Customizing model cars
Modifying model cars is a fun hobby, with which you can make your collection unique. kunt maken. Starting point is a model car scale 1:87, but the techniques described can be used for other scales as well. Many readymaid models can be bought. But it is more fun, and sometimes necessary to build things yourself. We for instance wanted to add a van unloading shoeboxes, for our shoe store on the model layout of Twentse Modelspoorwegclub.
For this example we used a simple Mercedes van made by Wiking (model nr. 27); see the photo on the right. The model is quite detailled, but has only three colours: the green of the van de body work, the black of the tires and transparant plastic for the windows.
Our model is a second hand buy from the wellknown modelrailway fair in Houten. It cost almost nothing, because the former owner had drilled a hole in the back. We think for introducing a cable for interior lighting. So closing this hole as invisible as possible was an extra challenge.
Opening the model
First of all the model was very carefully opened. To do this cautiously insert a snap-off knife between different colours of plastic, to determine where the model has been glued. In our model this was only the case around the hole in the back. Then try cutting the glue with as little force as possible of pry the parts loose.
Cutting out the doors
Because we wanted an open van for our shoe shop, we carefully cut out the back doors with a sharp snap-off knife along the orange lines. The plastic is quite thick and hard, so one needs to cut each line quite often. Be carefull that the knife does not slip from the lines that need cutting!
As is shown on the photo, we also cut out a small part of the bodywork, below the doors. Theoretically that could have remained in place. But it is so thin, that it is impossible to cut out the doors then without damage. So we first cut the outer cutting lines and thus detached the doors plus the underplate as one piece. Placing that flat on a cutting mat, it is much easier to cut the smaller pieces. The lower platework was seperated from the doors and then reglued onto the chassis with the wheels.
After cutting out the doors, we found an extra grey plastic 'flap' on the chassis, thas was used to glue the model together. This had to be removed aswell. The model also had the upper half lined with 'glass' all the way around; so the backside needed to be cut out also.
Because of the hole we also had to modify the doors. The lower part was cut off along an existing 'dent' in the door (see dotted line), and replaced by a piece of plastic of approx. the same thickness. I used a left-over piece from a building kit. But a small piece of sturdy cardboard of the right thickness could have been used too.
Adding an interior
Wiking models are not meant to be looked into. So, aprt from two seats in the cabin, they have no interior. One can also see the wheels stocking through the bottom of the car.
We therefor made this model from sturdy paper, as an interior 'lining'. Before that, a photo of plywood had been printed onto the paper. (Many vans have an interior of this material). Another piece of the samen paper was glued onto the inside of the two loading doors.
Cargo
In the next step cargo was added; in our case a huge stock of shoe boxes. We used a small blocked printed with a 3d-printer, and glued on a print of an image of shoe boxes. (Each box measures 2,5 x 1,5 mm). But of course a piece of cardboard or a block of wood would do too.
For a more dynamic effect we glued two unequal stocks of boxes behind one another. With small pieces of Evergreen polystyreen strip (nr. 155) one can also make individual shoe boxes, paint those in the correct colour and glue a paper print onto one of the ends.
Mounting the doors
One possibly difficult problem is remounting the doors. Of course one can reglue them perpendicular to the backside of the van. But because of the rounded form of both the doors and the van, this can be tricky.
We therefor added 'real' hinges. On 1/4 and 3/4 from the top a thin copper wire (one core from a cable) horizontally against the inside of the van (see arrow). The same wire continues onto the the doors, between the plastic and the paper glued on the inside of the doors (see orange dotted line).In this way the doors can also be opened at a arbitrary angle.
Further 'pimping'
With some paintwork the model can be further embellished. We coloured the front and tail lights, and painted all door handles, bumpers and the Mercedes star at the front chrome, with a small brush. Also a latch was added to one of the backdoors; again made from an Evergreen profile. Extra options could e.g. be paper hup-cabs (from a perforator) on the wheels. And real die-hards will ofcourse add side mirrors and number plates.