a little over) the diameter of the rivet. Gently drill a few seconds and the rivet pops. After drilling just pull the body off the base. The other parts that are loose inside will be ready for treatment.

Posted Image
A Matchbox Renault 11 after drilling the car open

PHASE III - BODY


When the body is playworn, you probably want to paint it. But if you want to get good results, you have to get the old paint off. There are a couple of methods I use that work equally well.
A ) Put acetone in a glass jar and throw the car bodies there. Close the lid of the jar to avoid vaporization of the acetone. Leave the bodies there for 24 hours and after that peel the car with for example the soft wire brush to get the paint off. Use hobby knife to get the paint residues off the cracks. Rather use just a little acetone on the bottom of the jar than to fill the jar up. Shake the jar when the cars are in it and the lid it properly closed. ACETONE MELTS PLASTIC PARTS (AND PLASTIC JAR), SO USE IT ONLY FOR METAL PARTS.
B ) Do the same with universal cleaner concentrate. You can use a plastic jar and don't need a lid.

TIP: First soak the bodies for a few hours in the cleaner and then put them into acetone. Only a couple of minutes in acetone might do it that way.

Posted Image
A Hot Wheels Mazda RX-7 after acetone bath. The paint is now easy to peel



Posted Image
Peeled car bodies

Be sure the car has as little paint left as possible. Works also if the base is painted and you want to repaint it.

Use spray paints to paint the car. Airbrush is needlessly expensive and doesn't give much better (if any) result. With markers or paintbrushes you can not get a smooth surface.

There are three steps in the body painting process. Primer, body paint and clearcoat.

NOTICE: You will have to experiment a little. Some primers, spray paints and clearcoats don't work together. It is the most safe way to check which type of paint you have and get the others of the same type.

NOTICE: When painting, DO NOT hold the spray can in position, but move it constantly to avoid dripping and too thick paint layer. If the car doesn't get covered in paint immediately, wait 15 minutes and do another layer. Hold the can far away enough from the car (over 20cm / 8 inches)

Automotive spray paints uually have a nice color chart of many options to any taste.

Always start painting next to the car body as the first drops of paint coming out of the can, you don't want them to the car body.

I usually use grey primer because it works well with most colours. Do NOT use black or white primers as most colors don't look good on them.

I recommend painting the primer two layers and then the actual body colour at least two or three layers. Be patient.

When the car body looks good, apply the clearcoat. Metallic colors will look odd if the clearcoat is not applied, and it should be applied to solid colors as well to avoid chipping in the future.
I recommend at least three clearcoat layers to metallic colors and two to solid colors.

LET THE BODIES DRY AT LEAST A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE ASSEMBLING THE CAR AS OTHERWISE YOU WOULD LEAVE FINGERPRINTS ON THEM.

Posted Image
Car bodies painted and clear coated

PHASE IV - BASE


Bases are either plastic, painted (apply Phase III) or bare Zamac. If the body is bare, it usually doesn't look like new. Use the soft wire brush to brush the base as long as it shines like new. It will also remove any paint residues if the car is abused in the past.

If there are wheels attached to the base, it might need a little work to get them off. Apply side cutters to try to cut the clips and set the axle free. If the base is plastic, you might just turn the clips a little and get the axle off easily.

Posted Image
A Matchbox Toyota MR2 with metal lower body part peeled off with a wire brush

PHASE V - AXLES AND TIRES


Usually the wheels are at least lost some of their chrome, but are sometimes also bent. Both faults can be fixed.

If the chrome is just gone, apply Molotow Liquid Chrome to the wheels. The 2mm tip is the best as with most wheels you can just hover over the chrome areas and et the wheels like new. If the black part of the wheels is worn, paint the wheels black first.

Use the chrome marker for bumpers, grilles etc. too

If the axle is bent, you can fix it. Snap the axle off and leave a couple millimeters of the axle on both wheels. Use Super glue to glue the axle to the base and be sure to align it as good as you can. Let it dry and you have single axles for both wheels on the same "axle".

Super glue also works on complete axles if the suspension part of the base is broken.

An alternative way (from FoolTrottel): Use needles and superglue to build new axles from scratch. Works especially if you want to retain suspension.

Posted Image
A Matchbox Lincoln Town Car with excessive rechroming effort

PHASE VI - INTERIOR AND GLASS


Glass is a bit tricky and they usually are quite ok but will give up the car being restored if not treated. There is no quick way to do it properly.

First, use a very fine wet sandpaper (2000) to sand off the scratches. DO NOT get frightened when the glass turns blurry and is not transparent anymore. After you can feel the glass is smooth, wash it properly in water and then apply Quixx Acrylic Scratch Remover with the cloth provided with it. When you polish enough, the glass gets transparent again. BE VERY PATIENT with this as it takes time. After done, dip the glass in a jar full of the floor care product mentioned in Phase I. Use tweezers to hold it while dipping and try to get the glass so it does NOT have any drops. If it does, shake it and dip again. Let the wax dry for some hours at least.

Interiors usually do not need much attention. I recommend a good wash and if the color is about to change, apply body painting measures but the clearcoat is not needed. If there are some paint or marker residues in interiors or glass, try the universal cleaner trick in Phase III. DO NOT put plastic parts in acetone as they will melt!

Posted Image
Posted Image
Before/After glass treatment, Majorette Volvo 760

Phase VII - DETAILING AND ASSEMBLY

If the car had or you want to add some detail, use paint markers. Some might think Sharpies are better but they easily rip off the fresh paint under and around them. You can of course use hobby paints too.

When you are sure the car is good and the paint is dried, assemble it. I just put them together with super glue. It will hold if you just get it right. Use rubber bands (with a piece of cloth between them and the car body) to push the car together and then apply superglue to the rivets. Wait a couple hours, and you are finished!

Posted Image
Posted Image
Before/After Matchbox Mercedes 300E, using the methods described in this guide

Thanks for reading.
Hope you will make amazing restorations!


Edited by Ripa, Jul 2 2018, 06:31 AM.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
toyotageek
Member Avatar
Japanese Minicar Maniac
This is a great basic tutorial and needs to be pinned for all eternity! :thumbup:
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
FoolTrottel
Member Avatar
Fullsize
:bowing:
Thanks for that... For sure worth being pinned!

As for axle replacement, I use needles, the ones used for sewing, usually they are long enough. Cut to size, and use super glue to glue the wheels back on. (When cutting them, do it inside a cloth or box or some container, you do not want to lose the bits flying off... them being small and nasty sharp. Wear glasses!)
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Ripa
Member Avatar
Minivan
FoolTrottel
Jun 20 2018, 11:23 AM
As for axle replacement, I use needles, the ones used for sewing, usually they are long enough. Cut to size, and use super glue to glue the wheels back on. (When cutting them, do it inside a cloth or box or some container, you do not want to lose the bits flying off... them being small and nasty sharp. Wear glasses!)
Worth trying! Should work better with for example the bases of Majorette than my method as my way of just using a small piece of the axle doesn't work with suspension mechanisms.
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Repair Bay: Customs & Restorations · Next Topic »
Add Reply



March's Picture of The Month Contest



Congratulations DinoMom for winning March's contest!



April's Picture of The Month Contest



Congratulations carsdownunder for winning April's contest!






Powered By

This board is best viewed at 1024 x 768 Resolution


eXTReMe Tracker