Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Decals
Make a few decal designs with a graphic design program and print them on plain white paper. Cut the prototype decal designs out quickly with a pair of scissors. Hold the cutouts up to the sides of the die-cast car to judge how their color and size looks on the vehicle.
Make adjustments to the original designs in the graphic design program before printing them out on white or clear sticker paper. Using clear sticker paper makes the blank spaces between shapes and letters on the decal appear blank.
Spray a light coat of acrylic sealant over the sheet of printed decals after they have dried for 20 minutes. Wait 20 more minutes and apply a second layer of the clear acrylic.
Cut out the decals carefully on a cutting board using a razor blade knife. Peel the paper backing off the individual decal and position it on the die-cast car with a pair of tweezers.
Place a small scrap of blank paper over the decal and rub in a circular motion as you apply pressure to thoroughly adhere the sticker.
Paint
Disassemble the diecast car as much as possible without causing damage. Set aside the unpainted parts so they can be reattached when the new paint job is complete.
Place the painted sections of the die-cast car in a glass dish and add paint remover liquid until they are covered completely. Allow the painted parts to soak for 30 minutes.
Cover your hands with rubber gloves and scrub the loosened paint from the die-cast car with a plastic scrub brush. Apply medium pressure and scrub in a circular motion until all the paint is removed. Run the stripped parts under cold water and dry them with paper towels to remove residual chemicals and paint.
Place the stripped parts of the die-cast car on a newspaper and inspect the condition of the surface. Sand any rough areas until they are smooth using extra-fine sandpaper. Wipe the sanded parts with a clean paper towel to remove the dust.
Spray a thin coat of primer onto all sides of the pieces, keeping the nozzle 6 to 8 inches away at all times. Apply a second layer of primer after the first coating has dried for an hour. Sand the parts smooth with the extra-fine sandpaper after the second coat has fully dried.
Brush a thin layer of top coat model paint onto the smooth primer surface of the die-cast car parts. Sand the layer of top coat with the extra-fine sandpaper after it has dried for at least an hour. Add a second and third layer with dry time and sanding in between each application.
Allow the third layer of model paint to dry without sanding for at least 24 hours. Add details to the paint scheme with a fine point paint brush and leave the parts to dry for another 24 hour period before reassembling the die-cast car.